Chapter 99

  When she woke up, on the evening of the third day, Qin Zhiyan was holding a white handkerchief moistened with rice water, carefully wiping her dry and cracked lips. Her bright eyes suddenly opened, just like that night three days ago, she suddenly opened her eyes, weakly looking at herself, with a faint warm smile at the corner of her mouth. The wind and snow outside the tent suddenly rolled up with a loud noise, the cowhide tent was blown to make a humming sound, Qin Zhiyan handed over the medicinal soup beside him, his thick voice was as warm as the lake water in April.

  "Yimamei, eat your medicine."

  Qing Xia's head was dizzy, she didn't ask much, but obediently opened her mouth and drank the bitter medicine that Qin Zhiyan personally fed her. The big tent was so quiet, as if she hadn't woken up yet, only the wind outside was blowing with a whooshing sound, the sunset dyed the cowhide tent into golden yellow, everything seemed like a static painting scroll.

  Qin's flames were on one side, feeding her medicine, while carefully wiping the black medicinal liquid from the corner of her mouth with a slender finger, bringing a thread of icy coolness.

  After taking the medicine, Qin Zhiyan stood up, his slender figure wearing a light blue plain silk robe. His boots were made of white deerskin and stepped on the warm woolen carpet without making a sound. He walked to the small table in the center of the large tent, picked up a red lacquer food box, opened the lid, and hot air came out. This kind of food box was also seen by Qing Xia when she was in South Chu. The bottom layer of the food box had burning charcoal that could keep the temperature of the food on top.

  "You must be hungry." Qin Zhiyan said with a smile, then brought out one by one exquisite small dishes, each dish was not much in quantity, but the style was very intricate and delicate, without greasy smell, light color and pale, very suitable for patients who had just recovered from a serious illness.

  As soon as Qin's voice fell, Qing Xia's stomach let out a rumbling growl, having not eaten or drunk anything for three days, she was starving to the extreme.

  No matter how careless Qing Xia was, she couldn't help but smile slightly. Qin Zhiyan's smile was warm, he lowered his head, and every time he picked up a dish, he would use his eyes to ask Qing Xia if she liked it, and when Qing Xia nodded, he would feed her a little bit. This meal, Qing Xia ate very full, just thinking of saying that she couldn't eat anymore, Qin Zhiyan had already cleaned up the food box and utensils. He must have never done this before, but he did it very well, not busy or chaotic, with a simple and elegant manner, cleaning everything up in no time.

  After doing all this, he handed over a small copper basin, with white steam rising from it. He washed a towel clean and Qin Zhiyan sat on the bed, carefully wiping Qing Xia's mouth corners with the towel. His eyes were calm and serene, like a clear lake, the warm towel brought gentle warmth to Qing Xia's face, bringing an indescribable relaxation.

  The sound of water was loud, Qin Zhiyan washed his face clean and took out the hand from Qing Xia's quilt. Her hand had many wounds, all the joints were broken, but after applying medicine, it had healed five or six parts. Qin Zhiyan carefully avoided her injured places and wiped them seriously. Then he slowly leaned down, gently hugged Qing Xia's shoulder, his body still smelled so good, with a soothing medicinal scent, his chest was still wide, like a vast ocean, with a warm and humid temperature. His chin was thin, half-tilted head, but you could see the green stubble on his chin, above which were thin lips and a straight nose. Qing Xia slightly tilted her head, leaning on his shoulder, only revealing a pair of eyes, looking up at him.

  Pick up Qing Xia and half-embrace her, use a soft cushion to support her back on the bedhead, then let her lean comfortably against it.

  After doing all that, Qin Zhiyan picked up the basin, stood up, and smiled slightly at Qing Xia. He stretched out his other hand and gently patted her cheek, saying, "Don't say too much, rest when you're tired." Then he turned around and walked out.

  Qing Xia's gaze followed his figure all the way until he walked out and was blocked by the curtain, unable to see him anymore.

  "Qīng Yuè!" The curtain suddenly moved, and Bamu and the others rushed in, along with several young men they had met at Xichuan Camp, and ran to Qingxia's bedside, their eyes red like a group of rabbits.

