Blind Princess

第二十三章

"Bao!" the archer hurried up to the young general, "The Siwang army has been spotted 50 li away from the town. They're heading straight for the main gate." Rong nodded and waved the archer off, frowning.

'Why would the army come right up to the main gate? Was it because they weren't expecting any resistance?' Rong shook his head. 'This isn't right... The Siwang wouldn't attack head-on, even if there wasn't any resistance...' Rong trailed off, motioning another soldier over.

"I want the Princess to go to the south gate. Send the best Lan swordsman with her." The soldier bowed and hurried off.

"Bao!" the soldier bowed to the princess, "General Rong wants you to move to the south gate with the best Lan swordsman this instant."

"Why?" Dongmei asked.

"I wasn't told, but I suspect General Rong has his reasons." Dongmei nodded and put her bow and quiver down, going to find Lan swordsman. 

"Lan Cheung!" Dongmei ran over. She gave a hurried half bow, even though she had no reason to.  "Rong...er, General Rong sent me to collect a few of the best swordsmen and bring them to the south gate." Cheung's lips twitched with a smile. To see the princess humble herself like this was one sight to see. 

"Haoyu, Caishen, Baihu, Wei Qi, Ai Xiang, Ai Gou, Xichen, and Yuanyu, you're not in the mercy and command of Dongmei Gongzhu." The eight swordsmen stepped forward, bowing with their hands clasped around their swords. 

"Our swords are yours." They chorused. Lan Cheung nodded sternly.

"Godspeed, Princess." The princess and her company bowed to Cheung before turning and heading down the dirt road towards the south gate.

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"Bao! Gongzhu!" a bloodied Lan disciple ran up to the princess. Dongmei's silver eyes flashed in the bright sunlight.

"Wei Qi, take command." The Lan swordsman nodded, "Speak."

The messenger bowed again, "The Siwang Army attacked with half of their numbers missing. General Rong believes that a group of Siwang soldiers were sent to the south gate as an ambush and last attempt to take the town." The messenger finished but seemed very hesitant.

"Is that all?" Dongmei asked. The messenger hesitated.

"General Rong doesn't want you to worry...but...he was injured, badly, when he went head-to-head with the Siwang Commander. He's back at Siwang Manor, but..." Dongmei stiffened.

"Wei Qi, command them well. I'm going to see him." The messenger started.

"Gongzhu, General Rong said it wasn't necessary. He doesn't want you to worry." The messenger said pleadingly. Dongmei walked past him, white hair trailing behind her.

"I'm going." she finalized. The messenger looked frantically around, his shoulders slumping.

"Yes, Gongzhu..." he said quietly, bowing to Wei Qi and the princess.

Dongmei looked sternly at Wei Qi, "Stay safe, and if you ever need help, signal for Lan Cheung or me." Wei Qi and his fighters bowed respectfully. Dongmei and the messenger hurried off, leaving the Lan swordsmen to guard the south gate. 

"What's the general's condition?" Dongmei asked as they neared the manor, the clash of swords being heard from the battlefield.

"He's stable but has lost a lot of blood. Lady Xiuying is treating him as we speak." Dongmei ran up the manor steps, bursting into the room where Chang Rong was being treated. 

"Dongmei-" Xiuying stood up, holding a bowl and rag, stained red with blood. All of Rong's armor and outer robe were removed, leaving him in his white hanfu liner, which also was stained with blood. "You shouldn't be here..." Dongmei pushed Xiuying to the side, sitting down cross-legged on the floor, her eyes closed and gold light pulsing around her.

"Dongmei Gongzhu-" Caihong stepped forward, but Xiuying held her back.

"We can't interfere, Caihong. Dongmei has already entered her meditative stage, and if we disrupt her without her consent, it may disrupt her spiritual energy." Xiuying put down the bowl and rag she was holding, watching the princess as her huadian appeared on her forehead. "If I'm reading this correctly, Dongmei is giving some of her yin energy to General Rong. Just this is a life and death process, disrupting would immediately put both subjects in danger, if not kill them." 

Caihong's face creased with trouble. "How long will it take?"

"Depending on Dongmei's cultivation level...it might take a while. Maybe about 30 minutes, closest to an hour." Xiuying faced Caihong, handing her a slip of paper, "Give this to the cooks and tell them to make two servings. Dongmei and Rong will need this after the process is over." Caihong bowed and hurried off.

Xiuying kneeled next to Dongmei, watching the sweat bead on her forehead. Taking a deep breath, Xiuying put both of her hands out in front of her, glowing red. She watched the two closely before lowering her hands and nodding.

"Come on Dongmei. I know you can make it." Xiuying whispered as 10 minutes passed. Dongmei's chest heaved with rattling breaths, her hands shaking and a small stream of blood coming from the corner of her mouth. "Come on..."

Suddenly, Dongmei's eyes flew open and she coughed up blood. "Dongmei!" Xiuying leaned forward, catching the white hair girl. Dongmei shook her head.

"I'm fine." She stood up, wobbling slightly, looking down at the young general. He coughed and Dongmei sighed in relief as his eyes opened. 

"It worked..." Dongmei said softly, Xiuying steading her.

"Dongmei? What are you doing here?" Rong struggled to sit up, "I told them not to let you come." he reached out a hand to Dongmei, taking her shaking hand. "Xiuying, what happened?" Xiuying quickly stood and bowed.

"My apologies, General Rong. I didn't try hard enough to stop her. Please forgive me." Rong waved off her apology, "Sir....she used her ying qi to heal you."

"Dongmei!" Rong shot her a stern look, "Why did you-"

"The soldiers need you. And I'm not going to wait for you to heal slowly." Dongmei said firmly, trying to stand up, but immediately collapsing. Rong tried his best to catch her, despite sitting down. Gently sitting her down on the bed, Rong looked her in the eyes.

"The soldiers need you as well. You're the Crown Princess, the hope of the whole nation." Dongmei waved him off, turning around, but Rong turned her back to face him, "You, go rest. I don't want to see you until this battle is over."

"But-"

"Do you want to be killed!" Rong scolded her, holding her still. Xiuying stood silently near them, hiding a smile. "I want you to go rest. If you come out at all, I will tie you up and gag you." Dongmei's eyes widened.

"Y-you would dare? I'm the-"

"Oh! Now you're playing the 'Crown Princess' card, are you? I don't care. I will do everything in my power to not get you killed. I don't care if you're the princess or not." he gave her a stern look, holding it for a while before she sighed and nodded. "Xiuying, take her to a room. Put four guards around the room. Make sure no one gets in and she doesn't get out." Xiuying nodded, taking Dongmei gently by the shoulders. "And stay in your room!" Rong called after the two of them.

He got no answer, but he heard Dongmei's annoyed sigh.