Forced love, an inescapable fate

What caught my eye was a small courtyard with white walls and green tiles. It looked very clean. At this time, the sun was setting in the west and the evening breeze was blowing, which gave people an inexplicable feeling of peace. There were soldiers in armor standing at the door, adding a bit of solemnity to the courtyard.

She followed Qing'er to the main hall and saw a few side dishes on the table.

Qing'er pulled out a stool and spoke with a smile.

"Princess, life at the border is hard and the food is simple. Please make do with what you have. The general will be back soon."

Mu Qingli shook her head at her, indicating that she was not hungry, but looking at the food on the table, her stomach couldn't help but growl. She was indeed hungry. She hadn't had a drop of water from last night until now. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't hungry, but there was still vigilance in her eyes. The situation was unclear, so she had to endure the hunger.

Seeing this, Qing'er stopped trying to persuade her and just smiled at her. Naturally, she also saw through her concerns.

At this moment, there seemed to be a faint sound of horse hooves outside the door. Mu Qingli hurriedly got up and looked towards the door, thinking that Jiang Ci had returned.

A moment later, a tall man in military uniform and golden armor appeared. His black hair was neatly tied on his head. He held his helmet under his ribs with his left hand. His face was as bright as the breeze and his expression was solemn. He strode towards the main hall.

When he saw the person standing at the door of the main hall, a smile slowly appeared on the corners of his mouth. His already sharp eyebrows and bright eyes were dispelled by this smile, and he became more casual.

Mu Qingli looked at the person who came and wondered if this person was the general that Jiang Ci had promised her as a child.

When Qing'er saw the person coming, she bowed and called him General.

Feng Zong looked at the obviously unfamiliar eyes of the person in front of him, and thought about what the Sixth Prince had just told him, that she had lost her memory and probably didn't remember him either, and he couldn't help but feel sad.

Thinking about how much she had suffered in Qi over the years, if he could have brought her back earlier, she wouldn't have suffered so much. Besides, it was the Feng family that owed her after all.

Mu Qingli looked at the emotions in the eyes of the man walking towards her and couldn't help but feel puzzled.

Why did he look at me with such a mixture of guilt and sadness? Shouldn't he be excited? After all, it had been a while since we last saw each other.

After Feng Zong walked in front of Mu Qingli, he had put away his emotions, smiled, and called out "Ali".

Mu Qingli was stunned for a moment, then smiled and asked him, "I guess you are the General Feng that my brother mentioned. Hello, General Feng."

Hearing the obviously distant tone, Feng Zong realized that the little girl with pigtails who followed him around all day long in his memory had grown up. Now she was a graceful young lady. But for some reason, the girl in front of him always had a strange feeling. Even though he could vaguely see her childhood appearance in her eyebrows and eyes, there was always a sense of alienation.

I also thought that she had lost her memory and I hadn't seen her for many years, so I probably had this feeling.

Qing'er took Feng Zong's helmet and then stepped aside.

When Feng Zong looked at her, Mu Qingli always felt embarrassed that she was being seen through, but at this time, she could only pretend to be calm. After all, no matter what he asked, as long as she insisted that she had lost her memory, he should not be able to find out anything. But didn't the maid just say that Adi went to the military camp with him? Why did he come back alone?

She was thinking about Jiang Ci and didn't care about anything else, so she asked him.

"General, where is my brother? Didn't he go to the military camp with you? Why haven't I seen him come back?"

Hearing her address, Feng Zong frowned slightly, but seeing that Mu Qingli's face was obviously anxious, he began to explain.

"Ali, please sit down and eat first. The Sixth Prince has returned and is in the courtyard next door. I will take you there to see him after dinner."

"But... okay, I'll go find A-di after I finish eating."

The two sat down at the table, and Qing'er served them some rice. Although he was very hungry, Mu Qingli still found the rice tasteless.

She had a hundred questions in her mind as to why they appeared here overnight, but Feng Zong was not Jiang Ci. Although she knew from Jiang Ci that she was engaged to him, to her, he was a complete stranger. Moreover, Feng Zong was on the battlefield all year round and had a sharp aura. Mu Qingli always felt a little scared when she was in the same room with him.

Feng Zong looked at the girl who was concentrating on eating, and felt her embarrassment and uneasiness, so he tried to explain.

"Ali, this happened suddenly. I know you have doubts in your heart. I also know that you have lost your memory and have forgotten me, your brother. But don't worry, this place is safe. You don't have to worry anymore. I will protect you."

"Brother? Isn't this a childhood sweetheart?"

After hearing what Fenfengzong said, Mu Qingli couldn't help but speak in surprise.

Hearing this, Feng Zong smiled slightly. "You and I have been calling each other brother and sister since we were young. When you were little, you always followed me around, calling me brother. As for the child marriage you mentioned, it was indeed arranged by our parents when we were young. But now that our parents are both gone, if Ali finds someone she likes, this engagement can be cancelled."

The food that Mu Qingli was biting into her mouth instantly tasted much more delicious. She had been wondering how she could possibly marry someone she didn't know at all for no reason. Now, hearing Feng Zong's tone, it seemed that there was still room for reversal of this marriage contract. This was indeed good news for her.

"So I should still call you Brother General from now on?"

"This is even better. You and I are siblings. Although we have different surnames, you have been in the Feng family since you were born. I have watched you grow up. Now that you are home, it is only natural for you to call me brother."

"Well, then I won't be shy. Brother, when are we going back to Shangjing? Will you send me back with my younger brother?"

This was the second time Mu Qingli called Jiang Ci "brother" in front of Feng Zong, and Feng Zong couldn't help but frown.

"Ali, I know you and the Sixth Prince have been calling each other brother and sister in Qi State for the past few years, but now we are in Jing State, and he is the prince, so you need to change the way you address each other. If someone with ulterior motives hears, it will inevitably cause misunderstanding. As for your request to return to Shangjing, the capital has already sent someone to pick up the Sixth Prince, but you may not be able to go with him. Once things in the military camp are almost done, I will naturally send you home, so you will have to stay here for the time being."

Mu Qingli put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, the surprise in her eyes was obvious. Hearing that she couldn't go back with Jiang Ci, she felt a little panic inexplicably. After two years of living together day and night, she had become accustomed to Jiang Ci's company. Moreover, she had promised him that she would go back to Shangjing with him, but what was this now?