What are you looking at? I live in an era of global warming, and I’m a Southerner, okay? How would I know what happens after it snows!

Qu Yunmie couldn’t possibly read his mind, but he could clearly see Xiao Rong’s ears turning red, and he figured Xiao Rong must be feeling embarrassed again.

He didn’t understand, what’s the big deal about losing a little face? He’d already lost it plenty of times before.

After a moment of silence, Qu Yunmie explained. “The cold is one thing, but once it snows, the roads become muddy and hard to walk on. Melted snow seeps through shoes and socks, freezing the soldiers’ legs. Once frostbitten, it’s hard for them to get up again, and those who can’t get up in the snow end up dying in the snow.”

Xiao Rong was stunned for a moment and didn’t ask any more questions.

If natural disasters were that easy to resist, they wouldn’t be called natural disasters. Even with coal and all kinds of heating measures, they were only effective for those indoors. For those outside, it was still unbearably cold—they still had to struggle to survive in the ice and snow.

In the quiet atmosphere, Xiao Rong lowered his gaze and said, “So we must end this war before late October.”

Qu Yunmie listened, but frowned. “I’m afraid that won’t be easy.”

Xiao Rong looked at him in shock. “After being ambushed like that, the King still thinks it won’t be easy?”

Xiao Rong didn’t mean anything else by the question. He wasn’t doubting Qu Yunmie’s abilities. He just thought that after suffering such a heavy loss, Qu Yunmie would be furious and wouldn’t care about anything else. He would just want to crush the Xianbei—and Qu Yunmie was capable of that, as long as he didn’t hesitate.

Qu Yunmie: “…”

Great. Now he was the one feeling awkward.

Not particularly pleased, Qu Yunmie said, “Of course I’m furious to be ambushed by such petty cowards, but I can’t trade the lives of my soldiers just to avenge myself.”

This time, Xiao Rong was truly stunned. Wow. That actually sounded righteous and selfless. However, according to official history, wasn’t it true that he did the exact opposite? When he realized attacking the Xianbei would be difficult, he got impatient, charged in recklessly, and ended up alienating most of his generals.

Xiao Rong had already prepared for Qu Yunmie to go for a quick, aggressive war, and had even drawn up a whole plan. Who would’ve thought he’d suddenly change his mind?

Xiao Rong looked at Qu Yunmie oddly, making Qu Yunmie feel a little uncomfortable. Then Xiao Rong burst into laughter. Holding his teacup, he stood up and sat down next to Qu Yunmie. He let out a long sigh, but the corners of his mouth were still lifted. “After three days apart, one should look at a man with new eyes. I thank you on behalf of the soldiers, Your Majesty. In the face of such a great humiliation, the King still values his men above all else. That is what makes a true leader worth following.”

Qu Yunmie listened calmly, with no change in expression, but Xiao Rong noticed the way he was throwing dates into the tea. If he kept tossing them in like that, it wouldn’t be tea anymore, it’d be date soup.

…

Smiling, Xiao Rong scooted closer to Qu Yunmie, silently inching his way over and narrowing the space between them. He deliberately lowered his voice, forcing Qu Yunmie to listen carefully.

“The King must also have faith in his soldiers. You must know—when the General is shamed, the ruler is shamed, and the vassals must kill themselves.”

Qu Yunmie’s expression changed. Just as he was about to say something, Xiao Rong stopped him.

“Of course, that’s an outdated rule. Nowadays, every soldier belongs to the King. Each of their lives is precious. Instead of dying to uphold some principle, it’s better to use that life to kill a few more Xianbei. Your Majesty, the era of Grand General Qu is long gone. This is your era now, and your injury is something that no proud Northern Army soldier can accept. With that kind of morale, we have no reason to fear not turning the tide before October.”

Qu Yunmie pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Let’s hope so.”

Xiao Rong lowered his head to sip his tea again. Qu Yunmie, watching him, suddenly asked, “What about you?”

Xiao Rong looked up, confused.

Qu Yunmie asked, “Can you not accept it either?”

It took a second before Xiao Rong realized what he meant, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

Putting down his teacup, Xiao Rong smiled and sighed. “Your Majesty has no idea how much rage I’ve bottled up. Since the Mid-Autumn Festival, I’ve been holding it all in, just waiting to see the culprit and take it out on them.”

As he said this, Xiao Rong was all smiles, but Qu Yunmie didn’t seem creeped out like Xiao Rong expected. He only asked, “That outburst you had at me—did that not count as venting?”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Of all things, you had to bring that up?

Instantly, Xiao Rong’s expression collapsed. He turned his head to the side and stayed silent for a while before saying, “No, that didn’t count. Lately, I’ve been blaming everyone for everything. I see anyone and think they’re annoying. Even if a bird flies overhead, I want to curse it. This kind of fury isn’t something two sentences can relieve.”

