Chapter 335: Imperial Princess (Part 2)

Li Qing’an held Eleni half in his arms, gripping her hands as he taught her how to balance the crossbow. His face rested against the back of her neck, his cheek occasionally brushing against it as the carriage moved. He searched for potential targets outside the window. Time passed, yet no suitable target appeared. Neither of them spoke. This intimate posture stirred intense excitement in both of them. At that moment, their thoughts were no longer on shooting. Eleni felt Li Qing’an’s strong masculine presence; her gaze became distant, her blue eyes as if covered in a light mist, her cheeks turning red, and her breathing slightly rapid. Her chest rose and fell. Just as they reached a critical moment, a white waterbird flew out from the woods a hundred paces away, soaring low across the sky.
“That’s it!” Li Qing’an slightly adjusted the crossbow and pulled the trigger. With a click, the mechanism trembled, and the arrow shot out like lightning—precise, straight, and swift. It pierced the waterbird instantly. The bird folded its wings and fell from the sky. Eleni was shocked and quickly regained control of her overwhelming desire. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she stared at the arrow in her hand. Having spent years with bows and arrows, she immediately recognized the power of this weapon and its strategic significance. For the Byzantines, who relied on slow shooting with long bows, it would be a revolutionary weapon—especially against the Arab cavalry and in naval battles, where it could give the Byzantines an advantage. Eleni was filled with excitement. She turned, wrapped her arms around Li Qing’an’s neck, and kissed him deeply. Her soft, moist lips stirred his heart. Just then, the carriage jolted and stopped.
“General, we’ve arrived at the dock!”
They slowly separated. Eleni curiously peered out the window. They had left the forest and arrived at a wide dock. Near the forest’s edge stood dozens of huge warehouses, guarded by heavily armed soldiers. Hundreds of flat-bottomed grain ships were docked there, with the vast Sea of Heat stretching further away. By then, Li Qing’an had calmed down. Pointing at the warehouses, he said with a smile, “Over there are our granaries. The grain transported via waterways from Kujianti is unloaded here before being sent by land to Suiye. We’re improving the rivers and docks. Soon, these ships will be able to reach Suiye City directly along the Suiye River, without needing to stop here.”
“Are we going by boat?” Eleni asked, turning to look at Li Qing’an.

“Yes! It’s a bit further by land to Frozen City, but we can reach it directly by boat.”
He looked down at Eleni with a smile and said, “You’re not afraid of taking a boat, are you?”
“How could I be? We Byzantines thrive by the sea—let’s get on the boat!”
Eleni jumped down from the carriage, stretched out her body in the sea breeze, and her golden hair shone brightly under the sunlight. Her slender and graceful figure seemed to be nature’s perfect creation. Li Qing’an naturally put his arm around her waist and pointed to a large, distinctive ship at the edge, saying with a smile, “That’s my ship. Let’s go up!”
Eleni smiled at Li Qing’an, took his hand, and they walked quickly toward the large ship.
Li Qing’an’s ship was a huge warship, about twenty zhang long and five zhang high, with three decks. It stood out among the flat-bottomed grain ships.
Li Qing’an took Eleni to the third deck, while his bodyguards gathered on the first and second decks. The ship slowly set off, with the east wind filling its sails as it headed south.
Rehai was actually Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan today—a vast, never-freezing lake with crystal-clear water. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and dense forests in the lower areas, it featured golden sands and beautiful waters. Due to legends of sea monsters in the lake, local residents dared not fish there. However, some built boats for transportation between the two shores of the lake. After the Tang army occupied Suiye, Rehai was mainly used for transportation, especially for transporting grain from Juyantai to Suiye, with fleets crossing Rehai to reach the northern shore docks.
Li Qing’an used this ship to inspect strategic fortresses around Rehai. Many immigrants lived in the surrounding areas, and to protect them, the Tang army built numerous fortresses there. Frozen City in the south was an important military stronghold and a base for training archers in the Anxi army.
It was now the first day of February. Rehai’s unique geothermal resources made the temperature here higher than elsewhere. A gentle breeze blew across the lake surface, refreshing and pleasant. The third deck of the ship served as a mobile office, with offices, study rooms, meeting rooms, and bedrooms. After the bodyguards tidied up the rooms, they returned to the second deck. Only Li Qing’an and Eleni remained on the third deck. Li Qing’an invited her to sit in the study, poured her a cup of hot tea, and said with a smile, “What powers did your father grant you to conduct military cooperation with Anxi?”

