Your Majesty, We’re Counting on You to Ruin the Country! 65

Chapter 65: Jueyan

The area by Jueyan Cliff returned to peace. All the sounds of fighting had sunk to the bottom of the cliff along with the people. Zhou Wuxin had originally flashed to Wen Ning’an’s side, but for some reason, he had thought of something and, amidst Qin Zhaohuang’s cry of alarm, had jumped down with Feng Qi.

Qin Zhaohuang held Wen Ning’an. The shadow guards had also all been killed. Only the two of them were left, and the surroundings were eerily quiet.

“Ning’an… are you alright?”

Qin Zhaohuang held back his tears and, after a slight gasp, looked down at Wen Ning’an, only to see his face blank, his eyes as empty as if he had lost his soul.

And although the You King’s army had been dealt with by Feng Qi, a few of the remaining assassins were still there. Seeing the surviving Wen Ning’an and Qin Zhaohuang, they immediately rushed out and stabbed at them with their swords.

“…Ning’an!”

However, Wen Ning’an’s head was resting on Qin Zhaohuang’s shoulder. His eyes were open, but he seemed to be completely unaware, showing no reaction or movement. His body was there, but his soul seemed to be in another world.

“Ning’an, don’t scare me, don’t scare me…”

Seeing the assassin’s sword, which was glinting with a creepy cold light, right above his head, Qin Zhaohuang, in a fit of desperation, snatched the softly dangling Cold Spring from Wen Ning’an’s hand and, closing his eyes, stabbed randomly at the assassin.

“Clang—”

The expected pain did not come. Qin Zhaohuang was ecstatic, thinking to himself, Could it be that I’ve really hit the jackpot?

“National Preceptor Qin!”

Qin Zhaohuang’s eyes flew open, and only then did he realize that the one who had blocked the assassin for them was Li Huaisheng.

Li Huaisheng, covered in blood, his face pale.

“General Li, you… you’re back…”

Seeing that there were only two people around, Qin Zhaohuang looking on the verge of tears, and Wen Ning’an as if he were in a trance, without any perception, Li Huaisheng could guess what had happened.

“National Preceptor Qin, you take Ning’an and retreat to the small hut we found that day.”

The small hut Li Huaisheng mentioned was one they had accidentally discovered when they were looking for the dilong before. It was probably a dilapidated dwelling left by the common people who used to live here. Although it was old, it at least had a small bed, and its location was extremely remote and difficult to find.

As Li Huaisheng spoke, he coughed up another mouthful of blood. There was barely a good spot on his body, and there was a large gash on one of his arms, from which fresh blood was flowing incessantly. Qin Zhaohuang tore off his own sleeve and quickly wrapped it around Li Huaisheng’s arm, then pulled Wen Ning’an away. Only then did he realize that Wen Ning’an had already fainted, and he had no choice but to carry him on his back.

Beside Li Huaisheng were the few remaining shadow guards that Wen Ning’an had assigned to him. Although the wounds on his body felt as if they were going to tear him apart, he had to grit his teeth and, together with the shadow guards, kill off these few remaining enemies.

Only these few left… Li Huaisheng narrowed his eyes.

“Swish—”

Wen Ning’an slowly opened his eyes. What he saw was a roof made of dilapidated wooden planks. He turned his head and saw Li Huaisheng sitting by the bed, bandaging himself.

Wen Ning’an blinked, his mind a little chaotic. The fragments of what had happened before he had fainted all collided in his mind, and his head ached as if it were about to explode.

“You’re awake.” Li Huaisheng let out a sigh of relief.

Wen Ning’an asked in a hoarse voice, “Where’s Huaitian…”

“Ning’an…” Li Huaisheng sat down beside him and gently placed his hand on his forehead. “You are a general who is used to the battlefield. Don’t run away.”

Feng Qi had fallen off Jueyan Cliff with those enemy soldiers, to save them…

Seeing Wen Ning’an’s blank expression, but his eyes slowly turning red, Li Huaisheng gently pulled him into his embrace.

“Ning’an, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

“I’m not afraid.” Wen Ning’an gently broke free from his embrace and smiled. “What’s there to be afraid of?”

Li Huaisheng was stunned.

Wen Ning’an thought to himself, He was never afraid of Feng Qi dying. To share the same quilt in life, and the same coffin in death, that was all.

Li Huaisheng stared blankly at Wen Ning’an. He had originally thought he would cry and make a fuss, but such a Wen Ning’an, on the contrary, made him even more afraid. The expression on his face at this moment was even more creepy, a fearlessness as if he had lost everything, and a tranquility as if his soul were dead.

“Ning’an, don’t do anything foolish.”

“I won’t,” Wen Ning’an said with a straight face. “If His Majesty dies, Bei Miao will definitely be in chaos. We must fight our way out and lock down the news, then escort Prince Jun back to the capital to ascend the throne. The King of Youzhou has not yet been suppressed, and if someone takes this opportunity to rebel, for example… for example, your family, then we must lead the troops to defend. This country cannot fall into the hands of others.”

He would definitely protect this country, because this was Feng Qi’s country.

Just wait a little longer… just a little longer…

Wen Ning’an rubbed the tiger jade pendant at his waist and thought to himself, You just wait. I will stabilize this country for you, and then I will come and accompany you. I will definitely not let you be alone.

His heart ached until it was numb, as if he could no longer feel anything, only his mind was still working. His mind was clearer than ever before. He got up from the bed and asked, “Where’s Zhaohuang?”

