Chapter 173
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The Youzhou warships departed smoothly.
Yuan Li sheathed his big knife, and Chen Xi immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It was freezing cold, and the back of his clothes was already soaked with sweat.
“Take Young Master Chen down and interrogate him thoroughly,” Yuan Li coldly tossed the knife to Jia Qing, showing no emotion on his face, “Find out what they, father and son, have done to our Grand General, and where they have forced our Grand General to go.”
Jia Qing took the knife and replied solemnly, “Yes.”
Chen Xi struggled frantically and panicked, “I don’t know anything!”
Before he could say anything else, he was taken away by the guards in a sorry state.
Yuan Li dismissed the others and stood alone at the bow, enjoying the breeze.
Lin Tian approached cautiously and advised, “My Lord, it’s windy out here. You should go back and rest.”
Yuan Li lowered his head, gazing at the churning dark sea. One could tell how cold it was just by looking at it. Lost in thought for a moment, he muttered in a hoarse voice, “How dare he say that Chu Hechao is dead.”
Lin Tian had a feeling that it was as he expected, feeling distressed in his heart, he comforted Yuan Li, “The Grand General is blessed with great fortune; he will surely overcome the danger.”
Yuan Li didn’t say anything.
Nobody knew the fear in his heart, as violent as the waves in the Bohai Sea. Fear crept in, almost devouring him.
No one could understand what Yuan Li was feeling.
Before, when others talked about how there was no one in this world that they couldn’t live without, Yuan Li had always thought the same. However, even though he was strong, he didn’t know how he had survived these days, feeling numb and disoriented.
It was like a piece of his heart had been gouged out, causing intense pain. The thought of Chu Hechao actually being dead made Yuan Li feel empty and at a loss.
They hadn’t grown old together yet, hadn’t done so many things together.
Yuan Li couldn’t imagine what the future would be like without Chu Hechao.
Chen Xi’s words today were a heavy blow to him, but he didn’t want to believe it and couldn’t believe it. Whether he was deluding himself or not, Yuan Li couldn’t believe that Chu Hechao was dead.
He kept repeating to himself that it was impossible.
The Yangzhou navy followed from a distance, but their ships couldn’t match the speed of the improved Youzhou warships. Gradually, they fell behind. When they were about to enter Yuan Li’s territory, they reluctantly turned back.
Yuan Li didn’t return to Jizhou but went directly to the coast of Youzhou.
Once the warship entered his territory, the people on the ship breathed a sigh of relief.
Upon reaching the shore, the large navy was already waiting. After Yuan Li disembarked, he didn’t linger here for long. He only instructed Kong Ran and Gu Yue to prepare to lead the entire navy and warships to attack Chen Wang in a month’s time.
The navy now numbered forty-five thousand, which was no match for the Yangzhou navy’s quantity.
However, Youzhou’s real strength was not in the navy but in the infantry.
Yuan Li didn’t return to Chu Wang’s mansion or visit his own parents. He directly came to the Youzhou military camp and dispatched fifty thousand Youzhou soldiers to the Bohai navy to take over the navy. After that, another fifty thousand Youzhou soldiers would be dispatched, along with a message to Bingzhou and Jizhou. Both provinces were to send fifty thousand troops each to join the two hundred thousand troops on land, advancing to Xuzhou in advance.
With a force of a whole 300,000 troops, Yuan Li was determined to make Chen Wang suffer a crushing defeat and pay for his blood debts.
As he returned to Youzhou and took these military actions, news of Chu Hechao’s death or disappearance spread throughout the North like wildfire.
Yang Zhongfa, Guan Zhihuai, and other generals in the Northern Border were stunned when they heard the news. Their blood ran cold. It took them a while to come back to their senses, and they immediately dropped what they were doing to find Yuan Li and understand the whole story. Those who couldn’t make it sent urgent messages asking for details.
These people and messages were something Yuan Li had no time to deal with, so he handed them over to Zhou Gongdan, Guo Mao, and Liu Jixin. Not long after, everyone knew the details of Chu Hechao’s death.
Chu Hechao fell into an ambush set by Chen Wang and plunged into the Huai River. After searching for half a month, Yuan Li had yet to find him, and his whereabouts were now unknown.
