Chapter 99
When Gu Fuzhou reached the outer gate of the barracks, it was snowing lightly. This was undoubtedly his most peaceful launch into battle. There were no golden war drums, no shouts and cheers, not even the sound of flags whipping in the wind.
Gu Fuzhou and his group walked in a subdued manner, with no one to see them off. Shi Pei and Wu Youyuan led their respective troops, the former to attack the city, the latter to set up an ambush. The remaining generals guarded the camp.
They rode slowly towards Zhuo County, following the planned route, leaving a line of horseshoe prints on the snow.
A lieutenant said, “It’s so quiet, I’m not used to it.”
Gu Fuzhou said casually, “Huaishi should be very used to this kind of quiet.”
“That’s right, Shen Xiongdi used to be a shadow guard. You must have carried out most of your missions in the dead of night.”
Shen Huaishi smiled and nodded. The lieutenant asked again, “Then can you see very far and clearly at night?”
“Yes, seeing at night is a must-have skill for a shadow guard.”
“It’s a pity that the enemy doesn’t have such good eyes.” Gu Fuzhou said, “Let everyone light the torches. If reinforcements from the Xixia come, it’s best to attract them together.”
In the silent night, ‘beacons’ were lit up along the winding mountain road, as if to announce their location to the enemy. Anyone with a functioning brain could see that they intended to attract their attention. But the Xixia army, having been trapped in the surrounded city for so many days, despite knowing it was a trap, would have no choice but to jump into it.
This was only because Gu Fuzhou was the bait for this trap, the Dayu’s exalted god of war who beheaded their crown prince and killed countless Xixia soldiers. Instead of starving to death, or being captured after they’ve taken the city, it was better to fight to the death and drag Gu Fuzhou to hell with them. Zhao Mingwei was dead and once Gu Fuzhou was dead, there would be no general within the Dayu’s army who could stop the Xixia from occupying the Central Plains.
Gu Fuzhou led the troops to mouth of the gourd. Still, there was no movement around them. And the quieter it is, the more it signified the coming of danger. The snow fell down heavier, fluttering down onto every bow and blade.
Not long after, there was the thundering sound of hooves fast approaching, making the ground tremble faintly. Just by the deafening noise, one could tell how many people were coming.
The lieutenant general couldn’t help but wonder, “Why do they still have so many people? Could it be that they left no one to guard the city?”
Gu Fuzhou was not surprised. “Since they know they can’t hold it, why even bother?”
As expected of the demon commander, being able to bring such a number of cavalry out of Yongliang without anyone noticing. By this time, Shi Pei must have already taken advantage of the enemy leaving to enter the city. The more enemy troops here, the less there was in Yongliang.
“Do not panic,” Gu Fuzhou reassured everyone, “Even if they come out in full force, they won’t be our opponents. It’s better for them to come together, so that we don’t have to spend time chasing the stranglers.”
The sound of pounding horse hooves was getting closer and closer. When he looked up, he saw the black armored cavalry coming like a flood, setting off bursts of snow. Shortly after, there were battle cries everywhere, the cold glint of swords shone beneath the moonlight.
Shen Huaishi said, “General, don’t underestimate the enemy. These men are already dead soldiers. Once you no longer fear death, you can do anything.”
Gu Fuzhou nodded. He tightened the reins and said, “Pass down the order. Fight and advance, lead them to the mouth of the bottleneck.”
The cold wind was howling, querulous and plaintive. The valley filled with the piercing sound of swords clashing against swords. The strong smell of blood assaulted their nostrils. The naked blade was splashed with blood. The crimson color blotted out the sky and sun. It was as though only this lone color was left in the entire world.
When they’ve led the enemy troop into the bottleneck, there was sudden movement, ten times stronger than the movement just now. The lieutenant was overjoyed. “It must be General Wu leading the ambush—”
Shen Huaishi stared into the distance, and said in a low voice, “No, it’s—”
His voice stopped abruptly. The lieutenant’s eyes went wide and the smile on his face was replaced by shock. “It’s the Xixia. Xixia’s reinforcements have arrived!”
The charging horses made a rumbling sound, several times stronger than the one earlier, sending snow and mud tumbling, setting off waves of snow several feet high.
“This is a good thing.” Gu Fuzhou pretended to be relaxed, “With Xixia’s reinforcements here, it proves that Yongliang is safe. Their reinforcements have made a difficult trek while he we have been waiting at leisure for our weary enemies. In their state, we could match them one to five, much more so with one to two.”
Seeing Gu Fuzhou was so calm, the other people’s hearts were also relieved. The lieutenant shouted, “Brothers, rush in. General Wu is waiting for us past the bottleneck!”
