The Flower Of War

Chapter 56: Beleaguered

Ming Zijing clenched his hands on the tree until his knuckles turned white.

Not long after the luxury entourage left after taking the royal stamp from the middle-aged man's body which was stiffly covered in wounds.

Ming Zijing dilemma, he was now only alone. Qiu Wang had been overrun by the enemy and the borders of the country were still very far away.

He finally descended and slowly approached the ground that was now the pool of blood. Give his last respects.

He also hid his third body near the bushes and covered their bodies with dry leaves.

He planned to temporarily leave the bodies of the three and bring Prince Huang to safety first before searching for additional troops and carrying their bodies.

Ming Zijing's face darkened. He stood there looking for the last time before leaving. Suddenly ....

Kresek...

Ming Zijing heard the sound of dry grass moving from behind him, he stopped stepping and spontaneously twisted his body before turning back sculpting.

There's movement from under the dry grass!

Without a second thought, Ming Zijing immediately revealed the origin of the pile of dried grass.

"Xiao Ce! Are you still alive?! How come?"

The blood-drenched youth was swept up seated by Ming Zijing. He looked weak and his face was very pale.

The young man who was Crown Prince Qiu Wang did not reply and only looked at the bodies of the two middle-aged couples beside him who were none other than his parents.

He muttered softly before shouting furiously and hitting the ground crazily, "I have failed .... You idiot! It's useless!"

Ming Zijing tried to calm him down. However, it was of no use so he let Wang Xiao Ce hit and roared crazily until it ran out of steam and stopped by itself.

Wang Xiao Gie continued to mumble softly, "Useless. Is useless. Better just die!"

Ming Zijing had almost the same personality as Xiao Ce, they were both quiet and aloof.

Therefore, Ming Zijing did not know what to do to comfort Xiao Gie and could only sit with his head lowered.

Ming Zijing ventured out softly. However, it remained that the voice sounded extremely cold, "If you die then what is the fate of Qiu Wang?"

"I don't care!"

"What about their deaths? Will you remain silent and not avenge the deaths of your parents? .... What about your two sisters, your people? Do you just accept your defeat and let that ruthless monster rule?!"

Xiao Ce's teeth chattered, his eyes burning with flames of anger.

"Huang is with me, she's just exhausted right now. Sorry, I just managed to save him. We'd better back off now and treat your wounds and go hide with me."

Afterwards, Ming Zijing racked his brain to bring four people at once with him.

He then approached Emperor Wang's horse-drawn carriage which looked terrible. He took off all the walls and roof, leaving only the pedestal, turning it into a simple cart.

He raised Huang, Emperor and Empress Wang and covered her body with straw. Ming Zijing also gave his white robe to Xiao Ce, seeing that his clothes were out of shape plus many sword scratches all over his body.

They rushed north all night without a break. After exiting the forest, they arrive at a small village called Baotou. There was only one small inn in the village.

Ming Zijing stopped his carriage in front of the inn gate that was glowing a deep yellow in the corners of the walls. He walked in by himself, conversing briefly with the innkeeper before bringing the car in.

Luckily, this inn did not have many visitors today so they could be a little more relaxed.

They stayed there for a few days to treat the wound as well as cremate the body of the leader Qiu Wang to ease the journey.

After two days, Prince Ming Zijing, Prince Xiao Ce, and Prince Huang walked out of the inn.

They rode back in that simple wagon again disguised as commoners, it was pulled by two of the best horses in the inn so that within three days they could reach the borders of the country.

"Prince Xiao, I'm sorry if it's presumptuous but it's been bothering me these few days. How could you survive after drinking poison that day?"

"Since childhood I grew up in the medicine valley in Jiangxi. I used to play with poisonous snakes and was often bitten by them to the point of almost losing my life. However, as time went on I became immune to any kind of poison."

"... Oh."

After that it was quiet. They were dissolved by their own thoughts, even the usually chatty Huang was now even more mute than his older brother.

They drove slowly towards the remote northern mountain in the Guang Ming Kingdom region to hide.

There had been built a simple gubug near the waterfall for the two princes and also stood a person beside the gubug, General of Qiu Wang's Forces, General Rong, when the bloodshed took place, he was in charge of sending important imperial letters.

"I'm sorry I can't die with His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress. I am ready to accept death!" he said prostrating himself near the feet of the two princes.

"Wake up, .. I said wake up!"

General Rong stood with shaky legs, his expression looking grim and guilty.

"Are you willing to accept punishment?"

"Yes!"

"Then I sentence you to live on and kill Liu Yu for the peace of my parents and your people."

".... Accepted!"

The two Princes and the General stayed there for a long time and exiled themselves from the chaotic outside world.

One night a soldier ran excitedly up the mountain to meet them. "Report, Princess Ying is still alive! His tracks were last seen in the capital Qiu Wang. Princess Ying is still alive!"

The faces of the two princes who previously looked lethargic are now less filled with color and beaming. Prince Huang's long-lost smile since the incident is now a little more visible.

He whined happily before his tone sounded frantic, "Ge, A-Ying is alive! ... In-he was in Qiu Wang?! He must be in danger, Ge."

Flashback off

Huang finished telling me until his mouth froth. He looked at his older brother who had just looked down silently and then turned to look at Yiu's firm bead that was a little foggy.

"A-Ying, are you crying?"

Yiu hurriedly rubbed his two eyes roughly. "No! There's dust in my eyes!"

