Chapter 28 Help Me
A silent, chilling atmosphere permeated the camp.
The smoke from the fire had not yet dissipated, blurring the view like mist after rain.
Another letter arrived outside the camp: "Aunt Duan is urging us to return to Jiangling. Those envoys from the Northern Chi tribe want to see you."
Rong Si flipped through Aunt Duan's letter.
The air pressure was extremely low until Rong Si broke the silence, "We'll set off tomorrow as usual. We'll settle this score later."
Zong Cheng nodded and they discussed it together. "We've used up most of our firepower. In a few days they'll be moving their capital, and their army will be at its peak. We're not at an advantage. Staying here might give them another excuse to wipe us out, which would be a huge loss."
There was an urgent matter in Jiangling, and they had to return.
When Chu Yu sent troops to clear the road again the next day, there were no bandits left in the suburbs.
This suited his wishes.
During dinner, Chu Yu added dishes to Yu Wanyin's plate while exaggerating, saying, "They did indeed take the benefits and weapons and then ran away."
Yu Wanyin took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled, remaining silent throughout the meal.
He added, "The relocation of the capital should not be affected in the future, so Yao Yao doesn't need to worry."
"I have nothing to worry about with you handling things," Yu Wanyin said, then asked, "How is your injury?"
"It's much better than that day, it won't affect our departure." Chu Yu mentioned, "Wu Zhou is out on business, could you help me change my dressing in a bit?"
Yu Wanyin agreed.
Chu Yu changed the dressing and treated the wound only after he had eaten.
It was the first time Yu Wanyin was changing someone's dressing. She sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers touching the man's waistband with great restraint.
I've been trying to figure it out for ages but I still can't.
Chu Yu watched her reaction quietly until her thin earlobes began to turn bright red.
He gently raised his hand, grasped her fingers on his waistband, and skillfully fiddled with them until the waistband buckle opened.
With a soft "thud," the slight sound sent a shiver down my spine.
Yu Wanyin pretended to calmly put away his waist sash, then turned her head and ran her fingers over his clothes, peeling off his garments layer by layer.
Even though there were only three layers, Yu Wanyin's cheeks still swelled up from peeling them.
It felt like a long time had passed.
Chu Yu's clothes were in bright colors, and his inner garments were all white.
This made him look very refreshed, even his complexion was radiant.
The man's physique was perfectly proportioned and graceful, with the bearing of a dragon and the bones of a phoenix, but the only flaw was the scabbed-over bloody wound.
Yu Wanyin lowered her eyes, not looking at him much, but just applied a little ointment to his wound.
Push along the outer edge of the wound towards the center.
She applied the medicine carefully, much gentler than a man like Wu Zhou.
It's like a clear spring enveloping you.
Even pain can be a form of pleasure.
As Chu Yu watched her intently applying the medicine, his eyes darkened in ways unseen by most.
He was very restrained in such matters before his marriage.
For him, desire was not as important as power.
There are always things and opportunities that are more attractive to him, leaving him no time to pay attention to anything else.
Even when young and passionate, love often comes and goes as it may.
Chu Yu never thought of himself as a person with strong desires.
I didn't think so before I got married.
As Yu Wanyin applied the medicine, the remaining space around her became smaller and smaller.
Looking up, they realized that they were now only a few feet apart.
Yu Wanyin subconsciously grabbed his shoulder as he leaned in slightly, touching the man's cool skin, and said awkwardly, "No."
Chu Yu lowered his eyelids, as if considering whether it was feasible.
He probably felt he had never been so forgetful of the pain once the wound healed.
Yu Wanyin stood up first, "We're about to set off. You can't do anything reckless until you're fully recovered."
Chu Yu remained silent.
Yu Wanyin could sense that the danger hadn't dissipated. "Your medicine is applied. Get some rest early. I'll go see if Wu Zhou has returned."
After she finished speaking, she put down her things and walked out.
