Warnings
Depictions of abuse and minor injury
“General Fei, I must say I had never thought I’d have the honour of meeting you. If it isn’t beyond my station to ask, I’d like to know what made a place like this worthy of a visit from the esteemed General Fei himself.”
Fei Li held in a sigh, giving the guard who stood at attention before him an uncaring glance. “I’m here to see General Lu. I sent a letter beforehand.”
“Yes! Of course! I’ve already sent someone to fetch him for you. It’s just… I wanted to know why. N-nevermind, it isnt my place to ask such a thing, please forgive me.”
“I’ve heard he has been difficult to handle,” Fei Li replied calmly.
The guard’s expression became awkward at that. “My apologies. I’ve been incompetent in disciplining him and troubled you because of it.”
“It’s no matter. It’s not like you had any chance of disciplining him, he wouldn’t give in regardless of what you did to him. Not until he gets what he wants. Can you confirm that he is unharmed?”
“Yes, General Fei. No punishment was used that would cause permanent harm.”
Fei Li frowned slightly but his attention was taken by the entrance of two guards, and one Lu Qinyi with his hands bound in loose restraints. He had looked rather disinterested in wherever he was being led, probably having thought he was being taken for another punishment. He froze however when he locked gazes with Fei Li. They stared at one another for a long time, neither saying a word. The tension in the air was thick enough that it could have been cut with a knife. Even the accompanying guards could feel it, not daring to speak either as they watched the silent stand off between the general and the once general.
When Lu Qinyi finally seemed to recover from his shock, a mix of emotions flashing over his face. Disbelief, anger, hate, displeasure, irritation, and… relief, followed by shame. He averted his gaze to the side as a cold settled over his features.
“Leave us.” Fei Li stated to the guards. They promptly saluted, stepping back to leave. Just as the lead guard who had been accompanying Fei Li was about to exit the room, Fei Li called out again. “The key to his restraints.”
The guard paused, seeming a bit hesitant as he looked at Lu Qinyi. But he could hardly disobey an order and General Fei could best Lu Qinyi even at his peak, so the guard tossed the key to his general, saluted once more and left. Fei Li caught the key from its graceful arc through the air, glancing at the cold metal in his palm before turning back to the only other remaining soul in the room.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“You wanted to see me.”
Lu Qinyi’s gaze snapped up, anger blazing within it and it seemed like he wanted to curse him out. In what fucking life would I ever want to see you again? But he bit it back, remaining silent even as Fei Li walked closer to him.
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The moment the restraints came away, Lu Qinyi shoved aside Fei Li’s hands, backing away from him. “My friends and family. I need to know how they are. So long as I know, I’ll live quietly and I won’t seek any more trouble.” Seeing Fei Li didn’t respond immediately, Lu Qinyi added with underlying threat “Refuse to tell me and I won’t ever stop, so long as I live and breathe.”
“Your lieutenants walked free, as I promised. They fled the capital immediately after their sentences were lifted and have likely been laying low since. There has been no further news of them. There is no further news of your family either. There’s nothing more I can tell you about how they’re fairing.”
Lu Qinyi’s shoulders eased slightly and he nodded faintly “And Yanlin? What about Yanlin then?”
This time, Fei Li’s expression waivered and he pressed his lips together. It was clear he was hesitant to continue. This only made Lu Qinyi look more alarmed, his voice more pressing as he took a step forward. “Yanlin. How is she? You said you would look after her.”
“I didn’t say that. I said I would try. Her circumstances were complicated. The feelings towards her were quite intense and the demands for her to be punished… I was limited in what I could do for her.”
Lu Qinyi’s voice dropped and his gaze became sharper. “How. Is. She?”
Fei Li sighed quietly. “She’s fine. She married into a prominent and respected Northern family to separate her from her crimes and… her family’s crimes. An associate of mine offered the marriage. From what I’m aware, he has a respectable character. I doubt it’s a perfect life but she should be safe and taken care of at the least, a better outcome than the alternative she would have faced.”
Lu Qinyi’s brows knit with concern and his lips pulled into a frown. “Yanlin… married?”
“Yes.”
“Did she want this? She truly agreed to it?”
“Would you have rathered for her to face her original fate?”
“…” Lu Qinyi went silent, seeming deeply concerned as he stared blankly at nothing in particular. This was better than lashing out at him for marrying off his sister, which Fei Li honestly thought might happen. They continued to remain in silence until Lu Qinyi suddenly looked up. “Take me to see her.”
“What?” Fei Li said, more in disbelief than because he hadn’t heard.
“Take me to see her. Just once. I have to see her.” Seeing that Fei Li didn’t respond, just staring at him expressionlessly, Lu Qinyi seemed to get more heated. His expressions reflected his flaring emotions like clear glass, that careful control he held before shattering and everything he held inside spilling out. “Don’t you owe me this at least?! After everything you’ve done, the horrific deeds you did, you fucking bastard, don’t you feel any guilt? Do you feel anything at all? All I want is to see her, that’s it. After everything I’ve been through because of you, you can’t let me see her once?” His voice fluctuated, nearly straining towards the end.
Fei Li froze on the spot, the pain squeezing his chest making it hard for him to breathe.
