As soon as Cen Yelan returned to Hanzhou, the military in Hanzhou City was relieved. When Su Chenzhao saw Cen Yelan’s injuries, his complexion shifted; he frowned, rolled up his sleeves, and coaxed everyone around him out.
He looked stupid and like a soft persimmon with no temper, but when it came to patients, he was extremely stubborn and would not give face to anyone. Even Yuan Zheng was pushed out by him.
Su Chenzhao scolded Cen Yelan. He stuttered when he was anxious, and it was difficult for him to speak. “Why, why is it so se, severe?”
“Such a serious injury.” Su Chenzhao was a little angry, but his hands were gentle. He opened his clothes and looked at the skin wrapped in gauze. “You came back but didn’t, didn’t even look for me!”
Cen Yelan leaned against the bedside and comforted him, “It’s no problem, they are just flesh wounds, don’t worry.”
Su Chenzhao frowned even more. “Is this even called, called flesh wounds?”
“If the injury gets any worse, it will reach the lungs.” He finished the whole sentence with difficulty, put his finger on the ointment, smelled it, and said, “Where, where is the ointment I gave, gave you?”
Cen Yelan said, “I left in a hurry and didn’t bring it with me.”
Su Chenzhao said, “Re, reapply the ointment.”
“Chen Zhao, is there anything that works faster?” Cen Yelan said.
Su Chenzhao raised his head, stared at Cen Yelan unhappily, and said, “I, I am a phy, physician!”
Cen Yelan smiled helplessly. He looked pale and extremely weak. “I’m worried about my big brother. Yan Le has an elite cavalry under his command, and it’s not easy to deal with him. My big brother is fighting with Yan Le in the wild, so I’m afraid—”
Su Chenzhao said nothing.
Cen Yelan said, “Yan Le will definitely come to Hanzhou to attack.”
Su Chenzhao said, “There, there are others people such as Li Jing, Jing Chuo, let them go.”
“Chenzhao.” Cen Yelan looked at Su Chenzhao. The two looked at each other for a while. Su Chenzhao said unhappily, “It will leave, leave scars.”
Cen Yelan said, “It’s fine. One or two more scars won’t hurt.”
Su Chenzhao said, “Not just one or two…” He looked at the large wound and didn’t say anything for a long time. Cen Yelan knew that he had agreed and said softly, “Chenzhao, thank you.”
Su Chenzhao looked at Cen Yelan. Cen Yelan said, “If you hadn’t sent the letter to Li Jingchuo, Yuan Zheng and I would probably not be able to return to Hanzhou.”
Su Chenzhao said, “General Zhao said that the northern border is inaccessible, and only people from Hedong can get through, and I only know Li Jingchuo.”
General Zhao was Zhao Yiqing. He led his army to Beicang, but was stopped by Shu Dan. Su Chenzhao was so anxious that he almost rode to Beicang alone, but was stopped by his subordinates. He was a physician with high medical skills, but he was not good at martial arts, so he was powerless.
Su Chenzhao later remembered Li Jingchuo and sent the letter to him directly.
The two met when Li Jingchuo came to the northern border when he was young. Later, an epidemic broke out in Hedong, and Su Chenzhao and his master Gu Baiyou went to treat the disease. At that time, Li Jingchuo led troops to suppress the civil unrest.
After a few visits, the two of them became somewhat friendly towards each other.
Cen Yelan had a tired look on his face and said, “He came all the way from Hedong to the Northern Territory, probably for your face.”
Su Chenzhao blinked in confusion and muttered, “What face do I have… This ointment is really bad.” He muttered, Cen Yelan smiled helplessly and said nothing more. Su Chenzhao was extremely slow in dealing with people and the ways of the world, most of his talent was in medicine.
Li Jingchuo’s scouts came back on the fifth day and said that they found the place where the two armies fought, it’s in Hangu Pass. It must have been a hard battle because there were corpses all across Hangu Pass.
The scout said, “We searched through the corpses in Hangu Pass but did not find the Marquis.”
