Chapter 98 - Close To The Truth (1)

By the time Xiong Jingfei opened her eyes, the sun was already up high in the sky. She instantly sat up realizing she overslept!

Then she questioned herself on how did she get back from Feng Huan's tent? The last thing she recalled was talking to him and deciding to close her eyes for a second. When she seemed to have hit her head on something soft. It did bounce her to wake up, but her lids were heavy and her body refused to move.

It was shutting down slowly, but not fast enough when she heard another voice entering Feng Huan's tent. A voice that did not belong to Feng Huan or Captain Hu. It was unclear when that person mentioned his name. What did he say his name was? 

She rubbed her head, thinking hard who was it that witnessed her flaw. The only person who would know about that person is Feng Huan, but he is quite busy with everything else. He didn't have time to see her without a good enough reason. 

"Shouldn't bother him with unimportant things," Xiong Jingfei sighed, trying to convince herself it wasn't worth the worry. 

It didn't take long for that mindset of hers to shatter. The image she worked so hard to keep up might have been destroyed and already passed around. She took a look herself in case her bloody dress was still being worn. 

No… It seemed like someone changed her dress too! Did she change herself or did Xu Song do it? How can see not recall anything!

"Miss, you are finally up!" Xu Song cheerfully walked in with a basket filled with delicious things. The aroma sent Xiong Jingfei's stomach cry asking to be stuffed. Xu Song smiled, "Be patience." 

Xu Song set up the food on the table as she joined Xiong Jingfei. While eating, Xiong Jingfei asked, needing to know the answer. "Xu Song, how did I get back yesterday?" 

Xu Song tilted her head, "Miss, by the time I came back. You were already sleeping on the bed?" 

Xiong Jingfei stopped eating and put down her chopsticks. How can she recall someone else entering Feng Huan's tent, but not returning on her own? At least, one of her question was answered. Xu Song wasn't the one who carried her back. Nor did she witness if she did walk back on her own. 

"T-then, did you change my dress?" Xiong Jingfei asked, picking up the teacup to take a drink.

"No, you already changed by the time I returned too. Is something wrong? Ah! Miss, drink slowly!" Xu Song got up and patted Xiong Jingfei on the back. Picking up a cloth, she wiped away the spilled tea. 

She grabbed the cloth from Xu Song and wiped her mouth. Then did she sleepwalk and change herself? 

"Ahem! M-miss, are you up?" A male voice outside shouted nervously. He didn't wait for Xiong Jingfei to call him in. Not knowing if she was up or not, he continued to convey his message. "L-leader said that whenever you are ready. Supplies sorting and preparation is about to start in case of another battle." 

Then he ran away without waiting for her reply too. They watched his shadow accidentally tripping over the thick rope holding her tent. He let out a tiny yelp, but quickly got himself up and ran away again. As if he was terrified of Xiong Jingfei or something inside her tent.  

Xiong Jingfei gave up on finding out how she got back to her tent. It was a waste to think it over when she couldn't recall anything. She left ahead and let Xu Song take care of the cleaning up. 

Walking outside, it sounded like the first day when she arrived. Quiet, but loud with mostly men around making a lot of noise. It seems like they became more relax after the other side retreated.

However, that didn't mean they can stop being busy. Those fighting in the front were coming up with a new strategy. While the medical team was preparing for an emergency. Finding the most efficient and best way to care for severely injured soldiers. It was a sad decision, but those with a higher chance of living will be placed ahead.

That suggestion was actually made by Xiong Jingfei. Everyone agreed with her, and no one voiced any objection. The oddest part was that they all seemed to be very afraid of her. Maybe she was overthinking it, but it felt like the Yin's disciple was more cautious of her than the other doctors. 

Whenever she glanced over at them, they would deliberately avoid her eye contact and divert it elsewhere. The only person not avoiding her was the medical team leader. He smiled when she looked over at him. 

It was said that he was actually a talented person from a very young age. Unfortunately, according to Xiong Jingfei's knowledge. He cannot inherit the Yin's headmaster position. Only those born directly from the bloodline has the right to take that place. 

From what she was told by the Yin's disciple before they started avoiding her like the plague. He was an orphan child and was adopted into the Yin's family. They began teaching him at the age of three. Showing him different types of herbs, taste, and practiced his sense of smell to become accustomed to it. He showed them promising results, but not enough to be the leader of the Yin's household. A tradition that cannot be broken because they already broke one of the Yin clan's rule. 

The Yin's disciple surrounding her was not in a much better position from him. They were all orphans adopted too. They went through the same process of learning about the secrets medicine belong only to the Yin clan. 

For the longest time, the Yin household refused to teach outsiders their secrets and techniques. A rule they stuck by strictly. It began to change a few years back before her mother, Yin Yingtai, married Xiong Guozhi. It was ordered by his majesty for them to make this change. 

They couldn't disobey, so they found a loophole in this decree. Picking up orphans on the street, so only they will stay loyal to the Yin's household. 

When everything was discussed and done with the preparation. Before heading back, Xiong Jingfei stopped herself from returning back to the tent right away. Not far, she heard a bunch of chattering and laughing coming from the Yin's disciple. 

There they were, in a circle chatting as if they were siblings or long time friends. None of them looked past their forties either. They were the closest thing to her mother's side of the family. She wanted to talk to one of them about what her mother was like back then. 

Whenever she did, one of them would find an excuse for why they can't talk right now. Another one said they suddenly had hearing problems. Then the last person she asked couldn't find an excuse. So he ran away without turning back. 

"Miss, doesn't it seems like they are trying to avoid you?" Xu Song said, watching from the sideline. 

It was perfect timing when she asked because of the younger Yin's disciple walked in on them. When he heard the asked question, he immediately turned around and ran. Then again, they bet he was the same person this afternoon. He tripped again on someone else's rope for their tent. 

"Don't you find it odd?" Xiong Jingfei inspected each and every of those on the medical team. Those who were ordered by his majesty to come out and serve this war. 

"What do you mean?" Xu Song couldn't find anything out of place. If anything, the war was the oddest one out of everything. Out of nowhere, there was a sudden attack. When previously it was just both sides guarding the border against each other. Then for the other side to suddenly launch a war against them. 

Xu Song wasn't far off on what she said. One, those who were helping in the war on the medical side were mostly all from the Yin family. They are ordered to serve the royal family only unless they received the approval to help someone else. Xiong Jingfei counted at least only six doctors who did not belong to the Yin clan. 

Two, those who are fighting on the front line were Commander Xiong and Commander Feng's army. It was said that the other generals were headed to a different location to protect it. So far, they haven't received any news of those base getting attacked either. Maybe, she was overthinking things again, and the news just hasn't reached them yet. 

It is just that somewhere deep down. Everything about this war was completely off and odd. Xiong Jingfei hoped it had nothing to do with a power struggle within the Imperial court. Nothing that had to do with her family on both sides. Nothing that had to do with her arranged marriage with Yang Zheyan.