Chapter 135 -
Yueqing slipped out of the main tent quietly, stepping into the biting cold. The icy wind hit her face, but it didn’t numb the heavy, hollow ache in her chest.
She walked slowly toward her own sleeping tent, her head bowed as her boots crunched softly against the packed snow. All around her, soldiers were gathering in groups, their excited, hushed voices floating through the chilly air.
"Did you hear?" a young soldier whispered to a cook standing near a fire pit. "It was Master Chu! He was the traitor who tried to poison the General!"
"I heard!" a nearby maid chimed in, holding a basket of folded linens tightly to her chest. "And did you see what happened inside? That maid, Li Mei... she threw herself in front of the blade! She saved the General’s life!"
"Really? Wow... she is so brave," another maid sighed, shaking her head. "Where was the Young Madam while her husband’s life was in danger?"
The cook scoffed softly, shaking his head. "You mean that good-for-nothing? She probably just stood there uselessly. She only has a pretty face with no brains!"
Yueqing’s steps slowed, but she didn’t turn around to face them. Her hands curled tightly into the soft fabric of her long sleeves.
[System 009: Alert: Host, please ignore those low-level side characters. Their opinions are mathematically irrelevant. However... if Host wishes to teach them a very suitable lesson, I can award you 500 Villain Points for defending your reputation.]
Yueqing let out a long, weary sigh, her breath turning into a pale cloud of steam in the freezing air. She didn’t accept the offer, continuing her slow march toward her tent instead.
[System 009: Host... are you alright? You must understand, this is simply how the original story functions. Li Mei is the main heroine for a reason. No matter how much you change, the plot will always find a way to bring her and Target Wenzhe together. It is a canonical force field.]
Yueqing stopped right in front of her sleeping tent. She pulled open the heavy door flap, stepped inside, and let it drop shut behind her, cutting off the cold wind and the murmuring voices outside.
Standing in the warm, dim silence of her empty room, a hot tear finally slipped down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away with the back of her hand, her jaw tightening.
"Do you think I don’t know that?!" Yueqing shouted at System Nine, her voice cracking slightly under the strain. "Do I look sad and angry to you?! I knew what this story was from the very beginning!"
She wiped her eyes again, puffing out her cheeks angrily as if trying to force her own feelings back down.
"I don’t care!" she lied, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to sound tough. "I was only playing around with that block of wood anyway! If he wants to run off with his brave, self-sacrificing maid, he can go right ahead! I don’t care at all!"
[System 009: Host... I don’t think you know how you actually feel at the moment. Your heart rate is chaotic, and your tear ducts are currently operating at 85% capacity.]
Yueqing froze, her breath catching in her throat as another warm tear spilled over her long eyelashes.
"Shut up, Nine..." Yueqing whispered softly, collapsing onto the soft furs of her bed and burying her face in her arms, feeling completely alone.
The tent flap rustled softly as Lu Yue stepped inside.
She held a tray of warm tea, her sharp eyes scanning the room for her mistress. She didn’t see Yueqing at first until her gaze landed on the bed, where a small, miserable lump was buried under a mountain of thick furs, shivering slightly with quiet sniffles.
Lu Yue set the tea tray down on the low table without making a sound. As Yueqing’s personal female guard, she was sharp, observant, and fiercely loyal. She had seen the way Wenzhe panicked over Li Mei, and she had noticed the exact moment Yueqing slipped out of the main tent into the freezing cold.
She knew exactly what was going on.
Lu Yue walked over to the bed and stopped beside the pile of blankets. "Young Madam?" she called out softly.
The bundle of furs twitched, and a tiny, muffled voice came from underneath. "Go away, Lu Yue. I’m sleeping. I’m... extremely busy sleeping."
Lu Yue couldn’t help the small, fond smile that tugged at the corner of her lips. She leaned down slightly, her tone calm and full of quiet understanding.
"The camp is very loud today, Young Madam," Lu Yue said smoothly, crossing her arms. "And all this talk about traitors and brave maids is giving me a headache. I was thinking of sneaking out of the campsite for a bit to check on the nearby village market. I hear they make fresh, hot sesame cakes, fried honey dough, and sweet candied hawthorns..."
Underneath the furs, the quiet sniffling suddenly stopped.
"They also have warm, sweet bean soup," Lu Yue added thoughtfully, keeping her voice completely serious. "It would be a shame to go all that way alone."
A second later, the blanket was thrown back with a dramatic whoosh.
Yueqing sat straight up, her hair slightly messy, her nose still a little pink, and her wide eyes sparkling with sudden, intense energy.
[DID SHE SAY CANDIED HAWTHORNS?! AND HOT HONEY DOUGH?!] her inner voice gasped, her internal persona instantly leaping off the floor, wiping its tears away, and grabbing a giant spoon. [FORGET THE BLOCK OF WOOD! FOOD IS THE ONLY TRUE LOYALTY IN THIS WORLD!]
[System 009: Alert: Host’s mood has instantly skyrocketed by 400%. Food vulnerability level: Maximum.]
[SHUT UP, NINE! WE ARE GOING TO THE VILLAGE!]
Yueqing coughed softly, quickly wiping her cheeks and trying her best to look cool, composed, and unbothered.
"Well..." Yueqing said, clearing her throat and swinging her legs off the bed. "Since my loyal guard is so eager to go, it would be cruel of me to make you travel alone. Get my heavy cloak, Lu Yue! We are going on an official inspection... of the local snacks!"
Lu Yue smirked quietly, bowing her head. "Right away, Young Madam."