Chapter 77
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Feeling Ming Yu’s regret and frustration, Xie Yixiu was suddenly struck by a realization. The situation couldn’t be entirely blamed on him; he too hadn’t done everything in his power to protect Ming Yu. Perhaps if he had assigned someone else like A Bing to guard Ming Yu, the situation might not have escalated to its current state.
In this moment, Xie Yixiu really wanted to ruffle Ming Yu’s hair, pull him into an embrace, and speak the most comforting words to soothe him.
But these were just passing thoughts. He was the Wang Ye, despite his current vulnerability, he was not someone Xie Yixiu could treat with disrespect.
“You don’t need to blame yourself, Your Highness,” Xie Yixiu managed to say, although the rest of his comforting words remained stuck in his throat.
“Thank you.” Thousands of words condensed into a single phrase. After the turbulent emotions settled within Ming Yu, he returned to a state of calm. Previously, he had relied on sheer willpower to hold himself together. Now that he had let go, he could no longer maintain his composure. He drifted into a deep sleep in the embrace of Xie Yixiu.
When Ming Yu woke up, the sky had darkened completely. As he shifted, he realized he was lying on a bed of dry grass, covered with Xie Yixiu’s cloak.
Not far away, a dimly lit fire crackled and popped.
Seeing that Ming Yu had awakened, Xie Yixiu walked over and helped him up. “Wang Ye, how are you feeling now?”
Ming Yu had a peaceful sleep, and he felt much better after waking up. His energy had returned. Sitting up, he looked around. It seemed like he was in a cave.
“How long have I been asleep?” Ming Yu asked, his voice hoarse.
“It’s been a day and a night,” Xie Yixiu noticed his discomfort, fetched some water, and gave it to him. Ming Yu felt much better after drinking.
“Thank you!” Mingyue said in a low voice.
Xie Yixiu was taken aback. He had never seen Ming Yulose his composure before. In his presence, Ming Yu had always been exuberant and carefree, radiating vitality from inside out. Interacting with him felt comfortable, like basking in a spring breeze. But now, he appeared disheartened and cautious, almost unrecognizable.
“No need to thank me,” Xie Yixiu softened his voice. “Taking care of Wang Ye is my duty as a subject.”
At this moment, he suddenly had an epiphany. Regardless of anything else, he must protect this young man, not because of his identity, but because of the ripples he had accidentally left in his heart.
Ming Yu nodded, realizing that his identity couldn’t be compromised. If he truly fell into enemy hands, it wouldn’t just involve officials and civilians in Liangzhou; it would bring shame to the entire Great Yan court.
“I understand. From now on, I won’t let such a thing happen again. Even if it’s for the country and the people, I’ll preserve my usefulness and avoid getting into dangerous situations,” Ming Yu said softly, his voice barely audible.
Seeing that Ming Yu had misunderstood his intention, Xie Yixiu opened his mouth as if to speak his mind, but ultimately held back. He resolved to silently protect Ming Yu without burdening him with his feelings.
“Your Highness should know that your identity is not that of an ordinary person. As a Wang Ye, it involves the fate of the nation and its people,” Xie Yixiu glanced at Ming Yu, who nodded obediently. However, he couldn’t continue with his thoughts.
He changed the topic, “Before, Your Highness couldn’t move or speak. Was there a reason for that?”
Ming Yu recollected the past. “I couldn’t move for about a day and night. It was as if I was paralyzed. I could see and hear, but I couldn’t make any movements or speak until the effects of the drug wore off.”
“I don’t know what kind of drug it was, but after consuming it, I couldn’t move for several hours. I had to wait until the effects wore off before I could regain control of my body,” Ming Yu recalled.
Xie Yixiu thought for a moment after hearing his description. “Inside the Suixi borders, there’s a plant called Keji grass. Even livestock that consume it become paralyzed and unable to move. It seems the drug you ingested might have been derived from this plant.”
Mingyue assessed his physical condition and found that apart from feeling a bit hungry, there were no other changes. He truthfully informed Xie Yixiu about this, and Xie Yixiu double-checked several times to ensure that Mingyue’s body was indeed fine. Only then did he truly feel relieved.
