Chapter 10 Her Delicate Hands Dared to Hold Up Half the Sky (Part 4) It was her...
Was she just overthinking things because she'd been too stressed these past few days? Ye Yixiang shook her head, suppressing the strange unease in her heart. She urged her mount forward, protecting Chu Huaili, who was swaying precariously on horseback beside her, and quickly disappeared into the vast snowy night.
In the shadows at the edge of the royal court, Geshu Lin stood with his hands behind his back, silently watching the direction in which the two men and the rider had disappeared.
A man dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, his face covered by a ferocious bronze beast mask, appeared silently beside him like a ghost. He spoke in fluent Central Plains Mandarin, his voice sounding somewhat deep and strange through the mask: "Are you just going to let them go like that? That Chu Huaili is a fierce tiger of the Southern Dynasty. Letting a tiger return to the mountains will bring endless trouble."
Geshu Lin did not turn around, his gaze still fixed on the dark distance, but a knowing smile curved his lips: "A tiger trapped in shallow waters will struggle and hurt people. If released back into the mountains, it will have its own prey to devour. It is more beneficial to my great cause to be in the Southern Dynasty than to be trapped and die here."
He paused, glanced sideways, and out of the corner of his eye swept over the man in black beside him, his tone meaningful: "Haven't you seen this clearly these past few days?"
The man in black remained silent for a moment, his gaze beneath the bronze mask unfathomable. In the end, he simply nodded slightly, his figure quietly retreating and disappearing back into the deep night.
As the sun sets, it paints the boundless snowfield in a magnificent yet poignant golden-red hue.
The cold wind was even more biting than during the day, whipping up the snow from the ground, swirling it in the air, and making a wailing sound.
Ye Yixiang tightened the reins and looked into the distance. Apart from the vast expanse of white snow and the black branches of a few withered trees, there was nothing else in the world.
They had to find a relatively safe place to stay before dark, otherwise, once night fell completely, hungry wolves and even more ferocious beasts would come out to hunt for food on the snowfield, and the two of them and their two horses would have no chance of survival.
She chose a sheltered, low slope with a sturdy old tree on it, its trunk long since bare of leaves. She secured the two horses firmly to the tree trunk and carefully checked the reins to ensure they were strong.
The gray horse seemed to understand human nature, pawing restlessly and exhaling puffs of white steam. Ye Yixiang patted its neck to comfort it, then took out some cold dry rations from the hidden pouch of the fox fur coat given to her by Geshu Lin, and swallowed a few mouthfuls with difficulty, along with some snow water.
The food was rough and cold, causing discomfort as it went down her throat, but she forced herself to eat it to conserve her strength.
The most urgent matter was Chu Huaili's injury. She carefully helped him down from the horse and let him sit against a tree trunk. The boy's eyes were closed, his face was as pale as paper, his lips were cracked and bleeding, and his breathing was weak and rapid.
Ye Yixiang loosened his clothes, which were soaked with blood and sweat, and the skin she touched was frighteningly hot! He had a high fever!
This is not a good sign. Wound infection combined with the severe cold could be fatal to a strong man.
She suppressed her anxiety and, using the last rays of twilight, quickly examined his wounds. The most serious was a deep, bone-revealing knife wound below his left shoulder. Although it had been simply bandaged before, it was clearly ineffective; the edges were red, swollen, and festering, constantly oozing yellowish-white pus.
There are several other deep arrow wounds and abrasions, and the situation is not optimistic.
Ye Yixiang took a deep breath of the cold air, forcing herself to calm down. She took out the medicine given to her by Ge Shulin, washed her hands with snow water, and then carefully examined the medicine packets.
Fortunately, some of the herbs were indeed effective in reducing inflammation and detoxifying sores. She selected a few and chewed them. The bitter and spicy taste of the herbs instantly filled the air, making her eyes sting, but she didn't even frown. She continued chewing the herbs until they were a paste, then bent down and carefully squeezed out the dark green juice with her hands, drop by drop, feeding it to Chu Huaili's chapped lips.
He seemed to sense something; his Adam's apple bobbed laboriously as he swallowed the life-saving medicine. Just then, he suddenly let out a very faint, almost delirious groan: "Ah..."
The last syllable was barely audible.
Ye Yixiang paused, slightly taken aback. The voice was too soft and indistinct, dissipating in the wind, almost inaudible. She subconsciously leaned down, bringing her ear close to his lips, holding her breath and listening intently.
In the cold wind, his broken yet burning breath carried on the breeze, mingling with a faint but clear word: "Mother..."
Ye Yixiang's heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something, stirring up a complex mix of emotions.
She looked down at the young face in her arms, a face etched with pain and determination. He was a tall, imposing figure, a general on the battlefield who commanded with unwavering resolve and struck fear into the hearts of his enemies.
But if you think about it carefully, he's still just a young man who hasn't even reached twenty yet. In an ordinary family, someone his age would probably still be enjoying the company of their parents, living a carefree life.
But he had already shouldered the honor and disgrace of his family and the heavy burden of the country, fighting amidst the clash of swords. Even when he was seriously injured and unconscious, the only thing he subconsciously called out for was the warm "Mother" from his memory.
A touch of indescribable pity quietly crept into my heart.
