Chapter 111 Between the Clouds (Part 1) There was regret, and there was jealousy. ...

Upon hearing Zhao Xun's words, Zhi Rou's chest suddenly sank. Considering his current situation, he dared not say more, only his breathing became rapid.

Zhi Rou looked at him, frowned, turned to find horses, called Xing Hui to help cover her, then hung the quiver on the saddle, and went out of the city through Wu Hua Gate with Zhao Xun.

The air was humid, and the clothes felt cool against my skin. Riding a horse made me feel as if I had wandered into a cold veil.

Zhao Xun led the way, explaining the general background of the matter to Zhi Rou in fits and starts.

Su Du discovered that several of Chang Yu's military officers had served under King Zhao after the two countries formed an alliance. Later, through King Zhao's recommendation to the Ministry of Personnel, they obtained official positions in the capital.

One of them held a low-ranking official position, yet was quite famous in the capital. Years ago, when the dynasty was at war with the barbarian army, in order to delay the war, he offered his eight-year-old son as a hostage, feigning peace talks to buy himself a respite and await reinforcements.

However, his son was eventually strangled by the enemy, and Han Rui was filled with grief and indignation. The "Elegy for My Son" he wrote at that time circulated in the capital. Its sorrowful and poignant words moved scholars to tears. When Han Rui entered the capital, his excellent calligraphy began to be sought after, and he was even hailed as "the Ouyang Xun of our time" in the calligraphy world.

Feng Gong had some acquaintance with this person, and the "Embrace Simplicity and Preserve Truth" hanging in his study was his calligraphy.

When Su Du first saw it, he felt that the strokes of the character "守" (shǒu, meaning "to guard") were somewhat familiar, but he didn't pay much attention to it at the time. It was only later, when Zhi Rou often read the notes in the library, that he noticed something amiss when he flipped through them in his spare time.

Su Du wished to meet this man, but faced many inconveniences in the capital. Therefore, he entrusted Feng Gong to deliver a message, hoping to lure him out of the city. However, before the message could be delivered, Han Rui had already set a date to return home on February 13th.

"Young Master did not want to attract attention, so he only took a few men and set off under cover of night to ambush outside the city. If he had succeeded, he should have returned yesterday, but I waited for him at the Feng family all night and did not receive a single word... Young Master did not allow us to tell the young lady about this. Although I do not know what Young Master's intention is, I think... you should know about these things."

Zhao Xun was an orphan adopted by Chang Yu on the battlefield, and he was devoted to Su Duji. Seeing that he had clearly found the young lady but was still alone, she felt a little sad for him, thinking that if something really happened to the young master, the young lady should be by his side.

The terrain around Beijing is undulating, with mountains and rivers intertwined. Zhi Rou and her companion traveled forty li on the official road without seeing a single person.

Su Du, intending to abduct someone, would certainly not choose a crowded place to carry out his plan. Zhi Rou urged her horse forward while keeping an eye on her surroundings. After traveling another ten miles, her horse was getting tired, but she still had no clues.

Zhi Rou reined in her horse, its hooves clattering on the ground. She looked into the distance and saw that the road was clean but deserted, which seemed suspicious.

Hearing the noise behind him, Zhao Xun turned around and glanced back. He also tightened the reins, and as he adjusted his horse, he met Zhi Rou's wary gaze.

She had acted impulsively this morning, following Zhao Xun based on a single sentence. Now, thinking back, she couldn't help but feel suspicious. There was no trace of Su Du along the way; was he lying to her?

As the morning mist dissipated, the girl's face appeared exceptionally radiant and cold in the sunlight. She held the reins, her gaze moving from his face down to the saddle. He carried no weapon; perhaps he was truly in a hurry.

"What did you discover, young lady?" Zhao Xun asked, his thick eyebrows furrowed and his lips clenched.

The cloud of doubt quickly dissipated in her heart. Perhaps deep down, she trusted Su Du and therefore believed that his subordinates would not harm her.

With the sound of eagles circling overhead, Zhi Rou looked up and glanced at them, then turned her head to look for a higher position, where she spotted a mountain peak.

Did he lead people to the path on the cliff?

With a flick of her wrist, as she turned the horse, Zhi Rou called out to Zhao Xun, "Over here!"

...

When Zhi Rou found Su Du on the mountain road, he was covered in knife wounds, leaning against a stone tablet like a withered tree, his face as white as paper, and he was almost lifeless.

Many people lay dead beside him. The one closest to him was dressed in fine robes and had a burly build; he was probably the official Zhao Xun had mentioned who wrote "Elegy for My Son." Both were veterans of the battlefield, and when forced into a desperate situation, they would fight back with their lives on the line. Most of the wounds on Su Du's body were probably inflicted by him.

Zhi Rou quickly pushed the person aside and checked Su Du's pulse. His pulse was weak, but thankfully it was still beating. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to call Zhao Xun to come and help.

