CXD - 6

Half an hour later, amidst the chaotic military camp, soldiers gathered in layers around the entrance of the main tent, each craning their necks to peer inside.

“What’s going on? Didn’t they say the princess wasn’t injured?”

“Alas, noble people are easily frightened. The young general didn’t say he wouldn’t save her, but who knew the princess would faint from fright...”

“But she shouldn’t have fainted for so long. Could it be that when Young General carried her back on horseback, she got jostled and hurt along the way?”

“I heard this Princess Yongying is even more favored than the imperial princess. If something were to happen on our territory, would all our heads be enough to pay for it?”

Everyone nervously swallowed hard.

Inside the main tent, Mu Xin Hong stood anxiously wringing his hands by the bedside, observing the army doctor’s expression: “How is it?”

The army doctor released the three fingers used for pulse-taking: “Judging solely by the pulse, there’s no critical issue. She should have woken up by now, unless there are some hidden injuries we don’t know about…”

Mu Xin Hong looked troubled.

The unconscious girl on the bed was pale, her bright pink dress stained with large patches of mud, suggesting she had fallen. But he hadn’t been nearby at the time, so he didn’t know the specifics.

Young General Shen truly acted strangely—just tossing her back like cargo and leaving without checking her condition, then going out to deal with the corpses instead.

In this entire camp full of men, even the hunting dogs were male. Who dared to touch such a delicate noblewoman? Let alone examine her injuries…

As Mu Xin Hong fretted, the murmurs outside the tent suddenly quieted down. The layered crowd dispersed like water, making way for someone.

Yuance strode through the crowd, entering the tent with his sword slung across his shoulder.

Mu Xin Hong: “Young General, thank goodness you’re back! If you’d delayed any longer, the princess’s injury…”

“Shouldn’t it have healed by now?” Yuance tossed his sword aside.

Mu Xin Hong hastily caught the sword and returned it to the rack: “…Didn’t you see where the princess fell earlier?”

Yuance narrowed his eyes, recalling Jiang Zhiyi’s fall. He pointed with his index and middle fingers at her left elbow, right wrist, and left knee.

“Therefore, it’s not a serious injury, nor are there signs of fractures. It’s likely prolonged shock causing her unconsciousness,” the army doctor concluded.

Mu Xin Hong pressed further: “Then how can she wake up?”

“Well… there are methods, but they might not be very dignified…”

“Do we still need dignity?” Yuance glanced at the dusty figure lying on his bed, waving his hand to signal everyone to step back.

Mu Xin Hong nervously retreated to one side: “Be gentle, this delicate skin can’t withstand rough handling…”

A hint of impatience flickered in Yuance’s eyes as he loosened his collar and sat on the edge of the bed. His thumb pressed onto Jiang Zhiyi’s philtrum, deftly pinching downward.

Like a drowning person suddenly gasping for air, the girl on the bed let out a sharp breath, her brows furrowing tightly in pain. She trembled and slowly opened her eyes.

Jiang Zhiyi’s dazed gaze drifted in the air, as if still recovering from the shock. After a while, she slowly turned her head following the hand before her eyes, seeing the person sitting beside the bed. She seemed to pause momentarily, her eyes flickering softly.

Meeting Jiang Zhiyi’s gaze, recalling her unruly temperament, Yuance raised an eyebrow and withdrew his hand.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes reddened, and her thick lashes fluttered, shedding a tear.

…Surely not because of that pinch?

Yuance rubbed his fingertips, frowned, and gestured for the army doctor to handle it. Just as he was about to rise—

His upper body was suddenly struck, his waist abruptly tightened, and a pair of jade-white arms firmly embraced him.

The dusty little bundle buried her head into his chest: “Brother Ce!”

“?”

Yuance was pushed backward, his hands instinctively raised above his head.

Gasps echoed around them. With his hands still raised, Yuance stared at the white canopy above for a moment before slowly lowering his head to look at the hands wrapped around his waist.

“You’re—calling whom?”

Jiang Zhiyi seemed not to hear, hugging him tightly, tears welling up: “Brother Ce, I was so scared just now. Those bandits had such big knives, I almost thought—I thought I’d never see you again in this life—”

“…”

Yuance’s raised hands slowly clenched into fists, holding his breath.

“I just had a terrible nightmare. I dreamed I fell and reached out to you, but you disdainfully pushed me away… Thank goodness—it was only a dream…”

“?”

“I knew Brother Ce wouldn’t abandon me,” Jiang Zhiyi said, hugging him tighter as if shaken by fear, rubbing her cheek against his clothes, “I knew you cared for me!”

“…”

“Brother Ce, why aren’t you speaking?” Jiang Zhiyi wiped her tears and looked up, meeting Yuance’s stunned gaze.