She only breathed a slight sigh of relief when she heard that Chu Yu hadn't come out after she stepped out of the room.
If the wound is damaged further, he might not want his body anymore.
Yu Wanyin felt that she should stay away from him as much as possible.
The relocation of the capital took only a few days.
The things in the Prime Minister's residence have been almost tidied up.
Apart from trusted confidants, the other servants in the mansion were bought at the last minute, so naturally not all of them would be brought along.
This included some of Yu Wanyin's dowry.
Several servants ran back to the Yu residence, crying and complaining.
Nie was extremely annoyed and listened to their wailing from below, her forehead propped up by her hands.
“You said back then that going to the Prime Minister’s residence with the eldest daughter would mean a bright future for us. Now that we’ve been sent back, you should at least take us with you on the journey.”
"Yeah, are we supposed to just stay here and wait to die?"
The Nie family was already troubled by the fact that the relocation of the capital was imminent, but they had made no progress.
Hearing their complaints only made him more annoyed, so he slammed his hand on the table and yelled, "Shut up!"
The people below were startled and fell silent.
Nie stood up, pointed at them, and said, "Everyone is in danger these days. We don't even know what will become of us. You come to me for help, but who am I supposed to come to for help?!"
"Get out! All of you, get out!"
Nie summoned her attendants, had them collect their indentures, and sent them away.
This was the scene that Yu Heyue saw when she entered the room.
She knew what was troubling her mother lately, so she didn't dare to utter a sound when she entered the room and obediently served tea and snacks, saying, "Mother."
Nie Shi's anger had not yet subsided. She looked up at Yu Heyue and suddenly overturned the tea and snacks in her hands. "It's all because of you, you useless thing!"
Yu Heyue knelt before Madam Nie, not daring to utter a single word.
“If you had just been a little more ambitious and had gone to the palace banquet that day to save face for your mother, your mother wouldn’t be in such a predicament now.”
Yu Heyue lowered her head and listened to the instruction.
No matter how much she was scolded, she didn't want to go to the Prime Minister's residence again.
She always heard her mother mention that palace banquet, which made her elder sister famous.
But she didn't envy her older sister's fame at all.
She had known all along that her parents loved their son more than their daughter.
He would give up his daughter as a favor if offered any benefit.
Father's current position as censor was obtained by exchanging my elder sister for it.
A few days before that palace banquet, she made some pastries as usual and went to deliver them to her father.
I overheard my father discussing something with someone.
"Your position as censor is just one step away from being filled. If you can offer Marquis Jiang some attractive benefits, he will naturally promote you to that position."
The next day, her father, who had never thought of her sister before, suddenly wanted to take her to a palace banquet.
She was so frightened that she pretended to be sick and stayed at home, fearing that her father would give her away to the over-fifty-year-old Marquis Jiang as a favor.
Her mother always criticizes her for this, and it's unclear whether she genuinely doesn't understand or is just pretending.
Or is it simply jealousy of her older sister's good luck?
Perhaps the mother felt fortunate, thinking that if it had been her that night, Old Marquis Jiang would have died suddenly.
She gained fame without suffering humiliation.
Yu Heyue now understands that people are different.
For example, in the Prime Minister's residence, the elder sister could endure being accompanied by tigers and wolves.
She can't.
No matter how Nie scolded her, she remained silent, as if her anger had been vented on nothing but cotton. "You, now go to the door and kneel down!"
"Don't get up without my permission!"
Yu Heyue nodded slightly, "Yes."
She walked out of the room and knelt on the rain-soaked bluestone bricks.
The maid looked on with pity, "Miss, why didn't you say something nicer to Madam just now? Maybe you wouldn't have had to kneel now. The ground is so cold after the rain."
"It's no use." Even if she said it, she wouldn't go, which only made her mother angrier.
The maid was in a panic.
Logically speaking, their daughter should be the best at calming people down.
Unless she doesn't want to coax him anymore.
Yu Heyue closed her eyes, just wanting to have some peace and quiet.
