ITF Chapter117

The Holy See announced the passing of the Pope but did not disclose the cause of his death. The papacy was a lifelong position; two successive Popes stepping down due to disappearance would inevitably damage the Church’s reputation if the world found out.

Fortunately, the common people were not interested in the details of the Pope’s death.

A servant of the Lord leaving the mortal world was naturally going to heaven to serve the Lord; the Pope’s death was far less worrying than the secular monarch’s struggle for the throne. The Urdan Revolutionary Army had already converged with their supporters on the outskirts of the capital, causing the situation to grow tense in an instant. Most young people had never experienced such a confrontation, while the older generation recalled the pain suffered during the war of national founding. War seemed on the verge of breaking out at any moment, and everyone across the nation felt insecure.

Even though the royal palace repeatedly tried to cover it up, Bai Heting’s speech in the Bania Valley still spread throughout the military. Although no one dared to speak of it openly, everyone understood it tacitly; the defending army had inevitably split into two factions. But contrary to what people imagined would happen, the revolutionary army was in no rush to attack the city after setting up camp outside. As if intending to display their resolve for a long-term campaign to the royal palace, they cleared several plots of wasteland outside the city.

By late April, the tedious and rigorous papal conclave finally came to an end, and the farmland on the outskirts of the capital had also grown into a lush, green expanse. Luo Congye squatted in front of a few unremarkable seedlings; his boots and sleeves smeared with filthy mud. Bai Heting stood beside him, idly turning a new dagger in his hand, though his eyes remained fixed on the few small seedlings, “Why plant these? They won’t bear fruit this year anyway.”

“What does that matter?” Luo Congye checked the leaves as he spoke. “Three years from now, when they bear fruit, we’ll come out of the city to pick them.”

“Why pick them?” Bai Heting’s tone grew increasingly disdainful. “They’re sour to death.”

Knowing that he disliked this kind of sharp, sour fruit, Luo Congye patiently explained, “Lemons are actually a good thing. As long as people on long voyages eat them, they won’t get scurvy. It’s quite miraculous.”

Sailors often contracted a strange illness during long-duration voyages. First, their joints would ache, and their teeth would loosen and fall out; severe cases would even lead to skin ulceration and death without cure. Although the symptoms of this disease were horrifying, the method of treatment was extremely simple—one only needed to consume lemons or citrus fruits.

Bai Heting let out a thoughtful “Oh.”

Luo Congye looked up at him, noticing that he was still staring at those few lemon seedlings while spinning the dagger in his hand absentmindedly.

“What are you thinking about?” Luo Congye asked.

Bai Heting asked in return, “You don’t like eating sweet things?”

The conditions during the march were limited; when Luo Congye made apple pies for him, he hadn’t eaten a single bite himself. Bai Heting had originally thought he just couldn’t bear to eat such a good thing, but looking at it now, it was probably just that apple pies weren’t to this guy’s taste.

He asked unhappily, “Then didn’t you eat those sweet dates quite happily?”

Luo Congye thought for a good long while before remembering what dates he was talking about. Four years ago, Mister Su once sent people to deliver sweet dates to the guards and servants in the General’s Mansion. He spoke the truth, “Back then, I couldn’t even manage to curry favor with you, how would I dare say they weren’t delicious?”

Bai Heting asked again, “You don’t need to curry favor now?”

“En,” Luo Congye answered honestly. “I don’t need to curry favor now.”

Bai Heting raised his foot to kick him, but Luo Congye’s reflexes were faster, throwing out a hand to catch his calf.

The light-colored breeches were smudged with yellow mud. Bai Heting glanced at his trousers, then at Luo Congye, his gaze turning cold, “An insolent thing that pushes its luck.”

Luo Congye hurriedly said, “This time, I really won’t dodge.”

The motion of Bai Heting swinging the blade paused slightly. But in that brief window of opportunity, the hand gripping his calf suddenly slid forward, continuing upward along the back of his knee to stroke his thigh.

“It got some mud on it.” Luo Congye smiled apologetically.

He was pulling a trick right out in the open. Bai Heting swung the dagger to stab again, and Luo Congye quickly raised his other hand, barely blocking the strike with his armguard.

This strike had been executed with sharp precision, leaving absolutely no margin for error. Despite the blazing sun overhead, Luo Congye broke into a cold sweat. “Bai Heting!” He said seriously. “Are you really not afraid that I won’t be able to dodge?”

“If you can’t dodge, it’s your own fault,” Bai Heting said, lowering his eyes. “Try calling me by my full name again.”

