Chapter Seventy: In Control of Everything

“Master, this is how the nuptial wine should be drunk.” Jiang Hu took Mo Niannian’s hand and threaded it through his own wrist, his gaze unwaveringly fixed upon her.

Mo Niannian frowned. “Isn’t this a bit much?”

Jiang Hu remained insistent.

Left with no choice, Mo Niannian relented. “Fine, fine.”

She drank in the manner Jiang Hu instructed, draining her cup in one go. She tilted the empty cup for him to see. “Is that enough now?”

If not, she really would have lost her patience.

Jiang Hu gave a low hum, his eyes growing ever more intense, a pressure swelling in his chest as if about to burst.

His master was finally his.

Mo Niannian’s eyelids were heavy, fighting to stay open. One yawn followed another before she finally yanked off the half-draped bridal veil and flopped onto the bed.

“Master, your hair ornaments—” Jiang Hu began, but before he could finish, Mo Niannian had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Draped in red, with ink-black hair, she lay on the wedding bed he had arranged with his own hands. Jiang Hu felt a satisfaction beyond compare.

He carefully removed her hairpins and outer robe for her.

His fingers trembled as they brushed against hers, his Adam’s apple bobbing with restraint, sweat beading at his brow.

He could wait for the moment his master came to him willingly. He had a lifetime to spare.

With utmost reverence, he placed a gentle, fleeting kiss at the corner of her lips, his excitement making the corners of his eyes redden.

[Male Lead’s Malice Value -20, Current Malice Value: 20.]

Mo Niannian slept soundly, not hearing the mechanical voice that announced this.

She slept until natural light flooded the room, waking to find it was already day.

Jiang Hu was still lying beside her, remaining proper and respectful, maintaining a person’s width of distance, his body straight as an arrow.

“Pretty well-behaved,” she muttered.

This distance was within her tolerance, so, magnanimously, she refrained from kicking him out of bed.

Mo Niannian’s movement roused Jiang Hu at once; his eyes flashed with killing intent, only to soften instantly upon seeing her next to him.

His eyes curved as he greeted her in a low, husky voice, “Good morning, Master.”

A scene like this—how many young men and women must have dreamed of it?

But he had met Mo Niannian, who was as expressionless as ever, utterly unmoved. She opened her mouth to say, “I’m hungry.”

The system was nearly speechless—hungry, hungry, hungry, was she a pig?

Mo Niannian conveniently gifted the system a twenty-four-hour silence package.

The light in Jiang Hu’s eyes grew deeper. “I will go at once.”

He rose and dressed in front of her, speaking obediently, “Master, please wait a moment.”

Truth be told, if Jiang Hu always behaved like this, Mo Niannian wouldn’t mind completing her task peacefully.

But…there was something about Jiang Hu that unsettled her, as if, once entangled with him, escape would be impossible.

That was why she resisted so much.

She had no wish to lose herself to a mission.

Forget it—let things unfold as they would. Mo Niannian had never been one to rack her brains until the very last moment.

Jiang Hu’s culinary skills were as impeccable as ever, just as they’d been in the previous world, perfectly suited to her tastes.

After probing him with a few questions to make sure he had no recollection of their past lives, she finally relaxed.

Setting down her chopsticks, she began to shoo him away. “Aren’t you going to leave?”

Jiang Hu smiled gently. “I will always be by your side, Master.”

The thought of being shadowed endlessly by such a persistent soul sent a chill down Mo Niannian’s spine. “There’s no need. I won’t disappear, and besides, don’t you have things to attend to?”

Jiang Hu’s army was camped not far from here, and the Emperor of Nanming was still living in constant fear.

Jiang Hu was no longer the man he used to be; countless matters awaited his attention. He really shouldn’t be idling here with her, right?

“You are more important, Master.”

If not for her, he wouldn’t be doing any of this.

Mo Niannian forced a smile. “Your great ambitions are more important.”

Wouldn’t it be better for the male lead to focus on his grand pursuits?

My friend, if you focus on your career, you’ll rule the entire continent one day!

Jiang Hu lowered his eyes, hiding the sorrow within them. His master truly did not care for him.

“Rest well, Master.”

He rose and left the little manor he had so meticulously prepared.

His subordinates were all gathered at the camp five kilometers away, waiting for his orders.

Jiang Hu mounted his horse and rode over.

“Boss is back!” someone shouted, and the entire camp erupted in cheers.

Most of these men had followed Jiang Hu through life and death for three years. If not for him, they’d have been buried on the battlefield.

They truly admired and were devoted to Jiang Hu.

He pulled the reins and dismounted, immediately surrounded by his men.

“Congratulations on your marriage, Boss!”

“Haha, wishing you and our sister-in-law a lifetime of harmony!”

“I’m a rough man, can’t say anything fancy, but I hope in three years you’ll have two kids!”

“You idiot, do you want to wear the boss out?”

“Says who? Boss must be overjoyed! Look at the shadows under his eyes—last night, haha…”

A faint joy rose in Jiang Hu’s eyes.

Nothing had happened last night. His master was more addictive than any poppy; he feared that once he tasted it, he’d never be able to stop.

He was waiting for the day she would come to him of her own will.

Jiang Hu gathered his officers for a brief meeting.

Today, he had come to disband the unit.

He took out all his savings, intending to send them home. After all they’d been through together, he couldn’t bear to be harsh.

As soon as he finished speaking, silence fell over the men.

“Boss, I’m not leaving. I said I’d follow you for life.”

“That’s right, we’re not leaving.”

“What do you mean by this, Boss? Are you abandoning us?”

Jiang Hu’s expression remained calm. “I told you long ago.”

“But Boss—”

Everyone turned to the ‘strategist’ among them for help.

The strategist looked frail but was full of cunning ideas. His eyes flickered as he spoke up: “Boss, I really don’t think you should do this. Even though you’ve married our sister-in-law, you know her identity—the Regent Prince could change his mind at any moment.”

“And besides, Boss, there are too many uncertainties in this world. Can you really guarantee she’ll always stay by your side?”

His words struck Jiang Hu’s sore spot, and a chilling aura burst from him, sharp as a drawn sword.

The strategist continued, “Boss, only by holding everything in your own hands can you have absolute control.”

They had all once served Nanming, but with such incompetent leaders, what future did common soldiers have?

Nanming deserved to fall long ago.

Jiang Hu was cold and merciless, but better than most. At least he didn’t stoop to despicable means.

They wanted to follow him and build a brighter future.

Jiang Hu’s fingers curled slightly, his eyes darkening. To hold everything in his grasp?

That way, his master would never be able to escape again.