BLHO Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Our General Isn’t That Kind of Person

The General’s Manor remained as it always had. Every day since the army’s departure, the steward had led the servants to clean the manor meticulously. With summer arriving, the newly green shade of the trees and the budding flowers added even more vitality to the residence.

Since returning to court the day before yesterday, Lin Shuangxu hadn’t stepped foot inside his home. Now, returning to this familiar place, he felt as if he had been gone for a lifetime.

The doors to the room were tightly closed, with only He Yuncheng and him inside. He Yuncheng seemed to still be recovering from the shock, standing there dazedly, staring only at He Yuncheng, without saying a word.

His gaze fell on He Yuncheng’s legs, which were confined to a wheelchair, and he couldn’t help but frown.

He Yuncheng patiently accompanied him in his daze. Seeing the heartache in his expression, he raised an eyebrow and said to him, “I’m crippled.”

He was talking about his legs.

Lin Shuangxu’s body stiffened. He moved closer to him, looked down at his legs, extended his fingertips as if wanting to touch them, but then hesitated.

“Do you despise me now?” He Yuncheng knew that wasn’t the case, but deliberately asked.

Lin Shuangxu wasn’t in the mood to joke about such things. He shook his head blankly, then slowly knelt down on the carpet, lowered his head, and very, very gently pressed his cheek against his knee.

He Yuncheng’s breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t help but raise his hand to touch Lin Shuangxu’s face.

Lin Shuangxu was fascinated by his warmth. With his eyes half-closed, he took the initiative to rub his cheek against the lines of his palm, following his movements.

His breath gradually became warm, and his tense body slowly softened. The invisible, hard shell that had enveloped him for days finally dissipated little by little in He Yuncheng’s embrace.

The repressed grief was allowed to pour out. Lin Shuangxu didn’t realize he was crying until he looked up, his face stained with tears.

The scalding tears drenched He Yuncheng’s palm. He pinched Lin Shuangxu’s chin, making him meet his eyes.

The porcelain-like beauty, with each passing day since he had left, had gained another crack.

He clearly saw that the person before him had been missing him to the point of being shattered, yet he couldn’t change his wicked nature and loved seeing him cry for him.

“You are of royal blood, why did you hide it from me? Don’t you trust me?”

Lin Shuangxu’s throat bobbed, but he didn’t explain anything, simply shaking his head gently.

“Leading the He family army to rebel, is it to seize the throne?”

Lin Shuangxu’s sincere eyes shone with tears as he looked at He Yuncheng without blinking, and again shook his head.

He Yuncheng’s grip on his chin tightened slightly. He leaned closer to him, bowing his head.

“So, making such a big scene, it’s just to avenge me?”

Lin Shuangxu unconsciously stuck out his tongue and licked his dry lips. He didn’t shake his head again, nor did he reply. He straightened his upper body and hooked his arms around He Yuncheng’s neck. “Yuncheng, can you hug me?”

His soft tone was almost begging.

A wave of heat crashed through He Yuncheng’s veins, numbing him from head to toe.

He couldn’t possibly refuse such a request. He opened his arms and embraced the slender figure.

Lin Shuangxu carried the long-absent scent. The scent was magical, addicting to He Yuncheng. He couldn’t help but gently kiss him, from the tip of his nose to his cheeks to his ear.

“What are you planning to do next?” He whispered to Lin Shuangxu as he kissed him.

“What do you want me to do…” Lin Shuangxu panted softly as he asked him in return.

He Yuncheng curled his lips into a smile and pressed his forehead against his. “I have to listen to you.”

More than once, whether out of selfishness or drunken loss of control, Lin Shuangxu had begged He Yuncheng not to interfere in the court’s disputes anymore.

But He Yuncheng, born as a military general, couldn’t let go of the responsibilities on his shoulders due to the teachings he had received since childhood. He couldn’t be a rebel either.

However, loyalty or rebellion sometimes didn’t depend on what he thought in his heart.

One had to believe that there was a fixed number in this world. No matter which direction the current step was taken, the final outcome would arrive at its destined destination.

Fate could not be defied.

