Chapter 87 A Dream Turns to Light Bulbs and the Shadow Fades
Startled by the shout, Zhang Ping rushed to Yang Xiao's side and reached out to touch Yang Xiao's shoulder. "General, are you alright?"
Yang Xiao was lying beside Bai Ming, trembling terribly. Zhang Ping quickly found a blanket in the room and covered Yang Xiao with it, pressing hard on her shoulders to try to bring her back to consciousness. "General, please accept my condolences."
Yang Xiao closed her eyes briefly, raised her hand to brush off the blanket, and tilted her head back, breathing heavily. Her knuckles were slightly white, and her hand, tightly gripping Bai Ming's, trembled uncontrollably.
Zhang Ping stepped forward to pick up the blanket that had fallen to the ground. When he looked up, he saw that Yang Xiao's eyes were already red and swollen, and tears were streaming down her face. He felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. He raised his hand and pressed Yang Xiao's shoulder, but he couldn't say a word.
Yang Xiao let out a long breath, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked up at Zhang Ping, choking out, "Tell me, why?" Her tears welled up again, "They clearly..." She couldn't finish her sentence, her words turning into silent tears that struck everyone's hearts like knives.
"General, we understand, we all understand." Zhang Ping's hand on Yang Xiao's shoulder unconsciously clenched into a fist, and a tear fell onto Yang Xiao's sleeve, mingling with the raindrops.
Yang Xiao squeezed Bai Ming's hand, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she stood up, took the last clean towel, wrung out some hot water, and gently wiped the dried blood off Bai Ming's face.
“Once his pulse stabilizes, I’ll go see Yude.” Yang Xiao raised her hand to brush Bai Ming’s cold face, then closed her eyes and leaned down to gently touch his forehead. “Just for my sake, you must, you must, live well.”
She slightly raised her head, looking at Bai Ming with tears in her eyes, "At least let me know how long it will take for your so-called 'settling down' to actually happen."
The torrential rain that had lasted all night finally stopped, and the dense dark clouds made the daytime seem no different from the night.
Yang Xiao poured a bowl of warm water, sat down by Bai Ming's bedside, carefully lifted his head, slowly placed the rim of the bowl against his lips, and gently lifted her wrist to pour the water into his mouth.
The damp, stifling air outside the window made Yang Xiao feel suffocated. She raised her hand and gently wiped the water stains from Bai Ming's lips, then put him back on the bed, tucked him in, and turned away, seemingly lost in thought, walking into the deathly silence of the city.
She walked along the path strewn with fallen flowers, her mind blank, her nostrils filled with a sweet and pungent smell.
It all felt unreal; she was in a daze all night, unsure how to face the reality before her.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at Zhong Lishuo's final resting place—the doorway of a small house filled with a damp atmosphere.
She closed her eyes briefly, hesitated for a long time before finally making up her mind and slowly pushed open the curtain.
Upon seeing Yang Xiao arrive, the soldiers kneeling before the bed inside the room all stood up as if waking from a dream. Their legs had long since gone numb from kneeling, and they stumbled and clasped their hands in a salute to Yang Xiao.
Yang Xiao shook her head, raised her hand to stop them, and then looked up at the person lying on the bed. A feeling of being in another world immediately lingered in Yang Xiao's heart.
Everything seemed too unreal.
He was clearly the most energetic person in Jizhou City, the most playful and lively young general, and before he left, he was full of confidence and boasted that he would dominate the battlefield. Why did he become like this overnight?
A buzzing sound suddenly filled Yang Xiao's mind, and the scene of Zhong Lishuo pointing a gun at her and insisting on a contest when they first met suddenly appeared before her eyes.
Her heart clenched as if it were being squeezed, and she pounded her fist on Zhong Lishuo's pillow, "Weren't you supposed to be a great fighter?"
"Weren't you supposed to be able to take on a hundred men single-handedly?" she questioned, her voice trembling. "How could attacking Lujiang County turn you into this! You always loved sparring, didn't you? Get up! You still owe me a match..."
Her voice gradually became hoarse, and then slowly began to sob.
Tears that had been brewing for so long suddenly welled up in Yang Xiao's eyes, and her trembling fingers crumpled the sheets beside Zhong Lishuo's pillow.
"Don't lie to me, Yude, this joke isn't funny," a sob escaped her lips, "How could you... how could you bear to die here!"
“Everyone’s waiting for you. You haven’t even personally given Tongxi that surprise yet…” Her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the floor, her hands still gripping the bedside tightly. “Be good. If you wake up, we’ll do whatever you say from now on… We’ve never had a fight. If you get up, I’ll fight with you every day until you win. And those darts…”
With red eyes, Yang Xiao pointed at herself and said, "You lost to me like that? Are you willing to accept it? You are the lord's invincible general. When have you ever lost!"
She struggled to her feet by the bedside, pointed towards the door, and said, "How could you possibly lose to Lujiang County! You clearly..."
