Chapter 25 Lecturing

Chapter 25: A Lecture

The sun dipped behind the mountains, its last light flickering briefly before twilight deepened into gloom.

In the distance, a few hoarse cries from homing crows only amplified the surrounding silence.

"Sir… good sirs… my lord, spare our lives! Have mercy!" The older refugee suddenly tugged his companion down, both dropping to their knees with a thud. "We were blind fools, speaking out of turn! We beg you, good sirs, spare our wretched lives!"

Just moments ago, they had been tearfully denouncing the atrocities of "rebels" and "traitors," pleading for the imperial court to rescue their homeland. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the very troops they had believed to be their saviors were now flying the same "righteous army" banner.

By now, they were utterly terrified, as if the army before them was the very Meng Ru forces they had just condemned.

Especially the cold, commanding aura of authority emanating from Jing Su—to them, it was no different from the King of Hell himself, come to claim their souls.

The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.

Some soldiers of the Jing Army, unable to bear their pitiful state, stepped forward and hauled the two trembling men to their feet, scolding, "Our young master is benevolent and righteous, nothing like those you spoke of!"

The two men shuddered in fear, unable to stand steadily.

Jing Su’s expression remained calm, betraying no emotion. He said in a deep voice, "We are indeed a righteous army, but our army adheres to strict rules: first, no plundering of civilians; second, no indiscriminate killing of innocents; third, no bullying of the weak or vulnerable. Those who violate these orders will be executed without mercy."

As his words fell, the two refugees trembled violently, as if the execution order were meant for them.

A chill shot from the soles of their feet straight to the crowns of their heads, making their vision blur. Sheer terror had already seized their minds; at this moment, they could neither comprehend nor believe Jing Su’s words.

Just then, light, measured footsteps approached.

Jing Su tilted his head slightly, his gaze softening as he saw Duan Lingwen walking slowly from the tent. The twilight was dim, and the campfire behind him flickered in the gentle breeze, casting a warm, golden glow around him.

Duan Lingwen walked to Jing Su’s side and, seeing the two men in tattered clothes and with dirty faces, could tell they had suffered greatly. He lifted his head slightly and looked at Jing Su, asking softly, "What’s going on?"

His voice was quiet, yet it was like a stone tossed into a still pond, breaking the suffocating silence.

"They are refugees from Nanyang, passing through here. Our men apprehended them, mistaking them for scouts," Jing Su explained, then instructed his men to settle the two aside until daybreak, when they would be released.

Duan Lingwen’s gaze lingered on the two for a moment. Once they were back in the tent, he tugged at Jing Su’s sleeve and said, "Their clothes are torn, and it’s getting dark. The night will be cold."

Pursing his lips, he hinted gently—he knew all too well the biting chill that pierced to the bone.

Jing Su knew he was kind-hearted but did not immediately agree. He said, "Wenwen, not everyone who appears pitiable is as they seem. What if these two are not ordinary refugees, but enemy scouts sent to infiltrate us? What if their pitiable appearance is merely a disguise, intended to probe our military strength? What then?"

Duan Lingwen’s expression faltered. He instinctively thought he had overstepped and lowered his head, feeling strangely dejected. "I… I understand."

Seeing this, Jing Su’s heart softened. His intention had been to guide him in discerning good from evil and right from wrong, not to upset him.

In these turbulent times, too many people disguised themselves as harmless, only to strike a fatal blow when others let their guard down.

He immediately reached out and gently cupped Duan Lingwen’s face, saying softly, "I spoke too harshly. Don’t be angry with me, alright?"

"I’m not angry…" Duan Lingwen’s head drooped even lower, his voice muffled.

Jing Su pulled him into his arms and whispered, "I know you have a kind heart. But when I asked you that question, it wasn’t to say you were wrong. I wanted you to learn to tell good from evil—to understand the foundation upon which your kindness is built."

Duan Lingwen retorted quietly, "But you clearly said they were refugees from Nanyang."

A hint of amusement flickered in Jing Su’s eyes. "You trust me that much?"

"…Yes."

Jing Su asked, "What if my judgment is wrong?"

Duan Lingwen paused, silent for a moment, then said softly but firmly, "They… are very thin, with sunken eyes. It doesn’t seem feigned—they must not have eaten well for many days. And their straw sandals are badly worn at the front, as if they’ve been running for a long time…"

"If they were scouts, they’d need to eat well to have the strength to gather information, right…"

Hearing this, Jing Su smiled, kissed the top of Duan Lingwen’s head, then stepped back and called outside the tent, "Zhou Hong."

"Here!" Bodyguard Zhou Hong responded immediately from outside, quickly entering the tent and saluting with a fist-and-palm bow. "Young master! Madam!"

Jing Su did not give the order directly but instead looked at Duan Lingwen, signaling him to speak his mind.

Duan Lingwen’s heart leaped, and a flush of heat rose to his head. He took a quiet breath, trying to steady his voice, but still stumbled over his words. "Please… fetch two sets of thick old clothes and prepare… a few days’ worth of dry rations for those two men."

He spoke slowly, occasionally glancing at Jing Su, afraid he might say something inappropriate. "And… give them a fire starter too. They can light a fire at night… to ward off the cold."

After finishing, he held his breath almost entirely.

