Chapter 67
Ever since Yu Xi learned that Ling Huanchen had always wanted to study cooking and had nearly taken on the job of barracks cook, she had an idea. The soldiers were stationed year-round in the barracks, and there were a number of military manuals stored there. Yu Xi had them brought to Ling Huanchen, and before each departure, she would instruct him to study them while waiting and to take the test upon his return.
Ling Huanchen knew he didn't want to work too hard, so he stuffed a pile of books on him. He didn't argue and just went along with his wish. After all, reading more military books would be beneficial; maybe they would come in handy someday.
"Your Highness, do you need food?" the young soldier asked outside the tent.
"No, wait a moment."
He was waiting for the horn sound. If the formation was broken successfully, the three horn sounds would surely come as expected.
"But the king instructed you to eat on time before he left."
Ling Huanchen put the book down and shook his head helplessly. His king really understood him. "Bring it in."
“Hey!”
A short while later, the young soldier entered the tent carrying rations and vegetables. "The fresh bamboo shoots we brought in two days ago are ready to cook today. Fried bamboo shoots are incredibly fragrant, far superior to just rations. Your Highness will surely whet your appetite."
Ling Huanchen couldn't help but laugh at his eloquent speech. "Did the king order you to stand guard?"
Since he came to the barracks, it seemed like he saw this little soldier every day.
"Yes, the king ordered me to serve His Highness. Mainly, I want to remind His Highness to drink water and eat, not to catch a cold, not to overwork himself, and to read more."
Ling Huanchen nodded. He finally realized that Yu Xi had found the one for him based on Xiao Qi's talkative personality.
"Okay, who else is on guard?"
The young soldier stood up straight upon hearing the question, not daring to be negligent. "Your Highness, there is another young man who has come with the Royal City army."
Ling Huanchen thought about it and wondered if he had chosen someone based on Yunhe's temperament.
"Send him in."
"clear!"
The young soldier went out for a moment, and another soldier came in. Ling Huanchen didn't even look up as he picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and tasted it. As expected, after staying at the border for so long, even the slightest bit of oily aroma tasted delicious.
"Did the king also send you to remind me?"
The soldier saluted and said, "Even without the king's order, I will follow you wherever you go."
Ling Huanchen looked up suddenly when he heard the voice and said in surprise, "Ahe?" Yunhe actually came to the border with the army?
Yun He was now dressed as a soldier, with a sword at his waist and an upright posture, which was very different from the past.
"Master, please rest assured. I will be guarding outside the tent."
"You stand from day to night?" Ling Huanchen felt a little sorry for him. Yun He and Xiao Qi had already become like family, and he hadn't noticed a little girl standing guard for him. He was under the sun during the day, and even at night when the dew was heavy, he couldn't rest. "Actually, I don't have a big deal here."
"Someone will take over at night, so you don't have to worry about me, master." Yun He hurriedly explained.
"Why didn't I notice it?" Logically speaking, even if Yun He was in disguise, he would be able to tell.
"As soon as the master came out, I asked someone else to take over first, fearing that the master would worry." Yun He poured him a glass of water. "But since the master summoned me today, I will not hide anymore. If Xiao Qi wasn't so weak, he would have clamored to come and serve the master long ago. Now he is powerless, and the king will not agree to his request."
Ling Huanchen thought about the people far away in the palace. It was still necessary for Xiaoqi to stay. He could take care of Xian'er together with the nanny, so he could feel at ease.
At this moment, a horn suddenly sounded outside. Ling Huanchen stood up immediately. The horn sounded three times in a row, and he heard it clearly.
"Ah He, the king and his men are back."
Yun He lifted the curtain for him, "Yes, Master, it is the King who has returned in triumph."
Ling Huanchen saw the large group of people from afar, and Yu Xi raised her whip and rode ahead. Ling Huanchen went to meet them, and the knot in his heart that had been there for a long time instantly calmed down.
Breaking the Fengming clan's magic circle means breaking the deadly curse, and the rest of the things will be much easier.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty."
After breaking the magic circle, Yu Xi was delighted. He pulled Ling Huanchen to his side and said to everyone, "Today's battle was a great victory. The credit should go to Yunlou, as well as to Qi Aiqing who helped so much, and all the soldiers on the battlefield."
"Your Majesty, we swear allegiance to you until death!"
Everyone shouted, their voices shaking the heavens. It was the first time Ling Huanchen had witnessed such a shocking scene, and his heart was inevitably moved.
That night, the soldiers enjoyed their most sumptuous dinner since the start of the war. The aroma of roasted chicken and venison filled the camp, making everyone's mouths water. Soldiers took turns eating meat around the campfire. The generals, even the king, ate the same meals as their soldiers daily. They ate only dry rations, even if the soldiers ate dry rations. When they won a battle and had meat to eat, the entire army would share the rewards.
If it were a hunting trip, meat would certainly be paired with fine wine. However, drinking was strictly prohibited at the border, lest it cause missed opportunities for battle. With the king present, no one dared to disobey military regulations. The soldiers were already overjoyed to have meat to eat.
In the commander-in-chief's tent, the generals surrounded Ji Yunlou and chatted with each other. In addition to praising him, they also asked more questions.
