Chapter 31: Human hearts are unpredictable and softness brings disaster
In early winter, the days are short and long.
It was past the middle of the Yin hour, and the earth was still shrouded in the hazy night. Even the chirping of insects and birds was rarely audible, and the world had not yet awakened.
The city defense soldiers were still standing upright on the city walls on duty. Occasionally, when it was time to change shifts, the prisoners sleeping under the city walls could hear a few shouts overhead.
Those who were light sleepers were awakened from time to time, looking at the prisoners around them who were snoring loudly with envy.
After experiencing nights of camping in the suburbs with wind blowing from all directions, it was a rare opportunity to sleep a little longer in this windproof environment, and everyone took the opportunity to catch up on their sleep.
In a corner of the camp, most of the Xie family members were asleep, only Xie Zhen and Xie Wenjie were awake and watching things.
The officers rested outside, and the wind was cold tonight, so those with some status went into the tents. The others, who had no background or were young, had to keep an eye on the prisoners outside the tents.
After a whole night of tossing and turning, the tension was followed by fatigue. The deserters huddled outside to keep warm, and one of them took turns keeping an eye open every hour.
In the second half of the night, at the hour of Yin, when the officers and soldiers at the north city gate were changing shifts, most of them were so sleepy that they were staggering forward and backward, holding their swords stuck in the ground and resting them on the backs of their folded hands.
Every moment of nap counts.
Xie Zhen sat on the cold ground, opened the water bag and drank two sips of water, then handed the water bag to Xie Wenjie who was awake like her.
"Thank you, second sister."
"We are brothers, there is no need to be so formal."
Before drinking the water, Xie Wenjie pinched the bag. There was not much water left in it, so he took only a sip when he tilted his head back to drink.
Seeing this, Xie Zhen smiled and said, "It's okay to drink a few more sips."
Xie Wenjie returned the water bag to her, shook his head, and said softly, "There's no village or shop here, and I don't know how long I'll be staying here. There are many people at home, so I'd better save as much as possible."
Xie Zhen's eyes were a little surprised. What the other party said was right. She nodded and put the water bag on.
Around their feet and behind their backs were all things belonging to the Xie family. The bags that could be used as pillows had been taken away by their family members to sleep on, and the remaining things that would hurt their heads were placed next to them to prevent them from being stolen by others.
In the darkness of the night, amidst the deafening snoring in front, there was a tiny, rustling sound that was hard to hear unless you listened carefully.
Xie Zhen was careful. She squinted her eyes and looked towards the source of the sound. She raised her head and said to Xie Wenjie, "Someone is stealing something."
Xie Wenjie's eyes widened, and he saw Xie Zhen quietly raised his finger and pointed him in a direction.
Only then did Xie Wenjie follow the direction pointed by Xie Zhen and discovered the unusual movement.
"Several people died during the night, some of them were the only men in their families. The remaining orphans and widows will probably have a hard time navigating the road in the future."
"Then it depends on what the officials do."
Xie Zhen was much older than Xie Wenjie, and she had been a married woman before. She had lived under someone else's roof and depended on others for a few years. Her longing for life had long disappeared along with the trivial and dirty things in her daily life.
Only a young man like Xie Wenjie, who is full of vigor and vitality and has not been devastated by the darkness of life, can express such empathy.
Xie Zhen felt that this brother of the same clan was a good person! In times of crisis, Fei Nan did not abandon the Protectorate Mansion and turn to someone else's sect. Instead, he protected his family all the way. Now that Wen Ju failed, he ended up offending the minister.
When the living environment is bad, it is difficult to ensure that people's hearts remain unchanged.
She whispered to him, "Human hearts are unpredictable. From now on, don't sympathize with others easily. Even if you have to, make sure you are safe and have the energy to care for others. Remember?"
Xie Wenjie turned his head and glanced at her. Seeing her serious expression, he nodded and said, "Second sister, I'll remember the chapter."
"Yeah." Xie Zhen nodded with satisfaction.
Xie Wenjie headed towards the Songjiang government office, "I wonder when Sixth Brother and Hezhi will be able to return safely."
"Yeah, it's almost the morning hour." Xie Zhen's heart, which had just calmed down in the afternoon, couldn't help but be lifted again.
A member of the Xie family behind him touched the wound when he turned over and couldn't help but let out a hissing gasp.
Xie Zhen turned around and handed over a bottle of medicine left by his younger brother Xie Yuchuan, and whispered, "Here's the medicine, take it and then go to sleep."
"Thank you, Second Miss."
Xie Zhen felt melancholy at the long-lost greeting. He smiled and said, "Take the medicine and go to sleep, otherwise it will be even harder to get going tomorrow."
Xie Wenjie cleared his mind and looked around.
Inadvertently, I vaguely saw a group of soldiers escorting a few people back. It seemed that they were my sixth brother Xie Yuchuan and his brother of the same age Xie Wuying.
"Second sister, Sixth brother and the others are back!"
Xie Wenjie couldn't help but stand up excitedly.
The camp in the distance was dark and silent.
Xiong Jiushan brought Xie Yuchuan and the others back from the Songjiang government office. He did not bring them back to the tent to continue questioning them. He simply pointed to the area where the prisoners were resting and said, "Go back and get some sleep. We'll leave the city at daybreak."
He glanced at Xu Su's men beside him and said, "Thank you for your escort, the prisoner has returned to the team. Do you have any other instructions?"
Xiong Jiushan's words were very polite, but everyone present could tell that he was trying to chase someone away.
The military officer was most worried about this matter, so he was in a good mood and didn't bother with Xiong Jiushan.
He bowed to Xie Yuchuan and said gratefully, "Thanks to you for praying for the gods to save the captain today, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous! Time is short and I haven't been able to prepare a reward for you. I hope you don't mind. When the captain wakes up, I will inform you of the truth and you can make the final decision."
Xie Yuchuan lowered his eyes and nodded, responding softly.
"As long as Xu Su is safe and sound, that's all that matters."
The military officer pulled out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Xie Yuchuan with both hands. "Sir, this is a letter my captain wrote before we arrived. When you and your family arrive safely in Liaozhou, please give this letter to Commander Xu Zhen over there. Lord Xu is from a branch of the Xu family and will be able to take care of you."
Xie Yuchuan raised his hand to take it, lowered his eyes to look at the handwriting on it, and found that it was indeed written by his good friend Xu Su.
When he looked up again, he uttered a rare, long-winded sentence: "Your captain has an old illness from years ago. If he regains consciousness in the next two days, he should return to the capital as soon as possible and ask Master Xu to ask the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to take good care of him."
"I will keep this in mind."
"Then let's go. Be sure to take the medicine according to the dosage written on the paper."
Xiong Jiushan asked his men to search Xie Yuchuan and the other man. Apart from the wooden box given by Li Zhouquan, they did not find any other sharp weapons or other items, so he let them return to the team.
Before leaving Songjiang government office, Xie Yuchuan went to check on Xu Su's condition again. Judging from his complexion, he seemed to be fine.
The household god gave him the elixir while no one was paying attention.
Tu Huan explained the usage of each medicine in his ear, and he told the people who stayed beside him to serve Xu Su truthfully.
There is no time to lose.
Near dawn.
Xiong Jiushan went to inform Li Zhouquan and planned to bring Xie Yuchuan and others back.
When he left, the yamen runner next to him was carrying two bundles, each containing a human head.
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