Chapter 56

Chapter 56

As Gu Yu neared the end of his medicine, Yan Hui turned and departed.

His exit was so quiet, and with everyone’s attention fixed on Gu Yu, almost no one noticed. Only Jiang Heng, while scraping the last drops of medicine from the spoon against the bowl’s rim, cast her gaze towards the door, watching Yan Hui vanish into the profound darkness of the night.

Long after the spoon was clean, Jiang Heng continued to scrape it against the bowl, again and again.

In the quiet night, the gentle clinking of the spoon against the bowl resonated with striking clarity.

Gu Yu did not rush her, signaling with his eyes for others to refrain as well, simply watching the medicine in her spoon, waiting for her to remember to feed him.

Finally, the young woman’s thoughts returned, and she brought the medicine to Gu Yu’s lips.

The medicine had cooled. The stronger the flavor of such concoctions, the more bitter they became when cold. Yet, Gu Yu swallowed it in one gulp, without a wince, just as before.

"General, are there any other discomforts?"

The wound on Gu Yu’s waist was deep and critically placed. Though he had regained consciousness and appeared to be in good spirits, the army doctors remained vigilant, fearing he might be concealing discomfort that could worsen his condition.

Gu Yu replied that there were none, then addressed the physicians: "You may rest in the side room. Should I feel unwell, I will send for you."

The physicians nodded in agreement. Seeing Gu Yu still propped up against the headrest, they advised, "General, please try not to get up, to avoid aggravating the wound and causing it to bleed."

Gu Yu disliked lying down. Though he acknowledged their words with a hum, he remained seated, showing no inclination to recline.

"General, please lie down," a physician urged again.

Gu Yu grew somewhat impatient. "You may leave. I will sit for a while."

The physicians hesitated, looking at him uneasily, unwilling to depart.

Gu Yu frowned and hissed, about to utter sharp words to dismiss them, when Jiang Heng stood up, removed the cushion he was leaning against, pressed on his shoulder, and gently guided him to lie flat.

Gu Yu pursed his lips, displeased, but offered no resistance, slowly reclining under her gentle pressure.

Only then did the physicians leave, reassured.

After settling him, Jiang Heng intended to rest on a nearby narrow bed, but Gu Yu grasped her wrist, stopping her.

He gestured to the empty space beside him, inviting her to share his bed.

Jiang Heng feared accidentally touching his wound and was reluctant to lie beside him. However, since Gu Yu held her wrist persistently, refusing to let go, she had no choice but to comply.

The maids had retired to the outer chamber to keep watch overnight. To guard against any unforeseen events, two oil lamps remained lit in the inner chamber.

Jiang Heng lay side by side with Gu Yu.

Unlike the bed in Ningheyuan, which was enclosed by curtains on all sides and overhead, this bed was completely open for ventilation and to dispel dampness. With no coverings around, Jiang Heng lay on her back, staring blankly at the roof beams.

She recalled their first arrival here. Because of the oppressive heat and her fear of snakes, Gu Yu had built a raised bed for her. For a time, they had lain side by side like this, with the sky as their canopy and the stars as their blanket.

That raised bed still stood in the courtyard. They slept indoors when the weather was cool and moved there when it was hot.

Jiang Heng turned to look at Gu Yu. His eyes were also open, seemingly lost in thought.

"Rest soon. The physicians say sleep is nature's best medicine and especially beneficial for your recovery," Jiang Heng said gently, though her tone carried an undercurrent of command.

Gu Yu turned to look at her and suddenly smiled. "When did you learn to force an ox to drink by pushing its head down?"

Jiang Heng shot him an annoyed glare, then turned her back on him.

After a while, she turned back to look and saw Gu Yu still awake, his phoenix eyes thoughtful, as if pondering something. Knowing that pressing him would be futile, she thought for a moment and asked softly, "What are you thinking about?"

Gu Yu, unlike before when he kept official matters from her, answered honestly, "I'm calculating the days."

"Hmm? Calculating what days?" Jiang Heng looked at him curiously.

"Calculating when my injury will heal, when it will get cold here, when the winter clothes will arrive, and when the warships will be ready."

He was discussing matters of life and death, military preparations that should have been kept secret. Jiang Heng, mindful of boundaries, did not press further.

Recalling how earlier he had let Yan Hui leave as if he hadn't seen him, she felt both grateful and somewhat guilty.

Yan Hui had wounded him so severely, yet with his ruthless nature, he hadn't sought retribution this time.

"Why... did you let Military Advisor Xiao leave?" Jiang Heng hesitated but couldn’t resist asking for an answer.

Gu Yu remained silent for a moment. Seeing her gaze fixed on him, clearly eager to know, he slowly replied, "I can't kill him, and I can't use him. What’s the point of keeping him?"

He had promised Jiang Heng not to let Yan Hui die by his hand, so he couldn’t kill him.

But Yan Hui was loyal only to Prince Zhennan and could never be swayed to his side. Keeping him here would only result in him passing along insignificant information, as before. It was better not to keep him at all.

"Aren’t you afraid he’ll send word to Prince Zhennan?" This was what Jiang Heng truly worried about. Logically, Gu Yu should understand this better and be more cautious.

Gu Yu smiled faintly. "Didn’t you order heightened security?"

If Yan Hui could leave, he would surely send Prince Zhennan’s younger sister away first. In that case, he wouldn’t have had time to appear here tonight. Since he came, he must have been unable to leave and could only hide her somewhere in the city.

