Chapter 0126: Three Lives of Fortune

Chapter 0126: Three Lives of Fortune

Time ticked by slowly.

The air that should have been light now felt like glue, sluggishly flowing through the room, making it hard for those inside to breathe.

Xiao Rong wasn't sure what kind of reaction he wanted from Qu Yunmie. His gift could be seen as a surprise or a shock, depending on how the recipient took it. If so much time had passed and Qu Yunmie still hadn't said anything, perhaps he should be more considerate and give him another chance. Just as Xiao Rong was about to say, "I'm just joking," Qu Yunmie suddenly grabbed his hand holding the teacup. There was still some tea in the cup, and Qu Yunmie's sudden movement almost made Xiao Rong spill it on himself. Even so, Qu Yunmie didn't let go.

The teacup slipped from Xiao Rong's hand, spilling water into the air before landing on the ground with a crisp shattering sound, followed by a rain-like patter.

But no one paid attention to the noise. Xiao Rong's eyes widened; his wrist was still tightly held by Qu Yunmie.

Qu Yunmie shouldn't have used such force because he was injured, which would cause his wounds to stick together. But he couldn't help it; he had something important to say to Xiao Rong, something he had hesitated over but decided to wait until they returned to Chenliu to express.

Traveling wasn't a good time; Xiao Rong was always tense, and he and Qu Yunmie found new points of disagreement almost daily, leading to frequent arguments. Accidents kept happening, leaving them overwhelmed. Qu Yunmie was usually impatient, but this time he was surprisingly patient, needing the right moment and circumstances—like conquering a kingdom. In a sense, Xiao Rong was indeed his kingdom.

But that was all in the past. The gift Xiao Rong gave him was too shocking, stirring a vague feeling within him.

It seemed... it seemed that Xiao Rong might share similar feelings.

So he didn't want to wait any longer; he wanted to say it now.

"Ah Rong, Ah Rong—"

Qu Yunmie's mind went blank at this crucial moment, forgetting what he wanted to say. As he struggled to find the words, he pressed Xiao Rong's hand against his chest. Without the hard, cold armor, only soft, worn fabric remained, just like Qu Yunmie himself—without fancy talents or appearances, but when he was around, you just wanted to lean on him and rest for a night.

Qu Yunmie's heart pounded fiercely, and Xiao Rong could feel its vitality and intense emotions even through the flesh and bone. Today, Xiao Rong turned twenty, but age couldn't determine one's vision and wisdom. Despite being young, Xiao Rong knew far more than the Northern Pacification Army, who had little experience with the world or people.

So, he knew.

He knew Qu Yunmie treated him specially, that from their first meeting, Qu Yunmie had shown him favor. He knew no one would be kind without reason.

Years of living together couldn't make Xiao Rong actively seek family dinners, yet half a year of constant companionship made Qu Yunmie willing to attack Southern Yong for him. Xiao Rong could deceive himself by saying he was Qu Yunmie's brain, his strategist, and that without him, Qu Yunmie would make mistakes and die. But what was the point? He knew Qu Yunmie did it simply for him.

This answer was too obvious. Sometimes, Xiao Rong was grateful for the ignorance of the era and the Northern Pacification Army's lack of bureaucrats' vices, which left them unaware that men could love other men.

Luckily, their ignorance gave Xiao Rong some time to pretend.

But he couldn't pretend forever, especially since it wasn't just his decision. The other person would eventually understand, and with his strong personality, he wouldn't accept Xiao Rong's approach. He would pull Xiao Rong out of the shadows and stand with him in the sunlight, presenting everything, good and bad.

Xiao Rong suddenly spoke quickly: "Don't say it."

Qu Yunmie was stunned, looking at Xiao Rong, who frowned tightly and spoke rapidly, without time for thought, indicating these were his true feelings: "No matter what you want to tell me, I won't give you the response you want."

Qu Yunmie's expression froze, understanding Xiao Rong's meaning, and his face began to pale.

Xiao Rong lowered his eyes and continued: "I have things I need to do. You don't understand me. I'm only suitable to be a minister, not anything else. I'm not a good grandson or brother. I can improve everyone's lives, and that's enough. Don't expect anything else from me because I can't give it. I... I tried to, but I'm too busy. I don't have time, I—"

He said all this in mere seconds, so fast that slower minds couldn't keep up. Hearing him, Qu Yunmie's expression turned bewildered. Suddenly, Xiao Rong took a deep breath, his thoughts breaking, unable to recall what he wanted to say next. Feeling panicked, he instinctively raised his defenses, hiding his vulnerable state.