Yang Xiao's raised hand froze in mid-air without her realizing it.
“Yes,” she smiled through her tears, nodding with tears still in her eyes, “You did not lose. You took the entire city by yourself with your troops.”
A huge weight suddenly lodged in her heart. "But we don't want Lujiang County anymore," she sobbed, shaking her head, her hazy eyes filled with resentment and pleading. "We just want you to come back alive, Yude."
Tears welled up uncontrollably in Yang Xiao's eyes, and she kept taking deep breaths to suppress her emotions. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she looked down, she saw that the corners of Zhong Lishuo's lips still seemed to be slightly upturned.
"I really wish you could jump up and punch me right now and tell me that all of this is fake." Yang Xiao bit her lip, shook her head with tears in her eyes, "It seems there's no need for that."
Her clenched fist trembled incessantly, then she relaxed it with a sense of relief.
"Is this our destiny?" Yang Xiao let out a long breath, as if to release all the pent-up emotions in her heart. She gently pressed her hand on Zhong Lishuo's shoulder one last time, then squeezed it tightly, whether to soothe Zhong Lishuo's unresolved feelings or to comfort herself.
"Fine." She sniffed, took a deep breath, and smiled as she tossed her head at Zhong Lishuo. "Go ahead and leave. I won't stop you."
She stood up without any hesitation, turned around and glanced at Zhong Lishuo one last time, "This is our farewell today... see you in the next life."
"May you never have to go to the battlefield in your next life."
After speaking, she turned around and stepped into the gloomy outside the door.
"General! General!"
Just as she reached the door of Bai Ming's house, she saw the physician wipe the sweat from his brow and excitedly run out to greet Yang Xiao.
"What's wrong?" Yang Xiao quickly stepped forward. "How is Zhaoqing?"
"General Bai, he..." The physician, panting, led Yang Xiao into the house, "His pulse has stabilized, but..."
Before the physician could finish speaking, Yang Xiao flung open the curtain, rushed to the bedside, and excitedly took Bai Ming's hand to check his pulse.
"Phew..." Yang Xiao closed her eyes with a sigh of relief, squeezed Bai Ming's hand tightly, then sat down on the edge of his bed and reached out to touch his forehead.
As expected, his limbs were ice-cold, while his forehead was burning hot. Yang Xiao closed her eyes and sighed, gently taking Bai Ming's hand in her palm and rubbing it.
"Let it burn," Yang Xiao raised her hand and touched Bai Ming's burning neck, then chuckled with relief, "It's better than death."
The physician stood to the side and nodded readily. "Judging from General Bai's pulse yesterday afternoon, he wouldn't have made it this far. When I visited him last night, I saw that he had an extremely strong will to live, probably thanks to your meticulous care, General Yang, and your repeated calls and pleas."
Yang Xiao chuckled and shook her head, then leaned down and rested her head on Bai Ming's arm. She breathed heavily with relief, the breath that had been stuck in her chest gradually dissipating and flowing into her lungs.
"That's great," Yang Xiao breathed a barely audible sigh of relief, then sat up and looked at Bai Ming with deep emotion, gently stroking his burning cheek. "You have never, ever disappointed me."
She closed her eyes as if reborn, then turned to look at the doctor, "When was the last time I gave you water?"
“Before you went to see General Yude,” the physician said, rubbing his hands together and frowning, “we don’t know why, but after you left, we couldn’t get you to drink water no matter what we tried. We just kept spilling the water. Now it’s almost time for your medicine, and we’re really worried about this.”
Yang Xiao clenched her fist lightly, and chuckled defiantly, "I don't believe I can't feed him. Even if he can't swallow, I'll feed him drop by drop, and I don't believe he can keep it in his mouth."
After speaking, she moved all the remaining pillows and blankets in the room and placed them under Bai Ming. She sighed softly, put her arms around Bai Ming's neck, held the medicine bowl to his lips, and carefully poured it down his throat.
But after only a couple of sips, Bai Ming choked on the medicine and coughed repeatedly. Yang Xiao quickly took a handkerchief and gently wiped away the medicine that had spilled from his lips. Then she sighed helplessly, tapped his nose, and threatened, "If you don't drink your medicine properly, I'll have to force it down your nose."
She put down the medicine bowl, carefully scooped a small spoonful of the soup, and slowly fed it into Bai Ming's mouth.
As darkness fell, the medicine in Yang Xiao's bowl was almost gone. She picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped Bai Ming's lips, then wrung out a damp cloth and gently placed it on Bai Ming's forehead.
Three days and three nights of hard work left Yang Xiao physically and mentally exhausted. She tucked Bai Ming in, sat by his bedside, propped her head up, and gazed at the night sky. Before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep.
As soon as I closed my eyes, my thoughts were immediately drawn to the gates of Anping City.
The dazzling sunlight shone on the dirt road. She frowned slightly, bewildered as she rode her horse for seven years. Just as she was about to move forward, she heard the sound of bells. Turning around, she saw a black horse carrying a spirited general galloping towards her.