“I’ve roasted some fish, they’re simmering over the fire. If it’s not too unpleasant for Your Highness, would you like to have some?”
As soon as he heard there was food, Ming Yu’s eyes lit up. He nodded repeatedly, got up, and sat by the fire, staring eagerly at Xie Yixiu.
Seeing Ming Yu’s eyes glistening like a certain type of small animal, Xie Yixiu couldn’t help but curl his lips slightly. Ming Yu’s anticipation for the meal was quite endearing.
Xie Yixiu walked over, sitting down beside Ming Yu. He took the fish that had been roasting over the fire, gave it another quick heat, and then handed it to Ming Yu.
Ming Yu took the fish, the fragrant aroma wafted directly to him. Ignoring whether it was too hot, he tore off a piece and put it directly into his mouth, causing him to exclaim due to the heat.
“Your Highness, be careful, it’s hot,” Xie Yixiu cautioned.
“Out here, it’s not the same as in the Great Yan. You don’t need to call me ‘Your Highness.’ Just call me Ming Yu or Xiao Shisi,” Ming Yu mumbled with a chuckle. Then he added, “My father and brothers call me that.”
Being outside presented many inconveniences, using his royal title could potentially expose his identity. It was better to change the way he was addressed early on to avoid revealing any weaknesses. Besides, in their current situation, where they were depending on each other in this perilous situation, maintaining formalities was unnecessary. Even in the presence of close acquaintances, Ming Yu never adopted a royal demeanor.
“Ming Yu, Ming Yu,” those two words revolved in Xie Yixiu’s mouth several times, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say them. Instead, he responded smoothly, “Alright.”
Ming Yu felt elated by his response. Paying little attention to formalities, his hungry stomach was growling uncontrollably at the scent of the food. His primary mission at the moment was to fill his belly. It must be said that Xie Yixiu’s cooking skills were truly remarkable. The crispy and tender skin combined with the succulent and flavorful fish meat almost made him forget himself in the rush to devour it.
Originally, Ming Yu thought that cold ice couldn’t possibly be turned into food, but to his surprise, Xie Yixiu’s culinary skills were truly exceptional. In Ming Yu’s view, in current’s society, men who could cook were a rare find. He raised his head and caught Xie Yixiu stealing a glance, and he gestured with the fish in his hand, saying, “Aren’t you going to eat?”
Xie Yixiu shook his head, “I… well, I’ve already eaten.”
Note: the first “I” here he used “I, your subject” but then he changed to normal “I”
Ming Yu responded with an “Oh,” withdrew his hand, and admired, “General Xie… Yixiu, your culinary skills are truly remarkable. Any young lady who marries you would be blessed with endless delights.”
Xie Yixiu smiled wryly. He couldn’t deceive himself about those thoughts. Should he harm someone’s daughter? From the first time he saw Ming Yu, he was surrounded by a halo of brilliance. He never thought they would have much interaction – a prince from the capital and he, with seemingly no connection. After several encounters, he learned about Ming Yu’s gentle and tolerant nature, his unique insights, and boundless talent. How could such a person not draw others’ attention?
As long as he could protect Ming Yu’s territory, protect him, that would be heaven’s grace bestowed upon him.
Xie Yixiu remained silent, allowing a moment of tranquility to settle in the air. Ming Yu’s lighthearted remark made him realize its inappropriateness. Could the esteemed General Xie really crack such casual jokes?
He chuckled softly a few times, attempting to alleviate the awkwardness. “Someone like you, a great general, has others to attend to these matters. You don’t appear to be the type who would engage in such minor tasks.”
Xie Yixiu naturally picked up on the subtlety. “When I was young, my family faced unfortunate circumstances, which is why I learned to take care of such things at a very young age.”
Ming Yu marveled at this revelation; he truly had no knowledge of Xie Yixiu’s past beyond the fact that he had risen to fame in a single battle, becoming a revered figure in the eyes of the Great Yan people.
Initially, he had wanted to learn more from Xie Yixiu, but it became evident that Xie Yixiu wasn’t keen on delving into those matters. He shifted the conversation by asking, “Why did you choose to venture deeper into enemy territory before heading north?”
