OL CH22

“Chenye, how did you get here?”

Snapping back to reality, Bai Su was genuinely astonished. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined King Ning would personally travel to the frontier; after all, conditions at the border were far harsher than those in the imperial capital.

In his mind, imperial scions and nobility had never been able to endure hardship, and King Ning was hardly a seasoned soldier. Yet seeing the man in the flesh, what overwhelmed him most was sheer, joyful surprise.

However, moments ago Bai Su had been plotting how to coerce and imprison this very man once he returned to the capital. Now that he had abruptly appeared of his own accord, Bai Su could not help feeling a dazed sense of disbelief.

“What? You aren’t happy that I came?”

Chen Tian greedily drank in the sight of his long-unseen lover. Unable to restrain himself, he stepped forward and clasped his hand tightly.

The soldier who had come to report earlier had already tactfully slipped out of the tent, musing privately that rumors of King Ning and the General sharing a close bond were indeed true.

Seeing that they were alone, Chen Tian pulled Bai Su into his arms, kissing his forehead with a contented sigh. “Zisu, I missed you so much!”

Bai Su was deeply moved, leaning quietly against the man he loved with all his heart.

Only after holding each other for a long while did they sit down. Wasting no time, Chen Tian began recounting in detail the various military supplies he had brought with him.

Naturally, he also harbored thoughts of claiming some credit. Running around with such tireless exertion was partly for the soldiers and commoners, but the true driving force was his lover.

Bai Su listened quietly, nodding from time to time. The Iron Xuan Guards had already sent word of what Chen Tian orchestrated back in the capital. Whatever the underlying motives, it was enough to fill Bai Su with profound gratitude.

Noticing the smile on Bai Su’s face, Chen Tian was immensely pleased with his ability to coax his beloved.

Only after they poured their hearts out to each other for quite some time did Chen Tian spare the attention to curiously inspect Bai Su’s command tent.

A grand general’s tent naturally looked far better than an ordinary soldier’s quarters, but stripped down, it was still just a simple canvas shelter.

Inside were two desks, one bearing a sand table map, the other clearly used for official paperwork.

A shelf held clothes and miscellaneous items, accompanied by a few plain bamboo chairs. The bed was nothing more than stiff wooden planks, offering little comfort, incomparably humble compared to the bedchambers in his princely estate.

Though he understood such conditions were considered decent during wartime, Chen Tian’s heart ached terribly, lamenting that his lover had suffered so much hardship.

This was precisely why the consignment he brought this time included many fine daily necessities alongside food provisions.

He knew that if he had not overseen the delivery in person, it would have been distributed entirely among the troops just like earlier batches. Bai Su would have even yielded his own share so the soldiers could have a little more to eat and use.

Without needing superfluous words, as a devoted husband who cherished his wife, he preferred letting his actions do the talking.

Musing over this, Chen Tian touched and inspected items around the tent, carefully examining the space where his lover had lived for months.

Strolling unhurriedly over to a desk, he caught sight of the open letter of surrender sent by Great Yan, and immediately turned to Bai Su with pleasant surprise: “Has Great Yan already surrendered?”

The Take Tribe was no longer a threat, and with Great Yan delivering a surrender missive, the war was nearly over.

Did that mean his lover could return with him? The thought filled Chen Tian with delight.

With undisguised joy on his face, he beamed at Bai Su. “I heard the soldiers outside praising your valor earlier, how you tore the alliance between Great Yan and the Take Tribe apart in such short order and drove Great Yan to submit a letter of surrender. You truly are a natural commander. From what I see, every soldier looks to you as their pillar. Zisu, you have truly become Xiling’s undisputed God of War!”

He lavished compliments without restraint; when it came to buttering up his wife, Chen Tian was practically a master scholar.

Yet in Bai Su’s ears, all these praises sounded far from pure, particularly Chen Tian’s emphasis on the soldiers’ trust and his towering prestige in the army.

Was this not a pointed hint that he had now seized full control of the military and could serve as King Ning’s greatest asset?

At this thought, Bai Su lowered his eyelashes. He did not interrupt King Ning’s continued praise, merely stepping silently to his side.

Gazing at the excitement and joy dancing in the man’s eyes, he felt this happiness was born only from betting correctly, from realizing that Bai Su was far more useful than originally imagined.

After a fleeting pang of bitter ache in his chest, Bai Su reached out abruptly, cupping the man’s chin and kissing him on the lips.

He did not want to listen to his ceaseless flattery any longer. He had fought relentlessly on the battlefield without sleep or rest all this time for this single purpose.

Now, he wanted to claim his rightful reward.

Caught off guard by the kiss, Chen Tian was momentarily dazed, but comfort and bliss quickly washed over him.

