DDT - Chapter 50
Chapter 50: General × Little Emperor (5)
Chi Junluo had been awake since the birds in the trees began to chirp. Unfortunately, with the little emperor pressed against her, she couldn't move easily and could only wait for him to wake up and move away on his own.
She never expected that the deeply suspicious little emperor would actually want to kill her!
If the Heavenly Dao hadn't warned her in time, telling her to continue feigning sleep to give the little emperor enough time to think, she might have foolishly opened her eyes, only to find herself staring wide-eyed at a sword-wielding emperor. That would have been an even more difficult situation to resolve. Perhaps the emperor, feeling he had no way to back down, would have chosen to strike. And since he was no match for her, the scene would have become even uglier.
Fortunately, Chi Junluo managed to keep her body stiff and feign sleep through the entire process. After a long internal struggle, the little emperor finally chose to lower his sword and dispel his killing intent.
The little emperor was stretching on a patch of grass not far away, going through the warm-up exercises he did every morning, waiting for General Chi to wake up. After repeatedly confirming with the Heavenly Dao in her sea of consciousness, Chi Junluo finally pretended to have just woken up. She gave a big stretch, rubbed her eyes, and then slowly opened them.
The faint morning light wasn't harsh, and the sky was beginning to brighten. Although the little emperor didn't know martial arts, he was still meticulously practicing his basic drills.
Pushing off the ground with one hand, Chi Junluo sprang to her feet, the dead leaves and branches beneath her rustling. The little emperor, Yi Han, relaxed his stance and turned to face General Chi, who was now standing.
"General Chi, you're awake." Yi Han no longer showed any of the fear or dishevelment from the previous day. Despite having been a figurehead emperor for only three years, his presence was no less imposing than that of the battle-hardened General Chi. "Since you're awake, let's tidy up and set off together."
Yi Han didn't ask about their destination. Since the Zhenbei General had come to rescue him, they were naturally heading to the Northwest Border, not somewhere else. Feng City was the dominant power in the northwest, so he presumed General Chi would settle him there.
"Yes," Chi Junluo replied. After a few stretches, she untied the horse's reins from the tree. With a single fluid motion, she mounted the horse, nudged its belly with her legs, and rode over to Yi Han's side. Chi Junluo extended her right hand, gesturing for him to get on.
Yi Han looked at the tall General Chi Luo, who was a good half-head taller than him. A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes. Yesterday, the situation had been urgent and he had been in a sorry state, so he had been forced to sit in front of General Chi. But today was different. He was a man. Sitting in front of General Chi like a bashful maiden was truly improper. Perhaps… he should sit behind General Chi today?
Chi Junluo keenly noticed the change in the little emperor's eyes, his hesitation, and the way his gaze drifted to the space behind her. A bad feeling rose in her heart. If this little emperor sat behind her, how was she supposed to collect the Power of the Heavenly Dao???
Chi Junluo immediately spoke, her tone righteous and stern. "Your Majesty, there may be pursuers behind us. We don't have much time. I urge Your Majesty to mount the horse quickly. The ride is bumpier on the horse's rump, so please, sit in front of me."
The thought of a horde of pursuers behind them, coupled with General Chi's reasonable explanation, made Yi Han cast aside his concerns about sitting in front or behind. He quickly accepted the general's help and scrambled onto the horse. Chi Junluo nodded in satisfaction. The little emperor did value his life.
"Giddy-up!" Chi Junluo squeezed the horse's belly with her legs and flicked the reins. The horse, carrying both of them, galloped away from the clearing where they had spent the night.
The morning air was cool and damp, without a trace of sunlight. The little emperor, Yi Han, sat ramrod straight in front of General Chi, almost stiffly. He faced the fierce wind generated by the horse's speed. The cold air rushed against his face, and Yi Han couldn't help but shiver, yet he stubbornly refused to shrink his neck.
Chi Junluo felt a little helpless. Her warm embrace was right there, but this little emperor refused to lean back. He was truly stubborn.
Because of their sensitive identities, Chi Junluo chose not to travel through cities, instead opting for routes that bypassed them.
This meant the little emperor probably wouldn't have a chance to change out of his dirty clothes until they reached Feng City.
Yi Han: pitiful.jpg
After riding for the better part of the day, both of them were famished. They chose a nearby village to find a meal.
The village was called Zhang Family Village. The villagers were very welcoming, but the atmosphere was strange. While they welcomed Chi Junluo and Yi Han, their eyes held an unconcealable fear.
Because Chi Junluo offered several silver ingots as payment, the village chief's family specially killed two chickens. One was stewed, and the other was roasted to serve as provisions for their journey.
During the meal, the village chief's family seemed to be hiding some unspeakable trouble. The chief and his wife kept hesitating, as if they had something important to say but didn't dare. The perceptive Chi Junluo and Yi Han had already noticed their strange behavior and grew suspicious.
After a comfortable meal that could be considered dinner, both felt quite satisfied. Although a full stomach invites rest, the thought of the journey ahead compelled Chi Junluo and Yi Han to leave the house and head to the stables, preparing to depart.
By now, the sky was painted with crimson clouds, and darkness was gradually falling. The village chief escorted them all the way to the stables and finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Sirs, are you leaving now? If you are heading north, you must be careful of Zhangbei Mountain ahead!" The chief's face was filled with worry. These two were clearly wealthy and influential. What a waste it would be if they lost their lives on Zhangbei Mountain.