He kissed the corner of Lin Shuangxu’s eyes, sensually using his tongue to roll the undried tears into his mouth. His condescending posture made him seem undoubtedly superior, but what he said was willing to lower himself to Lin Shuangxu’s toes.

“In the General’s Manor, the young master is supreme. From now on, I will be your loyal servant, obeying the young master’s every command, even if it means offering my life…”

His whispered voice spewed heat, making Lin Shuangxu dizzy.

“Yuncheng…” Unable to bear it any longer, he tightened his arms around He Yuncheng’s neck and chased after his lips for a kiss.

Their lips and tongues intertwined, and Lin Shuangxu’s breathing was filled with a sound that was almost a sob. No matter how He Yuncheng tried to soothe him, his body trembled uncontrollably.

More terrifying than loss was the fear of what could have been.

Everything he had experienced during this time felt like a nightmare. The dream had finally ended, but the palpitations remained.

Feeling He Yuncheng’s real, warm body, he couldn’t imagine what he would do if he lost him.

He couldn’t lose him, he really couldn’t.

After a long embrace and kiss, Lin Shuangxu almost suffocated. He leaned against He Yuncheng’s chest, panting, and when he met his gaze again, he finally revealed a smile.

“He Yuncheng.”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t die.”

“I wouldn’t dare to die, I was afraid you would be sad.”

“You lived because you were afraid I would be sad?”

“Yeah.” He Yuncheng pinched the back of his neck, slowly increasing the pressure as he massaged it.

It was a little sore, but also very comfortable.

His body was even softer. Lin Shuangxu clung to He Yuncheng like he had no bones, embracing him,Twist him, and then heard him say, “If you want me to live, I will live. If you want me to die, then I will die.”

–

One courtyard away, in the main hall of the General’s Manor.

Guo Yao, Deputy General Qin, and a group of He family generals were gathered in the hall.

The general had returned alive, and had something to say to the young master. The two of them had closed themselves in the room to talk privately. No matter how curious the others were, they could only wait for them to come out before saying anything.

While waiting, the white-haired man who had rescued the general had attracted everyone’s attention.

He sat on the side. After years of cultivation, his temperament had long been indifferent, but the constant scrutiny from so many people still made him feel a little unnatural.

He silently picked up his teacup and took a sip.

“Is that your real hair or a wig?”

Pfft…

Hearing Deputy General Qin’s blunt question, he nearly spat out a mouthful of hot tea.

Guo Yao reminded him from the side, “Don’t be rude.”

Deputy General Qin shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t mean any harm.

“I’m just curious. Benefactor, you don’t look that old, so why do you have a full head of white hair?”

*I shouldn’t argue with a child*… The man put the teacup down carefully and smiled. “I’m very old.”

“How old? Thirty? At most, no more than thirty-five, right?”

The man thought for a moment, then smiled without answering directly.

Deputy General Qin also realized that it was impolite to ask someone’s age on a first meeting, so he put away his curiosity and instead asked, “You really rescued our general from Yan Hui Valley? That valley is hundreds of feet deep. How could the general survive the fall with his mortal body? How did you save him? Could it be that you are an immortal descended from heaven?”

“…”

“This general is exaggerating. I’m just a mortal. It’s just that General He is a lucky man, his life wasn’t meant to end.”

Deputy General Qin agreed with this. The general had been through life and death, so he was destined to be lucky.

He asked again, “Looking at you, all clean and fair, you don’t seem like a mountain villager who gathers firewood and hunts. Why did you go to that desolate valley? What opportunity did you have to meet our general? How did you bring him out? Can you tell us the specific details?”

He asked a series of questions, but the other person only looked at him indifferently, without answering any of them.

Guo Yao really couldn’t listen any longer. This boor was interrogating the general’s savior as if he were a criminal.

“Deputy General Qin, stop talking.” Guo Yao waved his hand, signaling him to shut up.

Deputy General Qin didn’t think he had said anything wrong, but seeing Guo Yao glaring at him, he reluctantly retreated to the side.