  After narrowly escaping death, Qing Xia felt a surge of joy in her heart when she saw them. She smiled at Banbur and the others, saying: "You're all here."

  "Xia Qing," Bambu half-knelt in front of the bed, nervously sizing up Xia Qing, his eyes reddening as he said: "Fortunately you're alright, these past few days the Qin people haven't allowed us to approach this place, we were all worried to death."

  "Xia Qing, they didn't bully you, did they?" Na Ke Duo knew Xia Qing was a woman and had been worried about this matter. Seeing that the Qin country's commander looked refined and cultured, he still couldn't put his mind at ease and hastily asked.

  Li Xian and others had just been informed that Qing Xia was a woman, the assassins saw Qing Xia, one by one they were stunned, unable to speak.

  Qing Xia smiled and shook her head, saying gently: "I'm fine, you don't have to worry."

  "You're fine, but someone else is in trouble." Bambur suddenly chimed in, his eyes shining brightly as he gazed at Qing Xia with a sly smile like that of a fox: "Qing Xia, let him in, or else he'll be standing there for three days and might just turn into stone."

  Qing Xia suddenly turned his head, his eyes wide open, Bambur smiled and stood up, turned around and walked towards the entrance of the big tent. A huge hope and tension rose from the bottom of his heart, Qing Xia's eyes stared tightly at the entrance of the big tent.

  At last, the curtain slowly rose, and Bambur walked in front, followed by a gust of cold wind that suddenly poured in. The newcomer was wearing a suit of green armor, his clothes were tattered, his hair was disheveled, and his limbs were almost stiff as he walked in slowly. He still wore the military uniform of Xichuan, which seemed to have been rolled around in the flames of war, and had turned a dark black color. The cuffs had been torn off in large pieces, and on such a cold day, there wasn't even a cloak behind him, his whole body exuding a thick chill.

  Qing Xia looked at his emaciated face, at his stiff legs standing in front of her, at his bloodshot eyes, and at his weathered complexion. Suddenly, the excitement in her heart surged like a tidal wave, overwhelming her entire rationality. Her eyes suddenly became moist, she bit her lower lip hard, slowly raised her hand, and weakly waved it at him.

  The young man hastily bent down to let Qing Xia's wounded hand hit his shoulder, which had lost its armor, so as not to hurt her hand.

  Tears slowly flowed from Qing Xia's eyes and down her pale cheeks.

  "Xia Qing," the young man knelt in front of Xia Qing's bed, hanging his head and saying softly: "It was I who wronged you."

  Qing Xia pursed the corner of her mouth, sniffled, and finally burst into tears, tightly grasping Xilin Chen's hand as tears streamed down her face like a string of broken pearls.

  "Xia Qing, Xilin has been standing outside the account for three days, so don't blame him." The most unapologetic Nakudo was still anxiously interceding on behalf of Xilin Chen, while Bambur rolled his eyes in exasperation.

  "As long as everyone is fine, that's all that matters." Qing Xia wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand and smiled. The crowd, having narrowly escaped disaster, exchanged glances and burst out laughing in unison, their bright laughter filling the large tent, everything seemed harmonious and joyful once again. The storm brought by the attack on White Deer Fortress had finally passed, leaving behind a clear sky.

  Qin Zhiyan stood in front of the large tent, standing for a long time before finally turning his head and saying to his trusted general Xian Zhou in a low voice: "Let's break camp tomorrow and head to White Deer Plain."

  "Your Highness," General Yi Zhou furrowed his brow and said cautiously, "We hid the Flame Character Camp in the grain transport team and took a detour to arrive late at Baima Village, wasn't it to let them fight first? Now we're going to rush to Baima Village so quickly, isn't that abandoning our previous efforts? According to my scouts, Nan Chu and Dong Qi are still on their way."

  Qin's face was calm, and he said lightly: "The White Deer Fortress has been entrenched in the west for many years, blocking the Yinshan trail. Not only is it a thorn in the throat of Xichuan, but also a grain of sand in the eye of our Great Qin. Since they have committed a crime here this time, we might as well eliminate them. Send an envoy to see Yan Hui and tell him that I am willing to join forces with him. Within three days, rush to the White Deer Plain and wipe out these bandits who are daring and arrogant."

