DDT - Chapter 62
Chapter 62: General × Little Emperor (17)
She didn't know what kind of poison the cunning Fourth Prince had given her. After just two bites of food, Chi Junluo felt a dull ache in her head within half an hour. Fortunately, the faint pain was still bearable.
General Chi's expression didn't betray a thing as she remained seated, upright and dignified. The Fourth Prince, however, was growing a little anxious. He lowered his head and whispered something to Eunuch Li. After receiving an affirmative reply, the Fourth Prince, just as before, overtly and covertly pressured Chi Junluo to eat several more bites of the dishes, whose flavors had been altered by the added ingredients.
Chi Junluo: ...
The Fourth Prince's ill intentions were plain as day. Chi Junluo suddenly clutched her stomach, her face contorting in pain, and stood up to walk out of the palace hall.
Seeing this, the Fourth Prince quickly ordered Eunuch Li to follow her. He was to keep a close eye on her and not let his prize slip away.
Eunuch Li received his orders and hurried out after her. Once outside, he could no longer see Chi Junluo's figure. Annoyed, he nevertheless headed in the direction of the latrines.
The path was rather dark, and Eunuch Li couldn't help but feel his heart pound nervously.
When he reached the latrines, the two candles on the wall had been extinguished by the wind. The interior looked pitch-black. A strong wind howled, and goosebumps rose all over Eunuch Li's skin.
"General Chi?"
"General Chi??"
Eunuch Li called out cautiously as he carefully approached the latrine.
He reached the entrance in a few steps. It was so dark inside that he couldn't see a thing. Just as a creepy feeling washed over him and he was about to retreat, a long arm suddenly shot out from the darkness, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him inside. Eunuch Li was scared half to death. He opened his mouth, but before he could let out a terrified shriek, he was struck heavily on the neck and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Leaving Eunuch Li lying in the latrine, a tall figure emerged from the pitch-black interior. It was Chi Junluo.
She kicked the eunuch on the ground, who was limp as a dead fish, with a disdainful foot. Without any further delay, Chi Junluo quickly left the latrine. She broke into a jog and soon reached the palace gates. After she presented the Fourth Prince's golden token, the guards on duty didn't suspect a thing. They even brought a horse for the imposing General Chi. Enduring the discomfort in her body, Chi Junluo swiftly mounted the horse and galloped toward the Imperial City gates.
Back in Xuanzheng Hall, the Fourth Prince, seated on the dragon throne, was growing restless. The two had been gone for a long time, and his brow began to twitch. Frowning, the Fourth Prince ordered two squads of guards to search for them. A moment later, the guards returned. One squad had carried an unconscious Eunuch Li back to a side hall, while the other brought news from the palace gate guards: General Chi had escaped! And on horseback, no less!
The Fourth Prince was furious! He no longer cared about the banquet and rushed out of Xuanzheng Hall. Arriving at the side hall, he saw Eunuch Li lying unconscious on the floor. He kicked him fiercely out of frustration, but Eunuch Li remained unconscious. It seemed General Chi had struck a heavy blow.
There was no time to lose. The Fourth Prince immediately dispatched several cavalry units to pursue General Chi Luo. In any case, General Chi had been drugged—with two different poisons, enough to torture her to death. She couldn't have gotten far!
It was just a pity that he hadn't been able to make General Chi lose face in front of all the court officials. The Fourth Prince was still unwilling to accept it.
What a waste of the fine medicine he had specially ordered the eunuchs to find. The spectacular scene he had anticipated was gone just like that! The Fourth Prince slammed his fist on the table. Even if they only brought back a corpse, he, the mighty emperor, would have her dismembered!
A sinister look flashed across the Fourth Prince's face as wave after wave of pursuers chased out of the Imperial City.
On horseback, Chi Junluo struggled to stay upright, looking as if she might fall at any moment. She was extremely dizzy, and her vision was even starting to double. After finally managing to charge out of the Imperial City by showing the golden token, she immediately headed for the woods.
Not long after General Chi left the Imperial City, a hundred cavalrymen swarmed the city gate. They too presented a golden token, and the gates slowly opened. The lead pursuer eagerly led his men through the gap, leaving the bewildered city guards to eat the dust kicked up by the horses' hooves.
It was now late in the evening. The sky was pitch-black, the moon was hidden by dark clouds, and not a single star was visible. It was a bad omen.
Her vision grew increasingly blurry, and the horse's pace slowed. Chi Junluo rubbed her brow and patted her cheeks, trying to clear her head. However, not only did she not recover, but a wave of heat surged through her body. Though it was a late autumn night, she felt agitated by the heat.
