HXC Chapter66

The night wind howled like a vengeful spirit mixed with a chaotic clamor of human voices. Ji Zhen, having been on edge for days, was already sleeping restlessly. Hearing the commotion, he assumed the army of the Great Heng Empire was attacking the camp. He fumbled to wake up the sleeping Ji An, threw on a cloak and ran outside.

 

As soon as he lifted the tent flap, he bumped into Jiang Yunyu, who had come to find him.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

Jiang Yunyu’s expression was grave. “Brother Ji Jue ambushed the Great Heng Empire military camp last night and burned all their provisions to the ground.”

 

Ji Zhen knew nothing about military affairs. To keep him from worrying, the matter of Ji Jue’s life-threatening raid on the enemy camp had been hidden from him.

 

Before Ji Zhen could even catch his breath, Jiang Yunyu added, “He’s been wounded. Divine Physician Sai is treating his injuries now. Promise me you won’t panic when you see Brother Ji Jue.”

 

Ji Zhen’s heart pounded like a drum as he nodded heavily.

 

Before he even reached Ji Jue’s tent, he saw basins of bloody water being carried out. Ji Zhen had promised Jiang Yunyu he wouldn’t panic so he took a few deep breaths before stepping inside. But when he saw the bloodstained figure lying facedown on the cot, a chill ran down his spine and he nearly fell to the ground.

 

Jiang Yunyu held his arm to steady him.

 

He was trembling all over and not daring to step forward and get in Divine Physician Sai’s way at all. His vision grew blurry. He haphazardly wiped his face with the back of his hand and mumbled, “I’m not panicking…”

 

Ji Jue had been slashed in the back by an enemy soldier during their retreat. A long sword wound stretched across his entire back and one spot on his shoulder was so deep the bone was visible. The blood wouldn’t stop flowing.

 

The entire tent was filled with the thick smell of blood with Ji Jue unconscious and his face as pale as paper.

 

Everyone’s expression was grim. It wasn’t until Divine Physician Sai, who was covered in cold sweat, said that the bleeding had stopped that the tears swirling in Ji Zhen’s eyes began to fall.

 

He felt cold all over. He wanted to go over and see his elder brother but he found that he was unable to move. His legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with cement and even lifting a hand was difficult.

 

Jiang Yunyu also let out a long sigh of relief. Seeing Ji Zhen standing there, numb and silently crying, he comforted him. “Brother Ji Jue is blessed with good fortune. He will surely turn danger into peace.”

 

With Jiang Yunyu’s words, Ji Zhen came to life like a statue being awakened. He gave a few quick sniffs and dragged his legs to his elder brother’s bed.

 

After Divine Physician Sai finished bandaging Ji Jue, he said, “If he gets through tonight, Master Qin will be safe and sound.”

 

Jiang Yunyu nodded. “Thank you for your hard work.”

 

Ji Zhen half-knelt and took his elder brother’s hand. The hand that was once so broad and warm was now as cold as snow. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t warm it up.

 

Jiang Yunyu looked back and saw Ji Zhen pressing his cheek against Ji Jue’s palm while his wet eyelashes trembling slightly and his expression full of deep affection. He gazed at the two of them intently. At that moment, his absurd suspicions seemed confirmed, leaving him torn between disbelief and a sense that it had always been this way.

 

One was the brother he respected, and the other was the precious gem he had hidden in his heart…

 

Jiang Yunyu half-averted his gaze and said, “We’ll take turns keeping watch tonight.”

 

Ji Zhen sniffled. “I want to stay with Gege.”

 

“Alright.” Jiang Yunyu didn’t stop him as he lifted his robe and sat down to the side. “I’ll keep you company.”

 

Starlight dotted the sky outside the tent. Shen Yanqing, who was still inside his prison cart, listened to the commotion in the military camp. He looked down at the dirty water on the cart’s floor, where a crawling insect had fallen, dragged his heavy chains, lifted a hand, and flicked the small bug out of the bowl.

 

A patrolling soldier passed by and irritatedly swearing. Feeling that it was not enough, he even kicked the prison cart in frustration.

