69
The battlefield was chaotic. The horse, a war steed, went wild in pain, rearing its hooves and galloping out of control. The rain hadn’t stopped, pouring down in a clatter on Xu Ying’s face. He bent low, gripping the reins tightly, trying to control the frantic warhorse. Fresh blood seeped from his cracked palm, but Xu Ying seemed oblivious, his mind filled with Li Yue’s gaze. He was frantic, his heart racing. With a sudden, forceful pull, the horse straightened its neck, its front hooves rearing up. But the force was too strong, and Xu Ying was thrown off the horse’s back.
The ground was littered with jagged rocks, and shrubs were growing all around. Xu Ying paid no attention to the pain from his injuries. He scrambled to his feet, using both hands and feet to climb out of the mud, stumbling as he rushed toward the horse.
“Qianhu!” Dozens of men charged out, and when they saw Xu Ying fall from the horse, they anxiously dismounted and rushed to help him. But as soon as they touched him, Xu Ying shook them off. His cheeks were covered in blood from the jagged rocks and shrubs, his face pale. “Get away!”
The soldiers noticed that he was trying to get back on the horse and immediately said, “Qianhu, you can’t go back!”
Xu Ying ignored them, grabbing the horse’s reins and preparing to mount. The soldier, Zhao Liu, who was by Li Yue’s side, gathered his courage to grab the reins, urgently shouting, “Xu Qianhu! There’s an ambush at Wutou Ridge! If you go back, you’ll die!”
Xu Ying coldly ordered, “Let go!”
With that, he mounted the horse, but Zhao Liu gripped the reins even tighter, saying, “Li Qianhu risked his life to hold off the enemy to let you escape. If you go back now, it’ll be pointless. Li Qianhu might already—”
“Shut up!” Xu Ying cut him off sharply, completely losing his composure. His voice was hoarse as he screamed, “I can’t leave Li Yue behind! I’ll say it again, let go!”
Zhao Liu stood firm, neck stiffened, and lifted his gaze to Xu Ying. Xu Ying’s breath quickened. He kicked Zhao Liu’s hand aside, seized the reins tightly, and pressed his legs against the horse’s flanks. But just then, he noticed a dozen soldiers had already stepped forward, forming a barrier in front of him. “Qianhu, you can’t go back to die!”
Xu Ying’s face darkened further, his teeth clenched as he spat, “Get out of the way, or I won’t hold back!”
As they were at a standoff, suddenly, a soldier shouted, “Qianhu! Someone’s coming…”
Xu Ying turned his head and saw a large cavalry unit approaching. Judging by their armor, they were clearly border troops. The leading riders were swift, and Xu Ying could already make out Zhou Ting among them. A sense of relief washed over him. Taking advantage of the moment, he spurred his horse and leaped over their heads, heading straight for Wutou Ridge.
At Wutou Ridge.
The rain was frigid, and his soaked cotton robe clung heavily to his body. The armor added even more weight, making it hard for Li Yue to stay on his feet. On his own, he might still stand a chance against Sun Qing in a fight to the death. But with the Chiluo royal guards from the Southern Army, who held deep hatred for the Southern troops, joining in, there was no path left for him but death.
Unexpectedly, Li Yue felt a deep sense of calm.
From the day he joined the army, he had already prepared himself for the possibility of dying in battle, wrapped in a horsehide. He just hadn’t expected that day to come so soon. Hanging from his chest was a safety charm that Li Qing had prayed for on his behalf, a token he had specially obtained during his very first expedition, after fasting for three days at Guangji Temple outside Ruizhou, a place renowned for its flourishing incense offerings and devout worshippers.
Li Yue had no faith in gods or Buddha, but Li Qing believed with unwavering sincerity.
Every time he returned whole from a campaign or from suppressing bandits and unrest, Li Qing would insist he accompany him to Guangji Temple to fulfill the vow.
This time, he wouldn’t be able to go anymore.
