The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan-Chapter 88 - 0 Of course, you should pamper your own woman (first update)

Chapter 88: 088 Of course, you should pamper your own woman (first update)

Yelu Yan’s solemn voice arose, "Convey this Khan’s edict, that anyone who has contributed to the Trebuchet shall be amply rewarded."

"Thank you, Khan!" Zha Xi knelt down, bent his arm, and expressed his gratitude.

Yelu Yan turned his head to look at Li Xianyun, who was staring absentmindedly at a weapon in a soldier’s hand.

He lifted his hand slightly, and the accompanying generals hurriedly paid their respects and withdrew.

After everyone had left, Yelu Yan approached Li Xianyun with a smile, shielding her from the dazzling sunlight.

His tall stature perfectly enveloped the delicately graceful Li Xianyun in his own shadow.

Li Xianyun felt the coolness and looked up at him.

Against the backlight, Yelu Yan’s tiger-like eyes were deep, his nose bridge prominent, and the angular lines of his slightly dim cheeks made him handsomely surreal.

Yelu Yan, still smiling, asked her, "What reward do you desire?"

Li Xianyun paused for a second, looking at Yelu Yan with confusion.

Seeing this, Yelu Yan knew that she must have been immersed in her thoughts just now and hadn’t heard him speaking.

He raised his cyan chin and suggested, "Let’s go over there to the cool shade for a while. It’s hot here."

Eeven though the sun was already declining in the west, it was still quite fierce, turning her fair little face a flushed red.

Delicate and dewy like an apple on the autumnal trees.

Li Xianyun looked up to see, not far away, tall rows of poplar trees standing by the high city wall.

The dense branches and leaves of the poplars formed vast patches of shade.

Yelu Yan stood on the sunny side, blocking most of the sunlight for her. Their shadows overlapped, enhancing the intimacy.

"Let’s go."

Earlier, when Yelu Yan spoke with the soldiers, his voice was loud and commanding, but it softened significantly when he spoke with Li Xianyun, becoming gentle and warm.

Li Xianyun softly murmured an "Mmm."

The two walked shoulder to shoulder under the rows of poplar trees.

A breeze wafted by, and the leaves of the poplars gently swayed, making a "shush" sound.

The noise was both tranquil and pleasing to the ear.

Unable to resist, Li Xianyun looked up, the rows of poplars creating a narrow strip of sky.

The sky was so blue it seemed washed clean, while the clouds were dazzlingly white.

She loved trees and also the azure, vast sky.

When Yelu Yan caught Li Xianyun looking over, he lowered his head and smilingly said, "Did you not hear what this Khan just said?"

Li Xianyun had been so engrossed in her thoughts earlier that she hadn’t heard Yelu Yan’s words.

She had a habit: if she was earnestly doing something or thinking about something, it was very difficult for the outside world to disturb her.

Li Xianyun pursed her softly red lips, slightly embarrassed, and chuckled saying, "I didn’t."

He just knew it.

Yelu Yan repeated the words he had said before.

He really was very patient with Li Xianyun. If it had been other generals not paying attention to what he said, he would have gotten angry by now and they would have faced punishment.

But what could he do with his own woman? Of course, he spoiled her.

"This Khan said that everyone involved in constructing the Trebuchet will be rewarded. The design of the Trebuchet was drawn by you; you are the main contributor. What reward would you like?"

Li Xianyun thought earnestly and said, "Your servant doesn’t seem to want anything."

Immersed in her thoughts, she appeared soft, cute, and adorable.

The corners of Yelu Yan’s mouth curled upward, and he patiently said, "Then think it over carefully. Once you have decided, inform this Khan."

Li Xianyun softly uttered an "Mmm."

Yelu Yan fixed his gaze on Li Xianyun’s captivating face and smiled, "You can tell this Khan now, what were you thinking about while staring at that soldier earlier?"

Li Xianyun looked up at him and honestly replied, "This consort was thinking that besides firing three arrows in rapid succession, the Repeating Crossbow could also fire five arrows, which would make it even more powerful."

Surprise and delight filled Yelu Yan’s face.

The three-arrow Repeating Crossbow was already formidable. He had never heard of nor seen one that could fire five arrows in succession.

"Do you know how to make a Repeating Crossbow that fires five arrows in succession?"

Li Xianyun nodded.

Yelu Yan looked at her and said, "Come with me."

With that, he took Li Xianyun to a nearby building where the patrolling soldiers rested.

Upon seeing Yelu Yan approaching from a distance, a soldier who was drinking tea nearly spat out the water in his mouth.

He hurriedly tapped the soldier next to him, who was bending down and cleaning his weapon.

That soldier, without lifting his head, said irritably, "What is it?"

After swallowing his water, the tea-drinking soldier said, "The... The Khan is here."

"Impossible. Why would the Khan come to a place like this?"

Soldiers of their rank could only catch a glimpse of the illustrious and valiant Khan during drills. During patrols, even if they saw him, they would kneel, bow their heads, and salute from the bend of their arms without daring to look around carelessly.

Therefore, to them, Yelu Yan was an exalted being, akin to a deity.

Seeing Yelu Yan and a very handsome man entering, the tea-drinking soldier hurriedly knelt down and saluted, "Greetings to the Khan."

Realizing the truth of the other’s words, the weapon-cleaning soldier quickly set down his weapon and knelt, bowing his head and bending his arm to salute, "Greet...Greetings to the Khan."

Yelu Yan looked around the room. As it was a resting place for patrols, other than tables, chairs, and stools, there was nothing of note.

It was still suitable for writing.

He turned to the weapon-cleaning soldier and said, "Go call Zha Xi here."

Upon hearing this, the soldier hurriedly bent his arm in salute and said, "Yes!"

He then respectfully walked out and, once outside, sprinted towards the building where Zha Xi resided.

Zha Xi had been testing the Trebuchet in the Northern Great Camp recently, and the soldiers had seen him and knew where he conducted his affairs.

Yelu Yan spotted water stains on the tabletop and said, "Clean the desk properly and bring the paper and writing tools."

"Yes."

The earlier tea-drinking soldier quickly stood up and began wiping the desk with his sleeve, but accidentally knocked the teacup to the floor. The shattered ceramic pieces sprayed toward Li Xianyun.

Upon seeing this, Yelu Yan wrapped his arms around the frail Li Xianyun, shielding her from the flying shards.

Li Xianyun’s face pressed against Yelu Yan’s chest, her body melding with his, and his unique scent enveloped her instantly.

Her face flushed red at once, spreading all the way to the base of her neck.

Her face burned hot, and her heart thudded as if it would leap out.

Yelu Yan gently held her back and, looking down at her fair, flushed face, asked, "Are you alright?"

Li Xianyun looked up at him timidly and shook her head, saying, "This consort is fine."

Yelu Yan turned his cold gaze to the soldier and said sternly, "How dare you!!"

Scared witless, the soldier’s legs went weak. He had already knelt down, prostrating himself on the ground.

Shivering, he spoke, "Khan, please forgive me!"

With his brows tightly furrowed and a mournful expression, he thought to himself that this was the end for him.

After joining the army, he had studied and trained diligently, and it had been no small feat to join the revered Northern Great Camp that all soldiers longed for and envied. But just a few days after his arrival, he was about to be sent packing.

And not just that, having angered the Khan and offended a noble, he was likely to face severe punishment.

He thought of his father, mother, wife, and children back home and felt even more sorry for them.