Suddenly, a cup of leftover tea was splashed from her side, landing on her skirt.
Just as the maid was about to lash out, she turned around and saw that it was Yu Shao.
Yu Shao, holding a teacup, said with a nonchalant smile, "Oh, sorry, I just poured out some leftover tea. Who knew you were here?"
Anyone with eyes can see that no one drinks tea outside.
"What's wrong?" Yu Shao leisurely walked over to Yu Heyue and circled around her. "Are you being punished by kneeling?"
"It's rare that you've made your father and mother angry."
Yu Heyue didn't speak to him.
Yu Shao casually picked up a wooden stick and hit Yu Heyue on the back, saying, "Kneel properly, kneel up straight."
That was a bit heavy.
The knocking made Yu Heyue lean forward, and the maid couldn't help but exclaim, "Third Young Master!"
Yu Shao asked impatiently, "What?"
The maid had no choice but to keep quiet.
Hearing the noise, Madam Nie came out to see what was going on. "What are you doing?"
"It's nothing, it's just that my sister's maid is getting more and more unruly, yelling at me."
Madam Nie was already annoyed, and upon hearing that he was just a servant, she thought, "If he has no manners, just beat him to death."
Yu Heyue was startled. "Mother, you mustn't!"
Qiu Rong, who grew up with her, is dead, and those around her cannot suffer because of her.
"You're not good enough again?" Madam Nie looked at her coldly. "I've worried myself sick over you, and what have you given me in return? Now you're putting on airs here."
Nie said coldly, "Beat them all together, twenty strokes!"
The servants around them looked at each other in bewilderment.
I don't know what's wrong with the lady today, but I can only obey orders and take them away.
Yu Shao watched with schadenfreude, then turned and followed Madam Nie into the house.
"Mother, I went to the palace and got two fine carriages for us to travel in. They are spacious and comfortable, and the horses are the best of the best."
Madam Nie's expression softened a bit. "To be honest, our family still needs you."
"Your two useless older sisters are completely worthless."
Nie leaned against the side, and her subordinates helped her press her forehead to calm her down.
As the departure date approached, even though the servants had been ordered to punish the second young lady with a cane, they dared not actually do so severely.
However, the body inevitably suffers from swelling, pain, and large bruises.
As the maid applied medicine to Yu Heyue, she cried, "It's all my fault for dragging you down, Miss."
Yu Heyue's face was pale, and she shook her head.
They were probably too weak to speak.
Even as night deepened, Shang'an City was far from peaceful.
The sounds of people fleeing from the streets could be heard from time to time, easily disturbing Nie's dream.
She dreamt again of the relocation team entrenched and spreading along the mountain road.
The mountain road reached a certain pass, where it was said that the route was too rugged to pass through completely.
The original team split into two groups, one led by Chu Yu and the other by Yu Sheng.
We agreed to meet at Qinggupo.
On one occasion, when it was pitch black, the only things around were lanterns hanging in front of carriages and horses traveling by.
Moving forward in complete silence, swaying and staggering as if on the road to the underworld, sends chills down one's spine.
In just a moment, the firelight illuminated the entire hillside.
A deafening roar of battle cries rose up, sweeping across the entire mountainside.
The carriage was full of people who were still asleep, but they were all awakened by the startling noise.
She had just gotten up when the Hu people dragged her out of the carriage.
All around were screams and shouts of killing. Yu Sheng hurriedly switched sides and begged for mercy.
Several tall and burly Hu generals standing in front of them dragged Yu Heyue out.
To protect his family, Yu Sheng tacitly allowed them to take Yu Heyue away.
That's how they barely managed to save their lives.
This dream was even more profound; they were almost prisoners, following the Hu people for half the journey.
I vaguely heard that they were looking for Chu Yu.
In her dream, Nie saw through the cracks in the tent that the Hu people were pointing at the map hanging on the wall, saying, "Chu Yu's schemes are cunning, and he even found a shortcut for his entourage and his wife."
