Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 120: "He had a feather stuck in his hair,"

Chapter 120: "He had a feather stuck in his hair,"

A jolt coursed through every fibre of his being, leaving no room for a coherent response or denial. He merely stared at him wide-eyed while thoughts scattered chaotically inside his mind. He didn’t think that Han Xin would be this direct. He thought they would dance around ambiguity for a while before he revealed his secret.

Han Xin knew he had been impulsive. Not wanting to scare her he said, "I don’t expect you to give me a response. I just... I just thought I should let you know?" With her mysterious identity, he was afraid that she would feel burdened and reverse all the progress he had made. Before Xiang Yu could respond Lian’s distant call shattered the atmosphere. "Master!"

Xiang Yu snapped out of the trance and gently but firmly pushed away from Han Xin. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Me and umm... General Han were just talking," he said finally after regaining composure.

The twins had seen their master happy, sad, angry and in extreme rage under the influence of the demon blood in his veins. This though was the first time they had seen their master so flustered. It was like Han Xin had the power to unlock new skills.

It was fascinating. They had spent years trying to get their master interested in someone so they could have a mother but they failed miserably. But this immortal could invoke new emotions on their master in such a short amount of time.

"What ah... what were you talking about?" Mei chimed in teasingly not missing anything amiss between them.

Han Xin pursed his lips while gently rubbing his fingertips on his sleeve. He was itching to reach out and intertwine their fingers together. He wanted her fingers entwined delicately against his own, her smooth skin resting softly against his palm but he restrained himself. Was it selfish to say that he wished he could be alone with her with no outside interference?

"He had a feather stuck in his hair," Xiang Yu said lightly trying to divert attention away from what just happened. He was extremely thankful for the rouge packed on his face. Otherwise, the twins would see that his cheeks were flushed bright red from the heat radiating from them. Who would have thought him being confessed to by a man would make him so flustered?

"Really. Did you get it?" asked Lian before biting some meat off the skewer in Mei’s hand. Mei pushed her head away looking at her meat that had been bitten off with annoyance. Lian didn’t even have the courtesy to take a nibble but a large bite.

Xiang Yu could sense that they were going to argue in a second. He grabbed Lian’s skewer out of her hand while replying, "Get what?" He swapped their skewers to evade the crisis.

Lian pouted while Mei replied for her. "The feather," she said and Xiang Yu, who hadn’t been looking for a feather, ignored the question. It would be your own kids who would put you on the spot and embarrass you.

"Let’s go back. It’s getting late," he said before leading the way. Lian followed after him, and so did Mei. Baihe hesitated for a moment before saying, "General," while saluting him. He then ran off to catch up.

Han Xin stood at the bridge for a while watching them walk away. From where he was standing, he could hear their playful banter mingled with sounds from the market. He wanted to be a part of her world but he was starting to think it might never happen.

He turned to walk back to where he had left his cousin when he saw Han Zhan standing there watching him. Han Zhan was having a hard time accepting that his cousin was whipped by a woman he didn’t even know her true identity. His aunt was going to kill them both when she found out.

***

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the sprawling fields as Han Xin rode alongside his soldiers. Each hoofbeat echoed with purpose. They were headed to the eastern regiment general’s barracks. Han Xin was still convinced that the crown prince of Zhen was going to launch an attack soon so he had to bolster their defences. He needed to convince that old coot to give him more troops.

Yet, even as he galloped forward, his thoughts were tethered not just to strategy but to Princess Xiu or whoever was pretending to be her. He hadn’t spoken to her ever since he recklessly confessed his emotions two days ago.

He stole glances at her carriage nestled amid their convoy, wondering if she was avoiding him. He had been beating himself up for being so impulsive but he couldn’t resist. He regretted it so much. Han Zhan who was riding beside him, noticed his intense gaze drawn towards the carriage like a magnet and felt helpless.

"Focus," he teased lightly, though there was concern etched in his brow. "You know you can’t let your emotions cloud you." He leaned in closer and whispered, "Make her miss you."

Han Xin chuckled softly but felt a weight settle within him. Just then, a figure emerged from the dust cloud behind them. It was a messenger from the capital coming in riding hard and fast. The urgency radiated from him like heat waves shimmering off hot stone.

"General! General!" he called out breathlessly upon dismounting, his face flushed and eyes wide with alarm.

Han Xin pulled up sharply and asked, "Who is it from"

"It’s... it’s a message from the emperor," the messenger gasped between laboured breaths.

Han Xin broke the seal and unfurled the scroll. It was an urgent message for him to return to the capital with Princess Xiu. A chill swept through him. He felt something amiss beneath those formal words. It was like an undercurrent of dread was gnawing at his gut. Despite his suspicions, he couldn’t disobey an order.

He glanced at the carriage in the middle of the convoy and commanded them to stop. "We must change direction and head back to the capital," he commanded swiftly, though doubt clawed at him. What could possibly necessitate such haste? Did the Emperor find out that the Peng Xiu he had in his possession wasn’t the real Peng Xiu? His protective instincts kicked in but how could he protect her when he didn’t know what her plan was?

Han Zhan leaned closer, curiosity flaring in his eyes. "What happened?"

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