Chapter 75: I Beg You Not to Interfere

Inside the inner courtyard of the Huang residence.

Hongluan handed the two porcelain bottles to Huang Qing and smiled.

“Young Master Li said these are Beauty Preservation Pills. He really understands what girls like.”

Huang Qing accepted the two porcelain bottles and could not bear to put them down.

A smile filled her face.

But then she looked toward the distant beacon smoke and sighed.

“I wonder how Elder Brother is doing over there.”

At that moment, Huang Ling walked over from nearby and said,

“Beauty Preservation Pills? I’ve read extensively, yet I’ve never heard of such a pill. I have heard that the longevity pills refined by Daoists are poisonous. This couldn’t be the same, could it?”

Huang Qing frowned.

“Little Sister, Senior Brother Li is not the sort of person who acts recklessly. If he says they’re Beauty Preservation Pills, then they must work. I trust him.”

“You’ve only met him a few times, yet you trust him that much.”

Huang Ling looked somewhat unhappy.

“I’m your sister, yet when I say something, you don’t believe me.”

Huang Qing sighed.

“Those are two different matters.”

“Big Sister, I’m advising you not to eat random pills.”

“Little Sister, there’s no need to persuade me anymore.”

Huang Qing pulled out the stopper and poured two green pills into her palm.

Then she swallowed them in one gulp.

The two pills dissolved immediately upon entering her mouth.

“Big Sister, don’t eat them...”

Huang Ling failed to stop her in time and stamped her foot.

“Why are you so stubborn?”

“Little Sister, I’m nineteen years old. In another six months, I’ll be twenty.”

Huang Qing’s expression became very serious.

It could even be described as somewhat cold.

“I’m different from you. I carry the bloodline of a foreign people. You always say I deserve someone better, but how do you know Father and Mother never arranged matches for me with imperial nobles?”

Huang Ling froze.

“Do you know how they look at me?”

Huang Qing drew her long hair in front of herself.

“When they see this yellow hair, there’s mockery in their eyes. Then they look at my pupils, and the mockery becomes ridicule. Although they never show it openly, I can feel it.”

“Big Sister, you’re very beautiful. Don’t mind them...”

“It doesn’t matter whether you think I’m beautiful. Men have to think so. I must marry someday.”

Huang Ling’s lips moved, but no words came out.

The current Huang Qing wore an expression full of grievance and resentment.

She was no longer as gentle and understanding as before.

Yet Huang Ling still felt unwilling to give up.

“But Li Lin is merely a Patrol Hunter, merely a Spirit Hunter. He’s not worth...”

“But he values me, do you understand?”

A joyful light flickered in Huang Qing’s eyes.

“The moment he first saw me, I could tell. He wanted me to bear his children. It was that kind of gaze... the gaze of a man who found me desirable. It was obvious and completely undisguised.”

Huang Ling was astonished by the passion in her sister’s expression.

She muttered,

“But his... status is ordinary.”

“And I’m merely of foreign descent. I’m also born of a concubine.”

Huang Qing smiled.

“If we’re being honest, my status is far less noble than Senior Brother Li’s.”

“Little Sister, you’re the legitimate eldest daughter. You have the right to pursue those imperial nobles. I never will.”

“And I don’t think Senior Brother Li is inferior to them.”

“This is the best opportunity I’ve ever had.”

“The best marriage fate I’ll ever have.”

“If I miss it, there won’t be another.”

“If I miss it, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

“I beg you, Little Sister. Please don’t ruin it, alright?”

Huang Ling unconsciously took two steps backward.

Even the word “beg” had come out.

She could feel just how much resentment her sister harbored toward anyone who tried to obstruct the two of them.

“I only want what’s best for you...”

“I don’t need it.”

At last, Huang Ling could not hold back any longer.

Covering her mouth, she ran away crying.

It was the first time she had been “disliked” by her sister.

Her heart ached terribly.

Huang Qing stood quietly in place.

There was some guilt on her face.

But soon her expression became resolute once more.

Hongluan quietly said from the side,

“Miss, weren’t your words a little too harsh?”

“I know my sister very well. If I didn’t do that, she would never give up.”

Huang Qing spoke in a faint voice.

“Hongluan, you should understand too. This is my only marriage fate, and the only one I recognize.”

