Herumrennen und kleinere Rollen spielen

Kapitel 84

"Xiao Bai, I will definitely keep my promise to you. You can't forget that you are a citizen of Longyao Kingdom." I tugged at his sleeve a little nervously. For some reason, I always felt that Xiao Bai staying in Wangyue Palace was not such a simple matter.

A strange expression flashed across his face, but it was so fleeting that I couldn't quite make out what it was.

"You should go out too, or we'll run out of time."

Without a moment's hesitation, he pushed me out as he spoke. I glanced at Xi Lan lying on the bed, then at Xiao Bai, and turned to leave the room.

Several people stood guard outside, and I persevered as well. The winter night was cold, and the night wind took my fur coat away. I wrapped it tightly around myself and anxiously stared at the door.

After going through everything again, she still felt it was strange that Xiao Bai was still staying in Wangyue Palace. Moreover, Xi Lan was injured by the Xuanming Palace, and Xiao Bai is the young master of the Xuanming Palace, and he'll be rushing back to Wangyue Palace soon. What exactly is Xiao Bai planning? Tomorrow is the day the three armies will besiege the palace; could Xiao Bai's rush back be related to that?

"Night Wind, can you tell me about Big Brother and Little White?" I pulled Night Wind aside and asked softly.

When I first met Xiaobai, he looked so dejected and contemplative. His behavior along the way, my reaction after I confessed to him, and now he's rushing to help me and is in a hurry to return to Wangyue Palace. Although political struggles are just like that, the losing side shouldn't have to suffer such a fate. Plus, the fox knows Xiaobai's whereabouts, yet he neither kills him outright nor summons him back to Longyao. Isn't all of this obviously a bit strange?

He glanced at me in the darkness, but said nothing.

I sighed inwardly, slightly disappointed, but didn't ask any more questions. It seemed this mystery wouldn't be solved anytime soon. Relying on rumors and imagination, I couldn't possibly understand the past between the fox and Little White, or their current relationship. Yet, I always felt things weren't so simple. What kind of changes would occur at the Moon Gazing Palace tomorrow?

I was still a little worried, so I asked Ye Feng to send someone to Qing Lin to tell him about Xuanming Palace and Xiao Bai, and to tell him to be careful tomorrow.

About an hour later, a noise came from inside the house. I rushed to the door, knocked lightly, and exclaimed in surprise, "Xiao Bai, are you alright?"

There was a moment of silence inside. After a long while, the door was opened from the inside, and a tired face appeared before me.

"Xiao Bai, are you alright?" I quickly helped him up. Judging from his appearance, he must have exhausted a lot of physical strength and internal energy. In the past, when I read martial arts novels, people would rest and recuperate after such an experience, but Xiao Bai still had to rush back to the palace. I just hoped that nothing bad would happen.

He glanced at me but didn't answer. His voice, as always, was somewhat cold as he said, "Go see him."

I looked at him again, nodded, and then walked inside.

Xi Lan was still lying in bed, the flush on his face had faded. I reached out and gently touched his cheek; it was no longer hot. I took his hand; it was no longer sweaty. I hesitated for a moment, then unbuttoned his clothes. The handprint on his chest had disappeared. Although he was still unconscious, he should be out of danger.

"Xiao Bai." I turned to look at him. Although a thousand words could not express the gratitude in my heart, I still wanted to say thank you.

But Xiaobai was no longer in the room. I ran outside, but I still couldn't find Xiaobai.

"Night Breeze, where's Xiaobai?" I grabbed Night Breeze and asked urgently.

"He's gone."

"Gone? Why did Xiaobai leave in such a hurry? I haven't even said thank you yet. And judging from Xiaobai's expression just now, she should have rested first."

“Night Wind, have the people following Xiao Bai protect him in secret. Something is bound to happen tomorrow. Xiao Bai just saved Xi Lan, and I’m afraid he’s in danger.”

He nodded and left. I asked Wuyin to find those doctors to come and check on Xilan's condition. After hearing from them that Xilan was out of danger, I went to sleep in the room they had arranged for me.

Dawn broke quickly. I hadn't slept much at all, so I got up to check on Xi Lan. He was still asleep, lying there, but his expression didn't seem as pained as yesterday. The doctor said Xi Lan's injuries were also quite severe, but fortunately the heat from the Flaming Palm had subsided, and he should wake up today.

After lunch, Xi Lan remained unconscious. I heard from Ye Feng that the three armies had already attacked the palace, but no more detailed information had arrived yet. I sat by Xi Lan's bedside; my eyelids kept twitching, probably because I hadn't rested last night.

