The road south was difficult and dangerous, and he encountered ambushes several times, but fortunately he defused them easily. I also learned to use a piece of black gauze to block the sun, and followed him, gradually no longer needing his too distracted care. But when he encounters enemy troops by chance, he will inevitably have to work hard. I thought about learning how to wield a knife and a gun, but I was out of breath after just a few attempts. He always said, what are women doing learning these things? Are they looking down on him?
Of course it was a joke, but it sounded very calm to me.
He practices his sword with his left hand every day, even if he sets up camp at night, he still has to practice by himself for a long time. Come to think of it, he was also impatient. He is an emperor and a general. He has stirred up the world and cannot let it go again.
The journey was very fast. In less than ten days, we reached the southern front line. When he was taking a short rest, Mao Shaner was dressed in a military uniform and less ruthless than usual. He put away his knife and jumped over. He looked at his arm and looked slightly gloomy.
"How could it be cured so easily? It's been more than half a month since we arrived in the capital." He got off his horse and pretended to be relaxed.
"Didn't Mr. Xu say that there is a life-saving doctor in the capital?"
Mr. Xu? Is he back?
He raised his right hand, and the empty sleeve was particularly desolate, but he still smiled and said: "What doctor can save such a life? I didn't have too many expectations, I went on this trip, and I avoided many battlefields." It’s a crime. I don’t know what kind of situation you, a boy in the south, have been subjected to by me.”
Hairy Legs' expression became a little darker, and my heart also began to rise and fall.
"The old emperor is back, and the rebellion in the south is very strong." He leaned closer and said, "That day, a light flashed in the Fuqi military camp, and many people saw it."
bright?
"Auspicious." Jimo's words were very firm.
"Yes. Since then, our Jiugao army has won less and lost more. If the emperor doesn't come back, we really won't be able to continue the fight."
"Such an old man, are you really willing to lose at his hands?" Jimo flicked his sleeves and faced the warm sun, his eyebrows deep, "Fortunately, they have auspiciousness, and we also have blessings from God."
I lowered my head, hoping that he wasn't talking about me.
Hairy Legs looked over with a smile, then turned back and said, "Your Majesty is ready..."
Jimo looked back, his eyes briefly fell on me, and then he said, "What did Mr. Xu say?"
Mr. Xu, in their eyes, is a counselor who knows astronomy and geography. In the current situation, it is most appropriate for him to give an auspicious omen.
Hairy Legs scratched his head: "Mr. Xu is gone. It seems that there are urgent matters, and we can't keep him."
Just as Jimo was about to give up, he suddenly added: "Mr. Xu seems to have said that it has something to do with Miss Liao. The direction is also north."
To the north? Was it when I was still in the capital? If you come to me now, what's the big deal? We haven’t contacted him for a long time, and I have almost forgotten all the irrelevant things he said, and those so-called legends about the sons and grandsons of dragons.
Jimo looked at me again, raised his hand and motioned for others to take me to rest. He turned to Maojier and ordered: "Calling the generals of the three armies into the tent for discussion."
The sun was shining brightly, so I couldn't see clearly his facial expressions, but inexplicably, I felt that aura that was as powerful as swallowing up the sky and the earth, just like the moment he opened the door in the mourning hall. Nothing could be seen, but the compelling aura was there.
The killings on the battlefield were a common practice, and I was not allowed to participate in the least. I had no idea when they would leave or when they would break camp. Jimo suddenly became busy, but my camp was no longer as deserted as before. Every day, someone would bring the most vegetarian food, with a pious look, as if they were worshiping some great god. They did all the auspicious things, as if I was really a good omen. If so, how could Jimo's right arm...
To this day, he still doesn't mention it. I don't even know who the person who attacked him is, and whether the wound still hurts.
In the past, Jimo always loved cavalry attacks. Small groups of forces kept inciting the ghosts' anger, and the time to set out to challenge the camp was therefore unpredictable. Now, he has a large number of troops at his disposal, and he is no longer dealing with Guifang's brave and elite cavalry, and the tactics he uses are no longer the same as before. It is rare to see him personally facing the enemy, and he looks more and more like a strategist. Even so, the opportunities to see him were still very few. He no longer faced the sword directly, but he was more tired than when he was charging into battle. Every time I went to see him, Maoji always gave me a cup of tea and pushed it into the tent, as if I had to deliver the cup of tea.
The frown between his brows deepened every time, and the tea became colder every time.
It was a smooth journey south, but it stopped in this small town for a month.
The city seemed small and vulnerable, with only one name that could be considered extravagant - Yuzhan. But it happened that such a small place could not be attacked for more than a month. They say that the real wealth and prosperity lies to the south of Yuzhang, and this city is actually a wall that firmly protects the wealthy land in the south.
They couldn't attack by force, and even if they were outsmarted, the Jiugao army struggled a lot, but in the end, they were defeated one by one. It seems as if this small town is impregnable, as if everything is false.
