Fuzhu's Ballad

46

Chapter 46 Each has its own destiny

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Although the army was marching swiftly northward, there was still a regulated schedule for travel and lodging. For Lan Dan, it was much more comfortable than the last time she followed Shentu Rui out because there was a carriage available, people to serve her, and most importantly, Shentu Rui was too busy to bother her.

For the sake of convenience, the women’s carriages and horses were all concentrated at the back of the army. Shentu Cheng led the front of the army, while Shentu Rui was responsible for the rear. Lan Dan observed for two days, and realized that Shentu Rui was not heavily involved in military strategy. Shentu Cheng must have paid attention to it, and delegated him to handle daily chores such as taking care of the women and maintaining the camp. This was equivalent to pushing him out of the main military tent. Shentu Rui was not resentful at all, on the contrary, he was excited to be busy with setting up camp, preparing food, and other details. He even patrolled around the camp at night until late before returning to his own tent to rest. Despite being a Prince, he was doing the job of a third-rank general. The armies dispatched to fight against the rebels were from various regions of the Central Plains. The Generals all knew how the Emperor treated his younger brother and were naturally distant from Shentu Rui. They were not foolish enough to violate the Emperor’s taboo. Shentu Rui did not mind. He appeared to be carefree and cheerful like Su Yi Ming.

It was hot and uncomfortable inside the carriage. Unable to sit still, Lan Dan got out to ride her horse for a while and found it more refreshing.

From a distance, Shentu Rui saw her and rode up on horseback with Sun Shi Xiang. Lan Dan turned to look at the sound of the approaching hoofbeats and noticed that Shentu Rui had gotten darker, which she hadn’t realized because he always came back in the middle of the night.

“Why are you smiling like a fool?” Lan Dan couldn’t help but mock him as she felt uncomfortable with his bright smile.

“Blessed are the fools, like you. I’m envious, so I imitate one.” He leaned over, still smiling happily.

Lan Dan glared at him, thinking that it had been too long since he had irritated her. Couldn’t he have survived without doing so?

Before she could respond, he raised his chin and exclaimed excitedly, “I found a small stream half a mile away, but we have to jump over a few small bushes. What do you say, want to go?”

Under the scorching sun, the marching troops kicked up dust and dirt, but the allure of the small creek was unprecedentedly strong for Lan Dan to ignore her anger. She hesitated, “I don’t know how to jump over the bushes…”

When Shentu Rui smiled, the corners of his eyes lifted, and his phoenix eyes looked especially beautiful. Perhaps it was because he had tanned, but his teeth were particularly white. “I’ll teach you.”

Lan Dan couldn’t help but smile and said, “You really have nothing to do now.”

Shentu Rui didn’t take Lan Dan’s sarcasm seriously and nodded his head, as if she was making sense. “It seems so, let’s go?” he said as he pulled the reins of his horse and galloped out first.

Lan Dan was also infected by his enthusiasm. She followed with a laugh, answering in a bold tone, “Let’s go!”

Sun Shi Xiang smirked, stood there without moving, and said to himself, “I’d better not go.” Watching the two young and beautiful riders galloping out of the formation, sometimes riding side by side, sometimes racing, and sometimes playing, Sun Shi Xiang thought of the dance of butterflies and suddenly felt emotional. If the Prince of Yan had not fallen into the vortex of fate, he would be laughing so loudly, riding a horse with his beloved girl.