Eleni did not hide anything from Li Qing’an. She said frankly, “I indeed came to Anxi at my father’s request to explore the possibility of military cooperation there. Byzantium, Armenia, and Cyprus are our biggest obstacles and threats. We hope to wage war to eliminate these threats. In fact, that is the fundamental purpose of our visit to Anxi. Trade is just an excuse to test the waters. It is because of the trade agreement that we can see your sincerity in cooperation, which is why I am discussing military cooperation with you. However, I do not have the authority to decide on war or sign a military cooperation agreement. I can only prepare specific plans and submit them to my father, who will ultimately make the decision. I hope you can understand this.”

“I understand. I can discuss the specific plans with you, including trade in military supplies. After visiting Anxi’s crossbow troops this afternoon, we can discuss it in detail.”

“Good! Now is the time for us to enjoy ourselves, right?”

Eleni smiled charmingly, turned, and walked outside the cabin. Reaching the edge of the ship, she was delighted by the beauty of the sea. The clear, blue waters were as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the sky. The snow-capped mountains on the north shore appeared intermittently through the clouds, exuding tranquility and mystery. When the wind blew, white waves surged on the lake, blending with the hanging clouds above, creating a dreamlike and mysterious scene. Gazing at the vast, shimmering lake, she couldn’t help but murmur a famous poem in her native language, praising this beautiful lake. At that moment, Li Qing’an slowly approached from behind, gently embraced her, and whispered a Tang poem in Turkic into her ear:

“I overhear the words of the Hu people beyond the Yin Mountains—
The waters of the sea westward are as if boiling.
Birds dare not fly above the sea,
For there are long, fat carp within.
Green grass by the shore never fades,
While white snow in the sky fades into nothingness.
The steaming sand and scorching stones resemble enemy clouds,
The boiling waves and fierce waves scorch the Han moon.
A hidden fire burns in the furnace of heaven and earth—
Why does it only heat one corner in the west?”

Eleni was utterly enchanted, gently leaning into his embrace, her head resting on his shoulder. She gazed at him with dreamy eyes, her crimson lips moving as if longing and calling out to him. Li Qing’an slowly kissed her earlobes, then her cheeks, before finally covering her delicate lips with his passionate ones. Eleni was intoxicated; she wrapped her arms around Li Qing’an’s neck and kissed him passionately in return. Their heads and necks intertwined as they indulged in romantic passion. Li Qing’an slipped his hand under her clothes, touching her body, grasping her full, elastic breasts, and caressing them unrestrainedly. Eleni began to breathe heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She used her agile tongue to tease his desire, her blue eyes filled with encouragement as she boldly seduced him.

“Love me!” she whispered to Li Qing’an.

Li Qing’an lifted her across his lap, unfastening her top with his teeth. Her snow-white breasts emerged, trembling as he bent down to suckle their rosy buds. He carried her into the cabin’s bedroom, where they shed all obstacles—clothes and everything else—and embraced tightly, exploring each other’s bodies in countless positions, feeling their wild passion surge. Their bodies merged into one, and primal desire exploded within them. They made love again and again, wildly and fervently. Eleni’s virginity was awakened, and the intense pleasure from physical love surged through her, making it hard for her to suppress her screams. She bit Li Qing’an’s shoulder; this time, she seemed to transform from a swan into a wild beast. Every surface—the bed, the table, the chairs, the floor, even the sunlight—was marked by their frenzied lovemaking…

Half an hour later, the storm of passion subsided in the cabin. Li Qing’an was utterly exhausted; he didn’t even know how many times he had made love. After two days, the pent-up desire in his heart had finally been released in full force.

He lay sprawled on the bed, arms and legs stretched out, holding Eleni in his arms. Reluctantly, he caressed her beautiful, snow-white skin. Compared to Eastern beauties, her skin was more elastic, her figure possessed a devilish allure, and she was even more passionate and bold, allowing him to experience the ultimate pleasure of sex.