“You’re—” Yuance leaned his back into a bow shape, his body tense like a steel plate, “talking to me?”

“Who else would I talk to if not my Brother Ce?” Jiang Zhiyi blinked in confusion.

Brother Ce…?

Yuance turned his eyes incredulously, looking elsewhere.

Outside the tent, the stunned crowd scrambled to turn away, covering their eyes or ears.

Jiang Zhiyi followed his gaze, saw the dense group of people, quickly let go, pulled the quilt higher, and retreated backward, eyeing Yuance with twinkling eyes. Her pale face gradually flushed red.

Mu Xin Hong forced himself to snap out of the scene and went to the entrance to shoo everyone away: “All of you, stop gawking! Go on, disperse!”

Everyone scurried off like smoke. The last soldier ran several steps, then remembered something, turned back, and helpfully closed the tent flap.

In the eerily silent tent, the two pairs of eyes met—one stiff as dry wood, the other rosy as peach blossoms.

Jiang Zhiyi wore a look of embarrassment: “I’m sorry, Brother Ce. I didn’t notice anyone else…”

Still knows to apologize?

No… Is what she’s apologizing for the fact that others were watching?

“Uh, there’s no one else here, soon there won’t be!” Mu Xin Hong pulled the bewildered army doctor, “Young General, let’s also leave…”

“It’s not you,” Yuance raised his palm to stop him, staring at the flushed cheeks before him, slowly rising from the bed, “it’s me.”

“Eh?” Jiang Zhiyi hurriedly reached out to grab his hand.

The soft pressure seemed to return, Yuance lowered his eyelids, looking at the delicate hand gripping his little finger, stiffening from fingertip to heel.

“Brother Ce, you can let them leave. Why do you have to go?”

Yuance looked at her blinking eyes, squeezing out words through gritted teeth: “To discuss your brain...your injuries with the doctor.”

“But if you leave, I’ll be afraid alone…” Jiang Zhiyi pouted, on the verge of crying again.

“Then—” Yuance’s other hand clenched into a fist by his side, gently pulling his little finger free, “be afraid.”

Outside the tent, Yuance stood calmly in the open, appearing serene and peaceful.

If Mu Xin Hong hadn’t seen his little finger seemingly detached from the rest, swaying alone in the wind behind him.

The faint sweet scent lingering at the tip of his nose refused to dissipate. Yuance furrowed his brow, hearing the approaching footsteps behind him. He turned and pointed at the tent, stating resolutely: “Is she brain-damaged from fever?”

The army doctor pondered for a moment: “This… The princess didn’t have a high fever; it’s unlikely…”

“Then is she brain-damaged from fright?”

“Excessive shock can indeed cause mental confusion, but the princess speaks clearly, fluently, and her actions seem normal. In fact, her movements just now were even quicker than Young General’s…”

“…”

Mu Xin Hong scratched the back of his head, whispering: “Could it be that the princess is still scheming for your sword, deliberately tricking us to leave?”

Yuance nodded, listened intently for a moment, and peeked through a gap in the tent.

Jiang Zhiyi was sitting obediently on the bed, sighing mournfully. Catching his gaze through the gap, she lit up and was about to get off the bed.

Yuance hastily closed the tent flap.

“Not?” Mu Xin Hong glanced at Yuance’s grim expression, continuing to scratch his scalp, “Or maybe…”

Yuance raised his hand, signaling to drop it: “Whatever it is, immediately send her back to the Marquis Yong’en estate.”

While waiting for the estate’s people to arrive, the entire camp fell into an eerie atmosphere.

Everywhere, people tiptoed and whispered like thieves. The patrolling soldiers passed by the main tent with their eyes straight ahead, walking swiftly, fearing to linger a moment longer and overhear or see something they shouldn’t.

Even though, in fact, Yuance hadn’t stepped back into the tent since he walked out.

When Mu Xin Hong accompanied Yuance, who couldn’t return to the tent, pacing around the camp for the umpteenth time, a luxurious carriage finally stopped at the camp gate.

An elegantly dressed woman hurriedly alighted from the carriage—it was Lady Zhong of the Marquis Yong’en mansion.

Mu Xin Hong sighed in relief and escorted her into the camp, leading her to the entrance of the main tent.

Yuance stood in front of the tightly closed tent door, raising his hand to grasp the corner of the curtain.

Lady Zhong had anxiously asked many questions along the way. Seeing him clutching the edge of the curtain, veins popping on the back of his hand yet unable to pull it open, as if hesitating over something…

Lady Zhong steadied herself with a hand on her forehead: “General Shen, has anything happened to our Zhiyi?”

Mu Xin Hong hurriedly interjected: “No, no, it’s not…”

It might not be the princess who has a problem…

Yuance lifted the tent flap, crossed his hands behind his back, and stepped aside to invite Lady Zhong in.

