0p0 Chapter 198 The Tragedy of Jiaxian
Chapter 198 The Tragedy of Jiaxian
Shui'er gracefully retreated back into the city.
As soon as she stood still, Sister Daya rushed to her side like a gust of wind and hugged her tightly.
Her tone was tinged with lingering fear and deep concern: "Shui'er, are you alright? I was worried about Daya!"
Shui'er felt a warm current welling up in her heart as she felt Daya's warm embrace and sincere care.
She gently patted Sister Da Ya's back and comforted her, "Sister Da Ya, I'm fine. Look, I'm perfectly alright, aren't I?"
Upon hearing this, Sister Daya breathed a slight sigh of relief, but still held onto Shui'er's hand tightly, as if afraid that she would disappear in the next second.
She carefully examined Shui'er, and after confirming that there were no injuries on her body, she continued, "Shui'er, you were really too reckless just now."
Shui'er smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with confidence.
"Sister Da Ya, don't worry. Since I told you all to retreat, I won't put myself in danger."
The two smiled at each other, their friendship deepening at that moment.
Xiao He just watched the two of them quietly, and Da Ya finally realized what was happening.
"By the way, what's going on with you two? How did you end up in Jiaxian County?"
At this moment, the five great spirit stars, along with the old general Yue Zhenfeng and other generals and commanders of the Spirit Kingdom, also came to Shui'er and Xiao He's side.
The old general looked at them intently, his tone filled with emotion and admiration.
"My two young ladies, you two deserve a lot of credit for repelling Gu Xuanchao's attack."
Shui'er and Xiao He recognized the newcomer as an old man, but they did not know his identity. They could only tell from his armor that he was a general of high rank.
Faced with the old general's praise, the two women were momentarily at a loss for words and simply remained politely silent.
Seeing this, Daya quickly stepped forward and introduced the people present to them.
Upon hearing this, Shui'er and Xiao He immediately understood and bowed to the people of Ling Kingdom.
"Generals, you're too kind. We only came to help because we were worried about the safety of Sister Daya and Sister Xiaoyue."
Upon hearing this, General Yue Zhenfeng was not angry at all; instead, he burst into laughter, his voice revealing his pride and admiration.
"Regardless of who you were fighting for, it was indeed the two of you who repelled Gu Xuanchao, and that's enough."
"It is truly a blessing for the Ling Kingdom to have such chivalrous women as you!"
Bai Lingxing chimed in, "The old general is right. Now that we have taken back Jiaxian County, we should arrange for the wounded soldiers to receive treatment and recuperation as soon as possible."
Hua Lingxing also advised with concern, "General, you've only just recovered. It's snowing heavily outside, so we should go back as soon as possible to avoid catching typhoid fever."
The old general waved his hand, his expression resolute: "Alright, my soldiers are still fighting on the front lines. How can this little bit of wind and snow make me afraid? I will share their joys and sorrows."
The generals and officers all advised the old general to take care of his health, as health is the most important thing.
Finally, after much persuasion, the old general returned to his residence.
The five spirit stars and Daya brought Shui'er and Xiaohe, who were both in a heavy mood, to Xiaoyue's bedside.
Xiaoyue lay quietly on the bed, her face pale but her condition had stabilized, and the doctor had bandaged her injured area.
What is most heartbreaking is that her once black hair has now turned completely white, like the first snow of winter, which contrasts with her haggard face.
Shui'er immediately noticed the shocking change and instantly broke down in tears. She lay by the bedside, tightly holding Xiaoyue's hand, tears streaming down her face.
"How could this happen... Sister Daya, how could Sister Xiaoyue have become like this?"
Her voice trembled, filled with heartache and confusion.
Xiaohe also knelt down beside the bed, tears streaming down her face, and held Xiaoyue's hand tightly, as if she could convey a trace of warmth and strength.
Daya stood by the bed, her hands clenched into fists, trying hard to hold back her tears, her voice choked with barely concealed sobs.
"Your sister Xiaoyue used that forbidden technique again, which is why she looks like this now."
Xiao He looked up at Daya, her eyes filled with anticipation and unease.
"Big Sister Daya, can Little Sister Yue's hair change back?"
Daya shook her head with a complicated expression: "I don't know. Among the ten of us, only Xiaoyue has practiced this technique."
We don't know much about its consequences. Perhaps... the only way to find out is to find Little Girl.
Upon hearing this, Shui'er felt as if she had grasped at the last straw.
She stood up and hugged Daya tightly, her whole body still trembling as she cried.
"Yes, Sister Daya, we also have Sister Xiaoya! We must find Sister Xiaoya, she will definitely have a way to cure Sister Xiaoyue."
