Part 3From the Ashes

Since the news of disbanding the military prostitutes came out, Peyton knew that many people secretly came to me to take me away.

But he never asked, nor did he step forward to declare his sovereignty.

As if he was sure I wouldn't leave with anyone.

He bit my ear gently, and I turned my head to avoid it.

He sneered:

"You've got quite a temper."

"After marrying the princess, nothing between us will change. I bought a house outside the city. That will be our home in the future."

He seemed to have forgotten the red plum blossoms placed on my windowsill that year.

Also forgotten that two years ago, when he regained what was lost and held me like a treasure in his palm, he once said:

"Rose, when the war is over, I will marry you and take you home."

What he genuinely wanted to marry was the stunningly talented legitimate daughter of the Qi family.

And in his eyes, I had been reduced to a military prostitute.

Everyone can give up on me.

But I can't give up on myself.

I smiled and leaned obediently in his arms without speaking.

Peyton didn't know that before I came here to see him, I sent a message to the Captain named Zane.

I agreed.

On the day Peyton married the princess, I would go back to River City to marry Zane.

This was the only way for me to escape this hell.

This great victory, allowing the soldiers to take their preferred military prostitutes away was a grace given to them.

It happened that Zane wanted to take me away, and it happened that he wasn't a bad person.

Someone from the imperial court came to announce the decree, and the generals were about to return to the capital first to receive awards.

That night, Peyton hosted a banquet to entertain those officials. In the main tent, glasses were clinking. Those people felt bored, and someone mentioned:

"I heard Rose is here with you?"

Their eyes crossed, some with restless minds:

"I've long heard of the reputation of the Capital's Peony. Not only is she proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but her dancing skills are also superb. Why not call her up to dance for everyone to liven things up."

Just dancing was already them caring about face.

Peyton had no reason to refuse.

When he sent someone to bring the dancing clothes, I was applying medicine to my body.

That dancing dress was almost transparent. After putting it on, it could barely cover the body, let alone cover these bruises made by Peyton.

I held the clothes and remained silent.

The person waiting outside the tent urged impatiently: "What's wrong? Can't you wear it? Do you want brother to help you?"

"I can't dance."

He was stunned and walked straight in.

"General Peyton ordered you to perform a dance. You dare not go?"

"Yes."

I pulled out the short knife that Peyton had given me for self-defense from under the pillow and stabbed it into my thigh.

In an instant, blood spurted out.

I said coldly:

"I said, I can't dance."

That person was scared by me and rushed out to report.

When Peyton came back after appeasing those people, he was cold all over.

He looked at my unbandaged wound, was silent for half a moment and asked:

"Things are different now, Rose."

"It's just asking you to dance. With your status, what position do you have to refuse?"

I looked up at him and asked indifferently:

"In your eyes, what is my status?"

He glanced at the outside of the tent out of the corner of his eye and snorted coldly:

"It seems that I have been too lenient with you on regular days. We will return to the capital tomorrow. Except for those military prostitutes who have written marriage contracts with soldiers, others will be sent to the labor camp according to the law. You also go there to temper your temperament. I'll pick you up after I report on my work in the capital."

I suddenly looked up.

He wants to send me to the labor camp?

He looked at me heavily for a while and turned to leave.

I knew Zane had already drawn up the marriage contract.

After Peyton left tomorrow, Zane would also take me back to River City.

He marries his princess.

I marry my man.

Perhaps in this life, this is the last time we meet.

"General Peyton."

I rarely called him that.

Peyton was stunned and stopped.

I bowed to him and thanked him for protecting me these two years.

"Have a safe journey. Rose won't send you off."