I sat across from him, and his eyes were still on the map, not wanting to let go of any detail or opportunity. I had seen him look like this when I was under the city of Bizhou. At that time, I also came to give him tea, and the cup of tea was like this. It cooled down little by little and no longer evaporated. Last time, I saw the clues, but this time, I couldn't figure it out.
Under the current situation, he must capture the wine cup. Otherwise, the army traveling south will not have enough food and will have to return north. When the time comes, I don't know how Fuqi will cheer. After a month wasted, the army's reserves were insufficient. They left Yuzhang and captured the nearby city. Even if the soldiers can endure it, there will no longer be a city that can keep the food and grass as full as before, except for the wine cup and the place where the turtle retreats.
The wine glass is a must-have! Even if it’s a desperate move!
A gust of cold wind blew, and I turned around. It was a gust of north wind that rolled up the tent curtains, freezing my legs and feet for a while. I rubbed my hands. My body was already cold, but these hands were even colder now. He was still dressed in iron armor, cold and hard, and the candle shadow swayed, revealing a cold light.
He gently took out a robe and slowly put it on his shoulders. He raised his head suddenly, his eyes froze for a moment, then calmed down. He pressed my hand on his shoulder with his left hand and said in a low voice: "Are you cold?"
I pulled my hand away and shook my head.
"It's late at night, you should go back and rest."
I didn't answer and looked at the tea on the table. The cold tea is probably bitter, but I wonder if he would take a sip if someone came to exchange it for him.
Suddenly, he subconsciously stretched out his right arm. The distance between the dropped sleeve and the teacup was so abrupt. I recognized that distance. If his hand was still there, he would be able to hold the tea cup at this moment. Neither far nor near.
His eyes dimmed like ashes for a moment. But it was only for a moment. The next moment, he let go of my hand, held the cup in his left hand, raised his head and drank it all.
"Go and have a rest." He raised the corners of his lips, and I couldn't tell if it was a smile.
I nodded. At this time, I didn’t know what to say or do. Everything I said was redundant and everything I did seemed like pity. I understand that what he wants is to be left alone to be quiet and to vent by himself. He wants to carry it by himself, but I won't force him. When one day he gets tired, I will stay with him, and that's the best thing. At this moment, all I can do is fulfill his wish. After all, a man must be majestic in front of a woman. I understood, so I didn’t try to expose it, collected the tea cup and left.
He lost his right hand not just in a day or two, but because of his habits of more than 20 years, how could he change it so easily. As an emperor, he should indeed sit behind thousands of people and strategize. However, more of it was just because of his right arm. Now, if he goes to the battlefield and rushes to the front, he will just become a burden like me. Instead of worrying others, it's better to be at peace with yourself. After all, this is a battlefield, and a distraction can mean the difference between life and death. I understand, he understands better.
Give him time, let him adapt slowly, and let him retain his pride as a man.
Putting down the curtain, I took one last look at him to prevent the north wind from getting in.
The weather is cold.
That night, for some reason, I woke up suddenly, covered in sticky cold sweat. He looked down at his palm, which was cold and trembling. He had not yet recovered from his dream, and he had no strength to hold it. But unfortunately, I don't know what was in that dream, just like that night in the capital, when he came back. He had heart palpitations for no reason, and as a result, he lost an arm. At this moment, could it be foreshadowing something?
There was no time to think about it, so he put on his shoes and went out. There was still a faint light in his tent, and the rest were just patrolling guards, nothing more. It was quiet like a normal night.
Maybe I'm overthinking it.
Watching life and death every day, it is indeed expected to have nightmares.
I went back to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep again. My hands and feet were cold and didn't warm up in the middle of the night. In my heart, I was always anxious and looking forward to the morning, but that night seemed too long.
Until there was a lot of people outside, my eyes were dim.
"What happened today?"
Someone shouted something. I turned over and got on the bed, and hurriedly opened the curtain, and it was Jimo. Hearing the sound, he looked back at me lightly, and after a while, he raised his left arm and pointed at the sky.
Looking up, black clouds swept across the sky, and lightning struck from time to time, shocking the earth.
There was no heavy rain, just such a depressing and eerie scene. It was as if the clouds were right above your head, within reach.
"Are you afraid?" he asked in a low voice.
I shook my head. This scene may indeed be terrifying, but at least it is much better than that day when lightning struck directly in front of the horse.
"Your Majesty." Hairy Legs came closer and lowered his high-pitched voice, "If you say more, isn't this like a witchcraft?"
witchcraft.
"Look at the clouds and the wind, they are clearly coming from the south. Could it be that the auspiciousness they call is a monster?"
"If you are talking nonsense, go to the medical officer and prescribe some medicine." His words were not warm, but they made people feel at ease and at ease.
Hairy Legs pursed his lips and said nothing more.
There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A bolt of lightning traveled close to the sky and suddenly spread across the sky. There was silence everywhere.
The lightning looked like a real dragon.
I was stunned for a moment, and my heart suddenly suffocated.
He suddenly stretched out his arms to hold me, and I was shocked to realize that I was shaking violently.
"It's not that important to go back to the tent." He said calmly.
