Tan Hua - Chapter 106: You’re Disrupting Military Morale

Chapter 106: You’re Disrupting Military Morale

The Northwestern Army reorganized for two days before advancing toward Loulan again. Sitting on horseback, Jun Qiyu’s expression was colder than the distant snow-capped mountains. No one knew who had offended this prince of hell.

Only a certain Wu-surnamed Da Tou had lost his position as a ten-man commander.

For this, Wu Da Tou went to reason with General Yuchi, questioning why his promised promotion was given to someone else. The two argued fiercely, with Wu Da Tou accusing Yuchi of being shameless, sneaking around to spy on others having romantic exchanges and then refusing to admit it when caught.

Yuchi, having taken the blame, was full of pent-up anger with nowhere to vent it since he couldn’t afford to offend the real culprit.

Jun Qiyu’s horse trailed at the back of the troop, just ahead of a group of military medics and cooks. The complex terrain of the Northwest made it impossible for carts to pass, so supplies had to be transported by camel while the soldiers walked. The medics and cooks, unable to keep up, lagged behind, and Song Liqing, head lowered, blended into their group.

Song Liqing knew that marching and fighting was hard, but he hadn’t expected it to be this grueling. His legs no longer felt like his own, and his feet were covered in blood blisters.

“This is exhausting…”

Not daring to complain loudly, Song Liqing noticed that Jun Qiyu had been staying within a few yards of him, as if specifically “keeping an eye” on him.

“Liqing, let me carry your medicine box.”

Thankfully, Qi Miao was considerate and took on the burden of their supplies, allowing Song Liqing to barely keep up without slowing down the group.

“Brother Qi Miao, do you think Jun Qiyu already knows who I am?”

Song Liqing was now deeply wary of this scheming man, always feeling like he was being calculated against.

“I doubt it. If he had recognized you, he would’ve dragged you back to the Qilin Estate by now,” Qi Miao replied.

“Then why isn’t he riding at the front lines and instead circling around us? And the other night, I clearly heard someone outside the tent calling out to him as ‘Your Highness.’”

Jun Qiyu watched as Song Liqing’s frail body struggled to keep pace, feeling both heartache and frustration. Torn between his worry and his inability to reveal that his eyesight had returned, he kept his distance.

When Song Liqing suddenly cried out and fell to the ground, Jun Qiyu’s heart skipped a beat. Without a second thought, he removed his blindfold and rushed over.

“Liqing!”

Ignoring everything else, Jun Qiyu leaped off his horse and helped Song Liqing up.

“Are you okay, Liqing?”

Song Liqing turned his head, and their eyes met.

The atmosphere froze.

Song Liqing hadn’t fallen intentionally—he genuinely tripped. On the battlefield, stumbling was commonplace, and most soldiers simply got up and moved on. But Jun Qiyu’s panicked reaction attracted a crowd of onlookers, who thought something major had happened.

“Ahem…” Jun Qiyu cleared his throat. “Mount up.”

Without further ado, Jun Qiyu lifted Song Liqing onto his horse.

Jun Qiyu’s thoughts were a whirlwind. “He sneaked into my army camp—doesn’t he know how dangerous the battlefield is? Was he that desperate to see his Xingxu brother? Couldn’t he wait a few days? But what should I say about my restored vision? Also… so soft…”

Jun Qiyu’s mind drifted as the horse jostled them, thinking about Song Liqing’s body pressing against him.

While it was a bit cramped sharing a horse with Jun Qiyu, and something on him kept poking Song Liqing, it was still better than walking with bloody blisters.

Song Liqing was also stewing, annoyed: “So he already knew I was here and said nothing, making me suffer all this way for nothing! This bastard, Jun Qiyu, pretending to be blind even though his eyesight is fine. I’ll settle this with him later!”

Both of them harbored their own thoughts, staying silent until nightfall when the army set up camp. Song Liqing, now anxious, wondered how he would convince Jun Qiyu not to send him back.

“Little Medic! You…”

Wu Da Tou hobbled over to find him, only to be interrupted by General Yuchi.

“His Highness the Crown Prince summons you.”

“Oh.”

Song Liqing stood up, ready to confront Jun Qiyu and settle this once and for all.

The prince’s command tent was far more luxurious than the medics’ shared one, with sand tables, desks, a sleeping platform, and candles. Inside, only Jun Qiyu waited.

Before Song Liqing could speak, Jun Qiyu gave an order.

“Sit.”

Somewhat intimidated, Song Liqing obediently sat down.

“Jun Qiyu…”

Song Liqing, intending to assert himself, was interrupted as Jun Qiyu grabbed his ankle, removing his shoes and socks. The next thing Song Liqing knew, his feet were soaking in warm water.

“Ohhh…”

The comfort made him exhale a sigh, swallowing back all the words he had prepared.

Without saying a word, Jun Qiyu washed Song Liqing’s feet, dried each toe, and then took out a needle.

“W-what are you doing?”

Song Liqing thought he was about to be tortured for sneaking into the camp.

“Popping your blisters so they’ll heal faster.”

“It hurts…”

“Good. Maybe you’ll think twice before pulling a stunt like this again.”

Jun Qiyu’s tone was stern, yet it seemed more out of worry than anger.

After tending to Song Liqing’s blisters, Jun Qiyu applied medicine and wrapped his feet in bandages. Song Liqing felt much better.

“You’ll sleep here tonight.”

“I don’t need to. I’ll go back to the medics’ tent.”

“With a dozen men crammed together? The stench alone is unbearable. Besides, haven’t you attracted enough attention? Look at Wu Da Tou, utterly smitten with you. You’re disrupting military morale.”

“I…”

Unable to argue, Song Liqing had to admit Jun Qiyu’s sleeping platform was far more comfortable than the hard wooden boards he was used to.

When Jun Qiyu extinguished the candle and climbed into the same bed, both turned to face each other, speaking in unison.

“Spit it out.”

“Confess first.”

Though Song Liqing felt guilty, he feigned innocence. “What do I have to confess? I didn’t do anything.”

“You…” Jun Qiyu paused, his voice trembling slightly. “You sneaked into the frontlines. What if something had happened to you? What would I have done?”

The thought alone made Jun Qiyu’s heart ache, his anger giving way to a hint of vulnerability.

Unwilling to back down, Song Liqing countered, “You tell me—when did your eyesight recover? Was it before or after you gave me a bath?”

“I didn’t! I was still blind then,” Jun Qiyu denied, refusing to admit the truth.

Song Liqing no longer trusted a word from his mouth.

“You, the mighty crown prince, pretended to be blind to spy on someone bathing. You’re cunning, deceitful, and utterly shameless!”