At night, Shen Ziqin and Zhou Danmo didn’t return to the inner city to stay but remained in the military camp to help. When it got late, the two sat in a tent to rest.
They were too exhausted and fell asleep sitting in their chairs.
Bai Xiao brought blankets, while Xiao Zhen and Zhou Danmo’s servant each brought a quilt to cover them.
Shen Ziqin’s sleep was restless. His brows were slightly furrowed, his dreams filled with the smell of herbs and blood from the field hospital, his ears with the sounds of people in pain.
The clash of weapons had always been stirring, and the war god’s spirit sounded like a deity descending from heaven, but people were all mortal flesh. When wounded, they felt pain.
Chu Zhao…
Shen Ziqin murmured his name in his dreams, still clutching Chu Zhao’s letter.
Though he couldn’t help with the fighting, the title of Prince Qin’s consort gave him symbolic status in others’ eyes in the military. Anyone associated with Prince Qin was considered a pillar of strength. Therefore, Shen Ziqin couldn’t show his worries on his face in front of the soldiers.
Saying a few words to boost morale was good; he couldn’t appear anxious, as that would only make the soldiers more uneasy.
So all his concerns for his beloved could only be hidden in his heart, spoken in his dreams.
The dream didn’t last long, as soon the distant sounds of battle shook the heavens. Flames licked the night sky, and both Shen Ziqin and Zhou Danmo woke with a start.
The frontier had large temperature differences between day and night. They both put on extra cloaks and sat outside the tent, gazing at the distant city walls illuminated by firelight.
The walls stood majestic and impregnable, the soldiers roared unstoppably.
The stars in the sky were overshadowed by the fires below, and no one could appreciate even the most beautiful night scenery.
“Coming to the frontier, hearing the sounds of battle, is much more real than discussing warfare on paper,” Zhou Danmo breathed out. “It gives me much more inspiration for painting, but…”
“But such scenes, I would rather the world never see again.”
Zhou Danmo said softly: “No more killing and weapons, the world enjoying peace from now on.”
Everyone knew this was just a beautiful wish. As long as there are people, there will be conflicts, even thousands of years later.
But as long as people hold such wishes, there will always be pure lands in the human world, places where people can live in peace and prosperity.
Shen Ziqin’s fingers caressed the letter paper on his knee: “I don’t know about others, but at least Great Qi will soon welcome at least several decades of stability.”
Zhou Danmo emerged from his melancholy, thinking of the reorganized court, and nodded firmly: “Yes!”
The empire established by Great Qi’s founding emperor, after experiencing the wastrel Emperor Cheng’an, was finally seeing a new dawn.
After another round of fighting in the night, the battle cries temporarily ceased. Everyone’s nerves were taut. Shen Ziqin went to help at the field hospital again, working straight through until morning before having time to close his eyes.
Shen Ziqin had only meant to change tents and have a cup of tea, but before the cup touched his lips, his head nodded, and he gradually slid onto the table, falling asleep as he lay there.
The new round of fighting in the morning didn’t wake him, as his dreams were also filled with the thunder of hooves, making it impossible to distinguish reality.
When he woke again, he was somewhat dazed, not knowing where or when he was.
Bai Xiao was gnawing on a flatbread nearby. Seeing Shen Ziqin awake, he jumped up: “Marquis, Brother Xiao Zhen is also tired and asleep. I’ll take over. Are you hungry? I’ll bring you something to eat.”
Shen Ziqin rubbed his brow: “What time is it? How’s the situation outside?”
Bai Xiao: “It’s noon. The garrison soldiers say the barbarians aren’t as fierce as at the beginning. This morning they launched another heavy gunpowder attack, appearing to have plenty of reserves.”
Bai Xiao’s flatbread was too dry, so he took a sip of tea. Having followed Chu Zhao around the frontier since childhood, he was well-versed in matters of war, speaking more fluently about battles than discussing poetry: “General Qi says their gunpowder supply has been cut off, and they’re just putting on a show. I also think they must be more desperate than us. After holding out a bit longer, our main force should come out of the city to meet them head-on.”