No, I don't know why, I am so sure in my heart that I can't go back or hide. The dragon shape that disappeared in the blink of an eye hit my heart like a whip, but I could only watch.
Negative, at this time, perhaps only he can give an answer.
The swaggering auspiciousness of Fuqi, the twinkling dragon shadow in the south. I don't believe that such an extravagant court can attract a real dragon to come to the world to praise its virtues. Could it be that in this world, there is really no way of heaven and no right path?
"Your Majesty, are you withdrawing your troops or..." A general approached cautiously and asked in a low voice. This kind of weather makes people panic.
"We must not withdraw!" He said firmly. At present, the army is too disorganized to attack south, but once it retreats, nearly a year of fighting, the lives of those dead soldiers, and his right hand will all be in vain.
"emperor……"
"I want to see what a real dragon looks like! What the way of heaven looks like!" He stood with his hands behind his back, his posture tall and majestic, and the expression on his face was solemn and majestic. In an instant, that chilling aura swept across the world, even worse than the dragon shape on the horizon just now.
After a while, the thick clouds dissipated, and the sky was clear and clean, as if nothing had happened.
In the distance, there is a figure, with half-undressed clothes, wide sleeves and a blouse, with a bit of fairy spirit, wearing white clothes and dreaming.
"Mr. Xu!"
Negative. Hairy Legs said he was going north, but the direction he came from was south.
I frowned unconsciously, there were too many things I needed to ask clearly.
"Mr. Xu, please come into the tent." Jimo spoke with gentle words.
He just nodded his head in agreement, and walked away without even looking at the people around him.
Jimo personally lifted the curtain for him and blocked everyone away. Then he opened his mouth to leave me behind. Even though he was confused, I stood there without moving.
"There is a strange phenomenon in the sky. Some people deviate from the way of heaven and go against heaven." For some reason, I always feel that when Fu Xi said this, his eyes were directed at me.
Have I done something so damning that I have made people and gods angry?
Fingers secretly twisted together. Could it be because Jimo said I was auspicious? After all, I was born as a monster, so it was certainly not auspicious. Does such a thing require such a costly warning like the arrival of the real dragon?
"What's going on? Can we predict good or bad luck?" Jimo asked.
Negative Xi raised his eyes slightly, his eyes cold: "It is not known to anyone but heaven. This is a disaster caused by heaven. If it becomes a man-made disaster, it will definitely poison the whole world."
"Fuqi's disaster or Jiugao's disaster?"
Somehow, his eyes looked at me again, just a fleeting glance, which made my whole body shiver.
"The emperor's broken arm can be cured." He suddenly said this and ignored Na Fuqi and Jiugao.
Jimo's eyes flashed slightly, and I knew how much he valued his right arm. His empire and his war all depended on this hand.
"Two months."
"It can be cured." Negative Xi said firmly.
"how?"
I remember that Fu Xi treated my injury before I left. With just a gentle touch of his hand, my broken bones were healed. If he says that Jimo can be cured, I believe it.
Negative Xi finally tilted his head towards me, raised his sleeves slightly, and couldn't see any emotions in his eyes: "Give me Liao Xiang's soul, and I will heal your arm."
"Mr. Xu...what does this mean?"
"You can't afford to keep her soul." Negative Xi stepped closer. I stood still, thinking about the meaning of his words.
Others might have said he wanted my life, so why did he have to say he wanted my soul?
Fu Xi raised his hand to hold my wrist, which felt cold.
"It can't be cured." Jimo strode forward and took my hand. In an instant, it was warm and scalding.
"I still have my left hand, thank you for your help."
"You are gambling with the world!" Negative Xi's words were so gloomy that people were frightened, "God is not on your side! If you keep her, you will definitely lose, and you will be buried with the world without her body!"
"I, Ji Mo Dongli, believe in destiny and human affairs. Sir, there is no need to say more. I will never let her go."
They refused to give in to each other, but I only remember that sentence, "If you die without a complete body, you will be buried with the whole world."
My mind is full of noise. Will he die? because I? Am I really an unknown thing that can only bring disaster and death? If this is the case, I would rather choose to leave and offer my soul with both hands - if I still have a soul after living these nearly twenty years, it was given to me by Jimo, and now I should give it back.
"Your Majesty, could you please let me have a talk with Miss Liao?" Fu Xi's hug was surprisingly ordinary.
"I……"
"Talk alone," he added, cutting off Jimo's words.
"Mr. Xu has to go through a long journey today, so why not rest for a day." Jimo's tone was inevitably indifferent, mixed with stiff respect.
"It's too exaggerated to travel a long distance." Negative Xi glanced at my eyes, as if to say, thousands of miles can take him but the blink of an eye.
I knew, almost convinced, that he did.
Secretly holding Jimo's hand, maybe I can have a talk with Fu Xi. I need to understand what a soul is. I should ask about the almost forgotten past, the unexplained and unheard words he said about the Zhifu spiritual world.
Jimo frowned and stared with deep eyes. I know that he already has a grudge against Mr. Xu, and someone in a high position will inevitably become more suspicious. This is a simple truth that was already explained in the book he gave me when I was seven years old.