In the silent tent, Jiang Zhiyi sat quietly on the bed, hugging her knees with lowered eyes. Hearing the noise, she looked up happily, but upon seeing Lady Zhong behind Yuance, her face fell, and her smile disappeared completely.

“Oh dear Zhiyi, Auntie hasn’t seen you since this morning, and look what state you’re in!” Lady Zhong rushed forward as soon as she entered, coughing after saying a few words.

“What kind of charcoal is burning in here, so suffocating?” Lady Zhong noticed the inferior charcoal by the bedside, “Our Zhiyi always uses silver bone charcoal; this is utterly ruining…”

Halfway through her sentence, she realized Jiang Zhiyi was sitting quietly on the bed, not even wrinkling her nose.

She then noticed the coarse, rough ceramic bowl by her side, evidently emptied of tea, not a drop remaining.

And the hard, uncomfortable-looking blanket she was wrapped in.

Not only Lady Zhong froze, but Mu Xin Hong also widened his eyes in astonishment.

They expected the princess, accustomed to having velvet carpets laid wherever she stepped in the muddy grounds, to refuse these makeshift items.

But not only did Jiang Zhiyi use them, she did so without any sign of distaste, especially showing particular fondness for Young General’s blanket.

“Zhiyi?” Lady Zhong would rather believe snow would fall in June than accept that Jiang Zhiyi could tolerate such messy things. Astonished repeatedly, she waved her hand in front of her eyes, “What’s wrong? Has someone bullied you?”

Jiang Zhiyi looked up with a pitiful face, glancing toward the person standing behind Lady Zhong.

Yuance: “… “

“No, no, Madam Hou, please don’t misunderstand! Young General and the princess have nothing between them, absolutely no connection whatsoever!” Mu Xin Hong finished speaking and felt this sounded suspiciously like protesting too much, so he added, “The pressing matter now is to tend to the princess’s external injuries. Madam Hou, perhaps it’s best to take her back as soon as possible…”

“Is this Young General Shen’s intention?” Jiang Zhiyi suddenly interrupted, unhappily pursing her lips to look at Yuance.

Yuance: “Naturally. Does the princess intend to stay here and recuperate?”

Jiang Zhiyi took a deep breath, as if suppressing something: “So Young General Shen believes there’s nothing between us?”

Yuance blinked indifferently: “What connection should I have with the princess?”

Jiang Zhiyi nodded twice, very lightly, her almond-shaped eyes blinking once, shedding a tear.

Yuance: “… “

“Since there’s nothing between us, why did you save me today?” Jiang Zhiyi, her voice quivering with suppressed sobs, persisted.

“The spot where the princess collapsed happens to be within our camp’s boundary. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have meddled.”

As if choking on her breath, Jiang Zhiyi trembled, sobbing uncontrollably, staring at him in disbelief, tears falling like raindrops.

Lady Zhong watched in bewilderment and alarm, quickly advising: “Zhiyi, perhaps it’s best to return with Auntie. If those external injuries aren’t cleaned and treated promptly, they’ll leave scars!”

“Let it scar. What does it matter now that I’m just a nobody!”

Yuance: “… “

Lady Zhong: “How can a young lady tolerate scars? Her future husband will see them!”

“I’m already a nobody; who am I going to marry…”

Yuance: “… “

Mu Xin Hong stood motionless behind Yuance, quietly mouthing: “From the princess’s words, does it mean you were supposed to marry her?”

Yuance looked expressionlessly at the tearful person: “Ask me, who should I ask?”

The gasping sobs echoed in the tent, repeatedly pounding against eardrums, causing throbbing temples.

Yuance pressed his earlobes, closed his eyes briefly, and addressed Lady Zhong: “Madam Hou?”

Lady Zhong raised her head, dazed.

Heaven knows this child hasn’t cried since entering the marquis’s mansion; Lady Zhong, as her aunt, had never encountered such a scene!

Lady Zhong managed an awkward smile: “This child refuses to go home no matter how we persuade her… Young General Shen, do you have any solution?”

Yuance’s patience finally depleted, he stepped forward sternly, knee resting on the bed edge, bending down, his arm sliding under the blanket, ready to lift her, blanket and all—

Jiang Zhiyi’s sobs stopped. She hiccupped, raising her head.

Yuance turned his head, meeting a pair of languid, hesitant eyes.

Though her eyes were still crying, her body seemed unlocked by some key, reaching out instinctively to wrap around his neck.

“…”

After a moment of silence, Yuance slowly withdrew his hand from under the blanket, delivering a swift chop to the back of her neck.

Then, to the shocked gazes of Lady Zhong and Mu Xin Hong, he hoisted the unconscious girl over his shoulder and strode out of the tent.