The Princess Is On Top (GL) - Chapter 15

“Mm… where I come from, we call this huntun.” A look of nostalgia appeared on Xiao Le’s face. She had transmigrated here several years ago now, and she truly missed her parents and friends.

“Huntun? What an interesting name. You are not from Great Wu?”

“No. My hometown is in a very, very faraway place. I may never be able to go back in this lifetime.” Xiao Le felt a little sorrowful and lonely. In this world, there was not a single soul who could truly connect with her. She did not even have one person she could really talk to. She was like a wandering ghost, occupying someone else’s body and drifting through this world.

“How could you not go back? You can return the same way you came.”

“You wouldn’t understand. There is no road back at all.”

The certainty in Xiao Le’s words truly made it difficult for Su Luoyang to understand. In this world, was there really a place one could not reach?

“Although I don’t know why you would say that, since that is the case, then don’t think about it anymore. When the dust settles one day in the future, I will have Father grant you a large estate, and then I will have an impressive official title bestowed upon you too. That way, you will have a home, won’t you?”

When Su Luoyang said these words, there was a faint smile on her face, as if she were speaking of something that could not have been more ordinary.

You say you no longer have a home, so I will build one for you.

Such a simple and direct way of doing things was indeed something only this Commandery Princess could say so easily.

“Here you are, honored guests! Delicious yuntun noodles. Careful, they’re hot!”

The steaming bowls of yuntun noodles were placed on the table. Just their scent was enough to make one’s appetite stir. That subtle atmosphere from earlier was swept clean away by these two bowls of yuntun noodles. Xiao Le picked up her chopsticks and impatiently took a bite. “It’s really good!”

Seeing Xiao Le’s expression, Su Luoyang felt as if she were eating some extraordinary delicacy. “Is that so? Then I’ll try it too.”

“Comm…” After the two finished the yuntun noodles, they continued walking forward. Xiao Le wanted to speak to Su Luoyang, only to once again face the difficult problem of how to address her. Su Luoyang seemed to see through her embarrassment and said openly, “When it is only the two of us, there is no need to be restrained. Just call me by my name. Speaking of it, we can be considered friends, can’t we?”

The Commandery Princess said I can call her by her name. Does this mean we are a little closer now?

“Then… Luoyang… is that all right?” Xiao Le quietly observed Su Luoyang’s expression. Even in Great Wu, where customs were relatively open, a woman’s given name could not be called casually. Only very close people, family members, and elders had that right. It also represented the name’s owner acknowledging you. Just like when Su Luoyang had called Qi Han Mengchang before. Su Luoyang did not know that Xiao Le had so many little thoughts in her heart, and she was not displeased by this form of address. “Naturally.”

The two walked around casually for a little while longer, letting their meal settle, before returning to the front of the residence.

“Xiao Le, in a few days, I will be returning to Luoyang.” Su Luoyang turned around before the residence gates and quietly looked at her.

During this period, the way the two of them got along had been very natural. They could both sense that the other had a favorable feeling toward them, but neither had spoken it aloud. Xiao Le had misgivings and did not dare desire too much. Su Luoyang, meanwhile, was cautious. Her upbringing had taught her to be different from ordinary women; her reason often outweighed her emotions.

“You’re… leaving already? But your wound has indeed healed for some time now.” Although Xiao Le had known Su Luoyang would leave sooner or later, hearing her say it so suddenly still made her feel very disappointed. In truth, she had also sensed that Su Luoyang would be leaving soon. After all, the New Year was almost here. She simply had not known the exact time.

At that moment, Xiao Le looked like an eggplant beaten by frost.

“All right. I have something to give you. Ah Zheng.” Ah Zheng, who had been following them from a distance all this time, had somehow already gone inside the residence. Now she walked toward them carrying a wooden tray. On the tray lay a sword and a pair of gloves.

The scabbard was designed with great refinement. One look was enough to tell it had been forged by a famous master. Silver and black intertwined, and at first glance, Xiao Le felt as though she could not look away. Beside the sword lay a pair of cashmere-lined leather gloves. To make it easier for the fingers to move, they had deliberately been made fingerless.

This sword had been commissioned after Su Luoyang woke from her injury. Only a few days ago had it been delivered here. Originally, she had intended to give it to Xiao Le as a thank-you gift in gratitude for saving her life, but now there was another, unclear layer of meaning within it. As for the gloves, they had been made because winter had grown colder and harsher, and Su Luoyang had suddenly come up with the idea and ordered people to specially alter a pair.

Su Luoyang picked up the gloves from the tray, took Xiao Le’s hand, and carefully put them on for her.

When Su Luoyang’s fingertips touched Xiao Le, Xiao Le felt as though her skin were trembling. And what happened next was something she had never even dared imagine. Xiao Le was just slightly taller than Su Luoyang. When Su Luoyang lowered her head and concentrated on putting the gloves on her, Xiao Le could almost clearly count every one of her eyelashes, and even hear the sound of her breathing.

Hold her. Hold her. Every cell in Xiao Le’s body was clamoring. And in this cold winter night, with the cold wind blowing, she did not feel cold at all. Instead, she felt unbearably warm.

Su Luoyang held both of her hands and carefully looked over her handiwork.

“Mm, very pretty. What do you think?” She raised her head slightly and met Xiao Le’s eyes. Her own eyes shimmered with a bright smile. She wanted the other person’s approval. Although she felt that Xiao Le would definitely like them, she still wanted to hear Xiao Le say it herself.

