Chapter 373: Idle Dreams Afar, the Southern Kingdom in Full Spring Bloom

This this this......

This is He Lian Bo Bo?!

This bright, cheerful demeanor is utterly unlike the great slaughter god from last night who hacked men and horses to pieces!

Xuan Feixing suspected he was too ill, hallucinating, and thus remained silent.

He Lian Bo Bo wasn't annoyed either; he found a spot in the commander's tent, sat cross-legged, and then said:

"It's fine; I know you Han people are wary of foreigners, so I'll keep my distance and speak from afar, which should put you more at ease."

"Besides, there's fruit and tea on the table; help yourself, no need to save any for me. I'm the Army Commander appointed by my adoptive father—I can have anything I want, and someone will bring it."

"Oh, and also, when I came I saw you trying to get up—you must want to go out. Actually you can stay here and recover a bit longer; the world isn't peaceful now, and outside are nothing but thick‑headed brutes who wear their brains on their waistbands, can't understand human speech, and meeting them is dangerous! When I rescued you last night, I subdued them with military orders—guess what?"

Xuan Feixing didn't answer; the broad‑shouldered youth sitting opposite, who seemed like a small mountain, clapped his hands, gritted his teeth, and said:

"I've been shouting for ages, saying 'I've already made my military orders clear: after taking the city, I strictly forbid rape, wanton pillaging, and harming the populace,' and also 'How dare you openly defy my orders, commit atrocities, and ignore the law!'......"

"But guess what?! After you fainted with a thud, those folks stared at each other for a long while, then asked me, 'Commander, Commander, what are you saying?'"

The youth painfully slapped his forehead, and the neat little braid hanging by his ear swayed, tracing an indignant arc in the air:

"Listen! Listen!"

"How could anyone say such a thing?!"

"So all his shouting was for nothing?!"

He's long said we ought to learn from the Han people to the south—study, study, learn to read, learn to read!

When the Han people step forward, they are refined and erudite, their brows exuding a noble aura of literature!

But his rough‑and‑troop of thick‑heads don't know a thing about literary refinement; even now they don't understand what his Chinese words mean......

Can we blame him for being angry?

"Anyway, I just can't get through to them at all!"

He Lian Bo Bo, sitting on the ground, recalled the past and felt another headache:

"I feel sure I was Han in my past life, but Heaven messed around and snatched me from the south to the north, leaving me to linger with this lot—just thinking about it makes me feel stifled."

"But it's all right; now that you're here, I can chat with you to relieve my boredom… Hey, why have you been silent all this time?"

The youth, who had been talking to himself, finished his long spiel, only then realizing the opposite side hadn't spoken, and finally turned his gaze over.

Not far from He Lian Bo Bo, Xuan Feixing's gloomy, unchanging cold face had long gone numb——

Who could tell him!

Who on earth could tell him!

The famed Northern Dynasty warrior who, since taking the battlefield at sixteen, has never lost and struck terror into countless Han people—He Lian Bo Bo—turns out to be of this temperament in private?

Is he unable to speak, or simply unwilling?

Clearly it's a barrage of words coming at him like linked beads, leaving him no chance to speak!

This person's disposition is so changeable, so talkative, it even reminds him of that chattering foolish Daoist from before!

If that little Daoist were here, he'd surely get along swimmingly with He Lian Bo Bo!

The two would surely chat away endlessly, and perhaps, with the little Daoist's 'immortal wind, Daoist bones' aura plus He Lian Bo Bo's goodwill toward the Han, they might actually coax some 'convenience' out of the other side!

But......

Earlier he thought this place was the great calamity, insisted the little Daoist go back first, and he himself approached the war zone alone.

Now the little Daoist has turned back, and this road is completely blocked.

And relying solely on his words, who knows what he could say.

Forget it; whatever he says is fine.

The crucial thing is, he can't hesitate any longer!

Since the other side cut down the Northern Barbarian heavy cavalry that tried to rebel and rape women at first sight, and showed kindness by saving him, if he doesn't go along with it, he's simply ungrateful.

With He Lian Bo Bo's stature, killing him would be easier than squashing an ant!

Xuan Feixing's thoughts raced; he strained to raise his hand in a fist‑and‑palm salute, and replied respectfully:

"Reporting to the Commander, my wounds still hurt, so I'm a bit weak and slow to respond; please forgive me."

This wound is indeed serious; just lifting his hand caused a fine sheen of sweat on his brow, and his voice grew hoarse and dry.

Xuan Feixing himself thought his raspy voice sounded awful, but the youth not far off didn't mind at all—instead he laughed heartily and praised him:

"I told you Han folks know propriety and etiquette better than we do—even wounded, you still bother with rites!"

