Winning the male lead

Le Tian quickly hooked his arms around Zhao Xin’s neck and whispered, “Brother-in-law, save me.”

Zhao Xin was caught off guard by the sudden bear hug. Just as he was about to push him away, the name Yun Le Tian sounded familiar. He turned his head and asked, “Are you… the young marquis of Dingyuan Marquis Manor?”

Le Tian nodded frantically. “Brother-in-law, that guy wants to molest me. Save me!”

Zhao Xin patted his arm. “Get down first.”

Le Tian reluctantly let go, slipping behind him and clutching his sleeve tightly. He told his system, “Wow, my brother-in-law smells so good. Such a manly scent.”

System: “…” Zhao Xin had been rushing on the road day and night. What scent could there be?

Zhao Xin stood in front of Le Tian. Ge Chengyu, legs clamped together, was in so much pain that his temples throbbed. He snapped, “Who are you, some random man? Mind your own business and stay out of this, or else!”

Zhao Xin originally wanted to clarify the situation before making a judgment, but hearing such foul language, he frowned slightly. Behind him, his guards immediately drew their swords with a sharp “shing” sound. “Who do you think you are, speaking to our general like that?!”

Ge Chengyu was startled by the display of weapons.

Zhao Xin, having spent years at war, was unfamiliar with the capital’s aristocracy. He waved a hand at his subordinates and clasped his fists toward the now pale-faced Ge Chengyu. “I am Zhao Xin. May I ask which noble son you are? Perhaps you can grant me the courtesy of settling this matter peacefully?”

Behind him, Le Tian called out, “Brother-in-law, he bullied me! What’s there to settle? Beat him up!”

“Yun Le Tian!” Ge Chengyu was furious. He reached out to grab him, but Zhao Xin intercepted him with an arm. Though he appeared like a refined scholar, his strength was formidable, as if his arms were made of iron. Ge Chengyu felt like he was caught by a tiger’s claw and yelped, “Ow, ow, ow! Let go! It hurts!”

Zhao Xin spoke in a calm tone, “Since you won’t give me any respect, would you at least give my hands a little courtesy?”

Ge Chengyu was in so much pain that he was on the verge of tears. “Fine, fine! You win!”

Only then did Zhao Xin release him. Ge Chengyu stumbled back three steps, yelping.

Zhao Xin glanced at him before turning to mount his horse again. However, Le Tian grabbed his sleeve. Zhao Xin looked back.

“Go home,” he said. “If he bothers you again, I will ensure justice for you.”

“My foot hurts. I can’t walk anymore,” Le Tian said matter-of-factly.

Zhao Xin knew about Le Tian’s leg condition and ordered his subordinates, “Go fetch a sedan chair.”

“I don’t want a sedan. I want to ride a horse.” Le Tian pointed at Zhao Xin’s white steed. “If you leave, what if he ambushes me on the way and beats me up? Or worse, molests me? By the time I come looking for you, it’ll be too late. You have to escort me home.”

Zhao Xin listened quietly to Le Tian’s unreasonable demands, then nodded and said gently, “Alright.” He mounted his horse first, then lifted him up effortlessly, placing him in front. Le Tian was amazed at his sheer strength—he barely exerted any effort. This realization made Le Tian secretly delighted.

As the crowd dispersed, he leaned back against Zhao Xin on purpose. “Brother-in-law, do you remember me?”

Zhao Xin lowered his gaze slightly. “Though I am betrothed to your sister, we are not yet married. By etiquette, you should not call me that.”

“I don’t care about etiquette,” Le Tian shamelessly declared. “I call you brother-in-law, so you are my brother-in-law.”

Zhao Xin did not argue further.

Le Tian noticed that, despite being a battle-hardened general, Zhao Xin had a gentle temperament. His speech was refined and elegant, making him a perfect match for Yun Qianshuang. Le Tian had initially assumed he

was just a rough warrior but now realized he was a scholar-general, a white-robed gentleman. It made him curious—what kind of muscles lay beneath that robe?

As he secretly drooled over the thought, Le Tian continued chatting. “Brother-in-law, you still haven’t answered me. Do you remember me?”

