◇ Chapter 103 (103) Former Lovers Become Enemies (Part 2)
No matter how Chang Yuzhu persuaded him, Bai Kang was determined to go to Fancheng. Chang Yuzhu didn't know what he said wrong, and now he really regretted his words.
Bai Kang was so excited that his face turned red. He must have thought of something about Lian Zhi from his words. Chang Yuzhu felt a little disappointed, but she was also secretly happy for Bai Kang.
It was good to be angry now, better than the sick look he had been in the past few days. Maybe Lianzhi was really waiting for him too.
Chang Yuzhu had initially been reluctant to go with him. Rongcheng was undoubtedly the safest place in Daning. The Helan tribe would not attack Rongcheng because of Lianzhi's instructions, but they had no idea what Bai Kang looked like, nor did they know he would leave. But two days later, Chang Yuzhu received a letter from home, learning that his grandfather had remained in the capital and had not traveled south.
Duke Chang said he was old and wanted to die in the capital. The emperor could abandon the city and leave, but as a loyal minister, he could not escape.
After reading the letter, Chang Yuzhu immediately packed up and went after Bai Kang. Fortunately, Bai Kang's injuries had not yet healed and he walked slowly, so Chang Yuzhu quickly left the city and caught up with Bai Kang. This time, Bai Kang brought the same team he had come with and went to Fancheng together.
They once again crossed a mountain stream, heading towards Qizhou. The mountain road, still shrouded in icy snow, wound between steep cliffs. The wheels creaked over the gravel, and small pieces of pebbles occasionally tumbled down the cliffs. Their carriage had already suffered some damage to its wheels on the way here due to the rugged mountain road, and now, facing the gravel-covered road, it was even more difficult to navigate.
Not to mention that the moss on the mountain road was covered with half-melted snow, making it wet and causing the horse's hooves to slip.
They had only traveled halfway when they encountered a number of Helan troops and Qizhou troops lying in ambush. They had to make several detours, delaying their journey to Qizhou for several days.
There was a constant war on the border of Qizhou.
Atop the city walls, beacon fires had burned for days, blackening the bricks and stones, staining them red with blood, leaving them mottled and riddled with holes. Only a tattered flag remained, fluttering in the fierce, cold wind.
The last time I came to Qizhou, although the city was not peaceful due to food shortage, it was not like today, with the city gates breached, corpses everywhere, and the smell of blood filling the air.
They did not want to stay long, but the horses' hooves were injured on the road and the wheels were worn out, so they had no choice but to find a way to rent a carriage in Qizhou City.
But given the current situation, it was hard to say whether the car dealership owner was still alive, let alone renting a car. Bai Kang and Chang Yuzhu went to the Qizhou prefect's residence with their badges, only to be told that the prefect had died a few days earlier while protecting his children, and his wife had also died. The only person who could make the decision now was the prefect's eldest daughter, who had just turned fifteen.
Bai Kang did not confess their purpose, but only said that Chang Yuzhu was going back to Beijing to visit relatives, and he also had things to do. After hearing this, the eldest lady lent them the carriage from her mansion without saying a word. Bai Kang felt bad, and somehow he always felt that he had cheated the child and gave her the money for renting the carriage. After hearing this, the eldest lady smiled faintly: "Qizhou is already like this, what use is the money to us? As long as the two adults can leave alive, it will be fine. What's more, Lord Bai, you have helped my father before. Although the prefectural government office is in ruins, there is still some rice and grain. If you don't mind, you can take some with you on the road."
They stayed overnight at the prefectural government residence—Bai Kang's wound needed dressing changes, and the others were exhausted from the journey, so they finally had a place to rest. Even though Bai Kang and Chang Yuzhu were anxious, they couldn't ignore others. Bai Kang's knees, already scabby, were now painfully itchy, and the cold from the long journey had started to bleed again.
Unfortunately, there is nothing in the prefectural government house right now, not even a charcoal fire to warm myself.