Licking the juice off his fingers, Ming Yu chuckled before responding, “Do you understand the concept of flanking? The enemy had already blocked our retreat path. Are we supposed to charge straight into death? By taking a detour, even though it elongated our journey, at least we had a chance to escape, right?”
Xie Yixiu stared at him, his face devoid of expression, leaving his thoughts unclear.
Even though Xie Yixiu’s face remained unreadable, Ming Yu knew that Xie Yixiu wasn’t buying into his explanation. Letting out a sigh, he realized that talking to a smart person could be quite a headache. He said, “Well, whatever! Can’t I just say it? It’s not a big deal, okay?”
Having finished one fish, he eagerly accepted the second one that Xie Yixiu handed over and then continued in a leisurely manner, “To be honest, I wanted to go see that place. I never had the chance before, and since I happened to be out now and can’t go back temporarily, I thought of checking it out.”
What’s so interesting over there? It’s desolate and uninhabited. Xie Yixiu’s eyes were filled with curiosity. He knew that Ming Yu wouldn’t have such an idea without reason. To consider venturing north at this moment meant that this thought had been brewing in his mind for a while.
Xie Yixiu clearly disagreed. Ming Yu was a Wang Ye, and it wasn’t appropriate for him to keep thinking about risky endeavors.
Ming Yu chuckled as he explained, “It’s the current situation that brought this idea to the surface. I never dared to think of going there before. My plan used to be to send a small team to scout once the Guard Battalion could truly hold on their own. If that were the case, it probably wouldn’t have been achievable within the next year or two.”
Hearing his words, Xie Yixiu began to contemplate. Was there anything special about the Xiqi Mountains that separated the Suixi Kingdom from the Wuliang Country? Why would Ming Yu be so fixated on it?
“Why the Xiqi Mountains?” Xie Yixiu asked, perplexed.
“Because I want to see if it’s possible to create a pathway to heavens that area,” Ming Yu said as he tore off a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, seemingly oblivious to the audacious statement he had just made.
“Pathway to heavens?” Xie Yixiu looked at Ming Yu’s calm face, wondering if his words conveyed the same meaning he had in mind.
“Yeah, ‘Pathway to heavens’ might not be suitable. It’s more like a corridor leading to the Western Regions…” Ming Yu pondered for a moment. “Yes, a corridor. The terrain over there features a narrow stretch of flatland. The Xiqi Mountains block the northern desert winds, and the Xiqi River flows through it, nurturing a green oasis. What’s even more precious is that this narrow plain extends all the way to the Western Regions, including places like Xihuang and so on. If we can secure that area, our trade caravans won’t need to take longer routes, avoiding additional costs, and we won’t be subject to the constraints of Suixi Kingdom.”
Xie Yixiu suddenly stood up and paced around, his mind racing with more distant thoughts. If Ming Yu’s words were true, then if the Great Yan Kingdom could control this corridor, it could potentially become a crucial military position. It could be used for launching attacks on the rear of Suixi Kingdom, while also serving as a defense for the gates of the Great Yan Kingdom. Perhaps the future of the Great Yan Kingdom’s situation could indeed change due to this.
They hadn’t known about that area before, only aware that Xiqi Mountains separated Suixi Kingdom and Wuliang Country. Between them, there were various other mountain ranges, differing from the lush grasslands to the south of Suixi, the soil was barren and unsuitable for grazing. As a result, this area was nearly desolate, and no one had ever thought that there could be a narrow and elongated plain.
“Is what Your Highness said about this corridor true?” Xie Yixiu couldn’t believe it.
Ming Yu waved his hand, “That’s why we need to conduct an on-site investigation to see if it matches what I’ve been thinking.”
Xie Yixiu was curious how Ming Yu could understand all this without leaving his home. He was skeptical of the notion that some people are born with knowledge.
Xie Yixiu voiced the doubts in his heart, and Ming Yu responded with a foxy smile, saying that one could learn a lot by reading books. He mentioned how he had thoroughly explored his introductory book, “Records of Great Yan’s Geography,” to the point of almost wearing it out.
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They had such a nice talk and time~
Thank You for the new chapter (♡´艸`)