Chapter 58.
The soft armor rested in his hands, lighter than any ordinary suit of armor yet still carrying a solid weight that spoke of its quality. A quick heft was enough to confirm its impeccable craftsmanship. The surface shimmered with golden and silver threads woven into intricate dragon patterns, a detail that screamed opulence.
This wasnât just armor; it was a treasure.
Xue Shu let his fingers graze over the smooth surface with care, his eyes gleaming with delight. Yet, despite the joy swelling in his chest, he hesitated to accept it outright. âThis is a rare piece,â he said, his voice low but firm. âOrdinary armor is enough for me. Your Highness should keep this for your own protection.â
With that, he held the armor in both hands, respectfully offering it back to Yin Chengyu.
Yin Chengyuâs expression darkened at the gesture, irritation flashing across his face. He cast a sharp, sidelong glance at Xue Shu, his tone cutting: âIâm giving it to you. Take it. What use do I have for this? You expect me to charge into battle myself?â
The edge in his voice made Xue Shu stiffen. Reading the displeasure loud and clear, he stopped resisting. Without flinching, he met Yin Chengyuâs gaze directly, unwavering as he accepted the gift. There was no trace of submission in his demeanor as he declared solemnly, âThen let me be Your Highnessâs armor.â
The words slipped from his lips smoothly, sweet enough to melt steel.
At last, a smirk tugged at the corners of Yin Chengyuâs mouth. âIf Iâve given you the soft armor, make sure to wear it. Donât just stash it away like some untouchable relic.â
âYes, Your Highness,â Xue Shu responded, the obedience in his tone balanced by a flicker of his own resolve. Seeing Yin Chengyu wave him off dismissively, Xue Shu tucked the soft armor close to his chest, his heart light as he strode out of the room with newfound joy.
*
Since he had already predicted the Hongying Red armyâs moves, in the next few days, Xue Shu kept his defenses up in public, as usual. But behind closed doors, he instructed the commanders of the Fourth Guard Battalion to stay alert and prepare for any surprises.
But three days went by, and there was still no sign of any movement from the Xishizhai. It didnât seem like there was going to be an attack anytime soon.
Even Yin Chengyu was puzzled. He wasnât about to doubt his own judgment, but he did wonder if something had gone wrong.
It wasnât until a spy, who had been watching the Xishizhai, returned with news that they learned the Hongying Red army had delayed their attack because of infighting within their ranks.
Before dawn that day, Gao Youwen sent Shi Hu with 5,000 soldiers down the mountain, intending to launch a surprise attack on Yidu City under the cover of night. But when they reached the Shagu Path, they were ambushed by He Shan, who had already gotten wind of their plan.
He Shan was known for his bold, straightforward nature. Although he was the right guardian, he didnât carry himself with the typical airs of authority. Whether it was in Putai or now at the Xishizhai, he made sure his soldiers never went hungry as long as he had food. In contrast, Shi Hu, always acting like the left guardian, emphasizing the strict separation of ranks, couldnât garner the same loyalty.
When He Shan left with Ying Hongxue, he only took the direct followers who had been with him since Putai. The rest had nowhere to go, so they stayed at the fortress.
Now, when He Shan and his men came to rob the path, many of Shi Huâs soldiers, already restless, began to consider their options. Hearing He Shan say that Shi Huâs attack on Yidu City was for his own future, with no regard for the lives of his soldiers, made them uneasy.
After some persuasion, nearly 3,000 soldiers agreed to follow He Shan.
So, instead of the 5,000 men Shi Hu had planned to use for the surprise attack, he was left with barely 2,000 soldiers.
With the delay, insufficient manpower, and morale low, there was no way to continue the attack. Shi Hu was forced to change plans and lead the remaining men back to the Xishizhai.
Yin Chengyu, after hearing all of this, wasnât surprised in the least.
If He Shan wasnât capable, there was no way he would have been able to rally 50,000 rebels in the past life.
The court was in desperate need of someone like himâa fierce warrior. This news only made Yin Chengyu more certain that he needed to recruit both He Shan and Ying Hongxue.
But getting them to drop their hostility toward the courtâthat was going to be a challenge.
A wild tiger in the mountains canât be left to roam free; it either gets tamed or eliminated, to avoid future threats.
Just as Yin Chengyu was weighing his options, a letter from Zhao Lin changed his course of action.
This time, when Zhao Lin went to Shandong to suppress the rebellion, he brought along Zhao Lin but sent him to Jining Prefecture once they entered Shandong. He wanted Zhao Lin to inspect the disaster situation in the rest of the provinces and to keep an eye out for any sign of Xue Hongying.
