Ying Wutu’s teeth chattered uncontrollably from the cold. He hid behind a small slope, wrapping his body in a bedsheet, trying to curl up to retain some warmth.
If this continued, he wouldn’t be able to escape; he would freeze to death first.
But where could he go?
The military camp was set up in an open area with a clear view. He had been walking in the snow for over half an hour, but whenever he looked up, he could still see the ever-burning torches of the Jiang family army’s camp.
He had thought of stealing a horse to ride away, but there were too many soldiers guarding the stables. Escaping alone was already difficult enough.
“Hiss…”
The wind and snow intensified, covering Ying Wutu’s eyebrows and eyes with a layer of frost.
It was unbearably cold.
Dragging his injured body, he had walked so far that he couldn’t go any further.
Now, his whole body was freezing, and he estimated that he wouldn’t survive until dawn.
Ying Wutu grasped the candle wick in his hand. He never wanted to die.
When he was three, his sister died unexpectedly from illness. His widowed father, fearing their clan would drive them away, made him disguise himself as his sister, attending private school and learning to read and write. When he was fourteen, his father also died of illness. Just in time for recruitment, he joined the army.
He thought his fate would be different from ordinary men, who had to marry and have daughters, but now he was facing death by freezing.
His gaze turned to the distant lights of the woman’s camp.
So cold…
He seemed to see her figure again.
He knew it was an illusion.
He murmured to himself and then fell into the snow.
The last name he spoke was Jiang Shouzhu.
——
Jiang Shouzhu easily found Ying Wutu. She was wearing a fox fur cloak, holding another in her hand.
The area around the military camp was open for miles, and although it was still snowing, the footprints in the snow clearly showed the direction Ying Wutu had fled.
From the footprints, it was evident that he started walking step by step but ended up crawling and stumbling.
He must have been exhausted.
Jiang Shouzhu approached Ying Wutu, squatted down, and smiled.
She knew he was still alive; she never worried that Ying Wutu would actually kill himself. If he truly wanted to die, he could have done so with the candle wick. Why bother running away?
Running was futile.
He would never escape her grasp.
Jiang Shouzhu wrapped the frozen man in the cloak, placed him on her horse, and mounted it herself, returning from her “hunt.”
She rode quickly, fearing he might actually freeze to death.
She had been sparring with this cunning little rabbit for half a year and hadn’t had enough yet. How could he die?
Back at the camp, Jiang Shouzhu ordered hot water and a bathtub to be prepared.
Ying Wutu soaked in the hot water for half an hour before gradually opening his eyes.
The first thing he saw was that he hadn’t died.
The second thing he saw was that woman.
The woman was sitting not far away, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on her face as she peeled a pear.
Wait, wasn’t the knife she was using to peel the pear his short sword?
That short sword was a keepsake from his father. He thought it was lost in the snow during the battle earlier in the day, but it ended up in her hands.
He didn’t have time to think about the sword’s fate; he needed to consider his own situation.
“Peeking for so long, have you figured anything out?” Jiang Shouzhu finished peeling the pear, put down the short knife, and walked towards the bathtub step by step.
So she had noticed him all along.
Ying Wutu shrank further into the water, not daring to answer.
Jiang Shouzhu held the pear in front of Ying Wutu and commanded, “Eat it.”
Ying Wutu stubbornly turned his face away, his face flushed from the steam.
“What? Planning to starve yourself? You never truly wanted to die; I know it all. I’m a kind person and don’t like to force others. If you comply with my wishes, I might consider sparing your soldiers. After all, the emperor’s orders were to bring back only you, the Emperor of Ying, and the fifth prince alive. Their fate depends entirely on your behavior.”
Ying Wutu slowly turned his head back, his gaze shifting from the pear to her face. Seeing her serious expression, he asked, “Really?”
“My patience is limited.”
Ying Wutu slowly took his hand out of the water and accepted the peeled pear. He didn’t dare eat it and cautiously asked, “What do you intend to do with me?”
He certainly didn’t want the 3,000 captured soldiers, who had fought alongside him, to die. Even if they knew he was a man, whether they still regarded him as a sister was another matter.
“Eat the pear first,” Jiang Shouzhu said, dragging a chair over and sitting by the bathtub, one hand resting on the edge of the tub, chin propped on her palm, looking at him with interest.
It was as if she were teasing a cute, fluffy puppy.
Ying Wutu cautiously sniffed the pear; it smelled normal.
“Write an agreement. As long as you don’t kill the captives, you can do as you wish with me,” Ying Wutu actually began to negotiate.
Jiang Shouzhu laughed, “Such a naive little man. Even if you had an agreement, what could you do if I broke it? Eat the pear; I peeled it myself.”
