I seemed to have slept for a long time, but it was very peaceful and I didn't have any more dreams. When I woke up, I barely recognized the scene before me.
It was already dark, and he was looking at the map again, only this time, he was close to the couch.
"Are you awake?" He suddenly spoke, without even turning his head. For a moment, I even thought that he was not talking to me.
He picked up the pen and scratched it on the map, then turned his head and brushed my forehead with his hand. Instantly, the cool temperature on his fingertips was very comfortable.
He frowned slightly and said, "Don't work so hard, I'll feel bad."
I didn't meet his gaze again and carefully looked away.
"Your leg..." he asked very carefully, "does it hurt?"
I thought about it and shook my head.
He didn't speak for a long time, just looking at me. The flickering light reflected his gentle face.
"I'll bring you a bowl of porridge. You've been asleep for a long time." He twitched the corners of his lips, "We have already captured two cities."
Has it been that long? Two cities are not something that can be taken down in a day or two.
"You're back, things are going much smoother." He smiled lightly.
Did I worry him because I was away for too long? Perhaps he is the only ordinary person in the world who would worry about me like this.
He stood up and when he walked to the door, he suddenly turned back and looked at me with a deep look in his eyes. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end he didn't say it and just left like that.
The armor is still the same armor, but from a distance, the person in the armor has become thinner.
I was delayed for a long time when I came from the capital. When I came back, his army had not advanced much south. At that moment, I was worried about him, but I fell asleep so unfavorably for so long.
When I left, he didn't feel any better than I did.
The war was not going well, the people in the south were deceived by evil words, and yet another natural disaster like this happened in Wolongkou. It looked like...like God was taking care of Fuqi. Mortals cannot see God, they can only look at Him. He is the Son of Heaven. His words are of great importance and can be heard throughout the world. He was alone, withstanding all the pressure, and at this time, I left him.
It’s not just me who’s been suffering along the way.
He came back not long after, holding a bowl of porridge in his hand. My nose was blocked and I couldn't smell the fragrance, but looking at the steaming heat, I felt very warm in my belly.
"Don't move, I'll help you up. The medical officer told me not to touch your legs." He said in a deep voice, strode over, put the bowl aside, then put his arms under me, and slowly lifted me up. The injured area was not touched at all.
He freed his hand, turned around, picked up the spoon, took a mouthful of porridge, blew it to cool, then twisted his body and handed it to my lips.
Without his right hand, it is difficult for him to do simple things like eating.
I opened my lips and sipped the porridge without saying anything or interrupting his movements.
He has worked very hard and does not need others to remind him of his shortcomings. He was willing to do it, no matter how difficult it was, I stayed by his side, watched quietly, and just supported him when he was tired.
"Have you improved your chef's skills?" He said with a smile, turning around and filling the spoon.
I nodded slightly.
Vegetable leaves are put into the porridge, chopped finely and cooked until soft.
"Then eat more."
He leaned over and handed over another spoonful.
The dancing lights suddenly became quiet, and his outline became clear in an instant. After being away for many days, his face became more angular. Even though he is smiling, the wrinkles between his eyebrows will not disappear. He is only in his twenties, will he not age if he has these wrinkles?
However, this tiny mark between his eyebrows had a certain smell. The way he smiles, the way he doesn't see the fierceness on the battlefield, and the way his eyebrows soften, is actually a bit fairy-like, even beyond negative. It's just that he often wears cold and heavy armor, and his body always exudes the smell of war.
I raised my hand, pushed his hand, and pushed the spoon to his lips. His lips are clean and neat, and the slightly raised corners of his lips are very attractive.
He was stunned for a moment, looked at me, and then smiled: "Don't you dislike me?"
When I tasted the taste, I turned pale and lowered my head, but he swallowed the spoonful of porridge in big gulps. When he turned around and brought it to my mouth again, I didn't know how to take it down.
That meal ended in a state where I didn't know how to eat, but it was a pity that the old chef took good care of me.
I seemed to be unable to wake up, so I stayed with him and slept soundly for two more days before I regained some energy. In just two days, he broke camp again and moved further south.
I just came back, and his war seems to be going much better indeed. Every time he talked about it, he would hug me more and more regardless of etiquette and say: "Aren't you auspicious?" He hugged me very openly, and he said it so perfectly.
After winning several battles in succession, the atmosphere in the military camp finally relaxed a little when I came back, and it was no longer so panic-stricken.
I suddenly remembered the victory that took a long time to come in another state. He took me on horseback to chase the remaining soldiers of the ghost side. His horse was so fast that no general, no matter how close he was, could keep up with him. When the ghost soldiers deployed their crossbows, I thought that was the end of it, and people like Jimo would eventually die because of their carelessness and underestimation of the enemy.