At night, the sound of horns came from the city gate.
The Helan army attacked again.
The already shaky city gate was knocked away by the huge tree. Outside, the crowd fled in all directions like frightened birds and beasts, and the wailing and howling resounded through the world.
The cavalry poured into the city like a tide. They didn't kill the civilians, but the oppressive feeling was enough to scare even an unarmed person to death. The prefect's eldest daughter changed into armor and led the palace soldiers out to patrol the city. They didn't know if they would return alive, so before leaving, she told Bai Kang and the others to find the right time to leave as soon as possible.
"In the past few days, they have not attacked the civilians in the city, but only our soldiers. As long as you don't reveal your identity, you will definitely be able to leave." After the eldest lady gave the instructions, she led the troops away.
"That's right, Bo Kang. Let's not use the carriage anymore and just go!" Chang Yuzhu urged. Since the Helan army hadn't attacked the civilians and had no intention of searching the city, as long as they didn't show off, they would definitely be able to leave safely!
Bo Kang directly denied it: "There are people from the Helan tribe outside now, how can we get away!"
"But now is the best time!" Chang Yuzhu shouted, "The longer we delay, the more dangerous it will be. Who knows when they will leave!"
If the Helan army decides to stay here, or if they change their minds, they really won't be able to leave!
Now is the best time to leave from another city gate while the Helan people have not yet searched the prefectural mansion!
Everyone waited for Bo Kang to make a decision. He thought for a moment, then finally agreed. Taking advantage of the darkness, the eldest lady pointed out a path for them, then disguised herself as a night watchman and took a shortcut.
There were few people on this road, so it was not easy to be discovered. They walked for a while with the candles lit, and suddenly Bo Kang stopped.
"Sir?" Yuan You asked nervously, "What's wrong with you? Is your leg injury acting up?"
"No." Bo Kang waved his hand. "Didn't you hear it? There was crying."
In the corner, a child's cry seemed to come, faint and a little scary. The wind was so strong, and coupled with the even more shrill cries and the roars of the chaotic army in the distance, it sounded like a cat's cry, and if you didn't listen carefully, you really couldn't make it out.
But Bai Kang is different. He is very good at hearing these subtle cries.
"Maybe there is a monster..." Yuan You said angrily.
But Bo Kang didn't think so: "I'll go and take a look."
"Bai Kang!" Chang Yuzhu growled, "It's too dangerous! The Helan army could discover us at any time!"
"You go first," Bo Kang said, "I'll catch up. If I haven't come back after an incense stick, don't bother me."
Now, even the others began to stop him. How could they abandon their master and leave? But, given the current situation, it really wasn't suitable to stay here for long...
"You go. Go now," Bai Kang ordered.
He was a nosy person, otherwise, he would not have redeemed Jiang Yong in Liangzhou, would not have met Lianzhi in order to save a little girl he had never met before, and would not have brought Lianzhi back to the capital.
There were people crying there.
Even if it's a straight hook, he, the fish, will take it. If he sees injustice and doesn't help, then he is not Bo Kang.
Bo Kang gritted his teeth, dropped his cumbersome crutch, and ran towards the source of the sound.
On the side of the road, there are several large water tanks that are as tall as a person.
This was a roadside stone jar used to store water to prevent flooding. As he approached, he heard crying from inside. Bo Kang pushed the wooden lid off the jar with force, his knuckles aching slightly. He peered down, and inside, a pair of bright eyes looked up, and then a scream—
"ah!"
"Don't shout!"
Bo Kang pulled the man out, wrapped him in his cloak, and gestured for silence: "Kid, don't make a sound! I'm here to save you!"
With that, Bo Kang tucked the man under his arm, bent over, and ran away. The child trembled all over, subconsciously listening to his words and stopping crying. Through his tearful eyes, he only saw that this unusually tall man didn't kill him, but was willing to take him away.
The smell of blood and gunpowder makes people feel particularly at ease at this moment.
