Chapter 387: Chapter 375: The Great Marshal
It was the first time she saw Xie Xun with stubble on his face, and somehow she found it intriguing. Fengyu’s slender fingers gently touched his rough chin, her curiosity piqued.
Xie Xun was deeply asleep. Catching the scent of medicine from her palm, he smiled faintly and deliberately rubbed his chin against her hand. Fengyu giggled and tried to pull away, but Xie Xun grabbed her wrist and, with a swift move, held her tightly in his arms.
Startled, Fengyu struggled to break free. However, Xie Xun pressed her waist firmly, holding her close, "Ayu... don’t move, let me hold you for a while."
That soul-crushing despair, as if losing everything in the world—he never wanted to experience it again in this lifetime.
Once in the Capital City, another time in Yangzhou.
That was enough!
"I’m fine now!" Fengyu understood his fear, especially thinking about how he had stubbornly risked his life to save hers. Her heart ached and yet she felt annoyed. She decided she must find time to have a proper conversation with Xie Xun.
This kind of thing must never happen again!
No!
She needed to resolve the issue of the Soul Suppressing Pearl. What was once her talisman for survival had now become a hot potato in her hands.
Zhang Lingzheng had examined Fengyu’s pulse. Her condition had stabilized, and all she needed was to recuperate. Zhang Lingzheng prescribed several new remedies for her.
After Zhang Lingzheng left, Fengyu said, "Let’s go home!"
With the epidemic in Yangzhou under control, the next steps were up to the imperial court. The Imperial Physician and Zhang Boju were still stationed here. Meanwhile, they needed to return to the Twelve Continents, where another tough battle awaited!
Now that Yangzhou’s epidemic was stabilizing, the garrison from Jiangnan would surely arrive soon.
They needed to leave immediately!
"Alright, we’ll leave at dawn!"
Although Fengyu was still in recovery, her spirits were steady enough to summon Housekeeper Su. Luckily, Housekeeper Su had been helping in the quarantine zone and hadn’t contracted the disease. Seeing Fengyu’s improvement, he was overjoyed.
Fengyu, pushing herself, gave him instructions for some matters. This epidemic in Yangzhou had reshaped the commercial landscape of Jiangnan, with Yuwen Jing coveting Su Family’s Trading House. In the end, they could only scatter their wealth to preserve safety.
"Old Master’s decades of hard work..." Housekeeper Su sighed, knowing there was no other option. With Fengyu leaving and unable to oversee things personally, coupled with external threats, dispersing wealth was their only solution.
"Business goes through highs and lows; it’s always that way. Grandpa Su, take care of your health in Yangzhou. Don’t overwork yourself. Someday... Ayu will come back to visit you!"
"Alright, Miss, you must honor your promise."
"Like an unchasing horse!"
As long as she was alive, she vowed to return to Yangzhou to see her grandfather.
"Grandfather... I leave it in your hands."
"Don’t worry, I’ll guard Old Master’s grave and wait not only for you, Miss, but also for the First Madam and Second Miss to return together."
"Alright!"
The winter morning’s light always arrived late. Snowflakes fell heavily, covering the quarantine zone in pristine white. As Fengyu stepped out of her tent, she noticed a flower blooming in a corner by the wall.
Amid disease and hunger, a small red flower had blossomed.
Xie Xun draped a fox fur cloak over her shoulders. The white fur made Fengyu’s complexion radiant like creamy jade. Initially, Xie Xun wanted to carry her, but Fengyu insisted, "I want to walk for a while!"
"If you get tired, make sure you tell me."
"I will!"
Xie Xun held an umbrella to shield Fengyu from the wind and snow.
Early snow blanketed the road to Yangzhou, with one holding the umbrella while two walked together. Red umbrella, graceful lady—amid endless snowfall, they looked like a painting of celestial beings.
The townsfolk had heard that Xie Xun and Fengyu were leaving Yangzhou. The citizens in the quarantine zone lined the path to bid them farewell.
Elderly men holding children knelt down to kowtow to Xie Xun.
"Prince, your great kindness and compassion, staying in Yangzhou unafraid of life and death to protect the citizens—you have bestowed rebirth upon this city! Please accept this old man’s bow!" Tears welled up in the elder’s eyes. "The road ahead is long; Prince, take care!"
Xie Xun tried to help him up, but more people knelt nearby, and gradually, the crowd kneeling to send him off grew larger.
"The road ahead is long; Prince, take care!"
"Everyone, please rise!" Xie Xun looked at the townsfolk bidding farewell in the swirling snowstorm. His eyes glistened, his throat tight with an indescribable mixture of sourness and pain. He had ventured south to Jiangnan for Fengyu, trapped in Yangzhou, to take her away.
