Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)
Gu Fang Bu Zi Shang Vol01 Ch04
“Ah, the show’s finished” After Chu Beijie left, Lady Hua finally sneezed, jumped up and removed the blinds with a face of utter boredoood He didn’t even say anything fun I wonder how you could even talk with hi, why are you silent?”
Pingting was still feeling anxious and deeply thinking about what the leaving Chu Beijie had said
Is there any news about Master?
Are all the people of the Jing-An Ducal Residence safe?
What is ‘Dong Dingnan’ doing right now?
He had a lasting impression and a smile as he discussed politics He knew all the details about the war, just as well as Pingting, meant that he must be an important military commander
Military coh all of the i Lin The Duke of Zhen-Bei was the first na she had not asked for a portrait of Chu Beijie earlier
But wasn’t it be far too coive her — ato see her?
Lady Hua saw that she was in a daze and laughed hard, “He’s already gone and look at your dazed expression Already ting’s face
Feeling her touch, Pingting returned to her senses and told Lady Hua,” Sorry, I’m really tired I want to retire to my room”
“You haven’t eaten dinner yet”
“I’ll eat ”
When Pingting returned to her rooain
“Master…” She gritted her teeth Her heart felt like a fire blazing gently in her chest She began to get anxious “Don’t be so anxious, Pingting, being anxious will ruin everything” She quietly told herself
Slowly, her ot pulled back into order She calmly took two deep breaths and closed her eyes She pictured the Duke of Jing-An’s flag; she re-An Ducal Residence, that last victory and the road home…
The Marquess of Jing-An had just won a battle, the ar was fluttering high in the wind
The conificent horse He wore a purple uniforlea froendary He Xia
That day, although He Xia had been victorious in war, he did not s very deeply
“Master!” A girl’s voice came from the crowd and the sound of hooves from behind
Even though He Xia did not turn his head, he kneho it was “Pingting, didn’t I tell you to travel by carriage as you didn’t feel very well in the last few days? Why are you riding a horse again?”
Pingting caught up to He Xia, and breathlessly said, “Who said I needed such care? I only coughed a few tizhuo was so scared and iot sick too often and wouldn’t let me come next time”
“It’s not like you’ll listen tosorry for you, a girl who’s defenceless against a sword Even if you get sick, there’s no husband to look after you”
Pingting ed a small smile and twirled her wind-swept hair “I’ood life and is able to go with her Master to war?” She laughed twice but suddenly frowned, coughing
He Xia turned his head, “What’s wrong? If you haven’t recovered, don’t push yourself The sun is very strong yet you still want to co with side the army next time”
Pingting quickly covered herup, she saw that He Xia’s face look concerned so she sently “Don’t worry Master; I’m healthier than any horse Her beady eyes studied He Xia for a , “I’h, that when Master feels anxious, there won’t be anyone beside you to cheer you up”
She sighed deeply and He Xia’s hearthis head, “You are such a strangehadn’t her usual rosy cheeks, he smiled “Come here then Let me ride behind you on the same horse so you won’t worry about it too hts”
“Ok” Pingting nodded and slid off her horse
He Xia reached out his hand and pulled Pingting onto his horse He put one hand on her waist for support and the other one on the reins He slowly gathered his thoughts and carefully chose his words, “Our opposition was the Dong Lin army This ith Chu Beijie has lasted two months, on the surface on but underneath we lost”
Pingting nodded, “Master is right Though Dong LinLin attacked again, there’s no way the Gui Le ar was on Master’s side and didn’t stubbornly refuse to let Master take charge for thole years, then the situation wouldn’t’ve been so bad”
“Pingting, don’t carelessly criticise the King” He Xia thought for ais not the Prince Su before he took the throne”
Pingting bit her lip and thought hard After Prince Su took the throne, he had indeed changed a lot She sed her worry and tried to say coly, “I understand why Master feels so upset but the number of casualties of our army is not Master’s fault It has been a difficult two years The King finally letting Master taking charge must’ve been because he wanted to embarrass you”
“That’s exactly why I’m anxious If we don’t win this battle and return to the capital, a lot of people will protest and even Father will be affected The House of Jing-An holds far too , I’d try to get rid of them as well”
Re the throne was extre sensation running down their spines
Seeing his own little e probleently s about it Let’s say sos It’s thanks to you to think of the extre the course of the river to threaten flooding enemy troops e led them to the mountains Chu Beijie totally lost to that and had to retreat Now everyone in the aret back to the capital, I’ll e reward Say, ould you like?”
“More rewards? The Duke has already given ting looked at the sky; the sun was slightly to one side, beside the high-raised Duke of Jing-An’s flag She carefully looked back at He Xia then turned away again It a quiet voice sheI don’t knohether I should say or not”
“What can’t you say to me?”
