He sprinted with all his strength.
He felt as if his entire body was being burned by fire.
His heart was filled with fear, confusion, and guessing.
He did not know what had happened. Sun Lang's words were not enough to explain the entire situation.
But he did realize that there was a possibility.
That, for him, was even crueler than the betrayal of his wife.
Qi Guanyan gritted his teeth, madly activating his internal energy. He unearthed all the potential in his body, madly sprinting towards the camp of the army. He had already given up on thinking. He only wanted to be faster, to use his own eyes to see the true answer. He wanted to be faster, just a little faster …
Scenes of the past appeared in his mind.
That was their first meeting. Their love when they were young was incomparably passionate. He felt that this was a good marriage given by the heavens. He swore that he would grow old together with her, that he would achieve great things, that he would be famous, that he would share all his glory with her. He wanted to dig out his heart and give it to her.
But after entering the army, his overly loyal personality caused him to run into walls everywhere. He was ostracized by his colleagues, suppressed by his superiors, and even looked down upon by his subordinates. The achievements and achievements he had dreamed of when he was young were a joke in front of the cold reality. He had always been mediocre and in dire straits.
But his young wife accompanied him without any complaints. No matter if it was poverty or hardship, she did not have any complaints. She lived in a simple house, did not have any new clothes for a long time, and left the best things to him … To have such a wife was the fortune of a man. But to let his wife live such a life was also the shame of a man's life.
The setbacks in reality and the hardships his wife faced made him doubt himself even more. He doubted whether his father's teachings were correct. He doubted whether he should continue like this.
Because in the army, those greedy, incompetent, and narrow-minded despicable people were in high positions and lived rich lives. They clearly did not have any abilities. What he had learned was clearly a hundred times better than theirs. But these idiots held great power in their hands and wantonly abused it for their own benefit … why was it like this?
I am clearly stronger than them. If I am a general, I can win battles and allow more soldiers to live. Why can't it be me?
Such thoughts licked his soul and tortured his conscience. Ideals would always be defeated by reality, as long as one's heart was concerned. Until he could no longer bear all of this and was about to take that step, by a very coincidental opportunity, his wife accidentally met a noble.
That nobleman was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She had a life that was more fortunate and easier than most people in this world. A single word from her could change a person's fate.
Indeed … his fate had changed because of this.
The nobleman only asked a question, and the whole world changed. Overnight, the ostracized colleagues suddenly became enthusiastic and sincere, and the bosses who had been making things difficult for them became discerning. They were still the same people, but the eagerness and fawning in their eyes were nauseating. This was the wonderful taste of power — it could turn arrogant people into servile dogs in an instant.
He was finally able to go to the battlefield and turn all the grievances and hardships he had suffered into violent fury that he vented on the battlefield. Then, he naturally made a great contribution and maintained an excellent performance. Soon, he was promoted and transferred. Everything was like a dream.
But he soon woke up from the dream.
Because after the promotion and transfer, the new boss wasn't greeted by the nobleman, the new colleagues didn't know his background, and Qi Guanyan was still the old Qi Guanyan who didn't know what was good for him. So, the ostracizing and making things difficult for him were repeated. It was as if the world was full of people who didn't like him.
Everything fell into a stalemate and quagmire again, just like before.
He naturally thought of the good times before that went smoothly and thought of the person who changed everything. Humans were very fragile and easily swayed creatures.
For example … some good things, as long as there was the first time, there would definitely be a second time.
But the nobleman couldn't always stand up for you. She didn't have this obligation.
That night, looking at his wife's familiar but somewhat haggard sleeping face, he clenched his teeth.
Then he wailed in front of his father's grave for a whole day.
It wasn't that his son didn't want to be a person with a straight back. It was that this world didn't treat his son as a person.
The consequence of sticking to one's ideals and ambitions and being an upright person was silence and mediocrity. He was a soldier. In the face of the Sky Demon, the enemy, he wanted to bathe in blood and fight to protect the country and its people. But the funny thing was, if he didn't try to curry favor and bend the knee, he wouldn't even have the chance to go to the battlefield and kill the enemy.
So, in order to not burden his wife and to be able to realize his ideals, he slowly lowered his head to reality. If he could only survive by bending the knee, then he would choose a good master …
— — So, it was actually like this.
