Chapter 31: 第三十章

A/N  everyone's favourite: long chapter, almost 3k words

When Liu Qingyuan next woke, the fire was long dead. The cottage was empty and silent, and the pot on the stove was gone, as if it's never been there. A small pile of clothes lay on the end of the mattress, the fabric rough and befitting of a commoner's clothes. Liu Qingyuan sat up, feeling like his chest was no longer stuffy and painful with each breath and that the ache in his leg had long gone. He paused with suspicion. That mysterious porridge...of course, his leg was still broken and his ribs still bruised, just that the injuries were significantly better in such a short time; it seemed impossible.

Balancing carefully on one leg, Liu Qingyuan changed his clothes, the simple sash tying his shirt together. At the bottom of the pile was a small cloak. Although it was made of simple material, it was warm. And that was all that was important in the upcoming winter.

He touched his neck, feeling that the temperature was still slightly warmer than normal, but still, he forced himself up and limped to the door. Beyond the world of the messy, cluttered cabin, the ground was white with soft snow and a chilly wind blew through the gap in the cloak. The red winter berries shone like jewels in the warm dawn light, quietly accompanying the silent brown silhouettes in the woods. The man frowned unconsciously. Though it was beautiful, winter meant prolonged and increased difficulty in travelling. Not to mention, he still didn't know the aftermath of the granary fire and the situation further north in the capital.

There was nothing else in the cottage that would be useful to him. Liu Qingyuan took a step forward and halted at the aching pain that ran up his leg. After a while, he could only reluctantly withdraw. He would wait, but only until his leg healed a little more.

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That woman never came back again and Liu Qingyuan spent his days foraging in the woods by the cottage. Although the dishes he made weren't very tasty, they were nutritious and filling enough. His leg slowly got better to the point where he could walk normally and could even practice his sword for an hour everyday. It still hurt when he overexerted himself, but it wasn't a big problem. In the time that had passed, the forest changed from its first sprinkling of snow to a thick carpet coating the forest floor. The days were chilly but the nights were colder; Qiangda was officially in winter.

Liu Qingyuan gazed at the rising sun with half-closed eyes, hoisting the small satchel a little higher on his shoulder. His fingers curled around the straight branch he'd used partially as a sword and partially as a walking stick. The door of the cottage closed behind him and he paused for a moment, silently thanking that mysterious woman.

The soft morning wind fluttered the edge of the plain grey cloak and stirred up dark strands of his hair. As he took his first step off the dilapidated porch, a touch of happiness seemed to glow in the depths in the eyes. He was finally returning home.

Liu Qingyuan didn't take a break until midday. It was only when he sat down on an overturned log did he feel the burst of pain in his leg that came with exhaustion and the cold. He kneaded the muscles of his legs, forcing blood into them, but he didn't stop for long, stubborn on continuing with his journey. He'd waited until now for his leg to heal, he really couldn't wait any longer.

Having scouted out the territory beforehand, it would take him about a day and half to traverse the path upwards the cliff he'd fallen from. After travelling for another half a day, he spent the night shielded in a crock of trees, staring distantly at the stars winking from the edges of the firelight. He still remembered this starlight reflected within a pair of dark eyes. Ones that curved up slightly at the ends in a gentle smile. He couldn't wait to see those eyes again.

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Liu Qingyuan sat quietly at the low wooden table, the chilly air biting at every exposed piece of skin. The terrace he sat on was deserted because of the weather. The cracked and chipped dish carried a margin of hot water to his lips as his eyes scanned the path in front of him. If he turned his head, he could see the outline of the Mayor's house rising in the distance, half of the clay tiles cracked and crumbling from the heat of the fire. Liu Qingyaun didn't know how many days it had been but he estimated that it'd be upwards of two weeks.

Liu Qingyuan turned his gaze away, watching a bandaged man hurry down the path towards the little tea house. When their gazes met, the soldier's face went through several funny expressions before settling on gratified shock. "Captain!!"