The Hu man pointed to the map, "This is the place. By the time we get there, they'll have vanished."
Nie stared intently at the path when suddenly she was spotted by the Hu people in the tent, who shouted, "Who's out there!"
Nie was instantly awakened from her sleep!
And the map and path I saw in my dream are still vivid in my mind's eye!
Startled, Madam Nie sat up abruptly and shoved her husband beside her, "Map! Quickly, bring out the map!"
Yu Sheng was still disoriented when he was woken up. Hearing her shouting for a map, he thought she was having a fit. "Why would you need a map so late at night?"
He turned over, intending to go back to sleep.
Nie walked straight past him and hurried to the study to find the map.
Even when Yu Sheng tried to sleep, he couldn't get a good night's rest, so he simply got up.
It was pitch black, and the surroundings were eerily quiet.
Occasionally, the sound of rolling wheels can be heard passing by outside.
The study lamp was lit, and Madam Nie rummaged through chests and cabinets, flipping through maps.
Yu Sheng asked impatiently, "What exactly happened?"
Nie remained silent, only spreading a map she had managed to find on the table and examining the routes on it with a stern face.
She tried hard to recall the scene in her dream, and picked up the dried ink and brush, tracing intermittent marks on the map.
Yu Sheng couldn't understand. "What is this? This isn't our route for relocating the capital!"
“This is the route Yu Wanyin took to escape.” Nie’s eyes were bloodshot. “This is the safest route! Let’s take this one!”
Yu Sheng's eyelids twitched. "Impossible. The departure route has been arranged. Even the Prime Minister wouldn't take this route."
"No!" Nie's eyes widened in horror. "This is our only way to survive!"
Yu Sheng thought she was crazy. After arguing for a few minutes, he shook his head and left when he realized he couldn't win the argument.
Nie sat in his study, staring at the map, for an entire night.
It wasn't until dawn that her voice calling for help came from inside the house again, "Someone come quick! Someone come quick!"
The servants guarding outside heard the commotion and rushed inside.
Madam Nie urged, "Go and call the Third Young Master here."
The servant, not understanding what was going on, took the order and went to fetch someone.
Yu Shao walked in from outside, yawning. "Mother, what's wrong now?"
Madam Nie stuffed the map she had spent the night redrawing into Yu Shao's arms, saying, "Go, help your mother find out how this route is currently arranged."
"Could we sneak through here in the future?"
Yu Shao opened the map and glanced at it, but couldn't see anything special. He replied perfunctorily, "Okay, I'll go and find out."
After watching Yu Shao leave, Nie slumped into her seat, remaining in a daze for a long time.
*
With the relocation of the capital imminent, numerous battle reports arrived one after another from the border.
Without exception, the reports were of cities falling one after another.
In just seven days, they lost two cities, and it's even possible that they surrendered without even fighting back.
This is only the battle report sent to Shang'an.
I wonder if any more cities have been lost during this journey.
The speed was faster than expected.
Those in Shang'an preparing to move the capital were increasingly in a state of panic, fearing that even a day's delay would bring the enemy to their doorstep and their lives to be at their throats.
A building takes a long time to rot, but collapse seems to happen in an instant.
The day the capital was moved was not grand or magnificent; it was desolate.
Along with the autumn rains of the past few days, the air has become damp and bleak.
Just as Yu Wanyin was helped into the carriage by Qing Song, Nie Shi's voice could be heard outside the carriage.
Qing Song went in and asked, "Madam, would you like to see her?"
Yu Wanyin replied hastily, "No."
Having received the instructions, Qing Song stepped out of the carriage to send the person away.
Before she could finish speaking, Madam Nie pushed Qing Song aside, leaned against the carriage door, and looked at her, saying, "Yaoyao, even if I didn't give birth to you, I still have the grace of raising you. Couldn't you have just told the Prime Minister to let us ride with you?"
Even if we don't ride together, it's fine to follow behind your carriage.