The sound of hooves came from behind her—the pursuers were catching up. Chi Junluo shook her head, and her vision cleared slightly. Just as she turned her horse, she saw a long spear thrusting toward her.
What a coincidence. She had left in such a hurry that she'd forgotten her sword, and now some fool was delivering a weapon to her.
Chi Junluo instinctively dodged, reached out to grab the long spear, and with a pull, threw the soldier off his horse, gaining a weapon in the process.
Even though she was dizzy and her vision was blurred, a group of soldiers was still no match for General Chi. Soon, the first wave of men met their end at the tip of her spear.
Chi Junluo rode on, trying to follow her memory toward the location of the elite squad she had brought with her. But she was so dizzy she could no longer tell east from west, so she had no choice but to follow the current path deeper into the woods.
Soon, the second wave of pursuers caught up. The chaotic thundering of hooves made the ground tremble slightly. There were too many of them. Without a second thought, Chi Junluo whipped the reins to speed up, attempting a quick escape. The jolting of the horse made her sway, and the long spear in her hand nearly slipped to the ground. Her limbs were beginning to feel weak.
This feeling was truly awful. The pursuers quickly closed in. Chi Junluo barely managed to channel the Power of the Heavenly Dao and swung her spear with great force. The clash of spear against sword even produced red sparks.
The soldiers surrounded her, trying to trap her.
The sound of clashing blades reached the ears of the waiting Zhenbei Army elite squad not far away. The squad leader made a decisive call, leading his team toward the source of the sound.
At this moment, Chi Junluo could only swing her long spear wildly, killing as many as she could. For a time, no soldier could get near her.
The Zhenbei Army squad shouted as they joined the fray, instantly taking a great deal of pressure off Chi Junluo.
But the number of pursuers was simply too great, and soon Chi Junluo was surrounded by several soldiers again. By now, the poison had taken a severe toll. She could no longer see things clearly from a distance, her head was buzzing, her body was burning up, and her limbs were weak. Even with the support of the Power of the Heavenly Dao, she was running out of strength.
With a sweep of her long spear, she knocked away the weapons of the soldiers in front of her and slit the throats of two of them. Unfortunately, her back was now completely exposed to the pursuers.
Just as a large saber was about to fall on Chi Junluo's neck, a bloodthirsty smile appeared on the face of the soldier wielding it. In a moment! In a moment, he would earn a great merit!
The next second, Chi Junluo barely managed to turn around. The blade was only inches from her when suddenly, a sharp arrow pierced the soldier's wrist, causing him to drop the saber. An instant later, another arrow pierced the pursuer's throat. Before he could even cry out in pain, he fell from his horse, dead.
Seeing no more pursuers behind her, Chi Junluo blinked. In the end, she couldn't hold on any longer. The long spear fell from her hand, and her entire body swayed on the horse.
"General!"
That sounded like Vice General Wei Long's voice. Why was he here? Didn't she tell him to protect the barracks and the young emperor?
Chi Junluo's head was spinning violently. Before she could think any further, she began to fall from her horse.
Unexpectedly, she fell into a cool embrace.
Two days after Chi Junluo left, Yi Han, still worried about the general's safety, insisted that Wei Long take two thousand elite soldiers and rush to the Imperial City with him. Wei Long knew Yi Han's true identity and naturally couldn't refuse. He had to quickly arrange matters at the barracks, select two thousand elite troops, and travel day and night toward the Imperial City. This time, they took the main road, using the military tally to pass through checkpoints, which thoroughly frightened the cities along the way.
In the end, he had made it in time. Seeing General Chi Luo about to die by the blade, Yi Han drew his bow. His masterful archery instantly took the pursuer's life.
Seeing the usually powerful General Chi with a pained and dazed expression, her gaze unfocused, Yi Han felt a sharp pain in his heart. This was the first time he had ever seen such a vulnerable general.
He was supposed to be high-spirited, admired by thousands, yet because of him, he had traveled a thousand miles to a treacherous banquet, only to be framed and trapped.
It was all his fault. His fault for being useless, for failing to protect him!
Thankfully, thankfully he had arrived in time!
Seeing General Chi's long spear fall and his hands drop to his sides, Yi Han cried out inwardly in alarm. He spurred his horse forward, quickly dismounted, and caught the falling general.
Chi Junluo blinked, unable to see the person before her clearly. "General Chi!" The youth's familiar voice reached her.
Oh, it's the little emperor, Yi Han.
His body feels so comfortable…
Chi Junluo suddenly raised her hands and draped them around Yi Han's neck. She tilted her head. The youth had a strange, fresh scent about him, one she had never noticed when they shared a bed before.
