22, The Fancily Dressed and Fiercely Spirited Youth (Three More Updates)
Blood-red at the corners of his eyes, tears seemed to roll down.
He paid tribute to the once dashing young men in fresh garments and angry horses, to the one hundred and twenty-one vibrant brothers-in-arms, subordinates, who had rushed forth regardless of everything to protect him completely, only to send him out of the desert.
He had made it out, but they could never come out again…
They could never come out again!
Xie Qian, upon hearing this, took a while before he sobbed out loud.
“Then I’ll join you, tonight we won’t rest until we’re drunk!”
Li Hengyi leaned on Xie Qian and, after a good while, finally laughed and said, “Alright!”
That night, the two of them got utterly drunk, staggering as they walked, yet their minds were clear as mirrors. Thinking of those people, their names murmured low, the times spent together flashed before their eyes like a revolving lantern. Then that final moment, drenched in blood, they roared desperately, “Protect Lord Xie Qian at all costs!”
Protect Lord Xie Qian at all costs!
Xie Qian cried out in anguish, “I did it, but, but you can’t come back, you can never come back!”
He had saved the world’s finest wine, but there was no one left to share another drunken moment with.
“Hengyi, why don’t we brave the desert again, and bring back their bones!” Xie Qian proposed.
Li Hengyi’s heart shook.
After a long silence, he finally said, “Okay, two years later, let’s meet at the Frontier Pass!”
“Mhm!”
At this moment, the two men made a decision.
To brave the desert once more, to bring enough people to take those soldiers home! Perhaps they might never return, but they were not afraid!
Life should have a surge of passion flowing in the body, a belief worth fighting for once more.
The loyal souls of Dazhou, they should return to Dazhou, to their homeland!
One hundred and twenty-one people, not one less!
Dawn broke.
Xie Qian said goodbye and took Xie Shuyue back to the capital, while Li Hengyi stood at Ten Mile Pavilion outside the city, seeing Xie Qian off.
“Hengyi, are you sure you won’t return to the capital? The Empress Dowager is very concerned…” Xie Qian asked.
Li Hengyi shook his head, “Not for now, lest my mother worries more seeing me like this. When you get back, tell her I’m fine!”
Having said that, Li Hengyi turned and boarded the carriage.
He was headed for Zhao’an County.
Yuanbao drove the carriage ahead.
Xie Qian watched the departing carriage and exhaled softly.
“Big brother!” Xie Shuyue called gently.
After a night’s rest, her eyes were less swollen.
She looked rather cute and pitiful.
Xie Qian’s stern features softened slightly, “Get on the carriage!”
Xie Shuyue wanted to ask who that man was, but seeing Xie Qian’s reluctance to say more, she held back her question.
Her future prospects depended on him in the bustling capital, so she better rely on this big brother’s protection.
She nodded obediently, then added, “You also take good care of yourself, big brother!”
“Mhm!” Xie Qian nodded.
Once Xie Shuyue was in the carriage, Xie Qian mounted his horse and gave a low command, “Let’s go!”
He spurred his horse in the opposite direction of Zhao’an County, moving farther and farther away from the person he longed for in his heart…
Zhao’an County
Early in the morning, Zhinuan was already up, first going to the Vegetable Market to buy vegetables, spices, adeptly choosing vegetables, selecting meat, catching chickens, and ducks, impressing Yuan Cheng with her expertise.
“For sweet and sour spare ribs, you should choose ribs from this part, they taste the best. Also, this tenderloin here, it’s particularly tender when fried, and this section of the pig trotter is good for braising, while this foot is suitable for marinating!”
Zhinuan pointed out each selection, and Yuan Cheng quickly took note on the side.
Even when picking onions, ginger, and garlic, Zhinuan instructed Yuan Cheng in all seriousness, not to mention choosing fish.
“Black fish, crucian carp, common carp, bass-though they are all fish, their texture varies, as do the cooking methods. Choose bass for steaming, crucian carp for braising, and black fish for sour cabbage fish!”
“…” Yuan Cheng swallowed.
He realized he was in the presence of a master chef among chefs.
Chapter 24