Even Yuan Congyun followed him, with his fate also uncertain.
Ever since Chu Hechao went to the battlefield, Yang Zhongfa had imagined countless times that he or Chu Hechao and their other comrades might die. But when reality hit, he aged in an instant.
It was as if he had been struck by a heavy blow, tears welled up in his eyes as he kept muttering, “Impossible.”
He Lang rushed back from the Northern Border, traveling day and night. His eyes were bloodshot, and his neck veins were bulging. He wailed in pain, his expression grim.
“Where is Duke Wen now? I want to see Duke Wen,” He Lang clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, “I want to follow Duke Wen and attack Chen Wang to avenge the General!”
Yang Zhongfa closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed his trembling hands, “I will go with you!”
Zhou Gongdan sighed, “Since the Lord returned, he hasn’t taken a day’s rest in the mansion. He’s still in the military camp arranging troops and inspecting supplies. If you want to find him, go there.”
Yang Zhongfa and He Lang arrived at the Youzhou main camp and soon met Yuan Li.
At their first glance, the hatred and grief that had been accumulating in their hearts for Yuan Li suddenly paused. They could hardly recognize him.
Yuan Li had lost a lot of weight, and his once-fitting clothes were now loose. The light-hearted smile that often appeared on his face was gone, replaced by a cold and stern expression, a pale complexion that clearly showed he had not been well during this time.
Yuan Li also noticed them. After a brief exchange with several generals, he walked over without any courtesy and asked plainly, “What is it?”
Yang Zhongfa didn’t know what to say for a moment, choking out, “How… How did you become so thin?”
He Lang also felt distressed and relieved at the same time. He was relieved that Yuan Li sincerely treated the General like family. But everyone was upset about the General’s death, and he couldn’t hide the grief in his heart, saying with concern, “Duke Wen, the General… You have to take care of yourself to hold on.”
Yuan Li’s expression didn’t change much; he just nodded and asked, “What’s the matter with you coming to find me?”
He Lang said angrily, “Both General Yang and I came to find you, hoping you would let us go south and fight Chen Wang!”
Yuan Li didn’t hesitate for long and agreed, “The General is not here now, and only Jia Qing is not enough. I had planned to take you and these other generals with me. Not just you and Yang Zhongfa, I’m also taking Guan Zhihuai along. I have discussed it with Guan Zhihuai, and he has decided to go south by land. Do you want to go by water or by land?”
After thinking it over, the two finally decided that He Lang and Guan Zhihuai would lead 200,000 troops by land, while Yang Zhongfa and Jia Qing would follow Yuan Li with 100,000 troops by water.
Yuan Li then looked at He Lang and said, “You should go back and pack your bags. We cannot delay any longer. Once the provisions are ready, the infantry will set off.”
He Lang agreed without hesitation and immediately excused himself to prepare his belongings.
However, Yang Zhongfa didn’t leave.
He was not He Lang, who didn’t realize that the relationship between the General and Yuan Li was more than just friendship and family. Yang Zhongfa couldn’t fathom how Yuan Li managed to endure these difficult days after the General’s demise.
“Duke Wen…” His voice was hoarse, struggling to find the right words, “You…”
He couldn’t find the words to console Yuan Li.
Yang Zhongfa forced a bitter smile, wiping his face. He was still suffering himself, how could he console others not to grieve?
Seeing Yuan Li’s appearance, Yang Zhongfa felt equally distressed.
Suddenly, Yuan Li said, “I believe he’s not dead.”
Yang Zhongfa looked up at him.
But Yuan Li didn’t look at Yang Zhongfa; his gaze was fixed on the distant horizon. His lips tightened, “He’s definitely not dead.”
His conviction was unwavering, even though there was no evidence to support it. Yang Zhongfa, however, found himself believing Yuan Li. He thought of Yuan Li’s miracles and the divine connection between him and the General. It gave him some strength.
They were a divinely chosen couple. How could the General leave early?
Yang Zhongfa nodded firmly, “You’re right. The General has escaped numerous life-threatening situations. He is truly blessed and will surely be fine.”