The man ran up to him, tears gathering in his eyes. "Captain! You really are okay! When the messenger came, I didn't dare believe it!"

Liu Qingyuan leisurely poured himself another bowl of water from the steaming teapot on the shoddy table. A tired smile appeared on his face. "Are you saying you didn't think I'd come back?"

"N-no. I didn't mean-I meant..."

"Okay," Liu Qingyuan stood up, embracing the man tightly. "I understand." The soldier nearly burst into embarrassing tears, sniffling slightly. "Let's go meet the others."

"Yes..." The soldier's words trailed off as his eyes fell on the smooth stick propped by Liu Qingyuan's seat. "Captain...are you..." His eyes reddened again.

"Enough," Liu Qingyuan sighed. "It's not a big deal."

"Mm!" The soldier forced the tears back, enthusiastically running into the teahouse. "I'll get a carriage!" His figure disappeared before Liu Qingyuan could even open his mouth.

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"Captain!"

"Captain!"

"Captain!"

The simultaneous shouts were filled with emotion. Liu Qingyuan watched blankly as a crowd of tough men ran towards him like tearful concubine's after their husband came back from war. He hurriedly waved then off, sitting down in a wooden chair in the main hall of the mayor's house.

"Have you been staying here this whole time?"

"Yes! We won't go back without you!"

Liu Qingyuan looked at him like he was stupid. "If I really didn't come back, would you stay in this village? You are still commissioned under his majesty."

The soldier blinked, "You are right..."

"Anyway," interjected another soldier, "We've all discussed it over and over. On that day, there seemed to be a suspicious person. They seemed to know martial arts...I'm afraid we're not their match." He paused, "When you didn't come back, we thought-"

"Don't speak so much!" His companion smacked him. "Isn't the captain right in front of us?"

"Yes, yes, excuse me." The soldier hurriedly smacked his own mouth as if he could chase away the cursed words.

"What else d-"

Bang!

The door to the hall burst open and the stumbling figure of the mayor appeared. The group of men tensed, surrounding their injured captain. Only when they registered that it was the mayor did they relax a little. Liu Qingyuan sat in his humble clothes, quietly assessing the mayor's round figure. His wooden stick was propped against the arm of his chair and his injured leg was stretched out slightly more than the other. In fact, Liu Qingyuan really wanted to massage his leg; his muscles were sore and painful. However, he didn't want his subordinates to overreact, thus he could only swallow the discomfort.

"Ai ya!!!" Through ground shaking sobs, the mayor threw himself at Liu Qingyuan's feet, nearly collapsing sideways.

"Liu Qingyuan, "..."

The soldiers, "..."

The mayor, "Wuwuwuwu..."

Liu Qingyuan casually shook off the hand clinging to his pant leg. "Get up and talk properly." His voice was calm, but his gaze piercing. The mayor immediately sobered up, clamping his mouth shut. With the help of the soldiers, he climbed to his feet. He cleared his throat nervously. "Speak. What is the matter?"

"Ai ya...I have wronged you all..."

"Stop crying!" a soldier scolded. "Who were those men?"

"Ah they, you know...sometimes...they're just bandits. You know, even if we have some well-bodied young men to protect the village, we are still close to the border..." Bandits, huh. If they were truly bandits, there was no way Mo Wu would have hired them. Any one of his disciples would be well above them in terms of skill. There was no need for such a big show. Unless...that was his purpose?

A sufficient questioning session revealed no more notable information. As this place was far from the capital, the people hadn't suffered many schemes common with wealth, and the observations powers were not on par with Liu Qingyuan's standards.

"Captain, are you going to investigate?"

"Investigate...?" The mayor shrank back as several pairs of eyes turned to him. "Ah...I suddenly remembered my...wife was looking for me!" He hastily stood up and bowed. "Take your time, take your time. I'll take my leave now..."He rushed out as quickly as he had come.