The night he arrived in Yangzhou, it had been a true infernal catastrophe.
Slaughter, epidemic, riots, chaos!
Fear had destroyed everyone’s sanity.
Now, Yangzhou was on the mend. Days before, new cases had dwindled to just sixty, and soon, all would recover. Xie Xun thought, everyone would be alright!
"Let’s go!" Fengyu said softly.
"Alright!" Xie Xun and Fengyu bowed lightly toward the citizens before turning to leave together. Hand in hand, they faced the wind and snow and walked out of the quarantine zone. Finally, this Chapter of suffering had come to an end—not just for the people of Yangzhou, but also for Xie Xun, all buried under the winter snow.
Nuanyang and others were already waiting.
Fang Lingjun came to see Fengyu off!
This ordeal had profoundly changed Fang Lingjun. Previously, she had joked about accompanying Fengyu to the West Continent; now she genuinely wanted to go with her.
But she couldn’t go!
She belonged to the Yuwen Royal Family.
"Ayu, remember to think of me!" Fang Lingjun tearfully hugged Fengyu. Fengyu’s illness had struck rapidly but also subsided quickly. "Will we... meet again?"
Separated by vast distances, who knew when they would reunite?
"Junjun has always been in Ayu’s heart," Fengyu said. "Even if we don’t meet face to face, we’ll still be together!"
Mountains and seas have their reunions, storms have their crossings.
Those you long to see, you’ll always see.
Xie Xun watched with jealousy as Fengyu and Fang Lingjun lingered in their goodbye. Fortunately, Fang Lingjun was a woman; otherwise, Fengyu’s eyes would never have room for him—her soul would long ago have been stolen by Fang Lingjun.
Xie Xun had always been a little envious of Fang Lingjun. Though not related by blood, she held an irreplaceable place in Fengyu’s aloof heart. Unable to resist, he urged, "Alright, time to go!"
"Junjun, remember to miss me!" Fengyu, too, felt like crying. She hadn’t had proper time to say goodbye when she left the Capital City, and now that she could, it made parting even harder.
"I’ll come to the West Continent to see you!"
Xie Xun unexpectedly interjected, "When we get married, I’ll invite you to Ningzhou for the ceremony."
Fang Lingjun, "..."
It was clearly a kind promise, yet why did she sense hostility from Xie Xun?
Just as Xie Xun and Fengyu were about to board the carriage heading for the dock—a boat already waiting to take them from Yangzhou—a fast-moving horse burst through the snowstorm, shouting, "Prince, hurry! Marshal Fang is here! If you delay, it’ll be too late!"
The messenger wasn’t one of Xie Xun’s own soldiers but a member of the Yangzhou Garrison. Nobody dared hinder Marshal Fang, so someone from the city gates had ridden ahead to warn them.
But it was already too late!
Xie Xun’s expression changed drastically.
The urgent sound of hooves thundered like a storm. Xie Xun pulled Fengyu close to his side, placing the umbrella in her hand. "Protect yourself. If any chaos occurs, leave immediately. Don’t worry about me."
Fengyu, "Zhixu..."
The Fang Family’s marshal banner blazed brilliantly amidst the snowy winds. Marshal Fang and the Jiangnan garrison had arrived. Yangzhou City had been silent without news, and Marshal Fang had brought both medicine and grain supplies along with one final contingency—a thousand men hastily dispatched to Yangzhou.
But he hadn’t expected Xie Xun to be in Yangzhou City.
The Jiangnan garrison, outfitted in striking black armor and upon dark horses, appeared formidable—a harsh, cold blade slicing through the wind and snow, cutting into the quarantine zone. Marshal Fang, seated upon his steed, gazed grimly ahead.
"Father!" Fang Lingjun cried in delight, dashing toward Marshal Fang. After a few steps, she hesitated and turned to glance at Fengyu and Xie Xun.
The joy on her face vanished instantly!
"Junjun, come here!" Marshal Fang called sternly. Dismounting swiftly, the Marshal’s tall stature and sharp, weathered features revealed the commanding presence of a man forged by years of warfare.
Fang Lingjun slowly retreated, her smile unwavering.
"Father, I’m so happy you’re here!" Fang Lingjun said innocently, "Ayu and Xie Xun saved me; otherwise, I’d have died in the riots."
When Marshal Fang entered the city, he’d already been briefed on the situation in Yangzhou.
"Zhixu, it has been a while. I’ve heard about what transpired here in Yangzhou. If your late father is watching from above, he’d surely be proud of your actions!" Marshal Fang said, slowly moving toward the quarantine zone’s perimeter. "You’ve done a great service to Yangzhou, but my duty requires me to prevent your departure!"