Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 1050 - 652: Promise

Chapter 1050: Chapter 652: Promise

After the words faded, the drill ground did not erupt with a thunderous roar of fervent cheers; instead, there was only a deathly silence and the complicated, skeptical gazes of the soldiers below.

Stepping down slowly from the Martial Arts Stage, Li Junwu’s clear and aloof face remained as cold and stern as ever, but the hand gripping her waist knife tightened significantly.

The surrounding silence, as if plunging her into a deep sea, wove an invisible hand that gripped her heart fiercely. The gazes on the field seemed to mock her powerlessness despite her utmost effort.

Li Junwu walked very slowly.

Even though the meridians within her body kept sending searing pain, like a fire burning her from the inside, she still walked slowly, hoping to hear the silence at her ears broken, even if it was just two or three scattered shouts.

But sadly, even as she passed through the long formation of soldiers, even as she walked out the gates of the drill ground, the Second Town’s soldiers remained utterly silent.

"Boom—"

As the heavy gates of the drill ground shut with a muffled noise, Li Junwu halted her steps. At that moment, a streak of blood finally seeped from the corner of her lips.

She raised a hand to wipe the blood from her lips, then lowered her gaze to stare at the crimson staining her fingertips for a few seconds. A trace of self-mockery crossed her clear and cold face as she looked up at the blue sky beyond the heavenly canopy:

"That was truly a failed pre-battle speech."

"To be fair, it wasn’t entirely a failure."

"....."

Li Junwu immediately looked in the direction of the voice. In her slender eyes, a fleeting trace of reliance flashed but was quickly suppressed. In a low voice, she asked:

"Are you trying to comfort me?"

"No."

Xu Yuan, leaning against the courtyard wall, straightened his posture, walked slowly to her side, handed her a silk handkerchief, and smiled: "I’m just stating a fact. There’s a phenomenon where a general speaks a word or two on stage, and the soldiers below roar as if injected with adrenaline. But that scenario doesn’t apply to you."

Li Junwu took the silk handkerchief and wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, then asked:

"Why doesn’t it apply?"

"You, a spoiled Commandery Princess, how could you possibly compare to those generals who’ve earned their soldiers’ loyalty through victory after victory? Their prestige is built on triumphs."

"So it seems you’re really not here to console me."

"I, Xu Changtian, never lie to women."

"Hmph."

"....."

Xu Yuan’s gaze shifted away from the bloodstained handkerchief. As he began walking toward the Military Hub Hall, he said:

"Nonetheless, your speech achieved something. At the very least, it stabilized morale for now. Until your vow is proven false, no one will dare openly question the legitimacy of your acts as a ’spoiled Commandery Princess.’"

Li Junwu quickly followed, walking alongside him. Around them was lush summer greenery and searing heat:

"What about those potential traitors?"

"They wouldn’t dare make a move at this time."

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then turned his head and said, "No matter how spoiled you are, you’re still the Commandery Princess of Zhenxi Prefecture. If you’ve staked your life on such a pledge, anyone who dares mock you now will inevitably become a target for the masses."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan sighed:

"The soldiers may have remained silent earlier because your vow was simply too outrageous. Outrageous enough to leave them momentarily stunned. After all, even your father and Marquis Wucheng likely wouldn’t dare make such a vow."

"Heh..."

Li Junwu smirked slyly, "In that case, I guess this lady really is impressive after all..."

"Bang!"

Xu Yuan smacked the back of the woman beside him, making her stagger, and scolded irritably:

"I was being sarcastic, and you just took it as a compliment, huh?"

Li Junwu stumbled a few steps and half-kneeled on the grass before her, her clear and delicate features twisted in pain. Gritting her teeth, she glared back at him and said:

"Xu Changtian, I’m a wounded soldier right now! And tell me—what else could I have done to stabilize the morale?!"

Xu Yuan glanced at her briefly, uninterested, and walked straight past her.

Grinding her teeth, Li Junwu endured the pain to pick herself up off the ground. Her armor let out a faint creak as she quickly caught up to him and, with a cold sneer, smacked the back of his head.

Without even looking, Xu Yuan ducked and evaded, then grabbed her wrist—encased in a bracer—with a swift and practiced movement, twisting it behind her back with slight force.

Li Junwu winced as the pain in her meridians flared again. She gritted her teeth, furious, and tried to struggle, only to be interrupted by a voice from behind her:

"Li Junwu, if you die, the Sects will have achieved half of their goal. Do you understand?"

With that, Xu Yuan let go, releasing Li Junwu, who stumbled forward a few steps before catching herself. She bit her lip, glaring at the man behind her.

Standing beneath the pouring sunlight,

The man only returned her stare calmly, his eyes as serene as a still, bottomless pool.

After a moment,

Li Junwu rubbed her lips, muttering:

"What’s the point of second-guessing now that the words have been said?"

As they reached the courtyard gate of the Military Hub Hall, Xu Yuan ignored her softening tone and continued from behind:

"Promises are made to inspire belief and achieve objectives. Whether you fulfill them or not is secondary."

Hearing this, Li Junwu’s step paused faintly for a beat.

Xu Yuan noticed the subtle hesitation but did not halt his speech. He entered the hall ahead of her.

The upturned roof tiles filtered sunlight partially into the hall. Xu Yuan’s upper body stood cloaked in shadow. Turning back, he instructed:

"Now that the morale is stabilized, you’ll leave the tasks concerning the military formations entirely to General Jin. Your only duty is to command and assist with the City Defense Formation from inside the Military Hub Hall. Leave the rest to me."

Standing outside, bathed in sunlight, Li Junwu ran a hand through her short hair and cast him a sidelong glance:

"But I was planning to use this opportunity to establish my authority. Changtian, think about it—if I uphold my promise, my previous reputation can be completely overturned."

"......"

Xu Yuan studied her for a few seconds and abruptly moved closer in an instant.

Before Li Junwu could react, Xu Yuan slipped his hand into a gap in her armor.

Feeling his palm touch her skin, Li Junwu’s eyes widened instantly. But when Xu Yuan withdrew his bloodstained hand and held it up before her, her gaze involuntarily averted.

Life-Defying Blood Therapy.

"Follow me."

Xu Yuan snorted lightly, flicked the blood from his fingers, and walked toward the inner hall while speaking quietly:

"From start to finish, I’ve only regarded the military formations and the City Defense Array as supplementary. With General Jin on-hand to rally the ’array soldiers,’ that’s already sufficient. The true key to breaking through lies in the internal discord among the Six Saints. If they dare appear at the same time, I’m seventy percent certain I can provoke an internal war amongst them.

"So, stop worrying about things beyond your control."

As his voice fell, Xu Yuan noticed that Li Junwu was still lingering outside. He turned back toward her, sighed, and promised:

"If possible, I’ll do my best to ensure your promise is fulfilled. After all, if you succeed in inheriting Zhenxi Prefecture smoothly, it’ll save me a lot of trouble."

".... "

Hearing his words, Li Junwu chuckled but finally stepped forward.

Yet, when her gaze fell on his retreating figure, a certain unspoken complexity flashed in her eyes.

[Promises are made to inspire belief and achieve objectives. Whether you fulfill them or not is secondary.]

Had he already forgotten his own words so soon?

Moreover,

It was one thing to deceive others, but he was planning to deceive her?

If he truly had such confidence to deal with the Six Saints, he wouldn’t have wasted so much effort explaining to her...