Cen Yelan’s face suddenly turned pale, and he said in a hoarse voice, “Have you searched other places?”
The scout said, “We have searched the area within a radius of ten miles but have not found any traces.”
Cen Yelan remained silent.
Li Jingchuo said softly, “It’s actually not a bad thing that there is no trace. Maybe the Marquis is already on his way back to the city.”
Cen Yelan glanced at him but didn’t say anything.
Cen Mo was brought back two days ago. The child was holding a wooden spear and was overjoyed to see him. He said in a childish voice, “Little Uncle, Mo’er has been guarding the people with the brothers these days. They all praised Mo’er for having Little Uncle and Father’s demeanor.”
Cen Yelan touched his head and said, “Mo’er is so good.”
“Are you scared?”
Cen Mo shook his head, then nodded and whispered, “Mo’er can’t see Father or Little Uncle, so I’m a little scared, just a little bit.”
“Little Uncle, where’s Father?”
Cen Yelan was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Father will be back later.”
Cen Mo suddenly realized, “Like Little Uncle? Father said that Little Uncle would come later, and Little Uncle is back now, so Father will also be back later.”
Cen Yelan’s throat moved, but he didn’t know what to say. Yuan Zheng said, “Little guy, your little uncle wants to rest.”
Cen Mo pouted and said, “Mo’er wants to rest with Little Uncle.”
Yuan Zheng said, “You can’t, what if you don’t sleep well and kick your little uncle? He’s injured and needs to rest well.”
Cen Mo looked at Cen Yelan, who looked sick, and then he looked at Yuan Zheng again and said, “Then why don’t you leave?”
Yuan Zheng calmly said, “Me? I’ll accompany your little uncle to rest.”
Cen Mo said, “No, Little Uncle needs to rest well.”
Yuan Zheng said, “I don’t kick people or the quilt when I sleep.”
The one big and one small, you look at me, and I look at you, Cen Mo said angrily, “I don’t like you!”
Yuan Zheng smiled and said, “What do I need you to like me for?”
Cen Mo was blocked from talking and stared at Yuan Zheng, he was very angry. Cen Yelan pressed his eyebrows and said, “Be good, Mo’er, go and rest with the nanny first.”
Cen Mo said ‘oh’ in grievance but still obediently said, “Then Mo’er will come to see Little Uncle tomorrow.”
Before leaving, he glared at Yuan Zheng who was sitting steadily, and Yuan Zheng waved at him with a smile.
Cen Yelan said, “How old are you? You are even mad at a child.”
Yuan Zheng said lazily, “To put it, I will be nineteen in four months.”
Cen Yelan was speechless.
Yuan Zheng smiled and said, “Why, General Cen wants to celebrate the birthday with me?”
Cen Yelan ignored him.
Yuan Zheng said, “General Cen is too partial. You are so patient with Cen Mo, but so quiet with me. I am only ten years older than him.”
Cen Yelan laughed angrily and said, “Four months later, Your Highness will probably be far away in Jingdu. How can I celebrate your birthday with you?”
“Oh?” Yuan Zheng smiled, “So General Cen wants to celebrate my birthday? Then just say it earlier. I can stay in the North and will not let General Cen down.”
Cen Yelan: “……”
The study was silent.
Li Jingchuo had already left, leaving only Cen Yelan and Yuan Zheng.
After a long silence, Yuan Zheng said, “If the gunpowder incident at Beicang Pass is related to Cen Yi, then he is suspected of collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country.”
Cen Yelan said nothing.
Yuan Zheng looked at Cen Yelan and said, “General Cen, have you thought it through?”
Cen Yelan said with difficulty, “There will be no one in the Cen family who collaborates with the enemy or betrays the country.”
Yuan Zheng was very calm and said, “What if there is?”
Cen Yelan raised his head and looked at Yuan Zheng. After a long time, he said, “Collaborating with the enemy.” Cen Yelan paused, took a short breath, and said word by word, “Kill without mercy.”