  The young general nodded silently and turned to leave. He had never doubted the prince's words, having followed Qin Zhiyan for seven years and deeply understanding his temperament and character. He also knew that beneath his weak appearance lay a ruthless and decisive emperor's heart. However, this time, he felt a slight twinge of doubt as he watched the young maid retreat from the large tent like a dragon. The prince was, after all, a man with desires, and he wondered what kind of woman could have captured the prince's attention in such a way.

  The last ray of light on the horizon was slowly swallowed up, and the last night of Yanziying in Yao Guan came quietly.

  Qing Xia's previous injury was just excessive blood loss and severe exhaustion. Qin Zhiyan's personal doctor was indeed amazing, after taking a dose of medicine, Qing Xia felt that his body had already recovered more than half, except for the external injuries on his body which had not yet healed, he was no longer in serious trouble.

  That day, when the White Deer Fortress was attacked, Xi Linchen went to the rear camp to protect the grain and grass of Xichuan and escaped from the main camp. He got separated from Qing Xia and others, but just as Qing Xia turned back to look for him, he caught up from behind. In the chaos of war, the two almost brushed shoulders without seeing each other. When Banbur and others wanted to go back and inform Qing Xia, Xi Linchen knew that even if they went, it would not have much effect. He boldly went to the Qin camp to seek help and offered all the grain and grass of Xichuan. Under this condition, he finally met the commander-in-chief of the Qin state, Qin Zhiyan.

  Qin Zhiyan heard the name of Xia Qing and inquired about it from Bambur and others, only to learn that Qingxia was surrounded by the White Deer Fortress. He immediately led his army to rescue her at top speed.

  It's indeed a narrow escape for Qing Xia this time, and it can be considered good luck that she didn't die.

  Xilin Chen was exhausted, he felt that it was his own fault that hurt Qing Xia, and insisted on standing outside the tent waiting for her while she was unconscious, refusing to leave even a step. In this freezing winter, his hands and feet were already frozen, and only when the doctor pulled him out did Qing Xia finally put down some of her worries.

  The curtain rustled, and Qin Zhiyan walked in, carrying a square tray in his hand. He walked straight to Qing Xia's bedside before sitting down. A strong medicinal scent wafted over, but it wasn't the familiar scent of patchouli on him, rather an unfamiliar yet pleasant aroma that was very rich and fragrant. Qing Xia sniffed carefully, taking two deep sniffs.

  Qin's elegant smile, lifted the lid, only to see a few small ceramic bottles on top, the tray was divided into three layers, from the side can be seen, the lower layer placed a lot of red charcoal, the middle layer is bubbling boiling water, the ceramic bottle was placed on top, faintly emitting a wisp of green smoke.

  "This is calming incense, it can help you fall asleep." Qin Zhiyan smiled and placed the tray on a small table beside him, sitting in front of Qing Xia's bed, naturally stretching out his hand to check Qing Xia's forehead temperature. Qing Xia only felt that Qin Zhiyan's palm was icy cold, and couldn't help but shiver.

  Qin Zhiyan was taken aback, hastily withdrew his hand, grabbed a nearby hot water bottle, held it in his hands and said: "It's very cold outside, I forgot, you quickly lie down, the quilt is warmer, I'll go call someone to add some charcoal fire."

  Just as he was about to get up and leave, Qing Xia grabbed Qin Zhiyan's sleeve, and Qin Zhiyan turned his head back, meeting Qing Xia's eyes.

  "Qin's flame, thank you."

  Qin Zhiyan looked at Qing Xia's serious expression, smiled slightly and shook his head, saying in a soft voice: "No need to tell me these things."

  "No," Qing Xia shook his head stubbornly, looking up at him with a serious expression. "Every time I was in the most miserable state, it was you who saved me. Without you, I would have died many times already. My gratitude towards you can't be repaid with just a thank you. This time, not only did you save me, but also Xilin Chen and Banbul, so I should thank you even more. I know that if it weren't for me, the Qin state wouldn't care about the life or death of Xichuan."

