Chapter 538: First Volume_Chapter 538: Sudden News of Tragedy

First Volume_Chapter 538: Sudden News of Tragedy

This small gesture instantly won the adoration of every commoner present.

Qin Feng, however, paid it no mind.

Since he had already dismounted, Qin Feng simply continued forward on foot.

Seeing this, Ning Hu and the Tianji Camp Guards likewise dismounted one after another and walked alongside him.

Passing through the sea of people and the floral arches, at the end of the human corridor, Lin Quqi, who had been waiting for some time, took the Wine Cup from the Yamen Runner's hand and passed it to Qin Feng.

He and the welcoming party likewise raised their cups.

"Brother Qin, this welcome cup to wash away the dust of travel—bottoms up."

Lin Quqi, his face flushed with color, drained the wine in one gulp.

Qin Feng did not normally touch much alcohol, but on this special day there was nothing to be particular about, so he tipped his head back and drank it dry.

After the welcome cup, the usually refined Lin Quqi actually imitated Qin Feng's manner—no clasped-fist salute or formal greeting—but went straight for a bear hug.

Two men embracing, a thousand words unspoken.

Qin Feng had meant to exchange a few pleasantries, but Lin Quqi pushed him toward the County Yamen instead.

"Go on, the madam and the young ladies have been looking out for you forever."

Qin Feng rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, grinning like a fool, and stopped overthinking it, striding quickly through the Door of the County Yamen.

In DaTang, all four elder sisters and the two maids were present.

Liu Hongyan had a bellyful of words prepared, but the moment she actually saw Qin Feng, she could not get a single one out.

She simply patted Qin Feng's shoulder, felt the heavy armor on his body, and smiled with immense relief.

Qin Feng, however, did not hold back, and went straight to bow to Liu Hongyan.

"Second Sister, I've returned. I'm sorry for making you worry."

At these words, Liu Hongyan's eyes instantly welled up. She quickly turned her head away, surreptitiously wiped them dry, and put on a smiling face.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Before this, Qin Feng had imagined that the reunion with his sisters would be incredibly intimate.

The reality, however, was entirely unexpected.

The four elder sisters simply stood where they were, watching him with warm smiles.

Qin Feng could not help but feel a twinge of unease.

Could it be… his sisters were angry with him?

If only the four sisters were acting this way, it would be fine.

The problem was, even Xiao Xiangxiang and Shu Feng instinctively stepped back as he approached.

Strange!

Just as Qin Feng was puzzling over it—

a soft cough suddenly came from behind him.

He turned and saw that the Door of the County Yamen had long since been swallowed by the crowd.

The commoners of Beixi County, layer upon layer inside and out.

Only then did Qin Feng suddenly realize that Liu Hongyan and the others had been keeping their distance because of the outsiders present.

After all—

they knew Qin Feng's way of doing things only too well.

No matter the life-and-death battles, no matter the tempering and growth, Qin Feng was still the same Qin Feng as before.

The greed and peculiarity in Qin Feng's eyes had already given him away.

Rivers and mountains are easier to change; a man's nature is hard to shift.

With so many eyes watching, Qin Feng had no choice but to let it go. He went through the motions of bowing to his four elder sisters, then stepped into the Inner Courtyard.

In the vast Inner Courtyard, only Lady Qin of the Cheng Clan sat alone in the Cool Pavilion, leisurely sipping tea.

Qin Feng covered the distance in three quick strides, dropped to one knee, and offered a grand salute.

"Unfilial son, pays respects to Mother."

Lady Qin of the Cheng Clan set down her Tea Cup and smiled knowingly.

"Loyalty and filial piety have always been hard to have both. You ventured into the lands of the Northern Di, putting yourself in danger—it was unavoidable. As your mother, I do not blame you."

"Now you are already the lord of all the people of Beixi County, with heavy burdens on your shoulders. There is no need to be bound by empty formalities—rise."

Once Qin Feng had risen, Lady Qin of the Cheng Clan beckoned, and Qin Feng obediently stepped in front of her.

Just as Liu Hongyan had done, Lady Qin of the Cheng Clan patted the armor on Qin Feng's body, then looked him up and down.

Her eyes were full of inexpressible relief.

"Our Feng'er has finally grown up…"

That one light sentence gathered within it boundless maternal love.

Qin Feng suddenly felt his nose sting, and felt that this life of his had been worth it.

Mother and son sat together in the Cool Pavilion, saying nothing.

Just sitting there, their hearts felt incomparably full and warm—perhaps this is what people call the bond of blood kin.

Outside the County Yamen, the noise gradually swelled with the cheers and praises of the commoners.

Just then, Qin Feng suddenly realized something was missing.

"Mother, why have I not seen the Bright King and his family along the way?"

At the words "Bright King," the smile on Lady Qin of the Cheng Clan's face stiffened.

Though it was only a momentary change, Qin Feng still caught it.

Qin Feng couldn't help but feel a bad premonition.

"Mother, has something happened? Whatever it is, just say it."

"I've endured the baptism of war, witnessed countless deaths—what can't I bear?"

With words spoken this far,

Qin Cheng Clan no longer hesitated, lifting her eyes to meet Qin Feng's, her voice barely a whisper.

"Li Lang is dead."

"The Ming Prince and the Crown Prince are in mourning and cannot come."

At these words, Qin Feng's head rang with a whirring sound, like a bolt from the blue.

All joyful smiles froze on his face.

After what felt like an eternity, Qin Feng slowly returned to awareness from his shock.

He stared blankly at Qin Cheng Clan, his heart filled with disbelief.

"You're lying to me, aren't you?"

"Li Lang is dead? How is that possible? He's the Baron of Fuyun County, the Ming Prince's son, his personal martial prowess equal to Ning Hu and Xu Mozhi."

"Who in this world could possibly kill him?"

Although Qin Cheng Clan could detect no anger or grief in Qin Feng's eyes,

those eyes, nearly void of light, proved beyond doubt how much pain he felt inside.

When emotions like anger, sorrow, and resentment reach their peak, the spark in the eyes turns to still water.

Qin Cheng Clan had expected this.

But Qin Feng must face these truths sooner or later.

Long pain is worse than short pain.

If Qin Feng cannot overcome even this trial, he has no right to lead Beixi County.

"No one anticipated Chen Si suddenly changing his strategic deployment, reinforcing the Beixi DefensiveLine with large numbers of Elite Troops."

"The cavalry under Zhao Yulong and Xu Mo could have withdrawn in time, avoiding encirclement."

"But Li Lang's Infantry, caught off guard by the sudden enemy encirclement, could not retreat at once."

"Facing an enemy force several times their own, the outcome was inevitable."

Qin Feng's Military Victory cannot be replicated.

After all, Qingyu Mountain had been turned into an impassable abyss, and the enemy were merely County Yamen guards—worse than third-rate troops, let alone Regular Army.

That was precisely why Qin Feng could secure absolute advantage at minimal cost.

In contrast, Li Lang led Infantry against an enemy superior in both numbers and Combat Effectiveness.

Added to that, the terrain was open.

Under such conditions, anyone—even Qin Feng—would have had no choice but death.

Though tactical defeat was inevitable, Qin Feng still could not accept the news of Li Lang's Military Death…