The night deepened, filled with the noise of insects.
After nightfall, the afternoon’s heavy rain subsided, leaving the mountains that lay silent on the earth smelling of the musk of upturned grass roots in the post-rain soil.
Most of the soldiers in the camp have gone to sleep, and the wilderness was so quiet that only the sound of insects could be heard.
Zong Luo laid in the sleeping bag in the main camp tent. Despite being extremely tired, he had no desire to sleep.
He had been traveling day and night for the past two days, just so he could catch up with Yu Beizhou, who had set off a full day earlier.
When he arrived at the camp in the afternoon, he was already exhausted. But because of Yu Beizhou’s unannounced departure, he was completely enraged. He vented his emotions to the extreme, shouting and fighting in the heavy rain.
Zong Luo, who was usually gentle and refined towards anyone, was like peeling off the shiny outer layer when it came to Yu Beizhou, revealing his bloody scars for all to see.
This is absurd, Zong Luo thought. He actually guessed what was on Yu Beizhou’s mind.
A person who constantly says he hates himself, but in reality, he doesn’t know that he loves himself. Is there anything more ridiculous than this?
In the darkness, he opened his eyes and looked towards the other end of the tent.
There was only one lonely sleeping bag there.
Not long ago, there might have been a bundle of red and white things stuffed inside, but now it was empty, with no sign of anyone coming back.
He should light a candle.
Thinking this, Zong Luo fell into a deep dream.
A night without dreams.
The next day, when he woke up, it’s already bright outside.
The first thing he did after opening his eyes was to look at the sleeping bag across from him.
It was just as he had left it when he fell asleep, even the wrinkles hadn’t changed at all.
When Zong Luo got dressed and got up, lifting the curtain of the tent, Mu Yuanlong, who was standing outside, stepped forward, “Your Highness, you’re awake.”
“What time is it now?” Zong Luo rubbed his temples, feeling as if he hadn’t slept well last night. Although he didn’t dream, he was disturbed by countless words and phrases in his dreams.
“Your Highness, it’s the third quarter of Chenshi.” (TL: the period of the day from 7 am to 9 am)
According to the usual habit of marching, they would get up before dawn during the Yinshi, pack up all kinds of luggage, have a simple breakfast, and start a day’s journey. (TL: Yinshi- the period of the day from 3 am to 5 am)
But now it’s the third quarter of Chenshi, which, converted to Emperor Yuan’s schedule, meant that morning court had ended, and even the meeting with the ministers had ended, Zong Luo was simply getting up leisurely.
The white-clothed crown prince hammered his head in annoyance. “Why didn’t you come to call me?”
“Seeing that Your Highness was tired from the journey, I thought you needed a good sleep, so I took the liberty of not waking you. I hope Your Highness will forgive me.”
Zong Luo knew in his heart that Mu Yuanlong was doing this for his own good, so how could he really blame him? He just said that this time it was okay, but it must not happen again next time.
Taking the hot soup handed over by a Xuan Cavalry, Zong Luo casually sat down on the tiger skin, and asked as if unintentionally, “Has the King of Beining not returned yet?”
Mu Yuanlong shook his head. “The brothers on duty last night didn’t see him, he should have not returned all night.”
That means he hasn’t come back from yesterday afternoon until today.
In the nearby wilderness, there were no cities for hundreds of miles. Even if one wanted to run away with lightness skill, one had to travel day and night, running hard.
No matter what, Yu Beizhou wouldn’t become a coward after his thoughts were pierced.
Zong Luo didn’t say a word, drank all the hot soup in the bowl in one breath. “Wait until the afternoon, if the King of Beining hasn’t come back, we’ll just go, no need to wait any longer.”
It just so happened that this time the Xuan Cavalry’s deployment, it was not initially through his hands, many places still needed Zong Luo to take over, so he needed to have a count in his heart.
Thus after finishing the late breakfast, Zong Luo called together Mu Yuanlong and other small squad leaders, confirmed the specific situation in the camp, and brought the sheepskin map to circle and point, preparing to make a detailed plan for the next march.
Soon, it was noon.
Around this time, the sound of the horn came from outside the camp again.
Zong Luo frowned, just about to take Zhanlu out, when he heard the pause of the horn turn into two long and one short, symbolizing not an enemy but a friend.
Mu Yuanlong was surprised. “Prime Minister Pei?!”
Yes, this time the visitor was Pei Qianxue in a green robe.
Pei Qianxue got off his horse, greeted the deputy general of Xuan Cavalry with a smile, and his gaze accurately fell on the white-clothed crown prince behind him, revealing an imperceptible smile. “Jin Yu.”
Last time during the New Year’s disaster relief, it was Pei Qianxue who went with Mu Yuanlong. Plus, Zong Luo and Pei Qianxue were close friends, and when the Xuan Cavalry was first established, he helped a lot, so they became familiar with each other.
“Ah Xue, how come you’re here?” Zong Luo was surprised.
He left the Imperial City in a hurry, and before he left, he only had time to hastily write a note, which he had the eunuch of Yuchun Palace take to Pei’s Mansion. He didn’t expect Pei Qianxue to follow him directly.
Pei Qianxue laughed. “Jin Yu, you really left too quickly. I didn’t even have time to tell you that for the war against the Wei Country, His Majesty ordered me to go to the front line and sit in the rear.”
Zong Luo suddenly realized.
The power of the Prime Minister of the Great Yuan was great, commanded officials of all ranks and descriptions, held heavy power, and could even intervene in military affairs in special periods. On the contrary, since Emperor Yuan made drastic reforms, the position of Tai Wei had become an honorary position that was not granted, and the real military power was all in the hands of Emperor Yuan himself.
(t/n: Tai Wei-supreme government official in charge of military affairs)
This was the final battle, not only for Great Yuan, but for everyone in the world who was waiting for the final result. Tai Wei Shen was old and naturally couldn’t sit in the rear to supervise the army, so it’s natural for Pei Qianxue to take his place.
“Before I left, His Majesty had instructed me not to reveal my whereabouts before reaching the front line.”
This was to make Zong Luo a target on the surface.
When Pei Qianxue traveled, he naturally needed heavy troops to escort him. He followed Zong Luo, and no one would have thought that there was a crown prince in the team.
Zong Luo felt bitter in his heart. “Father Emperor is thoughtful.”
Pei Qianxue smiled and didn’t say much.
What he didn’t say was that the one who should have been sent to the front line was actually Imperial Censor Xue. After all, without him, those forces in the Imperial City that were vying for the throne would dare to show their true colors.
