Chapter 590

Xiong Anmin let out a bleak sigh. The surviving warriors, hearing that the Da Yong side intended to cremate their comrades' bodies on the spot, each felt a choking grief, but what could they do while they were in someone else's camp? Hu Xiaotian gazed at the corpses; the Da Yong side refused to give them land for burial and would not lend them a ship to send the bodies home. Even if they lent a ship, the situation at Azure Dragon Bay remains unclear, and no one would care where they were sent.

Hu Xiaotian looked ahead at the river and said in a low voice: "Everyone come out together; sharing wind and rain makes us brothers. Although they have left, we fortunate survivors must ensure they depart with dignity."

Everyone turned to look at Hu Xiaotian, whose gaze swept to the trees by the river as he said: "We have over thirty people; let's work together, make a few more rafts, and send our brothers off safely, so their spirits may drift along the Yong River back to Dakang."

Li Jiangjun spent the night sleepless, silently guarding his brother's corpse in the tent. Although the two brothers had never met while alive, as the elder brother he must fulfill his duty, accompanying his younger brother through the final night of the mortal world so that he would not feel afraid on the road to the Yellow Springs.

Li Jiangjun stepped out of the grand tent; the night sky had cleared, and in the deep blue heavens stars twinkled. The north wind blew away the clouds that had lingered over the sky all day, leaving nothing, so that lifting his head revealed the brilliant Milky Way. Li Jiangjun lifted his gaze, and a bright shooting star streaked across the night sky. Remembering what his grandfather once said—that after death a person becomes a star hanging in the night sky, silently guarding his kin and friends—he wondered whether that shooting star might be his brother's wandering soul.

By the river, shadows kept moving; Li Jiangjun narrowed his eyes and made out that the group were survivors from the Dakang envoy. He waved and called over a soldier on guard not far away: "What are they doing?"

The soldier replied: "Reporting to the general, they are lashing together wooden rafts for a water burial of the dead."

Hu Xiaotian led the people in jointly pushing the newly lashed raft into the water. Six soldiers whose identities had been identified lay upon the raft. Their bodies were covered with branches and then doused with fire oil; the raft drifted downstream with the current.

In the darkness a blaze flared—it was Zhan Peng drawing his bow and loosing an arrow at the ever‑drifting raft. The fire‑arrow struck true, igniting the kindling and setting aflame the six soldiers' corpses.

Hu Xiaotian led the crowd in removing their helmets and bowing deeply to the raft as it drifted farther away. Given the circumstances, this was all they could do, since Da Yong refused to grant them land for burying these soldiers; the only option was to inter their bodies in the Yong River. Hu Xiaotian secretly thought that if one day they could recover the Yong River, these soldiers would effectively be returning to their homeland.

Turning around, he saw Long Xi Yue also standing beside him. Her expression showed some fatigue, and crystal‑bright tears glistened in her beautiful eyes; to Long Xi Yue, the soldiers' deaths were entirely her fault, so coming to help send them off on their final journey was only proper.

Li Jiangjun said: "There are over four hundred corpses; they will need at least eighty rafts."

The soldier replied: "Originally they wanted to request a plot of land to bury those soldiers, but General Tang declared that Da Yong's land cannot be given to the Kang people for use."

Li Jiangjun furrowed his brows, pondered briefly, then walked away slowly.

While Hu Xiaotian and the others continued preparing the rafts, Li Jiangjun appeared at his side. Hu Xiaotian felt it odd: "General Li, aren't you asleep yet this late?"

Li Jiangjun said: "You're clanging away chopping wood here; I can't get to sleep."

Hu Xiaotian apologetically said: "Sorry to keep you from resting, General Li, but we want to hurry and see these brothers off." He then glanced at the princess's tent and added: "I don't want to delay the princess's schedule."

Li Jiangjun said: "They all drowned; burying them in the water might leave their spirits restless."

Hu Xiaotian replied: "The Yong River flows east; I hope they can follow the current back to their homeland."

Li Jiangjun secretly sighed, thinking Hu Xiaotian showed some feeling, and said softly: "If we lash together that many rafts, it will probably take several days."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Even if it takes extra time, it's warranted; we cannot just watch these brothers die without giving them a resting place."

Li Jiangjun said: "How about this—I'll tell General Tang to allocate you a plot of land so you can bury them properly, since to rest in the earth is peace."

Upon hearing this, Hu Xiaotian was overjoyed. He acknowledged that using this method to water‑bury the dead soldiers was unavoidable; if they could be earth‑buried, that would of course be best, and later, if the chance arose, they could return the bones to Dakang. He hurriedly bowed to Li Jiangjun and said: "Thank you, General Li."

Li Jiangjun said: "You needn't thank me; I merely regret that this forest might be completely chopped down by you."

Li Jiangjun certainly wasn't regretting the forest; he was thinking of his own brother—if Hu Xiaotian used this method to water‑bury the dead, his own brother would likewise meet the same fate. One could say that these deceased soldiers, in an intangible way, had been touched by the glory of Wen Boyuan.

