"Grand... Aunt... Auntie?"
Zhou Fugui, bound by several burly men inside the golden tent, was startled and stammered the question as a beautiful young woman entered from outside.
Never before, in either his past or present life, had Zhou Fugui seen such a celestial beauty. The young woman possessed a purity and a charm, two vastly different kinds of beauty, concentrated in one person. Compared to her, those so-called top-tier actresses and renowned stars from Korea and Japan paled in comparison, and she was all-natural...
Zhou Fugui had actually seen her before that day, but he had been so enraged then that he hadn't noticed her details. Now, hearing her speak, Zhou Fugui realized this maiden, resembling a fairy, was the Murong Dagou from that day!
Back then, Zhou Fugui had thought Murong Dagou was an older woman pretending to be young, but seeing her in person today, he knew he had been utterly mistaken...
"Dagou" was a respectful term used by the Xianbei people for women of high status, and Zhou Fugui's surprise had led him to blurt out "Xiao Gugou," which carried a hint of mockery...
Indeed, Murong Huiying's face flushed slightly at his words. She walked slowly into the tent and sat on the brocade seat before Zhou Fugui, her expression stern as she asked him, "General Zhou Fugui, do you know why you have been summoned today?"
Zhou Fugui had been bound and thrown to the ground. Murong Huiying was now seated on the brocade seat, and Zhou Fugui's face was turned towards her left, making it impossible for him to turn his head to face her.
Unable to face Murong Huiying, Zhou Fugui seemed to have lost his hearing as well... After waiting for a while without a response, Murong Huiying gently tapped his shoulder with her toe. Zhou Fugui spun around like a top.
"Hey, I'm asking you a question," Murong Huiying said again, once Zhou Fugui was facing her.
"Aunt... Auntie, what does the young lady wish to ask this humble general?" Zhou Fugui asked, trying to lift his head.
Who was this woman? Her status was surely extraordinary. What did she want with him? Was it good or bad? Could it be a death sentence? While Zhou Fugui was stunned by her beauty, he had been pondering these questions in his mind, making him seem somewhat absent-minded.
Everyone has an appreciation for beauty, but compared to one's life, beauty was not as important...
"You all may withdraw." Zhou Fugui's absent-minded demeanor secretly angered Murong Huiying, but she maintained her composure and spoke to Dun Waoqi and the other guards.
Men who had seen Murong Huiying either showed utmost respect or were stunned by her beauty, regardless of their age. Where was anyone like Zhou Fugui?
The first time, Zhou Fugui had directly ignored her; the second time, he was absent-minded.
Murong Huiying held a disdain for those who ogled her beauty, but being so disregarded, she felt a little displeased.
Every woman, especially a beautiful one, cared about her appearance and whether it could attract attention, particularly the attention of a handsome suitor...
No matter how formidable Murong Huiying was, she was still a young maiden not yet twenty years old.
"Lift him up first!" As the guard leader Dun Waoqi was about to exit the tent, Murong Huiying instructed again.
Dun Waoqi nodded, stepped forward, and with one hand, lifted Zhou Fugui up. Thus, Zhou Fugui finally knelt on the ground, facing Murong Huiying.
Dun Waoqi placed one hand over his chest and bowed, then retreated out of the tent. Only Murong Huiying and Zhou Fugui remained inside.
"General Zhou..." Murong Huiying said, placing her hands on the armrests of the brocade seat and looking down slightly at Zhou Fugui. "As a general of my Great Yan Kingdom, you have engaged in such improper conduct?"
"Alas, young lady, what is it exactly? Can you give me a straight answer?" Zhou Fugui mentally replayed all the improper things he had done recently, but he couldn't pinpoint what Murong Huiying was referring to. However, Zhou Fugui was mostly certain it was no good deed.
Killing Hu people, saving the young general Xia Hongpao, the matter at the City God Temple – could it be one of these three? Or did she know about all three? Zhou Fugui secretly speculated. If that were the case, he would adamantly deny everything.
But Murong Huiying deliberately did not mention the specific incident. She only said to Zhou Fugui, "General Zhou, do you not know what you have done? Speak it out yourself, and perhaps I will deal with you leniently."
I know nothing, Zhou Fugui cursed inwardly. "This Princess"? Was she from the imperial palace?
Little brat, trying to trick me? Zhou Fugui sneered inwardly. Such tricks were things he had long since surpassed.
