After the system set its sights on the dragon throne, the princess started courting death every day.

It's obvious at a glance that Ding Yinan has absolutely no talent in martial arts; he's just an ordinary person, so it's good that he gave up.

It's not that ordinary people are bad, but going to the battlefield is a life-threatening matter. Ordinary families would never choose this path unless they were really struggling to make ends meet or couldn't escape military service.

To live a peaceful and stable life is what everyone desires.

After wiping the sweat from Xiang An's face, he casually put the handkerchief into his pocket. "According to military law, deserters are beheaded in public."

"If the princess wants him to live, it is not impossible to go through the back door."

"Ha, Fu Qingbai, you know perfectly well that taking shortcuts on the battlefield is most likely to cause unrest among the troops. How can you lead troops into battle if you keep talking about 'taking shortcuts' all the time?" Xiang An rolled his eyes at him, turned around and sat on the steps. "Stop talking nonsense, it's better for both of us."

Fu Qingbai sat down next to her, "So it's because the princess is soft-hearted."

"Too many people have died. Fu Qingbai is innocent."

Fu Qingbai was taken aback.

"On my way here, the further north I went, the more refugees I saw. They were poorly clothed and starving. Because they were not allowed to enter the city or stay outside, they had no choice but to flee towards the capital."

They knew the emperor was there, the Son of Heaven they supported was there, but they didn't know that their emperor indulged in revelry every night, that officials were drunk and decadent, and that the imperial edicts piled up on the emperor's desk, all ending up in the kitchen stoves.

This war has dragged on for too long; the people can't survive. In the army camps, they might die in battle, but they won't starve. Outside, their only option is to flee; they have no other way to live. We'll save whoever we can.

Xiang An sighed, looked up at the horizon. The sun was setting in the west, and the fiery red sunset burned half the sky. The wind blew, and the clouds, edged with gold by the sunset, slowly rolled and changed.

"If we cannot save them, I hope that when history books record this battle in the future, there will be traces to prove that they were here. Perhaps they were just a number, perhaps they were a code name, called 'a number of people,' or perhaps they were just 'soldier.' Of course, this is very unfair, but in the midst of war, it is already commendable that ordinary people can do this much."

His calm tone, speaking weighty words, was exceptionally striking.

As the sun set, Fu Qingbai stared intently at Xiang An's profile, unable to look away. He measured every inch of her face with his gaze, from her forehead to her eyes and nose, trying to see if her soul was a ball of fire, and why he was becoming more and more delighted with her, his heart beating faster and faster with each glance.

He couldn't understand it, couldn't find the answer, but one thing was certain: all his outbursts weren't because of her appearance. What pleased him, what made his heart race, was the soul beneath her beautiful face.

Is that all it takes to like it?

Yes, I like it.

The glimpse in the Imperial Garden was fleeting, but not enough to stir his heart. Now, what was before him was like a ball of fire, imprinting itself on his soul with a swift, scorching, and unstoppable force.

With difficulty, he managed to utter a sound from his dry throat: "Princess, my heart is beating a little fast."

"Huh?" Xiang An turned her head to look at him and found that the words "blushing" were no longer enough to describe him. He was practically bright red, with his cheeks and neck also turning red.

The next moment, she placed her hand on his forehead; his temperature was normal, he didn't have a fever.

Xiang An stood up, at a loss: "Wait here, I'll go get the doctor."

"Wait—don't go yet, Princess, it is I who love you, you..."

The person has already gone far away.

The courage she had finally mustered crumbled at that moment, and Fu Qingbai no longer dared to pursue him. Humans are so contradictory; when they dislike something, they can face it calmly and naturally, but when they like someone, it feels like saying even one more word could cost them half their life.

With her heartbeat returning to normal, Fu Qingbai ignored the uncomfortable steps and lay down on them, covering her eyes with her hands, and said calmly, "Did you enjoy listening?"

A moment later, Ding Yinan, who had been hiding behind a pillar, forced himself to step out: "I...I..."

"come over."

"General, I didn't mean to."

"Did you hear everything clearly?"

"It's clear, it's clear."

“Then do as she wishes,” Fu Qingbai put down his hand, tilted his head to look at Ding Yinan, who was eleven or twelve years old and as thin as a monkey. “If you survive this hardship, I will transfer you to my side.”

Ding Yinan's eyes, which had been bulging from hunger, suddenly widened in disbelief: "General."

During his time in the camp, Ding Yinan heard nothing but praise for Fu Qingbai, for his ability to recognize and utilize talent, for his formidable skills, and for his almost supernatural wisdom. It's no exaggeration to say that he was practically a celestial being.

Although he had indeed mistaken him for an immortal, once he came to his senses, he realized that apart from his face, Fu Qingbai was completely unrelated to an immortal. Immortals love all people and have great love for all people.

Fu Qingbai is heartless, cold-blooded, and indifferent. If he hadn't seen the gentle demeanor he displayed in front of Princess Miankang, he would have suspected that he was a beautifully crafted ice sculpture.

The advantage is that Fu Qingbai is a fair person who does not bend the law for personal gain, does not claim military merits for others, and treats everyone equally.

Therefore, many people in the camp had the biggest idea of ​​serving under Fu Qingbai. Not only would they have the most military merits, but they would also not need to curry favor with their superiors such as the captain and lieutenant. All they needed to do was fight bravely against the enemy.

"War is about to break out, Ding Yinan. Your life or death is in your own hands."

Fu Qingbai stood up, brushed past Ding Yinan, and strode over to Xiang An, who had brought the doctor, not far away.

Standing there dumbfounded, Ding Yinan clearly saw the helplessness mixed with indulgence in Fu Qingbai's eyes. He remembered his mother telling him that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman.

It is a weakness, but it's not a big deal.

In the distance, the doctor placed one hand on Fu Qingbai's pulse and suddenly pulled out a dagger with the other. The distance was too close and the speed too fast. Fu Qingbai reacted quickly and grabbed the doctor's arm. Before he could exert any force, the dagger in the doctor's hand slipped, and he fainted.

Xiang Anyou threw away the wooden stick in her hand, kicked the doctor lying on the ground with disdain, and said, "I've disliked you since the day we came," raising her chin towards Fu Qingbai, "How about it? Not scared, are you?"

Fu Qingbai: "It's nothing."

Xiang An snorted coldly and said irritably, "Who asked you?" His gaze fell on Ding Yinan, who was running behind him. "I asked him. Slow down."

In fact, Ding Yinan was completely stunned. He had never seen a girl so ruthless. From a distance, he clearly saw Xiang An casually grab a thick wooden stick leaning against the wall and, without hesitation or regard for her own life, smash it down on the doctor's head.

“Alright, you’re asking about him.” Fu Qingbai gave a helpless smirk, squatted down and opened the doctor’s satchel. Inside, he found a symbol embroidered with a unique mark of the Yan Kingdom. “This person is a doctor recruited through a public notice posted at the border.”