Chapter Ninety-Three: Family Ruin and Death

  Qing Xia didn't know how she stumbled and staggered through the village, where everywhere was engulfed in raging fires, and everywhere were familiar faces. However, those people who used to be kind and simple had all turned into cold corpses, lying in various eerie postures at every corner of the village. The blood had long since congealed, despair spreading across every inch of land, and the bright red blood had seeped into the white snowfield, filling the air with a nauseating stench. Qing Xia's eyes were already red, her heart filled with vast desolation like weeds, her footsteps staggering, as if every step she took would cost her dearly.

  "Ah Ma!" A shrill, mournful cry suddenly rang out. Qing Xia's body was nailed to the spot, and when she turned her head around, she saw Duo Yi Hua's aunt's mangled corpse.

  This woman, who had given birth to four children, was no longer young. She was over 40 years old and her face was weathered from a lifetime of hard work. Yet despite this, she still could not escape the fate of death, and it was in the most cruel and inhumane way.

  Qing Xia's eyes were almost twitching, she stared wide-eyed, not wanting to let tears fall, her fists clenched tightly, a bloodthirsty killing intent surging in her chest. It had been a long time since she felt such hatred, such uncontrollable hope that she could hold a heavy machine gun in her hands and rush out to kill all those scum. Her lips trembling, she took off the large fur coat behind her and covered it over Duoyi Hua's body, and then put on the torn pants for Duoyi Hua underneath.

  She knew that her heart had been dug out by the flames of war, and why no matter where she went, she would encounter these things, those bloody killings followed her like a shadow, along her footsteps, traversing all the lands she could traverse. Was it her fault or the fault of this era? Was it she who brought disaster to this place, or was it the disaster contained within this chaotic era itself?

  The emperor's game of chess, what guilt does the common people have?

  They are all ordinary people! They have fled the war and come to this place, why does the god of death still not slow down his pace?

  "Ah!" Kard shouted suddenly, his voice shrill and mournful like a ghost's wail, filled with immense grief and irrepressible despair. He leapt to his feet, rushed into the house, grabbed his long knife, and his eyes turned red like those of a wild beast. He mounted his horse and charged towards the gate.

  "Halt!" Qing Xia grasped the reins and shouted sternly with a cold face.

  "Let me go!" Nakudo's eyes were red as he shouted: "I'm going to kill them!"

  "Are you going like this to take revenge?" Qing Xia's eyes widened, without taking a step back, and said in a low voice: "This is going to get yourself killed!"

  "Let me go!" Nakudo could no longer listen to anything, his eyes were bloodshot, his lips trembling, and the veins on his forehead bulged out. He suddenly turned his head and shouted loudly at Bambur: "Bambur! Are you going to let Ah Ma die in vain?"

  Bamboo got up from the ground with tears all over his face, wiped his face with the back of his hand, and rushed into the house to fetch a knife. He mounted another horse and was about to rush out. Qing Xia blocked their way, her eyes red-rimmed, but she still stood at the door and refused to let them pass.

  "Get out of the way!" Nakudo shouted loudly, drawing his long sword and pointing it at Qing Xia.

  Qing Xia looked up at the two boys who had undergone tremendous changes, and felt that her heart was already in unbearable pain. The meticulous care she had received from Aunt Duo Hua over the past year flashed before her eyes again, and tears streamed down her thin face, but she still stood in front of them, saying in a low voice: "I won't let you two go to your deaths."

  "You! Why didn't you dodge?" Bambur jumped off his horse and ran to Qing Xia's side, anxiously supporting her as he shouted loudly.

  "If you still recognize me as your sister, then listen to me." Qing Xia's face was deathly pale, the wound was huge, and fresh blood gushed out like a fountain. Her voice was very soft, leaning on Banbur's body, as if she would faint at any moment. However, her eyes were wide open, staring fixedly at the two boys.

  Na Ke Duo threw down his long knife and suddenly let out a loud cry, bursting into tears.

  "Jiema Ah Gu!" Bambur hugged Qing Xia's increasingly limp body, crying out her name.

  Qing Xia tightly grasped Bambur's arm, using all her strength to say in a low voice: "Find Ah Miao Ye and Xi Lin Chen, you must find them." When she woke up, the sun was already setting in the west. Qing Xia even thought that everything was just a dream. She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Xi Lin Chen's calm eyes. His forehead was bandaged, obviously having been beaten. However, this did not affect his tranquil demeanor at all. Seeing Qing Xia wake up, his eyes instantly shone with a hint of light. He hastily picked up a porcelain bowl and handed it to Qing Xia's lips.

  A sharp pain suddenly came from her shoulder, Qing Xia frowned and said in a hoarse voice: "Amo Ye..."

  "Don't worry, it's okay." Xilin Chen's voice was also hoarse, but compared to Qing Xia, it was much better. He slowly scooped a spoonful of black medicine, blew on it gently, and handed it to Qing Xia's mouth, saying: "Drink the medicine."

  Qing Xia's tears flowed out suddenly. She had never been a weak person, but for some reason, since coming to this strange time and space, she had become more and more prone to crying, as if all the tears she hadn't shed in her past life were stored up to be shed in this one. Her life was like a rootless water lily, drifting from one place to another, without any sense of safety or belonging. The world was really big, but there really wasn't a peaceful haven anywhere.