"Water..." came a low murmur, broken and almost indistinguishable.

"Xi Lan!" I quickly interrupted my thoughts and looked at the person on the bed.

His eyes were tightly closed, as if he was struggling. He frowned, his head swayed slightly from side to side, and he called out in broken voices, sometimes "Mother" and sometimes "Sleepy".

"Xi Lan? Xi Lan?" I cupped his face in my hands to stop him from swaying and asked nervously.

He stopped struggling, but his eyes remained tightly closed, his expression a mixture of pain and suffering. He kept calling out "Mother" and "Weimian" repeatedly.

"Xi Lan? Xi Lan? Wake up, I'm here, I'm here." I reached out to take his hand. Xi Lan, what was he dreaming about while he was unconscious? Why did he look like he was in so much pain?

He seemed not to hear me at all, trapped in a dream I didn't know about, unable to extricate himself. He no longer called me "Mother Consort," but just kept holding my hand, his eyes tightly closed. Suddenly, he called out "Weimian" as if he were very nervous and heartbroken. Then he fell silent again, but blood slowly seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Xi Lan!" I exclaimed in shock, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as I shouted, "Wu Yin, quickly call a doctor! Quickly call a doctor!"

In a flurry of panic, I stood to the side, arms wrapped around myself, nervously watching the doctors frantically take Xi Lan's pulse. Seeing Xi Lan lying there motionless, I suddenly felt the weather growing colder.

Xi Lan remained unconscious. The doctors repeated the same words, saying her life was out of danger, but they postponed her awakening until tomorrow. I stayed by Xi Lan's side, watching the night slowly fall, and then the night wind told me that the front lines had achieved a complete victory.

"Where's Xiaobai?" For some reason, hearing the news of victory didn't bring the expected joy.

"He's alright," Ye Feng replied respectfully.

With Xiaobai alright, I felt a little relieved: "Where is General Mu?"

"He stood guard outside the palace."

I nodded. Now that the war is over, what's next? Divide the land? Station troops? What is Qinglin guarding outside the palace for?

"Are the elder brothers coming?" I asked, slightly surprised. Although the alliance agreement had outlined the general terms, it didn't seem to specify how the spoils would be divided after victory. At this point, the three kingdoms should send envoys to sit down and have a proper discussion.

Night Breeze glanced at me with a hint of surprise and shook his head.

If the foxes aren't coming, what's Qinglin doing guarding outside the palace? Also, now that they've won the battle, when will they return to the capital? Should they be sent to garrison those cities belonging to Longyao?

Just as I was thinking about these things, I suddenly heard a commotion outside. Night Breeze suddenly rushed to the door. I glanced outside, then looked at Xi Lan on the bed. She was still sitting there, not wanting to pay attention to what was happening outside.

"Young master, General Mu sent someone with a letter." Ye Feng turned around and came in, holding a letter in his hand.

I took it, unfolded it, and sure enough, it was Erlinzi's handwriting. The gist of it was that after dealing with the matters of the Wangyue Imperial Palace, the army would be stationed in various states, and only a few people would return to the capital with him. Knowing that I was also in Wangzhou, he asked if I was going back with him. At the end, he added that the newly appointed officials were probably already on their way to various states, and the seven states south of Youzhou would henceforth be Longyao's territory.

When was the territory of Wangyue divided up, and I have no idea? I remember the alliance agreement only mentioned three parts of Wangyue, which consisted of thirty states. The fox promised to give three of its allocated cities to Tianqing unconditionally, but there were no specific details. Moreover, according to Qinglin, the conditions for the alliance with Hanxing didn't seem to have any similar preferential policies or enticing conditions as those of Tianqing.

Moreover, the matter he mentioned about Wangyue Palace seems to require a few more days. I thought Erlinzi and the others were guarding the palace to prevent the gold and silver treasures inside from being looted, but now it seems it's not that simple.

I sent someone back to Qinglin, to contact him again before leaving. That night, I stayed by Xilan's bedside again. He still hadn't woken up, but he seemed to have stopped struggling in pain, as if he were just sleeping peacefully, his breathing even. Another two days and one night passed like this, and I insisted on staying by Xilan's side, barely closing my eyes. Ye Feng urged me several times to go and rest, but I refused. I was worried about why Xilan hadn't woken up yet, and finally, I couldn't hold on any longer and dozed off by the bedside.