Eleni nestled in his arms like a golden cat, occasionally lifting her head to kiss Li Qing’an’s lips and skin. Today, for the first time, she experienced love between a man and a woman, the ecstasy of physical intimacy—a sensation so profound it left a deep impression on her. She didn’t want to leave the man by her side for even a moment.

“You’re a virgin for the first time?”

Li Qing’an’s gaze fell on the bloodstains on the bedding. He was shocked. In his memory, Byzantium seemed to be a city indulged in lust, decadent and extravagant. But what he saw now was unbelievable—such a beautiful Western woman was still a virgin.

Eleni smiled lazily. “Do you know? My body is Byzantium’s most precious treasure. I could exchange it for a whole country for my father. How could I give such a valuable asset away so easily?”

“Then why did you give it to me?”

Eleni sat up, took a comb from the bedside, and combed her long golden hair like a mermaid. She smiled at Li Qing’an and said, “Because I want to form a marriage alliance with Anxi.”

“You mean you want to marry me?” Li Qing’an asked with a smile.

Eleni laughed. “I really do want to marry you now, but maybe I won’t after getting dressed.”

Li Qing’an also sat up, pulling her delicate, snow-white body into his arms. He whispered in her ear, “What just happened was also a kind of negotiation. We worked well together, which indicates that our military cooperation will be just as smooth.”

“You don’t want to marry me? Don’t want me to be your wife?” Eleni asked, looking at him with a half-smile.

Li Qing’an smiled. “Of course I want to keep such a beautiful woman to myself. But as you said, you are Byzantium’s most precious treasure. Will your father be willing to give you to me? Even if he is, according to our Eastern customs—and probably Western ones too—your father needs to prepare a dowry for you. What kind of dowry would he prepare? Land or wealth?”

“Do you know what dowry my father used when he arranged my marriage to Prince Mark? The island of Cyprus. Of course, Cyprus is still in Arab hands and needs to be taken back by Mark’s country through military force. If I marry you, it would probably be Armenia. Unfortunately, Armenia is also in Arab hands and needs your country to take it back as well.”

“Your father is quite shrewd! It’s a pity I won’t go to fight in Armenia or Cyprus. I only fight in Khorasan. So, Princess, be my lover. Let there be no business deals between us—only love between a man and a woman.”

“I guess there’s no man in the world who dares to marry me; those who do will pay a heavy price.” Eirwen didn’t explain what she meant. She put on her clothes, opened the door, and stepped outside. A sea breeze blew into the cabin, scattering her golden hair. Suddenly, she turned around with a charming smile and said, “Whether as your wife or your lover, it won’t affect our military cooperation or our love. I’ll ask my father for permission to live in the distant East.” At that moment, the melodious bell at the bow of the ship rang, signaling that the ship was about to reach shore. …

In the afternoon, Li Qing’an accompanied Eirwen to Dongcheng. Dongcheng was also a small city under Shuiliye’s rule, with over three thousand immigrants who had recently moved there. It served as a training base for crossbows for the Anxi New Army. Since last year, every new recruit in the Anxi Army had been trained in using crossbows. They came here in batches to undergo three months of extremely harsh training.

When the ship reached the lakeshore, Li Qing’an and the others switched to horses to head to Dongcheng. Dongcheng was only ten miles from the lake, so it wouldn’t take long to reach the barracks. By then, the soldiers were already ready, and the three thousand soldiers who had nearly completed their training were about to demonstrate the power of the crossbow formations.

When Li Qing’an was still one mile away from the barracks, Liu Zhiyun, the commander of Dongcheng, came out to greet him. Liu Zhiyun was also a veteran from the Jiangdu Training Camp. A native of Jiangning, he was one of the survivors of the Shibao City battle. Back then, he was just a common soldier, but now he had risen to the rank of lieutenant general, responsible for training new recruits in crossbow use. He was extremely strict and impartial in his training, earning him the nickname “Liu Yamaraja” in the army.

He was tall and robust, clad in bright armor, looking imposing. He stepped forward quickly, bowed, and said, “Your humble servant, Liu Zhiyun, salutes the great general!”
“General Liu, no need for formalities. Are you ready?”
“Reporting to the great general, everything is ready. We can start at any time!”
“Good!” Li Qing’an nodded and said to Eirwen, who was now dressed in Tang army armor, “Princess, please dismount and follow me into the barracks.”
Eirwen was very tall, and in her Tang army armor, she resembled a valiant Tang general. Li Qing’an also gave her a finely crafted composite bow weighing only three stones. It was one of his most cherished bows, entirely red in color. Due to its relatively weak strength, it had always been hung in his carriage as a decoration. Now he gave it to Eirwen as a symbol of their special relationship.