Zhao Linâs letter had arrived, and it contained news about Xue Hongying.
In the letter, Zhao Lin mentioned that in Yutai, he had found the old servant from the Xu family, who had served them for many years. During the epidemic in Yutai, Xu Yuanwaiâs family bribed the guards and escaped, and this servant had gone with them.
According to the servant, there had indeed been a woman named Xue Hongying who had traveled with them. But Xue Hongying didnât leave voluntarily; she had been knocked unconscious and forcibly taken by Xu Yuanwai, who couldnât bear to leave his newly acquired concubine. Xue Hongying, fiery as ever, tried to escape midway, but Xu Yuanwai, fearing she would leak information and ruin him, became enraged and broke her leg.
But the Xu familyâs luck ran out. Not long after they left Yutai, they were attacked by mountain bandits. The male members of the family were killed, and the women and servants were captured and taken to the mountains.
Xue Hongying, with her beauty, caught the eye of the bandit leader and became his wife.
As for the old servant, he was left to do odd jobs in the bandit camp, barely managing to stay alive.
After the old servant was captured and taken up the mountain, he spent over half a year in the stronghold without any real chance to see Xue Hongying. He had no idea what had happened to her, only hearing from others that she had won the favor of the leader, with everyone calling her "Madam." But after more than half a year, rumors started circulating that this "Madam" had taken advantage of the second-in-command's absence to poison and kill the leader. With the leader dead, chaos ensued, and the mountain stronghold fell apart. Those who could escape did, and the old servant managed to flee as well, returning to Yutai when he had nowhere else to go.
Zhao Lin, following the trail the old servant provided, dug deeper and eventually found a few former bandits who had reformed. From them, he heard a different version of events. These bandits claimed that Xue Hongying was the cause of the trouble, a beautiful woman who sowed discord between the leader and the second-in-command, making them turn on each other and fight to the death. The stronghold descended into chaos, and afterward, Xue Hongying disappeared. The second-in-command led those who followed him down the mountain, abandoning their bandit ways.
There were many rumors about Xue Hongying's whereabouts: some said she had become a nun at a convent, others whispered she had turned to a life of debauchery, while some claimed the second-in-command had killed her in a fit of rage after realizing what she'd done. The stories varied, but they all seemed far removed from the truth.
Yin Chengyu wasnât inclined to believe all of them, but what really caught his attention was the name of the second-in-command: He Shan.
He wrote He Shanâs name down, then added Xue Hongyingâs and Ying Hongxueâs names next to it.
Xue Hongying.
Ying Hongxue.
Yin Chengyu muttered the names to himself, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
When you read Xue Hongying backward, itâs exactly Ying Hongxue.
If the information Zhao Lin uncovered is true, then Ying Hongxue in the Hongying Army might just be Xue Shu's long-lost sister.
Looking at what Xue Hongying had done, Yin Chengyu couldn't help but notice how similar the siblingsâ methods seemed. Deep down, they were both restless, wild souls who wouldn't play by the rules.
But to confirm this, Xue Shu himself would have to see for himself.
When the siblings were separated, Xue Shu had been fourteen, and Xue Hongying, about three years older than him. Even if her appearance had changed, he should still be able to recognize her.
Yin Chengyu thought for a long time before putting away the letter and calling for Xue Shu.
Xue Shu had just finished his training and, hearing the summons, rushed over without even changing out of his clothes. His long hair was tied back, and he wore simple dark clothes with military boots that clacked loudly on the floor as he walked.
The youthful innocence that had once marked him was now gone. Unknowingly, he had become a sharp and wild man, no longer the boy he'd once been.
Yin Chengyu hadnât noticed it before, but now, the more he looked, the more he saw the resemblance to the previous life.
Only this time, Xue Shu had learned to sheath his sharp edges, like a blade tucked safely back into its scabbard.
It suited him much better.
Yin Chengyu quickly sized him up, then turned his attention to the matter at hand.
âI remember you once mentioned your lost sister, and I thought Iâd ask if youâre still looking for her?â
Xue Shu was momentarily startled by the sudden question. His eyes dropped as he replied, âYour Highness, thereâs no need to trouble yourself. After the plague in Yutai, I did try to find information about the Xu family. I heard they were attacked by bandits on the road, and the whole family was killed.â
When he had first learned the Xu family was gone and his sister had disappeared, he had felt both sorrow and a strange sense of relief.
Yutai was like hell on earth. Whether his sister had left willingly or not, she was better off gone, at least she would survive.
Though Xu Yuanwai had never been a good match, his sister was strong-willed and would find a way to make the best of things.
