Chapter 192: Thank You and Your Entire Family
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
The night was cold.
The howling wind carried snow in a relentless storm.
Rong Che stood silently outside the door.
He resembled a stone, unwavering, as if rooted there for an eternity. Snow had accumulated over his shoulders, forming a thin white layer, while frost clung to his brows.
When he saw Shi Yun emerge, his eyes lit up instantly, gleaming with an unmatched brilliance.
“Shi Yun,” he called out loudly.
This mighty general, renowned for his valor on the battlefield, fumbled as he pulled a hand warmer from his robe and offered it to Shi Yun. “Quick, warm your hands. It’s snowing heavily out here.” His nose was red from the cold, and his hands were so frozen that they had turned purple.
Shi Yun paused, taken aback.
“Last time it snowed heavily, you faced danger and were saved by Lord Lu. That led to you marrying him. This time, I won’t let anyone else have the chance,” Rong Che declared, gazing firmly at her.
Lu Yuan Ze frowned as he observed Shi Yun take Rong Che’s hand.
“I’m not cold. See for yourself,” Shi Yun said softly.
Her hands were warm, but Rong Che’s were chillingly cold.
Her hands were pale, while his, weathered from years on the battlefield, bore a healthy bronze hue.
Rong Che’s ears turned bright red. He stammered awkwardly, “R-really not cold… heh heh… heh heh…” He grinned foolishly, resembling the clumsy son of a landowner.
Lu Yuan Ze’s expression darkened immediately.
“Why is General Rong here?” he demanded, his gaze fixed on their intertwined hands.
What is this supposed to mean?!
Why was Rong Che sending her home in the middle of the night? Why was Rong Che acting like this toward Shi Yun…?
A storm of unease surged in Lu Yuan Ze’s heart, as though something precious was slipping from his grasp.
Shi Yun withdrew her hand, leaving Rong Che clutching his own in regret, desperate to preserve the fleeting warmth.
He looked up at Lu Yuan Ze, his aura shifting into that of the war god who had terrified countless enemies—unyielding and filled with menace. This was the renowned Stabilizing General who struck fear into the hearts of nations.
Lu Yuan Ze unconsciously stepped back.
The tales were true—this man was a demon on the battlefield.
Rong Che seemed to realize his intense aura might frighten Shi Yun. He quickly softened, offering a smile as he turned to Lu Yuan Ze. “Naturally, I’ve come to escort Shi Yun. A beauty like her is bound to attract unscrupulous individuals. You might not care, but others treasure her deeply.”
He then continued with a sincere expression, “I must thank you, Lord Lu. Truly, you are the benefactor of the Rong family.”
Rong Che was a man unwilling to settle. He had thought his life would be spent alone, forever regretting losing the love of his life to another.
But unexpectedly…
Lu Yuan Ze had divorced her.
Ahahahaha!
It was as if the heavens had smiled upon him—he could hardly believe his luck. His prayers to every deity had not been in vain.
Yes, he was shameless. Utterly shameless. Of course, he would never confess this to Shi Yun.
Lu Yuan Ze stood there, bewildered, as Rong Che sincerely clasped his hand. “I have admired Shi Yun for eighteen years. Missing my chance with her back then is my greatest regret. Thanks to your decision to let go, you have given me the opportunity to fulfill my heart’s wish.”
“You are a great benefactor to the Rong family. We will forever remember your kindness.”
Lu Yuan Ze’s heart burned with rage, yet he suppressed it with all his might, his chest heaving under the weight of his emotions. His mind felt heavy, as if burdened by an enormous weight.
His eyes reddened, glaring at Shi Yun.
“You… you and him…”
Xu Shi glanced at Rong Che, her expression indifferent. The matter was far from settled, and she wasn’t ready to accept him into her life. However, she knew he was merely trying to provoke Lu Yuan Ze and didn’t bother to refute him.
“My relationship with General Rong is none of your concern,” she said, moving toward the steps.
Rong Che wore a look of exaggerated gratitude. “You are a kind soul! May your goodness bring you a long, peaceful life and countless blessings. Thank you, Lord Lu, for your magnanimity. I will forever be in your debt.”
