Chapter 999: Arriving at Jinzhou
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Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
From time to time, Yu Youyao’s clear laughter could be heard from the tent. Unknowingly, she had finished the entire bowl of medicinal porridge and half of the dried mushroom soup.
Yu Youyao really couldn’t eat anymore. Yin Huaixi took a green fruit and stuffed it into Yu Youyao’s mouth. When he saw her eyes light up, his lips couldn’t help but curl up.
“I’m fine now,” said Yu Youyao confidently.
After a long day, her bones were probably about to fall apart. How could she be fine after eating a little? The silly girl was clearly comforting him. Yin Huaixi smiled. “Get Chun Xiao to ma.s.sage you before sleeping.”
“Okay.” Yu Youyao nodded.
After Yin Huaixi left, Chun Xiao brought hot water into the tent.
In the wilderness, the conditions were simple. It was already very good to have a basin of hot water. Yu Youyao was not picky. She washed up briefly and asked Chun Xiao to ma.s.sage her bones with cream. The sore and painful feeling almost caused Yu Youyao to die on the spot.
Fortunately, the ointment was effective. After the ma.s.sage, her body was covered in sweat, and she felt much more relaxed. Her body felt a little better, and the calming medicinal porridge had an effect. A strong sense of fatigue mixed with drowsiness surged into her eyelids, and Yu Youyao fell asleep unknowingly.
Yin Huaixi was still worried when the curtain of the tent was lifted.
He saw that she was lying on the couch and had already fallen asleep with the blanket around her. There were still tears on her fair face, and her eyelids were still swollen. Even though she was asleep, her eyebrows were slightly furrowed.
Yin Huaixi’s heart skipped a beat. He bent down and tucked her in, then took off his cloak and placed it on the blanket.
He reached out and stroked the s.p.a.ce between her eyebrows. He lowered his head to look at her sleeping face for a while. After a while, he left the tent silently.
Chun Xiao was on guard outside the tent.
Yin Huaixi lowered his voice and instructed, “Light up the calming incense in the house. It’s very cold at night. Don’t put out the small stove in the tent. The foot warmer has to be changed every two hours, and it needs to warm both her hands and feet. It’s been difficult to travel these past few days. Be careful. If she feels unwell, come over and report it. Don’t let her do as she pleases.”
Yu Youyao had learned to endure since she was young. She had used her spoiled personality previously, but after a day of traveling, she gritted her teeth and endured it. Even in front of him, she did not say anything about pain or fatigue.
Chun Xiao quickly agreed.
In the middle of the night, Yu Youyao was woken up by the roar of a beast.
Chun Xiao quickly said, “Young Miss, don’t be afraid. Humans are afraid of wild beasts, and wild beasts are also afraid of humans. There are more than a thousand people on the road, and wild beasts also have to seek benefits and avoid harm. The howling is just to intimidate others. Sleep a little longer.”
Yu Youyao’s face turned pale as she nodded.
However, she couldn’t fall asleep no matter what.
At this moment, Yin Huaixi lifted the curtain and entered.
A gust of cold wind suddenly blew in. Yu Youyao curled up under the blanket and shivered, feeling cold all over.
“Don’t be afraid,” said Yin Huaixi in a low voice. “Wild beasts won’t go down the mountain. Sleep a little longer.”
The cries of the beasts rose and fell. It was very terrifying. Even though she knew that the beasts wouldn’t go down the mountain, she still felt afraid. Yu Youyao’s hand reached out from under the blanket and hooked his finger. “I’m not afraid now.”
Yin Huaixi frowned and pulled the blanket over her hand. “Why are your hands so cold? Is it not warm under the blanket?”
Yu Youyao shook her head. “The foot warmer is still hot. Have you been guarding outside the tent? I’m fine. It’s just that this is my first time camping in the wilderness. I’m not used to it.”
She was the one who had not slept well. After being woken up by the beast’s roar, she tossed and turned in bed. The heat under the covers dissipated.
“Go to sleep. When you fall asleep, I’ll go rest,” said Yin Huaixi gently.
Yu Youyao quickly closed her eyes and hooked her arms around him, refusing to let go. Perhaps it was because the smell of calming incense in the room was too strong, but the fragrance made her eyelids dizzy. A moment later, she couldn’t help but fall asleep again.
Before dawn, Chun Xiao woke Yu Youyao up and ma.s.saged her bones with cream. Her body was still sore, but she did not feel as uncomfortable as yesterday.
After washing up briefly, Xia Tao carried the tray into the tent. There was a bowl of silver fungus soup with rock sugar, two steamed buns, and a boiled egg.
“His Highness personally roasted the buns. He said that it’s very easy to be hungry if you eat liquid food during the day. Your body can’t take it anymore and you have to eat something to fill your stomach.”
Although the food was a little simple, the steamed buns were fragrant and crispy. The roasted mushrooms in it were smooth and tender. They tasted fresh and fragrant, and they were not greasy. The rock sugar silver fungus was stewed until it was soft and sticky, making it sweet and refreshing.
Dawn was approaching, and the world was still pitch-black. On the eastern horizon, a bright and resplendent morning star shone in the sky. Under the guidance of the Morning Star, the army walked on the path towards the light. Three days later, in the evening, the army finally arrived at Jinzhou City.
Yu Youyao lifted the curtains of the carriage. The majestic city wall was mottled with the flames of war, making it look tall and strict. It had an inviolable holiness and vicissitudes.
Since ancient times, Jinzhou had been a place that soldiers had to fight for. It was the strongest barrier against foreign invasions and the rule of the Han people. There were countless large and small battles in this city-state.
At this moment, Jinzhou was already under full martial law.
The city gate was closed, and the number of troops guarding the city on the city wall was three times more than before. There were special people in charge of guarding the guard towers and arrow towers on the city wall.
Almost all the birds that flew across the sky were killed by the long-range archers in charge of keeping watch. If one of them missed, the other sentry tower would shoot immediately.
Large machines were also installed in the archery tower. Such machines required the cooperation of many people. They had a longer range and were more powerful than bows. They could shoot more than ten arrows in a row.
In a city defense battle, more than ten machines and the soldiers guarding the city would shoot arrows at the same time. They could shoot hundreds of arrows in an instant, forming a short rain of arrows. At the same time, they could also interfere with the enemy’s attack and have the advantage.
“Open the door!” With Yin Huaixi’s order, the huge lacquered iron door let out a thunderous roar and slowly opened.
The army moved through the streets. Wherever they went, the commoners retreated and cheered.
To Yu Youyao’s surprise, as a border fortress, Jinzhou City was not as desolate
as she had imagined. Shops were open for business, and people were coming and going all around. It looked relaxed and calm, and it was a lively scene.
The impending war did not seem to have any effect on the commoners of Jinzhou.
Yu Youyao was very puzzled.
Soon, someone answered her doubts.
“King Yue Fei has led an army to Jinzhou. Is there going to be a war in the North? What should we do?”
“There’s an 80% chance that they’ll make a big fuss. The commoners near f.u.xin City have already begun to move to Jinzhou in batches. Recently, there have been many more people in the city.”
“There are wars everywhere. I wonder when these days will end.”
“It’s better to be a peaceful dog than a chaotic person..”