Pingting looked uncomfortable then suddenly cracked a smile “Actually I won’t say it If I did, you’d feel annoyed again”
He Xia seeave a small smile in return
Neither of them talked and the horse just plodded
The horse’s thu
Pingting cal He Xia knew that his clever little , so he let the horse slon even more and settled comfortably in the saddle
After a while Pingting said, “I guess I’ll try and say it anyway”
“I’ had a serious look on her face, he ian to listen intently
“Master, if et worse eventurned her head and stared at He Xia in the eyes In a nervous voice she said, “It’s likely that Chu Beijie knoeak our arain within two months, Gui Le’s army will definitely perish I’m sure he deliberately retreated ere at our o back to the Capital”
“You’re right but why did he do that?”
Pingting’s energetic black pupils rolled twice, it seehed, “If Master lost the battle, the King could, hypothetically, take advantage to cut away the House of Jing-An’s enormous military power Say, Master, he probably won’t do that after just one defeat, right?”
He Xia shook his head, “Of course not The House of Jing-An has been an i really decides to kill me, unnecessary blood will be shed and it will cause a riot”
“Then if Master wins and goes back, will the King reward Master?”
“If in, of course the King has to reward us” He Xia then put in, “Though it’s not like I want the rewards, but the King must reward and punish freely, to earn everyone’s respect”
“If Master wins and returns to the Capital, the peasants will love Master even ive Master rewards but deep down, he’ll resent the House of Jing-An even er then”
“In other words, the King will feel threatened and try to get rid of the House of Jing-An As soon as the Duke of Jing-An falls, Gui Le will be unstable and Dong Lin will take this as an opportunity to attack Haha, Chu Beijie sure is crazy What he wants isn’t just a few cities, but the entire land our Gui Le occupies”
“You said that right!” Pingting clapped her hands, pleasure lit up in her eyes She ietic, cuteback at He Xia, she s, Master will find the answer easily”
He Xia couldn’t help laughing, “The cleverest person I know is our army advisor, Bai If you were a boy, I wouldn’t be the main advisor anymore would I?”
Both people laughed Though this cheerful sound did not stop, in their hearts, both of them felt uneasy
The mud path ahead seemed very difficult to travel on
Though their hearts were prepared, not even in their wildest drea would change Forever
After a journey of five days, they finally arrived at the capital Gui Le’s King, He Su himself, came to welcome them The peasants of the city knew that the fa-An had won and returned They rushed to greet him and they scra soldiers Everyone had their necks craned forward, trying to get a better view of the stage
“Which one is the Marquess of Jing-An?”
“Yer stupid Have ya never seen the Marquess of Jing-An before?” Someone pointed, “That’s him, the ‘un in front of the arnise the Marquess of Jing-An?”
“Haha, this is my first tiined I’d be able to see the Marquess of Jing-An with et back home, I’ll have a lot of stories to tell!”
While the crowd continued to chatter, the arates
He Xia got off his horse In a loud voice he shouted, “Hail the King I, He Xia, has won the battle and Dong Lin has officially retreated”
He Su was coold cloth On his head he wore a headdress adorned with gehtly and personally helped He Xia up “My Beloved Official, youanother one ofthe House of Jing-An and thanks to the to fear about our enemies”
He picked up He Xia’s hand fondly and they turned around
“Look! It’s him!”
“The Marquess of Jing-An!”
A ripple of excitement from the crowd of peasants
He Su smiled at He Xia, “I cannot thank you, My Beloved Official, enough” He walked up the well-prepared stage and held up a cup of the best wine in Gui Le He slowly announced, “To all those who have gathered here, please listen Dong Lin has long been an eneer have to live in fear and I shall repay our hero who has made this so”
Everyone nodded eagerly, wondering exactly how the ruler was planning to reward He Xia
He Xia knelt down, “The victory was thanks to King, who directed everything All He Xia, did was ’s plans I do not deserve any reward”
“No no, you are Gui Le’s best official How could I not reward you?” He Su had another thought, “I will give you three rewards First, I’ll award you a cup of the best wine in Gui Le”
Behind He Xia, soood wine He Xia took it and raised his head to look at the King He Su nodded, “You may drink”
He Su , “Secondly, I’ll give you a precious sword So it up”
He Xia was presented with a long red box
He Xia started to get a headache He was getting even less sure of He Su’s real intentions He could only reply, “Thank you, King” He pushed open this lid and his eyes widened “Ahh…”
An extren of rust and the hilt was a jet black colour It was a long lost sword, known as the “Precious Heimo Sword” It was known that the blade was extremely destructive – one small cut would leave a nasty scar for a lifetime
He Xia had lived in wealth for all of his life and so he took no interest in jewellery and the like, but he loved good weapons Seeing the precious sword made him shout in surprise
He Su laughed from the raised platform, “How is it? You like it?”
“This sword is too precious How could King…”
“That’s why I have to give it to you Everyone knows you like soldiers and weapons Just take it”
He Xia didn’t knohether to be shocked or happy “Thank you, ” He turned back around and received the box
Pingting had come up from behind and took the box from her Master She was about to leave when He Su noticed her, “My, aren’t you Pingting?” He walked down the platforain?”