"No need to be so formal; you don't yet know my temperament, but after a while you'll see—getting along with me just means going with the flow."

The youth is still young; his laugh shines like the bright sun, truly embodying 'vigorous and spirited'.

That smile, Xuan Feixing knows it all too well—it's hardly different from the little Daoist's everyday grin.

Perhaps because his wounds were truly grave, or because he thought of that foolish little Daoist, Xuan Feixing finally relaxed his guard a little, lowered his slightly trembling arm, and gave a soft reply.

Still, he hadn't lost his senses; he didn't rush forward, but instead trudged a few steps to the side, keeping a moderate distance from He Lian Bo Bo.

The youth opposite paid no heed to any of that; he simply plucked a pear from the nearby fruit tray, tossed it idly in the air, and said enthusiastically:

"Your wounds will take a while to heal, and since we're idle anyway, why not tell me about your homeland?"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on—I know you're about to say 'You're surely spying on southern intelligence' or 'This kid has wolfish ambitions,' things everyone's said before, but I truly don't mean that, and I have no interest in the sort of intelligence‑gathering that low‑level lackeys do."

"If you're willing, I'll treat your wounds, give you the best food and care, and all you need to do is tell me about your homeland's customs—how does that sound?"

That jade‑yellow pear, tossed up and down, looked truly fresh and juicy.

But He Lian Bo Bo was clearly far more interested—and earnest—about other things:

"For example, what color is the water in your homeland, and what does the wind taste like?"

"Also, did you used to study? How did your teacher instruct you? Or perhaps the bean curd on a certain street is delicious—you once ate a bowl and, short on cash, gave only two wen… If you fear I'd bring disaster to your homeland, you can omit names and just tell me the facts; I love hearing such things."

"I've read in books that it's misty rain over Jiangnan, with beautiful scenery that makes one forget worldly cares. But I'm always bogged down by affairs and have never seen it in person, which I've long regretted."

He Lian Bo Bo spoke casually, but he didn't realize that these words had already stirred up a tremendous wave in Xuan Feixing's heart——

No, there's no need to mention the hometown's name; just describe its local customs and feelings?

This person actually sincerely longs for the southern lands!!

This person, in the Northern Dynasty, isn't he already second only to the sovereign and above ten thousand?

With such illustrious status and position, he actually longs for Jiangnan, a place he's never even seen?

Usually we only see southerners flatter the north because of its strong military, yet this person genuinely wishes to draw close to the southern lands......

Could it be that he intends to defect to the south?

As soon as this thought arose in Xuan Feixing's mind, it sent ripples everywhere; he once again regretted not bringing along that eloquent little Daoist.

But regretting now is truly the most foolish thing.

Xuan Feixing sighed inwardly, faced with the other's eager gaze, and finally decided to speak.

However, being naturally cautious, he weighed his words and first asked a question that ordinary people might never have noticed:

"As for the Commander of the Returned Capital's words, actually describing one's hometown's local customs is not difficult."

"But before I speak, I, a humble person, have a doubt I wish to ask——"

"In your opinion, there must have been Han people who came before you; may I ask...... what happened to them?"

Exactly, exactly.

This is a huge problem.

Since He Lian Bo Bo has shown great goodwill toward the southern lands, why has he, since waking up, not encountered any other Han people?

Previously, when speaking with He Lian Bo Bo about the Han people of one's hometown......

"Oh, you ask about them...... Of course they were killed."

That wobbly pear finally landed steadily in the palm of a large hand.

The youth absentmindedly took a bite of the pale yellow tender pear, his teeth breaking the flesh, tearing it, chewing, as if a weary beast devouring flesh and blood.

He Lian Bo Bo acted as if he hadn't noticed Xuan Feixing's sudden stiffening expression at all; even the brightness in his eyes hardly dimmed, and he merely smiled and replied:

"I'm merely interested in the southern lands, but there are always some clueless people urging me to defect south and betray the state. So after they finish telling me what I'm interested in, I kill them all."

"Not only them, you're the same; I can now give you the best treatment and heal you, but if you fail to please me, I'll kill you just as well."

"So you'd better think carefully about what I might be interested in; don't finish speaking too quickly."

?? Idle dreams far away, the southern country is in full spring blossom: from Li Yu's 'Looking South of the River', the poetic meaning being that one is trapped in the north and can only see the southern country's spring in dreams.

? Today is an extra-length chapter, added as usual! Righteously and proudly, we must boast~

? (Because no one is boasting, feeling a bit listless, the update on the 20th might not be on time......)