The procession of the emperor's army was solemn and dignified. They headed east from the capital towards the Soul Summoning Abyss.
The journey would take about three days. On the evening of the first day, they arrived at the Yushui River. The servants began to set up camp and tidy up the living quarters for their masters. The nobles were summoned to the king's tent for dinner.
When Mo Xi entered, most of the nobles had already arrived. There were more than a hundred tables set up in the huge tent created by magic. A maid led him to his seat. He glanced across and saw the Murong Lian looking at him across the aisle. Like all the other nobles, the Murong Lian was also dressed in ceremonial robes. His intricate sapphire blue ceremonial robes were embroidered with bat-shaped totems. A blue-gold scarf was tied neatly around his neck, making his face look sickly pale.
Wangshu Mansion and the Mo Family were both famous families that produced many heroes. With the blessing of the Murong Lian ancestors, it was understandable that he was qualified to wear a scarf. However, everyone present had a ruler in their hearts. Which family's descendant was worthy of the glory of the martyrs, and which family's descendant had ruined the blood of their ancestors? Everyone was clear about this.
After waiting for everyone to arrive, Jun Shang opened his mouth and said, "You've been on the road for a whole day, so you must be tired. Pass the dishes. "
The palace maids carried plates and cups in and knelt gracefully in front of the corresponding nobles. They began to pour wine and serve the dishes. They were on the road. Although there wasn't much food, there were four cold dishes and four hot dishes. The main dish was delicately prepared.
The four cold dishes were crystal pork, crispy with three shreds, sweet lotus root with cinnamon, and frost fish. The four hot dishes were four-gilled fish with scallion oil, fried eel with shrimp, steamed crab with vinegar, and stir-fried lotus pond. As for the main dish, it was the imperial chef's signature soup dumplings with crab powder.
Mo Xi had a quarrel with Gu Mang yesterday and was in a bad mood. He couldn't eat anything at all. Instead, he drank a few more cups of wine than usual.
In fact, the annual end-of-the-year ceremony of the Chong Hua was not so much a form of worship, but rather an explanation for the deceased — how many battles had they won this year, what kind of magic weapons had they obtained, and whether the country was prosperous and the people were at peace.
If the past year had not gone smoothly, then the atmosphere at the end of the ceremony would have been very heavy. If Chong Hua had been prosperous, then it would have been more like comforting the souls of the fallen heroes. Everyone at the banquet would have been very happy.
"This year, I stopped fighting and recuperated. Although there were some twists and turns, it was still a good year."
"Haha, that's right. The Eastern Region also recovered a piece of lost land. It's a happy occasion."
Yue Chenqing, on the other hand, was pestering his youngest uncle not far away. He said, "Fourth Uncle, Fourth Uncle, this sweet lotus root is your favorite. If it's not enough, I can give you what I have! "
His father, the Yue Juntian, had returned to the city not long ago. Naturally, he would also be present at the end of the ceremony. When he saw his son pestering the Murong Chuyi to curry favor, he could not help but feel a little embarrassed. He coughed twice and gave Yue Chenqing a warning look.
When Mo Xi saw this scene, he could not help but remember the first time Gu Mang had participated in this kind of ceremony. At that time, Gu Mang had just been conferred the title by the Old Lord. He was in high spirits and even made an exception to allow him to participate in this ceremony, which was originally only allowed to be attended by relatives and nobles.
At that time, Gu Mang was overjoyed because of this special honor. His seat was right next to Mo Xi. He could not help but be excited and kept talking to Mo Xi. At that time, he was also as excited as Yue Chenqing. He said, "This sashimi is really delicious. I heard that it was made from fresh carp slices that the imperial chef fished out from the water. Try it and see if you like it."
Mo Xi closed his eyes and drank the strong liquor.
Until the end of the banquet, he did not touch the Frosty Sky Fish on the table.
When he returned to his own tent area, Mo Xi was preparing to rest and sleep. However, he saw the guard captain that he had brought with him anxiously walking back and forth in the wind. When he saw him, he immediately went over and said anxiously, "Master!"
Mo Xi looked up and said, "What's wrong?"
"I … Chief Li ordered me to watch Gu Mang and give him the medicine. But I just went to his tent to look for him. I couldn't find him. He didn't even eat dinner with us. I don't know where he went … "
Mo Xi was not too nervous. The slave locking bracelet was on Gu Mang's body. He could sense that Gu Mang was in this camp. He sighed and said, "Give me the medicine pot. Go and rest."
"But, but you …"
Do you want to personally take care of such a trivial matter?
Mo Xi did not want to say more. He only repeated, "Go."
