Chapter 6: Cold Eyes Watching from Afar

  "Fang Xin that traitor, must be Nan Ren or Zi Xia's accomplice." Mentioning Fang Xin, Ling Chu gritted his teeth in hatred.

  "It shouldn't be!" Xiao Huan Yue said, unfolding the map and pointing to the location of Xi Feng Valley. "If Fang Xin is an enemy spy, all he needs to do is gather military information, there's no need to go to great lengths to take the general's life. If my guess is correct, the appearance of Nan Ren and Zi Xia's joint army should be a coincidence. You see, if they pass by Xi Feng Valley, they can form a pincer movement against you."

  "Your meaning is that the enemy army wants to sneak past Xi Feng Valley, and coincidentally we bumped into them?" Staring at the map, Xiao Chu's face changed slightly, and then he smiled bitterly.

  "It should be like this, alas, can't blame society for being unlucky, and don't complain about the government when life is hard!" Seeing Xiao Chu looking at her in confusion, wanting to ask a question, she quickly changed the subject and asked "Does the great general have any enemies in the imperial court?"

  Xiao Chu didn't know what to think and didn't speak up, while Ling Chu suddenly stood out, respectfully bowed to her and said "Thank you for saving my young master, but from now on, I won't dare trouble Miss Xiao again!"

  Xiao Huan Yue was taken aback, looked up to see Ling Chu's respectful attitude, but the disdain flashing in his eyes made her unable to ignore it. She then turned to Xiao Chu, coincidentally meeting his complex gaze directed at her, and after a brief eye contact, he quickly shifted his gaze to the side.

  For a moment, she felt embarrassed and couldn't help but mock herself for being nosy. She wasn't usually a meddlesome person, and when she did try to be enthusiastic, she was met with disdain and dissatisfaction. Ha ha, it's true... She didn't belong in this world of entanglements, grudges, and national affairs. From now on, she would keep her mouth shut and observe more, waiting for an opportunity to leave this place.

  In an instant, her thoughts turned several times, and she still maintained a gentle smile, with no trace of embarrassment or displeasure on her face. She nodded and smiled warmly, saying "Sorry, I overstepped! It's getting late, I'll go brew medicine for the general."

  Under Ling's disapproving gaze and Xiao Chu's complex expression of wanting to speak but stopping himself, she calmly walked away.

  She couldn't understand the change in their attitude, but she didn't want to think about it either. She had no idea that in this unfamiliar otherworldly place, men's discrimination and exploitation of women had reached an extreme. In the eyes of men, women were all foolish and ignorant, with the sole purpose of bearing offspring. They were willing to pamper their wives with good food and drink, but would not allow women's status or abilities to surpass theirs.

  Xiao Huan Yue saw through Fang Xin's conspiracy, Ling Chu initially felt grateful, but later when she saw her analyzing the situation with Xiao Chou, the light she unintentionally emitted actually surpassed that of her own family's young master. A woman without talent is virtuous, yet this woman openly discussed matters with a man and spoke eloquently, lacking the weakness and reserve expected of women; at first glance, it was clear she wasn't from a reputable family. He thus changed from feeling grateful to looking down on her. Upon seeing her enthusiasm for this matter, he became convinced that she wanted to use this opportunity to get close to his family's young master, win his favor, and in his heart, his disdain turned to contempt.

  As for Xiao Chu, his emotions were even more complicated. On the one hand, he admired her calm and confident demeanor, as well as her sharp mind that could see through to the heart of the matter at a glance. He was amazed that he still couldn't see through her, and felt that her intelligence and cunning far exceeded what he had initially thought. On the other hand, although he didn't look down on women like others did, he was influenced by his upbringing and didn't dare to condone her behavior. He had sent people to investigate her background, but found nothing, and now seeing her analyze things with such clarity, he couldn't believe that a woman could have such insight. His heart gradually grew suspicious and defensive towards her. Now seeing her smile and leave without hesitation, his heart felt an inexplicable pang of discomfort, as if he had done something wrong. He knew that from now on, she would never express her opinions like this again, and that she would never trust him again.

  Everything was as Xiao Chu thought, after that day, Xiao Huan Yue always had a faint smile and few words, no longer speaking more than one sentence, coldly observing from the sidelines, detached from everything. Xiao Chu saw everything with his own eyes, each time barely concealing the loss in his heart. He didn't understand what was wrong with him, clearly wanting to get close to her, yet pushing her away with his own hands, now he could only watch as she drifted further and further away from him, for the first time, he felt a sense of powerlessness.

  After another dozen or so days, the imperial court changed its commander and sent General Iye to replace General Xiao Chu, who was wounded, while ordering General Xiao Chu to return to Beijing for medical treatment.

  On the military training ground, soldiers lined up for training, archers practiced shooting arrows, spear holders practiced spear techniques, and the sound of killing and shouting echoed through the air. With each command, the sound shook one's eardrums, and the weapons in the soldiers' hands shone brightly under the sun's rays, sending chills down people's spines yet stirring their blood.

  Such a magnificent scene was rare for Xiao Huan Yue, but she now ignored it and cast her gaze to the left, where soldiers were unloading grain in an orderly manner. These carts of grain were brought by General Yi.

  The transportation of grain and fodder requires gathering, allocation, loading, escorting, and collecting, which takes at least ten or more days. Xiao Chu repeatedly urged the grain and fodder, but the court did not respond. How could it be that as soon as Yi Ye arrived, the grain and fodder also arrived, as if they had been prepared for him? Moreover, calculating the time, the day Yi Ye left the capital was exactly when Xiao Chu was injured. In ancient times, communication was not developed, so the court couldn't have known what happened here so quickly, unless...the court knew in advance.

  Xiao Huan Yue gazed at the carts of grain and fodder with a thoughtful expression, her eyes seeming to hold a sense of melancholy and regret. "Great merit shakes the ruler," she thought to herself, "and self-destruction is the fate that awaits every famous general." She had already discovered who was behind Fang Xin's back.

  It's just unknown what kind of mood Xiao Chu would be in when he finds out that the person who wants to kill him is actually the one he has been devotedly loyal to.

  In a chaotic world, people are like weeds, the world is in turmoil, Xiao Huan Yue faintly reveals a bitter smile, it seems that everywhere is a place of right and wrong, she has some doubts about whether she can survive to return to modern times.

  It's better to go back to the capital, at least it's relatively safer there. As for Xiao Chu, this time returning to the capital is likely to be more disastrous than auspicious, so it's best to keep a distance from him. When the time comes, selling the jade bangle will at least allow us to get by for these two months.

  She really despises this world where the strong prey on the weak, she always has a feeling of powerlessness, and the deep-seated anxiety that surrounds her at all times. Yiyi, Ayo, where are you guys? With Yiyi's explosive and impulsive personality and Ayo's muddled nature, I'm really worried about them... You two mustn't get into any trouble!