The youth's body stiffened. Behind them, the Zhenbei Army surged toward the pursuers, cutting them down with their swords. Daring to pursue their great general! They must have been tired of living.
Yi Han quickly noticed that something was wrong with the person in his arms. General Chi's lips were pale, but his face was flushed. For a moment, the word "enchanting" flashed through Yi Han's mind.
So beautiful!
Soon, the hands on his neck fell limply again. Yi Han quickly placed the person on his horse, then mounted behind, encircling General Chi in his arms. The general, who was usually a bit taller than him, now leaned weakly against Yi Han's chest. Yi Han pulled the reins, and the horse turned and galloped toward the northwestern city in the darkness.
Behind them, the Zhenbei Army, with their superior quality and numbers, quickly annihilated the pursuers and followed Yi Han's pace.
The moon emerged, and the dark clouds gradually dispersed.
Yi Han was worried. By the moonlight, he could see General Chi's pale lips turning black. He knew then that the general had been poisoned. No wonder he had collapsed without any visible wounds.
Now that she was out of the battle, Chi Junluo rested quietly against the youth. The heat she had just suppressed surged up again. She no longer had the extra energy to question the Heavenly Dao.
Feeling the cool aura emanating from the youth behind her, she couldn't help but nuzzle against him. Her hand, which had been hanging by her side, rose and covered the hand Yi Han had wrapped around her waist.
So cool…
Yi Han was urging the horse on when he suddenly felt a fiery palm touch his hand.
Yi Han: ...
In all his life, this was the first time a man had touched the back of his hand like this. Yi Han's ears quietly turned bright red.
They soon arrived at the gates of Yun City. Wei Long had the soldiers set up camp outside the city, while Yi Han used the military tally to enter. He found an inn, and after settling General Chi, he went to find a doctor.
The doctor took her pulse, looked at Chi Junluo's dazed eyes, then at her tongue, and shook his head.
"Doctor, what is it? Is he beyond saving?" Yi Han grew anxious when he saw the doctor shaking his head.
"Not at all. It's just that I cannot cure this poison. Either let this gentleman endure it on his own, or go to Mingxiang Tower to have the poison neutralized."
"May I ask, Doctor, what poison has he been afflicted with?" Yi Han fell silent.
"Joyous Powder."
After watching the old doctor pack his things and leave, Yi Han's gaze darkened. He bolted the door and walked to the bedside.
The once-mighty General Chi now had a dazed expression. One hand clutched his collar, while the other pushed away the quilt.
Yi Han poured a cup of water and brought it to General Chi's lips. Feeling the coolness, Chi Junluo raised a hand and grasped the youth's hand, along with the cup.
Yi Han did not pull his hand away, but a hint of conflict and struggle flashed in his eyes.
By the candlelight in the room, Chi Junluo could barely make out the person before her. It was the little emperor, Yi Han.
His hand was so cool.
Ignoring the cup between them, Chi Junluo reached out, pulled the young emperor closer, and pressed against him tightly. A trace of coolness transferred to her body.
Not enough, still not enough!
Chi Junluo's muddled brain couldn't be bothered to think about what was happening to her. She just wanted to find something cool and lean against it.
The water from the teacup spilled onto Chi Junluo's robes. She waved her hand, knocking the bothersome cup to the floor. By now, Yi Han had been pulled down beside the general.
Chi Junluo was sitting up against the headboard, while Yi Han knelt on one knee by the bed, letting the general lean tightly against him.
Yi Han placed a hand on the general's shoulder, intending to push him away, but in the end, his strength failed him. He only managed to create a distance of about ten inches. Their eyes met. "Lincang… I'm so thirsty…"
There was a trace of grievance and pitifulness in General Chi's eyes.
The struggle in Yi Han's eyes intensified. Feeling the two hands on his back begin to tremble, a look of pain crossed Yi Han's face. Finally, he closed his eyes.
Neither of them moved. General Chi seemed truly thirsty. He searched for a water cup, found one, and finally found a cup of water, which he began to drink eagerly.
His hands tightened slightly. 【They established a socialist brotherhood】. Yi Han had made up his mind. This unique man—tonight, he was willing to become the best of friends with him.
But from this night on, he, Chi Luo, must be his, Yi Han's, good friend!
Feeling Chi Junluo's hands subconsciously clutching his robes, Yi Han closed his eyes and remained still.
The room was filled with a palpable heat, as if it could ignite at any moment..
Get instant access to all the chapters now.
Comments
Post a Comment