With a sharp tug, Xiao Rong pulled his hand back, turning his head away, breathing heavily. From his angle, he couldn't see Qu Yunmie, assuming Qu Yunmie couldn't see him either. But all his expressions were exposed to Qu Yunmie's gaze.

Xiao Rong's vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes. He heard the sound of a chair moving, thinking Qu Yunmie was leaving. But he only heard two steps before someone appeared in front of him.

Xiao Rong instinctively looked up, but Qu Yunmie was already kneeling halfway, straightening his back but still shorter than the seated Xiao Rong. This new perspective allowed him to see everything Xiao Rong tried to hide, like his clenched lips, tearful eyes, and reddened fingers.

When Xiao Rong rejected him, Qu Yunmie felt a blow to the head, but seeing Xiao Rong's distress after rejecting him made him understand the pain of heartbreak.

Qu Yunmie lifted his hand, wiping away the tear from Xiao Rong's eye. After a long silence, he said, "I won't say it."

Xiao Rong looked at him, and he smiled slightly: "Saying it is to let you know, but you already know. So why must I say it? Ah Rong, it's okay. If you don't want to hear it, I won't say it. What you don't want, I'll never force upon you. Like this is fine. You gave me such a wonderful gift, and I'll give you something too—freedom."

Qu Yunmie emphasized the last two words, and as he said them, more tears fell from Xiao Rong's eyes, like fleeting pearls.

Qu Yunmie never imagined he'd say such words, mocking himself inwardly as he spoke, "Well, I'm almost a saint of love."

"...Don't cry."

"I know how hard it is to tirelessly work for me day after day. This world is your creation, not mine, so you don't want any variables. Then don't let there be any. Whether as a minister or anything else, whatever identity you choose, I won't stop you, as long as you stay by my side. I'll pretend to be deaf and mute forever, saying nothing."

Xiao Rong released his fingers, looking at Qu Yunmie, who was close enough to touch. When he spoke again, his voice was nasal: "Do you ever feel unlucky?"

For loving someone like him.

Qu Yunmie smiled: "No, I feel incredibly fortunate."

At this, he lifted his other hand, cupping Xiao Rong's face with both hands, making him uncomfortable. Then he sincerely said, "Meeting you, three lives of fortune."

The gauze made Xiao Rong frown, but hearing Qu Yunmie's poetic words, he suddenly laughed.

His laughter made Qu Yunmie laugh too, and they both chuckled like fools for a while before Xiao Rong pushed away Qu Yunmie's hands.

He stood up, murmuring, "I should go to sleep."

Qu Yunmie also stood up, turning to leave, but Xiao Rong called him back: "You... want to stay?"

Blowing out the lamp, they lay side by side in bed, neither closing their eyes.

The room was quiet and dark, and Xiao Rong thought about Qu Yunmie's words tonight and the future, a jumble of thoughts swirling in his head.

After staring at the canopy for a while, Xiao Rong suddenly spoke.

He knew Qu Yunmie wasn't asleep, so he called him confidently: "Qu Yunmie, you haven't wished me a happy birthday."

Qu Yunmie blinked lightly, then said, "May Ah Rong enjoy the beauty of spring and the peace of the seven stars. May Ah Rong achieve his wishes and live a joyful life."

Xiao Rong listened quietly, then closed his eyes.

Qu Yunmie thought he was asleep, but in fact, he was making a wish.

And his wish wasn't for himself. He prayed to an unnamed deity, hoping that the one whose wish would come true would not be him, but Qu Yunmie. ...

The next day, the Northern Pacification Army set off on their return journey.

The snowy road was difficult to traverse, but fortunately, they had brought ample supplies. Moreover, everyone had been away for far too long, and each person was eager to return home, undeterred by the endless white landscape.

Well... there was another reason: if they didn't hurry back, no one would get to celebrate the New Year at home this year. ...

By the end of October, on the fifth day of November, Qu Yunmie and his men finally returned to Chenliu.

The hardships of the journey need not be recounted. Upon entering the city, many felt less like they were returning home and more like refugees finally reaching the main city's shelter.

