Chapter 23 – Following the Army Southward

The carriage swayed rockily as it carried Murong Zhining towards the south, leaving behind her loved ones. As the Imperial Capital grew more and more vague in the background, Murong Zhining said in her heart: Goodbye Little Big Brother, goodbye Cai Sang, goodbye, Your Majesty. No, never to meet again! A teardrop rolled down her face, but her heart was like calm water without a single ripple.

Yan Feng sat alone in the Imperial Study and gazed at “Sonorous” in a daze. He had become even more withdrawn. Outside the court, he didn’t see Chiyun Yuexuan in private anymore. Thinking about Chiyun Yuexuan bringing Murong Zhining away today, his empty heart kept cramping with a sharp pain. This feeling of helplessness was breaking his heart.

Behind Yan Feng, Qi Shangming looked at him with reddened eyes and shook his head, not knowing how to console him. They all said the emperor’s love was fickle, only he understood Yan Feng’s thoughts. Qi Shangming felt a little guilty, if it wasn’t for him suggesting Yan Feng send Murong Zhining to Minghui Palace, if he hadn't advised Yan Feng against sending people to chase after Murong Zhining when she was taken away, perhaps Yan Feng wouldn’t be so anguished right now.

During the bumpy day in the carriage, Murong Zhining felt sleepy the entire way. At dusk, Chiyun Yuexuan chose an area near the river as their rest stop and ordered the team to camp here.

A short guard helped Murong Zhining out of the carriage and took her to a camp. The guard bowed. “From now on, this servant will be serving Miss Murong.”

Murong Zhining was startled. From the voice, this turned out to be a woman.

Murong Zhining curiously asked, “How come there are women in the army?”

The young woman neatly made a mattress bed on the ground for her. “My name is Luo Siyao. My father is a sinned official, so my family was implicated and sent to various military units as slaves. General Chiyun sent me to serve you.”

Murong Zhining mused for a bit before nodding. “So the army really takes in family female members of officials.”

Murong Zhining took out Biwu to show Luo Siyao, asking if she had seen it before. Luo Siyao shook her head no. She received Biwu in her hand and observed it. “While I haven’t seen this jade pendant before, I recognize the material to be an extremely rare jade called the Monarch Green . Those who can afford to wear this kind of jade are either the emperor himself or the members of the imperial clan. Miss Murong, you can take this pendant to the general and ask him, he is more knowledgeable about this.”

Murong Zhining replied with downcast eyes. “I was just asking, there’s no need to disturb the general. He wouldn’t help me answer this anyway.”

Murong Zhining looked around the tent, its space wasn’t very big, like a tiny room. The ground was covered with carpet. In the center was a short table with two cushions around it. Murong Zhining sat down on a cushion and pointed at the other, gesturing for Luo Siyao to take a seat. Luo Siyao lowered her head. “I dare not be presumptuous, I’m only a military slave.”

Murong Zhining said sorrowfully, “It’s okay, just sit. I’m someone that’s not even worthy to be a slave. If you don't mind, just call me Zhining.”

Luo Siyao hesitated, seemingly unsettled. “Then, I will call you by name when no one else is around.”

A bit later, a soldier delivered Murong Zhining’s supper - three mantous and a bowl of porridge. Morong Zhining made Luo Siyao eat with her. Luo Siyao’s face reddened as she sat on the opposite cushion and took a mantou. The two began to chat as they ate. Murong Zhining asked curiously, “What do you guys do after you were sent to the army as slaves?”

Luo Siyao’s eyes turned red. “I can be considered lucky. Thanks to General Chiyun, I only ran some miscellaneous errands. Other former noble young misses have to suffer an extremely miserable fate.” With a flushed face, Luo Siyao continued, “They are like military shared concubines at the mercy of others. Those soldiers practice fighting during the day, and at night, they defile the slaves.”

Murong Zhining’s eyes reddened. “The fate of women like us is never good.”

Luo Siyao looked at her with envy and admiration. “Like Miss Murong is already very good. It’s a blessing to be a concubine of General Chiyun.”

Murong Zhining’s face sank. “I’m not his concubine. And you can call me by my name from now on.”

After the meal, Luo Siyao called for a waist-high wooden barrel to be brought in. A little later, some people carried two buckets of warm water and poured into the barrel. Luo Siyao hung a curtain so that Murong Zhining could bathe. Murong Zhining marveled that the army still had such good conditions.

Luo Siyao chuckled, “Not everyone has this treatment, only a few generals can enjoy it. The soldiers all have to run to the river for a quick wash, and so do us military slaves. General Chiyun didn’t say anything, so I took it upon myself to have people fetch the water.”

As Luo Siyao helped Murong Zhining wash her body, she saw that dreadful imprint on her back. The wound seemed to have just healed, some places already grew scabs while some still had mucus oozing out. The two characters “Chiyun” could vaguely be seen. Luo Siyao was terrified just by looking at it.

Luo Siyao asked, incredulous, “Why are you branded with the warhorse seal? I’ve seen General Chiyun brand this on the army deserters as well, but on their faces instead.”