Su Du had lost most of his blood, but his body was very heavy. Just as they lifted him onto the horse and settled him in place, his front half fell back down, pressed against the horse's neck.

Zhi Rou mounted her horse and sat behind him. She glanced around and instructed Zhao Xun, "You stay and deal with them. I'll take him back to the city." She held the reins firmly and was about to set off when she suddenly hesitated.

There was a distance between here and the city, and she was afraid that Su wouldn't be able to hold on. But looking around, she could see nothing but the shadows of insects and beasts.

The closest place to here... should be Changfeng Camp.

Wei Yuanzhan was there.

She twisted her knuckles slightly and looked down at Su Du, whose back was covered in wounds and whose face was completely bloodless. He was now lying on his horse's mane, looking disheveled and at the mercy of others.

He couldn't wait.

Zhi Rou wants to save him, but if she rashly goes to the military camp to find Wei Yuanzhan, she might not even be able to see him. If she brings Su Du there, will it cause him trouble?

My thoughts are tangled together and I can't sort them out.

After a moment, Zhi Rou gritted her teeth, bent down and rummaged around the saddle, took out a dark-colored long robe and draped it over Su Du's shoulders. With a shout, she spurred her horse and rode away.

The guards of Changfeng Camp stood solemnly at the gate with their long spears, and after more than ten days of training by Commander Wei, they finally looked somewhat imposing.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves came rushing over. The lead guard stepped forward to intercept them and shouted sternly, "Who brought the message? Dismount at once!"

The man immediately pulled on the reins and dismounted, saying, "Please inform Commander Wei that I have urgent business to discuss!"

Just as he was about to dismiss him, he glanced to the side and saw a dark shadow on the horse's back, which looked like a person.

When he looked back at him, he found the boy strange and, not daring to dismiss him unnecessarily, asked, "Name?"

"Song Si".

"Wait here." The guard said, glancing warily at him before leaving, then gave instructions to his colleagues and strode into the camp.

When the report reached Wei Yuanzhan's tent, he had just returned from the training ground and had practiced with his subordinates for a while. He was covered in sweat, so Changhuai fetched water for him to wash up and handed him clean clothes.

Wei Yuanzhan loosened his belt and hurriedly washed himself, asking Changhuai, "Has my sister written to me these past few days?"

After he arrived at Changfeng Camp, he went to the East Mansion less often. Given the circumstances, it was best to avoid it to prevent any impropriety from being reported by the court against his father.

Chang Huai replied, "No. But when I visited you last time, didn't you say that you were much more cheerful? You've always been a competitive and thrifty person, so I'm not worried."

Wei Yuanzhan smiled slightly, then suddenly heard a commotion outside the tent, as if someone was reporting something.

Without revealing his expression, he turned his back, and sure enough, a large hand lifted the tent flap, and Lan Ye rushed in, his tone anxious: "Master, it seems to be the Fourth Miss!"

Zhi Rou? Wei Yuanzhan raised an eyebrow, then grabbed a towel to wipe himself, put on his clothes, tied his belt, and put on his outer robe. Chang Huai quickly brought him a turban and fastened it for him.

He straightened his clothes and asked as he walked, "What happened?"

Lan Ye knew little, only that the guards had reported "Song Si," and she immediately assumed it was the Fourth Miss.

Zhi Rou didn't wait long outside the gate, but she felt as if countless crickets were chirping in her mind, as if thousands upon thousands of sounds had passed by.

She felt a little anxious and looked up at Su Du, who was still unconscious. She was worried that he would be uncomfortable if he stayed in this position for too long, so she gently lifted his arm and tried to help him off the horse.

Being a woman, despite her considerable strength, dealing with a man who was completely uncooperative was no easy task.

Zhi Rou was extremely careful, almost using her body to support him, taking a slight step back to drag him off the horse little by little.

Just as it was about to be completed, suddenly with a "bang," Su Du's gravity pressed down on Zhi Rou, causing her to fall backward to the ground.

She groaned softly, her bones aching and numb. She moved her forearm to push him away, causing some of the bloodstains on his body to smear onto her clothes.

Despite the dire situation in front of the camp, the guards of Changfeng Camp didn't even glance at Zhirou, only glancing at him out of the corner of their eyes, thinking to themselves that this kid was really in a sorry state.

Zhi Rou was completely unaware of their sympathy. She sat up and looked at Su Du again.

A moment later, a chorus of greetings rang out from below. Her heart pounded, and she turned her face away, saying, "Wei..." The name caught in her throat as she hesitated.

When Wei Yuanzhan saw Zhi Rou's appearance, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly went over to help her up and looked her over, asking, "Where are you hurt?"

She said she was fine, her gaze lowered to her feet: "He's the one who's injured. Could you please ask your military doctor to treat him?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Yuanzhan lowered his gaze, his gentle eyes instantly becoming rough.

The person lying on the ground is Su Du.

Wei Yuanzhan couldn't quite describe how he felt about his once cunning and fierce opponent, now reduced to this state, lying lifeless beside his boots.

