Chapter 357 No Confusion
The Xirong army once again repelled the enemy's attack, at the cost of hundreds of casualties.
With her sister Shen Lan commanding the army, Shen Yuexi didn't want to sit in the tent alone. She picked out ten strong and agile cavalrymen and asked them to inform Xiao Zhuo of what happened here. She went to the back of the camp to check on the wounded.
The parrot Liuli's neck hair was completely bald and it couldn't stand the cold, so she left it in the tent temporarily and tied it up with a rope.
Late at night, Baixiu Mountain was much colder than the plains. The wind was biting, and the stagnant water on the ground had formed a thin layer of ice, which crackled underfoot. Bonfires were lit in the camp, and the soldiers spread their felt mats on the cold ground, sitting before them to keep warm and thawing frozen dried meat and flatbreads over the fire.
Shen Yuexi carefully crossed the path between the bonfires. The Xirong soldiers, recognizing her, rose and nodded in greeting. A centurion stood up, his face full of concern. He gestured with his hands and spoke a few words in Xirong dialect, which she couldn't understand. She smiled back, motioned for everyone to sit down and rest, and then continued on.
The Xirong soldiers looked at her with respect, which made her feel at ease.
Having experienced numerous battles, she could read the soldiers' eyes. Outnumbered, they showed no fear. Their gazes were unwavering, as if they were guarding something extremely important. Unfortunately, the Western Rong soldiers she encountered along the way didn't speak Dayan, and since the soldiers accompanying her were all Dayan natives, they couldn't translate for her.
When we arrived at the tent where the wounded were being treated, the crackling of the campfire was replaced by painful groans and occasional screams, and the pervasive smell of blood replaced the aroma of barbecue.
Shen Yuexi arrived in front of one of the tents. Before she could even reach out to touch the curtain, someone flung it aside and rushed out. She was startled and quickly retreated, protecting her stomach.
The man who rushed out was the doctor in the Xirong army who was responsible for treating the wounded. His hands were wet and he held a curved dagger upside down. When he saw that it was Shen Yuexi, his face of displeasure immediately turned into apology. He threw the dagger to the ground and bowed repeatedly, but it was unclear what he said.
Shen Yuexi could see that he was expressing his apology. She wanted to tell him that she didn't care. Although he rushed forward suddenly, she dodged even faster, but she couldn't speak Xirong.
The doctor was bowing and speaking when a male voice rang out from the tent, also speaking Xirong. After listening to a few words, the doctor turned back, puzzled, and replied with a short phrase. Another word from inside the tent seemed to explain. The doctor then turned back to Shen Yuexi, clasped his hands together in a salute, picked up the dagger, and hurried away.
During the whole process, Shen Yuexi stood there like a wooden stake, and the only thing she did was smiling and nodding frequently.
When she doesn't understand what someone is saying, or even understands but can't grasp the specific meaning, she believes smiling and nodding is absolutely the right approach. Smiling expresses goodwill, while nodding indicates approval, and it's definitely effective.
"Princess An, please come into the tent." The person in the tent spoke again, using the half-familiar Dayan dialect.
Shen Yuexi finally found a Xirong person who could speak Dayan language. She signaled the soldiers following her to stop outside the tent, and she lifted the curtain and entered the tent.
In this tent sat a Xirong man, who, judging by his armor, was a captain of a thousand men. A feathered arrow was stuck in his left arm, and only the shaft was visible. Blood was oozing from the wound. In front of him was a basin of water, which had been dyed blood red.
He saw Shen Yuexi enter the tent and nodded in greeting, saying, "Princess An, please forgive me for my injuries and inability to greet you."
Shen Yuexi said, "It's okay. What did you say to the doctor just now?"
The captain laughed and said, "His knife was blunt, and he left in a hurry... He said it was a blessing that he didn't hurt Princess An's unborn child, otherwise even his death wouldn't be enough to atone for his sin."
Shen Yuexi clenched her fist and put it to her mouth, coughing awkwardly. This was what the other person meant, and she was still smiling and nodding. Wasn't this the same as admitting that the other person was absolutely right?
"I told him, 'It's good that you didn't bump into me, Princess An won't blame you.' He asked why Princess An kept nodding, and I said Princess An didn't understand our Xirong language, and that's how she behaves when she doesn't understand."
Shen Yuexi finally realized how ridiculous her nodding had been. To hide her embarrassment, she smiled wryly at the captain, "It seems you know me quite well."
"Of course I understand," the centurion smiled. "I used to be your secret guard."
Shen Yuexi was stunned: "You...you are a secret guard? Haven't you already..."