Murong Zhining’s eyes were filled with tears. “I am an animal of the Chiyun family, so you shouldn’t consider me as a master. I can’t even compare to you.”

Luo Siyao carefully wiped around the wound. “The general treats his servants quite nice. I’ve never seen him beat up the military slaves, and never heard any of them being branded either.”

Murong Zhining stubbornly said, “That’s because I’m a disobedient slave.”

Luo Siyao was both angry and upset. “You’re still smiling? I feel hurt just looking at it. The wound even has pus. If you don’t treat this with care, you’ll get infected.”

Murong Zhining turned around to look at Luo Siyao. “Siyao… Can you do me a favor? You girls who stay in the army must be brave, can you help me cut off the brand on my back? I’m not afraid of pain.”

Luo Siyao was frightened. She yelped, “Miss Murong, please don’t make me do this, I really don’t have the guts. Besides, it will take your life.”

Murong Zhining’s eyes shone with an obstinate light. “Too bad my hands can’t reach it, or else, I would personally slice this piece of skin off.”

Luo Siyao shuddered upon those words.

When leaving the next day, Luo Siyao followed behind the carriage. Murong Zhining lifted the curtains, smiling and waving at her, but Luo Siyao shrank her neck, not daring to responsd. Murong Zhining called for the carriage to stop and pulled her inside.

The team traveled during the day and stopped at night in the camps set up by the soldiers, day after day. Murong Zhining often held Biwu in a daze and quietly wept. She never showed her weakness in front of other people, but when there was no one else around, she would secretly cry. She missed nanny, missed Cai Sang, and missed the little big brother who gave her Biwu. They clearly had an agreement to meet, yet Murong Zhining had never been able to grasp her own fate.

Unknowingly, the carriage had traveled for over ten days. Murong Zhining’s desperate heart slowly recovered with the sprouting hope that one day, she could gain freedom and do all the things that were waiting for her to do.

Murong Zhining and Luo Siyao slowly grew familiar. Luo Siyao was no longer restrained like before, and their conversations became more casual as the range of topics gradually broadened. Therefore, their journey wasn’t so lonely.

Luo Siyao carefully asked Murong Zhining, “They all say you are General Chiyun’s beloved concubine, but why hasn’t he come to see you for over ten days?”

Murong Zhining’s face grew heavy as she clamped her mouth shut.

Luo Siyao was a bit self-conscious. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I was only curious because I overheard the soldiers discuss. But how can a beloved concubine be branded? I should have realized sooner. I’m really sorry, Zhining, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Murong Zhining held her hand and smile. “It’s fine, I don’t care how others see me. I’m only a hostage of the general, you only need to understand it that way.”

Luo Siyao nodded with a puzzled face, her ability to comprehend was limited.

Perhaps because the road was too bumpy or the weather was disagreeable, Murong Zhining felt very uncomfortable. She was always sleepy and unable to eat anything. Murong Zhining lay on her side in the carriage, her stomach churned acutely.

Luo Siyao wiped the sweat on her forehead and gently comforted her, “You girls who have never traveled long distances are always a bit more precious, unlike us who have grown rough and tough from constantly following the army. It’ll be okay after you adapt to this in a while.”

With a pale face, Murong Zhining nodded.

When they stopped for rest that evening, Murong Zhining was unconscious. Two soldiers helped Luo Siyao carry her into the camp. When Luo Siyao saw that Murong Zhining’s illness seemed quite serious, she told a guard to report to Chiyun Yuexuan.

Chiyun Yuexuan let the guard return with an ice cold answer, “Since when has a lowly slave become so precious? She’ll be fine in a few days.”

At night, Murong Zhining was in a deep coma. She didn’t react no matter how hard Luo Siyao shook her. Luo Siyao was anxious to the point of tears. At this moment, a short and small soldier charged into the camp, threw off their helmet and knelt before the mattress, sobbing as they hugged Murong Zhining. Luo Siyao looked closely and realized that this was also a girl.

The girl’s sobs brought back a sliver of consciousness in Murong Zhining. She slightly opened her eyes.

Murong Zhining carressed the girl’s face and weakly asked, “Cai Sang, why are you here? Am I dreaming again?”

Cai Sang covered the hand that was touching her face with her own. “It’s me, I’ve been following you all this time. I was scared to worry you and didn’t dare to tell you. We have promised each other to share the happiness and pain as sisters, so don’t even think of leaving me behind.”

Murong Zhining helplessly gave a pained smile.

Cai Sang went to see Chiyun Yuexuan herself. Unable to stand her pestering, he impatiently sent a military doctor. The doctor, Qiao Bin, once worked in the palace as an imperial physician and possessed excellent medical skills. A few years ago, he was punished and expelled from the palace by Yan Feng after he failed to save the empress and the prince. Chiyun Yuexuan saw that his medical skill was superb, so he kept him as a military doctor in the Chiyun Army.

Qiao Bin carefully checked Murong Zhining’s pulse. He closed his eyes with an expression that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.