Finest Servant Chapter 611 (Patreon)

Chapter 611 Deserters

In July, the heat was blistering, and the air seemed to carry the scent of something charred. Even as the sun dipped below the horizon, the sands of the desert beyond the border danced in the sky, glowing red. Soft crackling sounds could be faintly heard, as if the very earth were about to catch fire.

At the city gate of Xingqing, which stood ajar, a stream of people went in and out, adding a touch of coolness to the frontier city. The soldiers of Great Hua guarding the gate were drenched in sweat under their armor, yet not a single one dared to slack off.

"A cup not yet emptied, how much longing can it hold?

Across mountains and rivers, dreams persist but messages are few.

In drunken stupor, I see autumn waves; in dreams, I feel misty rains.

My temples gray, a pity, all because love has aged me so.

Where emotions are tethered, I dare not dwell; the moon sets and dawn breaks.

When will you return on your galloping steed? To lean on the railing, to greet me at the door, to share a light laugh.

See my makeup as red as ever, remaining youthful under the heavens!"

A graceful figure stood atop the city wall, murmuring to herself as she gazed at the distant blood-red setting sun. The afterglow of the sunset illuminated her beautiful face, and tears as clear as snow trickled down her cheeks.

"Aunt Xu—"

A voice called from behind. The woman quickly wiped her eyes and turned around, softly asking, "Wuling, why have you come?"

"Aunt Xu, do you think Brother Lin will come back?" Little Li choked, "It's been more than a month now—"

Since his return from the plains, Li Wuling had grown taller and tanned, no longer the boyish youth he was. Now, he was a true soldier.

Xu Zhiqing's face turned pale. "He will return. He has to."

Li Wuling looked down in despair. "Aunt Xu, you didn’t see the arrow from the Great Khan of the Turks. Three arrows in a row, shattering the heavens. Not even gods could withstand it."

"Not even gods could withstand?" Xu Zhiqing's eyes brimmed with tears as she resolutely shook her head. "What are gods compared to him? He is the worst person in the world; even Heaven wouldn't dare to take him."

Li Wuling nodded, his eyes filled with hope as he looked forward. The swirling sands of the desert obscured half of the blood-red sun.

"Wuling, did you come to find me for something?" Xu Zhiqing broke the silence after a long while.

Li Wuling quickly nodded, "Aunt Xu, the Turks are waiting for our reply! Ever since we captured their Young Khan and Right Prince, they send emissaries every other day to probe for information. Just now, brother Zuo Qiu from Helan Mountains sent a messenger; today, Lu Dongzan has also sent a letter, wishing to negotiate with us."

Their passage through the plains had been unobstructed. Despite the Turks’ thousands of soldiers, no one dared to stop them. The royal court had been broken, and the Young Khan along with Right Prince had all been captured—events unprecedented in the powerful Turkic Khanate. Add to that their repeated failures at Helan Mountain, paid for with countless lives and blood; both their anger and sorrow were mixed with a deep sense of shock at the resilience and killing intent of the people of Great Hua.

Given the Turks’ apprehensions, they had gradually retreated to the plains over the past month. Both sides had troops stationed at the border, and although minor skirmishes occurred from time to time, there had been no major battles. Amidst this standoff, a rare buffer of peace had emerged between the plains and the desert.

"Negotiations? We're in no rush; they are the anxious ones!" Xu Zhiqing said serenely. To have achieved this current position, holding all the initiative in Great Hua's hands, had cost the lives of countless soldiers, especially that of a man whose fate remained uncertain.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she sighed, "The decision on how to deal with the Young Khan of the Turks and the other prisoners must be made by the Emperor. Until the Imperial Edict arrives, discussions are pointless. Lu Dongzan is well aware of this; he's deliberately pressuring us to regain some leverage in the negotiations."

Li Wuling nodded hastily, "I came precisely for this matter. Aunt Xu, Grandfather told me that the Imperial Edict from the Emperor has arrived."

...

In the evening glow, a small carriage trudged along, battling against the billowing sand. The dying light of the sun painted the carriage canopy a brilliant red.