 

“Who are you putting on this half-dead show for?” The soldier spat on the ground. “So unlucky to see this in the middle of the night.”

 

This level of contempt and abuse was an everyday occurrence for Shen Yanqing, and he paid no attention to it. But when he heard them discussing Ji Jue’s life-threatening situation, he couldn’t control himself. He lifted his head and asked, “Is Master Qin out of danger?”

 

Ji Zhen must be the one suffering the most with Ji Jue’s injury.

 

“None of your damn business.”

 

Another soldier said, “Oh, so you want to know?”

 

Shen Yanqing looked at the man with dark, profound eyes. “Yes.”

 

“Clean my boots,” the soldier said as he propped his foot on the prison cart. “And I’ll tell you.”

 

The filthy sole of the boot pressed down on half of Shen Yanqing’s hand and slowly grinding it.

 

Shen Yanqing watched the man quietly for a moment. Suddenly, he reversed his hand, seized the soldier’s ankle and yanked the man down. The soldier, who hadn’t expected a prisoner to dare to resist, was caught off guard and thrown to the ground. He swore a blue streak.

 

Shen Yanqing, meanwhile, had already settled back down and said nothing more.

 

Furious, the soldier glanced around and then picked up half a bucket of cold water and splashed it all over Shen Yanqing. It was late autumn, almost early winter, and the water had been sitting out in the open for a long time and was as cold as ice. The biting chill seeped through Shen Yanqing’s clothes into his bones and blood, while water dripped from his loose hair, forming small puddles inside the prison cart.

 

Shen Yanqing’s lips were pale as he clenched his fists. Though he was confined in a prison cart, he still seemed aloof and dignified. He sternly looked at the soldier with his clear and cold eyes.

 

“The General said we can’t kill him. Don’t bother with him anymore. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s get back to patrol…”

 

The soldier cursed as he walked further and further away. Shen Yanqing, with hands covered in water, first let out a low chuckle, then the laughter turned into a violent cough, a cough that felt like his lungs and heart were on fire.

 

He had fallen to this state, a life even more wretched than an ant’s, he could neither live nor die.

 

But he had no regrets.

 

—

 

Ji Zhen dared not sleep all night. Near dawn, he dozed for a quarter of an hour. In his light sleep, he felt something lightly scratching his palm and immediately opened his eyes.

 

As if to keep his elder brother in the world of the living, Ji Zhen had been holding his elder brother’s hand tightly. At that moment, Ji Jue was awake and lightly scraping his palm with his fingertips, calling out to him in a hoarse voice, “Zhen Zhen.”

 

Ji Zhen was so happy he started crying. Jiang Yunyu was also startled awake and quickly called for Divine Physician Sai.

 

The sword wound on Ji Jue’s back was incredibly deep; an inch closer, and it would have taken his life. Fortunately, the rescue was timel and the bleeding was stopped. He had taken a turn at the gates of hell and returned.

 

Divine Physician Sai re-dressed Ji Jue’s wound. With a lingering fear, he said, “What a relief, what a relief. Master Qin survived a great disaster, which means great fortune will follow.”

 

Ji Jue was very weak from his severe injuries. He thanked Divine Physician Sai feebly, then looked at Ji Zhen’s red, swollen eyes and said, “I made you worry.”

 

Ji Zhen’s eyes were already stinging from crying, but he felt that this was a happy occasion and he shouldn’t be weeping. He rubbed the moisture from his eyes forcefully, choked out as he crouched in front of his elder brother, “It’s good that you’re fine, Gege.”

 

Divine Physician Sai seemed to want to say more but then only said, “Master Qin’s current physical condition is no longer suitable for marching. In my opinion, you need to find a peaceful place to recuperate.”

 

Jiang Yunyu was lost in thought but Ji Jue spoke first. “The greater cause is important. I’m fine.”

 

Ji Zhen was stunned. The words were already on the tip of his tongue. He wanted to say he wasn’t so far-sighted; all he knew was the harshness of military life and the severity of his elder brother’s injuries, and he simply wished for his brother to recover safely and live in peace.

 

But as the words reached his mouth, he remembered his elder brother’s tireless efforts over the past few months. He thought of the soldiers who had entrusted their lives to his elder brother and the soldiers who had lost limbs or their lives. He had no choice but to force back everything he wanted to say.

