The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan-Chapter 608 - 606 War is Not a Woman’s Business (Second Update)

In the center of the main hall, there was a table that could accommodate over a dozen people for discussions.

On the table, besides a cloth map, there was also a large sand table in the middle with small red flags as markers.

Chairs beside the table were somewhat disarrayed, evidently, the discussions had just concluded and there had been no time to tidy up.

Li Xianyun was looking around.

Yelu Yan slightly bent down and lifted her horizontally, laughing, "Now, I’m not afraid of being seen."

"Hmm."

Li Xianyun’s arms naturally wrapped around his neck, smiling as she looked at him.

Yelu Yan’s head lowered slightly towards her, smiling meaningfully as he watched her.

Li Xianyun cleared her throat and glanced back; the maids who had followed her all lowered their heads, daring not to look at them.

Only then did Li Xianyun tighten her grip around Yelu Yan’s neck and leaned in to gently kiss his handsome, thin lips.

Earlier in the carriage, although they had conversed intermittently, most of the time was spent in intimate murmurs, yet it seemed someone still hadn’t had his fill of kisses.

Yelu Yan, having his wish fulfilled, laughed out loud and carried her with brisk steps to the inner chamber.

Yelu Yan ordered food to be brought over and also commanded to prepare hot water.

After Li Xianyun had eaten, Yelu Yan took her to the lavatory to wash and bathe.

In the misty steam of the bath, he couldn’t contain himself and ravished her fiercely, and once they returned to bed, he did so again.

Afterwards, Li Xianyun lay in Yelu Yan’s arms, eyes closed, on the verge of falling asleep.

Yelu Yan looked down at her rosy, fair little face; his rough fingertips gently caressed her delicate cheeks, his eyes filled with indissoluble tenderness and affection.

"Xianxian."

"...Hmm."

"I think you should return to Yanzhou early tomorrow morning. The battlefield is no place for you."

Li Xianyun’s eyes snapped open, the sleepiness fading. "My husband, didn’t we agree last time? Why are you changing your mind again?"

She suddenly realized, looking up at him, "So last time you agreed for me to come to Liuzhou, you were just placating me?"

She had thought at the time that he was being progressive, agreeing to everything she asked.

Meeting her gaze, Yelu Yan pinched Li Xianyun’s puffy cheek gently.

"I thought it would take you a while to sort out the garment workshop matters and by then the battle of Hengzhou would have nearly concluded, but I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon."

Li Xianyun propped herself up to rise, but Yelu Yan pulled her back into his arms.

"You still accuse me of duplicity, yet it is clear who is really being duplicitous," Li Xianyun said unhappily.

Yelu Yan looked at her, saying, "War is no affair for women."

Li Xianyun had never been on a battlefield and didn’t understand the cruelty of war.

She had never seen the sight of severed limbs and broken bodies staining the earth red.

Those who had experienced battle often harbored psychological scars; some lived in agony and couldn’t escape from it even in death.

He didn’t want Li Xianyun to be subjected to any adverse effects.

Although she was a physician and had seen life and death, the level of bloodshed and cruelty in war was incomparable.

Li Xianyun placed both hands on Yelu Yan’s sturdy chest, shifting her body up to meet his gaze.

"My husband, I know you think of my well-being, but you also know that I want to help you in any way I can. Besides, I have a deep-seated vendetta against Murong Ce and wish to see him utterly defeated; there is no better opportunity than this."

Yelu Yan embraced her delicate waist, "But war is no child’s play, it’s even more cruel and terrifying than you imagine."

"I can withstand it."

She looked at Yelu Yan’s worried expression, paused, and said, "Husband, do you have other concerns?"

Yelu Yan’s tiger eyes were deep like a pool, inscrutable.

"Lately, I don’t know why, but I always have a bad premonition, I feel like something bad is going to happen."

He had always been a master strategist, confident in his plans, and seldom had such forebodings.

Li Xianyun smiled, "You are just worried because you care, I’m actually not going to the battlefield. Tomorrow, I will go outside Hengzhou City to have a look, and when the fight starts, I will wait for you in the camp."

"You should return to Yanzhou instead; there will be many wounded soldiers brought from the battlefield, and you will be restless."

Isn’t it just a bloody sight?

"Husband, I cannot always live under your protection, I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with you."

Seeing that Yelu Yan wanted to speak further, Li Xianyun changed the subject, "Husband, that being said, have you already come up with a strategy?"

Regarding whether she should return to Yanzhou or not, she and Yelu Yan would never agree, so it was better to put the matter aside, to delay, he couldn’t possibly force her to go back.

"Yes," Yelu Yan always shared everything with Li Xianyun, "Although Hengzhou is surrounded by mountains on three sides, filled with cliffs and strategic passes, it cannot withstand the unique talents among the civilians. Someone knows a shortcut that leads directly into the heart of Hengzhou. I have sent people to scout these past two days, and the route is indeed feasible. When the time comes, I will dispatch five hundred soldiers to infiltrate the heartland, connect with the insiders in Hengzhou City, open the city gates, lower the drawbridge, and launch a pincer attack, Hengzhou will be captured."

Li Xianyun knew then, just as Murong Ce could plant spies in Yanzhou, Yelu Yan could equally send people into Hengzhou.

It seemed the war would start in a day or two.

Li Xianyun rested her head on Yelu Yan’s shoulder, her hand on his chest.

Yelu Yan turned his head to kiss her forehead, it took a while before he raised his head again, "Don’t worry, for your sake, I will also be careful."

"Okay."

"Xianxian..."

He had just called her name but hadn’t spoken when Li Xianyun interrupted him.

"Husband, I’m so sleepy."

Yelu Yan sighed softly, well, he would persuade her to return to Yanzhou tomorrow.

Thinking this, he lay down on the bed with Li Xianyun, pulled the quilt higher to cover them both, then kissed her cheek repeatedly, "Sleep."

Li Xianyun quickly planted a kiss on Yelu Yan’s cheek, withdrew her head quickly, found a comfortable position in his arms, and closed her eyes.

Yelu Yan chuckled, rubbed her head, and embraced her, his hand gently patting her like soothing a child.

The next morning, as dawn barely broke, Yelu Yan awoke and looked at the beloved woman sleeping in his arms.

Yelu Yan smiled as he watched her for a while, raised his hand intending to touch her cheek, but fearing waking her up, he withdrew his hand.

Yelu Yan turned over, trying to pull his arm from under Li Xianyun’s neck.

But as he moved slightly, Li Xianyun’s eyelashes fluttered, and she woke up.

With concerns weighing on her mind, she woke up early.

"Did I wake you?" Yelu Yan spoke, "It’s still dark, you should sleep a bit longer."

Li Xianyun raised her hand to rub her bleary eyes, her voice hoarse, "There are quite a few things to do today, no more sleep."

She put down her hand and struggled to get up.

Yelu Yan stretched out his long arm and held her down gently on the bed, "Sleep a bit longer."

The couple had a tiring night of passionate engagement and had slept late; waking up this early, Li Xianyun had not rested well.

He didn’t want her to overexert herself.