Su Wan had treated hundreds of soldiers at Xiping Pass and was very experienced. He knew which injuries young soldiers could withstand but veterans couldn't.
Zhao Xian's arrow wound is of this type. She was about 70-80% confident she could save the young Zhao Xian, but now, removing the arrow would likely kill him. If she didn't remove it, he probably wouldn't survive the night.
All she could do was cut off the arrow shaft, give Zhao Xian a fentanyl painkiller injection, and sit by Zhao Xian's bedside, weeping.
She shed tears not only because Zhao Xian was Wei Jingzhuo's maternal grandfather, but also because the arrow wound Zhao Xian suffered was related to her.
Wei Jingzhuo led his army to rescue Zhao Xian, and together they broke through the encirclement of the Southern Chu army. Zhao Xian had already escaped safely, but he suddenly turned back and brought out a white horse.
The white horse was named Xuehua, and it was given to her by Zhao Xian. She didn't know how to ride it and it remained in the general's mansion. Zhao Xian took the horse with him when he led his army to retreat to the northwest camp.
Xuehua was unharmed, but Zhao Xian was struck by an arrow in the back.
Zhao Xian lay on the bed, glanced at her sideways and saw tears streaming down her face, and laughed, "Do you think the old man was too reckless?"
“No,” Su Wan wiped away her tears with her sleeve, “Grandfather, I know what you’re thinking…”
Zhao Xian grinned and said, "I've fought my way across battlefields all my life, and now I can barely mount a horse. A general like that is just a waste of resources; he should have died long ago. Besides, I was the last of the three heroes of the Western Expedition to die, which is already pretty good."
Su Wan said, "If it weren't for you holding off the Southern Chu army, Xiping Pass wouldn't have held out until now."
After Meng Kuan's crushing defeat, it was only thanks to Zhao Xian's 5,000 soldiers that the Southern Chu army was able to hold off the enemy that Youzhou was able to transport a large amount of supplies, including arrows, armor, weapons, and medicine. These supplies, especially the medicine, were a godsend for the garrison at Xiping Pass.
Zhao Xian said, "Don't praise the old man. The Southern Chu army has still cut off the road from Youzhou to Xiping Pass. Even if Jinzhi has extraordinary abilities, he probably can't defend this place. Sigh... If only I were ten years younger."
Su Wan stood up and said, "Grandfather, please don't speak yet. Let me pour you some water."
Zhao Xian said, "If I don't tell you now, when will I? The painkiller you gave me really worked; I feel much better now."
Su Wan poured water while wiping away her tears: "This can only relieve the pain..."
"Don't cry, the old man understands," Zhao Xian said. "Is Jinzhi still fighting on the city wall?"
“Yes,” Su Wan inserted a straw into the water glass and held it to Zhao Xian’s lips, “Grandfather, please drink some water.”
As soon as Wei Jingzhuo returned to Xiping Pass, he led his troops directly to the city wall. When she saw Zhao Xian was injured, she simply hugged Wei Jingzhuo silently and stayed behind to treat Zhao Xian's wounds.
All she can do now is make Zhao Xian as comfortable as possible.
Zhao Xian shook his head and said, "Since Jinzhi can't come back, it's the same as telling you. Granddaughter-in-law, do you know who our enemy is now?"
Without hesitation, Su Wan replied, "Of course, it's Wei Shao and Chu Yi."
Zhao Xian said, "That's just the surface phenomenon. The real enemy is the person who caused this situation."
Su Wan was startled, and the words Yang Yaozu had told her flashed through her mind: the person who had united Chu Yijun and Wei Shaojun was not Consort Li.
"It's Bai Zhiyi!"
Zhao Xian looked surprised and said, "That young lady from the Duke's mansion? The one who always goes to the Northwest Camp and the General's Mansion to see Jinzhi?"
Su Wan said, "It was her. She was the one who went to the capital to find Consort Li, and she was the one who got the Southern Chu army and Wei Shao's army to join forces. She was also the one who assassinated the emperor. My cousin Yang Yaozu told me this."
She recounted what Yang Yaozu had told her to Zhao Xian.
"So that's how it is. This Bai Zhiyi is no simple woman," Zhao Xian said, increasingly shocked. "The old man thought she was just a devoted woman, but I never imagined she could do so many amazing things. What has she been through?"
“For some reason, she was disfigured,” Su Wan said. “It seems she hates us.”
“This old man doesn’t understand these matters of children,” Zhao Xian said with a smile, “but you must be wary of her. She is more terrifying than Chu Yi and Wei Shao combined. She is your real enemy.”
Just as Su Wan was about to respond, Zhao Xian suddenly said, "Xi Yue is here. Cover the old man with the blanket so his wound isn't exposed."
Su Wan knew Zhao Xian didn't want to upset Zhao Xiyue, so she quickly pulled the blanket over Zhao Xian's upper body. The door opened, and Zhao Xiyue and Su Yuze ran in, followed by Lin Qingfeng, who closed the door behind them.
Zhao Xiyue smiled at Su Wan and said, "Sister-in-law, why didn't you tell us that Grandpa was back? I only found out that Grandpa was back because I knew that Brother Jin was in the city."
Su Wan stammered twice and stood aside.
Zhao Xiyue didn't pay any attention and asked Zhao Xian, "Grandpa, why are you lying on the bed? Are you feeling unwell?"
“Grandpa is getting old, so when he’s too tired, he’ll lie down for a while,” Zhao Xian said, raising his hand. “My dear granddaughter, come here to Grandpa.”
Su Yuze went to Su Wan's side first, and Zhao Xiyue walked to the bedside and sat down, holding Zhao Xian's hand and saying, "Grandpa, why does the room smell of blood?"
“In the heat of battle, it’s inevitable to get some blood on your clothes,” Zhao Xian said. “Xi Yue, did you send your cousin to save Grandpa?”
“Yes,” Zhao Xiyue said with a smile, “They just won a battle and are drinking to celebrate. I urged Brother Jin to send troops quickly, and thankfully you were rescued safely, Grandpa.”
Hearing this, Su Wan couldn't help but shed tears again. Afraid that the two of them would see, she quickly wiped them away. Su Yuze saw all of this, and he glanced at Zhao Xian again, biting his lip.
After Zhao Xiyue and Zhao Xian finished speaking, Su Wan took Su Yuze's hand and came to the bedside, saying, "Grandfather, this is my younger brother, Su Yuze."
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