He wanted to thank him, but he still remembered what Bo Kang had said. After running a distance and seeing that there was no one around, the child asked, "Thank you. Are you the general?"
Bai Kang said nothing. The street behind him was filled with dust. It seemed that the Helan army was already heading this way. It seemed too late to chase Chang Yuzhu and the others now. Bai Kang looked left and right, and finally came to a hidden dry well.
"Where are your family?" Bai Kang asked in a low voice.
The child did not answer, and he did not want to expose other people's scars. He hid in the bushes with the child. After a while, the cavalry of the Helan tribe passed by the official road in front of them and headed towards the city gate. Just as the eldest daughter of the prefectural government said, they were going to pass through Qizhou.
It was said that three or four such groups had already left in recent days. It seemed that although Princess Jinyang's troops had already entered the capital, the situation was not optimistic; otherwise, they would not have continued to dispatch troops from the Helan tribe.
The cavalry had already passed them and would soon leave the city. Estimating the time, Chang Yuzhu and the others should have already left. Bo Kang breathed a sigh of relief, intending to wait for the Helan cavalry to leave and observe for a while before leaving. Suddenly, someone at the end of the team reported in Beihai dialect, "Report! General, there seems to be someone in the bushes nearby!"
It's about to be discovered!
Immediately, the cavalry dismounted and swept the ground with the tip of their sword. There were obvious bloodstains and footprints that were easily visible despite being concealed. Bo Kang held his breath, but soon, the man had already approached and parted the grass.
"General!" the man shouted, "This—"
A cold light flashed and blood splattered.
Blood gushed from the cavalryman's throat, and he collapsed to the ground before even a scream could escape. Bo Kang used all his strength to kick the other two cavalrymen who had rushed to investigate. However, his leg injury had not yet healed, and he was exhausted. This set of moves had already exhausted all his strength.
The other side had a large number of people, and he was with a child, so he was no match for them.
Seeing the cavalry surrounding them, Bo Kang gritted his teeth and asked quickly, "Are you afraid?"
The child shook his head. Bo Kang pointed at the well mouth and said to him, "Jump!"
What a mess.
Bai Kang thought again.
But this was to save people, he had no regrets. Even if he died here, he would not regret saving that child.
It's such a pity that I won't be able to see Lianzhi anymore. Obviously, I wanted to ask him clearly for Lianzhi's sake.
I hope Chang Yuzhu and the others didn't wait for him and returned to the capital quickly. I don't know what Xiaofu and his mother would do if they knew he was dead.
It was his fault. He failed to be a good son and a good brother. He failed to protect his family and made them worry.
if.
if……
Bai Kang opened his eyes in a daze.
His body felt like it was exploding with pain. His already itchy wounds were now numb, and his entire body felt like it was falling apart. Bai Kang tried to sit up, but he felt like he had no control over his body. His throat was sore, and he couldn't shout or open his eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, a voice shouted in the North Sea language, expressing surprise: "He's moving! He's moving!"
Who? Him?
Is he dead? Has he gone to the underworld in the North Sea?
No, people in the North Sea believe in Changshengtian and think that people will turn into natural creatures after death. Where does the underworld come from?
Bai Kang waited for a long time, but he felt his body heavy and his head extremely sleepy, so he fell asleep again. It was unknown how long it was before he woke up again.
This time he could move, though only blink and lift a finger. He was bandaged and given new, better medicine, so he felt less uncomfortable. Next to him sat a young man dressed like someone from the North Sea, his hair wrapped up, holding a bowl as if to feed him medicine. Seeing him open his eyes, he nearly dropped the bowl.
The room was too dark to make out the boy's features, but he looked surprisingly familiar. With his vision blurry, Bo Kang asked in a dry voice, "Where...is this?"
"Sir! Great! You're finally awake!" The young man put down the medicine bowl and brought a glass of water. Hearing the voice, Bo Kang immediately recognized who it was.