Yu Wanyin found her incomprehensible, "Weren't you part of the relocation team? It's not like anyone was left behind."
“We’re too far back in the pack now, and we’ll soon be left behind. If something really happens…” Madam Nie hesitated, “your father and brother will always have to consider things, even if it’s not for my sake.”
“The arrangement of the rows was decided by my father himself, and even if the rows are changed, it’s not up to me to decide.” Yu Wanyin didn’t want to talk to her too much. “Only you think I should consider their feelings.”
"see a visitor out."
Qing Song stepped forward, blocked Nie Shi from entering, and closed the carriage door for Yu Wanyin. "Madam Censor, we are about to depart. Please return."
Nie was pushed back a few steps.
He watched helplessly as Yu Wanyin's carriage drove away, his fingers clenched tightly.
She returned to her own entourage.
Yu Shao did indeed get them two fine carriages.
Yu Sheng was full of praise for it.
However, there were only two carriages. Yu Heyue stood aside and, seeing that there was no place for her, wisely called for her usual small carriage and two servants to follow them.
Nie turned to Yu Shao and asked, "How's the investigation going?"
“Not really.” Yu Shao didn’t take it seriously. “I didn’t find out anything. My friends just said there’s no road there and it’s safer to follow the original official road.”
“What do your friends know?” Nie said with a stern face.
She had long known that Yu Wanyin wouldn't help them, and now it seemed she could only rely on herself. "No matter what, once we reach the official road in front of Qinggu Slope, we'll change course. Don't listen to anyone else."
Yu Shao replied, "I understand."
He turned and gave instructions to several of his men.
He overlooked Yu Heyue's inconspicuous little carriage.
Chu Yu was not in the carriage when they set off.
Yu Wanyin knew that he would be leading the way and accompanying the king, and would often not be able to ride with her.
Chu Yu would come back to be with her during meals and evening rest.
The stretch of road leading out of Shang'an City was the most nerve-wracking. Sitting in the carriage, Yu Wanyin was constantly worried that Rong Si might suddenly appear and cause trouble.
But it seems he really is gone.
The journey to the outskirts of the city was very smooth.
After three days of this, Yu Wanyin began to feel the reality of the relocation of the capital.
Occasionally, you can see some people who have moved away from Shang'an along the way.
Everyone was in a state of constant displacement, and even the imperial court was not spared.
Although it was a relocation of the capital, they all looked like stray dogs.
It would be a lie to say that we weren't embarrassed or in a state of chaos.
In the evening, they reached a safe place and rested for a while.
Yu Wanyin had dinner with Chu Yu and sat on the bed in the carriage watching him take his medicine.
"Now I'm the one who sees you taking medicine all the time."
Chu Yu chuckled silently, "You don't need to eat all the time."
He was relieved that although the journey was somewhat bumpy, Yu Wanyin's body did not show any abnormalities.
He is no longer as weak as before.
I still have the energy to tease him.
This is the best approach.
If we are separated from each other for a few days in the future, it should be fine.
Chu Yu calculated the current journey and estimated that he would reach Qinggupo Pass in about five days.
Only five days left.
Qinggupo is the most dangerous place in Guanzhong.
If the Northern Chi people knew that they had moved their capital, there was a chance that Qinggupo would be ambushed and their forces would be severely damaged.
Chu Yu had actually come up with a solution.
However, he felt that he could not tolerate even the slightest risk when it came to Yu Wanyin.
If anything were to happen to her, he would want to kill everyone in the world.
The secret passage and the assassins were all prepared. When they reached the checkpoint, he quietly sent Yu Wanyin out through the secret passage.
We will meet at Shuping outside Qinggupo.
If she can't wait for him, the Deadpool will send her directly to Yunjing.
His men are all there; they'll protect her.
Seeing that he was lost in thought, Yu Wanyin couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing much." Chu Yu got up, sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her. "Help me change my dressing."