Lu Qinyi’s head lowered and he grit his teeth, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He then dropped to his knees. Fei Li’s eyes widened at the sight of the defeated general in name but not in spirit bowing to him with his forehead pressed to the ground in a display of sincerity. “Please.” Lu Qinyi forced the word out, it was hardly more than a whisper but Fei Li had heard it.
Fei Li stared down at the man who once more threw aside his own pride and honour to lower himself to sincerely beg him and he couldn’t say anything for a long time. He felt deeply uneasy, his brows furrowing. “Get up.”
Lu Qinyi didn’t move, clearly intending to stay in that position until Fei Li agreed.
Fei Li only felt more uncomfortable. He swore under his breath as he turned away so he didn’t have to look, but it didn’t help. His brows furrowed deeper and deeper until finally he swore under his breath. “…I’ll do it, just get up already. You’ll get to see her once. That’s it. You return here after and that will be the end of it.”
Lu Qinyi shut his eyes against the threatening sting of tears of relief. He pulled himself up from the ground. “That’s fine by me. That’s all I need.”
This was insane… Even Fei Li was shocked he was really doing this. Yet he walked to the doorway, waving over the lead guard who had been waiting outside. The other respectfully saluted. “General. If you’re finished here, I can have someone serve you tea while General Lu is returned to his section.”
“That won’t be necessary. General Lu will be temporarily transferred into my care from today. I’ll return him to continue his sentence at a later date.”
The guard paled with fright, looking like he might faint from the shock, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head. “General, that’s insane! Why would you do something like that?!”
Hadn’t Fei li just been thinking that? He didn’t need it to be repeated by some guard in charge of overseeing a labour camp, he already knew. But he was committed to this decision now and the best way to achieve it was to take General Lu from the camp into his supervision so he could visit his sister. Lu Yanlin was married into a prestigious household now, she would hardly leave her family’s estate now. It wouldn’t be considered acceptable to take her from her family, put her through the journey and finally bring her into a labour camp where only those working as guards for the camp or high military could access. Lu Qinyi also seemed to have understood this when he made his demands. So he could only make a vague excuse. “I have some business I need him for.”
“Y-you can’t do that Sir! You can’t just take a prisoner into your care like that!” The guard tried to reason, sweat pouring from his brow from how anxious he was.
Fei Li only gazed at him coldly. “Why can’t I?”
The guard gaped at him in disbelief.
“Do you have a position to question me?” Fei Li asked cooly, raising his brows slightly in challenge.
The guard hastily bowed his head. “N-no Sir! I’ll see to it right away!”
Lu Qinyi glanced at the open door, watching as the guard hurriedly ran off, before turning his gaze forward again.
Author’s Notes:
This is my last reserve chapter. We’ll see how I go writing and editing some new content for you guys.
Enemies > Rivals/Frienemies/Enemies > Enemies* > Friends > Lovers
* We’re currently at this point in the slow burn development. And their relationship will still get worse from here before it gets better. Its one heck of a ride but in case you guys were starting to wonder, I do have a plan for repairing their relationship still. This is still most definitely a BL novel. And there is still the worst of the angst to come next chapter. Get your tissues ready. This author is cruel and I’m sorry! Its for the plot!!
I feel bad for how depressing and rough this part of the novel is before it slowly gets back to more fun, wholesome and gay content. Maybe I should include a little extra sneak peak chapter of the later content I have planned? But that would throw off the mood of the novel. Maybe I’ll include it as a Post?
My heart hurts for LQY so much 💔 😢
Thanks for the chapter this week! And thanks for outlining the relationship dynamics, that’s really helpful (but seriously, why more angst noooo have they not suffered enough t_t) and huge no to sneak peaks! Don’t want spoilers, I’d rather wait (and will prepare tissues and chocolates in the meantime 🤧)
As long as the quality is maintained and wholesome, the story’s definitely worth waiting. Keep up with the good work dear author, I’ll be right here waiting! 🥰
You’re welcome! It can be hard to see where I’m going with their relationship since I’m breaking it further. Like Kintsugi, I’m breaking it so I can make something better from the remains. I knooww I’m sorry, I’m not done torturing them before I get them their peace.
Okie dokie! You got it. I did read this before I posted the next chapter but didn’t get to respond. Yes, you’ll be needing those.
I’m glad you think so! I don’t plan on dropping the quality and they will definitely get back to wholesome once they slowly become friends, and a bit more. Thank you so much! Thank you for the support. The comments make it worth it to keep going.
You know, I really want to believe that Lu Qinyi isn’t tricking Fei Li, but…I have one fear. The other fear is that something happened to his sister, who I adored! Especially afraid after reading the author’s note! (/prepares tissues)
I half expected it to get a bit more depressing after the war, there’s a lot to deal with there, so I am fine without sneaking peeks ❤ I am just excited to figure out where the story is going on and I hope you will enjoy writing the next chapters! Have a wonderful week!
…Heh. I love seeing the theories and thoughts of the chapters, its so fun. You’ll see it all next chapter! And you’ll need plenty of tissues.
Yeah, you know me, I show the ugly side as well as the beautiful side. I’m glad! I’m so pleased its interesting enough to keep you wanting to know more! I’ll keep doing my best with the chapters! Thank you ❤ You as well!