From behind the curtain, a delicate hand occasionally reached out to tug at the reins, steering the horse and correcting the direction. The sound of wind-driven sand battering against the carriage was interrupted by a frail voice inside, as if the speaker were ill. "Sister, don't go so fast. Let's take a break. Just imagine, a leisurely stroll at sunset, just you and me, faces bathed in the rosy twilight. How wonderfully poetic and romantic!"

"Romantic or not, we're certainly going slow," the Sister responded with a wry shake of her head, "Didn't we just take a break? If we continue at this pace—lying in bed until late morning, napping at noon because it's too hot, and only setting off at sunset—we'll barely cover any distance in a day!"

"If we can't finish today, we'll finish tomorrow. I am sick, after all," the frail voice coughed and gasped for air, "It's perfectly reasonable to give special treatment to a sick person. When it's your turn to go through confinement after childbirth, I'll take care of you just like this—holding you and not taking a single step. How does that sound?"

"Tsk!" The Sister blushed furiously.

Seeing the pallor on the patient's face, and hearing him pant after just a few words, she felt a pang of pain in her heart and tightly gripped his hand. The air inside the carriage was stiflingly hot, but the sick man's body was chillingly cold—a sign of severe illness and weakness. External wounds might heal, but the internal damage caused by an arrow was not something to be underestimated.

"Sister, your hair is messy," said the ill man softly, gently brushing a few strands of hair from her ear, his touch tender.

Sweetness mixed with sorrow, the Sister's tears silently fell as she tightly gripped his hand, allowing him to hold her face. "You're so stubborn. After returning from Bayanhot, you chose not to take the flat and open grasslands, insisting that I carry you across the Helan Mountains, retracing our original path. Your injuries are severe; can you really bear this hardship? Now, no one even knows you're alive, let alone that you've come back."

"It's better that they don't know," he sighed softly, "I'm tired. I just want to find a quiet place to rest, to think about nothing and do nothing. Sleep, count some money, hold you close, and just live. What a joyful life this is!"

With a chuckle, the Sister lightly tapped her finger on his nose. Both laughter and teary eyes blossomed simultaneously. "Don't think I don't know what's on your mind—you're afraid they'll find you and drag you to the negotiating table to face someone you don't want to see, aren't you?"

"Ah, Sister, why bother? I barely have any secrets left in me," the patient said, shaking his head with a bitter smile. "Alright, you're right. Negotiations, that's their concern, not mine. I don't want to be bothered. Right now, all I want is to be a worry-free deserter."

"Speaking of which, deserter, take your medicine," the Sister said, smiling and shaking her head. She took some herbal medicine from a small box; the faint aroma of the herbs was mixed with a strong bitter scent.

The patient's face paled, clearly having had his fill of the bitterness of the medicine. "Can I, can I not take it? It's so bitter!"

"No!" She left no room for discussion.

"Then, could I make a request? Could you chew the medicine and then feed it to me mouth to mouth? It might taste a bit sweeter that way—Mmm. How sweet!"

Just as they were caught up in the moment, there was a loud banging sound outside. The horse carriage came to a halt. The Sister hastily pulled back and shot him a blushing glance.

"Who is it? Who dares to interrupt me? I was enjoying some sweet medicine!" The patient was instantly furious.

A loud command sounded from outside, "Who's in there? What are you doing? Get out of the carriage! Prepare for inspection!"

The Sister hurriedly poked her head out and exclaimed, "We've reached Xingqing!"

"Xingqing?" The patient quickly lifted the curtain and glanced around. Towering walls, sturdy battlements, bustling markets, tea houses, and inns—it all came into view. ‘I haven't heard such noise in over three months. How familiar it is!’ he thought, feeling refreshed as if he had eaten a popsicle. His eyes moistened. ‘Xingqing, I'm back!’

Just as he was feeling triumphant, he felt the Sister tug on his sleeve and hide behind him. Looking up, he saw the sentry at the carriage door staring at the Sister, saliva dripping from his mouth.

Even though she was modestly dressed, her radiant beauty could not be hidden. The guards outside were nearly bug-eyed from staring.

The patient flew into a rage, "What are you looking at? If anyone dares to stare at my wife, I'll gouge out his eyes! Let me tell you, I've killed tens of thousands!"