Fortunately, Chenliu was doing well; it had only snowed once so far. Song Shuo had arranged for the main city to be cleared, and the roads remained dry and clean.

This convenience benefited both the residents and the returning army. As soon as they entered the city, they were greeted with an incredibly warm welcome from the people of Chenliu.

Zhang Biezhi met them outside the city gates. From afar, Xiao Rong saw someone waving their arms wildly, jumping up and down, moving in exaggerated gestures. Anyone who didn't know better might have thought he was performing some kind of ritual.

Only one person in all of Chenliu would act this way in front of Qu Yunmie. Xiao Rong immediately recalled how he had scolded Zhang Biezhi before, and now, seeing him again, he still found his description apt.

All the important figures had left, so it made sense that Zhang Biezhi was there to greet the army. As they got closer, Xiao Rong noticed that the Buddhist monk was also present. His bald head, though not shiny, stood out clearly under the sun. ...

A monkey and a bald monk—this was the welcoming committee for the returning army. Xiao Rong didn't mind; upon seeing their faces, his heart soared with excitement. Though he hadn't been separated from the monk for long—they had played chess together just last month—he still felt a sense of having weathered many storms upon seeing Mi Jing smiling at him from the city gate.

Indeed, part of his emotion stemmed from nearly dying, but more importantly, he was home.

Just as the soldiers behind him shouted, "We're home! We're finally home!"

"Ha ha ha! We're home!"

Getting so excited even before entering the city might seem inappropriate to outsiders, lacking military discipline. Normally, Qu Yunmie would have punished these rowdy soldiers, but today, he let it slide. They were almost home, and there was no need to dampen their spirits, especially since there were no outsiders around, only family. *

Xiao Rong dismounted at the city gate. He didn't want to enter with the army and be showered with food from the citizens. The last time, he had ended up with a bump on his head that took a while to heal. Besides, he had other questions he wanted to ask.

Looking around, he couldn't see Song Shuo, which worried him. "Why isn't Song Shuo here? Did he tire himself sick? Or did the cold trigger his weak condition?"

Zhang Biezhi, who had been grinning at him, suddenly looked crestfallen. "You only care about Song Shuo? Don't you care about me? I captured Yiyang, didn't my brother-in-law tell you? I've been waiting here for you all morning! Why don't you ask if I'm cold?"

Xiao Rong: "......"

He silently looked at Zhang Biezhi. "Are you cold?"

Zhang Biezhi: "Cold? Not physically, but emotionally. You don't care about me!"

Xiao Rong reflexively glanced behind him, realizing that Qu Yunmie had already led the army into the city. He awkwardly rubbed his nose, and at that moment, his eyes met those of another person looking back.

Mi Jing: "......"

Amitabha, this poor monk doesn't know. *

After the Buddhist monk returned to Chenliu, the troops stationed in Yiyang could relax a bit. Song Shuo arranged for a rotation, bringing Zhang Biezhi back as well.

During the days when Yuan Baifu betrayed them, it wasn't just Yizhou and Ningzhou that were on high alert; the entire nation had been shaken. People in Southern Yong started fleeing en masse, while those north of the Huai River stayed indoors. Song Shuo, fearing there might be traitors within the city, implemented strict reforms. As for the unfortunate Yuan family, they had been imprisoned the day after Song Shuo learned of Yuan Baifu's betrayal, awaiting Qu Yunmie's return for further action.

From over a thousand miles away, the news of any misfortune in Chenliu would be useless; they could only wait anxiously.

Xiao Rong's abduction and rescue happened simultaneously, leaving those who received the news feeling like they were on a roller coaster. Xiao Rong immediately asked if the Chen family knew about it. Zhang Biezhi casually replied, "They didn't know. Lady Xiao has been quiet these past few months, staying in her room and causing less trouble."

Xiao Rong frowned. "But what about my grandmother's health..."

Zhang Biezhi: "She's fine! She can still eat three large pancakes per meal."

Xiao Rong: "..."

It seemed everything was truly fine.

Everyone was well, and Song Shuo's absence wasn't due to illness but for another reason. Zhang Biezhi told Xiao Rong to see for himself. ...

After some time apart, Xiao Rong noticed that Zhang Biezhi's temper had grown. And Xiao Rong was genuinely intimidated by this change.