Qi Guanyan was still the same Qi Guanyan. During this period of time, he wasn't enlightened by a deity to teach him the ultimate art of war, nor was he taught invincible martial arts by an otherworldly expert. His martial arts and military strategy were still the same. But with the protection of Tensei Province, the once down-and-out little lieutenant actually continued to make meritorious contributions. In the end, he became one of the military officials of the border and was given the title of Great General in Ming Province.
The only difference between a lieutenant and a Great General was the protection of Tensei Province. That was all.
Originally, this was fine. Qi Guanyan had already accepted his fate. On one hand, he was wallowing in the mire with the secular world while on the other hand, he was desperately trying to realize his ideals. The Great General Qi, who was good with money and power, and the Great General Qi, who was strict with the army, didn't have any conflicts. This was fine. If he wanted to achieve something, compromise was necessary. That was what he thought, until he realized …
This master of Tensei Province didn't seem to be as good as he thought.
What if all of this … was fake?
The so-called betrothal before they were born was just a carefully arranged lie.
His wife coming to him was also a premeditated scheme.
Love, marriage, mutual respect, they were all following orders. Because he had been targeted long ago, even the inexplicable exclusion and targeting in the army seemed to be manipulated in the dark.
The wife accidentally got to know a nobleman, and when they were chatting and complaining, she talked about the injustice her husband had encountered. So the nobleman asked about it, and the matter was quickly resolved. This beautiful fantasy like story unfolding was also a prefabricated scam.
All of this was targeted at Qi Guanyan.
He didn't even know why the Heavenly Policy Palace had their eyes on him. He was just the son of a low-ranking military officer, a brat who didn't know anything. Why did the Heavenly Policy Palace take a liking to him so early on and set up such a trap?
He didn't know, he really didn't know. The only thing he knew was that his wife, who he loved deeply, who once swore to protect him for the rest of his life, had ulterior motives …
When he finally discovered the truth, he was on the verge of breaking down. His efforts and struggles over the years were simply a joke. His life had been wantonly manipulated. He had betrayed his father's teachings and violated his own beliefs. In exchange, he had actually received such an ending …
He almost went crazy, and even wanted to cut that bitch into pieces. But when he was about to tell his wife everything, he saw Ying Er's familiar eyes and smile.
He remembered the first time they met, the wedding night, the years of support, and the love and sacrifice of his wife during that difficult time …
He found that he still loved his wife deeply, even after he found out the secret.
He didn't know why, but he gave up on telling his wife everything and chose to play dumb. The person sleeping next to him was a spy with ulterior motives. All of her actions were suspicious, but he chose to ignore them.
He was twice as good to her and treated everything she said as if it was the law of heaven. There was no more qualified husband than him. He was simply the model of a model. He didn't know why he chose to do so. Was it because of his unforgettable love, or was it because of his self-abandonment and self-abuse? He couldn't tell.
He even imagined that his wife would suddenly show her true colors, ignore the love between them for more than ten years, and cruelly take his life. Then, his whole body would tremble.
But … if it was love, if it was too strong, it could easily turn into hatred under extreme circumstances.
That night, under the lead of Sun Lang, he followed his wife and Seraph's secret plan. When he heard those vicious plans, all of his patience and fury finally broke out. That earth-shattering halberd contained blazing anger. If it wasn't for Sun Lang stopping him, he would have torn his wife's body into pieces.
That was an unforgettable hatred … He wanted to kill her.
It was all because of her that he betrayed his father's teachings and got a hopeless love. His life was controlled by Tensei Province and mixed with the filthy world.
He lived like a dog.
It was all because of her.
His hatred was further fermenting, intertwining with his love. When he heard that his wife was entangled with an army and that the poisonous vines that had been fermenting for years finally bore terrible fruit, he planned such a plan.
Die. Just die. Do what you want to do. Die. Since she wants me to die, then I'll die. I'll take all the blame and pull her out from the shadows of Tensei Province. I'll let her know that I've already seen through the truth and that I've already sacrificed myself for her. I know her identity, but I'm still willing to fulfill my promise and love her for the rest of my life …
So, she'll regret, she'll be unwilling, she'll feel guilty, she'll be in pain, she'll live in regret and despair for the rest of her life. She'll never see me, and she'll always have to beg for my forgiveness …
It was already twisted.
