Chapter 583: What Lady Wu Asks For

“Come in!”
Li Qingan put down the documents in his hands. The door creaked open as Gao Wu stepped in. Her face showed worry, and she lowered her head slightly, as if wanting to say something, but her lips moved without uttering a word.
Although Li Qingan and Gao Wu had been together for nearly ten years, the long separation had made them feel somewhat unfamiliar with each other. This sense of estrangement reduced their conversations; even when they were alone, they often had nothing to say, aside from trivial remarks like “What a beautiful autumn day.”
Li Qingan knew that Gao Wu had waited for him for ten years. Her perseverance made him realize he had a responsibility toward her. Though he had repeatedly expressed his willingness to marry her, Gao Wu had not given a clear answer. No one knew what she was thinking. Mingyue had asked her several times, but she remained silent, adding more awkwardness to their relationship.
“Do you need something from me?” Li Qingan asked with a smile.
Gao Wu bit her lip and after a long pause, said softly, “You must be aware of what happened to my father.”
“I am.”
Li Qingan nodded and said frankly, “You want me to save him, right?”
“If you find it difficult, I won’t force you.”
Gao Wu’s lips were white from biting them. Worry for her father made her want to kneel and beg Li Qingan, but her pride prevented her from doing so. This internal conflict showed pain in her eyes as she didn’t know what to do.
Li Qingan pondered for a moment before slowly saying, “Lady Wu, there’s something I need to tell you. Gao Xianzhi is not only your father but also my former superior. He made significant contributions to Anxi. Both for duty and personal reasons, I must save him. It’s also what the soldiers of Anxi expect. Don’t worry! I will do my utmost to save him.”
Gao Wu felt her nose sting, and tears welled up in her eyes. She covered her mouth and turned away, unable to hold back her grateful tears as she wept silently.
Li Qingan silently watched her thin shoulders, thinking of the much sorrow she had endured. Ten years of hardship had stripped her of her former cheerfulness and innocence; even happiness had become a luxury in her life. Feeling guilty and compassionate, he stepped forward and gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, saying softly, “Don’t worry. I will definitely save your father.”
Lady Wu turned and threw herself into his arms, crying softly.

Li Qing’an gently stroked her hair. When she calmed down a bit, he lifted her chin and gazed at this beautiful yet sorrowful girl. Wu Niang felt a bit panicked, but she had no strength to resist. Deep in her heart, she also harbored a longing—to have this man hold her in his arms forever. His embrace was so warm, giving her such a strong sense of security.

She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Suddenly, she felt warmth on her lips. Li Qing’an had bent down and kissed her. Wu Niang’s mind went blank as she was overwhelmed by his strong masculine presence…

Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around Li Qing’an’s neck and kissed him passionately. It was her long-awaited first kiss, the one she had longed for for ten years. At this moment, she devoted her whole heart and soul to the man she loved. Even if Li Qing’an demanded her body, she would give it to him without hesitation.

But Li Qing’an didn’t go any further. He knew Wu Niang’s heart was now completely open to him. At this moment, her gratitude toward him overwhelmed the restraint and emotional conflict she had felt over the past two months.

He knew he could easily have her if he wanted to, but he didn’t want to take her under such circumstances. That wasn’t his style—he would never take advantage of someone in distress.

“Be my wife,” Li Qing’an whispered in her ear.

Then, Wu Niang slowly regained her senses from her intoxication. Her face was red as she gently broke free from his embrace, straightened her slightly disheveled hair, and shook her head lightly.

“You don’t want to? You refuse to be my concubine?” Li Qing’an asked, staring at her.

“No! If I were a woman who cared about status, I wouldn’t have refused to be a princess twice, nor would I have refused to marry into the Cui family. Qi Lang, you shouldn’t ask such things.”

“Then why?”

“I don’t know either.”

Wu Niang sighed softly and said, “I always feel that you’re no longer the Li Qi Lang of the past. Time and again, I’ve tried to find a trace of the old you in you, even just a little, but every time I’m disappointed. There’s nothing left, not even a trace.”

Li Qing’an nodded silently and sat back down. After a long while, he said slowly, “You should understand that experience and status can change a person.”

