Chapter 918: Crisis
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
On the 15th of June, the entire Nanling Pass was covered in mourning banners.
On the street outside the general’s residence, Song Jingchen led tens of thousands of soldiers to stand on both sides, all the way to the west city gate. Everyone quietly looked at the team coming out of the general’s residence. Xiao Li, who was walking beside the coffin with the memorial tablet in his hand, closed his eyes and choked. “Young Master, we’re going home.” Yes, they were going home.
However, the young man’s passion would forever remain on that cold battlefield.
The mountains and rivers were fine, and the hero had returned to his hometown! When he came, he was a young man, but when he returned, his soul was gone!
A sorrowful horn sounded. With Song Jingchen in the lead, the soldiers knelt on one knee.
“Brother Xiao, let’s go home.”
“General Xiao, let’s go home!”
The word “home” resounded throughout Nanling Pass. This was not only for Xiao Qirui, but also for the 200,000 soldiers who had sacrificed themselves. It was also the hope in everyone’s hearts.
However, they knew that they could not go home for the time being.
Their mission had yet to be completed. They still had to bring their companions’ wishes to completely defeat those evil people who invaded Great Xia, so that they would no longer dare to extend their claws to Great Xia. Only then could they return true peace to Great Xia.
The sky had darkened at some point. Dark clouds pressed down and thunder rumbled. Heavy rain instantly fell. The mourning banners around them swayed, as if tens of thousands of heroic souls were sobbing silently.
On the training grounds of the general’s residence, Song Jingchen, who was dressed in white, waved the sword in his hand expressionlessly. His moves seemed casual, but they were filled with killing intent.
The rain drenched his entire body, and the wound that had just been bandaged cracked open again. Blood seeped into his white clothes, but he did not seem to notice it. His attacks became faster and more ruthless. Every time he attacked, he would hit the target.
Apart from the dripping of rain, the only sound in the entire training grounds was the sounds of the sword in his hand.
When Shen Yijia, who had slept for three days in a row, came over, she saw this scene.
Her heart tightened. She took the umbrella from Song Jinghuan’s hand and was about to go over when a hand reached out from the side to block her way.
“It’s good to let him vent.” Xuanyuan Ce sighed. After coming here for a few days, he more or less understood what had happened before that battle.
He naturally knew that Song Jingchen was like this not only because of Xiao Qirui’s death, but also because of the nearly 100,000 soldiers he had personally ordered to be killed.
To be honest, if he were Song Jingchen, he might not have been so decisive.
Of course, his actions were not wrong, because if he did not kill those people, they would be controlled by Si Yun and become killing machines in his hands. They would continue to attack the other soldiers of Great Xia.
Xiao Qirui, who had left the city with injured soldiers to stall for time, knew this. The soldiers of Nanling Pass knew it, and Song Jingchen knew it himself.
However, knowing was one thing. To Song Jingchen, who had given this order, he was probably the only one who could understand what he had to endure. In other words, he was just a young man who had yet to reach his prime.
Shen Yijia was slightly stunned.
Xuanyuan Ce patted her head. “He’s been busy writing good news these past two days and arranging for Xiao Qirui’s coffin to return to the capital. He even personally calculated the casualty list. He’s been holding it in for too long.”
Shen Yijia slapped his hand away. “Just talk. Don’t touch me.”
Xuanyuan Ce thought to himself, “This heartless girl.”
He put on an injured expression, but Shen Yijia did not even look at him. She darted out of his sight.
Xuanyuan Ce was shocked. He wanted to say that it was still raining, but when he turned around, he saw the young man who had almost injured himself fall back in the rain. His precious daughter caught him again.
Xuanyuan Ce was speechless. This brat!
His injuries hadn’t recovered to begin with. After being drenched in the rain,
Shen Yijia missed her spiritual liquid for the umpteenth time.
Seeing her like this, Xuanyuan Ce cursed all the vulgarities he had learned in his life in his heart. He wanted to use the same trick to let her rest. Just as he raised his hand, he felt a pain in his neck and fainted.
Shen Yijia turned around and looked at You Yi, who was standing at the door.
She said with a cold expression, “Carry him back to his room.”
Did he really think she was stupid? To fall for the same trick twice.
Seeing that their lord had been carried away by You Yi like a dead pig, the other Demon Guards looked at each other and silently followed.
Unless their master’s life was in danger, they did not have to attack until they received instructions.
“Sister-in-law, Liu Jinbao and I will stand guard. Go and rest too,” Song Jinghuan said worriedly.