Back at Yongwei City, in order to protect her and Xiao Zhuo's escape, Qiang Lin led the secret guards to intercept Xiao Beiheng's pursuers. They should have all died in the battle. She didn't expect to encounter a living secret guard here.
The captain reminded him, "Princess An, have you forgotten? In Longsheng Town, you and Concubine Xian were hiding behind the door, and I was the one who used my sword to knock Concubine Xian's dagger away."
After hearing what the other party said, Shen Yuexi suddenly remembered and said, "I remember now, you went to escort Sister Mei. What's your name?"
She usually dealt with Qiang Lin. The other secret guards usually did not show up and protected her in secret, so she did not have much chance to get to know them.
"Hugubie."
Shen Yuexi silently repeated the name several times in her mind. These secret guards had risked their lives to protect her, and they were worth remembering. Later, when Qiang Lin became the King of the Western Rong, she cut her hair and rescinded her vow, but she would never forget what the secret guards had done for her.
"Hugubie, thank you for everything you have done for me." She bowed to Hugubie seriously.
Hu Gubie said, "Princess An, there's no need to thank me. Whether it's King Qianglin or us ordinary secret guards, we have all sworn before the gods to protect you. We did it voluntarily and don't need your thanks, just like now."
"Like now?"
"Yes, just like now," Hu Gubie smiled, "When you appeared in Baixiu Mountain, our battle took on a different meaning."
Shen Yuexi was confused and was about to smile and nod, but then she remembered that she had just made a fool of herself and quickly stopped and said, "What do you mean?"
"We, the Western Rong, have been fighting against Dayan for years. Our king is the least bellicose of all the kings, but he tacitly agreed to King Duoma's actions until he learned of your actions." Hu Gubie wiped the blood from his left arm with a piece of linen, then looked at Chen Yuexi. "The reason we are fighting for Dayan here in Baixiu Mountain is all because of you, Princess An."
Shen Yuexi vaguely understood. The Western Rong army and Dayan were originally sworn enemies, but now they were sending troops to fight for Xiao Zhuo, all for her.
"You once saved our people. We saw your true heart," Hugubie said earnestly. "You wouldn't call us barbarians. To keep our soldiers alive, you personally went to the border to borrow food. You allowed our people to settle near Shengjing, escaping King Doma's control... Your kindness will never be forgotten. Every one of us who has received your kindness will tell these stories to our own people."
Shen Yuexi recalled the warm hospitality she had received from the people of Xirong in northern Shengjing... the armor Qianglin's mother had made for her... and the respectful glances the Xirong soldiers gave her as she passed through the military camp. These courtesies made it clear to outsiders that she was special.
"Although the king's whereabouts are unknown, our entire army knows our goal," Hu Gubie said, "We are not confused at all. We fight for you."
Shen Yuexi understood. She saw the determination in the soldiers' eyes. They were protecting something important, and it turned out to be her.
But at the moment, whether it was to protect Xiao Zhuo's flank or to protect her, a mere 7,000 people were no longer able to do it. At the current rate of casualties, not to mention 15 days, even five days would be impossible.
Just like when she rescued the five thousand prisoners, she had an irresistible thought: she wanted to take these people away.
"Hugubie, I will lead everyone out of here," she walked towards the exit of the tent, "Trust me."
Hu Gubie smiled slightly. He felt that Shen Yuexi was talking nonsense.
Shen Yuexi could escape on Xiaobai, even taking her sister, Shen Lan, with her. But so many soldiers couldn't just flee. A massive force of thousands couldn't retreat easily. If they showed any signs of retreat, Xiao Beiheng's army would immediately pursue them, turning the retreat into a rout. These seven thousand soldiers would be subjected to a one-sided massacre, forced to either die or surrender.
He was still pondering when he suddenly noticed the pain in his arm had eased considerably. Surprised, he reached out and grabbed the arrow shaft, pulling it out. The shaft came off easily, and the arrowhead was gone.
Shen Yuexi left the tent and was about to go to another tent to visit the wounded when a soldier ran towards her and said to her, "Princess An, the enemy has sent an envoy. The military advisor and the enemy are arguing fiercely. We don't know what to do. Please go and take a look."
"They were arguing so fiercely?" Shen Yuexi asked with a puzzled look on her face. "What kind of messenger is this? Why would he be arguing with my sister?"
This is completely out of line. Qiang Lin is missing, and Chen Lan is now the commander-in-chief of the Western Rong Army. How dare a small envoy quarrel with the commander of an army? Isn't he afraid that his sister will chop off his head?
"That's what I was saying. We're also very curious. Maybe it's to facilitate communication? The messenger sent by Xiao Beiheng is a woman."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com