"Yu De?" She looked into Zhong Lishuo's flickering eyes and involuntarily spurred her horse forward. The difference between dream and reality suddenly cleaved in her heart. She knew it was a dream, yet she couldn't help but immerse herself in it, to see her dearest friend one last time.
"I heard you're going to join Lord Lunhong?" Zhongli Shuo waved his hand and slung his dagger behind his back. "Come on, let me see if you have the ability to join him!"
Yang Xiao felt a pang of sadness. She gritted her teeth and nodded firmly, "Alright, I'll have another match with you!"
She spurred her horse and charged toward Zhongli Shuo with her spear in hand, only to see him pull on the reins, raise his head and smile, and gallop into the woods to the side.
Yang Xiao was puzzled, but followed without hesitation. Unexpectedly, as soon as she entered the woods, Zhong Lishuo threw three darts at her.
"I don't believe you can beat me at darts," Zhong Lishuo laughed and tossed his head at her. "Three darts each, the one who hits the most leaves and penetrates deep into the wood wins. How about it, dare to compete?"
Her vision blurred for a moment, and the image of the dart, completely embedded in the tree trunk, flashed into her mind and wouldn't go away.
By the time she came to her senses, the scenery before her had already changed.
“Look at you, what general can’t drink?” Zhong Lishuo, holding a small jar of wine, patted Yang Xiao’s shoulder, then smiled and waved as he walked into the house. “Come on, everyone is waiting for you inside.”
As Yang Xiao watched Zhong Lishuo step into the doorway, a sudden panic gripped her. She quickly raised her hand and chased after him, calling out, "Yude, wait!"
The door slammed shut the moment she reached out to touch it.
A cacophony of noise arose from all sides. Yang Xiao disregarded everything else, quickly clenched her fists, and kicked open the door in front of her. After a cloud of dust cleared, Zhong Lishuo grabbed a heel stick and knocked the assassin in front of him to the ground.
He slammed his foot on the table with a bang, pointed his heel at Jie Liang, and said, "Is this how you treat your guests?"
The next moment, Mu Fei rushed in from outside the door, and together with several brothers, they tied up Jie Liang and pushed him out the door.
"Mu Fei?" Yang Xiao was stunned and stared at the young face in disbelief.
"General, you called me?" Mu Fei smiled, wiped the dust off his face, and returned from outside the door.
The Nanyang prefecture seat in front of them had somehow been transformed into the camp's kitchen.
"Why are you standing there motionless?" Mu Fei smiled and tilted his head at Yang Xiao. "You're just learning, so it's perfectly normal for you to break the wontons. Come on, General, let me make you a pot of tea."
Yang Xiao immediately understood Mu Fei's meaning. She hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, but before she could say anything, she saw Mu Fei carrying a cup of locust flower tea and walking towards her.
The familiar feel of the teacup entered Yang Xiao's hands, but for some reason, the teacup became hotter and hotter in her hands.
She frowned and lifted the lid of the teacup, only to find that the flower tea in the bowl had long since dried up. Looking up again, she saw wildfires raging across the land, and countless enemy soldiers surged toward her from the black smoke.
She panicked and sat up abruptly, only to find everything in a dark place. Cold sweat poured down her forehead, and she was clutching Bai Ming's blanket tightly in her hand. The sleeve she had been covering was now soaked with tears.
Yang Xiao looked up at the dim night outside the window, panting heavily, forcing herself to calm down. She raised her hand to furrow her brow, stood up, and looked at Bai Ming, who was sleeping soundly beside her.
She let out a long breath, gently sat down next to Bai Ming, raised her hand to wipe his dry lips, then fetched a bowl of warm water and slowly fed it to him with a small spoon.
As soon as she removed the already scalding towel from Bai Ming's forehead, she noticed his Adam's apple bob almost imperceptibly. Yang Xiao was startled and abruptly stood up, touching his forehead with the back of her hand.
"Bai Ming?" Yang Xiao leaned down and called softly, "Can...you hear me?"
Her heart started racing. She took Bai Ming's hand and was surprised to find that his palms, which had been icy cold, were now slightly damp with sweat.
"Bai Ming, you really..." Yang Xiao was overjoyed and held Bai Ming's hand in her arms. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Wake up and look at me, Bai Ming. As long as you open your eyes, I will always be by your side."
She held Bai Ming's hand tightly, and when she looked up, she saw a wet line slowly sliding down the corner of Bai Ming's eye. She couldn't help but step forward and gently stroke his face, but her fingertips trembled as she was about to touch the tear stain.
"Ah Xiao..." Bai Ming's lips moved slightly, his breath barely audible as he called out.
But the faint voice reached Yang Xiao's ears unmistakably, and she could no longer hold back her tears, nodding repeatedly, "I'm here, Bai Ming, I'm here."
She took a deep breath and carefully wiped away the tears streaming from Bai Ming's eyes. The next moment, she met Bai Ming's tearful eyes.
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