AMLFS Chapter 98
by VolareChapter 99: Pain
The last ray of the setting sun was gradually driven away by the encroaching darkness.
Song Huaixi did not follow Lin Rugui’s instructions to get some sleep, but instead wrapped himself in a blanket and sat by the side of the camp tent.
The night was as black as ink, just like the day he was kidnapped.
It was dark inside the tent, and he couldn’t hear any sound. He couldn’t speak either, even though the people who kidnapped him hadn’t gagged him.
He didn’t know why, but even though he wanted to call out Zhao Fangye’s name, he couldn’t do it.
Song Huaixi leaned against the side of the tent, his dark, round eyes slightly hazy. His eyelids couldn’t help but want to close.
But the moment they did, Song Huaixi seemed to see some terrifying scene. He suddenly opened his eyes and began to gasp for air.
The heart in his chest seemed to be greatly frightened, frantically beating without regard.
Song Huaixi clutched his heart, not knowing what was wrong with him.
After a long while, he looked at the dark night sky and whispered, “Zhao Fangye, I think I’m sick.”
Just then, a figure stepped out of the darkness into the small area of light where he was.
Zhao Fangye knelt down and embraced the haggard figure squatting on the ground: “I’m sorry Huaixi, I’m late.”
Zhao Fangye rushed back from the battlefield without stopping, afraid that the blood on his body would frighten him. As soon as he entered the military camp, he took off his blood-stained armor and coat. If someone hadn’t handed him a new coat in time,
Zhao Fangye would have gone to find Song Huaixi in just his underclothes.
At this moment, the two embraced tightly in the dim candlelight. Song Huaixi’s heart, filled with fear, helplessness, grievance, and terror, broke like a dam.
“Zhao Fangye… Zhao Fangye… I’m so scared! Zhao Fangye, it’s so dark… I hurt so much… so much blood…” Song Huaixi spoke incoherently, clutching Zhao Fangye’s coat and leaning on his shoulder.
It was as if he had returned to a safe harbor. He could rely on him, he could cry unreservedly, because he knew that Zhao Fangye would accept everything about him.
Zhao Fangye hugged Song Huaixi, wishing he could embed him in his own flesh and blood: “It’s okay, Huaixi, I’m here. No one can hurt you anymore.”
Song Huaixi’s crying was like sharp knives, slicing his heart to pieces.
With a heavy heart, Zhao Fangye held him in his arms and kissed his ear over and over again, repenting: “It’s my fault, I didn’t protect you well. There won’t be a next time Huaixi… there won’t be a next time…”
Song Huaixi didn’t know how frightened he was when Xiao Taiwei sent the news that he had been kidnapped. A man who had always claimed to have no worries and fear nothing in the world,
at that moment, he felt the taste of fear with utmost clarity.
At that moment, he almost desperately resented! He resented why heaven was always unwilling to give him a little warmth.
Everything he cherished and valued would be hurt, would be taken away.
Why? He was not reconciled, he hated, he hated all those who took away his only remaining warmth.
The voice in his ear was low and restrained. Song Huaixi keenly sensed the pain in it, and he choked as he broke free from Zhao Fangye’s embrace.
Using the faint candlelight in the tent, Song Huaixi reached out and stroked Zhao Fangye’s face. On that handsome face, his eyes were red at this moment.
His face was covered with an incomparably painful expression.
Song Huaixi had never seen him show such an expression before. In his impression, Zhao Fangye was noble and gentle, rarely losing control like this in front of him.
He was as sensitive as a small animal, and immediately noticed that Zhao Fangye’s emotions were not right.
Regardless of the fact that he had just been crying until he choked, Song Huaixi immediately turned around to comfort Zhao Fangye.
He got up from the ground and leaned Zhao Fangye’s head on his shoulder, awkwardly saying, “Zhao… Fang… ye, you… uh… you don’t be sad…”
“It’s… all… over, Huaixi… uh… don’t be afraid anymore…” He reached out and gently patted his back, like Lin Rugui used to do when he had nightmares. He thought that this would dispel his fear.
Song Huaixi patted Zhao Fangye’s back and choked out, “It’s… okay… it’s all over…”
Zhao Fangye hugged Song Huaixi tightly, as if he were a drowning man grasping at the last straw.
That night, the darkness was too deep, so Song Huaixi couldn’t see the crystal tear that fell from Zhao Fangye’s face.
Zhao Fangye won this battle beautifully.
He almost crippled the imperial court. The troops that the emperor sent to Xiao Taiwei were almost all the troops that could be mobilized in the capital.
Now Zhao Fangye’s power in the Northwest is growing stronger, but strangely, Zhao Fangye is no longer following his usual strategy, but is preparing to take advantage of the court’s crippled state to attack the capital in one fell swoop.
Several subordinates in the camp tent were worried about Zhao Fangye’s decision. But looking at Zhao Fangye’s expression, they knew that this matter was already set in stone, and they couldn’t say anything more.
No one could easily change anything that Zhao Fangye decided.
Walking out of the camp tent, one of the subordinates said to Sikou Lanfeng, who was beside him, with concern, “General Lanfeng, do you think it’s too risky for the Prince to do this? Although the court has suffered a great loss of vitality, its foundation is still there after all. Although we won, the brothers who died and were injured are also not a few.”
Sikou Lanfeng was also surprised by Zhao Fangye’s decision, but she believed that Zhao Fangye should have his own considerations for doing so.
However, she faintly felt that Zhao Fangye’s eagerness to attack the capital was probably inseparable from Song Huaixi’s kidnapping.
Sikou Lanfeng didn’t say much on the surface, just smoothed things over, “Hey, the Prince has his own considerations. You and I just have to obey orders. Maybe we’ll even get to be founding generals by then!”
Sikou Lanfeng’s words dispelled his worries, and he also joked, “That’s right, if that’s the case, wouldn’t that be wonderful! I’m really tired of eating sand here. Unlike General Lanfeng, who has the good fortune to be able to eat from the Princess’s little kitchen.”
“Hahaha.” Sikou Lanfeng laughed.
Speaking of Song Huaixi, she was just about to go see him.
As soon as she entered the tent, she saw Song Huaixi leaning against the bed and reading a picture book. One hand held the book, and the other held a raisin pie made by the little kitchen, chewing with his cheeks bulging. He seemed to be in much better spirits these days.
Hearing the movement, Song Huaixi turned his head and saw it was her. He quickly called out sweetly, “Sister Lanfeng! Why are you here?”
“Just came to see you.” Sikou Lanfeng chose a chair and sat down: “Has the Prince Consort been sleeping well these days?”
“I’ve been sleeping very well.” Song Huaixi subconsciously touched his waist and answered with a smile.
In the nights right after he was rescued, he was haunted by nightmares every night. He didn’t dare to close his eyes. Zhao Fangye stayed by his side, guarding him and coaxing him, but it still didn’t work.
In the end, Zhao Fangye had to exhaust him to the point where he couldn’t think of anything, and Song Huaixi finally got a good night’s sleep.
But this method worked, it just made his waist a little sore.