Chapter 78: Raising the Banner to Lead the Soul
The morning light gradually colored the sky, leaving only a single white star hanging in the indigo sky. A gentle breeze rustled through the dense reeds.
The three men rode to a quagmire and hesitated to move forward.
The wild paths along the south bank of the Ying River were hidden among the reeds, far away from the hustle and bustle of the official road. Although this remoteness could avoid the eyes and ears of pursuers, it came at a cost: it was midsummer flood season, and days of heavy rain had turned this lowland into a patchwork of quagmires.
The three of them had to pull the reins from time to time to test the depth, and every time the horse's hooves landed, they would make a sticky sound of water.
In the morning mist, the swamp before my eyes stretched for miles. The turbid water surface was covered with rusty foam, and rotten reeds appeared and disappeared in the mud.
In the desolate swamp, a few egrets took off in surprise.
Prince Huainan suddenly stopped and glanced around with narrowed eyes.
He hadn't encountered a single pursuer along the way; it was truly unusual. If the enemy had set an ambush here... He instinctively tightened his grip on his sword. In the mire, even the most agile rider would be trapped.
The three of them took a few steps back at the same time, their boot heels sinking into the soft mud.
When they were in a dilemma, a few flames suddenly lit up in the reed marsh in the distance, flickering in the hazy morning mist.
Feng Yanyuan stared for a moment, then was suddenly stunned: "Commander Xiao?!"
The torchlight column approached, illuminating the figures of dozens of sturdy soldiers. They shouldered bundles of reeds and skillfully rolled them into the mud. The bundles joined together, creating a floating bridge over ten feet wide across the turbulent waves. Commander Xiao took a test step on the bridge, finding it slightly sunken but solid and usable.
When he got closer, he looked up and saw the three people led by the King of Huainan. His dark face immediately broke into a smile. He knelt on one knee and clasped his fists and said, "God bless your Highness! I am really here to support you!" Then he turned and ordered, "Add two auxiliary bridges, quickly!"
"Have you checked for ambushes around?" The morning dew on the shoulders of King Huainan fell as he moved.
"Ambush?" Xiao Tong was startled at first, then he clapped his hands and laughed, "How could there be an ambush! Thanks to the prince's brilliant foresight! Those rats are celebrating their victory in the Ruyin County Magistrate's Mansion right now!"
He went down the river to Laoya Ferry, where he happened to meet a spy who reported that the bandits had indeed salvaged a charred corpse and found the prince's jade pendant, and they happily sent them to the Ruyin County Magistrate's Mansion to seek credit.
Commander Xiao couldn't help but chuckle, "That idiot even sealed the victory report to Luoyang with gold clay."
King Huainan was full of suspicion, "But... those people have clearly discovered my whereabouts in Yingchou Bay..." After saying that, he glanced at Feng Yanyuan.
Feng Yanyuan frowned slightly.
Commander Xiao was completely unaware of the two men's concerns. He simply grinned and said, "The accommodation has been arranged. It's the villa of the Ruan family of Chenliu, on the banks of the Ying River. The Ruan family has made very good arrangements. I was worried about the swamps and potholes along the road, but when I entered the farm, I saw these bundles of reeds! I thought, what a coincidence!"
The Prince of Huainan no longer hesitated. Taking advantage of the dim morning light and the quiet streets, the group hurried to the manor. After a brief rest, the prince took a seat at the qingtan table in the hall and listened to Commander Xiao's detailed report.
Before they set out, they reviewed possible enemies and friends along the way.
The Ruan family of Chenliu is a prominent and distinguished clan, renowned for its noble character. But in this turmoil, their ultimate decision is anyone's guess. However, the journey north is filled with crucial locations guarded by the Prince of Zhao's trusted aides. The Ruan family, a century-old patriarchal clan, boasts extensive branches and branches, with students and former officials throughout Yan and Yu provinces. If they want to establish connections, they have no choice but to rely on the Ruan family's influence.
Fortunately, the reply arrived sooner than expected. The few words on the gold-sprinkled paper put everyone's minds at ease.
There is finally some light along the way.
This manor is located in a remote and secluded area. All necessary living arrangements are meticulously prepared, along with travel gear, carriages, and even necessary customs documents. Combined with pre-arranged assistance, the prince's journey north is virtually guaranteed. Unfortunately, due to the King of Zhao's presence, the Ruan clan cannot come in person to pay their respects.
After hearing Commander Xiao's report, King Huainan's face gradually turned as pale as paper.
"Your Majesty...?"
After Commander Xiao finished his report, noticing the prince hadn't responded for a long time, he mustered up the courage to look up. He saw the Prince of Huainan looking utterly pale, beads of sweat rolling down his cheeks. He was horrified, wondering if all he had just said was good news—could it be that the prince had grasped some hidden concern that he hadn't?
Yun Yuan, just as she was entering with tea, paused at the sight. She had noticed something strange about the prince's expression the moment she entered the manor, but it had returned to normal in a split second, and she had thought she'd misjudged him. Now, his lips were a dark blue, his face a pale white. He forced himself for a long moment before squeezing out a few words, "Very good... Please step aside... Allow me... to rest a little..."
Before he could finish his words, his teeth were clenched and his eyes were closed.
Commander Xiao was full of doubts, but he didn't dare to say much, so he could only retreat hesitantly.
Yun Yuan waited until Commander Xiao's footsteps faded away, then hurriedly pulled out a celadon medicine bottle from her sleeve. "Your Highness, have you been poisoned? This poison is eroding your bones and burning your heart. Your Highness, please take it quickly to relieve it..."