Once he was gone, Liu Qingyuan sighed, "There's no need."

"But captain-"

"There's nothing more to get from this place." He stood up, the soldiers watching in silence as he picked up his stick. "Let's go home, ba? The king is still waiting for our report."

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In the lamp-lit study of the King of Qiangda, a stoic figure sat at his desk, brow furrowed and eyes stagnant. The brush under his fingers flowed smoothly, the characters appearing under his fingers in soft and smooth curves. The decisive strokes told of a determination and fortified will.

"Your majesty, your majesty!" Eunuch Shuang burst into the study. The brush paused and the end of the character was written weakly, ink blotting slightly on the thin paper.

"Eunuch Shuang," The king looked up coldly, "What are you doing?" Eunuch Shuang paused. Recently, the king woke up with a black face and went to bed with one; a hundred delicacies couldn't lift the bad mood hanging over him like a storm cloud. Finally in his hands he held information that could relieve the king's mood. Eunuch Shuang dared not delay.

"Forgive me your majesty, but the disaster relief group sent to the south has finally returned." Those slender jade fingers trembled minutely.

"What did you say?"

"A soldier has come to report, your majesty. The matter this time...I'm afraid it's not simple." A soldier entered the room, humbly bowing.

"Your majesty." His attire was travel worn and sooty; torn and dirty. Enough to make him appear a beggar if it wasn't for his ramrod straight posture and the sword at his waist.

"Liu Qingyuan?" Jiang Zhilan stood up, paying no attention as his brush rolled off the table and clattered onto the floor. A dot of ink stained his robes.

"What?"

"Captain Liu, guard Liu, Liu Qingyuan, where is he?"

"Ah...I suppose he's resting in his room..."

"Your majesty, this soldier-"

"Record it!" Jiang Zhilan stepped out from behind his desk in a flurry of fabric, the embroidered threads flashing in the low light. "Report it to me later."

"But your majesty!" The king was already gone.

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Liu Qingyuan had just finished bathing, his room filled with warm vapour. He stood by his bed, long, dark hair damp and a loose pair of white undergarments on his bottom half. He wrapped the tail of the bandage roll across his chest, tucking the end into the folds. He exhaled slightly, the smell of medicine surrounding him. Picking through the opened medicine chest on the bed, Liu Qingyuan shrugged on a white undershirt, the lines of his face filled with fatigue.

The door creaked open and Liu Qingyuan reached for the closest weapon; his stick. "Qingyuan!" His eyes dilated slightly as the figure approached him amidst billowing robes. Those eyes, those lips, the shape of his cheeks and the weight of fingers as they curled around his own; a sense of relief filled him and Liu Qingyuan quickly tied the strings of his shirt closed, hiding the bandages beneath the white fabric.

"Your majesty."

"Don't 'your majesty' me! You...are you alright?" Jiang Zhilan stopped a few inches from Liu Qingyuan, simultaneously wanting to throw himself forward and keep a proper, respectable distance. Liu Qingyuan stared at that nervous face, his gaze tender without his knowledge.

"En."

"That's good," Jiang Zhilan breathed a sigh of relief, gaze shifting down. He saw the medicine chest spread out on the bed. "You're injured!" His gaze zeroed in on his body and he reached forward for Liu Qingyuan's shirt.

"It doesn't matter." Liu Qingyuan caught those hands before they could touch him.

"How can you say it's nothing? Let me see!" Jiang Zhilan pulled his hand out of his grasp and directly grabbed his shirt. The ties came undone under his fingers and Liu Qingyuan's chest was revealed. He(LQY) stopped his hand before he could touch the bandages.

"I've applied medicine."

"...en." Jiang Zhilan reluctantly let go. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" He searched him up and down but couldn't find any other clues. Liu Qingyuan just watched him, the corner of his lips twitching up. "Let me check." He grabbed the ties of his pants but his wrist was caught once again.