Since he had already said so, even if the guard captain felt that it was inappropriate, he would not say anything more. He respectfully handed the medicine pot to Mo Xi and left as ordered.
At night, by the river, the wind was very strong. Mo Xi stood in place for a while to sober up. Then, he walked around this camp that belonged to him.
Gu Mang was indeed still here. He was sitting behind a metasequoia tree, curled up into a ball and asleep.
Mo Xi looked down at him for a while. Then, he slowly bent down and half knelt in front of him. The anger from last night had not subsided. The atmosphere between the two was very awkward. Mo Xi was silent for a long time. Then, he said, "… Wake up. Go back to the tent and sleep. "
He really did not understand why everyone had a tent and had already set it up. But Gu Mang had to run under the tree and use the sky as a cover and the ground as a mat.
"Wake up."
He called several times, but Gu Mang did not move. Mo Xi could not help but feel a little annoyed. He raised his hand and pushed him.
But unexpectedly, with this push, Gu Mang fell to the ground like a scarecrow. The moonlight shone through the scattered needles of the metasequoia forest and shone on Gu Mang's face.
His face was completely covered with a sickly red flush, and his originally pale skin looked as if it had been steamed in a warm mist. His eyes were tightly shut, and his long eyelashes were fluttering. His moist lips were slightly open because he couldn't breathe, and his brows were subconsciously furrowed in pain.
Mo Xi was shocked, "Gu Mang?"
He raised his hand to touch his forehead. It was shockingly hot.
He hurriedly helped Gu Mang, who was unconscious from the fever, up and carried him all the way to the small tent that belonged to Gu Mang. Fortunately, Xi He's camp was located in a remote area. The people he brought were also resting. This scene was not seen by anyone. Mo Xi opened the curtain and put Gu Mang on the bed.
Gu Mang regained some consciousness. He opened his sleepy eyes and looked at Mo Xi with a hazy gaze.
Suddenly, he seemed to realize something. He struggled to get up and turn over to get off the bed. Mo Xi held him down with one hand. While suppressing the anxiety in his heart, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Lie down. What are you doing? "
Gu Mang bit his wet lower lip. The blue in his eyes looked like it was about to turn into water vapor and overflow. Mo Xi's heart suddenly beat faster under his gaze. He could not help but clench his fingers and straighten his body to put some distance between them.
But Gu Mang still looked at him in a daze. Perhaps he was not looking at him. Gu Mang's eyes were more focused on the silk belt that Mo Xi was wearing.
The sick man opened his mouth and wanted to say something. But when he really opened his mouth, he did not know what to say.
So he bit his lip again. After a while, he suddenly wanted to get up again.
Mo Xi held him down. "What are you doing?"
Gu Mang was in a daze from the fever. He grabbed Mo Xi's clothes and stubbornly wanted to climb down to the ground.
Mo Xi said sternly, "Gu Mang!"
His name seemed to call back some of his consciousness. Gu Mang shivered and his body became even more bent. It could even be called wretched. He was almost like a lump of mud, clinging to the edge of the bed and rolling down.
But he was restrained by Mo Xi. He was blocked by Mo Xi.
He was in a daze for a while. Suddenly, he muttered, "Let me down … I beg you, let me down …"
"You have a fever. Lie down. "
"Let me down, I don't want to … I don't want to be here …"
Mo Xi's heart was filled with pain and hatred. He was annoyed and hot. He helped Gu Mang up again and tried to make him lie down. But Gu Mang did not listen. This time, Gu Mang grabbed Mo Xi's clothes tightly and pressed his burning forehead against Mo Xi's waist.
"I don't want to sleep here …"
His cervical vertebra, which had never been willing to really fall, now looked like it would break at any moment.
Gu Mang lay on top of him. He was in a daze from the fever. He wanted to push Mo Xi away, but he felt like he was hugging something warm. It was like a person drifting in a frozen river suddenly hugging a piece of driftwood. He pushed, but in the end, he was helplessly hugging.
Gu Mang hugged Mo Xi's waist and pressed his face against Mo Xi's waist. He whispered hoarsely, "Your bed … is too clean …"
Mo Xi was stunned for a moment. "What?"
Gu Mang suddenly choked. "I'm … dirty …"
Mo Xi felt as if his chest had been hit by a blunt object. It was so painful.
But the person who was hugging him was still trembling intermittently. He didn't know if it was because of the pain of the heat or because he was afraid of something else. He hugged him, and his voice was almost broken and whimpering.
