Chapter 1458 Fear of Death and Clinging to Life

Outside the tent, the cold wind howled.

The soldiers who had escaped from Huilu Storehouse were still sleep-deprived, and they gathered around the campfire outside the tent, engaging in a desultory conversation. One of the youngest looked around and asked, "Boss Xu, where’s that Guan Chiying?"

The middle-aged soldier addressed as Boss Xu poked the fire with a stick in his hand, "He’s talking to the people here, seeing when we can return to Luoyang."

The young man immediately said, "Luoyang is surrounded like an iron barrel; how are we supposed to go back?"

Boss Xu and the other soldiers immediately looked at him, "But our wives and children are all in the city. If we don’t return, can they survive?"

The young man resentfully closed his mouth.

Before sending Chen Cai and this contingent out of the city to fetch grain from Huilu Storehouse, Liang Shide had considered that if they randomly selected people, given the current situation in Luoyang City, these people might flee once leaving the city; hence these troops were carefully screened, and even Chen Cai himself was a native of Luoyang, with his family in the city. With their families in hand, there was no fear of them not returning.

The young man was silent for a while, then angrily said, "That Guan Chiying has the demeanor of a coward, how was he chosen?"

Boss Xu frowned, "Say less. If he hadn’t mediated, if a commotion started, who knows what kind of situation we’d be in now? This is their territory!"

The young man murmured, "I just can’t stand him, such a cowardly figure!"

With a disdainful expression on his face, Boss Xu frowned but said nothing more. Instead, another soldier sitting beside the young man nudged him with his shoulder and quietly asked, "Brother Xu, I seem to have heard that Guan Chiying’s family used to be officials, high-ranking ones."

Upon hearing this, everyone showed expressions of curiosity, wide-eyed and looking at Boss Xu.

Boss Xu was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Yes, his family were officials, back in Emperor Yang’s reign, they were doctors in the court."

After hearing this, everyone drew a sharp breath in surprise.

Someone asked, "With such a high position, why is he here with us now?"

Boss Xu said, "Bad luck. When Emperor Yang went to Jiangdu Palace on a tour, who knew that there—sigh. But it was heard that his family within the official ranks persistently advised against the journey before the emperor departed, which angered Emperor Yang. He left them in Luoyang, not allowing any to accompany him. Once Emperor Yang left, you know, the Eastern Capital changed hands."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

They certainly knew, some of them were even involved in the attack on Luoyang led by Liang Shide.

Someone else asked, "What happened to his family?"

Boss Xu lowered his voice and said, "I heard that his family, along with some other officials remaining in Luoyang, were arrested. They were rather stubborn and unwilling to surrender, so Lord Liang wanted to execute them all. At that moment, Guan Chiying stood up and said he was willing to serve Lord Liang."

As soon as these words were heard, the young man immediately displayed a look of contempt.

He said, "Coward, afraid of death."

Boss Xu glanced at him, saying nothing, while others asked, "And did that mean the lord spared him?"

"Yes."

Boss Xu nodded and then sighed, saying, "However, his family considered him cowardly and shameful, and though he survived, they refused to acknowledge him. Now he’s alone in the military, and he can never return home."

Everyone sighed.

While they were lamenting, on another path, Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment before turning back. The soldier following her immediately said, "Princess, what’s wrong?"

Shang Ruyi smiled, "The wind is a bit cold, I’d better go back."

The soldier frowned, thinking that this princess was troublesome. She had just mentioned having dinner and wanting a walk to help digestion, so he had no choice but to accompany her. Who knew that after a few steps, she would feel cold and want to return? Are all women this troublesome?

However, since she was a princess, and was personally instructed by General Xiao to be well guarded and served, he had no complaints and followed Shang Ruyi back.

Returning to her tent, when Shang Ruyi sat down, her mind was in a jumble.

Yet within that tangled mess, there seemed to be a thread looming in her vision, as if by reaching out, even just brushing against it, she could discover some secrets.

Her mind wandered chaotically until late, when Shang Ruyi still hadn’t fallen asleep. When she finally decided to go to bed, her hands and feet were icy, which certainly wouldn’t allow her to sleep, so she asked someone to go inform the others that she needed a bucket of hot water.

The cook soldiers, having been resting, had to get up again to kindle a fire and prepare hot water for her, grumbling as he walked with the full bucket, "This woman is really troublesome, eating this, not eating that, now she wants this and that, really treating this place like her home. General treats her well without being able to touch, don’t even know what’s in his head."

Meanwhile, someone suddenly appeared in front of him.

The cook soldier jumped, nearly spilling the water from the bucket, and stood still, "What do you want?"

The soldier smiled at him, "I’m here to get the water for the Princess."

Upon hearing this, and seeing the soldier in typical soldier attire, likely sent by the Great General to attend to the Princess, the cook handed over the bucket, saying, "Fine, take it then, hurry up so it doesn’t cool and blame me, I need to sleep."

The soldier laughed, "Don’t worry, it won’t be on you."

The cook soldier snorted, turned, and left.

With the bucket taken, the soldier cautiously headed towards Shang Ruyi’s tent, running into patrolling soldiers and those around campfires unable to sleep, but they paid him no mind, thinking he was one of their own, allowing him unimpeded access to Shang Ruyi’s tent.

He took a deep breath and lifted the tent curtain to enter.

Shang Ruyi, sitting on the bed recalling the day’s conversations, was startled to see someone enter— though a captive, Xiao Yuansui always treated her with respect, and no soldier would enter her tent without announcement. She was about to reprimand.

But as soon as she recognized the soldier’s face, all sounds got stuck in her throat.

He warily looked at her, as if he were standing on the edge of a Thunder Pool, hesitated for a while, then spoke in a low hoarse voice, "Shang—Princess Qin?"