  Xilin Chen quietly looked at her, picked up the white cloth on the table to wipe away Qing Xia's tears from the corner of her eyes, and said in a light tone: "It was the Mu Lian people who came. I went to the back woods to save A Miao Ye, but unfortunately... Summer Green, I failed to keep my promise to you."

  Qing Xia shook her head and said, "You don't know martial arts, it's already not easy to save A Miao Ye, it's my fault, I shouldn't have kept you few at home, I clearly knew that the Mu Lian people have been restless lately." Qing Xia's voice became lower and lower, gradually choking up.

  Xilin Chen, after all, was still just a fourteen-year-old boy. Seeing Qing Xia like this made him slightly flustered. He stretched out his hand and slowly grasped Qing Xia's hand, saying in a low voice: "Don't be sad anymore, you're also injured."

  "Jiema Agu, are you awake?" Bambur's voice suddenly sounded outside the door. Qing Xia hurriedly wiped away her tears, Xilin Chen walked to the door and opened it, and Bambur and Nake Duo walked in together.

  "Jiema Agu, I've wronged you, punish me." Nakudo suddenly knelt down in front of Qing Xia, his head bowed and speaking in a low tone.

  Qing Xia knew that the people of Beidi would never easily kneel to others. She looked at Ke Duo's stubborn appearance, her heart ached slightly, and she shook her head slightly, saying: "Get up, I don't blame you."

  "Jema Agu, we two brothers have one thing to ask of you." Nakdo didn't even stand up, and Bambur knelt down together with him.

  Qing Xia was taken aback, thought for a moment, and said in a low voice: "If you're going to risk your lives fighting the Mu Lian people and want me to take care of Ah Miao Ye, I'm telling you, I absolutely won't agree."

  The two brothers stared at each other, then turned their heads in unison. Bambur said sincerely: "Jema Agu, we're not going to fight the Mulian people to the death, but we want to join the army. We hope you can agree. If you don't agree, we'll send Amuye to her midwife's home in Mida County, she will definitely take care of her."

  Qing Xia's eyebrows furrowed tightly, she gazed coldly at her two brothers kneeling on the ground and said in a deep voice: "Since you've already made up your minds, why bother asking me again. Anyway, whatever I say won't change your minds. I just want to tell you that there are some responsibilities that you must take on yourselves, don't think that by entrusting them to others, you can walk away with a clear conscience."

  Bamboo hung his head and finally said, "Sorry, Jema Agu. Although we've already made up our minds, we still have to tell you. Because in our hearts, you're already one of us." After that, he stood up and walked out with Kado.

  "Qing Xia," Xi Lin Chen saw Qing Xia's dazed expression and tears falling again, and asked softly.

  Qing Xia didn't say anything else, turned over with her face inward and never said another word.

  The next morning, Bambur and Nardu got up early, packed their bags and horses, wanting to go say goodbye to Qingxia. Seeing her door closed tightly, they didn't go over. Amu was nestled in Nardu's arms, the little guy had cried all night and was now sleepy, soon dozing off.

  Three people slowly walked out of the house, carefully closing the gate behind them. They took one last look at the desolate village before heading towards the village entrance.

  The sky was still dark, and everything around was hazy. When they arrived at the village head, suddenly two people appeared in a foggy atmosphere. Two fine horses heard Bamur's voice and neighed loudly, as if they had seen their master.

  "Jema Agu!"

  Bamboo and Na Ke exclaimed in unison, Qing Xia and Xi Lin Chen led the horse out of the thick fog slowly, Qing Xia's pretty face was icy cold, and she said in a low voice: "You just wanted to leave quietly without saying anything?"

  "Jiema Agu, we..."

  "Don't give me that nonsense, you said I was like family to you just last night. Is this how you treat your own family?"

  Nakudo was often seen wearing men's clothing in the summer, with her hair tied up and a smudge of black on her face. She looked puzzled and asked: "Jema Agu, what are you doing?"

  "What did you say I'm doing?" Qing Xia snorted and said in a low voice, "Without me following you, the two of you might not even know the way to Xichuan."

  "Jiema Agu, are you going to send us away?" Bambur said with great joy.

  "Hmph!" Qing Xia turned her head and climbed onto the horse's back. Xilin Chen, who was standing beside her, smiled and said in a low voice, "Qing Xia is worried, she wants to follow you into the army, so someone can take care of her."

  "What? How can she join the army?"

  "Shh!" Xi Linchen hastily whispered: "How can't you, if I weren't standing here, would you have recognized her? She's also not at ease with you guys."

  Bamboo's nose suddenly turned sour and he said in a low voice: "We... we owe her an apology."

  "Alright," Xilin Chen patted Bambur's shoulder and whispered, "Keep your voice down, Xia Qing will be embarrassed."

  The sun slowly rose, and the crowd walked slowly towards Xichuan, behind them was the village that gave Qingxia a year of quiet life.

  They still don't know that their decision today will bring about tremendous changes in the future. The giant wheel of history is slowly turning, and fate will eventually tie the star charts of those people together.