It was just as Gu Fuzhou expected. The Xixia’s reinforcements came in a hurry, running through hundreds of miles of ice and snow, more than half their physical strength already sapped. Yet, despite knowing that the odds were slim, they still insisted on coming.
They had no intention of winning this battle, nor did they intent to hold onto Yongliang. The only thing they wanted was Gu Fuzhou’s life, even if they exchanged the lives of tens of thousands of Xixia’s soldiers for it.
Shen Huaishi quickly realized something was wrong. “General, there must be many assassins with high martial arts skills among these reinforcements and they will all be targeting you.”
Gu Fuzhou sighed helplessly, “They’ve certainly gone all out just for my head.”
“General, please stay close to me. I won’t let Xixia’s assassins get close to you.” As soon as Shen Huaizhi finished speaking, his brows suddenly furrowed even tighter. He looked down and saw his own previous injury. He hurriedly looked back up and focused on the enemy.
Dayu’s army fought and fell back, finally leading them into the bottleneck. But the ambush they were expecting didn’t come.
“What’s going on?” The lieutenant returned to Gu Fuzhou after going a round delivering death, “Where is General Wu?!”
Gu Fuzhou’s face was solemn. He looked at the snow covered mountaintops on both his left and right. Finally, he couldn’t help but swear, “F*ck.”
“It’s an avalanche.” Shen Huaishi whispered, “General Wu has been delayed by an avalanche.”
It wasn’t only them. The rest of the troops were anxious as to why the ambush hadn’t arrived. But a sword had no eyes and a moment’s distraction could cost them their lives.
“Just a bit of bad luck, my brothers. But it doesn’t matter, Wu Youyuan must be trying to find a way to come here. We just need to hold on until he gets here.” Gu Fuzhou suddenly smiled, wanton and brash, “We have beautiful lands before us and beauties ever so delicate—It would be a damn pity if we were to die here.”
After saying so, Gu Fuzhou snatched the lieutenant’s bow and arrow and aimed at a general of the opposing army. He drew the bow and set the arrow without any hesitation.
The arrow streak through the air like a meteor across the sky. Though they couldn’t see where it landed, this arrow was like a signal and the soldiers rose up in response, no longer concerned about where their ambushing comrades were, they rushed in for close combat, killing everyone that stood before them.
In order to make the enemy think that they had a fighting chance, Gu Fuzhou had only brought three thousand cavalry with him. Without Wu Youyuan’s ambush, they were greatly outnumbered; still, no one hesitated. They believed that the ambush would arrive and the only thing they had to do was to hold on.
For the first time, Gu Fuzhou, who had always been strategizing in the rear, stood solidly on the battlefield. The sharp point of the Qingyun Jiuzhou Spear reappeared after three years. Wasn’t it just killing people? This was something he had already mastered.
The fighting went from dark to dawn, from heavy snow to the ceasing of snowfall, from a majestic charge to corpses strewn on the battlefield. The cavalry troops before Gu Fuzhou fell down one by one. Of the 3000 cavalry, only thirty remained.
Gu Fuzhou’s Xiao Bai had already died in a rain of arrows. Like the rest of the soldiers, dressed in iron armor, armed with a spear, he faced the remaining hundreds of enemy soldiers. But it didn’t matter, soon —Wu Youyuan was coming soon.
They had to just wait. Wait.
Suddenly, Shen Huaishi caught a glimpse of a ghostly figure approaching silently. He stepped out resolutely and slit the enemy’s throat with a dagger.
He had used his skills too abruptly, pulling at old injuries and so he had to pause briefly. During this very short moment, a cold arrow flew from behind him, heading straight for Gu Fuzhou.
Shen Huaizhi shouted. “General!”
Gu Fuzhou heard Shen Huaishi’s shout but he didn’t stop what he’d been doing, swinging his spear to block a sword for a soldier.
A burst of severe pain hit and before Gu Fuzhou could realize what happened, he saw Shen Huaishi running towards him, face pale. He then slowly lowered his head and looked at the arrow piercing his chest. A corner of his lips pulled up belatedly.
No one can win every battle. He’s won so many by sheer luck and in the end, it’s still through sheer luck that he lost.
Immediately after, a second arrow then a third… arrows flew towards Gu Fuzhou from all directions.
The Qingyun Jiuzhou Spear stood tall, heavily planted in the snow, supporting its master to stand tall until Shen Huaishi came and supported the collapsing Gu Fuzhou.
Gu Fuzhou’s face, at ease all the time, finally showed a trace of fear.
It was not death that he feared. He had died twice, he’s had experience. Death was nothing for him to fear.
What he feared was Lin Qingyu being forced to face his death.
This fear even overshadowed the physical pain. I’m sorry, from the very beginning, he wasn’t some great general protecting the country nor was he any sort of amazing hero. At this critical moment of life and death, the only thing he thought of was Lin Qingyu.
