Chapter 320: Sworn Brothers
It seemed the spiritual spring water was very effective.
If she came to irrigate a few more times at night, these seedlings should be able to recover and adapt to the current climate.
She withdrew her gaze and turned her head to look at Long Yu, seeing that Long Yu was staring in amazement.
“Don’t you think hiring me to farm is quite a bargain?”
If the army could be self-sufficient, they wouldn’t need to worry about grain shortages anymore, nor would they need to expend large amounts of manpower transporting provisions. This would solve two major problems at once.
In front of Old Hu, Long Yu excitedly reached out to put his arm around Yan Xiaosi’s shoulder, forcing her to move closer to him.
Such a treasure, he really wanted to hide her away immediately so no one else could see her.
Old Hu looked bewildered as he watched the War King lay hands on a mere military doctor.
Yan Xiaosi’s tender shoulder was gripped painfully by Long Yu’s large hand. Grimacing, she reminded him in a low voice: “Your Highness, Old Hu is here.”
His Highness the War King reduced the force in his hand, gently patting her shoulder and saying warmly: “Be good, the field ridge is slippery.”
The conversation between the two sparked endless imagination in Old Hu.
Old Hu struggled to guess: What exactly was the relationship between Military Doctor Yan and His Highness the War King?
Military Doctor Yan looked to be only fourteen or fifteen years old.
His Highness the War King was twenty-two, older than Military Doctor Yan.
Could it be that His Highness the War King wanted to become sworn brothers with Military Doctor Yan?
Thinking of this, Old Hu nodded approvingly.
That’s right, it must be like this. Otherwise, His Highness wouldn’t be so gentle with Military Doctor Yan, and Military Doctor Yan couldn’t eat at the same table as His Highness.
And he was following His Highness’s sworn brother, what promising prospects!
Old Hu felt delighted.
The scene shifted to the Rongdi camp across Yunluo River.
Long Yu’s arrow had hit exactly below Dantai Yi’s left shoulder. If it weren’t for the great distance between the two armies at the time, with the arrow’s force greatly weakened after flying across the river, this arrow could have directly taken Dantai Yi’s life.
If the arrowhead had been just a bit more to the side, it could have directly pierced Dantai Yi’s heart, making removal extremely difficult.
After retreating that night, Rongdi King Chunyu Hanfeng had gathered all the military doctors to treat Dantai Yi, but not one dared to remove the arrow from Dantai Yi.
It had already been two days and three nights, and that arrow was still in Dantai Yi’s body.
Chunyu Mingyue had been forcibly brought to the Rongdi camp, but he refused to treat Dantai Yi. That Dantai Yi could hold on until now was entirely due to other military doctors sustaining his life with medicines.
“Your Majesty, Military Doctor Dantai Qing requests an audience.”
Chunyu Hanfeng was feeling vexed and irritated when a guard entered his tent to report.
He moved away the hand supporting his forehead and glanced toward the entrance.
“Let him in.”
The guard withdrew, and moments later, Military Doctor Dantai Qing hurried in.
“How is the military strategist’s condition?”
Dantai Qing had come specifically to report on this matter.
He fell to his knees with a thud and said: “Your Majesty, We must remove the arrow immediately, otherwise it will endanger the military strategist’s life.”
The arrowhead was cast from iron. With the iron arrowhead embedded in flesh and blood, contact with fresh blood would cause it to rust, thus accelerating the wound’s festering.
Chunyu Hanfeng clenched his fist.
“I will go see Chunyu Mingyue now. Dantai Qing, you must preserve the military strategist’s life. If you cannot preserve it, you need not continue living either.”
“Yes.”
Dantai Qing could see Chunyu Hanfeng’s regard for Dantai Yi, and his heart trembled.
Previously, Dantai Yi had been the most useless member of the Dantai family. He, as Dantai Yi’s uncle, had never imagined that Dantai Yi would one day become Rongdi’s military strategist, second only to one and above all others, and deeply trusted by the Rongdi King. If he couldn’t preserve Dantai Yi’s life this time, the entire Dantai family would probably have to be buried alongside Dantai Yi.
At this thought, Dantai Qing’s back went cold.
In the dungeon beside the underground armory, Chunyu Mingyue lay on a hard wooden plank bed, his facial expression so calm it was as if nothing had happened.
Even trapped in this dark and damp dungeon, his elegant and aloof temperament hadn’t changed in the slightest.
Hearing footsteps approaching the cell, he didn’t even move his eyes, let alone rise to pay respects.
Chunyu Hanfeng stopped at the dungeon entrance, glanced at the person inside, and said coldly: “Prince Ming certainly isn’t picky about places and can sleep anywhere.”
“The Rongdi King graces us with his presence, but if you still want to persuade me to save Dantai Yi, then please spare your breath, Your Majesty.”
Chunyu Hanfeng coldly curved his lips and clapped his hands: “Bring the person in.”
“Chunyu Mingyue, I know you’re not afraid of death.”
Since entering the dungeon, Chunyu Mingyue hadn’t had a drop of water or grain of rice for two days. He would rather die than treat Dantai Yi.
“Knowing I’m not afraid of death, what is the Rongdi King doing here? Do you want to watch me die?”
“No, I brought someone today for you to meet.”
Moments later, two of Chunyu Hanfeng’s personal guards escorted a middle-aged woman inside.
Chunyu Hanfeng glanced at the raggedly dressed woman and said lightly: “Chunyu Mingyue, look and see who she is.”
Hearing the name Chunyu Mingyue, the woman’s expression immediately became extremely agitated.
When she spoke, her voice trembled slightly: “Are you Young Master Mingyue?”
Hearing the words “Young Master Mingyue,” Chunyu Mingyue’s heart jumped violently, hardly believing his own ears.
From his birth until now, only his wet nurse had called him Young Master Mingyue.
His face tensed as he nervously sat up from the wooden plank bed, looking toward outside the dungeon.
The light in the dungeon was dim and shadowy, but he recognized at first glance the woman standing beside Chunyu Hanfeng.
That was indeed his wet nurse, Wei Jiang.
Wei Jiang had been his mother’s personal maid. Under his mother’s arrangement, she had married a servant from his maternal grandfather’s household. Wei Jiang and that servant had lived a happy and fulfilling life, and a year later they had a son. But good times didn’t last long. When the Rongdi army invaded, the servant and the child were killed, and Wei Jiang was captured along with his mother and taken to Rongdi. After his mother died, it was his wet nurse Wei Jiang who had always cared for him. His relationship with Wei Jiang was as deep as that between mother and son.
He had originally thought Wei Jiang had long since died.
“I don’t know this slovenly woman. Rongdi King, what are you doing bringing this woman before me? Ha, don’t tell me you’re hoping this slovenly woman will persuade me? Simply ridiculous.”
After confirming that this was indeed his wet nurse Wei Jiang, Chunyu Mingyue quickly hid the excitement in his eyes and returned to his cold expression.
Wei Jiang couldn’t be sure whether the man before her was Young Master Mingyue, and felt extremely disappointed.
Chunyu Hanfeng said with apparent regret: “I thought Prince Ming and this woman were old acquaintances, so I had someone bring this woman back. Since Prince Ming has said he doesn’t know this woman, then there’s no need to keep this woman around.”
Chunyu Mingyue’s heart tightened as he clenched his fists.
“This woman appeared near our Rongdi military camp. She might well be a spy sent by Great Chu. Take her away and interrogate her thoroughly.”