It was already crazy.
Mingzhou's General Qi Guanyan.
He was obviously peerless, but his life was controlled by schemers and manipulated by traitors. He was incomparably conflicted, incomparably tangled, in pain and exhaustion without end … Such a person was already a calm madman.
Until just now.
Sun Lang's words were like a ray of sunlight breaking through layers of dark clouds, shining on the already twisted soul hidden under his heroic and calm appearance.
How warm, how blazing.
But he didn't have time to feel the long-lost warmth. He felt great panic.
Sun Lang told him that Ying Er was doing the same thing.
Although it was just a sentence, although he didn't know the cause and effect, he had already guessed what had happened. Because that was his wife, and he was the person who knew her the best in the world.
She … could also do such a thing.
She actually did it.
When did she start planning to do it?
I … what am I doing?
How ridiculous, how childish. All the pretending to be magnanimous, all the gentleness, all the silent protection, all the twisted love, now seemed so absurd.
Qi Guanyan was running desperately.
His heart was roaring fiercely.
Before this, he was already a calm and twisted madman.
But now, in his soul, the blazing and the cold blended, the gentle and the twisted intertwined. For many years, he had never felt like today. His feelings were so complicated, sweet and painful, expectant and panicked, shocked and enlightened, happy and sad.
However, all these complicated emotions disappeared in the end. All that was left was a revived soul, roaring and roaring under the passion of love and passion.
He had already rushed to the gate of the camp.
The guards in front of the gate subconsciously stopped him, because they recognized the General.
Qi Guanyan roared angrily, "Get out of the way!"
Tossing aside the strict military law he had set, he blasted open the horse barricade, knocked the guards to the side, and madly rushed in, like an enraged lion.
He rushed to the drill ground, roaring, and ordered the crowd to disperse.
Everyone hurriedly retreated, looking at the famous General of the Ming Prefecture with complicated expressions.
Qi Guanyan rushed to the high platform, and saw the person who had been in his dreams.
She sat on the ground powerlessly, her face pale, and her body splashed with blood.
Lu Shouyan was sitting behind her. His expression was grim as he channeled his True Qi into her.
Qi Guanyan was overjoyed. He shouted, "Ying 'er!"
Hu Shouxin stopped him. Qi Guanyan turned around abruptly. His eyes were so fierce that he looked like he wanted to eat someone.
Old Hu said gloomily, "Don't be rash. She's poisoned. You …"
Qi Guanyan's expression changed immediately. He looked at Lu Shouyan and fell to his knees. He kowtowed. "Lord Lu, please save my life!
I'll never forget your kindness in my life! "
When Lu Zhou heard this, a bitter smile appeared on his face. He could not bear to tell them the truth.
However, Wang Ying slowly opened her eyes. She looked at her husband and smiled weakly. "Idiot, there's no cure."
Qi Guanyan looked up abruptly. He did not get up. He walked over on his knees and reached out with a trembling hand to caress his wife's face. For a moment, tears streamed down his face. He was at a loss for words.
Wang Shi's eyes were slightly dazed. She looked at her husband and said softly, "I'm sorry. I've never said sorry to you in my life. I've ruined your life. If it weren't for me, if it weren't for the arrangements in Tensei Province, you would've had a chance to stand out in the Tian Yuan War no matter how bad your temper is … I'm the one who ruined you. I'm the one who made you unlike yourself …"
Qi Guanyan shook his head and said with tears streaming down his face, "No … It's not like that …"
"I see," Wang Shi said softly.
"So, you're right to hate me. It's normal for you to want to kill me. However, that night, when I saw the look in your eyes and how you stabbed me with your halberd, although I knew I deserved it, my heart felt like it was about to split open … I'm a woman, and I hold grudges. I wanted to get back at you. That's why I punished you …"
She reached out and held her husband's hand. A sly smile appeared on her face as she said, "I'm very proud of myself now. You'll never forget me in this lifetime. You'll remember me for the rest of your life. You're not allowed to die. You'll have to live the rest of my life …"
Qi Guanyan gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully.