“National Preceptor Qin, he…”

Li Huaisheng stared intently at Wen Ning’an, who seemed to be fine but was actually like someone arranging his own funeral. He was a little unsure whether he should tell him the truth.

“Li Huaisheng, don’t hide anything from me. There are only the two of us on this mountain now. We must cooperate to fight our way out.”

With a sigh, Li Huaisheng said, “The enemy has already been lured away. We need to take this opportunity to fight our way out.”

“Lured away?” Wen Ning’an looked at Li Huaisheng with a sneer, but his hands were slightly clenched into fists, a trace of blood seeping from his palms.

Li Huaisheng lowered his head. “It was my fault.”

Although it was actually Qin Zhaohuang who had rushed out on his own, disregarding others’ objections, to lure the enemy away, these excuses were very pale at this moment. Wrong was wrong. It was also caused by his indulgence. If he had insisted on chasing him back, he might not have been unable to. It was just that at that time, reason had triumphed over emotion, and he understood that this was the best way.

If the martial-arts-less Qin Zhaohuang was with them, they wouldn’t have been able to break out at all. Doing this, on the contrary, could buy them more time, so that the entire army would not be wiped out…

“You’re not wrong.” Wen Ning’an turned and headed for the door of the small house.

As a fellow general, he could understand Li Huaisheng’s good intentions, and he could also understand what Qin Zhaohuang would encounter after falling into the enemy’s hands with his looks. But now, only by fighting their way out and seeing Feng Jun could he have him come forward and negotiate with the King of Youzhou to get Qin Zhaohuang back. Or, more directly, fight their way to the King of Youzhou’s doorstep and rescue him!

Before Wen Ning’an could get close to the wooden door, he heard the sound of footsteps from outside.

The enemy has caught up…

The carrier pigeon had already been released by Li Huaisheng. They just needed to hold on for another half an hour.

“Half an hour, just the two of us. Can you do it?”

“Of course.”

The two of them stood back to back, a cold smile on Wen Ning’an’s lips.

He didn’t want to do anything now, just kill, kill, kill, kill all these damned bastards!

“Thud—”

The wooden door was kicked open.

Before Li Huaisheng could react, he saw Wen Ning’an rush forward like an arrow. His moves were deadly, and wherever the Cold Spring passed, there were only wails. But his moves were reckless. It was a desperate fight without regard for life or death, killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of his own.

With a “hiss,” a gash appeared on Wen Ning’an’s arm, and the fabric of his clothes was also torn open. But he was oblivious, not even lifting an eyelid, just focused on killing the enemy.

The enemy army, on the contrary, was scared by his appearance. This… is this a person or a soul-reaping ghost?

By the time the letter sent by Wen Ning’an via a fast horse reached Feng Jun, who was in a tent in Hong Xi, it was already two days later.

“Swish…”

The letter fell gently to the ground. Feng Jun’s mind was a little blank.

“Feng Qi is dead?”

Feng Changhuan opened the tent flap and walked in leisurely.

Seeing Feng Jun’s body stiffen, he chuckled softly. “You’re not that sweet, are you? Although the army has blocked the news, this can only deceive the ignorant common people. Do you think you can really hide it from us who are in high positions and have shadow guards? I bet that what’s-it-called Li family and the King of Youzhou in your place also know. I wonder what they’re plotting right now.”

Feng Jun thought to himself, Aren’t you also plotting…

Seeing Feng Jun’s silence, Feng Changhuan deliberately pulled over a chair and sat down in front of him, saying with great interest, “Your imperial brother is dead. Aren’t you sad? Why aren’t you crying?”

Feng Jun suppressed the emotions in his heart and said helplessly, “Does Your Majesty really want me to cry?”

Feng Changhuan licked his lower lip. “I want to see you cry your eyes out. That would be very interesting.”

Feng Jun rolled his eyes. “Then Your Majesty is probably going to be disappointed. This prince has never cried in my life.”

Feng Changhuan didn’t reply, just raising an eyebrow slightly.

“Since Your Majesty already knows everything, then this prince will be direct. I need to leave here immediately and return to the capital.” With that, Feng Jun stood up and knelt before him, his tone neither servile nor overbearing. “Bei Miao hopes that Your Majesty can send troops to help take down the King of Youzhou in one fell swoop.”

“Mmm, I understand, I understand. This way, you won’t have to waste time at the frontier and can return to the capital early to settle the throne, right? You must be hoping even more that this king can clean up this mess for you and also sign a contract with you to guarantee no rebellion, so you can go back to the capital immediately.”

Feng Jun knelt at the side, not daring to speak, his heart unsure of Feng Changhuan’s intentions and what he was really thinking.

“Do you want this king to do this?”

Feng Jun said tremblingly, “If Your Majesty is willing, then Bei Miao will be eternally grateful.”

“Oh… Bei Miao.” Feng Changhuan reached out and grabbed the long hair tied at the back of Feng Jun’s head, pulling it up and forcing him to look straight at him. “And what about you?”

Feng Jun winced in pain and shrank back, then immediately forced a smile. “This prince naturally hopes so too.”

“Then it depends on your performance. If I am happy, it’s no problem to send troops. In any case, Youzhou is quite a fat piece of meat.”

“How does Your Majesty want this prince to perform?” Feng Jun’s smile was a little strained.

“You can figure it out yourself.” With that, Feng Changhuan flicked his sleeves and left.

Only Feng Jun was left in the tent. He knelt on the ground and thought for a long while, then finally gritted his teeth, stood up, and chased after him.

“Your Majesty, please wait!”