Chapter 652: Promise

After the words were spoken, the courtyard did not erupt into a thunderous, ecstatic roar. Instead, there was only an eerie silence, as if the world had stopped breathing, and the soldiers below stared at her with uncertain, conflicted glances.

The silence descending from the training platform was heavy, suffocating. Li Junwu’s beautiful face remained as cold and unyielding as ever, yet her grip on the hilt of her waist sword tightened with unbearable force.

The stillness around her, like something sinking into the depths of an abyss, wove itself into an invisible hand that seized her heart. The gazes upon the platform mocked her desperate efforts—her utter failure.

Li Junwu walked slowly.

Even as fire-like pain surged through her veins, through her bones, through every fiber of her being, she moved with deliberate slowness. She longed to hear the silence broken—just a few scattered cries, a single whisper, even.

Yet, alas, as she passed through the long ranks of soldiers, as he stepped out beyond the gates, the second regiment remained utterly silent.

"Boom—boom—"

As the heavy gates of the courtyard closed with a dull thud, Li Junwu halted. A drop of blood finally seeped from her lip.

She wiped it away with her hand, her eyes lowered to the crimson stain in her fingers. She stared at it for a moment, her beautiful, stern face flickering with a touch of bitter self-mockery. She looked up toward the endless blue sky beyond the heavens:

"Indeed, a complete failure of a pre-battle speech."

"To be fair, it's not a complete failure, after all."

"."

Li Junwu immediately turned toward the direction of the voice, a flicker of dependence passing through his long, slender eyes—suppressed quickly, he murmured softly:

"Are you trying to comfort me?"

"No."

Xu Yuan leaned forward from against the courtyard wall, taking slow, deliberate steps until he stood before her, offering the previous cloth handkerchief with a gentle smile. "It's merely stating a fact. It's true that when generals speak on the platform, the soldiers below erupt in excitement, as if fueled by adrenaline. But that doesn't apply to you."

Li Junwu took the handkerchief and wiped the blood from her lip, asking:

"Why not?"

"You, a pampered county princess, comparing yourself to generals whose prestige is earned through one victory after another—those men built their reputations through battle after battle."

"Then it seems you're not here to comfort me at all."

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

"Hmph."

"."

Xu Yuan shifted his gaze from the crimson-stained silk handkerchief and walked toward the Military Council Hall:

"But your speech did serve a purpose—at least, it steadied the troops. As long as your promises remain unbroken, no one will dare challenge the legitimacy of your actions as this indulgent noble lady."

Li Junwu hurried to keep pace beside him, walking side by side through the summer greens and scorching heat:

"What about those possible traitors?"

"They won't dare to stir up trouble now."

After a moment's thought, Xu Yuan turned to look back at him: "No matter how indulgent you may be, you are still the Lady of Zhongxi Prefecture. You've sworn your life to that oath—no one can openly mock you now, or they will become the target of every scorn and accusation."

Saying this, Xu Yuan exhaled softly:

"Just now, the lower ranks remained silent—the likely reason being that Xu Nuo's promises were so absurd, so outrageous, they hadn't even processed them yet. After all, vows like that? Even your father and Wu Cheng's Marquis probably wouldn't dare make them."

"Hey!"

Li Junwu smirked slyly. "So it seems I truly am a master of intrigue."

"Bang!"

Xu Yuan slapped the backplate of the woman beside him, sending her staggering off balance. He growled, angrily:

"Are you trying to flatter me? You just take it as a compliment, huh?"

Li Junwu wobbled a few steps, then sank half-kneeling onto the grass. Her elegant, delicate features tightened with pain, teeth clenched as she turned to glare back:

"Xu Changtian, right now I'm a wounded soldier. And what else can I do to keep the troops steady, besides saying that?"

Xu Yuan glanced at her, didn't respond, simply turned away and continued walking.

Li Junwu gritted her teeth, painfully pushed herself up from the ground. The clink of armor scraping against the earth echoed as she hurried to his back, then with a cold, mocking smile, struck him squarely on the back of the skull.

Xu Yuan looked neither way, simply lowered his head to evade, at the same time reaching out and grasping the wrist wrapped in armor, applying slight pressure, and instantly locking it around her back.

The sharp pain in her meridians surged continuously, Li Junwu gritted her teeth, wanting to curse and struggle, but suddenly the voice from behind her cut off her movements:

"Li Junwu, if you die, the other side's objective will be achieved halfway. Do you understand?"

As the words fell, Xu Yuan gently pushed forward, and Li Junwu staggered forward a few steps to steady herself, gritting her teeth and turning sharply to glare at the man behind her.

Under the cascading sunlight,

the man merely stared at her with calm eyes, still as deep pools of stillness.

A moment passed,

Li Junwu flicked her lips and muttered:

"Now that I've said it, what's the point of dwelling on it anymore?"

Approaching the outer gate of Jun Zhu Hall, Xu Yuan paid no attention to her show of weakness, following behind her and speaking:

"Making a promise is merely to gain others' belief and achieve one's goal. Whether or not the promise is fulfilled is actually irrelevant."

At these words, Li Junwu's steps instinctively halted for a moment.

Xu Yuan noticed this subtle shift in her posture, yet did not pause his speech. He stepped forward first, into the Military Command Hall.

The gabled eaves cast half the sunlight into the hall, leaving Xu Yuan's upper body in shadow. Turning back, he issued his orders:

"Now that the troops are united, all matters concerning military formations shall be fully entrusted to Jin's command. You are to remain here, quietly and steadily, managing the city's defensive array. Everything else is mine."

Bathed in the sunlight outside, Li Junwu brushed a strand of hair from her ear, tilting her eyes and saying:

"I still intend to use this opportunity to establish my authority. Long Tian, think about it—should I fulfill this pledge, my reputation from before would be completely reversed."

"."

Xu Yuan stared at her for several breaths, then suddenly materialized before her, close and sudden. Before Li Junwu could react, Xu Yuan reached through the gap in her armor and slipped his hand inside.

Feeling the other's palm touch her skin, Li Junwu's eyes instantly widened, yet when Xu Yuan withdrew the blood-streaked hand from beneath her armor and held it before her, his gaze instinctively flickered away.

Reverse Fate Blood Healing.

"Keep pace."

Xu Yuan gave a soft scoff, flinging off the bloodstains on his hand as he stepped into the inner chamber, murmuring quietly:

"From the beginning, I've only treated military formations and city defenses as supplementary. With Jin's Commander channeling 'array troops' to oversee the battlefield, we're already covered. The decisive factor in breaking through lies entirely within the internal conflicts among the Six Saints. If they dare to appear together, I have a seven in ten chance of triggering a civil war among them.

"So, for now, don't dwell on such trivialities."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan noticed Li Junwu still standing outside, gazing at her with helpless resignation. He offered a promise:

"If possible, I'll do everything in my power to ensure your pledge is fulfilled. After all, if you successfully inherit the Zhenxi Prefecture, it will save me countless complications."

"."

Hearing this, Li Junwu chuckled softly and took a step forward.

But as he turned away with a smile,

she watched his back, and in the lines of his silhouette, sensed an indescribable complexity.

[Making a promise is merely to make others believe and achieve a goal—whether or not the promise is fulfilled doesn't matter.]

Had she just spoken those words and then forgotten them?

And furthermore,

it might be excusable to deceive others, but to think of deceiving her?

If he truly had such certainty in overcoming the Six Sages, he would never have explained so much to her.