The night was as dark as ink, quickly swallowing the last ray of light. The temperature plummeted, and breath turned to ice. Ye Yixiang wrapped her heavy fox fur coat tightly around Chu Huaili, trying to keep him warm. However, he continued to shiver, his teeth chattering, mumbling incoherently, "Cold...so cold..."
A fox fur coat alone is clearly not enough to ward off this bone-chilling night.
Ye Yixiang gritted her teeth and stopped hesitating. She struggled to help Chu Huaili back onto the Cangzhui horse, then climbed on herself and sat behind him, letting his tall body lean almost entirely against her.
She wrapped her arms around him, trying her best to warm his body with her own body heat.
The two were very close, and his burning body temperature seeped through her clothes, almost scorching her skin.
A scent, a mixture of blood, herbs, and a uniquely his own, crisp yet rusty aroma, enveloped her. She had smelled this scent on Lu Qingyuan before.
In a daze, she almost thought that the person leaning against her was the husband she had once loved deeply, but who had ultimately passed away.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, her heart began to pound uncontrollably, beating like a drum in the silent snowy night.
Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably. She shook her head sharply, dispelling these inappropriate thoughts, and sternly warned herself: Wake up. This is Chu Huaili, Qingyuan's younger brother, still young. As his elder sister-in-law, it is only right that you help him at this moment. You must not have any ulterior motives. An elder sister-in-law is like a mother; abandon those inappropriate thoughts!
"Awooo—!"
In the distance, a mournful and drawn-out wolf howl echoed, one after another, reverberating across the vast snowfield, sending chills down one's spine.
Ye Yixiang shuddered, instantly banishing all her romantic thoughts. Fear gripped her, but even more so, the will to survive. She couldn't stay here; she had to leave this dangerous area as soon as possible!
She tightly wrapped one arm around the dazed Chu Huaili in front of her, gripped the reins with the other, and squeezed the horse's belly with her legs, which were almost numb from the cold: "Giddy up!"
The steed, Cangzhui, was intelligent and sensed its master's urgency. It let out a long neigh and galloped away.
The biting wind, like icy blades, blew against her face, almost blinding her. Forcing herself to stay awake, she relied on her memory and the faint starlight to find her way, desperately hurrying towards Liangzhou City.
Exhaustion, cold, and fear continued to assault her will, but she dared not relax in the slightest, because the howling of the wolf pack behind her seemed to be getting closer and closer.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but just when she felt her strength was about to be exhausted and her eyelids were so heavy that she could hardly keep them open, suddenly one or two points appeared on the dark horizon ahead... followed by a series of twinkling lights!
Torches! Someone's here!
Overwhelmed with joy, Ye Yixiang instantly overcame her exhaustion. With her last ounce of strength, she urged her horse forward, galloping towards the light of hope. The cold wind howled in her ears, yet it seemed to carry with it faint cries.
"Is that Miss Ye? Is that Miss Ye ahead?" A loud and familiar voice pierced through the wind and snow.
"General! Night Maiden!" More shouts joined in.
It's Captain Pei Hong! He's one of their men!
Ye Yixiang felt a sense of relief and almost burst into tears. She quickly replied, "Commander Pei!"
Several cavalrymen immediately rushed over with torches and quickly came to their aid.
In the firelight, Pei Hong saw Ye Yixiang's pale, haggard yet unusually resolute face, and the unconscious Chu Huaili in her arms. His stern face instantly lit up with unbelievable ecstasy and heartfelt admiration:
"Miss Ye! You...you really rescued the general from the Northern Di royal court!"
Ye Yixiang managed a faint smile on her pale and tired face, her voice soft yet clear: "If it weren't for Lieutenant Pei's decisive action in sending men to escort me out of the camp, I would probably have already fallen into the hands of the rebels."
With the help of the soldiers, she dismounted. Her feet felt weak as she landed, and she swayed, almost falling over. But she quickly braced herself on the saddle and managed to stand up.
Before she could even catch her breath, she looked anxiously at Pei Hong, her eyes filled with worry: "The general's injuries are extremely serious, and his fever is not going down. He must be treated immediately; there can be no delay!"
Pei Hong's joy vanished, replaced by a serious expression. He leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "We can't go back to the military camp for the time being. Those traitors haven't been eliminated yet, and the situation inside the camp is still unclear. We must take the general to the nearest city, Liangzhou, immediately. Lord Nie Huaizhang, who is guarding the city, is a friend of the general's, a man of unwavering loyalty. You can rest assured that the general's safety is entrusted to him."
Ye Yixiang nodded heavily; this was exactly what she wanted to say. Liangzhou City was only a few dozen miles away; if they could ride at full speed, they should be able to arrive before dawn without any problems.
She subconsciously looked back at the dark snowfield that had swallowed up the path she had come from. Although the wolf howls had faded into the distance, the sense of danger lurking in the night was ever-present, sending chills down her spine.
Pei Hong immediately directed his men to carefully place Chu Huaili onto a prepared sled, the interior of which was lined with thick wolf-skin felt, enough to ward off the biting cold wind. A heavy military cloak was then draped over Chu Huaili.
"Let's go!" Pei Hong mounted his horse and gave the order.
The group immediately protected the sled and plunged back into the deep night.
A note from the author:
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I saw so many familiar IDs, haha, thank you all for your support! Whether you're a newbie or an old friend, thank you so much for your company. Your support is a huge motivation for me to keep going! [heart][heart]
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