Chapter 270 - Promise

…What is she thinking this time.

Wei Liuying chose to push the thoughts to the back of her mind. She felt that her mind would be getting weirder the more she thought about Yang Xian. It was then she noticed the soldiers were scrambling around. They were trying to make the tent as fast as possible.

"I nearly forget that the night here is not as fierce as the north."

Yang Xian arched his eyebrows. This little woman sure knew how to change conversation at the worst time possible. Well, he can be patient. 

"It's still bad nevertheless. The distance to the nearby city is too far and village won't be enough to fit all of us. We'll have to make do with camping out for tonight."

"How's the search for the soldiers going?"

"Prince Lian escaped." The one who answered was Prince Ji Sheng, who came over to their direction. For this rare occasion, he didn't force Yang Xian to continue being the lead one. His gaze held a trace of amusement when he saw the two of them. "We'll go to Dong Shan City and settled the injured there."

"Any prisoners?"

"No, we killed them all after getting the necessary information."

Yang Xian nodded. It would be risky to keep prisoners in their current situation. "How about the progress of the search for other survivors from the valley below?"

"It's more suitable to call as a river. We'll have to halt the progress until it's autumn or we'll risk getting drowned too. Starting tomorrow, the villages near the new path of the river have to…."

With the new path of the river was opened faster than their plan, some areas have to move their citizen or they would risk getting flooded. Spring had just started, so it meant that the water volume that would come to their place would increase exponentially. If they wished to stay alive, they have to stay away from riverbanks.

When it was autumn, they would close down the path once more and finished their work to dig deeper. At the same time, they would need to clean up the remains of the buried soldiers in this area.

It was loads of work.

"You should rest for tonight. Your tent is over there."

"Got it. You rest too, General Sheng."

"I still have to talk with the commanders."

Yang Xian glanced to the back and noticed the commanders that was coming from Dong Shan City. He looked over to Wei Liuying in his embrace and sighed. It was originally his work to talk with other commanders about Prince Ji Sheng's new order. He had been doing that for a long time.

"Your Highness, let me…."

"I'll take over for today. It's also a good time for me to know how they react in front of me," Prince Ji Sheng interrupted. He didn't want to disturb their time together either since it was hard for these two blockhead to make any advance.

Yang Xian nodded. "It might be surprising for you when you notice their behavior later. But believe me when I say that I never try to influence them."

"Somehow, it's hard to believe you, Xian."

"…Please don't arrange new training for me again."

Prince Ji Sheng passed a glance at Yang Xian and turned around. "That will depend on how your performance will be."

Yang Xian resisted the urge to scowl and walked to the tent that have been prepared for them. He put Wei Liuying on top of the mattress slowly and carefully. Even though there was no visible wound outside, he knew that she didn't come out unscathed after the brutal battle.

"You'll have to tell us the story of what happened at the north."

"I will," Wei Liuying responded. It was then she recalled something. "Also… I'm sorry for Shi Mo."

Yang Xian, who was taking the bandage, paused in his movement. He sighed and muttered, "That idiot."

When Shi Mo persisted to come to the north with Wei Liuying, he already had the inkling that the young man didn't want to leave Princess Ji Xiaoli. It turned out that he was correct.

He didn't want to leave her, literally.

'If I can't be with her, it'll be better for me to go down with her after taking as many people who are responsible for killing her…'

Yang Xian could guess that it was what Shi Mo was thinking when he chose to fight to his bitter end. Unlike Wei Liuying who fought just to survive, Shi Mo was hoping that he could die from this incident.

It was a sad truth.

"I'm sorry. I didn't manage to…"

"It's not your fault. I'm sure you're also busy fighting and keeping your lives when you're there. It's good that you can return back safely."

Wei Liuying raised her head and looked at Yang Xian. He was staring back at her with his eyes held complicated gazes that seemed to tell numerous messages he tried so hard to convey. After a while, Wei Liuying retracted her own gaze.

"I failed to realize and…"

"Even if you do realize, he'll not stop."

"Yes?"

"I believe that he's happy with this end result," Yang Xian responded. He put down the medicine and bandages on the bed, near Wei Liuying. "This is the best end that he could possibly ask for."

Wei Liuying pursed her lips and lowered her head. Even though she knew that it was his decision, she still felt bad because she couldn't stop him from getting killed. In that brutal battlefield, she could only try to keep herself save and fought against the leader to stop him from wounding those who supported Prince Kou.

It was the only method of survival.

"I'll inform Yan and Shi Lu Wen later."

"I'm sure they won't blame you if that's what you're worrying about."

"Why?"

"Why?" Yang Xian reached out his hand and lifted up Wei Liuying's chin to make her look at him directly. His eyes seemed to be able to penetrate deep into her body as he replied softly, "Because it's always Shi Mo's dream to be able to die in the battlefield."