Zhao Xin had long forgotten. He had only met Yun Qianshuang a few times, let alone her younger brother. All he knew was that the young marquis of Dingyuan was a pitiful child who had been crippled since birth. That was the extent of his knowledge. But still, he replied gently, “Of course.”

“You’re lying! When I jumped into your arms, you clearly wanted to shake me off,” Le Tian accused with a sly smile.

Zhao Xin remained composed. “It was an instinctive reaction of a warrior, not because I didn’t recognize you.”

Le Tian told his system, “Wow, my brother-in-law can lie. Is he trying to protect my fragile little heart? What a kind man.”

System: “So you…?”

Le Tian: “I’m sticking to him for life!”

System: …It knew this would happen.

Le Tian asked, “Brother-in-law, how long will you be stationed in the capital?”

Zhao Xin replied, “Until next spring.”

It was already late autumn in the capital, and winter was approaching.

Le Tian continued, “When you leave next year, can you take me with you?”

Zhao Xin chuckled. When he smiled, his brows and eyes were warm and composed, making him look like he was indulging a naive child. He lowered his gaze and said, “You won’t make it. It’s too tough.”

“I just want to earn some military merits,” Le Tian declared openly. “Our Marquis Manor is full of widows and orphans. Every stray cat and dog thinks they can step on us. Look at that scumbag prince today. Just because I’m beautiful, he wanted to molest me. If I don’t earn some standing, people will trample all over us, and our family’s plaque will be smashed to bits.”

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the Marquis Manor. Zhao Xin dismounted and helped him down, saying gently, “It’s commendable that you want to bring honor to your family, but the military is dangerous. It’s not suitable for you. If you wish to secure an official position in court, I can recommend you.”

Le Tian grinned. “Brother-in-law, you’re so kind. My sister is gone, yet you still treat me so well. If she were alive, wouldn’t you have cut that little bastard to pieces for me just now?”

Along the way, Le Tian had been acting meek and harmless, making Zhao Xin think he was a poor little thing. Now, as he looked at the mischievous boy with a devilish smirk, he realized—this was no pitiful child, but a little troublemaker. His expression stiffened slightly as he spoke seriously, “A true general does not abuse his strength to bully the weak.”

“Oh…” Le Tian dragged out his response, blinking his eyes innocently. “I get it. Brother-in-law means I should ambush him and beat him up in secret.”

The attendants behind Zhao Xin were enraged by Le Tian’s blatant disrespect and were about to draw their swords again when Zhao Xin raised a hand to stop them. He looked at Le Tian without the slightest trace of anger and simply said, “Go home.”

Le Tian glared at him. “I don’t need you to order me around!” He then turned and hobbled into the Marquis Manor.

Zhao Xin’s trusted aide, Zhao Yuancheng, stepped forward indignantly. “General, are you really going to let that brat be so arrogant? Lady Yun was the most well-mannered noblewoman in the capital. How did her younger brother turn out like this? All looks, no character!”

Zhao Xin turned to look at him, his gaze filled with reproach. “How could he be the same as Lady Yun? He is the heir of the Marquis Manor, carrying the expectations of many. And with his physical disability, do you think his struggles are something an outsider can understand? Gossiping behind his back—Yuancheng, I’m very disappointed in you.”

Zhao Yuancheng turned red with shame, realizing his mistake, and quickly cupped his hands in apology. “I was wrong, General.”

Zhao Xin lifted his gaze to the entrance of the Marquis Manor. “The past few years must have been hard on them.”

Three years ago, before he left for war, the Marquis Manor had been a flourishing household. Now, in the blink of an eye, it was left with only widows and orphans. Zhao Xin sighed at the thought and said, “Change course. We’re going to the Prince of Xiang’s residence.”

Yun Le Tian thought that returning home meant he was safe, but trouble would surely follow.

Meanwhile, at the Prince of Xiang’s residence, Ge Chengyu was clinging to his mother and bawling. “That bastard Yun Le Tian kicked me! He almost crippled me!”

