Broken Bonds

27

Chapter 27

“Sect Master…” Yan Feili was a little flustered and at a loss. He wanted to push Beitang Ao away but found himself dizzy and very weak.

“Don’t move. You’ve been in a coma for nearly half a month. You haven’t eaten properly, and your body is too weak. Drink this bowl of congee, and we will set off later.” 

“Go? Where?”

“Go to Huacheng,” Beitang Ao replied and concentrated on feeding him the porridge. He had never done anything like this before. His movements were a bit rough and rude, but he tried to be as gentle as possible.

Yan Feili felt that his mind was still groggy, full of questions. Why was the Sect Master here? Why take him to Huacheng? The child’s matter… Did the Sect Master already know? What did he think?

He had many things to ask, but the Sect Master kept stuffing the porridge into his mouth one by one. Unable to speak, he swallowed each spoonful desperately. He slept for many days and only ate medicinal juice. His stomach had shrunk. Although he can eat real food, it was difficult to swallow. Every bite had been exhausting. 

After eating the medicinal porridge, Beitang Ao put the bowl aside, took the coat on the bed, and helped Yan Feili put it on. He took another robe and draped it over him.

“Sect Master…” Yan Fei stared at everything Beitang Ao had done for him.

Beitang Ao helped him tie up the belt and grasped his wrist to get the pulse. He felt that his internal breath was fairly stable. As long as he was careful on the road and took good care of his body, there should not be any major problem.

When Ling Qing came in, he saw the two people close together and his heart tightened. Quickly converging his mind, he stepped forward and said respectfully to Beitang Ao, “The Sect Master’s carriage is ready. The horses can set off at any time.”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Beitang Ao nodded and asked, “Where is Doctor Qiu?”

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Yan Feili became uneasy. His heart was warm but tight. 

“Sect Master, what are you doing?” Yan Feili looked at Beitang Ao approaching him in surprise as if to pick him up.

Sure enough, Beitang Ao answered, “Placing you in the carriage!”

“No, no. I—I can do it…” Yan Feili pushed him weakly.

Beitang Ao frowned, “You are like this, can you get on the carriage by yourself?” 

Yan Feili lowered his head and whispered, “This is a military camp. I can’t beat the morale of the soldiers.”

The Sect Master did not speak. Yan Feili lowered his head and struggled to sit next to the bed, trying to stand up. How could it be possible that when he leaned forward, he also fell?

Ling Qing wanted to rush over but saw that Yan Feili was already embraced by Beitang Ao.

“You don’t want to hurt their morale, but you don’t know that you have been in a coma for so many days. They all had long worried about you, why do you still pretend to be strong at this time?” Beitang Ao whispered in his ear, breathing onto his face. 

Yan Feili was not moved and wanted to ask him what “pretend” refers to, but he didn’t dare to ask.

In a flash, his body was lifted into the air and was embraced by Beitang Ao. Yan Feili was dizzy for a while. His heart palpitated and had to grasp onto Beitang Ao’s clothes, letting Beitang Ao carry him out of the big tent and into the carriage.

Beitang Ao was surprised by the weight in his arms. Although he had known that Yan Feili was skinny, he did not expect the weight to become so light for a big man.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year in Shenmei Courtyard, Yan Feili fainted in the snow, and it was Beitang Ao who carried him into the bedroom. This time around, Beitang Ao was frightened by the weight loss of Yan Feili’s body! Although both of them were similar in shape, Beitang Ao was a northerner, slender and lean, and looked thinner than Yan Feili. Yet Beitang Ao felt that the person he was carrying was a skeleton. 

Yan Feili felt very ashamed. One reason was that the Sect Master carried him in such a weak posture that made him feel powerless. The other reason was that he could not fulfill the responsibility and majesty of a leader in front of his soldiers.

“Don’t worry, these soldiers are your subordinates. They have suffered your heart for a long time. What can they feel other than gladness?” Beitang Ao said to him.

When the Sect Master talked about the people who “suffered your heart” …Yan Feili hid a faint disappointment and lowered his face.

The carriage was specially prepared for injured generals. Ling Qing cleaned it up with much care, spreading thick blankets on the couch and both sides so that Yan Fei can travel without bumps. Once Beitang Ao put Yan Feili on the couch, he saw that Yan Feili kept his head down. The Sect Master leaned forward, raised Yan Feili’s chin, and asked, “What’s wrong? Is it uncomfortable?” 

Yan Feili shook his head and replied, “This subordinate is a little tired.”

Beitang Ao frowned, “FeiLi, I once told you when you left that it is good to help Sect Master Ximen Yue and share your worries. You should’ve understood my meanings, but look at what you have made yourself! I must say that I am very unhappy! When I allowed you to leave Jianjing, I wanted you to return as good as before!”

Beitang Ao’s words became heavier as he talked, and his hands also added strength until he realized that Yan Feili had paled.

Beitang Ao sighed, his hand on Yan Feili’s chin changed to caress, and he said softly, “This is not to blame you, but you like to endure everything. You don’t say anything and let people guess. I don’t know what you’re thinking about. You’re not in good health. The journey to Huacheng is hard. If you feel uncomfortable, you must say it. I have let Qiu Yeyuan go with you. He has a close relationship with you, and he has good medical skills. If you feel unwell, you should tell him immediately. He is here to take care of you.” 

The Sect Master rarely said so much to him, and his words truly revealed the meaning of care. Yan Feili’s lips trembled slightly, and he stopped himself before words formed.

“What do you want to say?” Beitang Ao asked, but Yan Feili lowered his head, “Feili?”

“Sect Master, the child… You know all about it?” Yan Feili asked in a low voice.

Beitang Ao responded, “I won’t deny it. I know that what happened during those nights was indeed true.” 

Yan Feili clenched the robe in his hands, his voice was a bit erratic, “I don’t know about the child, I don’t know… I—I didn’t notice it at all…”

“Feili, I don’t blame you! Don’t think about it anymore, forget it.”

Yan Feili shuddered when he heard this sentence. After a while, he turned around and smiled sadly, “This subordinate knows. This subordinate won’t think about it anymore…”