But no, he smiled lightly and said that I was auspicious. On that day, God really treated him as the "Emperor" and took good care of him, allowing him to survive the disaster safely and let the ghosts escape. People flee without fighting.
It would be great if we could encounter such a victory this time.
It is unavoidable to disobey destiny. On my journey north, a lot of gossip spread among the people of Jiugao. If he can successfully capture Pingjing, no matter how much Fu Qi has in his hands, the rumors among the people will slowly fade away.
Even as he was walking on the road, he was thinking about the distribution of the siege sergeants. I didn't want to disturb him. When he broke camp and left again, I could only signal the people next to him to go to the new camp to prepare another tent for me. After coming back, I rested in his tent. I was tired and lethargic. He took many generals to other tents to discuss many important military affairs. I don't know where he rested when he was tired. In this way, I wonder how the officers and soldiers of the three armies will spread gossip? Emperor Jiugao was deceived by witchcraft?
Ordinary people are reviled by the world because of their arrogance, extravagance and lewdness. Mo Dongli, the first monarch of Jiugao, was unique because of his sorcery.
I don’t know where the letter came from, and it was handed into my hand. It was a thin piece of paper with just a few lines of words. It only briefly mentioned that Qingqiu Mountain is located in the south. The rest was urging us to go there as soon as possible. He always It is saying that there is no time anymore, there is no time. I didn't know what his timing standards were, but his urging made me anxious. However, I know that until Pingjing is captured and Fuqi is completely destroyed, Jimo will not leave easily no matter what.
There is no ice cellar like the palace in the battlefield. Jimo once promised to end everything before the weather gets warmer, but how can it be that easy? Fuqi has been around for more than a hundred years, and the emperor's extravagance has drained the treasury, but at least there is still a breath left, and the royal family is not all dandy. I heard that he had recently encountered a powerful enemy and fought back and forth many times. He could neither lose nor win, nor advance nor retreat, which made people upset.
He was the one who couldn't be irritated the most, so he would sit outside the tent and think in the cold wind every day. That day, I caught a glimpse of him when I was serving him tea. In the bleak north wind, he looked at his right arm in trance. Was he thinking that if his right arm was still there and he could still go to the battlefield, there would be no such troubles and no need for such sorrow?
There is not much expression on his face. In front of others, he always looks majestic. In the eyes of the soldiers of the three armies, he must be an upright person. Even if he loses his most important arm, he can still be calm. Find your niche. However, these people didn't understand that since he first raised his troops and pursued Onifa all the way, he had been waving his sword and rushing to the front. The highest commander-in-chief is also the one who is most willing to risk his life. After he ascended the throne, he would naturally not be like that again. He would be cheered and supported wherever he went, but he would also go to the battlefield in person. No matter how many people protected him, he would always look like the same person as before. Therefore, the military spirit was united. . After losing his arm, he couldn't go to the battlefield, and he didn't know what the people in the military camp would say or think. pity? disdain? Contempt? sigh? fear? None of it was what he wanted. He wants to be like a normal person, a normal him, but no one knows.
He has survived such things on his own. He had nothing to fret about.
But looking at his expression, I suddenly had a question in my mind. Maybe it would be better to go to Qingqiu Mountain first?
I didn't dare to ask him, for fear that he would be too sensitive about the arm matter, and for fear that his refusal would be too straightforward, as if he was hiding something.
Later, he led his troops on an expedition, and he was still the "strong enemy". He commanded the troops for three days and three nights without sleep. I watched a battle report delivered to him, and orders were passed to the battlefield one by one. For three days, the camp Inside and outside the camp, no one is allowed to rest. This time, the winner was finally decided.
He lost.
Under everyone's gaze, he still looked indifferent, turned around, and entered the tent.
I followed him and stood silently in the tent. He just stood there, unable to go to the battlefield, but his armor had never been removed. Now it seemed that without those hard and straight armors, his whole body would collapse in front of me.
I thought of that dream, the dream in which he turned into blood, water, and dust in front of me. Suddenly, the dream overlapped with reality, and the illusion made my heart palpitate.
I rushed over to help him, but found that he was standing well and showed no signs of overturning.
Fortunately, it was just a dream.
It took him a long time before he turned around and gave a weak smile, the ugliest one: "Liao Yan."
He hadn't slept for three days, his eyes were frighteningly red, and the repeated military orders made his throat hoarse. The rough voice seemed to be polishing my cochlea.
At that moment, I don't know why, but I always felt that I had to say something. His eyes fell on my face, as if if I didn't say something, he would instantly collapse.
"...I'm here." I responded in a low voice. It was completely meaningless, and he was stunned again.