Once the plague in Yutai had passed, Xue Shu had cremated his motherâs body and set out, searching for any news of the Xu familyâs whereabouts.
If his sister was living well with the Xu family, he would leave on his own. But if she wasnât, heâd take her with him, no matter where they had to go. The world was vast, and there would always be a place for the two of them.
But after months of searching, he learned the grim news: the Xu family had been wiped out by mountain bandits months ago.
In these harsh years, everyone was struggling. No one sympathized with the Xu familyâs fate. Instead, it became fodder for gossip, with people talking about how their bodies had been left to rot on the side of the road for nearly two months. The stench was unbearable, and only wild dogs and vultures dared to feast on their remains.
When Xue Shu eventually went to look, the bodies had already been collected and cremated by the authorities. He didnât know if his sister was among those decaying corpses, but he lied to himself, telling himself she was clever enough to escape.
For years, whenever he spoke of her, he only said she was lost, though deep down, he knew that was just a lie he told himself to cope.
His mother was gone, and all he had left was his sister. If she were gone too, he would truly be aloneâwithout a home, without roots, without anyone.
Xue Shu lowered his eyes, his expression dark and unreadable.
Yin Chengyu, seeing him like this for the first time, guessed what was on his mind. The words he had intended to say seemed suddenly hard to get out.
He was afraid that if everything was just a coincidenceâthat Ying Hongxue wasnât his sister, Xue HongyingâXue Shu would be disappointed.
After a long pause, Yin Chengyu sighed and ultimately decided to be honest: âI had Zhao Lin look into your sisterâs whereabouts. Heâs found something recently and sent me a letter.â He handed the letter to Xue Shu. âYou should read it yourself.â
Xue Shu took the letter, scanning it quickly. His expression, once shadowed, shifted to one of surprise.
He looked up at Yin Chengyu, his voice hoarse: âYing Hongxueâ¦â
It was clear that both of them had come to the same conclusion.
âI canât be sure,â Yin Chengyu said, sensing the unease in Xue Shuâs eyes. He placed a hand on his shoulder, applying gentle pressure. âIf itâs truly your sister, thatâs great. If notâ¦â He paused, then spoke in a calm tone. âI wonât leave you alone.â
Xue Shu met his gaze, a storm of emotions swirling inside him.
He had been walking alone for too long.
After hearing of the Xu familyâs massacre, he had been lost for a long time. The world was vast, but there was no place for him.
He had wandered through many placesâworking on docks, performing with traveling troupes, working as a thug in gambling dens, and even living off the land. But no matter where he went, the world seemed full of noise and chaos, but none of it was his.
He had drifted, unable to find a place to belong.
Then he thought of the god who had appeared so elegantly in Yutai City.
Since there was nowhere else to go, he decided to head in the direction of that god.
From that point on, his journey was no longer that of a lost wanderer, but of a devotee on a pilgrimage.
He placed all his hopes and desires in the hands of the deity in the heavens, believing that this life, he would always be crawling in the mud, gazing up at the cold moon.
But heaven had shown him mercy. The unreachable god had come to him.
âYour Highnessâ¦â Xue Shu gripped the hand on his shoulder tightly, his muscles straining, veins standing out.
Yin Chengyu frowned but didnât scold him. He looked down and gently pried Xue Shuâs fingers open. It didnât take much effort before Xue Shu released his grip, only for Yin Chengyu to hold his hand instead.
Yin Chengyu looked down at Xue Shuâs hand.
Xue Shuâs hands were large, with long fingers. But his palms and fingertips were rough, calloused, the signs of a life of hard labor. His knuckles were slightly protruding, a clear indication of someone who had worked with their hands. They were the complete opposite of Yin Chengyuâs hands.
The last time Yin Chengyu had seen Xue Shu, he was already a powerful figure, holding immense influence.
He lived a life of luxury, his hands slightly rough but no longer bearing the scars of a hard past.
He never spoke of those old days.
Yin Chengyu ran his fingers over Xue Shuâs hand, feeling the roughness of the calluses. Slowly, he moved his hand to the back of Xue Shuâs hand, slipping his fingers into the gaps between his, holding him tightly.
He looked into Xue Shuâs eyes, his own voice a little husky as he whispered, brushing his lips against Xue Shuâs: âYouâll listen to me, wonât you? From now on, Iâll take care of you.â
Xue Shuâs heart surged with emotion, his body tensing, but a sense of quiet surrender taking over him.
"Yes, Your Highness."
âââTN:
In their past life, they got caught up in a toxic relationshipâwrong place, wrong time.
But in this life?
Iâm hoping they finally get the healthy, real connection they deserve. No more games, just something real and strong.