It was Geer, the "princess's page," the man who served Lianzhi. Bo Kang's mind was still a little confused, but he subconsciously asked, "Where is he?"
Gezhier didn't hear clearly because Bai Kang's voice was too hoarse. After Bai Kang finished drinking a glass of water, he helped Bai Kang sit up and placed a soft pillow behind his head.
"Don't worry, sir. You're safe now. But you were in a coma for eight days, which really scared us." Geerer slowly fed him the medicine. Bo Kang felt something was wrong and thought for a while before asking, "What did you call me?"
"Sir." Geerer blinked and stared at Bo Kang. After Bo Kang finished drinking, he said, "Sir, I am Jiang Yong!"
So that's how it is. So that's how it is. "Jiang Yong" is Geer's fake identity. Bo Kang sneered. He must have been deceived so many times that he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. He asked again where Lianzhi was, but Geer just made an "ah" sound, pretending not to understand.
Bo Kang looked around. The decoration here was simple, but the layout was clever. It was unusually quiet outside, obviously a safe place to live.
This is Lianzhi's residence.
Now that he was here, Bo Kang was no longer anxious. He would see Lianzhi sooner or later anyway. With this in mind, he asked, "Where's that kid?"
This time, Geerer didn't answer irrelevantly: "He's next door. Someone has been sent to treat him. Don't worry, sir."
Bai Kang nodded, feeling calmer and more peaceful than ever before.
Before he could ask, Geerer told him what had happened in the past few days. That day, Bo Kang and his child jumped into a well and passed out. Seeing that they were not soldiers, yet wandering around, the Helan army thought they were suspicious individuals and brought them back to the general for a final decision.
Lianzhi and the eldest princess happened to be passing by and saw that it was Bai Kang. They brought the child back and treated him carefully. The child was well protected by Bai Kang and was not seriously injured. He woke up the next day and is now able to run and jump.
As for Bo Kang, his injury had not healed to begin with, and now it has become much worse.
Bai Kang didn't mind this. Geerer found him an iron wheelchair, and after he felt better, he pushed him out for a walk. Once outside, Bai Kang realized he was in Yanmen, the Princess's residence. It was now a military camp, with soldiers and the Princess's students coming and going, including many of Bai Kang's old acquaintances.
They all knew that Bai Kang was rescued by the eldest princess, and they also knew about his past with Prince Zhulan, so they naturally didn't dare to neglect him. It didn't take long for Bai Kang to return to his old self. When he saw an old acquaintance, he was pushed by Ge Ri Er and even whistled at him.
But it was strange that he hadn't seen the lotus branch in half a month.
Geerer said that he lived in Lianzhi's room, and Lianzhi had always been in the Princess's residence. Why hadn't they met?
Could it be that Lianzhi was deliberately avoiding him?
Bai Kang asked several times in a roundabout way, but no one answered. He was spending more and more time at the Princess's residence, and even the child he had rescued had become familiar with the others, but he still hadn't seen Lianzhi.
In early April, Emperor Chengming decided to make Jiangcheng in the south the new capital.
Meanwhile, Bo Kang heard that the Princess's disciples and the Helan tribe were urging Lianzhi to quickly travel to the capital to proclaim himself emperor before discussing the southern offensive. He didn't know why Lianzhi was hesitant. He couldn't even catch her, so he couldn't say anything and could only listen.
The candle in the study remained lit that night. After Bo Kang retired to bed, he felt a dull ache in his knee. It was strange, considering his injury had clearly healed almost completely and hadn't flared up in ages.
It seemed like there was some kind of induction.
After a while, the door opened. A whistling breeze blew in, a spring breeze with a hint of warmth, but the nights in Yanmen were always cold. Bai Kang closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep.
There was the sound of someone taking off shoes beside the bed, and then someone tiptoed up and lowered the bed curtains. The doors and windows were closed tightly, and the candle wicks were snuffed out, leaving the room pitch black.
Soon, a warm, slender body gently lay on Bai Kang.
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