Zhou Hong paused for a moment, as if waiting for Jing Su’s command. But Jing Su remained silent, indicating that this was Duan Lingwen’s order. It also signified that, from now on, Duan Lingwen’s words were his words.

"Yes!" Zhou Hong acknowledged and left.

Once he was gone, the tent fell silent again. Duan Lingwen let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing. As he lifted his head slightly, he met Jing Su’s smiling eyes.

Jing Su tilted his head and asked playfully, "Does madam have any other orders?"

Duan Lingwen’s ears turned red. He muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible, "You’re teasing me."

The words sounded like a joke, yet also carried a note of seriousness. Duan Lingwen instinctively replied, "You… what nonsense are you talking… How could I…"

"Why not? No one is born a commander. It’s learned step by step, observed bit by bit." Jing Su stepped forward, took his hand, and led him to a low table to sit down.

Then, he took out a slightly aged parchment scroll from a nearby bag and slowly unrolled it on the table between them.

Duan Lingwen looked on curiously. The parchment was covered in ink lines tracing mountains, rivers, towns, and passes. The unfamiliar symbols and dense annotations were like a foreign language to him.

"This is a military map," Jing Su explained patiently, his finger moving slowly across the map. "Look, these are the directions of mountains and rivers. This is a strategic mountain pass—if enemies attack, we can defend here. And this river valley is open, suitable for camping… These markings indicate places where fierce battles once took place. We must be extra cautious when passing through…"

"Steep terrain is easy to defend but hard to attack—it’s a strategic point for military contention. But if trapped there for long, supplies become a fatal weakness…"

"Low-lying areas near rivers become muddy and difficult to traverse during the rainy season, making it easy for men and horses to get stuck. So, marching must consider the season…"

Duan Lingwen held his breath, his full attention on Jing Su’s voice and the map.

Back in Wu County, he had read some military texts, but the words in those books were too obscure for him to understand.

Now, under Jing Su’s guidance, the map seemed to come alive.

Duan Lingwen unconsciously became more engrossed. At first, he sat upright, but gradually, he leaned forward slightly. Unaware, his back relaxed completely, almost nestling into Jing Su’s chest.

He was so focused that when Jing Su paused briefly in his explanation, he unconsciously nuzzled his head against Jing Su’s jaw.

Jing Su wrapped an arm around his waist, subtly pulling him closer.

Seeing how absorbed Duan Lingwen was, he suddenly lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against Duan Lingwen’s neck.

Yet, Duan Lingwen didn’t notice.

Slightly cool lips landed very lightly on the back of Duan Lingwen's neck.

Duan Lingwen shifted slightly but still didn't notice. Instead, he leaned even closer to the map, trying to see it more clearly.

Jing Su suddenly smiled, then gave a gentle suck, leaving a trail of fine, moist kisses along the back of his neck.

"Hmm…" Duan Lingwen trembled abruptly, snapped out of his immersion. He instinctively shrunk his neck. "You…"

As soon as that brief, breathy sound escaped, warm breath completely covered his earlobe.

Jing Su's lips and teeth very lightly nipped and suckled that soft bit of ear flesh, his arms tightening even more to pull him closer against his chest.

Duan Lingwen almost couldn't suppress a soft, sob-like moan, his body instantly going limp. If not for Jing Su's arm tightly encircling him, he would hardly be able to sit steady.

Gentle pecks mixed with scorching breath fell finely and densely behind his ear. That patch of skin quickly flushed a startling crimson, burning startlingly hot.

His hand rested on Jing Su's arm wrapped around his waist, fingertips curled slightly, unsure whether to push away or pull closer.

Jing Su's arm exerted a bit of force, making him sit on his lap, drawing him completely into his embrace.

Duan Lingwen collected himself, then looked up at him and muttered a small complaint: "What are you doing…"

Jing Su gazed at him, his eyes falling on his slightly parted lips. His breathing grew heavier; just a little closer and he could taste the sweetness of those lips, so near yet so far.

However, just as his lips were about to cover them, Jing Su abruptly turned his head away, pressing his forehead against the crook of Duan Lingwen's neck, letting out a muffled gasp.

If he indulged now, the ignited desire would surely spread like wildfire, impossible to merely sample. Once started, it would be hard to control, only ending with devouring him whole, making it difficult for him to even sit steady on a horse tomorrow.

Duan Lingwen was somewhat at a loss; the rapid, ragged breathing brushing against his neck made him worried. "Jing Su, what's wrong?"

After a long while, Jing Su seemed to barely calm down a little. He slowly raised his head, his gaze glancing over his lips. "…It's nothing. It's just… I suddenly really want to kiss you."

Hearing this, Duan Lingwen hesitated for a moment. Just as Jing Su was about to continue explaining the map to distract him, he suddenly leaned in actively and kissed Jing Su's cheek.

A quick, fleeting touch.

Jing Su stiffened completely, his heart seeming to skip a beat.

His grip tightened slightly, but the next moment, he somewhat hurriedly lifted him off his lap and settled him to the side, his voice hoarse. "You keep looking for a while… I need to step out for some air."

With that, he abruptly stood up, not even daring to look at Duan Lingwen again, and fled outside the tent as if in full retreat.