Moreover, when Gu Yu woke up, only a few military doctors and attendants were around, with no other officers coming to visit. This meant Jiang Heng had kept the news of his severe injury quiet, preventing it from spreading.

He had never taught her these things, yet she had deduced this herself.

But even if Yan Hui risked his life to send a message to Prince Zhennan, and Prince Zhennan led troops to attack, there was nothing to fear. They would face the enemy as they had before. Previously, he didn’t need to intervene to handle such situations, and it would be no different now. The deputy generals he had chosen were not incompetent; they wouldn’t be unable to fight just because he was injured.

Seeing his calm composure, Jiang Heng thought of the winter clothes and warships he had mentioned earlier—things she had never heard of before. He must have planned this long ago.

Still, killing Yan Hui would bring the Qi Army nothing but benefit, just as Yan Hui had intended to kill him to shake morale.

The reason he let Yan Hui live was ultimately because of the promise he had made to her.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have asked for such a promise out of selfishness.

Her own brother refused to leave Prince Zhennan’s side, so what right did she have to ask Gu Yu to spare a dangerous adversary?

"Duke Wei, if you and Military Advisor Xiao meet on the battlefield in the future, let your skills decide the outcome. There’s no need to heed my past words."

If her brother were truly no match for Gu Yu and died by his blade...

Jiang Heng’s nose suddenly stung with emotion, and she closed her eyes to steady herself.

"I spared his life not for you," Gu Yu said.

Jiang Heng was taken aback and looked at him, waiting for him to continue. Was it really not because of her?

Gu Yu suddenly stretched out his arm, signaling for her to take it, and said slowly, "I’m injured. If we arm-wrestle, could you defeat me?"

Jiang Heng was completely baffled by Gu Yu's seemingly pointless question.

His arms were thicker than her thighs, effortlessly wielding a heavy blade that weighed dozens of pounds like it was nothing. If they arm wrestled, even using all her strength, she couldn't have won.

"Then do you think you're dumber than I am?" the man asked again.

Jiang Heng replied, "How am I dumb?"

Gu Yu chuckled, then tapped her forehead. "Fighting requires this," he said, then showed his own rough, calloused palm, "and even more so, this."

Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight in a sudden move, and tapped her forehead again. "When there's absolute strength, this matters less."

Jiang Heng sensed he was getting worked up again.

"You... don't move around too much, or you'll start bleeding again..."

Gu Yu paused for a moment, then his hand on her waist tightened. "I won't move; you do it."

Jiang Heng’s eyes widened, almond-shaped. She... do it? How was she supposed to...?

Gu Yu thought for a moment. It seemed he hadn’t tried this method with her before—she had always been underneath.

"Forget it, I’ll teach you another day."

He wrapped one arm around her waist and moved her off him, then continued with what he was saying earlier. "Killing Yan Hui might save us some effort, but what really decides victory or defeat, life or death, is preparedness and military power. I actually hope Prince Zhennan attacks a few more times to wear him down."

That way, Gu Yu could learn more about Prince Zhennan’s forces and also build up advantages for the eventual decisive battle.

Jiang Heng wasn't in the mood to listen anymore at that moment, afraid he might get that idea again, so she squeezed her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep.

"Asleep?" Gu Yu frowned, pulling her by the shoulder to turn her toward him.

Jiang Heng feigned sleepiness, letting out a soft hum but not pulling away.

Gu Yu tucked her slim body closer into his embrace. Seeing she didn’t resist, he smiled slightly and stopped disturbing her, closing his eyes as well.

······

The moon hung high in the sky, casting its light over the murmuring stream flowing below the hill.

Yan Hui lay half-submerged in the stream, his upper body resting on a mossy rock by the bank, staring up at the bright moon.

He wanted to take A Jiu away, but would A Jiu still come with him?

How could she treat Gu Yu so well? How could she feed him medicine?

She was angry—because he had severely wounded Gu Yu, she had become wary and guarded against him.

Before, she had begged him so earnestly, pleaded with him to leave with her. Why had he stubbornly refused?

He had always thought there would be time later—after he helped Prince Zhennan succeed, or at least after he killed Gu Yu, removing a major threat for Prince Zhennan, and captured a few more cities to repay Prince Zhennan’s kindness. Then he could leave with A Jiu with a clear conscience.

But it was too late now.

His A Jiu didn’t want him anymore.

She had held onto her feelings for so long, recognized him the first time they met after three years apart, and had always said she would follow him. She had never once blamed him before, always speaking to him gently and kindly...

She would never treat him that way again...

During these years away from home, he had never felt that A Jiu had abandoned him. But now, even though she was right there in the place where he had lived for three years, he realized he could no longer hold onto her.

Had she forgotten? Since she was six, she had always followed him around, calling him "Big Brother." When she got into fights and was afraid to go home, she would cling to him and sleep in his bed. When she came of age, she asked him if he would be her beloved husband...

He had given up before. During those three years away from home, without seeing her, he had thought more than once that as long as she was happy, it would be fine even if her beloved husband wasn’t him.

But what kind of ideal husband was Gu Yu? How was he worthy of A Jiu’s devotion?

That was his A Jiu...

Was his A Jiu really never going to want him again?

Had he truly lost her forever? Would he never have the chance to marry her?

Yan Hui closed his eyes, his entire body trembling with an uncontrollable, furious rage.