Vol 2 Chapter 31 (1/2)
Gu Fang Bu Zi Shang Vol02 Ch31
Chu Beijie arrived at the capital in the
In the distance, the tall city entrance stood,both fa ti party and dis
“Duke!”
“Our Duke is back!”
“The Duke of Zhen-Bei is finally back!”
The welcoovernment officials but also the many peasants of the city who crowded on both sides of the road Their eneral has finally returned
Their eyes sparkled with endless joy Only the few high-ranking Dong Lin officials knew the hidden agenda of this occasion and quietly looked away, staying cal desperately to hide the anxiety that would no doubt be present in their eyes
The head of the welcohly respected Dong Lin official He stood at the front, leading the countless officials behind him and paid his respects to Chu Beijie, “Duke has finally returned to us” Nothing could conceal the joy and excitement in his wise, old eyes
“Senior Offical” Chu Beijie gestured for the loyal official, who had given uphis reins to an attendant behind him, Chu Beijie stepped forward and asked, “How is the situation?”
“Not good” Chu Zairan and Chu Beijie strode towards the palace, nodding to acknowledge the cheers of the peasants, “The King has fallen ill”
“Brother?” Chu Beijie froze for ahis strides forward With a furrowed brow he solemnly asked, “How did this happen?”
“Ever since Duke’s departure to live in seclusion, the King has been unwell His chest pain has becoht He’s been lingering on his deathbed more many days now” Chu Zairan’s voice was heavy with sorrow, “Even without the looainst our borders, I would have begged for Duke’s return”
Chu Beijie felt his heart sinking
Meanwhile, news of Chu Beijie’s departure from his secluded residence had already reached a certain residence deep in the mountains near Bei Mo’s borders
Yangfeng suddenly raised her head and gazed at Ze Yin with a stricken look, “He Xia’s arainst the borders yet Chu Beijie would actually leave Pingting behind and head to the capital by himself?”
Ze Yin nods solemnly and replied, “Yes”
“Oh God!” Yangfeng painfully exclai the handle desperately and hiding her face “Pingting must not have told Chu Beijie the truth of what happened yet, otherwise he would never have left her there to avoid rousing suspicion Heare still master and servant and has no idea what He Xia had done to her”
Ze Yin watched, his heart breaking at the sight of his beloved wife suffering, and ordered servants to bring out their innocent and carefree infant son Gently placing the baby into Yangfeng’s ar men; he will definitely protect his woman”
Yangfeng pressed the back of her soft and sainst Ze Yin’s palet the look on Pingting’s face when she talked about He Xia right before she left I just don’t understand, how could our King be so for mere riches ally hi Lin? Doesn’t he realise ould happen by enraging Chu Beijie?” She suddenly stopped in realisation and looked up at her Ze Yin’s coaze and asked, “Why are you so cal else in this situation?”
Ze Yin felt great unease regarding the situation, realising Yangfeng was staring at hied her, “When the allied armies arrived at the border, He Xia immediately commanded them to retreat 10 o to war against Dong Lin but instead wants to use the ar”
Yangfeng gazed at her husband, her glistening black eyes unblinking, waiting for him to continue
Ze Yin sighed, “If Chu Beijie returns and leads his arainst the allied troops, it is inevitable that both sides will suffer heavy losses”
Thebehind his words were very clear
Whatever his request, the King of Dong Lin would have to co heavy losses in war
What could He Xia possibly desire that the King of Dong Lin would definitely give up?
Yangfeng stiffened at her realisation
With her eyes widening and heart skipping out of rhyth clutched desperately at Ze Yin’s robes, the joints in her hands whitening at the tightness of her clenched fist
“Pingting!” She cried out, looking at Ze Yin, “He wants Pingting!”
Ze Yin lowered his head Looking at his beloved’s pale face, he slowly nodded
“Why?” Yangfeng spat out between clenched teeth, “Has he not done enough yet to her? That cruel-hearted He Xia” Anger bubbling in her chest, she suddenly stood up looking out theat the snowcovered mountains before her
She ain
Taking a few deep breaths of the cold wintery air, still facing the ith her back to hi composed herself and sweetly asked Ze Yin, “Would rant me a favour?”
“Do you wish for ?”
“No” Yangfeng turned to face the love of her life and slowly responded, “I would like you to personally write a letter to Chu Beijie himself”
Chu Beijie purposefully cli to the palace
He finally stopped, facing the King’s personal palace, the pale light of the winter sun shi+ning on his face and waruish in his heart
There was no one present to disturb him, all the palace attends had withdrawn even Chu Zairan left He was left standing in front of his brother’s palace
He had once shaken thethe wooden doors before him
His brother’s illness had begun fro sons
By loving Bai Pingting, he betrayed his only brother
The confrontation between the two had long begun, ever since the Queen had send assassins to wait near his residence The two parties had been frozen in stale was for them to make a move
He had betrayed his brother, the brother who he had grown up idolising and the King he pledged his life to
He could barely lift his feet, heavy from the burden in his heart
Before he could reach out to push open the wooden doors, the it silently opened Chu Beijie looked up into a farief, the cheeks shrunken and dark rings around the dim eyes
“Sister in Law…”
The Queen stepped out, her face weary and assessed Chu Beijie for asmile “The Duke of Zhen-Bei has returned”
Her voice was cal the deaths of the young princes that had shaken the Dong Lin’s Royal Residence seeo
Chu Beijie whose heart was heavy with turmoil replied, “I have returned”
The Queen steps were unsteady; she paused for aher eyes to co has been waiting for you, come” She assessed Chu Beijie for another
Chu Beijie eyes followed her until she turned the corner and disappeared froaze toward the partially opened door
Taking a deep breath, he reached out and pushed open the heavy wooden doors
Stepping inside the palace he felt as if he was slowly being sed up by the darkness The dying King had beco out all the sunlight Upon closing the wooden doors, the rooht
The only light ca candle
To think that the dazzling and majestic palace had fallen into such a wretched state
Chu Beijie old lacquered bed
“Brother,” He quietly called out, “I have returned”
“Returned?” The King had lost a lot of weight but his vigour reer brother as if trying totihtened with an older brother’s pride and with a faint smile “I have always known that one day you would return to my side”
He reached out and fir calloused by a lifeti, hands within with the same blood flowed
“Brother, your illness…”
“Don’t worry it’s nothing ht and my chest would just occasionally hurt a little I’ medicine for it”
Chu Beijie could feel the strength in this brother’s grip and his heart felt lighter Sitting at the King’s bedside, he offered ords of coh there are any soldiers threatening our borders, they are nothing co Lin’s armies When I return from the battlefields, I’ain welcome me on the battlements as I return victorious” His words were filled with strength and conviction
The King’s eyes were filled arer brother
His brother was driven by his heart, a trait which cannot be afforded for those burdened with the legacy of a nation
“The ene near out borders at the moment and have notout ourstock to our neighbours My Brother please stay at the palace for a few days”
Chu Beijie who had never neglected a battle before, gravely responded, “My Brother you mustn’t overlook these allied troops; their commander is He Xia who has proven himself in battle many times I believe that it would be better to deal with them immediately, please award me the military power and I shall deal with them at once”
The King knew that Chu Beijie took military reat care, picking up on even the minutest of flaws
If the King was too earnest in trying to delay the war, he would inevitably rouse his suspicion
As he thought about the deep feelings of trust they had for one another and his own plot to delay Beijie’s departure, the King felt an alreeht”