Several days later, when the topic of changing the dressing was brought up again, Yu Wanyin's heart still skipped a beat. "Or perhaps Wu Zhou..."
"Yaoyao, help me."
Yu Wanyin was silenced when he grabbed her wrist.
That eerie, dark, and damp feeling enveloped her, and she knew that this was probably the time when he was extremely difficult to talk to.
If you refuse him again, you should ask, "Why are you refusing me?"
"Why won't you help me change my dressing?"
"Does Yao Yao want to leave...?"
Yu Wanyin suppressed the familiar fear, took the medicine bottle, and helped him change the dressing.
After this period of recuperation, Chu Yu's injuries have mostly healed, and the scabs should fall off in about two more days.
The situation should be considered stable.
Yu Wanyin was concentrating on applying the medicine when, halfway through, Chu Yu leaned closer and asked, "Why isn't Yaoyao saying anything?"
"Is it because you really don't want to change my dressing?"
These gentle yet sinister words sent chills down Yu Wanyin's spine. "I'm afraid of getting distracted."
Chu Yu pondered the truthfulness of her words, "But you seem unwilling to touch me."
His hand wrapped around her waist without warning, and Yu Wanyin's back stiffened.
He pondered for a moment, "He doesn't really like being touched by me either."
"No," Yu Wanyin hurriedly explained, "your injury..."
"Almost done."
Yu Wanyin knew that applying this medicine tonight wouldn't be so easy.
The lamps inside the carriage went out late at night, and the medicine bottle fell to the ground.
Her mouth was covered and she was pressed down on the tatami mat.
There were people outside, and she could even hear their footsteps.
Yu Wanyin made two "uh-uh" sounds, trying to push away the wrist that he was pressing against her ear.
In the darkness, he whispered in her ear, revealing a chilling expression, "I'll be gentle."
"Yaoyao, don't make a sound either."
"But it doesn't matter, if anyone hears Yaoyao's voice..."
"I'll just kill him, don't be afraid."
Yu Wanyin trembled at his words, her tension rising even more as she feared being discovered.
It was quickly smoothed out and opened again.
Gently grind and knead her tension little by little.
That night, even the guards on duty outside the carriage did not notice anything unusual.
Chu Yu held her tightly, and as dawn approached, she opened her eyes as usual.
After he regained consciousness, he looked down at her peaceful sleeping face, his eyes flickering with light.
He then gently kissed her forehead, changed his clothes, and got up.
Chu Yu sat by the bed for a long time.
She took out a purse, which contained letters and tokens sent by her aunt.
It was placed on the bedside table.
If he were to die in battle soon and be unable to relocate the capital to defend the country, then she would still have somewhere to go.
His dead servants would be completely at her beck and call, sending her anywhere.
Chu Yu had calculated all her escape routes.
*
The Hu people occupied the border cities one by one, swaggering around the cities and taking over the local prefectures and counties.
They ordered state and county officials to personally serve them.
The leading man was dressed in the attire of a foreign warrior, with an exotic face and deep blue eyes.
He was in his prime, exuding the dignity of a mature man.
He sat on the throne, exuding authority without anger.
A soldier from the Central Plains who had just rebelled rushed in, fawningly saying, "Your Majesty, we have new information!"
He looked up, and the soldier immediately reported, "King Jiang has now set off to move the capital, and we have already laid an ambush at Qinggupo."
"The ambush may be a lie, but that doesn't mean that the new prime minister Chu Yu has any real skills."
The soldiers grinned slyly. "The new information is that Chu Yu arranged a secret passage for his wife."
"If we capture his wife first..."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Where did you get this information?"
The soldier presented the map in his hand, saying, "His wife's brother inquired about this secret passage everywhere, so it must be true."
Although it's impossible to plant spies around Chu Yu, it's still good to be able to pry information out of the others.
The man raised an eyebrow as he looked at the map and coldly ordered, "Take men and set up an ambush."
"Bring his wife here to me."
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