Eleni adored this precious bow—its feel and power were excellent, taking her archery skills to a new level. She immediately replaced her usual longbow with it. Following Li Qing’an, she carried a bow and arrows, with a quiver on her back; her long golden hair tied back made her appear even more heroic. She entered the military camp with Li Qing’an and stepped onto a training platform, an elevated area used to command the training of crossbow soldiers. Below the platform lay a training ground covering five hundred mu, where soldiers practiced using foot-crossbows and mounted crossbows, as well as archery. They trained seven hours a day, day and night. Currently, six thousand recruits were training there. By now, three thousand recruits who were nearing the end of their training were neatly arranged below. Their previous task had been horseback riding, and the next step would be to go to Helei City to train in swordsmanship and spearmanship. Among them, the best would be selected to train in theMojia (or Mo Dao). Finally, there would be formation training. The entire recruit period lasted one year, covering horseback riding, shooting, combat, and formation tactics. The schedule was tight and the requirements extremely strict, but only in this way could a formidable army be trained. The three thousand crossbow soldiers were already in position, each holding a military crossbow with a quiver on their back. One thousand five hundred of them usedtorsion crossbow, while the other thousand five hundred usedtorsion crossbow. They were arranged in rows of five hundred, firing in three waves. “Start!” Li Qing’an ordered in a deep voice. The red flag fluttered, and the drums began to beat—“Dong! Dong! Dong!” The crossbow formation of three thousand soldiers came into action. The distance between the soldiers increased to allow enough space for shooting. Since thetorsion crossbow required straining the bow with the feet, even more space was needed between them. Suddenly, about five hundred steps ahead, a large herd of sheep appeared—over a thousand of them. They were herded closer, within two hundred steps. The soldiers herding the sheep immediately took cover. Clearly, these sheep were to be used as props for the demonstration. Li Qing’an glanced at Eleni and saw a hint of excitement in her expression. Unlike ordinary women who would feel pity or distress at the sight of sheep about to be slaughtered, her blue eyes burned with a bloodthirsty desire; it seemed she longed to see the sheep killed.

Li Qing’an grew slightly wary. In truth, he knew nothing about this woman; he had only been attracted to her beauty. Once he had her body, his desire faded, and he began to think rationally. Indeed, a marriage alliance with Byzantium might bring certain strategic advantages, but it would also hinder his efforts to take control of the Central Plains. Moreover, this woman was not the kind of weak woman who would support her husband and raise children. On the contrary, she was a fierce woman with a strong desire to conquer. If she became one of the rulers of Anxi, she surely wouldn’t be content with staying in the harem—she would seek more benefits for Byzantium in Anxi. Realizing this, Li Qing’an secretly felt relieved that he hadn’t agreed to marry her but instead made her his lover.

At that moment, the drumbeats grew faster. 1,500 soldiers armed with crossbows let out a low cry. The first row of 500 soldiers drew back their bows and poised their arrows. With a “click!” sound, 500 arrows were released in a torrential barrage at the sheep herd. As soon as they finished shooting, they immediately reloaded their bows. Then the second row fired, followed by the third. 1,500 arrows, like swarms of black wasps, whizzed through the sky and struck the sheep herd with incredible speed. The sheep herd, 180 steps away, let out cries of pain. After one round of shooting, most of the 1,000 sheep were pinned to the ground, covered in blood, with only a few dozen standing motionless.

“Absolutely magnificent!”
Aeleni couldn’t help but applaud in admiration. The devastating power of the arrow barrage thrilled her. The sheep herd before her seemed like Arab cavalry. This was the kind of weapon Byzantium needed. With such crossbows, they could sweep through Armenia.

Aeleni couldn’t resist turning to Li Qing’an and pleading, “General Li, please allow me to take 100 soldiers back. I want to demonstrate this to my father, so he can witness the strength of the Tang army with his own eyes. I’m sure he will agree to cooperate with the Tang army!”