Chapter Forty-Four: Embarking on a New Journey Amidst Old Snow
"Who says it isn't?"
In the quiet and peaceful atmosphere, Yang Xiao was startled when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She stood up and looked back.
Zhong Li'an had somehow appeared behind the two of them, smiling meaningfully at them.
“Ever since Tongxi arrived, Yude has been absent-minded every day.” Zhong Li’an nodded and smiled smugly, sitting down beside them as if nothing had happened. “Now there’s finally someone who can keep him in check.”
Yang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, still shaken. "My lord, you really do walk very quietly."
"Were you and Zhao Qing chatting too intently?" Zhong Li'an smiled and tapped her, then exchanged a glance with Qi Kun beside her.
Seeing the two of them looking at her at the same time, Yang Xiao crossed her arms reproachfully, trying to remain calm as she changed the subject, "By the way, is the Prefect of Yingchuan going to send troops? Haven't they sent a declaration of war yet? Are they planning a sneak attack?"
The two were taken aback by her barrage of questions. Zhong Li'an looked back at Qi Kun, and the two couldn't help but laugh. "What are you talking about?" Zhong Li'an shook her head with a smile. "The challenge will most likely be sent. According to the scouts, it should be in the next day or two."
The two people who were entwined under the flying snow saw that they had started chatting over here, so they looked at each other, took hands and ran over.
"What are you talking about?" Zhong Lishuo led Cen Xun over at a trot. He leaned down to look at Zhong Li'an, his face still flushed.
Qi Kun looked up at the two of them and teased them with a smile, "Why didn't you two go and have a proper heart-to-heart talk when no one was around? Why did you come back here again?"
"Hey, strategist," Zhongli Shuo laughed indignantly, "how come you're excluding us too?"
Seeing this, Zhongli An sighed helplessly, "How come you can always get into arguments with anyone?" He chuckled and tapped Zhongli Shuo's nose, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. According to the scouts, Yingchuan is about to launch an attack. This will be Tongxi's first battle in the north. Are you ready?"
“Of course,” Zhong Lishuo patted his chest confidently. “Then we’ll set up camp in Runan in a couple of days and give him a good rest.”
Zhong Li'an chuckled and nodded, "This time I plan to send the three of you to fight together, so that Xiao Yan can see our strength."
"The three of us are going?" Zhongli Shuo asked, sitting opposite Zhongli An, puzzled. "Aren't you worried about the city being left empty this time?"
Qi Kun looked at Zhong Lishuo and couldn't help but praise him, "Good question. The reason we left people behind earlier was because Xiao Yan and Jiangnan were still undecided and we were afraid that they would take advantage of the situation. But now Xiao Yan has sent the governor of Yingchuan to test us, and Jiangnan has just formed an alliance with us, so we will not attack rashly."
“So,” Zhong Li’an smiled at the crowd, “you can all go ahead and show your strength.”
“Okay,” Yang Xiao replied readily, “I think we can recover the entire Yingchuan County in less than three days.”
Seeing the joyful expressions on everyone's faces, Cen Xun clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhongli An and said, "Although I can't help in the battle, I can help with the formation. My lord, I wonder if I can accompany the three of you to Yingchuan this time?"
“Sure, no problem,” Zhong Li’an agreed without hesitation. He smiled and nodded at Cen Xun. “I was just about to suggest that Yu De Ling Yu protect you, but considering your sword dance just now, it’s more like you should be protecting them.”
Everyone laughed upon hearing this. Yang Xiao put her arm around Cen Xun's shoulder and confidently raised her head at Zhong Li'an, "My lord, I told you, the Tongxi Sword Technique is the best in Jiangnan."
“Yes,” Zhongli An nodded with a smile, “It is a great honor to witness Tongxi’s sword dance today.” He chuckled and tapped Zhongli Shuo’s nose, “From now on, you will finally have someone to keep you tied down.”
Zhong Lishuo chuckled and glanced at Cen Xun, then gently squeezed her hand. Before he could speak, Yang Xiao interrupted, "I don't think so."
Zhong Li'an looked at Yang Xiao with interest. "Oh? What do you mean?"
