When a normally healthy person falls ill, the illness can be unexpectedly severe, just like Grand General Wen.
During this period, his condition relapsed repeatedly. Twice he seemed on the verge of death, and Zhu Qingyu had already sent for the Eldest Grand Princess, but each time he managed to pull through by sheer force of will.
This was the first time Zhu Qingyu had seen Grand General Wen fully conscious, and also the first time she had seen the Eldest Grand Princess in tears.
Though Grand General Wen had just awakened from a long illness, his mind seemed to have recovered well—at least he still recognized people. Seeing the Eldest Grand Princess sitting by his bedside crying, he even reached out to wipe her tears and asked:
“Your Highness has returned? Did you encounter something distressing in the capital?”
The Eldest Grand Princess took his hand, bending slightly so he could reach her face, and said:
“You have been unconscious for over ten days.”
Grand General Wen’s face was full of tenderness:
“Have I made Your Highness sad? That is my fault.”
The Eldest Grand Princess held back her tears and said:
“Since you fell unconscious, the northern barbarians have been attacking the city, on and off, for more than ten days as well.”
The tender expression on Grand General Wen’s face instantly changed. He sat bolt upright in bed—despite his grave illness—and got down to search for his weapon, saying:
“Those northern barbarian bastards! There must be a trick! Where is General Sun? Did he act rashly and lead out the army?”
A person normally in good health cannot imagine how weak they become when sick. The moment Grand General Wen stepped down, his legs gave way, and he dropped to one knee before the Eldest Grand Princess in an impromptu display, saved from collapsing entirely only because she caught him.
The Eldest Grand Princess did not scold him. Holding Grand General Wen steady, she glanced at Zhu Qingyu and said:
“Do not worry. General Sun did not dispatch the army. This is Doctor Zhu from the capital, sent by imperial decree to treat the epidemic in the northern frontier. Sit properly and let Doctor Zhu take your pulse, and also listen carefully to what I have to say.”
Grand General Wen allowed himself to be coaxed back into bed and politely bowed his head toward Zhu Qingyu, saying:
“I put you to the trouble, Doctor Zhu.”
The Eldest Grand Princess made way for Zhu Qingyu to examine him. While Zhu Qingyu took his pulse, she briefed Grand General Wen on the situation:
“The northern barbarians are indeed up to tricks. While pretending to attack the city, they are also trying to sneak through Nine Peak Mountain for a surprise raid. Since Vice Minister Gu happened to be in the northern frontier, I thought it better for General Sun to hold the defenses here. Counting the time, Vice Minister Gu has been leading the campaign for over ten days now, and there is still no news.”
Grand General Wen replied:
“Over ten days? If Vice Minister Gu had won, news should have reached us by now, considering the distance. If Vice Minister Gu has lost…”
At the words “if Vice Minister Gu has lost,” Zhu Qingyu’s heart suddenly tightened. Her hand, taking his pulse, unconsciously applied more pressure.
On the battlefield, it was a life-or-death struggle. If Gu Zhao lost, what scene awaited?
These past days, Zhu Qingyu had felt like a family member waiting outside the camp for news of loved ones. She dared not think about Gu Zhao’s expedition, yet she could not stop herself from doing so.
Why hasn’t he come back yet?
Why is there still no word from him?
Could he have lost the battle?
Could he be wounded?
Could he have died on the battlefield?
These chaotic thoughts kept surfacing in her mind unbidden, to the point that hearing Grand General Wen say “news should have come” and “if Vice Minister Gu has lost” made her extremely anxious.
Grand General Wen glanced at Zhu Qingyu curiously, then turned his head as if nothing had happened and said to the Eldest Grand Princess:
“Well, since I am here, there’s no need to keep General Sun confined at home. I will have General Sun send troops to reinforce Vice Minister Gu. Someone, summon General Sun.”
During this time, General Sun had been tormented daily by a mere two thousand northern barbarian soldiers parading outside the city, exactly because he could not lead his troops to fight. He was nearly bursting with frustration. The moment he heard that Grand General Wen had awakened, he rushed down from the city wall, mounted his horse without even properly tying it, burst straight into Grand General Wen’s sickroom, and shouted:
“Grand General! Grand General, you’re finally awake! I beg you, let me go down from the city wall and slaughter those barbarians! Being called a coward holed up behind the walls every day—I can’t take it anymore!”
Grand General Wen cut him off:
“Go ahead. First, clean up the ones at our doorstep, then go reinforce Vice Minister Gu. As for Ding Sheng Pass, I am here. Go with peace of mind.”
With Grand General Wen guarding the pass—even if he were only a half-strength Grand General Wen—General Sun felt completely at ease. He immediately took the command, mustered troops, and rode out of the city to fight.
The northern barbarian troops outside the city had grown accustomed to Ding Sheng Pass’s refusal to engage. They had become so arrogant that, when they came to taunt the defenders, their lines were slack and utterly disorganized.
General Sun, among the northern frontier forces, was known for winning through sheer ferocity. Having been cooped up all this time, eating insults day after day, he burst out like a tiger freed from its cage. First, he routed the barbarian troops at the city gates, sending them scattering in all directions, then led his army toward Nine Peak Mountain to reinforce Vice Minister Gu, who was engaging the main barbarian force.
Grand General Wen indeed had reason to be confident. Once his illness turned around, he recovered at an astounding pace. Within a day or two, he was out of the infirmary.
And with General Sun going to reinforce Gu Zhao, Zhu Qingyu’s heart relaxed considerably.
Everything should be fine now, right?
She thought: he should be back soon, surely.
Thanks to the good example set by the brother-and-sister pair of hunters at the start, more and more patients in the camp recovered and were discharged each day.
One day, Zhu Qingyu was writing on a slate board the number of discharged patients for that day, when the board under her hand suddenly trembled faintly.
This scene, this feeling—so familiar.
Zhu Qingyu put down her brush and, without a second thought, ran toward the camp gate.
Seeing it was Lord Zhu, the guards immediately opened the gate. Outside the gate, the returning army was marching in their direction.
At the head, riding a horse, was General Sun. Beside him were several men Zhu Qingyu did not recognize.
No Gu Zhao?
Where was Gu Zhao? Why hadn’t he come back with them?
A sense of foreboding seized her. Suddenly, a horse dashed out from behind General Sun and galloped straight toward Zhu Qingyu. On the horse was Xiong Kun.
Xiong Kun was here, but no Gu Zhao. Why?
An even more terrible, more dreadful possibility exploded in her mind. Zhu Qingyu clenched her fists, barely able to breathe.
Xiong Kun had already rushed up. He dismounted in one leap and shouted:
“Lord Zhu! Please, come quickly and see Vice Minister Gu! He was severely wounded—he’s at death’s door!”