But Zhi Rou wanted him to live, so he had no choice but to obey her.

Wei Yuanzhan glanced at Lan Ye, who frowned and reluctantly stepped forward, squatting down. Zhi Rou helped him lead the man behind him, smoothing out his outer garment to cover all the bloodstains.

The rest of the Changfeng Battalion were all training. Changhuai went to find the army doctor, and Lanye carried Su Du straight into Wei Yuanzhan's tent.

Compared to the yurts on the grassland, it is not luxurious, but it is quite bright and spacious. Sand tables and desks are placed on both sides, and a screen stands behind to separate the two sides. After going around the screen, you can see the interior furnishings, which are the same as those in the bedroom.

Lan Ye placed the person on the bed, while Zhi Rou stood at the foot of the bed, her brows furrowed and silent.

Before long, the army doctor came to see him and found several knife wounds on his chest and back, with blood already soaking into his undergarments. He cut them open with scissors, revealing a gruesome sight of flesh and blood. Zhi Rou pursed her lips, turned around, and left behind the screen.

Although he was standing outside, he could still hear what was happening inside. The military doctor, Commander Huai, turned him over and held him firmly. Then there was the sound of light silk tearing.

Zhi Rou had been traveling all the way without even having breakfast and was already exhausted. However, Su Du's life or death was still unknown. She wanted to rest for a moment, but her chest wouldn't let her, and kept bumping against her.

She never knew that she could be so concerned about his life or death.

Seeing Zhi Rou step out from behind the screen, Wei Yuanzhan followed, his gaze lowered. Her figure was forlorn, and her fingers were trembling.

He frowned slightly.

Sensing someone approaching, Zhi Rou didn't move. The comforting warmth enveloped her skin. She turned her head and glanced at him. The soft light from inside the tent brushed against Wei Yuanzhan's eyelashes, casting some delicate shadows under his eyelids.

She relaxed her body, slowly extended her fingers, and took his hand.

Wei Yuanzhan said, "Go wash your face, I'll stay here."

He didn't ask anything. His hands weren't as hard as they looked. Zhi Rou held his hand, and it was as warm as a furnace. Once someone like her, who was afraid of the cold, was taken in, she wouldn't want to let go.

Zhi Rou shook her head.

Wei Yuanzhan noticed that she was distracted, and for the first time realized that she truly cared about her brother.

A complex mix of emotions swirled in my mind: conflict, relief, regret, and jealousy.

"Wash it off, it won't come off easily later," he said in a low voice, almost jokingly. "Don't you trust me?"

Lan Ye appeared at the right moment, his eyes fixed respectfully on Zhi Rou's face, intending to lead her to the other side.

She had injuries, but she herself was unaware of them. Wei Yuanzhan did not point them out, but instead gave Lan Ye a look.

Zhi Rou glanced back at the screen, then at Wei Yuanzhan, and finally agreed, following Lan Ye out of the tent.

The sounds of military drills occasionally echoed in the air, and wisps of white smoke rose from nearby chimneys as the camp cooks prepared meals after their morning exercises.

Lan Ye led Zhi Rou to a small tent next door and brought in a fresh basin of water.

There was also a bed inside, with a screen in the middle. Lan Ye put down the water, went around to the other end and asked, "Fourth Miss, are you done washing up? Would you like to rest for a while?"

The words were still friendly, but the next sentence, deliberately concealing a complaint, said, "That person is badly injured and will need another hour or so."

Zhi Rou did not respond to him.

Lan Ye couldn't understand it, and after a long pause, he asked, "Why did Fourth Miss save him?"

The tone, coming through the screen, sounded somewhat disgruntled: "We encountered Young Master Song twice in Lingcheng. If it weren't for that hurricane, or the sufficient grain stored in the city, we would have already turned into dust."

Zhi Rou was also puzzled as to why she saved him.

When she heard Zhao Xun's first words, her proper reaction should have been caution, not a moment of panic.

If you can't figure it out, there's generally only one answer.

She couldn't tell Lan Ye that, hearing his anger, she knew Wei Yuanzhan hadn't told them about her background.

Zhi Rou refused to answer, but after pondering for a long time, she still replied, "...I was asked to do this."

She was vague in her words, and Lan Ye, mindful of his master's concerns, did not bother her any longer and quietly took his leave.

The military doctor stayed in the tent for an hour.

Su Du was in good health; his knife wound had been treated and his life was not in danger, but his fever had not subsided and he remained unconscious for a long time.

As dusk fell, Zhi Rou and Wei Yuanzhan ate together, and in between, they went to visit Suzhou a few times. Then they came out again, and Zhi Rou sat in front of the sand table with her cheeks in her hands.

She asked Lan Ye to send a message to Xing Hui, saying that she would not be returning to the manor tonight and begging her to cover for her.

This was also the first time Wei Yuanzhan had spent the night in a military camp since returning to the capital.