"You, kill people?" The soldiers burst into laughter. They could see his sunken eyes, pale face, and trembling body—altogether the look of someone gravely ill. Killing someone? They doubted he could even kill a chicken without breaking into a sweat.

"What are you looking so fierce for? Even the Turks don't dare to glare at us like that! Get out of the carriage for inspection. We need to prevent enemy spies from infiltrating the city." Xu Zhiqing, who was adept at leading troops, had disciplined the soldiers well. So, they only mocked but did not dare to overstep.

Ah, when a tiger falls flat, even dogs will bully it. If he intended to play the role of a deserter, he had no choice but to get out of the carriage for inspection. As he got down grudgingly, the Sister, holding back her laughter, helped him out of the carriage.

Leaning weakly against the Sister, he watched as the soldiers rummaged through their carriage. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally waved them through into the city.

"A complete waste! A beautiful flower stuck in cow dung!" One soldier muttered, unable to hide his disdain.

His blood boiled. "What the hell, if you're not putting the flower in cow dung, should the cow dung go into the flower instead?" Just as he was about to confront the soldier, the Sister gently pulled him back, smiling softly. "I happen to like this piece of cow dung."

He laughed heartily and put his arm around the Sister's slender waist. "Really? Never knew you had such unique tastes! Cow dung is nutritious, you know, it nurtures beautiful flowers. If someone wants a piece of cow dung, they'd have to get in line!"

As their carriage rolled into the bustling city, he heard endless noise and clamor. Young men rode white horses, young women wore colorful dresses, wine shops and teahouses were abuzz, and musicians and dancers filled the air with liveliness.

Three months had passed since he'd last been in this city. Now, it felt like a different world. The forces of the Empire had won several battles; they had recently captured some significant figures among their enemies, causing a wave of national celebration. The city seemed more prosperous and vibrant than ever before, vaguely resembling the affluence of the southern regions.

He felt as if he had returned to the world of the living after three long months. He noticed a few women standing at a doorway, swaying their hips to attract customers, their laughter echoing down the street.

Overwhelmed with nostalgia, he couldn't resist leaning out of the carriage and whistling cheekily. "Hey there, what's the price for the full package? The deluxe service, you know. I'm new at this, totally inexperienced. Any chance for a discount?"

"You must be new today!" One of the women approached enthusiastically. "Sir, I'm also new. Half a tael for some tea, two taels for the night. Since you're so dark, you won't need a lamp, so you'll save on oil. I'll give you a half-tael discount. Just one and a half taels for the entire night!"

The Sister jabbed him in the rear with a needle.

"Sister, I was just joking with them," he pouted. "I just wanted to feel alive again!"

The Sister understood his emotions but couldn't help but feel a bit jealous—it was a woman's nature. She chuckled softly and said, blushing, "You're not allowed to talk to these women in such an explicit manner!"

"Got it, got it. I should be saying those things to you instead!"

The Sister blushed but surprisingly didn't object.

"Ah, candied hawthorn!" The patient eagerly stuck his head out of the carriage and waved frantically. "Hey, shopkeeper, how much for the candied hawthorn?"

"Five copper coins per skewer, no haggling."

What a no-haggling policy! When he was with Eldest Miss in Hangzhou, he had bought three skewers for just ten copper coins.

"Will you sell two skewers for eight copper coins? It's so hot; the sugar is melting. You won't be able to sell them tomorrow! Plus, they'll stick to my teeth."

"Hmm, you want two? Alright then, eight copper coins it is."

"This gooey mess—who'd want to pay for it? Sister, give him ten copper coins; we'll take three skewers. If he refuses, let's move on."

…

"Sweet, isn't it?" He offered her the other two skewers.

The Sister, tasting this treat for the first time in her life, found it deliciously sweet and tangy. After a few licks, she put it back into his mouth and chuckled, "Originally, they were five copper coins per skewer, but you paid ten copper coins for three. You paid more, he gave more candied hawthorn—so who really won?"

"We both did! We're both happy," the patient bit into the candied hawthorn and shook his head, smiling. "Happiness is a feeling."

"You thief," The Sister stared at him, her face a mixture of awe and delight. She suddenly leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek, blushing as she said, "Like you, I feel very happy too."