This thought finally gave him a bit of relief. Yang Zhongfa stood with Yuan Li for a while before suddenly coming to his senses, “Duke Wen, the General left something with me. He told me that if something happened to him, I should give these things to you.”
Yuan Li was surprised and turned to look at him. It was the first time he heard of this, “What things?”
Yang Zhongfa said, “Come with me.”
Yang Zhongfa led Yuan Li to his residence and brought him to a secluded courtyard.
When the main door opened, Yuan Li saw piles of wooden boxes of different sizes and letters scattered on a table, almost filling the entire room.
His gaze fixed on the sight, Yuan Li had a vague idea of what these were, and his heart softened, “Are these all from him to me?”
“Yes,” Yang Zhongfa glanced into the room, unable to help but smile and sigh, “On the battlefield, danger lurks everywhere, and the General was afraid that he might not come back one day… Even if there were no dangers in the battlefield, he was also worried that he would leave eight years before you, who are eight years younger than him. So, in secret, he prepared many things in these past few years. The letters are written once a month, eight years’ worth of them. The gifts are the same. In addition to twelve sets each year, there are also birthday gifts for you, all here. The General made me promise that if I left first, he would take care of my family. If he left first, I would take care of you.”
Yuan Li’s eyes welled up with tears, unable to find the right words.
“Duke Wen, the General truly cares for you,” Yang Zhongfa wiped his eyes and strengthened his resolve, “You must take care of yourself for his peace of mind. Eat well, sleep well, and let the General rest assured. No one usually enters this room. Take a look around, and I won’t disturb you. I’ll go pack my bags.”
Yuan Li let out a soft acknowledgment, not knowing if Yang Zhongfa heard it clearly.
Yang Zhongfa left, and Yuan Li was alone in the courtyard. He closed the door and slowly walked around the room, finally stopping by the table, absentmindedly picking up a letter.
Among the envelopes were old and new ones. The one Yuan Li held was written by Chu Hechao just before they departed for Xuzhou.
The familiar handwriting and words made him feel like Chu Hechao was standing right in front of him, speaking to him. As he read, his vision gradually blurred, and tears streamed down, falling on the letter.
One drop, two drops, the scorching tears wrinkled the paper.
Amidst the blurred vision, Yuan Li only saw the last sentence.
“Don’t worry, even with just one breath, I will fight to stay alive for you.”
Don’t worry about me.
As long as I have a breath, I will fight to stay alive for you.
***
On the river.
In the cramped and filthy fishing boat, hidden in the bottommost cabin among the ropes and wooden barrels, there were dozens of people.
Someone quietly opened the door and entered. The others looked at him warily but relaxed when they realized he was one of them, putting down their weapons.
The person walked quickly to Yuan Congyun’s side, taking out some herbs and clean linen hidden in his embrace, whispering, “Sir, the people on this boat are poor, and we could only get these things to change the General’s bandages.”
Yuan Congyun shook his head with a bitter smile, “It’s fine, anything will do. We can’t be picky in this situation.”
Holding the herbs and linen, he moved to the other side, where Chu Hechao was leaning against the wall, resting with his eyes closed. His face lacked color, and his clothes were in disarray. The upper half of his body was wrapped in white cloth, and he had an unkempt beard. Despite looking thin and pale, there was no sign of weakness in his steady and sharp gaze when he opened his eyes to look at Yuan Congyun.
Yuan Congyun said, “General, it’s time to change the bandages.”
Chu Hechao nodded, taking off his upper garment to allow Yuan Congyun to tend to his wounds. When Yuan Congyun was almost done, Chu Hechao finally spoke, “What time is it?”
His voice was hoarse; falling into the Huai River must have injured his throat.
“The sun has already set. It’s almost night,” Yuan Congyun whispered, “The winter in the south isn’t very cold, and even the river surface hasn’t frozen.”
Chu Hechao adjusted his clothing, giving a faint “Mm” in response. He subconsciously wanted to touch the jade Buddha pendant around his neck, but found nothing there, causing him to lower his head, thinking of Yuan Li.
“Unconsciously, a day has passed,” Yuan Congyun said, with a hint of relief, “Fortunately, in half a month, we’ll reach Jiaozhou.”
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Tears of joy are streaming down my face rn (༎ຶ ෴ ༎ຶ)