Qiao Chu

"Your Uncle Zhong hasn't had it easy lately."

Xie Yanfang declined Chu Zhao's invitation to speak inside the tent, instead sitting directly on the ground.

"The King of Xiliang has been attacking like a madman, and not all of the Five Route Generals of the Border Army are obedient - each has their own agenda."

He glanced at Chu Zhao with a faint, ambiguous smile.

"This Uncle Zhong of yours is still far inferior to your father."

Chu Zhao sat down beside him and nodded: "I know. After all, Uncle Zhong was my father's deputy general, so his status can't compare to my father's. He took over hastily too, but given time, his abilities are no less than my father's."

In her previous life, Uncle Zhong had also taken over abruptly, yet not only managed to defeat Xiliang, but could also stand against the Xie family.

Of course, Xiao Xun had also supported Uncle Zhong using the Empress's name.

But this support wasn't meant to consolidate Uncle Zhong's position - it was to exhaust him, using him as a blade to cut down enemies everywhere. Whether it was the Dragon Guard Army or the Border Army her father left behind, they were split apart and taken over, until finally Uncle Zhong found himself besieged on all sides and died in the chaotic fighting.

Seeing the girl lower her gaze, Xie Yanlai thought for a moment and decided not to say anything too harsh. But just as the thought crossed his mind, he saw Chu Zhao look up and smile at him.

"Besides, I specifically kept you here to help him," she said cheerfully.

"Don't speak too sweetly," Xie Yanlai scoffed. "The Xie family name is both a blessing and a curse. You shouldn't be so pleased about it."

As a Xie family member stationed with the Border Army, many people curried favor with the Xie family out of respect for him, but the Xie name also made many people jealous and waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Chu Zhao smiled again: "I'm using you as a person. The rest doesn't worry me."

Xie Yanlai said coldly: "So you think that with a kind soul like me protecting your Uncle Zhong, you can go sacrifice yourself without any worries?"

Chu Zhao laughed: "This is clearly bravery and fearlessness. You make it sound like I'm seeking death."

"What else is it if not seeking death?" Xie Yanlai said. "Do you dare say you weren't going to get yourself killed? Did you survive because of your bravery? You only survived because Prince Zhongshan was afraid to die. What if Prince Zhongshan hadn't been afraid?"

He let out a cold laugh.

"If it were me, and you came alone to threaten me, I wouldn't care about the consequences - I'd kill you first and worry later."

Chu Zhao laughed: "You wanted to kill me even when I wasn't threatening you."

Xie Yanlai said irritably: "Are you going to bring up that incident by the river for the rest of your life? Constantly bringing it up - is this the same situation?"

Chu Zhao shook her head, then added: "Prince Zhongshan isn't you."

She looked into the distance, resting her hands on her knees with a smile.

"A Jiu, there aren't many people in this world like us who aren't afraid to die. They have too much to lose, too many attachments. We're different - we have nothing, just solitary courage and fearlessness. If we die, we die."

"Don't blame me for thinking this way. People like us wouldn't survive if we were afraid to die."

Xie Yanlai snorted: "Stop saying 'we' all the time. You're you, I'm me. We're different." With that, he lay back on the ground.

Unnoticed, spring grass had already carpeted the ground in lush green.

"Besides, I'm not some hot-headed fool seeking death either," Chu Zhao said, counting on her fingers. "I have Xiao Man and the others - their identities are hidden, no one knows about them. And I brought two army units with me. I'm actually quite capable."

Xie Yanlai humphed but said nothing more.Chu Zhao rested her chin on her hand, gazing ahead as she lowered her voice: "Still, I must admit I'm a little surprised this actually worked."

After all, in that other lifetime, although Prince Zhongshan had died early, Xiao Xun and the Xie family had fought for ten years—

Did this mean she had nipped a decade of warfare in the bud?

