Chapter 97: Seizing Opportunity

Injuries Actually Do Not Matter

Li Yunli had just wanted to say that everything was fine.

Unexpectedly, he pressed against her, lifted his knee, withdrew the hand around her waist, and used it to push himself up from the chair.

Li Yunli instinctively tried to step back, but before she could, his other hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. He leaned in, pressing his lips against hers like a fish breaking through the water’s surface.

He was asking for a kiss.

Her lips, tinged with tears, carried a faint salty taste. Li Yunli’s mind went blank for a moment before quickly snapping back to reality. Afraid he might lose his balance and fall, she reached out to support him.

However, before her hand could land, his fingers caught hers. Yun Chu had already stood up, bending down to deepen the kiss with an urgency that was impossible to ignore.

His injuries had yet to heal, and the loose, light fabric of his clothing made her hesitate. She was worried about pressing against his wounds.

But within moments, such concerns faded.

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

Like a long-lost dog returning home, lingering at the door—eager for affection, yet fearful of rejection.

And upon receiving his master’s compassion, he couldn’t help but inch closer, confirming his place in her heart.

Yun Chu held her hand, rubbing his fingers anxiously against her palm. Only after intertwining their fingers tightly did he finally stop.

Feeling the heat of his palm against hers, the tension in Li Yunli’s heart, which had been knotted for days, finally eased.

Between their breathless moments, she found a fleeting thought:

How could he still manage to focus on holding hands properly while kissing?

This reckless way of demanding a kiss was, by all standards, an offense to propriety. Yet Yun Chu seemed utterly unbothered.

After a long, passionate moment, he finally lowered his head and embraced her tightly.

Li Yunli was still seated, and with him bending over to hold her like this, she had no choice but to tilt her head up. She raised a hand to gently stroke his back, speaking in a soothing tone, “Calm down. It’s alright now.”

She stroked his back twice, then suddenly realized this gesture was more suited for comforting a small animal. Feeling that it was inappropriate, she hesitated and stopped.

But Yun Chu, unexpectedly, grabbed her wrist and stubbornly pressed her hand back onto his back.

This blatant request for comfort was so direct that Li Yunli couldn’t help but chuckle softly. She resumed stroking down his spine in a reassuring motion.

“Honestly, who gets beaten and still clings to the one who hit them? Do you never learn your lesson?”

“If I learned my lesson,” Yun Chu’s muffled voice came, “I wouldn’t have offended Your Highness so many times.”

Li Yunli clicked her tongue in disapproval, raising her hand to knock him lightly on the head. Instantly, her neck was held even tighter.

She lowered her voice in a playful warning, “If you dare say something like that again—”

“It was the last time.”

Yun Chu quickly cut her off.

He loosened his grip slightly, fingers resting near Li Yunli’s neck before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“When I was young, my dream was to win over the princess of Chu. Later, I only wished to stay by Your Highness’s side. And after that, all I wanted was your forgiveness…”

He gazed at Li Yunli, his eyes clear as though washed by water.

“I thought all my wishes had been in vain. But now, I’ve truly earned your forgiveness. So…”

Li Yunli interrupted, “So now, you should live as I wish you to.”

Yun Chu hesitated, lowering his gaze slightly. Then, he smiled with quiet relief. “Praying to gods and buddhas—turns out, it’s not as effective as asking Your Highness directly.”

“What nonsense is that?”

Li Yunli frowned. “You should know by now—I never wanted your guilt, nor did I want you to surrender out of remorse. What I want is you, as an independent person, no matter whether you are the Third Prince of Wei or my household’s Yun attendant.”

She did not want him to depend on her, nor did she wish to rely on him.

His gaze softened, and he murmured, “Then, only now do I truly understand. I have been foolish.”

Yun Chu knelt slightly and embraced her once more.

Li Yunli had always been proud. Even after losing her noble status due to being removed from the royal lineage, she had still received proper respect from the Jin Prince and his wife.

She lacked for nothing. If she had ever fallen for him in her youth, it was only because, deep down, they shared the same spirit.

She had always loved Yun Chu because he was like her.

Li Yunli realized this back in Yongzhou when Yun Chu had proposed a deal—pleading for her to spare the families of the Wei soldiers who wished to live in peace.

He had accepted his role and taken responsibility, never abandoning his duty.

She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what drew her to him, but after years of hardship, she admired people who took responsibility.

And this man, coincidentally, had also shown an undeniable love for her.

“So, it must have been him who fell in love with me first?”

As she embraced him in return, this thought passed through her mind.

“Otherwise, after everything that happened at the city gate, after all those days of suffering in the Ministry of Justice’s prison, he wouldn’t have uttered a single word against me.”

Yet, after that moment, every step forward had been hers to take.

…Forget it.

Perhaps, in love, it didn’t matter who made the first move.

Li Yunli shook her head, dismissing these unnecessary thoughts with a soft laugh.

“You’re not stupid. You’re just a hopeless romantic. Unfortunately, you happened to fall for someone like me—a career-driven woman. Tough luck.”

A flash of confusion passed through Yun Chu’s eyes.

She often used modern-sounding expressions that were novel yet instantly understandable.

And they were always effective.

He lowered his gaze slightly, a subtle smile playing on his lips, his heart feeling warm. “I’m not unlucky. I’m very fortunate.”

“Good. Then, since you’re so lucky, you’ve been resting for days while the outside world is in chaos. Can you finally listen to me talk about the current situation?”

Li Yunli spread out the documents in her hand, cutting off their conversation without hesitation.

She saw the surprise on Yun Chu’s face slowly shift to mild resignation.

She found it amusing and teased, “Look at you, you really are a hopeless romantic.”

Yun Chu blinked at her, then tilted his head innocently. “Your Highness?”

“The rebel prince Changling is on the run, heading west toward Yizhou. Zheng Siyian is likely with him. However, he also has a base in Wu Rong. After Yizhou, they might bypass Yongzhou to regroup there. If we capture them…”

Li Yunli genuinely shifted to discussing military strategy. Yun Chu listened intently, though after a few sentences, she slowed her pace and looked at him again.

Yun Chu gradually shifted his gaze from the documents to her. “?”

“If we capture them, it will be a significant victory. Enough to exchange for the title of Princess Consort for you.”

Yun Chu froze, processing her words. “…Your Highness has remained silent in court these past days to wait for—”

For him?

Li Yunli chuckled. “What are you thinking? Of course, we had to stop them from escaping. I had already given orders to the generals. Waiting for you would have meant more suffering for the people.”

Her words were true—she had no intention of reserving the military credit for Yun Chu.

It was just a coincidence that the situation aligned this way.

Seeing his serious expression, she finally said:

“Settle this, and when we return, we will marry.”

Yun Chu’s fleeting anger and resentment vanished instantly.

He stiffened for a moment, adjusting his breathing.

Did she just say marriage?

In Chu, a princess only used that word with her consort.

“If this battle is to win Your Highness,” his voice wavered slightly, his movements slightly awkward. His cheeks were faintly red. “Then I will be invincible!”

Li Yunli raised an eyebrow. “To win me? That means you have much more to do. After all, I’ve already won you.”

Her gaze swept over him openly.

Yun Chu paused, then suddenly laughed.

His hesitation and doubts vanished completely.

He stepped forward and pressed against her.

“The medicine has worked well these past days. If Your Highness wishes… my injuries actually do not matter.”