Li Jiangjun was about to leave when Hu Xiaotian said: "I still have something I wish to discuss with General Li."

Li Jiangjun nodded: "Sir Hu, please speak."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Please return General Wen Boyuan's remains to us."

Li Jiangjun had taken Wen Boyuan's body away then as well, because he was overcome with grief; at that moment his emotions were nearly out of control, fearing to reveal it before everyone. Now Li Jiangjun has fully regained his composure, and he must not let outsiders know of the connection between Wen Boyuan and his own brother. He spoke softly: "The reason I took General Wen's corpse today is that I saw the knife wound on his chest and had someone examine it. It has been confirmed that General Wen died of homicide; his status is not ordinary, and we have already memorialized the matter to the court. Sir Hu, rest assured—we will properly arrange General Wen's remains." His explanation was also quite reasonable.

Hu Xiaotian originally had little interest in Wen Boyuan's corpse; he brought it up merely as a show, going through the motions.

After Li Jiangjun left, Hu Xiaotian had everyone halt raft construction and return to rest. Hearing that Li Jiangjun had agreed to help resolve the burial of the soldiers, they were also overjoyed.

Although the Yong forces had provided some tents, ordinary soldiers were not eligible to use them; even though Long Xi Yue was a princess of Dakang, she had now disguised herself as a common soldier, so she could no longer enjoy the privileged treatment of before. Hu Xiaotian assigned her to stand watch outside his tent; though it was a hard post, Long Xi Yue's heart was overjoyed, for no matter how arduous, as long as she was beside Hu Xiaotian she would not feel it a burden.

After everyone had gone to rest, Long Xi Yue sat outside the tent, alone guarding the pile of campfire, her beautiful eyes staring blankly at the warm flames. So many things had happened today that she could not determine whether the sinking of the two ships in the middle of the river was related to Hu Xiaotian; if it truly was his doing, even if it was to rescue her, the price would be far too great. Thinking of the over seven hundred warriors who had died or gone missing, and of Zixian who had taken her place as Princess Anping, Long Xi Yue's heart felt as if a massive boulder weighing a thousand jin pressed upon it, and she was overcome with sorrow. For one person's freedom, to sacrifice so many lives and to ruin others' happiness—was it worth it?

Hu Xiaotian's silhouette quietly appeared beside her, and Long Xi Yue hastily rose to her feet.

Hu Xiaotian smiled faintly: "Don't be startled; just sit down."

Long Xi Yue then reseated herself, and Hu Xiaotian sat down beside her, scanning the surroundings. The encampment was quiet; only in the distance could one see shadows moving on the arrow towers—those were the sentries on duty. Hu Xiaotian picked up a dry twig, broke it into two pieces, and tossed them into the fire, then sent a mental transmission to Long Xi Yue: "I know your heart must be ill at ease."

Long Xi Yue nodded; she wanted to voice her inner feelings, to throw herself into Hu Xiaotian's arms and burst into tears, but she dared not, fearing that if others saw her they would discern the truth and end up harming Hu Xiaotian instead.

Hu Xiaotian spoke softly: "You need not say anything; just listen to me. Even in Storage Wood I had already learned that Wen Boyuan intended to act on the Yong River, wishing to harm you. I did not know his purpose, but now it seems related to the palace intrigues—perhaps the Wen father and son do not want the two countries to marry, nor wish to see lasting peace between them. When I left Kangdu, Ji Feihua gave me a mission: to find an opportunity to eliminate Wen Boyuan."

Long Xi Yue's beautiful eyes widened; she had never imagined that behind this marriage alliance there would be so much strife.

Hu Xiaotian said: "The water‑resistant outfit you wear is actually a gift from Ji Feihua, because Wen Boyuan cannot swim, so he had me act on the Tongtian River; I never imagined he would choose to act on the Yong River instead, and that Zhao Wusheng, who came to Storage Wood to meet us, was in fact his man."

Long Xi Yue's heart surged; she had grown up in the palace, and although the inner court is the most treacherous place of scheming, she had always kept herself aloof, unwilling to involve herself in any power struggles. Hu Xiaotian likewise only today laid out his plan in detail for her; to Long Xi Yue it all seemed so convoluted and perilous, which explains why Hu Xiaotian had not disclosed it to her beforehand.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I originally thought Zhao Wusheng had come to cooperate with me in eliminating Wen Boyuan, but I did not expect that Ji Feihua's aim was not merely to kill Wen Boyuan; this person had plotted a two‑for‑one scheme, and the sinking of the ships on the Yong River was his sole handiwork. Therefore you need not blame yourself—those dead soldiers have nothing to do with you." Hu Xiaotian had long seen the immense pressure weighing on Long Xi Yue's heart.

Long Xi Yue bit her lip, picked up a dry twig and threw it into the fire, her gaze turning to the distant tent—this tent ought to have been hers, but at present it was Zixian who lingered inside.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Moreover, do not feel guilty because of Zixian; she had long been colluding secretly with Wen Boyuan, and throughout this journey she has been monitoring your actions—merely staying alive is already her good fortune." (To be continued~^~)