Chapter 16
No matter how dazzling and bright the sunlight is, it cannot drive away the heavy and murderous atmosphere. Wind shuttled through the two armies nonstop, yet no matter how swift it is, it also couldn’t blow away the foreboding of battle.
Hua Zhu Yu was watching from tower. Below her, she saw the dense and large amount of steel helmets and thousands of weapons which glinted coldly.
In front of the North Kingdom army, Xiao Yin sat on his horse. His dachang which had the golden dragon embroidered on it fluttered in the wind. The flag flew high above his head. The flag had the powerful mascot of the North Kingdom sewn on it – the gyrfalcon. Across from Xiao Yin, the South Kingdom’s flag flew in the wind as well. The large character of “Hua” was embroidered on it with black thread. Below the flag was the Marquis of Ping Xi, Hua Mu – Hua Zhu Yu’s father.
It was unknown when the noise of the horns had paused. Tens of thousands of soldiers faced each other on the battle field. The area was filled with grave silence. It seemed that the battle was about to begin.
Yet the reason for the battle was actually herself – Hua Zhu Yu.
It was said that women do bring troubles. In the past dynasty, two monarchs had battled for the sake of winning a woman. However for her, even though she was the reason for this battle, it was not for the sake of winning her over.
The South Kingdom had abandoned her while the North Kingdom did not care for her at all.
This battle actually had no relation to her, it was for the purpose of satisfying the greed for power of the higher-ups. Yet she had been used as the excuse for the battle and had let her become – in the eyes of the commoners – an eternal sinner.
At this time, she wanted to rush into battle to stop it, however, she knew very clearly that even if she said she was the princess and that she hadn’t died, this battle could still not be evaded. The North Kingdom had already captured the South Kingdom’s Mo City and have killed countless soldiers from the South Kingdom. The battle was like an arrow hovering on the string of a bow – it must be shot out.
Her clear gaze swept across the North Kingdom’s generals and then landed on her father. Originally, her father had led his army northward for the purpose of attacking the North Kingdom’s borders. He never could have imagined that the South Kingdom had lost Mo City in the defensive battle earlier.
The distance was quite far and so she couldn’t see her father’s expression clearly, however his figure had a sorrowful air to it. These days, she didn’t know how her father had gotten on with his life. Even though he was loyal to the South Kingdom, but it wasn’t complete and blind loyalty. The emperor’s order had left him very pained in his heart. Even though he still seemed to be loyal to the South Kingdom, his heart was most likely no longer feeling his original pa.s.sion for the country. This time, her father’s anger was most likely going to be vent out on the North Kingdom. He must’ve thought that his troops had been a.s.sa.s.sinated by people of the North Kingdom. Even if it wasn’t the doing of North Kingdom people, they hadn’t protected her well which was a crime in itself as well.
As expected, someone from the South Kingdom troops had yelled: ‘Let’s take revenge for miss!’ Immediately, the rest also begin calling out as well – yelling even louder than the sound of the horns. The yelling, naturally, came from the soldiers of the Hua family. Hua Zhu Yu closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling. She opened her eyes again. Her eyes flashed with a trace of sharpness.
Emperor, your plan has indeed succeeded.
Her death not only brought rise to her father’s anger, but more so, the Hua family soldiers’ indignation.
“Xiao Yin, my daughter had met with unfortunate events in the North Kingdom. This time, benhou will ask your highness, the crown prince, to give me advice.” Hua Mu icily said.
(E/N: indirect way of saying that he wants to battle with the crown prince)
“Houye, let subordinate do it. I will take revenge for the miss, as well as Ying youth.” A horse charged out of the South Kingdom troops. The person riding the horse wore black steel armor and his hands held a long scimitar. He was still young and had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. He was exceedingly handsome, expect his face had an expression of indignation that seemed like it would not fade away even after a long time.
(E/N: He is referring to Ying Shu Xie, the Silver Face Ashura, who was introduced in the 12th chapter.)
His scimitar swept horizontally at Xiao Yin.
It’s Kang Laosan!
Hua Zhu Yu squinted slightly. Her sharp gaze looked at the soldiers from Hua family’s soldiers. Seeing all those familiar figures, she realized that they had all come. How should she tell them that she was still alive and in the enemy’s camp? This time, she must leave the North Kingdom and Xiao Yin.
Zhang Xi’s horse trotted forward and Zhang Xi blocked Kang Laosan’s scimitar for Xiao Yin, coldly saying: “You aren’t fit to be his highness’s opponent. I, Zhang Xi, will battle with you.”
Kang Laosan was always short-tempered, and so, when he heard that his opponent would be Zhang Xi, he immediately attacked. His slices were ruthless and fierce.
In a moment, the two armies’ soldiers began attacking and the sound of war spread throughout the air.
Blood. The shadow of blades. The glint of weapons. The roars. The sound of horns.
This is war.
It is cruel, tragic. It makes people feel miserable and in pain.
Yet, at this time, in Hua Zhu Yu’s line of sight, there appeared a person. He stood on the high slope next to the two armies. His arrival was like touch of spring and light in a dark and heavy drawing; like a gentle breeze and coolness on a hot and stuffy summer day.
He was a prince – a white-robed young prince.
As she was very far away, Hua Zhu Yu couldn’t see his appearance. The only reason she had noticed him was because of his clothes.
No matter if it is North Kingdom’s soldiers or South Kingdom’s soldiers, on the battlefield, they all wore armor. Yet, that person was wearing a white robe. With the wind blowing through it, the robe seemed like a pure white cloud floating through the sky.
The sunlight enshrouded his body with a bright light, making him seem mystical, dream-like and mist-like. His whole person contrasted completely with the battlefield, yet it seemed as though he was born to stand there looking over all those troubling situations.
“That person is South Kingdom’s jianjun?” A soldier on the tower asked.
(E/N: I’m sorry >.< i’m="" not="" sure="" what jianjun meant,="" so="" i="" left="" it="" in="" pinyin.="" i="" tried="" searching="" online="" and="" the="" closest="" i="" got="" was="" ‘imperial="" soldier’="" but="" i="" doubt="" that="" what="" his="" position="">
“You’re right. He is the South Kingdom’s jianjun.” Another soldier answered.
Jianjun?
Hua Zhu Yu frowned. Sure enough, the emperor didn’t trust her father anymore and had sent the jianjun.
However, this jianjun, who is he?