"I am wronged! Young lady, this humble Zhou is merely a rustic villager..." Zhou Fugui, having made up his mind, feigned a look of utter grievance and injustice. "I was conscripted by the court and came to this place out of necessity. But after arriving here, I bore no complaints and worked diligently, achieving repeated military successes for our Great Yan Kingdom. Yet, I never expected..."
"Enough..." Murong Huiying found herself almost wanting to laugh and cry. She quickly interrupted Zhou Fugui's rambling and said, "It's just the Yue Ma River, isn't it? You achieved a mere inch of merit in a small ambush by the Southern Army, and you speak of repeated successes? General Zhou, I ask you, why is there a woman hidden in your tent?"
So that was it. Zhou Fugui breathed a sigh of relief in his heart and replied, "Is there a woman in my tent? Oh, yes, there is a woman named Xiao Qing. Which military law has been violated?"
"Xiao Qing?" Murong Huiying mused, tapping the armrest with her jade-like hand. "Harboring a woman in the army is considered sedition. The temptress shall be executed, and the tempted shall be whipped more than a hundred times."
"You dare?" Zhou Fugui immediately became furious. He sprang up from the ground, glared at Murong Huiying, and shouted angrily, "She is but a pitiable woman, how can she be considered sedition? Or seducing the army? If you dare... dare to harm her life, this Zhou will surely... will surely..."
Zhou Fugui's sudden rage and leap startled the guards outside, who exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what was happening in the tent.
Without Murong Huiying's signal or command, they dared not enter.
"Who is she to you?" Zhou Fugui, already tall, now stood while Murong Huiying sat, creating a strong sense of pressure. Murong Huiying stood up, and now only half a head shorter than Zhou Fugui, the situation improved. She walked a few steps around Zhou Fugui and asked.
"No relation!" Zhou Fugui answered proudly.
Zhou Fugui felt as if a purple fox were circling him, making him somewhat flustered, but he maintained a fearless facade.
Perhaps this was the only way to save Xiao Qing's life!
A faint, sweet scent of a young woman enveloped Zhou Fugui.
"No relation, and yet you are willing to risk your life for her?" Murong Huiying asked calmly.
"Indeed!" Zhou Fugui continued to answer proudly. "She is a pitiable woman with a troubled fate. Since Xiao Qing has sought refuge with me, I will protect her completely. No one shall harm her unless I fall first."
"Heh heh..." Murong Huiying suddenly broke into a mischievous, girlish smile, her laughter like a silver bell. She quickly suppressed her smile and resumed a composed demeanor, saying, "What a devoted and righteous man! General Zhou, was the matter in Youzhou also for her sake?"
"The Youzhou incident? What... what happened in Youzhou... ah?" Zhou Fugui's imposing aura instantly deflated, and he stammered.
"Clap clap!" Murong Huiying cast a cold glance at Zhou Fugui, then clapped her hands together twice.
"Li Li and Tu Hai, constables of Youzhou, pay their respects to Princess Ziyue. Princess Ziyue, may you be blessed with eternal peace!"
A moment later, the guard leader Dun Waoqi led two men into the tent. They knelt on one knee, placing a hand over their chests in a salute.
"Rise," Murong Huiying said, glancing at Zhou Fugui again before addressing the two Youzhou constables. "Constables, please speak the truth."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Constable Li Li of Youzhou responded, then stood up and said, "The master of Bars Ranch in Youzhou and three others were brutally murdered within Youzhou city. We were ordered to break the case, and after investigation, we discovered that before their deaths, Master Bars and the others had a dispute at the Chun Yue Lou restaurant..."
Disaster, disaster, the greatest disaster of all! With every word Li Li spoke, Zhou Fugui inwardly cried out "Disaster!" and sweat poured down his back as if it were raining.
Zhou Fugui had thought he had handled the matter flawlessly, but he never expected the Youzhou constables to follow the clues and uncover almost the entire truth, tracing it all the way back to the Yan army camp in Guangling Commandery. His situation was dire.
I treated everyone as a fool, and I myself am the fool, Zhou Fugui cursed himself inwardly. It seems I must never underestimate anyone from now on!
But would he even have a future?
"Dun Waoqi, escort the two constables out." After the two constables finished speaking, they eagerly awaited Murong Huiying's praise, perhaps even a generous reward. But Murong Huiying, with an impassive expression, simply instructed the guard leader Dun Waoqi.
Murong Huiying emphasized the word "out," and Dun Waoqi nodded, leading the two constables away.
"General Zhou, do you have anything more to say?" Inside the golden tent, only Murong Huiying and Zhou Fugui remained. Murong Huiying looked at the somewhat flustered Zhou Fugui and asked with a smile, her eyes twinkling.