"How did the high priest do it? Such a powerful and evil thing was destroyed as soon as the high priest entered."
"Yes, High Priest, please tell us about it. We are very curious."
Qi Yu glanced at Ji Yunlou, then drew their attention to himself. "It's the same if you ask me. I know everything about Yunlou. Besides, I followed him in."
Ji Yunlou successfully found some quiet time, breathed a sigh of relief, and drank some water.
"Only Yunlou and Qi Yu were able to break the formation?" Ling Huanchen was very confident in Ji Yunlou, but it was still amazing that one person could resist thousands of troops.
"Originally, we wanted to add one more person, but in the end, only the two of them joined the formation." Yu Xi tore off a piece of venison leg and placed it in Ling Huanchen's bowl. "I didn't even take a step closer to the formation. I was very obedient, wasn't I?"
When Ling Huanchen heard this, he laughed and said, "Yes, our Yu Xi is the most obedient."
Yu Xi blinked, "Does being obedient deserve a reward?"
He knew that this person was trying to take advantage of others again.
"What reward does the king want?"
Yu Xi pretended to be in deep thought, "Remember this first. We'll ask for it back together when we return to the capital."
Ling Huanchen was blackmailed for no apparent reason, and he could only smile helplessly. After all, the person blackmailing him was his own king, so he just had to accept the blackmail.
"Let them have fun on their own. I'll go and rest with Huanchen."
Ling Huanchen responded with an "OK" and stood up with Yu Xi, but he never expected that the person next to him suddenly fell down the next moment.
"Your Majesty!"
Upon hearing the sound, the generals rushed over and helped Yu Xi onto the couch.
Ling Huanchen was anxious as he stood by the bed watching Ji Yunlou diagnose his pulse. After waiting for a long time without seeing Ji Yunlou speak, he couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"
Ji Yunlou frowned and put away his pulse-checking hand. "It was my negligence. This formation has been set up with a backlash. Once the formation is broken, it will backfire on one person. Your Majesty is currently suffering from this backlash and has been poisoned. There is currently no antidote for this poison."
Ling Huanchen tried to calm himself down and defend himself, but he still couldn't prevent it. The more he was at this moment, the more he couldn't panic, otherwise Yu Xi would be in real danger.
"I, I remember that mermaid blood and flesh can cure all kinds of poisons. Will it work for him?"
Ji Yunlou pondered for a moment, "It is indeed useful, but Your Highness, no one knows how useful it will be."
Ling Huanchen immediately understood that Yu Xi could be saved. "Just tell me what I should do."
Ji Yunlou paused and sighed, "He needs to be fed a bowl of mermaid blood every day. It's still unknown how long it will take for the king to wake up. Maybe after the king wakes up, Your Highness..."
There is no need to say anything else that has not been said.
Ling Huanchen suddenly stood up and said to the generals, "The fact that the king has been poisoned must not be leaked to the outside world. Tomorrow... tomorrow, Yunlou will find someone to dress up as the king and continue to sit in the army."
"I obey your command!"
According to Ji Yunlou, with his blood as the antidote, Yu Xi's life is safe, but no one knows when he will wake up.
The fake Yu Xi has been arranged to live in the king's tent, while Ling Huanchen stays with Yu Xi in the commander-in-chief's tent, feeding him with blood every day.
After feeding for five consecutive days, Yu Xi's complexion became much rosier, while Ling Huanchen's complexion looked particularly pale.
Ji Yunlou entered the commander's tent, saw his expression, and stopped his raised dagger, "Your Highness."
"The king hasn't taken the medicine yet today, so he can't stop taking it. Look, his complexion is much better now. Maybe he'll be fine in a couple of days."
Ji Yunlou still didn't let go. "Your Highness, you only care about the king and don't care about yourself? Let others see who looks more like a patient now."
Ling Huanchen was particularly calm at this moment. He looked at him and asked, "Is there any other solution to the formation backlash?"
Ji Yunlou was silent for a moment, then relaxed his grip. They all knew there was no solution to this backlash. The person who cast the formation was dead, and there was no solution. It could be said that Ling Huanchen was Yu Xi's only antidote.
A cold light flashed, and drops of blood fell little by little.
It was difficult for a sleeping person to swallow, so Ling Huanchen personally delivered it to Yu Xi every time.
As soon as the "antidote" was fed in, there was a sudden noise outside the tent, and soon a general entered the tent.
Ling Huanchen's arm wound had been properly treated. He sat beside the couch and asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"
"Your Highness, our granary was attacked by the enemy. We are now short of food and I'm afraid we won't be able to survive for more than two days."
Ling Huanchen recalled the map of Youcheng, "Send people to the prefectures and counties closest to the border to transfer food."
The general pondered, "It will take at least three or four days."
Apart from requisitioning food, we can only look for some edible things in the surrounding area, but I'm afraid we can't even find any wild vegetables in this place.
At this moment, Qi Yu suddenly opened the curtain and came in. "There is a group of people outside. The leader has a letter to deliver to the king and his highness. I am afraid of a trick, so I have stopped these people outside the camp."
Ling Huanchen frowned. Who could come here at this time?
"Did the leader say where he came from?"
The author has something to say:
Thank you "Lanlin" for the encouragement of nutrient solution!
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