“I know. I’m not blaming you. I’m just very disappointed…”

Wu Niang’s voice grew softer and softer until it was no longer audible. Neither of them spoke, lost in their own thoughts. After a while, Wu Niang asked hesitantly, “Qilang, about my father’s matter…”
Li Qing’an smiled and said, “Don’t worry about that. As I said, even if you didn’t ask me, I would still handle this matter properly.”
“Then thank you. I won’t disturb you any longer.”
Wu Niang bowed and prepared to leave Li Qing’an’s study.
“Wu Niang!” Li Qing’an called out to her.
Wu Niang stopped in her tracks. Without turning around, she let out a soft sigh and said, “Qilang, give me some time to think, okay?”
“I understand. Go ahead!”
Watching her back disappear, Li Qing’an couldn’t help but smile bitterly. He had originally intended to take on his own responsibilities, but he hadn’t expected Gao Wu to be so independent. He could understand Wu Niang’s disappointment. Li Qing’an from ten years ago had already taken root in her heart. When she realized how much the real Li Qing’an differed from the one in her heart, her disappointment was understandable.
At that moment, a report came from the door again. “Reporting to the general, Mr. Yan has urgent matters to discuss!”
It was Yan Zhuang. Li Qing’an immediately refocused and said, “Let him in.”
A moment later, Yan Zhuang rushed in, bowing and saying, “Saluting the general!”
“What urgent matter do you have, sir?” Li Qing’an asked with a smile.
“General, I’m here regarding the matter of Gao Xianzhi.”
Yan Zhuang had just returned from inspecting military provisions in Longyou. While in Xianyang, he had heard about Gao Xianzhi’s imprisonment, so he rushed here in a hurry.
“General, no decision has been made regarding Gao Xianzhi’s case, right?”
Li Qing’an glanced at him and said calmly, “Then according to your opinion, how should I handle Gao Xianzhi’s case?”
Hearing Li Qing’an’s tone, which seemed to indicate no decision had yet been made, Yan Zhuang breathed a sigh of relief and said, “In my opinion, we should fabricate another crime for Gao Xianzhi so that Li Hen can execute him immediately.”
“Are you suggesting using someone else to commit the murder?”
“That’s exactly it!”

Yan Zhuang felt that Li Qingan didn’t quite understand his meaning, so he explained further, “There were two major generals in Southern Tang—one was Geshu Han, and the other was Gao Xianzhi. Geshu Han defected to Li Mao, which limited his ability to fully utilize his skills; I’m not worried about him. The real concern is Gao Xianzhi. It was he who helped Li Longji hold back half of Southern Tang’s territory. He not only had outstanding military talents but also had many capable generals under him—Xi Yuanqing and Zhao Chongjin were both great generals. If we could use Li Hen to kill Gao Xianzhi, not only would Southern Tang lose its protective barrier, but Xi Yuanqing, Zhao Chongjin, and the others would surely become disloyal and stop fighting for Li Hen. And also…”
“What else?”
Yan Zhuang sensed that Li Qingan wasn’t very interested in his suggestion and sighed inwardly. But he refused to give up and lowered his voice to say, “There’s also the fact that Gao Xianzhi still holds prestige among the Anxi Army. People like Li Siye, Feng Changqing, and Duan Xiushi were all promoted by him. He has always been a threat to the general. Only by eliminating him can we resolve this issue once and for all. What do you think, General?”
Li Qingan walked slowly to the window with his hands behind his back, staring at the gloomy sky outside. In the past, he would have agreed with Yan Zhuang and used this opportunity to eliminate Gao Xianzhi. But now his mindset had gradually changed. He would no longer adopt Yan Zhuang’s strategy. Yan Zhuang’s strategy wasn’t wrong per se, but it was too cunning and lowly. Everything has two sides, yet Yan Zhuang only considered things from a one-sided perspective.
Thinking of this, Li Qingan said slowly, “I’m sorry, but Iprobably can’t adopt your suggestion this time.”
“Why?” Yan Zhuang was stunned.
“Actually, Gao Xianzhi brings both advantages and disadvantages to me. The disadvantages are as you said, but you haven’t seen the advantages. Have you ever thought about what impact it would have on my reputation if I rescued Gao Xianzhi? Gao Xianzhi was my former superior and showed me kindness. If I could save him, everyone in the world would say that I, Li Qingan, am loyal and grateful. As for the soldiers of the Anxi Army, they would respect me even more. By killing Gao Xianzhi, I’d gain only minor benefits, but by saving him, I’d achieve greater righteousness. Why wouldn’t I do that?”
Although Li Qingan’s reasoning was sound, Yan Zhuang’s cunning mindset was deeply ingrained. He still refused to give up and said, “Or we could rescue Gao Xianzhi openly while killing him secretly. Only if he dies in Shu can Li Hen have no excuse. Then the general can gain both fame and profit—why not use this two-pronged strategy?”

Li Qingan still shook his head. “That’s because you underestimate people in the world. If Gao Xianzhi died suddenly after being rescued, at least half of the people in the world would suspect that I used him as a pawn to kill someone. Since I’ve saved him, I might as well save him completely to gain a reputation for righteousness. Besides, Li Heng is nothing but a trapped fish to me; I’ll catch him sooner or later. Even if there were ten Gao Xianzhis, I wouldn’t care. A dead Gao Xianzhi means nothing to me!”