“I think,” Yang Xiao smiled as she looked at Zhong Lishuo and Cen Xun, “that with Yu De’s personality, he would take Tong Xi with him to travel the world, so how could he be tied down?”
Everyone burst into laughter again, and the banquet gradually came to a close amidst the laughter and conversation. Reluctantly, they bowed and waved goodbye, leaving with a sense of lingering enjoyment.
Only the bright moon in the sky reflected the snowflakes falling from the sky, gently whitening the ground and outlining the strands of hair of the group.
-
As Qi Kun had predicted, once the winter solstice passed, Zhao Yue, the prefect of Yingchuan, launched an attack, even going so far as to issue a challenge to Zhongli An. Ten thousand troops followed General Qin Yi in a grand procession toward Runan, as if attaching themselves to Xiao Yan had given them the same confidence and strength.
The Central Plains troops had long been displeased with them. They trained day and night, and finally, at Zhongli An's command, 20,000 troops followed the three generals Yang Xiao, Bai Ming, and Zhongli Shuo in training, intending to dampen their spirits.
The first snow of winter had not yet melted, and the snow-covered road in front of the tent was wet and muddy. Several warhorses trotted in place, leaving water stains in their stomping.
As the army was about to depart, the three generals, as they always did before each battle, bid farewell to Zhongli An in front of their tent.
“We won’t send you any more,” Zhongli An said, standing in front of the tent. He looked up at the four men holding the reins and patted Zhongli Shuo on the shoulder with a smile. “Although we are confident of victory, you must still be careful. Since the strategist is not here, you can consult Tongxi for military affairs.”
"Yes." Cen Xun held the reins, raised his hand and clasped his hands in a fist salute, "Thank you for your trust, my lord. I will certainly live up to your expectations."
"Alright, my lord." Yang Xiao smiled at Zhong Li'an, his red bridle beneath him stomping lightly. "You've already told me many times, so don't worry."
“Look,” Zhong Li’an said with a smile, pointing at Yang Xiao, “you find me annoying.”
"No way!"
Everyone burst into laughter, and Zhong Li'an shook his head with a smile, "Alright, enough joking. The snow hasn't completely melted, and the roads are difficult to travel. If we don't leave now, we might not reach our destination before dark."
He patted Zhong Lishuo on the shoulder, "Go on, I'll wait for you to come back safely."
"Go ahead with peace of mind," Qi Kun said, looking at the group and nodding with a smile. "My lord, I'll take care of things here. We'll stay in Jizhou and wait for your triumphant return."
Upon hearing this, Bai Ming solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to the two men and said, "Then we shall take our leave, my lord, strategist, await our good news."
The warhorse seemed impatient and neighed a few times as it shook its head. The group pulled on the reins and mounted the horses. Yang Xiao sat on the saddle and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhong Li'an and Qi Kun, saying, "Farewell, gentlemen."
Zhong Li'an smiled at the group on horseback and nodded gently, "Go on, be careful on the road."
After a series of responses, the light sound of hooves suddenly rang out on the snow, and several warhorses galloped joyfully westward, leaving only laughter and the fleeting shadows of sleeves in the vast sky.
The 20,000-strong army marched south through the snow, with the four leaders laughing and joking as they rode their horses at full gallop, their horses reined in at Runan under the glow of the setting sun.
-
Within half a day, the army had arrived at the previously agreed encampment location.
Despite walking briskly for half a day, Yang Xiao felt no fatigue whatsoever. Bathed in the golden light of dusk, she even felt a sense of exhilaration and comfort.
Yang Xiao sat on the saddle bridge, holding the whip and stretching his arm. He looked back with a carefree expression and saw soldiers all over the field busy setting up camp. The setting sun reflected their figures coming and going, giving their iron armor a shimmering golden light.
"Why are you standing there like that?" Cen Xun, who was standing to the side, saw that Yang Xiao was silent, so he spurred his horse to her side and put his arm around her shoulder with a light laugh.
