A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated 3

20

.....

Half of Book 3

Yay!

.....

Another silence fell on the small tent.

Sometime later, Zuiju couldn't help asking in a small voice, "If we really were to give our lives up on the Songsen Mountains..."

"It won't happen." Pingting interrupted her words, softening her voice "It won't happen, Zuiju."

A sour taste rose to the tip of her nose. Zuiju didn't understand why her eyes suddenly became red. She fumbled and stretched out her hand to touch the tips of Pingting's fingers. She clutched tightly onto her slender hand.

The two hands full of blisters, yet still dexterous, clenched together in the darkness.

In the quiet world, Zuiju's breathing suddenly stopped.

The breathing that had abruptly stopped was highly unusual. Pingting waited quietly while Zuiju made no movement on her wrist, as if waiting quietly too.

After a long time had passed, Zuiju released her held breath. The breathing that floated towards Pingting's ears seemed more anxious than before.

"Miss Bai, your pulse is...very weak." Zuiju's voice was also anxious. "I must immediately treat you with acupuncture."

"No need to hurry, Zuiju." Pingting lightly replied.

"No, it must be done immediately." Zuiju habitually reached out her hand to look for the bag which knocked into the hardened wall of the shelter, making it feel sore.

Where was the bag?

Zuiju suddenly stiffened.

"We came in a rush." In the darkness, Pingting's voice was very soft and collected. "Zuiju, the bag is still outside. Remember? It's left where I took out the spare clothing."

The snow furiously pounded against the solid roof, producing a terrifying sound.

The deathly silence inside and the raging howl of the wind outside were two very different worlds.

A light flashed in the dark depths of Zuiju's eyes. She did not hesitate long before she clenched her teeth. "I will get it back, it should be nearby. I'll grab it the moment I move out."

"No." Pingting lightly spat out a word.

Zuiju suddenly realised that Pingting had positioned herself to fully block the entrance. There was no way she could wriggle her way out.

"Miss Bai, I understand your concern, but I must bring the needles back." Zuiju lowered her voice. "I am a doctor."

In the darkness, the outline of Pingting's figure seemed hazy, as if the dull world had blended into her. Yet her fragile body was as dignified and stable as a mountain.

"Zuiju, do you even know where the needles are? No one knows where it has been hurled to by the wind after a snowstorm has started."

"Perhaps it has been caught in a nearby branch. I can still go to look for it." She continued forwards and collided into Pingting's arms. Her fingers slipped around her wrist and finally onto her hand, "Miss Bai, like I said before, that I will do everything to protect you and your child."

Pingting's body refused to budge. She stood there like a statue of thousands of years. Her hand returned the tight grasp of Zuiju's hand.

"I've also said before that we won't die. It won't happen, Zuiju."

The two freezing, slender hands tightly held each other, causing the slight warmth from being bonded to slowly rise.

The space in the shed was much too small. Zuiju could only push Pingting away.

"But, your child..." Zuiju's heard her own voice, carrying a low sob, in the pitch black darkness. She loosened her clenched hand and used her fingertips to explore Pingting's pulse once more.

After detecting a disordered skin, she lifted her slightly trembling fingers.

A warm liquid dripped onto her skirt.

In the silent darkness, the sound of her teardrops falling was heard very clearly.

Needles, how could she have forgotten the most important needles?

On the journey, she had continuously used medicinal herbs as well as needles to strengthen Pingting's body and stabilise her pulse. Why had she forgotten them when the snowstorm was about to fall?

Where was the roaring storm outside going to blow the bag with the needles to?

Zuiju could never forget this cruel storm in her life.

"Don't worry, the child will be fine."

Had she heard wrong?

In Pingting's voice, there was a deep sense of gentleness and calmness.

Zuiju felt the messy pulse on her wrist. There calm, faint words were like needles stabbing at Zuiju's heart.

In the darkness, she heard Pingting stifling a chuckle, her voice as gentle as a sweet dream. "The child in my belly is obediently sleeping. I am his mother and will protect him. The storm is fierce but he is in me, very warm and very safe."

Hearing Pingting's voice, Zuiju could almost see the corners of her mouth lifting into a small smile.

Gentle and touching, like the first rain of spring.

Pingting was indeed smiling.

The worst imperfections always came at the most terrible moments.

In the snowstorm, she had remembered the bag and in it, the needles. At the same time, she knew there was no going back. The roaring storm on the snowy plains was not only good at grabbing bags, but also grabbing away the lives of living people.

She knew her pulse was chaotic.

Her head was a little dizzy and her eyes were blurred. She did not know whether it was the darkness or some other reason. Her energy seemed to be pumped away, whisp by whisp.

But even so, she had to smile more.

"Don't worry about my child and me, Zuiju. We'll get through this snow."

Although this child is young, he is not as fragile as you think.

He was conceived in winter.

In his mother's womb, he could feel the peace of the secluded residence, hear the qin sound that touched the four countries, admired the heartbreakingly bright moon. He had seen the fire that raged in the night sky, the snowy ground died red from fresh blood, as well as boarded the carriage with his mother to leave, full of despair and sorrow.

This child will be stronger than me, more courageous.

His father is the world-famous general, the never to be defeated Duke of Zhen-Bei.

In his veins, the blood of Chu Beijie flows.

The most powerful blood of this world.

In the early morning, orange light filtered through the thick layers of clouds, causing a little haziness.

The sound of hooves shattered the tranquillity as it hurried on the snow-covered path.

Bada, bada, bada bump...

A horse came from afar and the military flag of emergencies had been placed on its back to ensure it was untampered on its journey.

"Open the door! Hurry, open the city gates! The Dong Lin army has withdrawn! The Dong Lin army has withdrawn!"

The messenger had his head raised as he yelled at the closed gates, excited joy hung in his words despite his fatigue.

The guards at the city gates strained their ears in disbelief. They peered down, asking incredulously, "What did you just say, Bro?"

"Hurry up and open the gates! I've got to report it to the Senior Official. Dong Lin has withdrawn!"

"The Dong Lin army has withdrawn! Dong Lin has withdrawn! The war is over!"