After Qu Yunmie woke up, he first drank three bowls of medicine, then ate two bowls of food. He allowed the military doctor and Agusheja to treat him together. The final conclusion was: he had suffered severe damage to his vitality, but his life was no longer in danger.

After prescribing the medicine, the military doctor changed Qu Yunmie’s bandages and then left. Agusheja stayed behind to massage his muscles and bones using their Butewu clan’s methods. He had been lying down for five days, barely eating or drinking — his body was already too weak.

As she massaged his arm, Agusheja looked at his complexion. After a while, she lowered her gaze and said calmly, “You now remind me of when you were a child — knowing you shouldn’t fight but fighting anyway. Coming back injured without saying a word. Gao Xunzhi called you a stubborn donkey, I called you a dumb bird. Do you know why we both called you that?”

Qu Yunmie didn’t respond.

Agusheja answered herself, “Because you made us angry. You were too much trouble, but we had no other choice. You are the child of Qu Yue and Ishtar. We had to take care of you, and we had to raise you as if you were our own. You are Gao Xunzhi’s and my responsibility, but you aren’t Xiao Rong’s responsibility.”

Agusheja paused, because she suddenly felt the arm she was holding tense up.

After a moment, she continued massaging him rhythmically and spoke in an equally emotionless voice, “I don’t know exactly what happened between you and Xiao Rong, but I advise you not to insist on meaningless things like before. Right or wrong isn’t important — what’s important is that you’ve hurt someone who had no responsibility to you.”

Qu Yunmie still hung his head. At this point, Agusheja let go of him. Qu Yunmie looked up and saw her gazing at him with a very complicated expression.

“I know you feel wronged. I know you’re heartbroken too. This isn’t the reunion you wanted, nor the one you hoped for, but this is how things are now. Don’t make it worse.”

Qu Yunmie looked at her and finally asked hoarsely,  “Old Lady, how do I look?”

Agusheja was silent for a moment, then replied, “Terrible. Like someone about to die.”

He had actually looked better when he was unconscious.

Qu Yunmie showed no reaction. He just nodded aimlessly. “Once I’m a little better, I’ll go see him.”

Maybe if he looked better, Xiao Rong would hate him a little less.

＊

After Xiao Rong woke up, he got up and began reading the military reports from the past few days. After failing in their pursuit that day, the Xianbei quickly retreated. Logically, they should’ve taken advantage of his injury, struck hard, and directly attacked the Northern Army while their commander was near death and morale was low.

They didn’t. They became as quiet as chickens. Each day, aside from sending a few thousand men to engage in skirmishes, they just kept sending scouts to gather intel.

Xiao Rong understood — they were waiting.

They were waiting for confirmation that Qu Yunmie had died before launching a full attack.

They still deeply feared Qu Yunmie. That’s why they wouldn’t move until they were sure he was dead. To be this fearful, and yet still dare to set such a deadly trap, risking a counterattack — it didn’t make sense.

These two contradictory strategies felt like they came from two different minds. If the Xianbei were really that ruthless, why were they so inactive the past few months? News that Qu Yunmie was preparing to fight them had already leaked last year, and by this year, everyone knew. If they had such a deadly plan, why wait until they were at the gates to use it? Weren’t they afraid that, rather than collapsing, the Northern Army — enraged by the death of their commander — would march straight into Shengle City?

The bones… those weren’t right either. Yuan Baifu sent people to check. The graves of General Qu and Lady Qu under Yanmen Mountain had indeed been dug up — and carefully reburied. The earth was refilled meticulously, as if the diggers didn’t want anyone to know.

However, by the Mid-Autumn Festival, those bones had already been sent to the Northern Army. How could no one notice?

It probably wasn’t the Xianbei who dug them up.

It could be that the Xianbei gave the order, and some Central Plains people carried it out — people who didn’t know what the Xianbei planned to do with them, so they still tried to cover it up.

Maybe not just people from the Central Plains — maybe someone from Yanmen County.

Or even maybe someone inside the Northern Army.

Six months ago, the Northern Army was full of leaks. Six months later, it still was.

Even so, Xiao Rong couldn’t understand. In the Central Plains, grave robbing — especially ancestral tombs — was the most despicable and unforgivable act. Those who did it were condemned to the deepest hells and the harshest punishments in life and death. Just how evil did someone have to be to do such a thing?

He leaned against the central log in his tent, deep in thought. Just as he was about to grasp something, Zhang Biezhi lifted the flap and entered. “Mister Xiao, time to eat. We’re having roasted lamb again tonight. The food in the army is rough. If you’re tired of it, I’ll go out tomorrow and see if I can find rabbits.”

Xiao Rong returned to himself and put aside the military reports. “No need to go through the trouble. I’ll eat what everyone else eats. Lamb is already a luxury. Six months ago, I barely got to eat meat.”

Zhang Biezhi scratched his head. He wasn’t great at comforting people — the only tricks he knew were ones he used on his sister. Honestly, his sister was much easier to cheer up than Xiao Rong.

