Chapter 106
Chapter 106: Heavy snow may batter the mountains, yet the mountains
remain ageless.
Snow blocks the soldiers' path; the soldiers' path is hard to traverse.
On the 29th day of the 12th month of the 3rd year of Qian Yuan, Si Cang Qing once again led the imperial troops
on a personal expedition, bringing along the West Empress Cheng Tian Yang, and leading 2,000 imperial guards
and 50,000 reserve new soldiers from the new army camp in the capital to the south.
But the weather was unpredictable. The heavy snow blocked the road all the way. It took them half a month to
reach Nanjun Prefecture. They thot that the marching speed could be accelerated when they arrived in Nanjun,
where the climate was relatively mild. However, on the 20th day of the first month, a cold wave struck, and
Nanjun Prefecture, which had always had little snow, began to snow heavily. The snow lasted for three days and
three nights.
At that time, Si Cang Qing's army had just arrived in the Tianshan Mountains, and the snow completely blocked
their way forward and backward. Immediately, Si Cang Qing ordered a temporary rest, and after the heavy
snow passed, he would open up the road and continue marching.
In the tent, a faint warmth floated, and the firewood occasionally made a crackling sound. Si Cang Qing sat
cross-legged on the couch, quietly running his internal strength alone.
"Your Majesty..."
The curtain was suddenly lifted, and Cheng Tian Yang stopped talking. Seeing the person on the couch who was
practising with his eyes closed, he quietly put down the curtain, walked straight to the couch, and sat not far from
Si Cang Qing. Leaning slightly back against the pillar, Cheng Tian Yang looked at the other person for a long time,
and the corners of his lips slightly turned up.
Seeing the books that Si Cang Qing had casually placed, Cheng Tian Yang took them over with a bit of curiosity
and quietly flipped through them.
After several cycles of true qi, Si Cang Qing stopped his practice. When he opened his eyes, he saw the person
who was curled up and sleeping. After watching for a while, Si Cang Qing got up and walked over. He gently
picked up Cheng Tian Yang and carefully placed him on the bed, covering him with the quilt.
After doing all this, Si Cang Qing glanced again at the person who had not woken up from beginning to end. The
thick, curly eyelashes, which seemed too delicate, carefully covered the faint blue under his eyes. These days,
because of the bad weather, the army was moving slowly. In order not to delay time, they were rushing day and
night. And the weather was unusually cold, and the conditions in the army were not good. Although Cheng Tian
Yang was a martial artist, he had grown up in the south since he was a child, and he was afraid that he could not
bear it!
Withdrawing his gaze, Si Cang Qing stood up, put on his clothes, draped his cloak, and walked out of the camp
tent lightly.
Snap, a piece of firewood, suddenly burst out a small sound, disturbing the tranquility of this area.
The one who should have been fast asleep now lay blankly, his eyes—usually brimming with affection and
laughter—now tinged with a hint of bewilderment, lingering with a thread of melancholy. Gently pulling the quilt
over his face, Cheng Tian Yang inhaled deeply. The faint, dry scent wafting up to his nose brought a wave of
comfort and warmth.
This scene had become all too familiar.
Cheng Tian Yang turned to face the inner wall, staring blankly at the curtains fluttering slightly in the breeze. Ever
since he had fallen into hell at thirteen, he could no longer sleep soundly. The slightest rustle would startle him
awake. Yet, having survived under the watchful eyes of those people back then, he had long since mastered the art
of concealment. Forget every sensation, every perception. What couldn't be forgotten, he ground into oblivion.
Over time, his skill at concealment had reached perfection. Even Si Cang Qing had been deceived by him all
along. Every night, when the other thought he was asleep and left, Cheng Tian Yang knew exactly what was
happening, just like now. He had indeed fallen asleep at first, but the moment that person drew near, he had
awakened. Yet, accustomed to the pretence, he could not—nor did he wish to—break the habit. He let Si Cang
Qing carry him to bed.
Sighing softly, Cheng Tian Yang buried his face in the blankets. The initial luck and calculation had long since
worn away. At moments like this, he truly wished he could be completely unconscious. Then, there wouldn't be...
any wavering.
Wrapped in the soft quilt, the unbearable cold of recent days seemed to fade away.
The warmth enveloping him was faint, like the first stirrings of affection.
The crunch of snow and ice beneath his feet echoed as Si Cang Qing walked in silence, listening to the reports
from his commanders. He had just inspected the entire camp. Overall, the situation was satisfactory. The soldiers
and officers had not been crushed by the harsh weather; rather, their morale had soared precisely because of these
hardships. The shock of Luo Shan's sacrifice had undoubtedly played a part in this.
Reflecting on this, even Si Cang Qing had to concede that Mo Qingjue truly understood how to command hearts
and minds better than any other general in the army. Luo Shan had served long and held high esteem among the
troops; his sacrifice now stirred fierce indignation in most soldiers. Mo Qingjue had managed to quell the
restlessness of the majority while also skillfully leveraging Luo Shan's death to further galvanise morale.
Si Cang Qing remained unaware of what Luo Shan had said to Mo Qingjue in his final moments. Now, Luo Shan's
coffin lay buried on a high hill outside Fengsi City, its front facing the distant direction of Lianjing.
That was the place where Luo Shan had been mortally wounded, and it was also the inevitable route for the
southern campaign. Every time the army passed by, Luo Shan's grave served as a constant reminder of the soldiers'
grief and hatred—a pain and resentment that extended beyond the loss of a single general, stirring the deep-seated
grievances within every soldier's heart.
Who has not yearned for a peaceful life? Yet now, because of war, because of Hongcheng Kingdom's ambition,
countless soldiers perished on the battlefield, leaving only their grieving families behind.