"As for how I've let you down … I'm truly sorry. When I received the order, I didn't know what kind of person you were. I had to complete the mission, and I had no choice …" Wang Shi sighed softly. "I know it's useless to say this, but please don't blame me, alright?
I'm about to die. I should've found a better way for you to start over, but I'm just a weak woman. My abilities are limited. I can only do this much. I finally … finally did something … "
Qi Guanyan murmured, "I don't blame you. Please don't die. I've forgiven you. Can you forgive me too?
Let's leave this country immediately. Let's go far away, to a place where no one knows us … "
Wang Shi's face was filled with sadness.
No, she couldn't do it anymore.
She recalled that night. After working together with Blazing Angel to kill Uncle Chong, she leaned on the old butler's corpse and cried out loud. She felt an unforgettable sadness.
Because all of her delusions and fantasies were cut off at that moment.
Because from that moment on, there was no turning back.
She shook her head and stared deeply at her husband, as if she wanted to remember his appearance forever. She said softly, "You're free. Tensei Province won't dare to disturb you anymore. You can cooperate with the Northern faction, or you can leave this country. You can do whatever you want."
"As for Tensei Province, I've helped you vent your anger. Empress' plan to cause chaos in Mingzhou has failed, and everything has benefited the Northern faction. Moreover, this matter has been exposed, enough to make her more passive. She must be in a terrible fix right now … Who told her to plot against you? I'm your wife. You're soft-hearted and don't want to do certain things, so I'll help you vent your anger …"
"I've deceived everyone. You, the Northern faction, Tensei Province, and Master …"
Wang Shi reached out her trembling hand and stroked her husband's cheek. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but there was still a smile on her face. Suddenly, she smiled sweetly, like a hundred flowers blooming.
"Husband, how's my ability to deceive people?"
An extremely forced smile slowly appeared on Qi Guanyan's face. He reached out and hugged his wife, taking her into his arms. Lu Shouyan sighed and withdrew his hands, stopping his cultivation.
His arms were trembling, and his heart was thumping wildly. An indescribable emotion was tearing at Qi Guanyan's soul, making him feel lost, angry, sad, desperate, and regretful. It was as if he had fought a great battle.
The wife in his arms was the woman who betrayed him, but also the woman who loved him deeply. From the beginning to the end, she had always done what she thought was right. She never looked back, never gave up, never dreamed of forgiveness, and never asked for understanding. Step by step, with determination and determination that bordered on cold-bloodedness, she gambled everything in her life, and finally turned it into the brilliant light of today, dispelling the heavy haze in his life.
She had always been like this. Strong, dictatorial, and independent, regardless of what others felt.
She had always been like this. Fierce, shrewish, and stubborn. Once she had chosen a path, she would walk it to the end.
They had been husband and wife for more than ten years. She had always been aggressive, and he had always retreated step by step. In the end, it was really hard to tell who loved who more. But the only thing that could be confirmed was that the soldier of the empire named Qi Guanyan had been successful and famous. He had become a general of a province, and his prestige had spread far and wide. Although he was famous throughout the world, in this lifetime, he had been completely suppressed by a little woman. This was a famous anecdote in the officialdom.
He had been tamed, he had been strictly controlled, he had been deceived into running around in circles.
Qi Guanyan said in a low voice, "Yes, your ability to deceive people has always been very good. I have been deceived by you all my life. I have always been kept in the dark by you. After being husband and wife for more than ten years, I actually didn't know what you were thinking …"
He hugged his wife tightly, his chin resting on her forehead, just like newlyweds on their wedding night. In order to soothe the shyness in each other's hearts, he held his shy and bright wife in his arms, gently rocking and rocking, and whispering sweet nothings to her.
He would never know what his wife was thinking back then.
Just like now, he would never know what his wife was thinking.
Qi Guanyan closed his eyes, hugged his wife, and said softly, "So, Ying Er, lie to me one more time. Suddenly open your eyes, reach out your hand, tap my forehead, and say with a smile, 'Idiot, you have been fooled again. Just like this, lie to me one more time, okay?'"
"Lie to me one more time, even if it's just one more time …"
"Please …"
"Please …"