Qin Hengyi said, "Shiyi says A-Zuo is one of Jiang Zhanying's spies — not from any prominent family."
Spies were mostly orphans—to put it bluntly, they were little more than servants. Moreover, Jiang Chuying and A-Zuo had already been involved before marriage. Jiang Zhanying was furious. When he caught them together, he wanted to cut A-Zuo down with his sword on the spot, but Jiang Chuying had set her heart on A-Zuo and shielded him desperately, even threatening to kill herself. Jiang Zhanying had no choice but to accept it.
But he was still angry, so there was no grand ceremony.
"So that's how it is. Then why does he know your moves?" Old General Qin said: "He knows them inside and out. When you two fought earlier, he was pulling his punches at every turn."
Qin Hengyi suddenly raised his head.
"Others couldn't see it clearly, but I could. He knows your style and can predict your moves. That's why when he fought you, it looked like he was going all out, but in truth, every strike he aimed at you was one you could counter." Old General Qin hesitated: "Do you two know each other? And earlier, I noticed something was off about you."
Qin Hengyi had been foolish for nearly twenty years, then suddenly recovered—it couldn't possibly be that a single fight knocked his senses back into him.
Qin Hengyi's fingers curled slightly. He lowered his head and was silent for a long while, his voice trembling beyond recognition: "I… I think he's Yizhi."
The moment the words left his mouth, a loud bang erupted as Old General Qin slammed his palm on the table, furious: "Have you lost your mind?"
Qin Hengyi didn't argue back: "When I first saw his eyes, I did lose my mind. But afterward, I knew it was impossible."
He and Chu Yizhi had once been inseparable. He had traced every line of the other's brows and eyes with his own hands, knew them all clearly. The box placed before their door back then—though the skin inside was covered in whip marks—he wouldn't mistake it. But those eyes, he wouldn't mistake either.
Old General Qin's heart ached at the thought of Chu Yizhi too. After all, he had truly loved him like a son: "Whether he is or isn't, in my eyes, that child is already dead. Your mother and I, and you, confirmed it and buried him with our own hands. He's buried in our family cemetery. Now, whose side that man stands on and who he serves—you should know clearly."
His voice was stern, and he pretended not to see Qin Hengyi's ashen face: "Son, you must put the bigger picture first. On the battlefield, never be indecisive, or it will cost you your life. You cannot make your mother and me bury our own child."
Qin Hengyi's heart clenched violently, his chest aching unbearably: "…Father, I understand."
Old General Qin sighed heavily: "It's not that I want to pressure you. But as my son, you should understand what your duty is. Matters of the heart have bound you for twenty years. I hope from now on, you will be free. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
---
Army life was rough—simple clothes, simple food, simple lodging. Guaizai came back after eating three steamed buns and a bowl of steamed egg custard. The atmosphere in the tent was a bit off. He looked at Qin Hengyi, then at Old General Qin, and finally burrowed into Qin Hengyi's arms, clinging to him affectionately.
Qin Hengyi held him, tossing him up and catching him. Guaizai laughed with delight, his voice crisp and clear, and Qin Hengyi's worries melted away. They played all afternoon, and by evening they were so close that they slept in the same bed.
The next day before dawn, urgent bugle calls sounded outside the tent.
The enemy was attacking again.
After hastily dispatching troops, Qin Hengyi mounted his horse. He saw Old General Qin approaching with Guaizai in his arms and reached out: "Father, you stay in the rear. Give the child to me."
He himself had followed Old General Qin onto the battlefield at age six, so he saw nothing wrong with bringing a child along.
Old General Qin shook his head, insisting on going: "Your father may be injured, but he's not crippled. Don't worry unnecessarily—I can protect myself."
Qin Hengyi knew his father never did anything he wasn't sure about. Now that he'd found his grandson, he was probably cherishing his life dearly. So he stopped arguing and led the army forward, with Guaizai riding Xiao Bai close behind.
The two armies faced off at Yuanping.
The moment Jiang Zhanying saw Old General Qin, he wanted to throw in a few jabs — he thought the old man was truly tough as nails. He'd assumed the man was done for and had even prepared his funeral contribution. But no, the old bastard hadn't croaked. Truly hard to kill. But then his gaze swept over and landed beside Old General Qin — and he saw something so unbelievable, so shocking, that his eyes widened slightly.
Even Lu Zhenghe and A-Zuo looked over, their expressions indescribable, as if they wanted to laugh.
Qin Hengyi noticed their strange expressions and turned his head—and froze completely.
Guaizai had a small bundle slung across his body, and a pair of red underwear was worn on his head. It was extremely eye-catching and jarring. At this moment, almost everyone was stealing glances at him, unsure what kind of getup this was.
Qin Hengyi didn't know what underwear was, but he had a vague feeling that Guaizai like this was somehow… a bit indecent.
With his small stature and big head, following them at the front was already eye-catching enough. Now with a piece of red fabric on his head, it was as if he was afraid no one would notice his big head.
"Guaizai, take that off."
"No, no!" Guaizai refused, twisting his little body to dodge his hand.
If he took it off, Superman couldn't possess him. Then it wouldn't be him beating the enemy until they howled—it would be the enemy beating him until he howled.
Qin Hengyi was helpless. Worried someone might stab that big head of his, he told Qin Yi to bring a helmet.
Qin Yi glanced at Guaizai and held back a laugh: "It won't fit."
Qin Hengyi: "…"
Forget it. My little grandson likes it, so let him be.
Guaizai was incredibly excited. His face was small, and the front piece of the underwear covered it completely. He'd had Uncle Tang cut four holes in it, so now only a pair of dark, shiny big eyes and two little nostrils were visible. Now he could breathe easily and see people. Guaizai thought he was extremely clever. With the underwear on his head, Superman had possessed him. He felt amazing, felt a surge of power in his body, felt incredible. No one was his match now. Anyone who dared come near, he'd chop them up like cutting vegetables.
"Grandpa." He was impatient: "Who hit you last time?"
Old General Qin played along, pointing at Lu Zhenghe: "That's him."
Lu Zhenghe wasn't particularly tall—about five foot seven or so—while Old General Qin was a big man, over six feet.
Guaizai turned and looked at Old General Qin.
He didn't say anything, but Old General Qin felt as if he'd said everything, and his heart clenched.
Jiang Zhanying burst out laughing, utterly delighted.
"Old bastard, is Da Xia so short on men that you're dragging a baby in as a conscript? Though that outfit — it's quite something!"
Guaizai thought this old man had good taste and advised him to lay down his butcher's cleaver and become a Buddha on the spot.
Jiang Zhanying, on the other hand, advised him to go back and drink his milk, lest he wet his pants from fright later.
"This old grandpa, don't underestimate Guaizai!" Guaizai said, a little unhappy. "Otherwise, Guaizai will beat you until you're howling later."
Jiang Zhanying was stunned for a moment, then doubled over laughing while holding his stomach.
Guaizai scrunched up his little eyebrows and turned to Old General Qin. "Grandpa, why does that grandpa keep laughing? Is there something wrong with him? He's sick, so why did he come to fight? Did someone beat him until he became stupid?"
Jiang Zhanying: "..."
Old General Qin caught Jiang Zhanying's dark expression and couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, yes, that man's got something wrong with his head. You'd better stay far away from him."
Guaizai nodded with great seriousness. "If that's the case, then Guaizai really can't go near him. Father told Guaizai before that when this kind of person goes crazy, they'll slash people randomly. It's very dangerous. But this grandpa is so old and still not clear-headed. How pitiful."
Jiang Zhanying: "..."
Jiang Zhanying couldn't hold back anymore, and the two armies began fighting.
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