Chapter Twenty-Five: A Mysterious Surge of Passion

On the first page, the cook had never seen such a dish before. Long strands of kelp were torn into small strips, tied into little bows, with the pork ribs chopped into pieces and combined with thin slices of ginger and half a pot of water.

"All done," she said as she took a bag of the medicinal beans from the assistant cook, tossed in a few, and smiled, "Just add seasoning and bring it to a boil; the rest is up to you."

The cook noticed she had only added two or three beans and felt reassured. "I trust the flavor, but is it really as effective as you say?"

The clever one returned the beans to the assistant cook and laughed, "Kelp quenches thirst and aids digestion; pork ribs are good for bone health, and ginger warms the stomach. They’re all good ingredients, so don’t hesitate to go ahead!"

The cook was overjoyed. "Thank you, Your Highness, for the guidance. Now I’m not worried about the royal guard losing their appetite."

She chuckled to herself, amused that the cook took her nonsense seriously. As they turned to work, she quickly crushed the handful of beans in her palm and tossed them into the pot, stirring casually and watching them sink to the bottom.

In a good mood, she left the cafeteria, eager to see the outcome of her prank. In modern times, she wouldn’t cook, but occasionally, on a whim, she had tried making soup in a pressure cooker. Simple soups were her favorite, especially in winter when they warmed the stomach.

During meal time, she watched the royal guard carry away a tray of dishes, her heart filled with delight. Before long, the royal guard came back with a dark expression, sending for the cook, and she knew her plan had worked. She quickly covered her mouth and slipped away.

She purposely lingered in the training field that afternoon and indeed didn’t see the royal guard. Instead, the royal guard announced, "The lord is unwell this afternoon; practice fighting among yourselves!" The male soldiers responded and began practicing with punches and kicks.

She found it incredibly amusing, but the royal guard was watching, so she dared not sneak a peek. While stifling her laughter, she bent down to stretch her legs, lazily passing the time. Fortunately, the royal guard was well aware of her lazy nature and didn’t mind.

She wondered when she would be summoned by the royal guard, but after waiting for a long time, no one called for her, which was unusual. In her mind, if the royal guard had asked the cook, the truth would have come out immediately. She thought she would argue her case then, expressing her grievances to let the royal guard know she was not someone to be trifled with. But unexpectedly, it was all silent. Could it be that this royal guard was a masochist, enjoying being kicked around and not minding being teased?

It was baffling. Why had things turned out this way?

Finally, the next day arrived. When the royal guard entered, he looked exhausted. Clearly, the beans had quite an effect. He didn’t mention the beans at all and calmly trained the soldiers as usual. She observed his expression, sensing something strange about the situation.

"Are you there?"

"Yes!"

"Bring me two long spears!"

She opened her mouth but dared not ask. Those were real weapons. Was he trying to stab her with one?

The royal guard took a spear in hand and without saying a word, charged toward her. She broke into a cold sweat, frantically trying to block his attacks. Perhaps due to the special training she had undergone these past few days, or perhaps it was instinct kicking in when in danger, she managed to fend off a few strikes.

With his eyes shining, the royal guard quickened his pace, reciting a word aloud; with each word, she was struck at a different point on her body. Fortunately, he was only tapping her rather than poking holes in her with the spear tip; otherwise, she would have been a pincushion by now.

The male soldiers paused their sparring, curiously watching the royal guard’s special training.

She was gradually forced back to the edge of the training area, her arms growing increasingly sore and weak.

The spear slipped from her grasp, and the royal guard raised it high, the spearhead glinting as it swooshed toward her pale face. She was so terrified she couldn’t move, her back pressed against the column behind her, staring blankly at the royal guard, who radiated a murderous intent.

The spear struck, embedding itself deeply into the wooden post, the sound echoing in the silent area. Her frightened eyes reflected in the shiny surface of the spear, making her wonder if he intended to kill her.

Everyone present fell silent. The royal guard slowly released the spear handle, the tip still trembling. He gazed at her sharply, "Have you remembered the key points?"

Her soul felt like it was hovering above her head.

"Impatience and greed for quick attacks expose weaknesses everywhere. Only by being unpredictable can one achieve victory in one blow." She couldn’t comprehend his words and could only respond with a series of "mm-hmms."

"Figure it out for yourself," he said, leaving her with that before walking toward the male soldiers.

She gripped the spear handle, exerting great effort but unable to pull it out. A glimmer of the cold light caught her eye, and she was still shaken. Was he warning her? Not to act rashly?

As night fell, she hid among the bushes, watching as the royal guard took a basket of clothes outside, stealthily entering his quarters. Gently closing the door behind him, she quickly scanned the room, recognizing the same decorations from when she had been summoned before. This time, she noticed a side door in the corner, behind which she could vaguely see a shadow moving.

The sound of water splashing came from within, as if someone were in a bathing room. This guy really knows how to enjoy himself, she thought resentfully. On a stool by the door lay several neatly folded garments. She quickly gathered a few into her arms and left.

Back in her own room, she imagined the royal guard emerging to find his missing clothes, running around in a panic, and she couldn’t help but laugh as she collapsed onto her bed.

After a long time, there was no sign of the anticipated effect. Strange; the royal guard’s actions were always beyond her expectations. Losing interest, she reluctantly headed to the communal bathing room for a shower. She usually waited until late, as the presence of male soldiers made her reluctant to bathe earlier.