  Qin Zhiyan's sleeve was grasped by Qing Xia, and under the lamp light, his face looked as serene as a lotus flower, with a gentle smile that enveloped Qing Xia like the vast ocean. At first glance, Qin Zhiyan seemed to have an elegant and refined demeanor, with a divine aura about him. But now, with more frequent encounters, his face became even more breathtakingly handsome, he slowly sat down at the head of Qing Xia's bed, lightly and softly, bringing a comfortable caress like a willow leaf brushing against her cheek.

  "Yima, I don't want you to thank me. If you really feel indebted to me, can you promise me one thing?"

  Qing Xia heard this and hastily said: "You say, as long as I can do it, I will definitely do it."

  Qin's flames slightly smiled and said in a low voice: "This matter, for others may be simple, but for you, it is very difficult. Are you really willing to agree?"

  Qing Xia was taken aback for a moment, but finally nodded and said softly: "I believe you, no matter what you say, I will definitely agree."

  Qin's slender fingers brushed past Qing Xia's temples, tucking her hair behind her ear. His voice was soothing as he smiled and said: "I just hope that from now on, whenever you want to do something, you'll consider your own safety first and not charge forward without regard for your own life. I just hope you can live a peaceful and joyful life like an ordinary woman, without getting hurt or bleeding again. I just hope you won't pretend to be strong anymore, that when you're heartbroken, you can say it out loud and not swallow all your tears. I just hope you won't keep being the one others rely on, shielding them from wind and rain until you're battered and bruised. I hope you can be a little softer, and in times of danger, lean on someone else's shoulder, hide behind someone else."

  "Yima, I just hope you can live a simpler life, a more peaceful life, and a happier life."

  Qing Xia slightly lowered her head, with turbulent emotions surging in her heart. Her tears rippled gently in her eye sockets, but never fell. The room was quiet, the scent of incense wafted slowly through the air, making one feel drowsy and wanting to take a long nap.

  Qin's smile was faint, but it was warm. He put down the hand warmer and leaned in close to Qing Xia, his hand resting on her slender shoulder. His voice was rich and mellow like old wine, gentle as an autumn breeze rustling the mulberry leaves.

  "Yimai'er, if possible, I really want to be the man you can rely on."

  "Qin's flames?" Qing Xia's voice slightly rose, and she looked up in shock at this man who was usually calm and gentle.

  "Don't worry," Qin Zhiyan's hand gently patted on Qing Xia's back, just like patting a child to sleep, and wrapped Qing Xia in his arms. "I can give you time, I can wait slowly, now, I only hope that you can give me an opportunity to take care of you and protect you."

  Qing Xia's tears finally flowed out slowly, she leaned into Qin Zhiyan's arms, her cheek stuck to his chest, and the tears wetted his shirt with a faint fragrance.

  This was a warmth that had never been felt before, and a sense of security that had never been experienced. Whether in past lives or this life, her existence was like a withered grass without roots, swaying gently in the cold wind, having endured too many harsh autumns. She struggled to survive, yearning for a place to settle down, but never thought of searching for a man who could accompany her and provide a stable life. Perhaps, she had secretly hoped that Chu Li would be that person, but unfortunately, reality crushed those hopes mercilessly. At this moment, her mind suddenly became a bit muddled, with some emotions, complexities, and indescribable feelings surging in her heart, finally turning into tears that flowed onto his clothes.

  Qin's flames gently stroked her hair, and at this moment, Qing Xia was as quiet and docile as a kitten. She retracted her sharp claws, put away her sharp weapons, and hid the killing intent and caution that filled her body, just like a child.

  "Yima'er, if you have nowhere to go, just stay with me."

  The night is dark and the moonlight outside is bright. Who would have thought that someone had whispered softly to her like this, those fleeting past events were finally swallowed up and disappeared in the turbulent tide of the world, leaving no trace. And the person who said these words, where are they now under the dazzling neon lights, living a life of luxury and extravagance, with jade-like food and drink, and a life of imperial splendor?

  Qing Xia leaned into Qin Zhiyan's arms and slowly fell asleep.

  If possible, let time stand still at this moment, everything is light and cloudless, the world is quiet, and all things are well.