"I know." He raised the corners of his lips again, "Don't worry, victory or defeat is a common thing for a soldier. I won't collapse that easily."
It is true that victory or defeat is a common thing for military strategists, but such a defeat, for three days and three nights, all the efforts were spent on the same war, no one wanted to lose. The more troops, time, and energy he invested, the smaller the chance of winning back after a disastrous defeat.
"Fuqi hasn't had such a capable general for a long time." His tone was incomprehensible.
I looked at him quietly.
"Would it be better if I had my right hand?" There was a bit of caution and uncertainty in his voice. He didn't know whether he was asking me or himself.
I just nodded vigorously.
If he could go to the battlefield in person, there would be no chance of the military situation being delayed, and the military's morale would be much stronger than it is now.
He lowered his head and looked at his right arm, very quiet.
I grabbed his left arm and shook it gently. He raised his head and looked away. I took out the letter from my sleeve and handed it to him. It's not that he hasn't read it, Mr. Xu's letter will naturally be in his hands immediately. It's just that he read it but didn't say anything. At that time, he did not want to leave the battlefield.
But now, he just stared at the envelope in a daze, without even opening it. He knew the contents and didn't want to read it anymore.
"I can't leave." He said after a while, and he didn't know who he was talking about.
I held his sleeve and shook it again.
Some things, no matter how many reasons or fears you have, you have to face them, sooner or later.
"After today's incident is over." There was compromise in his tone.
He just tasted defeat. He is the coach and cannot leave. I know this, but how long is left? How long is left? Without victory, no one will feel at ease, but can he wait until the day he wins the battle?
He looked at the letter in his hand again, moved his thumb lightly, and suddenly raised his eyes and said, "Qingqiu Mountain, is it in the south?"
I looked at him and nodded. This is what he wrote in his letter.
"In Fuqi?"
I lowered my head. All the way south, I have never heard of Qingqiu Mountain. If there is, it can only be in Fuqi further south. But if we don't capture it, how can we advance south?
"We will set off in five days." His words were too simple, appearing and disappearing suddenly. For a moment, I thought it was just an illusion.
He looked at me in disbelief and raised the corners of his lips: "Aren't you always thinking about this? Why, don't you want to go?"
Thinking about it, I’m going crazy.
He has the courage to go against the will of heaven, so he doesn't have to believe what he says, but I can't help it. If so, I wouldn't risk my life to go back to the capital to retrieve his broken arm. The southern country is gentle, so an arm separated from the body will start to rot soon, and we don't have much time to waste. But in this case, there is no way to tell him. Now that he has promised to leave in five days, I am naturally happy.
However, who knows what we will encounter if we rush south like this?
"Don't worry, we will go there via the mountain road, it will be very hidden and safe." He patted the top of my head.
From then on, I spent five days in anticipation, but he never rested for a moment. He mobilized troops and horses, launched a sneak attack in small groups, captured a granary in Fuqi, and directed his troops back and forth to interfere with the opponent. His fierce rival never told me who he was.
I no longer had the energy to ask anymore, all I could think about was the south, where all the personal weapons and soft armor were available, and the dry food and clothing were well restrained, but I felt that there were too many things, so I cut them off. My legs hadn't healed yet, but I started jumping up and down in the tent on one leg.
The enthusiasm in my heart was something I had never tasted in the past twenty years, but when I was free, I felt a little strange.
Nothing can change me so quickly, not even Jimo.
"Liao Yan."
I looked up and he opened the curtain and walked in.
"The military affairs have been handed over to General Nan, we can leave."
General Nan is Nan Qing's father. One of his veteran generals is calm, capable and very reassuring.
Until this moment, I started to be afraid. My heart was agitated, my hands and feet were cold, and I didn't know what I was afraid of. I could only reluctantly agree to him and reach for the light baggage.
The mountain road was too difficult to ride in a horse-drawn carriage, and my injured leg could not be ridden alone, so I shared a ride with him, took a replacement horse, and officially set off. He only told the army that he was going to check on the Wolongkou disaster in person. Accompanied by me. Considering that he is an emperor, this reason makes sense. Therefore, we can only go from the north and then turn back to the south to prevent Youyou's mouth.
Walking halfway, I suddenly thought, if he was not a king and did not live in troubled times, I would not be like this. Wouldn't it be necessary to go around in such a roundabout way to avoid sight? Is it possible to walk in the sunshine and not see anyone else?
He didn't look up, just looked at the pattern on his heart and sighed softly.
It is destined that he is a noble person. Can't escape, can't hide.
Thinking about it, at the beginning, I was indifferent, contemptuous, and disgusted with him. But now that he has become an emperor, why am I willing to worship him?
No way, no way.
