A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated 2

22

That smile was so beautiful, so beautiful that even Pingting was momentarily drunk.

She continued to dreamily look at it for a little longer and couldn't bear to look away.

"Miss Bai, there are only old documents and a few of the Duke's belongings on the desk. As for the maps and the latest reports, I have them here."

She only stopped her soul from floating happily on the four seas when she heard Moran's voice as he hurried in. She quickly stowed away the drawing, planning to put it back where it originally was. She stopped, grinded her teeth and hid the parchment in her arms.

She looked up to find Moran holding a pile of things.

"This is the personal letter that the King sent to the Duke to hurry him back to the capital." Moran rolled open the private, golden yellow scroll with tassels.

Pingting lowered her head to read it carefully. "Yun Chang and Bei Mo have combined forces? Ze Yin has left, leaving only Ruohan and Sen Rong. I reckon Ruo Han is better, but Yun Chang..." A familiar name suddenly jumped into her view and made her feel momentarily dizzy. She blinked and tried to read it more clearly, yet that familar name that prickled her heart did not change the slightest on the scroll.

A thorn pierced at her heart.

Pingting's face paled and she slowly sat on the chair. Her voice was full of disbelief. "He Xia is currently being hunted by the King of Gui Le. How is he able to command Yun Chang's army to threaten the Dong Lin's borders?"

Moran couldn't help feelh a little awkward as he explained, "He Xia married Princess Yaotian hence becoming the Prince Consort of Yun Chang and possessing the power to command Yun Chang's troops. Everyone under the skies knows this fact but your residence...The Duke said that Miss Bai no longer has any connection to He Xia therefore refused to let you know."

He glanced at Pingting whose pale face was as gleaming as snow.

So that was it.

He Xia had married.

He Xia's wife was the Princess of Yun Chang.

He Xia had used his marriage.

It turned out that he refused to let go of her.

Or perhaps, he refused to let go of Chu Beijie.

Everything now fell into place, accompanied with the heartache of interpretation. No matter how intelligent, she could not undo the inextricable knots of her heart.

Pingting remained silent, quietly rolling up the handwritten letter of the King of Dong Lin. She put it aside and slowly mouthed, "The battle at the border is unlikely to happen."

"How does Miss know?" Moran asked incredulously.

Pingting softly shook her head. "Because He Xia is already here. The main advisor is not on the border's battlefield, therefore how could there be a battle there?"

Moran's expression changed and lowered his voice. "Please do not joke, Miss. This is Dong Lin territory. If He Xia enters here, then wouldn't Dong Lin have been defeated already?"

"What victory or defeat? It is simply an advantageous deal to both parties. Without the the King of Dong Lin's support, how could He Xia bring his troops to this place?" Pingting's smiled a bit as she slowly swaggered to stand from the chair.

Her opponent was actually He Xia.

He was the only other famous general that could rival Chu Beijie. Back then, because of his existence, even Dong Lin could not easily attack Gui Le. Chu Beijie had to spend a lot of effort to plot conflict between the House of Jing-An and the King of Gui Le in order to drive him away from Gui Le.