Before Luo Congye could reply, a deliberate cough suddenly came from not far away. The two turned their heads together and saw Zhong Xiao walking into the field.

Only then did Luo Congye release Bai Heting’s leg, brush the mud off his hands, and stand up.

“My father sent a letter.” Zhong Xiao waved the letter in her hand toward the two of them. “The Church refuses to recognize the late king’s marriage.” This was not good news, but her steps were light and brisk, and she seemed to be in a decent mood. “However, they won’t deny it either, on the condition that…” She made a helpless expression at Luo Congye, “…the Church retains all its rights and interests within the country, including all of their current territories.”

This was a blatant case of looting a burning house. Luo Congye said, “They certainly have the nerve to say that.”

A week earlier, Zhong Maoru had left the front lines to personally travel to the Holy See and meet the current Pope in audience. The new Pope was an Alpha over fifty years old, clearly a shrewd man who knew how to weigh the situation. He needed to build completely new alliances, but this ally had to possess sufficient value.

“Don’t worry,” Bai Heting said. “Politics is not a fairy tale, and we don’t have magic. The road must be walked step by step; do not fantasize about achieving success overnight.”

Luo Congye knew that this matter could not be rushed, but seeing how solemnly Bai Heting spoke, he couldn’t resist nodding in a mock-serious manner. He bent down again to help pat away the dried yellow mud on Bai Heting’s trousers, “Alright—everything shall be as General Bai commands.”

“I finally know why Bei Yang looks depressed all day long,” Zhong Xiao said, unable to watch any longer. “With the two of you acting like this every single day, which bachelor could possibly feel happy spending time around you two?”

She looked around at the lush, green farmland and said to Bai Heting, “When I first met him, he spent all day cooped up in the armory with that bunch of engineers tinkering with gunpowder. Look at him now, obsessed with farming. It’s hard to believe I’m currently standing inside a military camp.”

Luo Congye corrected her, “These are the military’s future rations.”

“Those over there are the military’s future rations.” Bai Heting gestured with his chin toward the other side, then looked back at the few lemon seedlings by Luo Congye’s feet, correcting him in turn, “These are your rations for three years from now.”

His tone did not sound like he was joking, and Luo Congye’s brow furrowed from the sheer imagined sourness.

“A commander who dislikes training troops is a rare sight in this world,” Zhong Xiao scoffed. “You are always neglecting your proper duties like this, which is why you can’t establish any prestige in the military.”

“As long as we can win, it doesn’t matter,” Luo Congye said dismissively. “Bei Yang is much better suited for that than I am.”

He patted away most of the dirt he had gotten onto Bai Heting’s trousers. Suddenly remembering something, he asked Bai Heting, “Speaking of which, Bei Yang’s troop training has been getting harsher and harsher lately. That wouldn’t happen to have something to do with you, would it?”

Not long ago, Bai Heting had gone to observe Bei Yang training the troops. Ever since then, the daily schedule and regulations in the military have undergone some adjustments that could practically be described as severe. Seeing that Bai Heting didn’t refute it, Luo Congye said helplessly, “You didn’t lecture him again, did you? His injuries haven’t fully healed yet, so don’t end up causing him some kind of internal injury.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Earl.” Bai Heting simply pretended not to hear him.

Looking at the other letter in Zhong Xiao’s hand, he changed the subject, “Is there anything else to report?”

Zhong Xiao also looked down at the letter, which bore Lin Zaichang’s seal on the envelope. A look of slight difficulty appeared on her face, and she did not answer immediately.

“Congratulations.” But Bai Heting spoke up even faster than she could.

Zhong Xiao pursed her lips, feeling somewhat at a loss.

She had heard about what happened to Bai Heting four years ago, and after receiving the letter today, she had been uncertain about how to break this joyful news to the two of them. She did not waste words, merely stating simply, “Both mother and child are safe.”

Bai Heting nodded with a smile, repeating once more, “Congratulations.”

Zhong Xiao’s manner was quite constrained, but by contrast, Luo Congye turned out to be the most exciting among the three. He snatched the dagger from Bai Heting’s hand, slid it back into its sheath for him, and then raised his arm to hook around his waist, pulling him into his own embrace.

The motion caused Bai Heting to stumble.

Luo Congye caught a glare from the person in his arms but feigned ignorance, lifting his head to gaze toward the towering city walls in the distance.

“It seems…” His voice was gentle, but his gaze darkened, “…we’ll have to use some victorious news to celebrate my little nephew’s birth.”

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