His mother, Lin Shi—once a courtesan, now a concubine of the Prince of Xiang—rushed off to complain tearfully to the prince.

The Prince of Xiang didn’t care much for his useless son, but after all, he was his only heir. And considering where he had been injured, the prince ground his teeth in fury. “That cripple from the Marquis Manor dares to bully my son? I’ll make sure Yun Le Tian crawls here to beg for forgiveness!”

Ge Chengyu continued crying but was secretly overjoyed, already plotting how he would humiliate that little beauty when he arrived.

Just then, a servant rushed in. “Your Highness, General Zhao is here to visit.”

The Prince of Xiang was still fuming. “Which General Zhao?!”

“General Zhao Xin.”

The prince’s mind went blank for a moment. “Zhao Xin?! Quick, invite him in!”

Zhao Xin was no ordinary general—he was the greatest warrior of the empire, both scholarly and valiant, the most trusted military commander of the emperor. Compared to him, the Prince of Xiang was just a royal idler. That Zhao Xin would visit his residence was a complete surprise.

The prince hastily turned to Ge Chengyu and barked, “You disgraceful fool, get out of here!”

Lin Shi tearfully helped him retreat into the inner chambers.

Zhao Xin arrived, weary from travel. The Prince of Xiang greeted him with a broad smile. “General Zhao, you have just returned from war. I should have been the one to welcome you properly. What brings you to my humble residence?”

Zhao Xin cupped his fists. “Your Highness is too kind.”

The Prince of Xiang gestured eagerly. “Please, have a seat! Bring tea!”

“No need for the trouble,” Zhao Xin declined outright. He got straight to the point. “I just saw the young prince and the young marquis of Dingyuan having a minor scuffle in the streets. They’re just children—it’s normal for them to fight. The Marquis Manor has some ties with me, so I thickened my skin to come here and ask Your Highness for a peaceful resolution. I hope you won’t trouble the young marquis over this matter.”

The Prince of Xiang hadn’t expected Zhao Xin to come for this reason. His son had conveniently left out any mention of Zhao Xin when whining earlier. Now Zhao Xin was here, saying he wanted to ‘seek peace,’ but wasn’t he just shielding the Marquis Manor?

The prince’s face turned red and white with frustration. He had just been ranting about making Yun Le Tian kneel, but now he had to swallow his words. He forced a smile and said, “Yes, yes, of course.”

Zhao Xin continued, “The young marquis is quite attractive, so it’s natural that he draws attention. I can understand that the young prince wishes to befriend him. But some lines shouldn’t be crossed, wouldn’t you agree, Your Highness?”

The Prince of Xiang knew full well what kind of son he had—a debauched playboy who chased after beautiful young men all day. It hadn’t even occurred to him that this altercation had such undertones.

Now, the prince’s face burned with shame. He leapt to his feet in rage. “I’ll go beat that disgraceful brat right now!” And off he stormed into the inner chambers to thrash his son.

Hearing the commotion inside, Zhao Xin turned to Zhao Yuancheng. “Let’s go.” With this, the Prince of Xiang’s son likely wouldn’t dare harass Yun Le Tian again.

Outside the residence, their white steeds awaited. Zhao Yuancheng stepped forward to hold Zhao Xin’s reins and sighed. “General, you’re truly devoted. Even Lady Yun’s younger brother is under your care.”

Zhao Xin mounted his horse and chuckled. “How does that make me devoted? I’m just lending a hand.”

Rumors had long spread through the capital that Zhao Xin and Yun Qianshuang were deeply in love. In reality, it was nonsense. He had barely met her a few times, and his lack of marriage wasn’t due to some lingering affection but simply because he had been too busy waging war.

Zhao Yuancheng, however, looked smug, as if he had seen through everything. “General, just admit it.”

Zhao Xin shook his head. “Forget it.”

After returning home, Zhao Xin quickly put the matter out of his mind.

The next morning, after finishing his morning training, Zhao Yuancheng came rushing in, panic-stricken. “General! This is bad! The young marquis is about to burn down the Prince of Xiang’s residence!”

Xin fell silent. “The Marquis Manor is not as strong as before. Don’t act recklessly.”