A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated 2

35

"You wanted to see me?" He Xia looked down at him, measuring the tall man.

He wore the clothing of a scholar and was very thin. His voice and gestures were very calm as he studied the two guards beside him before looking at He Xia. He showed no sign of fear as he raised his head, "My name is Fei Zhaoxing. I have not slept for several days and have been waiting for the Marquess of Jing-An to pass on an extremely precious message."

He Xia stared at him quietly, not asking him what the news was. His expression darkened and he harrumphed. His voice was cold, "How did you know I, Prince Consort, would come here?"

The guards by his sides raised their swords, poised and ready to fly towards him whenever he commanded them.

Fei Zhaoxing was not surprised and laughed instead. He looked at them warily, "Which of the four countries doesn't have their own spies? Honestly speaking to the Marquess of Jing-An, even my Master had not guessed that Marquess would come here at this time, so my being here is merely luck. Besides, if Marquess is on this road at this time, then my news will not be of any importance."

He Xia's piercing gaze that could decipher intentions rested on the man and saw that he wasn't lying. He Xia's tone slowed down as he asked, "Who is your Master? What news do you bring?"

"My Master is Gui Le's..." Fei Zhaoxing took a step forward, lowering his voice, "Queen."

The cavalry unit continued to surge to the west, led by Chu Beijie.

Both horses and men were exhausted, but not one fell behind.

The moon seemed a little shy and quietly hid somewhere no one could see, while the sun had yet to show its face.

It was nearly dawn, but the sky seemed darker than ever.

"Go!" Chu Beijie was still galloping against the wind.

His hands and feet were almost num. He could only feel the burning cold touch of his metal sword against his waist as well as an overpowering desire.

Fresh blood, bones and sand.

Worry and grief filled his chest. He was eager to wave the sword and feel the rush of adrenaline when he made his enemy fall and kneel before Pingting, begging for her forgiveness and smelling the soft fragrance of her skirt.

The tip of the mountain ranges were now in Chu Beijie's sight. He rushed onto the summit, looking around at the unlit plains below. The winter sun began to rise slightly, causing everything to be coloured the same. The light flickered in his bloodshot eyes, causing it to look a little more energetic. He scanned his surroundings once more. A slight movement on the mountain ranges caught his eye.

Go!

In the darkness, the shadows were faintly flashing.

The breath left Chu Beijie.

His expression did not change as he drew his sword from its sheath. His pupils reflected his feverish desire to jump right in.

Chen Mu came forwards and followed Chu Beijie's gaze. He too, saw the flickering shadows. He had been a general for a long time and immediately understood the situation. He whispered, "It seems that they are small in number and are most likely troops He Xia left behind in case of ambush."

Now that Chu Beijie had seen traces of the enemy, his confident expression on the battlefield had returned. He whispered back, "If He Xia has left troops here, this means that the primary unit is indeed travelling the Hengduan Ranges."

When the primary unit safely passes through the Hengduan Ranges, the smaller units would immediately go catch up and meet up at a safe place.

"Rush towards them and leave a ranking soldier alive. Torture them until he says where the main unit has gone."

"Yes!"

The sword in his hand felt all too hot.

Yet his heart was even hotter than the sword.

Chu Beijie clenched the reins in one hand and stared at the familiar mountain ranges.

Pingting, are you inside these dense mountain ranges?

I beg you to return my gaze, just one moment.

This ancient land is silent for you.

These three thousand and seven hundred swords' cold reflections are flashing for you.

The most stupid and the most uncherishing Chu Beijie is coming for you.

As long as I see your smile, all of this man's warm blood will from thereon belong to only you.

The palm of his hand held the sword, drenched in cold sweat.

Chu Beijie turned his back against the mountain, slowly raised his sword as if piercing the bottomless darkness of the sky and spat, "Kill!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The piece of earth began to shake.

The cold light of the sword began to shake as the battle cries raged.

The thousands of men and horses stormed down the hillside, cutting the silence of dawn.

The men in the forest had expected to defeat all enemies and had carefully prepared sharp arrows and various boulders and pits for traps. They hadn't expected three thousand and seven hundred furious-looking men charging towards them with such monstrous rage.

They did not fear injury or death. Their attitude was the colour red. The only light colder than the reflections of swords was the one in the depths of their eyes.

"Ahhh!"

A painful scream and Chu Beijie's surroundings were filled with relentless fighting. Perhaps it was like a drawing, as the colour of blood splashed slightly like the colour of plums as horses randomly trampled in every direction.

Nobody could resist Chu Beijie. All of the enemies were quickly defeated.

As the two sides clashed, the three thousand and seven hundred crashed through from east to west, wiping the enemies clean. When Chu Beijie's horse had arrived on the furthermost point of the enemy camp, the battle was over.

Yet the fury was not.

This was the most brainless kind of attack, but at the same time it was the most time-saving.

The metallic smell floated around in the forest, drifting about.

This was not war, this was a massacre. The enemy troop had less than a thousand men. Most of them had already been buried under the pile of bodies.

The battle cries had replaced the thunder of hoove. The following silence dominated the silence of death.

Beads of blood trickled from the sword.

Chu Mu brought the man Chu Beijie wanted alive. Although the enemy was wearing civilian clothes, his general attire and the way he held himself was different to ordinary soldiers. How could such a man possibly escape the eyes of a war veteran?

The enemy with several wounds was pushed heavily before Chu Beijie's horse.

"Where is He Xia's main party?" Chu Beijie's voice was pretty faint.

It was not his tone that was intimidating but his eyes.

The enemy soldier was surprised for a moment and raised his eyes to look at Chu Beijie. He saw that the man on the horse was compelling, but all he could see was a faint outline in the dim light. "Which general are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Chu Beijie."

"Dong Lin's Duke of Zhen-Bei?" The enemy general was very surprised as he exclaimed, "You're the Duke of Zhen-Bei?" His face was full of bewilderment.