To wait for the army to pass, they entered a nearby teahouse. Sitting on the mats, Xiao Rong was surprised and reached out to touch the floor. Zhang Biezhi chuckled. "Don't know what this is, do you? It's called a heated floor. A craftsman came up with this method shortly after you left. Now, all the eateries in the city use it, and many chairs have been removed."

Xiao Rong: "..."

He was merely surprised, not blind to what it was.

Xiao Rong's patience with Zhang Biezhi was wearing thin, but the latter didn't notice and continued talking about the changes in the city. Xiao Rong waved him off. "Enough, enough. Let's talk about this later. Has anything significant happened in the city?"

Zhang Biezhi scratched his head. "No, everyone was worried when the King left, fearing bandits or refugees might attack. Almost no one caused trouble."

Xiao Rong then asked, "What about Southern Yong? Have there been any recent developments?"

Before Zhang Biezhi could answer, Mi Jing spoke up. "No major developments, but minor ones keep happening. Shen Yangrui has been dismissed."

Xiao Rong was stunned. "Dismissed?!"

He was a great general, Sun Renluan's most trusted aide. How could he be dismissed?

Mi Jing nodded. "The specifics are unclear, but now Southern Yong has a new general. Grand Marshal Sun Renluan is recruiting troops from various cities. They realize they have thoroughly angered the King. If the King follows through with his plan to attack next spring, Jinling will not be easily taken."

Xiao Rong doubted his ears and asked hesitantly, "Your meaning is..."

Mi Jing: "Try to persuade the King to attack as soon as possible."

Xiao Rong: "…………"

Unbelievable, even the monk is suggesting an early battle now.

Xiao Rong understood Mi Jing’s intentions—early action means less casualties. If Sun Renluan manages to gather troops from various cities, Jinling will be even harder to breach, already being a fortress. With more troops, it would become nearly impossible.

Jinling excels in defense, and the tactic of sneaking over the walls and opening the gates has already been used in Xianbei; it likely won’t work again in Jinling.

But after some consideration, Xiao Rong shook his head. "I understand your heart. You want to reduce casualties on both sides, but these few months are not suitable for battle. Our soldiers are already exhausted. The Left Army is still recovering and not yet trustworthy. The Front and Right Armies are scattered across Xianbei and Khitan territories. The Rear Army is worse off; General Wang injured his leg and may have internal injuries. We need time to rest and recuperate. The King knows this, which is why he decided to move south next spring."

At this point, he paused and reassured Mi Jing, "Don't worry. Southern Yong is on the brink of collapse. Even if we delay the attack, the King will still win. Based on my understanding of Shen's Army, I believe the defenders of Jinling share the same mindset. They will likely surrender once we reach their doorstep."

Mi Jing: "……"

Zhang Biezhi: "……"

Logically, they should be happy, but learning that their compatriots were so cowardly left them with mixed feelings.

For a moment, no one spoke. Mi Jing picked up the tea on the table, about to drink, when he suddenly remembered something. "By the way, the Right Army has returned."

Xiao Rong was also drinking tea and almost spilled it on himself at the news. "Returned? Did Gongsun Yuan return victorious?"

Mi Jing nodded. "The military report came two days ago. Khitan surrendered, and Gongsun Yuan escorted the Khitan king back to Chenliu. Yu Shaocheng stayed behind with his troops, awaiting new orders from the King."

Xiao Rong, who had PTSD from past events, frowned. "Why didn't Gongsun Yuan wait for new orders?"

He wouldn’t be thinking like Yuan Baifu, would he? Or did his good friend’s death make him resent Qu Yunmie?

It wasn’t unreasonable for Xiao Rong to think this way. In history, Gongsun Yuan rebelled alongside Yuan Baifu. Yuan Baifu rebelled first, followed by Gongsun Yuan, leading to a series of events where Yuan Baifu died quietly, while Gongsun Yuan survived for a few months before dying in a minor battle. A few months later, the person who killed him also died on the battlefield.

In times of chaos, wars break out constantly without a leader. During Qu Yunmie’s reign, despite criticism, people lived relatively stable lives because few dared challenge his authority due to his strength.

Xiao Rong sincerely hoped Gongsun Yuan wouldn’t act impulsively. Yuan Baifu had already exhausted the last bit of Qu Yunmie’s goodwill towards them. If Gongsun Yuan insists on following in his footsteps, he might suffer an even worse fate than Yuan Baifu.