The candle burnt out; only the outer room was dimly lit up. An Rushuang looked up at the top of the curtain; all the past scenes flashed back in her memory.

Not until dawn did Meng Li come back to the camp. But as he entered the tent, his hawk-like eyes were instantly focused on one corner.

A girl was sitting there in his coat, with hands holding over her knees, s.h.i.+vering in the darkness. No one knew what she was thinking about.

She looked lonely as if she had been integrated into the darkness.

Seeing this, Meng Li somehow felt irritated.

He walked to her in big strides, took off his cloak and threw to her.

All of a sudden, a stuffy hum was heard under the black cloak, just like a little animal being bullied. After that, she popped her head out of the cloak with confusion. When she saw the man in front of her, her eyes were instantly curved and lit up with excitement.

“General Yun?”

Seeing him, An Rushuang felt herself somehow calmed down.

Although General Yun looked fiendish, he was actually a reliable man.

All of his cruelty was reserved for enemies.

Being stared at, Meng Li felt a bit uncomfortable. He glanced at the ink stone and suddenly thought of the letter he saw when he arrived at the camp yesterday.

Thinking so, Meng Li felt a little joyful.

He replied to her and sat down at her side. In the darkness, his armour s.h.i.+ned with silver light as if it was the star in the sky.

“Something had gone wrong with your tricks again?” asked he.

Not knowing how to respond, An Rushuang simply replied a “Yes” in a low voice.

“You do have a patient master,” said Meng Li in curiosity.

If he were her master, Meng Li wouldn't have so much patience with such a slow-witted student. He might even kick her out.

Not having said that, Meng Li saw the girl shedding tears silently.

An Rushuang managed to hold back her tears in the daytime, but she recalled a lot of nasty things in the past, so she did not sleep for the whole night.

Now Meng Li's words reminded her of Bian Wen's refusal. She couldn't help crying out.

Seeing this, Meng Li was surprised, feeling his head was aching.

The girl was always eloquent. But why this time she was… He cleared his throat.

“Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?”

Saying so, Meng Li glanced at her.

“No,” replied An Rushuang, raising her hand to wipe tears. “You didn't.”

After a while, she said, “You are right. I am slow-witted. Perhaps… perhaps I should not expect I could do everything well.”

Bian Wen must have thought in the same way. An Rushuang had not studied anything about medical science. Besides, she was the daughter of the Royal Inspector. If Bian Wen's ident.i.ty was revealed, no one could bear the consequences.

Perhaps she was being too selfish.

Raising his eyebrows, Meng Li could tell something from Rushuang's response. Against the dim light, he asked, “Did your master scold you?”

An Rushuang nodded, but soon she shook her head.

What did she mean?

Meng Li looked at her with confusion. After a while, he heard Rushuang murmuring, “It might be better if he scolded me. Actually, he is not my master yet. I visited him yesterday and he told me not to come anymore…”

Her little face was full of bewilderment.

Meng Li seemed to understand everything, “So he considers you are not talented?”

“I haven't learnt anything yet. How could he know that?” An Rushuang shook her head.

Hearing this, Meng Li raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a little mockery.

Unless her master was blind, he could definitely tell she was not smart.

“Do you really love these tricks?” asked Meng Li.

Soon he smiled and felt he was asking something redundant.

Hearing this, An Rushuang was stunned before she suddenly recalled that she had deceived him previously. He did not know what she indeed wanted to learn was medical expertise.

Thinking so, An Rushuang shook her head, “No, I don't like it.”

She was referring to both medical science and the tricks.

“Then what is the point of insisting?” asked Meng Li in surprise.

True enough! What is the point?

An Rushuang had asked herself the same question, but she never figured out the answer. Sitting in the tent and looking at the fading darkness, she felt a bunch of light was replacing the darkness and it seemed to light up her heart instantly.

An Rushuang murmured, “I just want to survive in the desperate world.”

She never thought of trampling anyone or standing at the top. She just wanted to make up for her losses in the previous life and save her family in this life.

“If you think there is something you have to do, then keep going on,” smiled Meng Li, “Even if you have to niggle over him or pester him wherever he goes, as long as you stay with him, you'll definitely seize an opportunity to learn from him, won't you?”

Err…

It seemed that a general was teaching her how to make someone her master by unusual means.

An Rushuang looked at him in surprise and then laughed out.

It was bright outside.

An Rushuang heard a familiar voice.

Meng Li saw the girl disappearing again and he really wondered what tricks she were learning at the moment.

“General!”

Suddenly, Du Yong opened the curtain and came in with anxiety, “Our tracks have been revealed. The enemies have beefed up the troop and surrounded our camp. They are now ten miles away from us!”

Hearing this, Meng Li turned serious and sneered, “Right on time. Let's see.”

Against the fierce wind, horses were running and a bright horn was heard across the camp.

*

Hong Yu wanted to let Miss An have a good sleep, but she really couldn't handle the woman in white outside. The woman kept saying, “No worries. If sister has not got up, I can wait.”

She stood right at the doorsteps and it seemed she wouldn't leave until An Rushuang get up. Seeing this, Hong Yu was indeed annoyed. But she remembered what Miss An told her and did not dare to say anything; she had no choice but to wake up An Rushuang.

An Rushuang slowly opened her eyes and looked at Hong Yu. She felt much brighter in heart, just like the sun outside.

She finally thought through that she could keep pestering Bian Wen for as many days as she wanted until he agreed her proposal.

She was just a girl and even that general advised her to do such impolite things; it was absolutely fine for her to do that.

An Rushuang had a lot of spare time. As for the embroidery Lady An asked for, it was not a bad idea to play it by ears.

Thinking so, An Rushuang told Hong Yu, “Find me a comfortable and plain suit and send someone to take a message to mum. I cannot have breakfast with her. Let's go out in a moment.”