Cooling off her heated body, she wrapped her large outer robe around her chest like a towel, leaving her wet hair falling loosely as she lazily returned to her room. The loud snoring from the next room made her secretly grateful she didn’t have to share a space with these male soldiers; otherwise, her eardrums might break.

As soon as she stepped inside, the dark room suddenly lit with a candle, revealing a figure sitting silently at the edge of her bed, watching her without a sound.

Caught off guard, she was so startled that the basin in her hands slipped to the floor.

"Be quiet!" the person said in a calm, low voice.

She blinked, finally recognizing the visitor, instinctively bowing her head in response, her hand clutching her chest as her heart raced.

"Close the door!" he ordered.

As she closed the door, she took the opportunity to gather her scattered belongings, trying to calm her emotions. She felt his gaze on her, making her heart race again. No matter how she looked at it, she never expected to have such a meeting under these circumstances.

She sighed inwardly, raised her head to steady herself, and forced a smile, "Your Highness, why are you here so late, entering my room without hesitation? Is there something urgent?"

In the candlelight, the man’s long, phoenix-like eyes were narrow, his thin lips pressed tightly together, dark hair cascading over his shoulders, wearing a loose outer robe that half-exposed his muscular chest, staring at her with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"What do you think?" he scoffed, tapping his fingers on the table. The table was cluttered with the pile of clothes she had just stolen.

She rolled her eyes, a hundred excuses flashing through her mind, but none were useful. All she could say was, "This… this is a misunderstanding..."

The royal guard coldly interjected, "Stealing clothes from my room and putting laxatives in my food—are those all misunderstandings?"

She struggled to say, "No…"

"What is your goal?" The royal guard stood up, advancing toward her step by step, "Revenge? Or do you want to get my attention?"

She hurriedly clarified, "I didn’t mean it like that! I just wanted to offer you a small suggestion…" Automatically, she turned her protest into a suggestion, hoping it sounded more palatable.

"A suggestion? What suggestion?" he continued to approach, and she dared not move, her gaze timid.

"Could you please not be so strict with me…" Her voice grew softer, so low that she could barely hear herself, "Just like this…"

With a cold laugh, he stood before her, looking down at her, "Since you can’t handle hardship, I’ll give you two choices!"

Confused, she could only see his eyes glinting in the darkness as he blocked the candlelight, causing her heart to flutter.

"First choice: be a soldier and endure all the rigorous training; second choice, perhaps you’d prefer this one." He smiled coldly, reaching out to play with her long hair, brushing against her flushed cheek, "Return to being an ordinary woman, and perhaps I will take care of you…"

She was shocked, rendered speechless by his intimidation. Unconsciously, she stepped back, but he followed, gripping her hair to tilt her face upward.

In a panic, she stammered, "I don’t want to be a woman! I don’t want to be a woman! I’ll obey your orders! From now on, I’ll just be a soldier, just a soldier…"

Before she could finish, a cold kiss landed on her lips, effectively silencing her. He held her head with one hand and wrapped the other around her waist, pressing her against the nearby table.

What was he doing? Hadn’t he said she would be a soldier? She felt like her head was about to explode; his kiss was so overpowering she could barely breathe. She flailed her arms, sending various items on the table flying, even the only source of light—the oil lamp—crashed to the ground, plunging the room into terrifying darkness.

Breathing heavily, he pulled away from her lips. She too was panting nervously, stuttering, "You said soldier…"

The royal guard stared at her without speaking, his eyes flashing. She couldn’t decipher the meaning in his gaze; she had never understood this person. His robe hung open, revealing his brown chest, dark strands of hair cascading down her cheeks, exuding a fragrant scent.

"Don’t you want to return to being a woman?" he asked in a husky voice, completely different from his usual cold, decisive tone. "You’ve gone to such lengths, haven’t you just to get close to me?"

"Don’t flatter yourself!" Anger welled up inside her, pushing down her fear as she said, "Do you think you’re such a big deal? You’re just a dog raised by the Jade Balance! When he’s happy, he lets you out to bite people; when he’s not, he keeps you on a chain!"

His eyes turned icy, fingers tightening around her chin, causing her pain. He replied coldly, "And what are you? Fighting like a madwoman in the streets, marrying and not behaving like a wife, colluding with other men? Drinking and brawling, refusing to be disciplined—there isn’t a woman like you in a hundred!"

Her heart fluttered between joy and worry. She worried because he seemed to know her so well, even recognizing her as the one who had thrown him down. She felt joy because if a woman didn’t meet expectations, a man should have less interest.

"I’m just that kind of bad woman. Why do you want to hold onto a woman like me?!" she deliberately scoffed, "Aren’t you afraid of sullying your noble hands, Your Highness?"

To her surprise, he readily released her, straightening his clothes as he coldly stated, "Tonight’s matter must not leave this room."

She stood up, clutching her almost-falling "towel," scoffing, "You’re not ashamed, but I am!"

He shot her a fierce glare before swiftly leaving the room.

She covered her face, her cheeks burning as if on fire, her wildly racing heart finally calming down. At least she had managed to drive him away with just a few words. If he truly wanted something, she certainly wouldn’t be able to resist.

Had the royal guard gone mad? Why did he suddenly act like that with her at night? She pondered for a while, her mind filled with his sudden passionate kiss, then quickly shook her head. No, he was the enemy; doing such inexplicable things must have some ulterior motive.

Thinking about facing that cold expression again tomorrow made her feel as if she had swallowed a toad.