Without waiting for Lu Yuan Ze’s reaction, Rong Che hurried after Xu Shi, leaving the other man to stew in his frustration.
Once the carriage rounded a corner, Rong Che’s demeanor shifted. With a fawning grin, he turned to Xu Shi. “Shi Yun, did I do well?”
Xu Shi let out a soft laugh, feigning disapproval. “You’re going to drive him mad at this rate.”
“How could I be provoking him? Everything I said was the truth,” Rong Che replied earnestly. “After all, I’ve solved the crisis of the Stabilizing Duke’s Manor’s bloodline.”
Xu Shi sighed, her expression wavering. After a moment, she spoke, her tone hesitant. “General Rong—”
“You can call me Brother Che, just like before,” Rong Che interrupted, his gaze unguarded and full of hope.
Seeing his anticipation, Xu Shi’s heart softened. “Brother Che, I’ve spent eighteen years enduring hardships in the Marquis’s Manor. I am exhausted—body and soul. I don’t know how to face new feelings. Sometimes… I even find myself repelled by the presence of men. I—I haven’t figured it out yet…”
Rong Che’s eyes remained clear, without a hint of disappointment. Instead, they brimmed with gentle compassion. “Shi Yun, I won’t force you.”
“As long as you live well, I will never force you,” Rong Che said, his voice trembling. His eyes reddened as he spoke.
Lu Chao Chao, nestled in Xu Shi’s arms, had long fallen asleep. With no one to witness, Rong Che dropped all pretense. His expression darkened as he raised a hand to his chest, as though trying to calm the fear within.
“Do you know?” he began, his voice low. “I’m not the honorable man you imagine me to be.”
“I’m despicable, shameless, selfish. I can never hand over the girl I love to someone else. But neither do I dare to ruin her happiness.”
“So I’ve prayed—pathetically prayed—for the heavens to grant me a chance.”
“I’ve journeyed far and wide, worshipping countless deities.”
“About a year ago…” Rong Che’s expression grew grave. “I came across a small stone figurine by accident.”
“It was no bigger than a palm, battered and broken, its features barely discernible. The only thing clear was its ancient age. Despite its state, I poured wine for it myself and offered it my dry rations.”
Rong Che’s lips trembled. “That night, I had a dream.”
“In the dream, you and Lu Yuan Ze fell deeply in love. But he kept a mistress hidden for eighteen years. And Chao Chao… she died the day she was born. Without her, Lu Yuan Ze brought Lu Jing Yao into your home. You doted on her as though she were your own flesh and blood.”
“But she… she personally orchestrated the destruction of the Xu family, tearing apart everything you relied upon, piece by piece.”
“I also saw the Crown Prince. That fool treated Lu Jing Yao as though she were a treasure, holding her in the palm of his hand.”
“And you… How could they treat you like this?! I let go because I wanted you to find happiness, not walk into death!”
Rong Che’s entire body trembled, his eyes bloodshot. Seeing Xu Shi frozen in shock, he laughed bitterly. “I know you won’t believe me. It’s absurd.”
“But later, I discovered that Lu Yuan Ze truly had a mistress, with a daughter named Lu Jing Yao and a son named Lu Jing Huai. Everything matched my dream. That’s when I believed it.”
“I couldn’t sit idle any longer. I had to return to the capital.”
Xu Shi’s breathing quickened, her fists slowly clenching. She had never seen Rong Che so terrified before, and her heart ached for him.
“And you?” she rasped, her voice hoarse, her gaze fixed on him. “What happened to you in the dream?”
Rong Che’s expression darkened slightly. In the dream, he had betrayed Northern Zhao, his homeland, and joined Xuan Ji Chuan’s campaign against it—all for vengeance for Xu Shi. In the end, he fell on the battlefield, his blood staining the sands.
The Stabilizing Duke’s bloodline truly ended there.
But he didn’t say that. Instead, he forced a smile, his voice light. “Don’t worry. In the dream, I lived a wonderful life.” He curved his lips into a smile, as if trying to convince her.
Tears slipped down Xu Shi’s face, one after another.