Daya felt a mix of emotions as she held Shui'er in her arms.
She fought back tears, turned to look at the vast sky outside the window, and silently thought to herself.
"How I long to find that girl, Xiaoya! But she's been missing for four years. Where are we supposed to look for her?"
The five spirit stars stood quietly in a corner of the room, their gazes falling unanimously on Xiaoyue lying on the bed, their hearts filled with indescribable sorrow and worry.
Xiaoyue's once vibrant figure now lies so fragilely in bed, evoking feelings of pity.
Qin Lingxing sighed softly, turned her gaze to the maids outside the door, and gently beckoned them to come closer.
"I ask you, how did the doctor diagnose this young woman's condition?"
Her voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable air of authority.
The maids rushed forward, and one of them respectfully replied, "Lord Qin Lingxing, the doctor said that this young lady's pulse is weak and her qi and blood are severely depleted. He has already prescribed medicine, and he is currently instructing people to brew the medicine."
Qin Lingxing frowned slightly upon hearing this, clearly very worried about Xiaoyue's condition.
"Hmm, did the doctor mention when Miss Xiaoyue will wake up?" she pressed.
The maid looked troubled and replied in a low voice, "Reporting to Lady Qin Lingxing, the doctor has not given a definite time."
Just then, Daya's voice rang out, carrying a hint of barely perceptible sadness.
"I know she will wake up. But this time it will probably be much longer than last time."
Upon hearing this, Qin Lingxing turned her gaze to Daya, and read the deep-seated conviction in her eyes.
She nodded gently, signaling the maids to leave, and the room returned to silence.
After a fierce battle, the soldiers of Ling Kingdom finally recaptured Jiaxian County.
This small town, ravaged by war, has temporarily gained a moment of respite from the smoke of battle.
The mottled bloodstains and arrow holes all over the city wall seemed to silently tell the story of the fierce battle that had just passed.
In the streets and alleys, wounded soldiers, supported by their comrades, struggled to move toward the makeshift medical facilities.
Their painful groans mingled together, forming a tragic song of war.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Chiayi County, a solemn and somber ceremony was underway.
The dead soldiers of the Ling Kingdom were neatly arranged beside the dug pit.
These soldiers were once vibrant lives, going to the battlefield with loyalty to their country and a desire for victory, but now they have fallen forever.
The soldiers responsible for the burial had eyes full of grief and reluctance as they gently lifted their comrade's body and slowly lowered it into the pit.
The placement of each body is like completing a sacred farewell.
When the last handful of earth covered these heroic souls, this land became their eternal resting place.
They sacrificed their young and precious lives to defend the territory and people of Ling Kingdom, and now they can only lie here quietly, becoming one with the land they once fought for.
Compared to the soldiers of Ling Kingdom, the fate of the soldiers who died in Gu Xuanchao's time seemed particularly tragic.
One after another, dilapidated carts, laden with their remains, struggled to move forward on the snowy roads.
These bodies were carelessly transported to the foot of a mountain several miles away and abandoned, as if they were merely objects consumed in the war, utterly devoid of dignity.
The winter wind howled, as if mourning the dead souls.
The heavy snow fell thick and fast, quickly covering part of the bodies, but the pungent smell of blood still lingered in the air.
The wild beasts in the mountains seemed to have sensed the approaching death; they roamed the forests, occasionally letting out chilling roars.
Soon they will be drawn by the smell of blood and devour the soldiers' remains.
In this war, whether they were soldiers from the Ling Kingdom or the Gu Xuan Dynasty, they were all merely victims of a power struggle.
Although the soldiers of Ling Kingdom were given a proper burial, their families lost their breadwinners, and countless families will be plunged into grief and poverty.
Those young wives were now left to shoulder the burden of life alone, raising young children and caring for their elderly parents-in-law.
The children will never again feel their father's warm embrace and strong arms; their childhood will be shrouded in the shadow of war.
The fate of Gu Xuanchao's soldiers was even more heartbreaking. They died far from home and were abandoned in the wilderness without even the most basic burial.
Their families may still be waiting anxiously at home for their return, unaware that they have already perished in a foreign land, becoming food for wild beasts.
The cruelty of war is not only reflected in the fighting on the battlefield, but also in the heartbreaking scenes that follow.
These fallen soldiers had their own names, their own stories, and their own loved ones.
They may have dreamed of returning home and living a peaceful life after the war, but all of that was shattered by the flames of war.
Now they can only lie here quietly, becoming dust of history, with only the white snow seemingly mourning their fate.