"Village Chief, what do you mean by that?" Chi Junluo could sense the worry and fear in the chief's tone. There must be a den of bandits on that mountain.
Yi Han frowned. Before he was forced to abdicate, he had ordered multiple campaigns to suppress bandits throughout the Great Chang Kingdom. How could there still be bandits around?
"Village Chief, wasn't there a nationwide campaign to eliminate bandits? How can there still be outlaws running free?" Yi Han pressed.
"Ah, sirs, you don't understand. These bandits… they're what you might call 'official' bandits. Every year, they offer a great deal of tribute and beautiful women to the Imperial City. You see, the bandits from Zhangbei Mountain often come to our village to plunder. Most of the young women in the village have been taken away, and we don't know if our own daughter is alive or dead. A few years ago, we reported it to the authorities, but the young man who went to report it was beaten to death by those villains. Since then, all the surrounding villages just leave grain and other things by our doors, hoping the bandits won't smash up our homes when they come to pillage…" As the village chief spoke, tears streamed down his aged face.
"This is preposterous!" Yi Han's face darkened.
Chi Junluo, however, seemed to understand something.
Seeing that the two said nothing more, the village chief gritted his teeth and continued, "I beg you, sirs, if you have the power, please help us exterminate these bandits! Save the people of our village!" With that, the village chief knelt.
Yi Han was deeply displeased. Although his throne was no longer secure, he still agreed without hesitation. "Village Chief, rest assured, the bandits will be dealt with. Before that, please ensure your own safety."
Finally, amidst the village chief's profuse thanks, the two departed from Zhang Family Village.
As they trotted along the country path, Yi Han was still blaming himself. "I clearly ordered the suppression of bandits within Great Chang's borders. All the regions reported their successes. Those damned old foxes repeatedly assured me that there were no more bandits in the kingdom, but now the common people tell me the bandits have become official bandits!" Yi Han felt as if all his strength was draining away. He thought of the weeping village chief, and his heart filled with rage.
But now, he was like a clay bodhisattva crossing a river—unable even to save himself, let alone suppress bandits. For the first time, Yi Han hated his own powerlessness so intensely.
Chi Junluo was quietly riding the horse, listening to the little emperor's muttering, when she suddenly felt a weight against her front. Yi Han had leaned against her again.
Yi Han's head rested against Chi Junluo's neck and body, and the Power of the Heavenly Dao began to collect automatically. On this somewhat chilly evening, a warmth enveloped the two of them.
Yi Han felt defeated. He didn't know how, as a man with no martial prowess, he could ever reclaim his throne. He had General Chi Luo now, but just because the general was willing to save him didn't mean she was willing to help him retake the throne. Setting aside how General Chi had miraculously learned of the Fourth Prince's coup, even if she could defeat the Fourth Prince with the Zhenbei Army, why wouldn't she crown herself empress instead of serving a disgraced emperor like him?
The road ahead was long, and the future was shrouded in uncertainty.
Chi Junluo didn't know what the little emperor was thinking. She felt the Power of the Heavenly Dao flowing into her continuously and was quite pleased. She wished she could stay in this position forever, until all the power was collected.
To be safe, Chi Junluo steered the horse around Zhangbei Mountain, heading straight for Feng City in the northwest.
North of Feng City, in the Zhenbei Army camp, a battle had just ended. The soldiers returned to their tents to rest and tend to their wounds.
Vice General Wei Long sat in his tent, clutching a crumpled letter. He stepped outside and stood on the mountainside, gazing into the distance.
The first day without the general, I miss her.
The second day without the general, I miss her.
The third day without the general, I miss her, miss her, miss her.
The fourth day without the general, General, I'm begging you, please come back! I'm just a vice general, I can't hold on much longer!
For the past four days, the forces of the Northern Kingdom had been relentless, launching over a dozen attacks, both large and small! It was a pace that allowed no rest. He had no idea what had gotten into the people of the Northern Kingdom; they were fighting like a pack of madmen.
The soldiers hadn't seen General Chi for four consecutive days, and rumors began to spread throughout the camp. Some said General Chi was ill, on her deathbed. Others said she had deserted. Some even claimed she had gone home to get married. The rumors were endless.
The vice general was furious. He didn't know who was spreading these rumors that were clearly meant to disrupt morale. When the general returned, he would definitely ask her to root out these troublemakers!
After more than two days of hard travel, Chi Junluo and Yi Han finally arrived in Feng City. She had just settled the little emperor in an inn and asked the waiter to prepare some clothes for him. Just as she was about to sit down for a cup of tea with Yi Han to catch her breath, the sound of a war horn blared, "Woooo-woooo-woooo."
Chi Junluo: Damn it all…
Chi Junluo stood up, buckled on her sword, and gave the little emperor a few brief words of caution before turning and leaving.
The camp was in a state of mild panic. The soldiers hadn't had enough rest, and now those mad dogs from the North were back. Some soldiers moved sluggishly, reluctant to stir, and began to complain. "The general isn't even here. How are we supposed to fight this battle?"
"We can't win without the general."
…
The vice general, mounted on his horse, urged them on anxiously. "Get a move on, all of you! Don't you want to live? The enemy is about to break down our door!"
Just as the soldiers' complaints filled the air, a fiery red figure on horseback galloped into the camp. The familiar voice of the rider boomed, "Crush those Northern Kingdom bastards! Revive our army's spirit! Charge!!!"
A jolt went through the soldiers. It was General Chi's voice! She was back!
Get instant access to all the chapters now.
Comments
Post a Comment