Hongluan smiled.

“I support you, Miss.”

“You’ve taken a liking to Senior Brother Li too. Don’t think I don’t know.”

Hongluan smiled shyly.

“Hehe, isn’t that a good thing?”

Meanwhile, at the South City Gate, Li Lin and the others waited for a while before seeing Captain Shi arrive with several hundred men.

Although there were only four hundred local soldiers, another two hundred auxiliary troops followed behind them to transport supplies.

The force immediately totaled six hundred men.

Mounted atop a tall horse, Captain Shi cupped his fists and said,

“Everyone, I’ll have to trouble you along the way.”

The others returned the salute.

Su Huafang said,

“You’re too polite.”

The army then set out, with the Spirit Hunters following behind.

In truth, an army of six hundred men was enough to deter most wild gui.

Ordinary wild gui would not dare approach.

Still, one could never rule out unexpected situations.

With Spirit Hunters accompanying them, any problems could be dealt with more easily.

Zhao Xiaohu hugged his spear and moved beside Li Lin.

He was obviously nervous.

“Brother Lin, do you think something will happen to us?”

“It won’t.”

Li Lin smiled.

“If something really happens, stay in the rear, understand?”

Zhao Xiaohu nodded repeatedly.

At that moment, Bai Xiaofan walked over and patted Zhao Xiaohu on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, brother. I’ll protect you.”

Zhao Hao laughed as well.

“Brother Zhao, there’s no need to be afraid. The Spirit Hunters of Yulin County are the most united around. When the time comes, just stay at the very back. Unless all of us are dead, you absolutely won’t be harmed.”

After learning that Zhao Xiaohu was only thirteen years old, everyone had become very protective of him.

Hearing those words, Zhao Xiaohu calmed down considerably.

Nothing happened during the journey.

Bobai Military Town was about five days away from Yulin County.

But under forced marching conditions, they reached their destination in only three and a half days.

At this moment, the north gate of Bobai Military Town was closed as well.

However, soldiers were patrolling atop the walls.

Upon seeing reinforcements arriving from the rear, a soldier shouted from above,

“Where are these reinforcements from?”

“Yulin County, Chief Military Captain Shi Dazhu!”

“Wait a moment, we’ll open the gate.”

Forces arriving from behind were practically impossible to mistake for the enemy.

The defenders therefore opened the gate with confidence.

Captain Shi led the local soldiers into the city.

Li Lin and the others followed as well.

Then they saw Huang Qi standing ahead.

He wore a suit of lamellar armor.

The formerly refined and elegant scholar now possessed some of the bearing of a scholarly general.

Shi Dazhu immediately stepped forward and saluted.

“County Lieutenant, the County Magistrate ordered me to bring four hundred local soldiers as reinforcements.”

Huang Qi’s skin was no longer as fair as before.

Returning the salute, he said,

“You’ve arrived at just the right time. With four hundred more men, Bobai Military Town will certainly hold until General Tang arrives with reinforcements.”

After speaking, Huang Qi noticed Li Lin.

He quickly walked over and patted Li Lin on the shoulder.

“Kunge, I never expected you to come as well.”

“Since I draw a government salary, I have no choice but to step forward when trouble arises.”

“Still, you’ve arrived at exactly the right moment. There’s something I need your help with immediately.”

“What is it?”

“Come with me.”

Huang Qi first instructed Captain Shi to settle the soldiers.

Then he told Su Huafang and the others to find military barracks and rest.

Afterward, he led Li Lin onto the southern city wall.

This place was a fortress pass.

Rivers blocked the surrounding routes.

The enemy could only continue advancing into the interior of Great Qi by capturing this fortress.

Standing atop the wall and looking down, Li Lin saw a plain stretching to the south.

Not far away stood an enemy camp.

In front of the camp was an extremely tall wooden pole.

Several naked corpses hung from it, swaying back and forth in the wind.

“Those were all soldiers of Great Qi, yet the enemy humiliates them like this.”

Huang Qi’s voice carried grief and anger.

“I heard that you know the Falling Lightning Incantation. Can you help me use lightning to break that pole?”

The distance was sufficient.

It was indeed possible.

Just as Li Lin was about to form hand seals and cast the spell, someone nearby shouted,

“Absolutely not!”