Li Yue’s horse lay in the rubble, both front legs broken, bloodied, and still. His own body was already covered in countless wounds. Sun Qing and that masked man toyed with him like a cat playing with a mouse, leaving cuts and gashes of all sizes across his body. Eventually, Sun Qing seemed to lose interest and stepped aside, watching as the masked man continued the fight with Li Yue.
Clang! — the sharp sound of spear tip meeting sword edge. Li Yue had lost too much blood; his movements had slowed. With a twist of the spearhead, the masked man struck him hard, sending him flying.
Li Yue felt his organs shudder, as if they had shattered. Pain tore through his entire body. His fingers were icy cold, barely able to grip the weapon. Blood surged up to his throat, but he forced it down.
The masked man approached with a spear in hand, walking lightly and slowly. “I know who you are,” he said, his wolf-like eyes gleaming with a cold, mocking smile. “I’ve heard you’re a close friend of Mu Peixuan. Tell me, if he were to see your severed head, do you think he’d be enraged?”
Li Yue struggled to breathe, glaring at the masked man. He let out a scornful laugh. “A coward who hides his face, so what if you kill me? Your Chiluo clan is already like a pack of stray dogs. There’s no place for your people among the tribes. Even if you escape from Liangdu, you’ll spend the rest of your lives skulking in the shadows, scurrying about like rats in the gutter!”
The masked man’s spear came to a halt. He let out a cold sneer. “And yet it’s you who are the ones defeated today.”
“Today, it’s you guys who die. Before long, our army will be at the gates of Ruizhou. That so-called Marquis Annan Mansion, that so-called Southern Army,” the masked man said with chilling malice, “Will all be wiped from existence.”
Li Yue replied softly, “Is that so?”
“Do you think just because you’ve sided with rebels, they’ll truly accept someone of a foreign tribe like you?” His eyes were laced with mockery as he sneered, “You’re nothing but a pawn they’re using to charge ahead. How pitiful, once the glorious royal clan of a mighty tribe, now reduced to a lapdogs for traitors.”
His words cut deep, with a clear intent to sow discord. Even Sun Qing cast him a glance. The masked man flew into a rage. But just as his temper flared, Li Yue suddenly sprang up with sword in hand, lunging straight at him. The blade’s momentum was unstoppable, filled with killing intent, aimed directly at his throat.
The masked man hadn’t expected him to still have the strength to strike back. A chill shot down his spine as he hurriedly raised his spear to block, but the sword tip was already upon him.
At the critical moment, a Zhanmadao[mfn]Once again it’s that anti-cavalry sword, which could be utilized to hack at a horse’s legs in order to dismount the rider.[/mfn] swept in from the side, slashing down and intercepting the sword’s momentum. With a sharp arc of its narrow blade, it sent an arm flying through the air.
The longsword clattered to the ground.
And in the same instant, the spearhead pierced straight through Li Yue’s chest.
In that fleeting moment, Li Yue didn’t even have time to feel the pain. In a haze, he seemed to hear a heart-wrenching scream — “Li Yue—” It felt like a hallucination. He turned his head slightly and caught a faint glimpse of Xu Ying, returning against all odds.
Li Yue sighed helplessly.
This fool.
When Xu Ying saw the spear pierce through Li Yue’s chest, his mind went completely blank, teetering on the edge of madness. Behind him came Zhou Ting and the reinforcements he had rushed to bring.
Sun Qing narrowed his eyes and said to the masked man, “Let’s go.”
Though unwilling, the masked man knew now was not the time to linger. He ceased his attack, mounted his horse, and withdrew.
Xu Ying’s hands trembled as he got off his horse. His legs buckled beneath him, and he almost fell. Staring at Li Yue, who was soaked in blood, he stood frozen, at a loss for what to do. Dropping to his knees, he pulled Li Yue into his arms.
“Li Yue, Li Yue—!”
“Where’s the military physician? Call the military physician!”