Xiao Le felt as though those eyes contained the universe, contained the starry sky, shining brightly—and also contained her. At last, she could no longer hold back. She finally followed the guidance of her heart and embraced the person before her.

Xiao Le placed both hands at Su Luoyang’s waist and pulled her toward herself. Seeing that Su Luoyang did not push her away, she gently rested her chin on Su Luoyang’s shoulder, tilted her head slightly, closed her eyes, and felt the fragrance in Su Luoyang’s dark hair. The fine fluff on the gloves made Xiao Le feel a little itchy, and that itch seemed to spread into her heart.

Xiao Le’s action made Su Luoyang feel a moment of surprise, then relief. She felt her own heart beating somewhat quickly. Wrapped in the warmth of Xiao Le’s body, she felt a little embarrassed, yet also a little happy. She had never been someone ashamed to express herself, so she gently hugged Xiao Le back in response. At some point, Ah Zheng had already gone inside, leaving the wooden tray sitting alone on the steps. In this moment, it was as if only the two of them remained between heaven and earth.

“Very pretty. Very, very pretty. I especially like them.”

Xiao Le’s muffled voice came beside Su Luoyang’s ear, seeming to carry a hint of nasality. Xiao Le was truly touched and surprised today. This emotion could only be conveyed to Su Luoyang through repeated, simple words.

After a long while, Su Luoyang gently pushed Xiao Le away. Both of their cheeks were faintly flushed, probably because of the cold wind.

Su Luoyang picked up the sword from the steps beside them and handed it to Xiao Le. Xiao Le watched her every movement without even blinking, looking very much as if she only wanted to look at her.

“I do not know when we will meet again after I leave this time. After the New Year, the war will surely grow even fiercer. I fear both you and I will be too occupied to spare ourselves.

“This sword is called Qingfeng. I hope it can help you break formations and kill enemies.

“Xiao Le, I hope that when we meet again, you will give me another different surprise.”

Xiao Le drew the sword from its sheath. The mirror-like blade reflected her face, and a cold gleam condensed along the sharp edge, as though flowing endlessly. This was without question a fine sword. The words Qingfeng were also engraved on the hilt as its mark.

“Luoyang, whatever you desire, when that time comes, I will surely offer all of it to you.”

…

Within two days after that night, Su Luoyang indeed left Youzhou.

Xiao Le spent her second New Year in the military camp together with the soldiers. Looking back, one year ago she had only been a small soldier in the infantry camp. Life truly had infinite possibilities. If someone had told her before that she would go to ancient times and become a general, she definitely would have treated that person as insane.

The Qingfeng Sword replaced Xiao Le’s original sword and stayed with her day and night, like a kind of comfort.

Before the first month of the year had even passed, war broke out again in the east. Immediately afterward, Youzhou suffered a heavy blow. Due to He Yan’s carelessness, he nearly lost Youzhou, which they had won with such difficulty. Everything was just as Su Luoyang had said: they had no time to spare themselves. Over the next eight months, the Western Route Army led by He Yan advanced like a hot knife through butter, seizing Jiangxia, Chaozhou, and other places one after another. They had the momentum of driving straight to the enemy’s heart, forcing Emperor Wu to rob Peter to pay Paul by transferring troops from every route to defend against them.

Xiao Le, too, fully displayed her strengths and repeatedly rendered extraordinary achievements. Her prestige in the army reached an unprecedented height, pressing close behind He Yan’s.

That day, Xiao Le was urgently summoned to the commander’s tent. The moment she entered, she saw several of the army’s main generals present. It seemed there had been a new development in the war.

“Xiao Le, come take a look. This is the latest secret report from Pingjing.”

He Yan handed the letter in his hand to Xiao Le. Xiao Le had long noticed the solemn expressions of everyone in the tent and asked no unnecessary questions. She took the paper and began reading.

“Southern Yue wants to form a marriage alliance with Great Wu? Is the source reliable?” Xiao Le quickly skimmed through the secret letter and could not help asking in shock. Yet the moment she raised her head and saw everyone’s grave faces, she knew the answer.

“Who knows what kind of bewitching potion Yu Ke fed the emperor of Southern Yue, to actually convince Southern Yue to ally with him and even send out his most beloved Seventh Princess,” someone said.

Xiao Le frowned and thought for a moment. “Why do I remember that a few years ago, Great Wu’s court was in an uproar over the matter of a southern campaign?”

“You remember correctly. If the shizi had not unexpectedly died and the prince had not rebelled, Emperor Wu would probably already have fought his way to Southern Yue’s doorstep by now.” He Yan looked at Xiao Le approvingly and confirmed her words. “No matter what, a marriage alliance is a symbol of alliance. We cannot allow Southern Yue’s princess to reach Pingjing.”

He Yan spread a map of the continent across the table and analyzed it. “Great Wu’s capital, Pingjing, is located here.” He pointed to the very center of the map. “And our army is in a relatively northern position.” Then he pointed to Southern Yue on the map. “Southern Yue is directly south of Great Wu and borders Heyuan. Once the escorting party enters Heyuan, they will certainly fall under the protection of the Wu army. At that time, it will be difficult to make a move. So we must act before the bridal escort party enters Heyuan.”

“But it will be very difficult for us to infiltrate the area south of Pingjing. That region is still under Great Wu’s rule. Once we appear there…” an older and highly experienced general objected.

“No. It will be very easy for us to infiltrate.”

Xiao Le stared at the map and suddenly spoke. In an instant, everyone in the tent looked toward her.

Author’s Note: Was this bit of sugar sweet enough?

Did you all see my new cover?