“There’s no need. I’ve already recovered after sleeping for a few days,” Shen Yijia said as she lifted the blanket covering Song Jingchen. She thought of something and instructed, “Help me find some strong wine.”
Seeing that her expression had indeed returned to normal, Song Jinghuan could only obey.
Three days later, Song Jingchen woke up again.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a head nestled in front of his chest. His gaze subconsciously softened. Just as he moved his fingers, the person in his arms woke up.
“Hubby, you’re awake,” Shen Yijia said happily.
Song Jingchen forced a smile. “Yes, how long have I been asleep?”
His voice was still a little hoarse.
“Three days.” Shen Yijia reached out and touched his forehead. She heaved a sigh of relief. “The fever finally stopped. Are you hungry or thirsty? I’ll go…” As she spoke, she got up from Song Jingchen’s arms and prepared to get out of bed.
Song Jingchen pulled her back. “I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“Oh my, what nonsense are you talking about? You’re my husband. Isn’t it my duty to take care of you?” Shen Yijia puffed up her cheeks and reached out to touch his furrowed brows. She said seriously, “Hubby, you did the right thing.
Baby and I are proud of you.”
“No one will blame you, so you don’t have to blame yourself.
Song Jingchen stared at her without blinking. Complicated emotions surged in his eyes, and his throat moved. “Yes.”
Shen Yijia also knew that persuasion alone was not enough for this matter. It would become a thorn in Song Jingchen’s heart like the death of his grandfather and father-in-law.
The only way to remove this thorn was to avenge those people.
Therefore, when Song Jingchen discussed the upcoming battle against Wu with Xuanyuan Ce, she didn’t stop him. She just stayed by his side quietly.
Coupled with the troops sent to Lin’an City, the Wu Kingdom had lost 400,000 to 500,000 troops this time. Facing the crusade of the two countries, the possibility of a counterattack was low.
Next, they would only have to wait for the Fengzhou army to reach Nanling Pass before they could join forces with the Xuanyuan Kingdom’s army to attack the Wu Kingdom.
There was a knock on the door.
Song Jingchen stopped talking. “Come in.”
Thirty Thousand walked in. “Master, Madam Ji and General Sikong have arrived at the west gate.”
Song Jingchen was stunned. It was five days earlier than he had expected.
“Hubby, let’s go pick up Mother,” Shen Yijia suggested.
“Alright.’
The couple left the study hand in hand, leaving Xuanyuan Ce stunned for a long time.
“Wait, who is General Sikong? Why was it announced with Ah Luo’s name?!” he thought.
He clearly didn’t even know General Sikong well, but the sense of danger caught him off guard. He stood up with a whoosh and overtook Song Jingchen and Shen Yijia. He rushed out alone and shouted, “Chu Feng, prepare the horse. ”
Shen Yijia looked at the person who passed her like a gust of wind and asked
Song Jingchen, “What happened to him?”
Song Jingchen pursed his lips. “When General Sikong was young, he was a rare handsome man in the army. Mother traveled with him all the way. His Highness is probably worried.”
Shen Yijia was speechless. A man that her husband said was beautiful? This was fun.
On the day that Ji Luo arrived at Nanling Pass, the urgent news that they had set off a day earlier than the mourning team was also sent to the royal court.
The good news was naturally happy, but along with the good news came the news of Xiao Qirui’s death.
“General Xiao! Your Majesty, bad news. General Xiao has fainted.”
Shangguan Han stood up from the dragon throne and instructed sternly, “Quick, call the imperial physician.”
In the Yuan Family’s manor on the outskirts of the city, Yuan Yuwan was sitting under the porch with her head buried in an almost green handkerchief. You Bai came in with an umbrella, followed by an unfamiliar maidservant.
Walking into the corridor, she put away the umbrella and said, “Miss, Miss Xiao sent this. She said that she needed to see you urgently.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yuan Yuwan gasped.
Looking closely, she saw a bright red dot of blood on the handkerchief.
“Miss!” You Bai was shocked and quickly wanted to take off her handkerchief to check her wound.
Yuan Yuwan dodged to the side and looked straight at the helpless little maidservant standing at the side.
She had seen this maidservant once or twice when she went to visit Xiao Ruoshui. She was indeed from the Fan residence.
She said that it was an urgent matter, but she asked someone who was usually not important to her to come. The situation at that time was probably chaotic, so she casually assigned someone.
The maidservant’s eyes were red. She had clearly cried before coming.
Yuan Yuwan’s heart sank bit by bit. The dull pain in her heart was even more intense than before.. She closed her eyes and said, “Tell me, what’s the matter?”