It had been so long since he was intimate with his beloved. Separated for months, he truly missed Bai Su with every fiber of his being. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to hold the man in his arms and breathe in his scent to his heart’s content.

Reciprocating passionately, the two kissed until parting became impossible. Bai Su wished only that time would freeze right here until the end of the world.

Yet as a general, duties were endless. Before they could linger in intimacy much longer, a soldier’s voice called from outside, reporting that General Shang had pressing matters to discuss with Bai Su.

Reluctantly lifting his head, Chen Tian wiped the moisture from the corner of Bai Su’s lips. Suppressing his heated breath, he kissed his forehead before letting him go.

“Go on. I’ll wait for you right here.”

Bai Su nodded and stepped away, glancing back repeatedly with every few paces.

However, Chen Tian waited inside the tent for a long time without Bai Su returning. Realizing it must be an important matter requiring considerable discussion, he felt somewhat bored. He lifted the curtain and stepped outside to take a walk nearby.

It was already dinnertime. With provisions relatively plentiful now, the soldiers could enjoy two meals a day; in previous years, eating once a day or going completely hungry had been common.

The soldiers in the camp went about their duties in an orderly manner. Although Great Yan had sent a letter of surrender, drills and patrols remained vigilant, though the atmosphere was no longer as taut as in active combat.

Because Chen Tian had arranged for large quantities of fresh meat from surrounding regions to reward the troops, men could be seen gathering in small groups, roasting meat over campfires.

Chen Tian’s attire was noticeably better than an ordinary civilian’s, yet after a grueling journey, he wore practical garments rather than court finery. Most assumed he was merely a minor official escorting the supply convoy, unaware that he was King Ning.

Since his arrival brought such abundant provisions, the soldiers were naturally grateful, and quite a few warmly invited him to join their campfire.

Looking around and guessing Bai Su would not return anytime soon, Chen Tian nodded and accepted the invitation. He also intended to ask about his lover’s recent wellbeing.

He worried Bai Su had suffered in silence without telling him, and no one knew camp life better than the soldiers themselves.

The meat gathered earlier had not been selectively sorted; there was pork, beef, and mutton, but as long as they had meat, everyone was content. Proper seasonings were scarce in camp, but the food retained its pure, natural flavor. A simple dusting of salt and spices yielded delicious roasted meat.

Watching the men skillfully slice and eat the meat, Chen Tian drew his dagger to join in.

This dagger had been part of the rewards bestowed by the old Emperor. The blade curved upward at the tip, razor-sharp. Its hilt was carved with delicate patterns and embedded with a white gemstone, elegant and striking, reportedly a tribute from frontier tribes.

Most military men were rough and direct, speaking with blunt honesty without evasive pretense.

Chen Tian casually asked about life in camp and recent battles, focusing mainly on Bai Su.

Hearing the soldiers praise Bai Su whenever his name arose filled him with immense pride, bringing him a hundred times more joy than if they had praised him directly.

Before long, Chen Tian was chatting merrily with them, earning their goodwill effortlessly.

“Say, brother, you came from the capital, right? You look like someone from a wealthy, noble house!” a man with a scar over his eye asked with a grin while chewing on meat.

Beside him, a dark-skinned soldier slapped his thigh. “Exactly! This brother is truly handsome and dignified. To tell the truth, I have a younger sister back home.”

“Give it a rest, Zhang Ergou! Your sister is dark and stout. This brother is so handsome, he surely needs a delicate, lovely maiden!”

The dark-skinned soldier protested immediately: “What are you on about, Wang Laosan! What’s wrong with my sister? So what if she’s tan? She’s a hard worker! My sister is the best at running a household, and she’s better at farming than any man in the village!”

Seeing the two bickering over something so absurd, Chen Tian did not know whether to laugh or cry. He waved his hands in dismissal. “I already have someone in my heart, so I must decline Brother Zhang’s kind intentions.”

As Chen Tian spoke, the memory of Bai Su softened his eyes with deep affection.

The men around him paused upon catching his tender gaze. Exchanging glances, they broke into good-natured laughter, teasing, “Brother, your sweetheart must be an extraordinary beauty!”

At this, Chen Tian nodded vigorously in agreement.

Was his beloved not a rare, peerless beauty?

No, his Xiao Bai was the most beautiful, handsome, charming, and utterly enchanting person in the entire world!

Witnessing Chen Tian’s earnest expression, the soldiers erupted into warm, hearty laughter.

Yet none of them noticed that from a shadowy corner, a dark, venomous gaze was fixed murderously upon Chen Tian. Within those bloodshot eyes, a tempest was brewing.