Yang Xiao then came to her senses. She took Cen Xun's arm and rested it on her head. Looking at the busy soldiers, she smiled and said, "I guess I've been through so much fighting that I feel a little warm and cozy about the scene right now."
“Yes,” Bai Ming chuckled, glancing at the soldiers who had set up camp nearby, and said with emotion, “No matter where we are or what era we live in, wherever there are people, there will be warmth. Even if the future is uncertain, the friendship we have now is still there…”
He seemed to suddenly realize something, staring blankly at the setting sun for a moment. He turned back to look at Yang Xiao with a sudden realization, meeting her inquiring gaze.
"How is it?" Yang Xiao tilted her head and asked softly, waiting for him to continue.
Bai Ming looked into her eyes, a smile unconsciously appearing in them. "These are all things that are precious in this life and will never be forgotten."
“Well said,” Cen Xun nodded in agreement. “So, Lingyu, you…”
"Achoo—" Before Cen Xun could finish speaking, Yang Xiao's sudden sneeze startled everyone. Bai Ming frowned and looked at her with concern, "What happened? Did you catch a cold?"
"It's alright, it's alright," Yang Xiao quickly waved her hand and gently rubbed her nose. "Sneezing doesn't necessarily mean you've caught a cold." She turned her head and looked at Cen Xun reproachfully. "Tell me, Tongxi, were you trying to say something bad about me just now?"
Upon hearing this, Cen Xun couldn't help but laugh. "I didn't. Zhao Qing can vouch for me."
“I don’t care,” Yang Xiao said with a chuckle as she rode her horse forward. “Ever since you went north, you’ve teased me quite a bit.” She turned back and pointed at Cen Xun. “Looks like you’ve really learned bad habits from Yu De.”
Bai Ming looked at the two laughing and joking beside him, and couldn't help but shake his head with a helpless chuckle. He led his horse forward and walked side by side with Yang Xiao. "Alright, alright, it's all Yu De's fault. It's getting late, and it's winter. Be careful not to catch a cold." He looked at Yang Xiao with concern. "Why don't we go back to the tent and warm up first?"
"Okay, okay," Yang Xiao smiled at Bai Ming, nodded, then looked at Cen Xun as if she had noticed something, "Hey? Where's Yu De?"
“Him,” Cen Xun smiled upon hearing this, “he seems to have a lot of free time, he went to help the soldiers set up tents.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao chuckled and glanced back at Bai Ming. "Sure enough, we should ask Tong Xi about Yu De's whereabouts."
Bai Ming was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then chuckled and shook his head, "Who's teasing whom here?"
"Alright, alright, stop fooling around," Yang Xiao said with a smile, putting her arm around Cen Xun's shoulder. "Let's go back to the tent."
Upon entering the tent, the three were immediately enveloped in warmth. Cen Xun shivered from the sudden change in temperature, then gently rubbed her hands together and looked up at the busy soldiers. She glanced sideways with a slight smile and slowly walked towards Zhong Lishuo, who was fiddling with a small folding chair.
As if hearing some noise, Zhongli Shuo put down the folding chair he was holding and turned around. When he saw it was Cen Xun, he happily went to greet her. "I just lit the fire and you're here," he said, putting his arm around Cen Xun's shoulder and smiling at her. "How are you? Are you still cold?"
“Of course not,” Cen Xun chuckled and squeezed his hand back. “You’ve been traveling for so long, and you didn’t even suggest taking a break. Instead, you just kept working.”
"Hey," Zhong Lishuo raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, "I'm not tired at all. On the contrary, you've been riding a horse for so long, are you used to it?"
The soldiers beside them finished their work, exchanged glances, clasped their hands in greeting to Yang Xiao and Bai Ming at the door, and went outside.
The tent fell silent immediately, with only the sounds of Cen Xun and Zhong Lishuo talking and their tender, affectionate gazes audible.
“How about…” Yang Xiao paused, then turned and smiled at Bai Ming beside her, “we should go out too?”
Before Bai Ming could say anything, Zhong Lishuo interrupted him in surprise, "Hey? When did you two get here?"
Yang Xiao paused upon hearing this, "So you didn't see us at all?"
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