After listening, Shen Ziqin smiled: “Not bad, you explain this better than when reciting your lessons.”
Bai Xiao grinned.
Shen Ziqin was indeed hungry: “Please bring me a bowl of noodles.”
Bai Xiao: “Right away!”
He ran out with the flatbread in his mouth. Shen Ziqin had other prince’s residence guards bring water, and he briefly wiped his face and body, also refreshing himself.
Bai Xiao brought a steaming bowl of noodles with braised beef that smelled delicious. It also had a poached egg and two or three kinds of shredded vegetables-a very substantial bowl.
Zhou Danmo had also just woken up, bleary-eyed, carrying a bowl of sheep’s milk and a meat-filled flatbread, coming to eat with Shen Ziqin.
This young master, who was particularly particular about food in the capital, ate whatever was available here. The chewy flatbread filled with juicy, fragrant roasted meat was also delicious to him.
With the ample provisions and military pay allocated by the court this time, everyone could still eat meat, and medicinal herbs were not lacking, keeping morale stable.
Carrier pigeons came and went in the camp. Bai Xiao caught one, removed the message, and his eyes brightened with excitement as he bounded over: “Marquis, good news!”
Shen Ziqin, having just finished his noodles and poured a bowl of sheep’s milk, looked up.
“The prince should be able to recapture Yuanwang Camp earlier than expected. He’s now telling General Qi to wait for the signal. When the time comes, they’ll attack from both sides, surrounding those barbarians like dumplings!”
Everyone in the camp cheered at the news. Shen Ziqin clutched yesterday’s family letter from Chu Zhao, his heart pounding like a drum.
Good, as long as things went smoothly.
Chu Zhao had previously estimated it would be evening today, but in reality, it was more than an hour earlier. When the signal for counterattack came, General Qi led his soldiers and opened the city gates.
“Men, follow me to charge and kill the enemy!”
“Kill-!”
Iron horses and weapons, fierce winds, soldiers’ courage illuminating the annals of history.
Soon, a prince’s residence guard who had been waiting at the city gate for first-hand news returned.
“Marquis, the barbarians have begun retreating eastward. Now it’s possible to climb the walls to watch the battle. Would you like to go and see?”
The barbarians have begun to retreat? Does that mean Chu Zhao will return soon?
Shen Ziqin didn’t hesitate: “Let’s go!”
Zhou Danmo also hurriedly said: “I’ll go too!”
Yueshan Pass’s walls stood firm and unyielding, withstanding the barbarians’ frenzied attacks. As Shen Ziqin climbed to the top of the wall, the battle cries that had seemed distant from within the city now came rushing with the wind, sweeping through their hair.
The wind carried the hot blood and patriotic passion of defending the homeland.
Shen Ziqin gazed at the two armies fighting in the distance, too overwhelmed to speak for a long time. He placed Chu Zhao’s letter in his bosom and now unconsciously clutched his collar.
Yueshan Pass and the barbarians had clashed together. Suddenly, a stronger wind came from the distant grassland, bringing rolling thunder.
Shen Ziqin’s eyes gradually widened, his heart beginning to pound, beating faster and faster-
A snow-white warhorse reared up, charging out of the dust.
The rider wore silver armor and carried a sword, majestic and awe-inspiring. The lion had bared its teeth-this was his territory, and whoever dared to invade would be sacrificed with blood.
Behind him was a vast army that could devour the entire grassland. They had returned from the depths of the prairie, bringing victory and boiling blood, about to win another battle.
Banners fluttered fiercely, dust rolled, and Shen Ziqin stared unblinkingly at Chu Zhao at the forefront.
This was the Great Qi Marshal, Prince Qin Chu Zhao.
Gallant and invincible.