At this time, he vaguely heard someone shout. “A great victory in Yongliang——A great victory in Yongliang!”
General Wu had arrived!
Shen Huaishi, who fought tirelessly all night, was finally able to put down his long sword. He held Gu Fuzhou’s hand tightly. He saw Gu Fuzhou laugh and say, “It hurts so much.”
It hurt more than the previous two times.
Shen Huaishi was a martial artist and has found himself repeatedly on the verge of death but he has never felt so helpless. He hated his stupid mouth for not even being able to say a word of comfort.
Gu Fuzhou’s mouth overflowed with blood and he asked, “I seem to have heard… we won?”
“Yes.” Shen Huaishi tried to force a smile, “We won, we won.”
“Then, can you save me? I…I can’t die.” Gu Fuzhou leaned on Shen Huaishi, his eyes widened and he practically begged, with no regard for dignity, “He’s still waiting for me. I’ll gave him a letter of guarantee. I can’t lie to him… Don’t let me die, he will cry.”
Shen Huaishi was already sobbing. “I’ll save you, General. Just hold on, Doctor Hu must be on his way, I’ll take you to find him.”
Vaguely hearing the word “doctor”, the corners of Gu Fuzhou’s mouth raised slightly. He wanted to say something but suddenly he let out an “ugh” and vomited a large mouthful of blood. Even with Shen Huaishi’s support, he couldn’t hold on anymore and his body slowly slid down.
“General!” Shen Huaizhi knelt down in the snow and wrapped Gu Fuzhou into his arms. He used his hand to cover Gu Fuzhou’s wound, blood seeping from between his fingers, dripping ceaselessly into the snow, blooming a winter’s peach blossom forest, out of season but warm as spring.
No matter how hard he tried, Gu Fuzhou’s blood still flowed more and more.
It wouldn’t stop, couldn’t stop, won’t stop.
Gu Fuzhou’s vision gradually blurred. A great weight pressed against his chest and he couldn’t breathe. Every breath was a heart-piercing pain. The bleeding seemed to have taken the warmth from his body; his body growing colder and colder; the cold piercing to his bones.
Was he…was he going to die again?
He lied to Lin Qingyu. He was going to die and he couldn’t go back.
If he had known it would end this same way, he shouldn’t have confessed to Lin Qingyu, shouldn’t have kissed him, shouldn’t have dirtied him. He’d made Lin Qingyu sad once and now, he was going to hurt him a second time. He was a despicable man.
He knew Lin Qingyu well. Lin Qingyu would never be able to forget him and Lin Qingyu wouldn’t do something so stupid as to die for love. He would continue living; cold, callous, throwing away any sort of feeling.
If only… if only Lin Qingyu could forget — forget about these past years, forget about him, maybe he can live a happier life. If there was a drug to fake death, surely there was a drug to induce amnesia.
After all, his wish was for Lin Qingyu to be happy forever.
Since he was seventeen til now, it has always been thus.
Hmm… his eyelids were so heavy. This dark dizziness was similar to last time’s. He remembered that at that time, Lin Qingyu hadn’t stopped him from closing his eyes. Then this time, can’t he also——
“General!” Shen Huaishi choked up and he shouted, “General, hold on! Doctor Hu will be here soon. Don’t close your eyes! Imperial Physician Lin—Lin Qingyu is still waiting for you!”
Gu Fuzhou’s eyes suddenly opened wide and the hand holding Shen Huaishi’s gained strength.
If he just keeps his eyes open, he will definitely be rescued. He just has to wait until the doctor comes and then they’ll fix him.
A Lin Qingyu who forgets all about him won’t be happy either. Lin Qingyu will only be happy only if he’s alive.
So he can’t die…he has to live.
With his efforts, his field of vision cleared once again. He saw a ray of light, a ray of light piercing the clouds. He murmured softly, “Dawn?”
Shen Huaishi nodded with tears streaming down his face. “Yes, it’s dawn.”
“That’s great.” Bad things usually happen at night and dawn is always a symbol of hope. Maybe he was really going to be saved. As long as he doesn’t close his eyes, he can make it through.
Like this, Gu Fuzhou kept staring at the beam of light. Filled with unwillingness and nostalgia, his motionless eyes, reflected the light.
“General… General!”
Then, the last gleam of light disappeared from Gu Fuzhou’s eyes. In the past, these smiling eyes that used to be as bright as a star, was now filled only with infinite stillness.
But his eyes remained open.
——Early into the third year of Chuxi, Gu Fuzhou waited a long time for reinforcements as outside Yongliang, grief-stricken, with ten thousand arrows piercing his heart, he died.