"You...your majesty, do you know what you are doing?" Liu Qingyuan gazed at him from above. The air filled with vapour seemed to crowd into a haze in Jiang Zhilan's head as he stared up at that gaze, his wrist limply being pulled away.

"I-" His gaze flickered down, tracing the strong curve of his neck still damp with water and the abdominal muscles extending from beneath the bandages on his chest. Under his gaze, those muscles flexed slightly. A finger tilted his chin up.

"Your majesty?" Their noses brushed and Jiang Zhilan felt dizzy.

"I...mhm..." Liu Qingyuan kissed his lips gently, lowered lashes fanning over his eyes. The hand under his chin slid down his neck, pulling him closer with a loose grip. Liu Qingyuan's head dropped into the crook of the king's shoulder, breath tickling his skin.

"Your majesty..." Jiang Zhilan trembled, feeling each syllable reverberate in his chest as the warm weight of Liu Qingyuan's body draped itself over him. He could only dazedly raise his hands and pat his back like he was a big child. His fingers gently traced the lines of his muscles, feeling them shift beneath his touch. The skin pressed on his neck and cheek eluded a faint watery fragrance.

Holding Liu Qingyuan for several seconds, Jiang Zhilan began to feel that something was a bit off. He was standing a bit...crookedly?

He reluctantly pulled away, inspecting Liu Qingyuan again. "Did you...hurt your leg?" He didn't miss the way Liu Qingyuan's lips pursed. "You did."

"It's fine..." Jiang Zhilan looked around, catching sight of the stick by the bed.

"You even need assistance to walk! Sit down!"

"Your majesty-" But the king wasn't having it. He hastily packed up the medicine box, moving it to the side, and pushed Liu Qingyuan to sit.

"What happened? Is it bad? Should I summon the doctor?"

"...broke it..."

"..." There was a silence, then, "Broke it?! And you're still standing on it? You really-" Liu Qingyuan could practically see the steam coming from his ears. He fought the urge to laugh, reaching out and burying his face in the king's waist to hide the expression on his face.

"It's fine. It's better already."

"I-I forbid you from saying that phrase." Jiang Zhilan tried to be stern but all his attention was focused on the arms wrapped around his waist. His stomach felt hot. He touched Liu Qingyuan's damp hair, threading a few strands through his fingers. "Even if you broke it when you set off, it hasn't been a hundred days yet. You dare to walk on it? Do you want to be lame?"

Liu Qingyuan rubbed his face slightly on the silk robes of the king. He suddenly had a desire to tease. "If it was broken before then, would it be okay?"

"If it was broken before then, you'd be staying at the palace!"

"Okay, okay, don't be angry anymore," He murmured, "It's really fine. There was this lady..." He remembered that odd blind woman and the sweet porridge; temporarily, he got lost in thought. He shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Lady..." Jiang Zhilan squinted his eyes, looking down at Liu Qingyuan with a suspicious gaze. "Hmph..." He wanted to ask more, but seeing the exhaustion in his eyes, he relented, stroking another comforting hand on the top of his head.

"I'm sorry, your majesty."

"What for?"

"The disaster relief plan failed again. After the attack, the village was badly affected and the accumulated grain and oil for the remaining places were greatly reduced. I'm afraid there's a large number of places that'll have a hard winter this year." Jiang Zhilan's eyebrows furrowed.

"Every year, it is the common people who suffer." This disaster relief plan had been checked over by many departments of the court. There were no major flaws, and even minor ones were scarce. How was it that it kept failing to be executed?

Jiang Zhilan came out of his daze at the slight touch on his hand. Liu Qingyuan had sat back, watching him. He suddenly remembered that he was still injured. "You should rest early."

"En."

"I'll go back first. I still have some things to deal with."

"En." He lightly rubbed the king's hand before reluctantly letting go. As he watched that majestic figure exit his rooms, he couldn't help but envision the heavy weight on those thin shoulders. He could only try to help lift some of that weight.