Qu Yunmie chuckled. “Ah Rong has always been true to himself.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Just as he was about to argue about the way Qu Yunmie was addressing him, the military doctor entered to change Qu Yunmie’s bandages.

Xiao Rong stood up and consciously took two steps back, watching as the doctor began unwrapping the layers of white cloth from Qu Yunmie’s body.

After falling seriously ill, Qu Yunmie had grown thinner, but his abdominal muscles were still clearly defined. Xiao Rong couldn’t even tell where he had lost weight—he still looked strong.

Once all the bandages were off, Xiao Rong could no longer focus on his physique. He stared at the deep red wound above Qu Yunmie’s collarbone. It didn’t even look like an arrow wound—flesh around it had been gouged out, and the pinkish muscle tissue was exposed to the air. Every breath seemed to throb with pain.

As long as it wasn’t about fate or life, Xiao Rong couldn’t feel what Qu Yunmie was going through. That violent, terrifying life-or-death moment had already passed for him, but for Qu Yunmie, it was still there, constantly reminding and tormenting him.

The doctor examined the wound first and, finding nothing wrong, sprinkled powder on it. Qu Yunmie acted as if he didn’t feel anything, but Xiao Rong clearly saw the tendons in his neck tighten.

After applying the powder, the doctor took out fresh white cloth. Just as he was about to wrap it around Qu Yunmie again, Xiao Rong suddenly said, “Let me do it.”

Both the doctor and Qu Yunmie looked at him in surprise. The doctor hesitated, since Xiao Rong had never done this before. He wanted to ask Qu Yunmie if it was okay, but when he turned around, he found Qu Yunmie glaring at him coldly.

Doctor: “…”

Without a word, he handed over the white cloth with both hands, picked up his medicine box, and walked out.

Xiao Rong: “…”

He wanted to ask how to tie the knot.

Oh well. Xiao Rong took a deep breath, found the starting end of the cloth, and looked at the obediently seated Qu Yunmie.

Seeing this, Qu Yunmie even turned his body slightly toward him. For some reason, Xiao Rong was amused and chuckled. What originally felt awkward no longer seemed so awkward.

He pulled the cloth around from Qu Yunmie’s back, looping it around the chest and back up over the shoulder, so it wouldn’t loosen easily.

Xiao Rong lowered his eyes, wrapping the cloth layer by layer. His breath occasionally brushed behind Qu Yunmie’s ear, sometimes over his ribs, sometimes along his neck. Because Xiao Rong was a meticulous person, he checked each layer to make sure it was secure. Afraid of hurting Qu Yunmie, he moved very gently, but this slow, knife-like torture—or perhaps not torture—made the muscles in Qu Yunmie’s body tense up. His arms, pressed to the bedframe, went stiff.

Xiao Rong noticed something was off halfway through. Just as he wrapped around to Qu Yunmie’s chest again, he saw that the cloth he had just secured was being pulled tight. Xiao Rong paused, then looked up.

This wasn’t their closest physical moment, but it was the first time they truly, deeply saw each other.

No words. Nothing to do. Just simply… seeing the other person.

Was there such a thing as a soul? Did souls really collide? Xiao Rong didn’t know. He only knew that Qu Yunmie’s gaze was strange—so intense it made him nervous, made him afraid, made his heart beat wildly and erratically, to the point of breathlessness.

Suddenly, Xiao Rong lowered his head and quickly finished wrapping the last two loops, trying to tie the knot.

Yet for some reason, the knot wouldn’t tie. Odd. It was just a simple bow.

Suddenly, a long hand grasped his wrist. Only then did Xiao Rong realize—it wasn’t the knot that was wrong. His hands were trembling.

Qu Yunmie pressed his lips together and said to Xiao Rong, “Ah Rong, let me finish this part.”

Xiao Rong obediently let go and stepped back, leaving the space that made him feel so uncomfortable. He watched Qu Yunmie bow his head to tie the knot himself. In no time, the disobedient cloth was secured, and Qu Yunmie looked up.

He opened his mouth, about to speak, and Xiao Rong stared at him without moving.

Qu Yunmie suddenly hesitated. The way Xiao Rong looked now triggered his instincts—he suddenly felt he shouldn’t speak.

Despite that, the longer they stayed frozen, the more awkward it became. Just as Qu Yunmie was wondering what to do, Jian Qiao suddenly burst in. “Your Majesty, Mr. Xiao, we got them! All those people have been captured!”

Xiao Rong and Qu Yunmie both froze. Then, without hesitation, Xiao Rong stepped out.

Jian Qiao, still brimming with excitement, was about to follow when he noticed Qu Yunmie hadn’t moved. He asked, confused, “Your Majesty, aren’t you going to take a look?”

Qu Yunmie: “…”

“I’m going.”

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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