Shen Ziqin unconsciously stepped forward, wanting to be closer to him, even closer.
The Eagle tribe heir’s troops had already begun to retreat, not expecting Chu Zhao to arrive so quickly. Now they found themselves face to face with Chu Zhao, caught in a pincer attack, and knew they were in trouble.
He gritted his teeth and raised his firearm toward Chu Zhao from a great distance.
But at this distance, the firearm couldn’t reach.
When the two forces would clash later…
Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get to wait.
Because Chu Zhao had unstrapped his gun from his back.
The firearm’s range wasn’t enough, but his gun’s was.
He pulled the trigger, and the first to fall was a guard who had rushed forward to shield the Eagle tribe heir from bullets. Unfortunately, the repeating rifle wasn’t like a firearm that needed to rest after each shot. They could block one or two shots, but couldn’t give the heir time to catch his breath.
“Bang!”
Blood bloomed from the Eagle tribe heir’s head. His eyes widened, his firearm dropped, and his dying gaze was one of disbelief as he fell from his horse.
“Heir-!!!”
“The Eagle tribe heir is dead!” Chu Zhao announced loudly. “Surrender immediately!!”
The personal guards surrounding Chu Zhao used their qi-infused voices to shout in unison: “The Eagle tribe heir is dead, surrender immediately!”
Then more and more Great Qi soldiers joined in shouting. Without their commander, the barbarian soldiers, already exhausted after failing to take the city, quickly fell into disarray, scattered by the charge.
The barbarians’ momentum was gone.
The people the Eagle tribe heir had brought were soldiers gathered from two tribes. Seeing their defeat, they naturally prioritized their own tribes, creating even more vulnerabilities as they fled.
Shen Ziqin watched from the wall, from the clash of weapons to the gradually subsiding drum beats, and then he suddenly turned and ran down from the city tower.
The tower stairs were wide. Shen Ziqin, who didn’t exercise much, moved at almost his fastest speed, not even knowing himself how he had rushed down.
His robes fluttered, and as he leaped off the last step, he was like an immortal flying out of a painting.
But a cold immortal wouldn’t have his eager eyes, his vivid emotions.
The heavy city gates slowly opened. On the other side of the gate were soldiers running at full speed.
“Great victory! Great victory at Yuanwang Camp, great victory at Yueshan Pass, we’ve won!”
Countless people were shouting loudly: “Great victory!!”
Shen Ziqin hurriedly stepped through the city gate. The thunderous sounds were no longer the frightening roar of gunpowder but joyful cheers. The blue sky stretched endlessly, the sun shone brightly, and the boundless grassland was full of vitality, bidding farewell to the flames of war and welcoming a new chapter.
Shen Ziqin had run so fast that he was panting. Infected by their cheers, his fingers trembled, and his eyes reddened: “We won…”
The snow-white divine steed galloped toward him. Chu Zhao, carrying the aura of battle, leaped down from his horse and with one arm lifted Shen Ziqin up.
With his feet off the ground, Shen Ziqin instinctively let out a soft cry, holding onto Chu Zhao’s shoulders, sitting on his strong arm.
Chu Zhao’s fighting spirit hadn’t subsided, his adrenaline was high, and his heart was beating fiercely. He lifted Shen Ziqin high and laughed openly at him.
“Consort, great victory!”
Shen Ziqin, with reddened eyes, finally felt his anxious heart settle upon seeing Chu Zhao safe and sound. There would be no more nightmares at night.
So he also smiled. The immortal from the painting had been touched by the mortal world, falling into Prince Qin’s embrace, leaning against the place that gave him the most security in this world.
Shen Ziqin was held high by Chu Zhao’s single arm, so he lowered his head, cupped Chu Zhao’s face, his jade-white fingers touching Chu Zhao’s handsome cheeks. Their foreheads touched, his eyes moist, his smile stunning.
“Great victory.”
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(advanced chapters available on kofi)
Beautiful babies 🥺❤️✨