"I don't know … I don't know how to sleep … so I won't … get dirty … so …"
"Let me go … let me go …"
Mo Xi said softly, "Where are you going …"
Gu Mang seemed to have been hit by this question. He opened his eyes blankly and his voice was almost sobbing. "I, I don't know …"
Mo Xi's throat seemed to be choked. He lowered his head and looked at him. For a moment, he could not say anything.
I'm dirty and covered in filth. I don't know where I should go.
I don't know where I should go …
Mo Xi's heart was throbbing. He lowered his head and looked at Gu Mang. From this angle, he could vaguely see half of Gu Mang's cheek and the redness from his slap yesterday. He really did not hold back at all.
"Do you know how dirty you are?!"
The sound was still in his ears.
Did he regret it?
No … no. His heart was as firm as a rock. He did not regret it.
It was just that …
He did not know why a bright smiling face suddenly appeared in front of him. It was from a certain year when they were still young.
At that time, they had not developed any soft love. He was just an ordinary comrade.
He was ambushed and trapped in the enemy's territory. He waited bitterly for reinforcements.
He waited for a long time until death was near. In the end, the world turned scarlet. It was his Senior Brother Gu in his silver armor. The armor shone brightly as he rode towards him.
Gu Mang dismounted his horse and hugged his injured junior brother tightly in his arms. Mo Xi's body was covered in the venom of the Liao Country's evil beasts. His dry lips opened and closed. He said hoarsely, "Let go …"
"Junior Brother!"
Mo Xi gasped. "Don't touch me. I'm … dirty … full of poisonous blood …"
Very dirty. It will stain you too.
It will make you sick too.
You and I, we just fought together. We are not related. Why do you … have to get hurt with me?
But what did Gu Mang say to him at that time?
This dusty, distant memory that he had always been unwilling to look back on overflowed like crazy.
Gu Mang said, "Don't be afraid. Senior Brother will accompany you. "
There will always be someone who is not afraid of death to save you from the poisonous blood.
It's okay. I'm not afraid. Since I've chosen this path, since I've stepped onto the battlefield, I don't plan to come back safe and sound. No matter if I'm a noble, a slave, or a commoner, you and I are comrades. In this disaster, I'll live and die with you.
I, Gu Mang, am a slave. This is the first time I have such a chance to prove myself. I'm not afraid of death. I just want to let Chong Hua see, let Jun Shang see, let you all understand … even a lowly slave is the same as you.
We all have the same passion and loyalty, and we talk about loyalty in life and death.
I'm worthy of you calling me Senior Brother, calling me Brother.
Stain my body with your blood. Give me your hand.
If you get dirty again, I'll hug you.
If you get hurt again, I'll accompany you.
If you get hurt again, I'll bring you home.
Mo Xi's heart seemed to be grabbed by an invisible claw and torn apart. On one side was the national enmity, on the other was the deep gratitude. Why? Why was it that the person who gave him the most pain and love was the same person?!!
He was forced to a dead end. He couldn't breathe.
In the dim candlelight, he stared at Gu Mang's face. So much hate, so much love, so … so …
So much that it was better to die.
Hug me. It's okay. I'm not afraid.
I'm not afraid.
Mo Xi suddenly closed his eyes. There was dead silence. Suddenly, the candlelight flickered. He bent down and carried Gu Mang in his arms. He walked out of the small tent and into his own tent.
He gently placed Senior Brother Gu, who was unconscious from the fever, on his spacious, soft, and thick bed.
He raised his hand and hesitated for a moment. In the end, he still touched Gu Mang's hot cheek.
It was just a light touch, but Gu Mang seemed to be scared by the slap yesterday. He closed his eyes and instinctively shivered.
"…" Mo Xi slowly put his hand down. He sat on the edge of the bed. After a long while, he buried his face between his slender palms. The candlelight in the tent flowed. His figure was so tired, as if he was about to be torn apart by countless heavy and contradictory feelings.
After a while, Gu Mang couldn't hold on anymore and fell asleep. Mo Xi turned around to look at the man curled up and sleeping beside him. He was in a daze for a long time.
He felt that he had gone crazy.
The sacrificial ceremony … for the sacrificed souls. For the souls of the dead who died under Gu Mang's hands.
But he … what was he doing?
Taking care of a traitor?
He closed his eyes, got up, and walked out of the tent. The medicine pot was still beside him. He originally wanted to let Gu Mang drink it just now, but now … it was better to wait for Gu Mang to sleep for a while before giving it to him …
Mo Xi stood outside and felt the night wind for a while. His heart was in a mess. Although he didn't want to have any soft feelings with Gu Mang, he still couldn't forget the guard captain saying that Gu Mang hadn't even eaten dinner. He hesitated for a long time, but finally walked towards the camp where the imperial chef was.
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