Of course she had peeled it herself. The pear had been soaked in a solution, turning the skin blue and looking frightening, so she peeled it off. She was never considerate.
She didn’t want to expose him too soon; otherwise, it would be no fun.
Teasing him was the most amusing thing.
Ying Wutu pursed his lips. He knew he had no right to negotiate.
He took a bite of the pear, crisp and refreshing. He chewed and swallowed, and tears welled up again.
Captured in the early morning, he hadn’t had a drop of water since, his stomach growling with hunger, and he had fled a long way with injuries. Now that this woman had captured him, instead of beating or mistreating him, she saved his life and gave him a pear to eat.
A pear peeled by her own hand!
How could he deserve to eat a pear she peeled?
He had never been cared for by a woman like this before. Why did this woman have to be his enemy?
“Why are you crying while eating?”
Jiang Shouzhu found it strange. The fifth prince of Ying had told her that the drug soaked into the fruit and was tasteless. Was this pear bitter and astringent, making him cry?
Ying Wutu’s heart fluttered at her words.
Was she showing concern?
He felt conflicted; he hated her, yet he couldn’t help but develop some strange feelings towards her.
He shouldn’t feel this way.
“What do you plan to do with me?” Ying Wutu didn’t answer why he was crying. He just wanted to know why this woman was treating him so well.
“What do you think I’ll do with you?” Jiang Shouzhu watched him take small bites of the pear, the crunching sound making him seem even more like a little rabbit.
But… this was a little rabbit that bites, very disobedient and needing a good lesson.
“I’m… I’m tough, not soft and delicate like other men. I’m no fun to play with. Please, don’t treat me that way,” Ying Wutu cautiously observed her expression, fearing that his words would provoke her to act, given her actions and words during the examination.
Besides, if she didn’t have such intentions, why hadn’t she killed him already? Why keep him alive?
“Is that what you think of me?”
Jiang Shouzhu teased, but before she could finish, the pear Ying Wutu hadn’t finished eating suddenly fell into the water, splashing droplets everywhere, and his cheeks turned a shade of pink.
“You…” Ying Wutu felt a strange heat in his abdomen, spreading downward.
Since the drug was taking effect, Jiang Shouzhu dropped the pretense.
“You guessed right, I am that kind of woman,” Jiang Shouzhu said, reaching into the bathtub and scooping up a handful of water, pouring it over Ying Wutu’s head.
Ying Wutu’s face looked even more miserable now. He kept gasping, writhing in the water, his hands gripping the edge of the tub like a fish flopping on land, unable to jump back into the water.
“Des…picable…” Ying Wutu gritted his teeth and said, then ducked into the water.
Jiang Shouzhu reached into the water again, grabbing Ying Wutu by the back of his neck and pulling him out. She looked at his flushed face and smiled, “All’s fair in war. Speaking of drugs, you once infiltrated my army and poisoned the horse trough, killing ten of my warhorses. I haven’t settled that score with you yet. And this is your Ying Kingdom’s royal secret medicine, given to me by your prince in exchange for a bowl of meat soup. I thought it would be fitting for you to try it.”
“Despicable… shameless… don’t harm the fifth prince…” Ying Wutu, now under the drug’s effect, was struggling to protect himself, yet still worried about others.
“Still holding on? Your fifth prince said that no matter how strong a man is, he can’t last ten counts after the drug takes effect. So why aren’t you reacting?”
Jiang Shouzhu concluded, knowing this cunning little rabbit was indeed very resilient.
“I will never…” Ying Wutu’s nails dug into the edge of the tub, his knuckles turning white from the effort.
“Or you could beg me. Maybe I’ll be kind enough to help you out of your misery,” Jiang Shouzhu said calmly, her expression relaxed and at ease, in stark contrast to Ying Wutu.
“Never… I will never beg you… despicable person… ah… ha…”
Ying Wutu felt as if he were being roasted over a fire, his whole body in unbearable discomfort, his desires unrelieved, leaving only endless torment.
He was filled with extreme hatred. Just now, seeing her peel a pear for him, he had felt touched, as no woman had ever been so considerate to him. But it turned out it was all to toy with him!
She could have easily overpowered him, but she chose this method, just to make him beg?
He would never become a dog that wags its tail and begs.
Through gritted teeth, he muttered, “I will… kill you… definitely…”
“Anytime, I’m looking forward to it.”
Jiang Shouzhu hadn’t expected this little rabbit to be so tough. Half an incense stick’s time had passed, and he still hadn’t begged her, even managing to threaten her.
Her smile grew wider, and she became even more interested.