Huang chuckled, his outstretched hand breaking Yiu's black hair slowly. It made Yiu immediately go up and glare furiously.

Xiao Ce who was careless with the childish attitude of his two younger siblings again sighed and pinched Yiu's right cheek and Huang's left ear.

"Hey! This is not fair! Why is Gege pulling my ears while A-Ying is on the cheeks?!"

"Gege, my wife swakitt!!"

"If you keep acting like a child I won't hesitate to punish you like a child!" His tone sounded resolute and repressive but his face was peaceful and full of warmth.

Even so the two poor sisters could only snort in annoyance, still like little children again.

The moment of the three brothers' day was so clear that Wu Xiao and Ming Zijing who were walking hand in hand in front pulled a little corner of their lips.

The second day of their trip was in a bamboo forest that was quite extensive, because there was no nearby village they finally decided to set up a tent in the middle of the forest.

Yiu sat quietly staring at the bonfire that was in the middle of the simple tents. One of the habits if camping in the forest, aloof.

However, the difference this time was that he would not go far from his group. He did not want to remember all the dark things in the past so decided to see the fierce curling bonfire.

So focused on the campfire in front of him, Yiu was not aware there was movement on the old wooden trunk that he found not far from where he was sitting and he used as a seat.

He was a little surprised when a hand reached out to him with a white coat in his arms.

Yiu turned his head and found Ming Zijing sitting not far from where he was sitting and was also looking blankly at the campfire.

"It's winter. Wear this to warm the body."

Yiu originally looked at the clumsy Ming Zijing before awkwardly rejecting him, "No need, here it is already warm enough."

This is the first time they have spoken. When they first met, the two of them were opponents so not having the chance to talk as well as their meeting afterwards there was only an awkward feeling and ended up like they did not know each other.

Plus a cold face like her brother's, it sends a signal that she doesn't like to be bothered, making Yiu think three times to start a conversation with him.

At first Yiu was not interested in taking the offer even though after that he felt the air was getting colder and colder.

"Acheews!"

Yiu could not help sneezing, he rubbed his slightly red nose. Ming Zijing who had previously pulled out his hand because Yiu was unwilling to take the mantle that he gave off now again stretched out his hand with a flat expression.

Yiu grinned the horse and had no other choice but to take a white fur coat as white as winter wolf fur and thank him.

The two re-entered the silence, only focusing on their minds drifting off somewhere.

"Thank you." Yiu's voice was finally the first to break the silence between the two.

"You said that already."

Yiu. "Not for this but for everything you do for both my parents and my brother. I don't know what else to do if you don't save them .. once again thank you."

Ming Zijing lowered his head and replied still with his flat face, "No need. Our kingdom is a friend, I should have done that."

Yiu looked at Ming Zijing, slowly smiling though not too wide but he could guarantee it was sincere. Ming Zijing simply looked at Yiu without changing any expression and gave a small nod after a while.

"Yinying!!"

The two people sitting near the fire spontaneously turned to the source of the sound.

From the consumption tent came out a young man firmly grasping a steamy bowl in his hand and ran over to Yiu.

Yiu rolled her eyes panted. He stared at the bonfire and grabbed his fur coat, preparing for the arrival of the destroyer of peace.

Wu Xiao walked up to Yiu and crouched down right beside Yiu with a bright smile, "Look look! I brought you your favorite food."

Yiu glanced uninterestedly at the bowl in Wu Xiao's grasp. Although actually he was a little tempted by the red sauce full of spices and the smell of the aroma of the cuisine but again Yiu tried to keep showing a flat face.

Wu Xiao told me at length about the food in the bowl that turned out to be his. He rambled and whined at Yiu to try tasting his dishes.

"That's it. I want to be alone."

Wu Xiao peeked at Yiu's face for a moment. "What's wrong with you? Wait ... This is the royal coat ... from whom did you get it?"

"It's none of your business. I'm tired and want to sleep." Yiu stood up, grabbed the porcelain bowl containing the spicy sauce and re-entered his tent ignoring Wu Xiao who kept calling out to him.

Wu Xiao was still crouching in his place. Upon seeing Yiu enter his tent, Wu Xiao turned his head slightly and was surprised by the existence of Ming Zijing sitting not far from him.

"When were you there?!"

Ming Zijing only glanced at him coldly before leaving without a word he left behind.

♣♦♣

Third day trip.

Wu Xiao was daydreaming on the saddle of his horse. He mumbled softly, "It's very strange."

Ming Zijing who was next to him accidentally heard his mutter. He replied, "Why?"

Wu Xiao turned his head in shock and replied casually, "I just feel a little strange. Liying's been with me for a few weeks but why is she still acting so cold to me? Am I not so handsome that she keeps away from me?"

Ming Zijing who thought that the thing that Wu Xiao was going to say was a serious matter had now turned his eyes droopy. He pulled the reins and advanced his horse faster, Wu Xiao died behind.

Wu Xiao soon caught up with Ming Zijing. "Well, why can't you joke around?! All right, this is serious. Don't you feel weird? During the trip we did not get any obstacles, even meeting some small bandits just did not exist."

"I also feel something is awkward. Is something going to happen?"

Right after Ming Zijing finished with his words, the group entered the empty land in the middle of the bamboo forest and suddenly a barrage of arrows shot forth from every direction.

"We're surrounded! Protect the princes!"

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.

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"Liying careful!"

TB