Whether Luo Shan's death was a tragedy or a sacrifice had become indistinguishable. Yet after the battle at Fengsi
City, the main forces of the Southwest Army and the New Army Camp would surely be galvanised, unleashing
every ounce of courage and fighting spirit!
◇Cang◇Huan◇Qi◇Gong◇
“You may withdraw.”
After hearing the words from the person beside him, Si Cang Qing casually dismissed them, his gaze drifting
toward the vast expanse of snow in the distance—a fiery red, blazing brightly between heaven and earth.
He strolled toward it without haste. Before he reached the figure, the red-clad man turned, spotting Si Cang Qing.
A brilliant smile spread across his face. “Your Majesty, come quickly! Look what I've caught!”
Si Cang Qing gave a faint glance. Cheng Tian Yang held a gray, furry creature in his hands... Rabbits venturing
out in this frozen wasteland? The dying rabbit hung its head, a small yet clearly deep wound beneath its jaw, blood
already congealed.
“Your Majesty,” Cheng Tian Yang beamed, “Who knows how this rabbit ended up here? Hmm, the army could use
some fresh meat.” He shook his head and sighed softly, “Too bad it's so small. Barely enough for a few people.”
Si Cang Qing said nothing, merely watching the man's lively smile. His cheeks, nose, and ears were flushed
crimson from the biting wind, while a thin layer of snowflakes clung to his hair and shoulders.
Another gust of cold wind sent Cheng Tian Yang shivering violently. He glanced up at the sky and said to
Si Cang Qing with a smile, “Your Majesty, let's return to the main tent. It's still quite cold out here.”
This seemingly casual remark caused Si Cang Qing's brows to furrow slightly. He unfastened his cloak and held it
out to Cheng Tian Yang. “Put it on.”
Cheng Tian Yang's eyes crinkled with a smile as he lifted the rabbit in his left hand. “Your Majesty, you should
keep yours. I'm holding something here! Besides, it's just a few steps...”
Before he could finish, Si Cang Qing had already stepped in front of him, personally draping the cloak over his
shoulders and carefully fastening it. Suppressing a smile, Cheng Tian Yang quietly observed Si Cang Qing's
slightly lowered eyelids, which fluttered occasionally as snowflakes drifted onto them only to slide away.
The added layer of the thick cloak seemed to instantly block the winter chill. Blinking, Cheng Tian Yang offered
a faint smile. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Shall we return?” “He gave the rabbit in his hand a little shake and said
mysteriously, ”Your Majesty hasn't tasted my cooking yet, has he?"
This man... was a bit peculiar. Si Cang Qing keenly sensed the change in him, but chose not to probe further. His
instinct told him that this version of Cheng Tian Yang was better than before.
The snow fell silently.
Across the vast snowy expanse, two men of contrasting bearing walked side by side into the distance. Only their
uneven footprints remained, crisscrossing deeply into the snow as they faded toward the horizon.
“Your Majesty,” Cheng Tian Yang said with a smile after pouring a cup of hot tea for Si Cang Qing. Clutching a
portable heater for warmth, he added, "It's much warmer here than in my tent. I'll stay in your grand tent from now
on!”
Si Cang Qing glanced up at him and replied casually, “As you wish.”
Cheng Tian Yang immediately broke into a smile, walked over to sit beside Si Cang Qing, leaning against him,
and peered curiously. “What are you looking at?”
“The Heavenly Union Formation.” (天合陣: Tiān hé zhèn)
“The Heavenly Union Formation?” Cheng Tian Yang raised an eyebrow. “Isn't that the famed formation technique
from the renowned Penglai Pavilion?”
Si Cang Qing gave a slight nod and casually turned another page. The Heavenly Union Formation was merely one
typical formation among many documented in the Heavenly Union Formation Manual. The book also recorded
various other formation arts, particularly excelling in techniques for breaking formations.
“Could you teach me some formations?” Cheng Tian Yang whispered softly into his ear.
Hearing this, Si Cang Qing turned his head, meeting the other's gaze steadily before replying calmly, “Alright.”
That night, candles burned all night long within Si Cang Qing's tent. Two figures huddled close, heads nearly
touching as they studied the same book, occasionally murmuring something to each other.
The heavy snow gradually ceased that night. Early the next morning, Si Cang Qing ordered the clearing of the exit
route. Every soldier was mobilized. Once they passed through this stretch of mountain forest, the rest of the
journey would be unimpeded. Thus, they advanced slowly but steadily. Ten days later, Si Cang Qing's army finally
emerged from this difficult stretch. Though numerous mountain ranges still lay to the south, heavy snow no longer
blocked their path.
Upon leaving Nanjun Prefecture, the army immediately quickened its pace, rushing toward the frontier.
Two thousand imperial guards raced ahead. Cheng Tian Yang gradually slowed his pace, pulling on the reins.
Seeing his action, Si Cang Qing also halted and asked indifferently, “What is it?”
Cheng Tian Yang gazed at the mist swirling around the distant green mountains. After a moment, he slowly turned
to Si Cang Qing and said, “We've left Canghuan.”
Si Cang Qing paused slightly before understanding the man's meaning.
Cheng Tian Yang lowered his gaze and smiled faintly. “I've finally returned to Hongcheng!” These words,
seemingly bursting with urgency, were spoken in an utterly calm tone, devoid of even a trace of joy—or...
resentment. How long had he waited? How long had he endured? All the pain and bitterness he had once
endured—the time had finally come to reclaim everything.
“Your Majesty, thank you!”
Cheng Tian Yang fixed a deep gaze upon Si Cang Qing before straightening his posture. He abruptly yanked
the reins and called out, “Your Majesty, we must depart at once!”
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