Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 77

“Oh! Now that is incredible!”

“It’s enormous! How frightening!”

“Only Cang Chuli could shoot with such accuracy!”

Xia Heng and Chuqing had almost filled their baskets with wild fruit and pine branches. Hearing the noise, they carried the baskets back.

As they approached the place where their household’s game was temporarily stored, they saw Mo Qing and Mo Bai helping unload an enormous tiger from a transport cart.

The beast was more than two meters (about six and a half feet) long and had to weigh over two hundred jin (more than 220 pounds). Countless arrows protruded from its body.

One arrow at its throat had buried itself almost completely in the flesh.

“Did the General kill this?” Chuqing asked excitedly.

“Of course! Just look at that shot!”

Mo Bai proudly pointed to the arrow in the tiger’s throat.

“One glance and you know it was the General!”

The guard who had transported the game agreed.

“This young brother is right. I watched from behind.

“There were so many people, but everyone retreated when they saw the great beast. A few men loosed arrows wildly and only scratched its hide, making it furious!

“General Cang alone kept chasing it. He loosed several arrows, and every one struck a vital point.

“The final arrow pierced its throat. Only then did the beast collapse and stop moving!”

Xia Heng and Chuqing listened, transfixed.

After finishing his account, the guard unloaded a roe deer, another deer, and several blood-covered pheasants and rabbits.

“Did our General hunt all of these?” Xia Heng could not help asking.

Why else would they all be placed in their pile?

“This entire cart holds General Cang’s kills,” the young guard explained.

Xia Heng gave him a polite smile.

Had their general raided a den filled with wild animals?

The other three were delighted. As though afraid no one had heard, they counted the game several times over.

Xia Heng looked toward the hunting grounds.

So much time had passed. She wondered whether Eldest Sister Xiao had encountered Dongfang Wei yet.

Xiao Yaqing had chased a rabbit into a secluded area. When it vanished from sight, she had no choice but to turn her horse back in disappointment.

The moment she emerged from the narrow trail, she spotted a figure in bright imperial yellow.

Dongfang Wei saw her too. He waved one hand, dismissing all the guards around him.

Xiao Yaqing dismounted and was about to bow when Dongfang Wei said, “No need.”

After that, the two stared at one another in silence, standing stiffly in the middle of the road.

“You…”

Xiao Yaqing heard Dongfang Wei finally begin to speak, but nothing followed.

She lowered her head with a bitter smile.

In the end, could he not say even one complete sentence?

This was the first time they had met alone since the Xiao Family’s demotion.

The round-faced boy of her childhood had grown into the ruler of a nation.

The little girl who climbed trees for fruit and waded into rivers to catch fish had grown into a graceful young woman.

Through the bright, beautiful face before him, Dongfang Wei could almost see the mischievous child she once had been.

How have you lived all these years? Did you grow accustomed to life in the south?

Did you eat well? Do you still remember me?

Do you have someone in your heart? Do you remember saying you would marry me when we were children?

Every question lodged in his throat.

In the end, only her name emerged, so softly it was nearly a murmur.

“Yaqing.”

Xiao Yaqing’s thoughts were in turmoil too. She had countless questions of her own.

Why had he not sent her a single letter all these years?

After she finally returned to the capital, why would he rather reminisce with her father than meet her?

Xiao Yaqing looked around, trying to distract herself.

She suddenly realized they were standing in the middle of the road. The imperial guards had withdrawn and disappeared somewhere out of sight.

Wait…

Why did this scene feel familiar?

“Eldest Sister Xiao, don’t stand in the middle of a road when you’re talking. You’ll be interrupted. Understand?”

Xia Heng’s voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

“Your Majesty, why don’t we… speak somewhere else?” Xiao Yaqing suggested hesitantly.

Dongfang Wei froze for an instant, then nodded.

“Very well.”

Leading their horses, they walked deeper into the shade of the trees.

“I heard… Uncle Xiao intends to find you a husband…”

Xiao Yaqing stopped and could not take another step.

She waited for a long time, but nothing else followed.

Sniffing, she asked, “What? Does Your Majesty plan to introduce someone to me?”

He had protected her so carefully when they were children. She had thought that in this life, at least, she possessed a childhood sweetheart.

If this was how things would end, why had he ever said he would marry her?

Tears filled Xiao Yaqing’s eyes.

Dongfang Wei did not know how to answer. While he hesitated, she suddenly lifted her head.

“You…”

“What about me?” Xiao Yaqing demanded loudly.

“Who said I wanted to find a man and marry? What’s so good about men? They forget you after a few years anyway!”

As she spoke, tears spilled uncontrollably down her face.

Ah Heng was right. What was the point of holding back? People had mouths so they could use them!

She should simply say whatever she wanted to say. If he disliked it, he could execute her!

Dongfang Wei stared blankly at her tear-streaked face.

What did I say? What is happening?

She is the one getting married. I haven’t even become angry yet, so why is she angry?

“I—mmph!”

Dongfang Wei heard movement nearby. He covered Xiao Yaqing’s mouth with one hand and pulled her against him with the other.

“Shh. Be quiet.”

“Huh? Where is he?”

Pasang’s voice came from a short distance away.

Xiao Yaqing held her breath. Their horses were grazing behind several large trees.

“Your emperor isn’t even here. Why are you all standing around?” Pasang asked unhappily.

She had come after seeing Dongfang Wei’s guards, only to find that he was nowhere nearby.

None of the guards answered.

Pasang circled twice on horseback. When she still could not find him, she finally rode away.

“Hyah.”

Xiao Yaqing listened as the hoofbeats faded, then remembered Xia Heng’s earlier words.

Sister, you’re incredible. Fortune-teller Xia, indeed!

Dongfang Wei released her. Seeing that the woman who had just been furious and emotional was now distracted again, he did not know whether to laugh or sigh.

He used his sleeve to wipe the tears from her face.

“You’re all grown up, yet you still cry so easily?”

Xiao Yaqing flushed all the way down her neck.

She had been only three when she transmigrated and had therefore let herself run wild.

Whenever she suffered a little pain or hardship, she used her young age as an excuse to wail until someone came to soothe her.

At the time, she had wanted to make up for the unloved childhood of her previous life.

But now that someone was mentioning it…

Save me! This is so embarrassing!

The corner of Dongfang Wei’s mouth lifted slightly. At last, he finished what he had meant to say.

“Do not rush to marry. There are no worthy men in the capital.”

“Have you… been well all these years?”

Instead of answering, Xiao Yaqing clutched his sleeve, her body trembling faintly.

“Why?

“Why did you never contact me all these years?”

Hearing the question, Dongfang Wei tightened her cloak around her and pulled the hood over her head.

“Because I wanted you to live well… Even if I died, you still had to live well…”

Xiao Yaqing only caught the first half.

“What?”

No matter how many times she asked, Dongfang Wei refused to repeat the rest.

He merely ordered his guards to bring her two rabbits he had hunted and told her to take them back to eat.

Carrying the rabbits, Xiao Yaqing returned to the Xiao Family’s tent in a daze.

Xia Heng took one look from afar and knew.

Mm. It seemed she had met Dongfang Wei.

That expression was perfectly suited to an old-fashioned romance novel.

There were no words.