Of course, it wasn't over yet. Prince Zhongshan's retreat was only temporary. Even after losing a hundred thousand troops, he still commanded another hundred thousand.

But she had deflated Prince Zhongshan's momentum and trapped Xiao Xun in the capital—she'd done rather well!

"I think I'm quite remarkable."

Xie Yanlai beside her remained silent.

"Why do you go quiet whenever I talk about how amazing I am?" Chu Zhao snorted and turned, only to find the young man beside her with his head pillowed on his arms, eyes tightly shut—

She started.

"Xie—" she began to cry out, then immediately covered her mouth, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest and the faint flutter of his long lashes.

He was asleep.

He'd actually fallen asleep.

Chu Zhao lowered her hand, studying the sleeping young man.

Earlier she'd asked why he had come. He said it was because the situation had stabilized, relieving pressure on the Border Army, and Uncle Zhong had urged him. When she asked when he'd arrived, he said just now.

The resolution hadn't been long ago. He must have traveled day and night without rest.

Earlier he'd said Uncle Zhong had had a difficult time recently.

But if Uncle Zhong had it hard, hadn't he suffered too?

Uncle Zhong had spent decades in the Border Army. His difficulty lay in bearing the burden of command, but he had people at his disposal and knew how to get things done.

But Xie Yanlai was young. Even as a scion of the Xie family, on the battlefield where blades and arrows flew indiscriminately, no one cared which family you came from.

On the battlefield, he was just himself.

He had to rely entirely on himself.

Chu Zhao shifted closer to him, examining his face. At first glance, it was still quite handsome, but a closer look revealed a layer of roughness, with what seemed like scratches near his temples—

And what about the rest of him?

Chu Zhao leaned in to peer at his neck, then reached out to gently part his collar—

A Le tiptoed over, paused at the sight, blinking repeatedly, and whispered, "Miss, what are you doing?"

Even if he were injured, it would have been bandaged long ago. What was she looking for? Chu Zhao sat back awkwardly and said, "It's nothing, I was just checking."

"If you want to look, then look," A Le said. "Let me help—he's not wearing armor, his clothes should be easy to undo."

Chu Zhao suppressed a laugh and waved her hand. "Don't tease, he's asleep." After a moment's thought, she added, "Fetch a cloak. I'll cover him with it."

Although the weather was warmer now, sleeping outdoors in the wild could still give one a chill.

……

……

When Xie Yanlai slowly opened his eyes, he saw a sky full of starlight.

For a moment he was disoriented, but even as he registered this, his hand shot to his side, his body coiling taut, ready to spring up.

His hand found no weapon, but another hand pressed down on him.

"Don't be alarmed, we're in Zhongshan Commandery," a woman's voice said softly.

In an instant, Xie Yanlai's mind cleared, but he still sat up, taking in the scattered campfires around them, the city looming ahead, and the familiar clamor of an army camp carried on the wind.

He had actually fallen asleep?

When had he dozed off?

And he had slept for so long.

He looked down to see a thick, soft red cloak slipping from his chest, then lifted his gaze to the girl sitting cross-legged beside him, grinning at him.

"Chu Zhao," Xie Yanlai scowled, "You just let me sleep out in the open like this?"Chu Zhao spread his hands helplessly. "There's nothing to be done. I'm not strong enough to carry you into the tent."

Xie Yanlai glared. Was that what he meant?

"Stop talking nonsense," he said, torn between anger and amusement. "Couldn't you have woken me up? Invited me into the tent to sleep, prepared hot water for washing, a lavish meal, and a soft bed with three layers of quilts!"

He lifted the cloak in front of him and draped it over Chu Zhao's head.

"Giving me just a cloak, using the ground as a bed—is this how you treat a loyal minister and devoted general? Loyal ministers and devoted generals will grow disheartened!"

Shrouded in the cloak, Chu Zhao declared loudly, "Do not be angry, my beloved minister. This prince will immediately order a grand feast to be prepared!"