His mind was a mess, eyes bloodshot. “Li Yue…”
Li Yue’s body was covered in wounds, his face deathly pale. For a moment, Xu Ying almost thought he was already gone.
But then, with great effort, Li Yue let out a faint breath and said, “…Idiot… why did you come back? Don’t act so recklessly ever again.”
A choked sob escaped Xu Ying’s throat. He could no longer hold back his tears as they streamed down his face. “Li Yue, hold on. The military physician… I’ll take you to the military physician.”
Li Yue weakly shook his head and said, “I won’t make it.”
He gazed up at the dark, heavy sky. At some point, the rain had begun to ease, falling more gently now, no longer as sharp and merciless. Li Yue said softly, “…Xu Ying, the rain is easing.”
Xu Ying forced down the wetness in his eyes, clenched his jaw tightly, and answered hoarsely, “The rain’s easing. We’ll go home soon.”
Li Yue’s voice grew faint, almost dreamlike. “It must be raining in Ruizhou too… Li Qing wanted to plant crabapple trees. Now… now would be just the right time…”
Suddenly, light flared in his eyes. With his bloodied hand, he clutched Xu Ying’s arm and said with urgency, “Xu Ying, take care of Li Qing for me. Take care of him.”
Li Yue said, “Don’t let my father marry him off to Liangdu. If he goes to Liangdu… he’ll die there.”
Xu Ying was overwhelmed with sorrow, his voice cracking as he said, “Your younger brother… you should look after him yourself. I can’t—”
Li Yue tightened his grip on Xu Ying’s hand. “Promise me you’ll take care of him for me, alright? Promise me, Xu Ying…”
Through his tears, Xu Ying choked out, “Alright, I’ll take care of him. I’ll look after Li Qing.”
Li Yue seemed to let out a breath of relief, his tightly clenched fingers loosening a little. He gazed at the dark, looming clouds in the sky, as if he could see a slender figure among them. Before his departure, it was Li Qing who had packed his clothes. While folding them, Li Qing had chattered on, “Ge, take a couple more sets of clothes. I heard things are chaotic in Fengzhou. If the battle gets intense and your clothes get torn, no one will be there to patch them up for you.”
“Where’s that cotton-padded undergarment made last year?”
Li Yue had responded, “It’s at the bottom, don’t bother looking,” with a helpless laugh, he said, “I’m not going for a vacation. We can’t be that particular in war.”
Li Qing spoke softly, “It’s better to be prepared than not.”
Li Yue could only give in, and after a moment, he grabbed Li Qing’s hand and gently pressed him down to sit on the edge of the bed. “Alright, alright, you’ve been turning the clothes around for so long already, your eyes must be sore.”
Li Qing blinked up at him, his face small and round, soft and plush like a little white rabbit. Li Yue couldn’t help himself, his hand itched to reach out and pinch Li Qing’s cheek, feeling the softness beneath his fingers. With his gentle nature, Li Qing smiled warmly, allowing Li Yue to rub his cheek until it flushed pink.
Li Yue looked at him, his gaze softening. “Don’t be scared, Gege won’t let Father marry you off to Liangdu. Stay at home and be safe.”
He had always worked harder than others over the years, thinking of earning achievements, striving to climb up for a better future, not just for himself, but also for Li Qing.
Li Qing obediently nodded. “En!”
Li Yue said, “I’ve already found a good place for the crabapple saplings. Once spring comes and the weather warms up, we can plant them.”
Li Qing smiled, pursing his lips. “Good. Ge, you should plant a few in your courtyard too.”
Li Yue laughed and said, “Alright, but you have to take care of them for me.”
Li Qing mumbled, “Aren’t all the things you bring back for me to look after?”
Li Yue laughed heartily.
The person in his arms had unknowingly closed his eyes. Xu Ying stared at Li Yue blankly, unable to hold back any longer, and broke down in uncontrollable sobs.