Before she could finish her words, King Huainan suddenly jumped up and knocked her to the ground with a palm.
"Damn antidote! Do you really want me to..." A sharp pain suddenly hit him, and a beast-like roar rolled out of his throat. His ten fingers that were supporting the table left several bloody marks.
Yun Yuan looked at the prince who was convulsing in pain, tears welling up in her eyes, but she simply bowed deeply and said, "I will wait outside the door."
She tiptoed out of the study and closed the carved wooden door tightly, locking all the unbearable pain inside the vermilion lacquer door.
The girl stood outside the door, her slender body trembling slightly as the tables and chairs inside the room toppled over. Every suppressed roar that escaped through the crack in the door felt like a blunt knife slicing at her heart. Silent tears streamed down her face, leaving dark marks on the bluestone floor.
In a trance, she saw that scene again—she was also looking at her mother in a state of bewilderment. The mother who had always been calm and elegant in her eyes was now curled up on the couch with disheveled hair, sometimes cursing loudly, sometimes begging for death, and sometimes holding her tightly in his arms, his ten fingers deeply digging into her tender arms, and hot tears falling on her neck: "My Yuan'er... What will you do in the future..."
There was no antidote then.
How she wished there was an antidote then.
Even if my mother becomes a puppet,
Better than watching her being torn apart by the pain.
It's better than being separated from each other from now on.
Yun Yuan leaned against the vermilion lacquer door, tears falling like pearls, her frail shoulders trembling uncontrollably. She hadn't noticed Feng Yanyuan approaching quietly. He heard a muffled thud from inside the house, and saw the celadon medicine box clutched tightly, her knuckles white. He knew what was going on. A thousand words choked in his throat, ultimately fading into a silent sigh. He gently gathered the weeping, shattered little body into his arms.
As dusk deepened, the noises of Prince Huainan in the house finally subsided. It was unknown whether he fainted from the pain or simply fell asleep.
Feng Yanyuan's chest suddenly sank as he realized the woman in his arms had fallen silent, her entire body limp against his shoulder, as soft as a willow catkin. He lowered his gaze to see the girl's eyes closed, tears still glistening on her lashes, her breath flowing like spring water. The thrilling day and night, coupled with the heartbreaking sobbing just now, must have worn her frail body to the bone, and she had fallen asleep standing there.
A wave of helpless tenderness welled up in the young man's heart. He froze, not daring to move, even breathing softly, fearing that if he woke her, this stubborn person would refuse to sleep again. As dusk deepened, the light and shadow under the corridor changed from gilded to thick ink. The evening breeze blew past, lifting a few strands of her hair and causing a slight itch on his neck.
Suddenly, a dull pounding sound rang out from inside the house, and Yun Yuan jolted awake. When she opened her eyes, darkness had already enveloped the courtyard. Only Feng Yanyuan's deep eyes, blazing in the darkness, were filled with unwavering pity.
I had actually slept for so long? He... had just been standing like this?
"Pharmacist..." A hoarse voice from King Huainan came from inside the house, his breath was almost weak.
"The servant is here."
Yun Yuan replied softly, her delicate hands gently pushing the carved door. With a soft creak, her figure was swallowed up in the darkness.
The desk candlestick was lit.
In the flickering flames, the face of the King of Huainan suddenly emerged—in just one day, this once awe-inspiring prince had become emaciated, as if invisible hands had eviscerated decades of his life in just six hours. His withered, branch-like palm slowly rose, veins crisscrossing it like a coiled dragon.
Yun Yuan quickly opened the celadon medicine box and respectfully presented the vermilion pill.
With trembling fingers like withered branches, the King of Huainan lifted the pill. He suddenly let out a wry smile, "I...overestimated myself after all." As he tilted his head back and swallowed the antidote, his Adam's apple rolled with difficulty. "I can't be so embarrassed...there are still too many unfinished business."
The room was silent for a moment.
As the drug took effect, the King of Huainan took a deep breath. Surprisingly, the gnawing pain hadn't returned. The long-lost peace and tranquility made him sigh unconsciously, like a drowning man suddenly finding driftwood.
"I... had some doubts about the pharmacist at first." King Huainan spoke in a gentle voice, his body gradually sinking into the mattress, even his knuckles stretching out.
"I've suddenly figured out the reason these past few days." He turned his head to look at the person beside the bed, "Pharmacist, look up."
Yun Yuan raised her eyes as she was told.
"You... look a lot like an old friend."
The girl's eyelashes trembled slightly.
"It is this inexplicable familiarity that makes me, who is used to conspiracies..." A tired smile appeared on the corner of his lips, and his eyelids slowly drooped. "I actually suspected some kind of spy trick." Suddenly, he forced his eyes open again. "Will you blame me?"
Yun Yuan shook her head gently: "Your Majesty has been very kind to me, and I am grateful."
The King of Huainan's smile suddenly drifted away, his gaze penetrating her and gazing into the past. "She was like you, as quiet as the moon at banquets, and on the hunting ground..." He suddenly laughed out loud, "She is a woman who is as good as a man, and her riding and archery skills are even better than those of men."
Yun Yuan's lowered neck bent into a graceful arc, and her fingertips tightened her belt.
"What a pity that things in this world are so unpredictable!" King Huainan suddenly sighed, "In this world... the day is like an eternal night, evil spirits are rampant... It's such a pity..." The last syllable gradually faded away like whispers in a dream.
When Yun Yuan raised her eyes again, she saw that King Huainan had fallen into a deep sleep. His previously withered face actually showed some color, as if a dead tree had come back to life.
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