Guo Yao stepped forward and carefully looked at the other man’s unearthly face again. Then he bowed and said respectfully, “Many years ago, when the late Emperor was still alive, there was a National Guardian Immortal Master in Bei Sheng, named Xingzhi. No one in the world has ever seen his true face. It is said that this person has the bearing of an immortal, with white hair and the face of a child. No one knows his true age, and he has the power to reach the heavens and penetrate the earth. Later, for some unknown reason, all of his disciples were slaughtered overnight, and the Immortal Master has since disappeared into seclusion, never to be seen again. May I ask, Benefactor, have you ever heard of this person?”

Guo Yao had thought that he would deny it, but he unexpectedly responded frankly, “I have heard of him.”

“Then, Benefactor, you…”

The other person smiled faintly, “Since the military advisor has already recognized my identity, why beat around the bush and not dare to ask?”

Guo Yao, who was usually calm, was shocked and speechless upon hearing this.

He quickly lowered his body even further and bowed piously again. “It is truly an honor to meet the Immortal Master.”

Guo Yao was highly respected in the army. Seeing him being so humble to such a young man of unknown origin, several impulsive generals felt strange.

But since Guo Yao bowed, they had to follow suit. So a group of people bowed together and said “It’s an honor” along with Guo Yao.

Deputy General Qin was even more curious and couldn’t help but whisper to the brother next to him, “What Immortal Master? Have you heard of him?”

The other person shook his head.

They were all too young.

Deputy General Qin continued to whisper, “National Guardian Immortal Master, isn’t that the position of the Grand Diviner? The military advisor said that all of his disciples were slaughtered, could it be that it was done by the current Grand Diviner? A coup?”

His voice wasn’t loud, and others couldn’t hear what he was saying, but Xingzhi’s hearing was more sensitive than ordinary people, so he naturally heard everything clearly.

“It was him.”

He actually directly answered Deputy General Qin’s curiosity.

Deputy General Qin was stunned for a moment, a little embarrassed, and realized that he had indeed misspoke, so he quickly shut his mouth.

“But that’s not his fault.” Xingzhi continued, “It was my poor teaching that failed to guide him to the right path. The disciple’s mistakes are naturally borne by the master. I secluded myself in Yan Hui Valley for ten years, enduring all the punishments of Heaven. From now on, I don’t want to hear anyone refer to him as a sinner again.”

His tone was very calm, but because it was too calm, it gave people a subtle sense of oppression.

Deputy General Qin didn’t dare to say anything, and could only mutter in his heart, *Protecting him like this, this is his own master…*

It wasn’t good to talk too much about this Immortal Master’s past. Looking at his half-human, half-immortal appearance, asking any further might reveal some explosive past events that were shocking.

After all, he was the general’s benefactor, so it was right not to talk nonsense and just respect him.

Deputy General Qin closed his mouth, and Guo Yao opened his mouth to bring the topic back. “May I ask Immortal Master, can our general’s injuries be recovered?”

Xingzhi said, “General He has multiple fractures throughout his body. It will not be a matter of days to recover completely, and he will need time to recuperate.”

Guo Yao breathed a sigh of relief.

He was relieved to hear these words.

It didn’t matter if it took longer. The general was still so young, he couldn’t spend his whole life in a wheelchair.

“Go and see how the general and young master are talking.” Guo Yao turned around and instructed, “Princess Meng Ning is still being held in the palace, and Shen Tan is continuing to lead the army to attack the city. I’m afraid they will fight to the death and harm her. The next step, whether to advance or retreat, still needs to be discussed as soon as possible.”

Deputy General Qin looked around, confirming that Guo Yao was talking to him, and shook his head repeatedly. “The general and the young master are reunited after a long separation. They must be being intimate right now. I’m not going to be a fool with no tact and disturb the general’s good time.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Guo Yao glanced at Xingzhi, afraid that he would develop some prejudice against He Yuncheng and Lin Shuangxu.

“What nonsense am I talking about? This is all public knowledge. The general isn’t afraid of people knowing, so what is Guo Yao afraid of? Maybe in a few days, the general will hold a grand ceremony and officially marry the young master.”

“What marriage? How could the general marry the young master?” Guo Yao explained to Xingzhi in a serious tone, “Immortal Master, don’t listen to his nonsense. Our general isn’t that kind of person.”

Xingzhi blinked, seemingly recalling, and then said slowly, “General He has indeed told me more than once that when he returns, he will marry the young master.”

Guo Yao: “…”