 

Jiang Yunyu had clearly also considered this. If Ji Jue were to stay behind in the city to recuperate, it would be extremely detrimental to the army’s morale. Finally, he said with a heavy heart, “I understand.”

 

Ji Zhen took a deep breath and squeezed out the words, “I will definitely take good care of you, Gege.”

 

Ji Jue said with loving helplessness, “Zhen Zhen has grown up.”

 

Ji Zhen forced a smile, wiped the tears from his face and stood up. “I’ll go make some medicine for you, Gege.”

 

Divine Physician Sai raised his hand. “Young Master Xiao Qin, come with me.”

 

Ji Zhen lifted the tent flap and left. Ji Jue said with a sigh of regret, “Sometimes I wish he weren’t so perceptive.”

 

A trace of sadness appeared in Jiang Yunyu’s eyes. “Brother Ji Jue, I truly miss the old days in the capital…”

 

The past was like flowing water, never to return.

 

—

 

On the way to the army’s kitchen camp, Ji Zhen always saw Shen Yanqing, who was being kept to the side.

 

As Ji Zhen passed by, the soldiers were letting Shen Yanqing out to get some air. To prevent him from escaping, he had chains on his hands and feet as well as a cangue around his neck, severely restricting his movements. He had been standing still but when he saw Ji Zhen passing, he couldn’t help but take a step forward. As soon as he moved, a soldier stepped on the shackles on his feet and it immediately bringing him to a standstill.

 

Shen Yanqing was even thinner than before. He seemed to have taken care of himself; his clothes were neat and his hair was tidied but it was clear at a glance that he was at the end of his rope.

 

For the past few days, Ji Zhen had been taking care of his severely injured elder brother day and night and only occasionally looked at Shen Yanqing from a distance, yet he still send Ji An to give him half of his daily meat. He repeatedly instructed Ji An to make sure Shen Yanqing ate it before leaving. But Ji An said that every time Shen Yanqing ate, it felt like torture. Once, he had barely walked a few steps away when he saw Shen Yanqing vomit all over the ground.

 

Even Ji An, who had always disliked Shen Yanqing felt sympathy. “Lord Shen used to be so glorious. To be like this now is truly tragic. It would be better for him to die a quick death…”

 

The word “death” used to be very far away from Ji Zhen.

 

But in the past few months of traveling south with the army, he saw different people die in front of him every day. People were so fragile; a spear or a sharp sword could easily take a life. Shen Yanqing and Ji Jue’s injuries gave Ji Zhen a deeper, more personal understanding of what “death” truly meant.

 

He was in a constant state of anxiety, never knowing when someone else would leave him.

 

The fifteen minutes were up and the soldiers urged Shen Yanqing to get back into the prison cart.

 

Ji Zhen watched from a distance as Shen Yanqing bent down and entered the small cage again.

 

For nearly four years, Ji Zhen had been chasing after Shen Yanqing’s shadow. He remembered the young man’s back, which was always straight and steady. He wouldn’t even bend down to pass low branches and would simply push them aside with his hand as if nothing in the world could break his spirit.

 

Yet now, Shen Yanqing was repeatedly forced to hunch his body to enter the wooden cart that symbolized the loss of his dignity.

 

For Shen Yanqing to live so humiliatingly was worse than being killed a hundred times. Even Ji An said that it would be more of a relief for Shen Yanqing to be dead. But Ji Zhen felt incredibly selfish. Even now, he wanted Shen Yanqing to stay alive, no matter how.

 

He didn’t know when he had become so heartless.

 

Shen Yanqing’s plea floated back to his ears. “After the army enters the capital, please let me die.”

 

“I don’t want to be paraded through the streets.”

 

That would be the final straw to break Shen Yanqing.

 

“Young Master Xiao Qin?”

 

The soldier’s voice pulled the dazed Ji Zhen back to reality. He took one last look at Shen Yanqing, who was now sitting cross-legged inside the prison cart, put away his mournful expression and then continued on his way to the kitchen camp.

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T/N: We have like 10+ more to go only😗