He laid out the dishes and set the utensils for Xiao Rong. Now that Ah Shu was staying in Chenliu, Zhang Biezhi had taken over those duties.

Yu Shaoxie and Jian Qiao acted like Xiao Rong was a storm cloud, about to unleash divine punishment at any moment, but Zhang Biezhi felt he was better now — at least more agreeable. He even invited him to sit and eat together.

Zhang Biezhi, of course, sat down immediately. Just as he picked up his chopsticks, Xiao Rong suddenly froze mid-movement. He held his chopsticks in midair, as if the food had turned into his mortal enemy. He pressed his lips together, then with a clatter, dropped the chopsticks onto the table.

Zhang Biezhi was confused — then felt a cold wind at his back. He turned around and saw the heavily injured King slowly walking in.

Except for the royal tent, which had a ceiling almost three meters high, most tents were pretty low to save cloth — they were just sleeping quarters. Xiao Rong had arrived too suddenly, so Jian Qiao had hastily built a temporary tent for him. As such, it wasn’t of the best quality.

Xiao Rong already had to duck when entering, Qu Yunmie had to tilt his head to get inside.

Xiao Rong was staring him down, eyes cold as ice. Qu Yunmie had taken a step in but hesitated and stepped back. He pressed his lips together, not moving forward, but also not leaving. He just stood there, inside the tent flap — the lowest part of the tent.

Zhang Biezhi watched as Qu Yunmie’s head pushed up a little bump in the tent roof. He gaped in awe — then remembered what Yu Shaoxie had said earlier.

He quickly shut his mouth and shot to his feet, chopsticks still in hand. He gave a fist-salute to Xiao Rong. “My brother-in-law calls for me, I should go. Mister Xiao, enjoy your meal.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turned to leave — only to find Qu Yunmie blocking the exit.

After a pause, he turned sideways and very slowly, very smoothly slid half his body out. Everyone knows — if the top half can get through, so can the bottom.

……

Zhang Biezhi successfully escaped and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he hurried to report to his brother-in-law. Inside the tent, both Xiao Rong and Qu Yunmie were left in silence by Zhang Biezhi’s maneuver.

A scene that would’ve been comical at any other time — now, neither of them could laugh.

Qu Yunmie paused, then took a few steps toward Xiao Rong. The space was small — just three steps, and he stood before him. Xiao Rong saw his stiff posture, his slow steps, and how his back twitched twice as he sat down.

Xiao Rong turned his eyes away and asked coldly, “Why has the King come?”

Qu Yunmie had changed clothes, covering all his wounds — except for a bit of white gauze showing at his neck. He didn’t realize it. He lowered his gaze and said, voice steadier than before, “You knew I would come.”

Xiao Rong gave a cold laugh. “I didn’t know.”

Qu Yunmie looked at him for a moment, then carefully said, “I know you’re very disappointed in me. I made a promise but nearly failed to keep it. You don’t believe I did the right thing — I wasn’t as—”

Xiao Rong cut him off. “I believed you.”

Qu Yunmie froze. “What?”

Xiao Rong said, “I thought I didn’t believe you, but the truth is — I did.”

Qu Yunmie stared at him, unable to speak, as if something was stuck in his throat.

Then Xiao Rong gave a mocking laugh — mocking himself.

“So it wasn’t you being self-righteous — it was me. I’ve been so worried these past days, but even so, I did nothing. I didn’t come looking for you, didn’t reach out — because deep down, I trusted you. I thought you would make it, that you’d value and protect yourself, that you’d return safely to Chenliu just as you promised.”

Qu Yunmie felt like he had fallen into an icy abyss. He didn’t even know why it felt so terrifying — but the moment Xiao Rong said he truly believed him, it felt like he was drowning.

He struggled to say, “I…”

Then Xiao Rong smiled briefly and said, “It’s okay.”

Qu Yunmie stared blankly at him.

Xiao Rong continued, “It’s okay. I know this isn’t your fault. Just like everyone says — the Xianbei forced you. No one could endure seeing their parents insulted. You only did what any son would. I don’t blame you. You don’t need to feel sorry for me. When two responsibilities conflict, we choose the heavier one — anyone would do the same.”

Qu Yunmie sat straight despite the pain. It hurt, but that was good — when the body hurt, the heart hurt less.

He looked at Xiao Rong, who looked back at him. Xiao Rong’s expression was calm, but Qu Yunmie’s face was tense, his eyes red. He stared into Xiao Rong’s eyes and listened like a masochist. He had to hear it all.

After a pause, Xiao Rong said the final words, “Qu Yunmie, you don’t owe me anything — so don’t worry about me.”

Qu Yunmie stared at him. Suddenly, he bent forward, gripping the table tightly. His breathing grew rapid, and his fingers dug into the wood.

Finally, he straightened again, pulled at the corners of his mouth, and repeated, “I don’t owe you?”

Xiao Rong looked at him for a moment, then lowered his eyes.

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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