CH 34

Ch34 - Change

“My lord!!”

Yiyan’s gray-blue eyes instantly brightened. He immediately staggered forth and heaved the corpses away, revealing a red-robed figure beneath. His lord, who was always so elegant and dignified, was lying weakly on the ground, his blood-soaked hair scattered loosely behind him. Though he was deathly pale, his lips were nearly blue, and his hands were stained with blood, his eyes were luminous and gentle as ever, even radiating a sense of affectionate reassurance.

“I’ve given you all quite a scare….”

Liang Feng felt somewhat awkward at the moment. It had taken everything he had to off those two bandits; but no matter how keen his battle awareness or abundant his combat experience was, it couldn’t change the fact that his current body was unbelievably frail and sickly. He’d nearly passed out from the weight of the bodies piled on top of him. After the adrenaline faded, he’d hardly had the energy to breathe, let alone crawl out from under those corpses.

As he was stewing in embarrassment, he suddenly felt himself lighten as he was scooped up horizontally. Yiyan’s lips were tightly pressed as he ran, with Liang Feng in his arms, towards Jiang Da’s courtyard.

“Wait wait, I’m fine. Yiyan, put me down….”

It was his first time being princess-carried like this and Liang Feng was utterly flustered! Not to mention that he really wasn’t injured – he’d only exerted too much strength. Letting someone who’d just come from the battlefield carry him off to see the doctor was really just too much.

But Yiyan acted as if he hadn’t heard him. He kicked open Jiang Da’s doors and barged straight in.

Jiang Da was rummaging through his medicine drawers, gathering supplies to treat injuries just in case. When his doors suddenly banged open, he jumped and spilled a packet of medicine powder.

“See to my lord’s wounds!” Yiyan brooked no argument as he placed Liang Feng on the couch. He glared ferociously at Jiang Da, his eyes blood red.

After getting over his shock, Jiang Da hurriedly went over. Liang Feng smiled stiffly and waved him off, “I’m really not injured. None of this blood is mine…”

How could Jiang Da believe him when he came in looking like that? But after he carefully examined him from head to toe, again and again, he found that Liang Feng was indeed telling the truth. There weren’t any marks on him, aside from some bruises on his torso and a few scratches on his palm. Still, his breathing was a bit shallow, and he desperately needed some rest.

His heart no longer in his throat, Jiang Da finally said, “You truly aren’t injured. Just bandage the cuts on your hands, recuperate for a few days, and you’ll be fine.”

Liang Feng smiled apologetically at Jiang Da, then turned to Yiyan and frowned unwittingly, “Were you wounded? Ji’en, help check up on Yiyan.”

He’d only saw what state Yiyan was in. His clothes were both bloodied and muddied. There was a gory abrasion on his right arm under his tattered sleeve and another bloody patch on his face, right next to his eye. There must’ve been countless more injures left from the battlefield. Compared to him, Yiyan was the one who actually needed emergency medical attention.

Jiang Da noticed as well and approached Yiyan, intending to provide treatment. But Yiyan wordlessly pushed him away.

“Yiyan!” Liang Feng’s frown deepened, “Quickly, let Ji’en take a look; your injuries are urgent.”

In response, Yiyan kneeled, pressed his hands on the ground, and bent down so low that his head was nearly next to Liang Feng’s feet, “I failed to protect you, my lord. Please punish me, my lord!”

Liang Feng: “………”

Was this youngster too single-minded or too stubborn? Liang Feng, subtly, huffed exasperatedly, “That wasn’t your fault. You did excellently in winning the battle.”

“Please punish me, my lord!”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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His tone was indescribably gentle, yet incomparably firm. The hand stroking his hair was like a beam of warm light, subduing his trepidation. There was something welling up in his eyes – just a bit more, and it’d overflow. Yiyan clenched his jaw and forced it back.

At that moment, they heard Lüzhu crying from outside, “Master! Master!”

Lüzhu jogged right in, throwing propriety out the window as she threw herself at Liang Feng’s feet, “It’s all because I’m too useless that master was in danger! Master!”

The young girl was choking with sobs, crying so hard she could hardly breathe. She must’ve tripped at some point, for she had dust all over her face. After her tears streaked down her cheeks, she looked exactly like a sad tabby cat. Liang Feng said calmingly, “Doctor Jiang already said there’s nothing wrong. I need you to prepare some hot water and clean clothes so I can change out of these bloodstained…”

“My life is yours master – I would’ve blocked those bandits for you, master…” Lüzhu clenched her little fist so tightly that blood was seeping through her fingers.

“Oh, silly child, going to find help was saving me. Be good and bring some water so I can clean my wounds and bandage them,” Liang Feng purposely reached out and let Lüzhu see the shallow scratches on his palm.

It had far more effect than any words he could’ve said. Lüzhu leaped up and ran off to get hot water.

Now that the two worked-up youngsters had finally simmered down, Liang Feng sighed in relief. He’d really gotten lucky this time. Thank goodness he’d worn the golden hairpin – things would’ve been dicey if he’d worn a jade hairpin.

Suddenly remembering something, Liang Feng asked, “Yiyan, how did you know I was in danger?”

If he hadn’t known, there’s no way he would’ve returned so soon, and on horseback too.

Yiyan’s eyes flashed with killing intent, “That old bastard Tian Chang was the one who brought the bandits here! There must be spies inside the estate!”

That news caught Liang Feng by surprise. Tian Chang was indeed a petty person, but how would he have allied with bandits overnight? He mulled it over for a moment then said, “Deal with your injuries first, then gather up the militia and capture a few surviving bandits for questioning.”

Yiyan didn’t move. He stared directly at Liang Feng, “I must stay here by your side, my lord!”

“Then who will command the militia? How will we deal with the remaining bandits?”

Yiyan jolted. Liang Feng said softly, “I still have Ji’en by my side, and ah-Liang will arrive shortly with more people. Go; you must act with the bigger picture in mind.”

His last four words struck Yiyan like a whip. He looked searching at Liang Feng. In the end, he got up and left. His steps were slightly hesitant, but he held his back straight once again.

As he watched his retreating silhouette, Liang Feng felt that something about him had changed – in the same way, that while a sword would shine with brilliant splendor once it saw first blood, it would also become cold and deadly.

Then, Jiang Da remarked, “What loyal servants! How fortunate you are, Zixi.”

He was wondrously moved by everything he’d seen, both the fervent loyalty in Yiyan’s kneel and the earnest devotion in Lüzhu’s tears. Though, he didn’t find it strange at all, since Liang Feng was the kind of person who could earn one’s wholehearted dedication.

Liang Feng chuckled, “They see me as family, so naturally, they care about me.”

Jiang Da startled, and upon seeing Liang Feng’s faint smile, swallowed his words. He’d met far more aristocrats and nobles than he had normal people, but even those who were kind to the lowly didn’t act like this. Moreover, he could tell that it wasn’t an act; he was speaking from his heart, sincerely and unpretentiously.

With this kind of magnanimity, he likely had the gift for statecraft as well.

The thought popped up unexpectedly in Jiang Da’s mind. Then, he began fretting again, and grabbed Liang Feng’s wrist, “Perhaps I should take your pulse again….”

Liang Feng paused with puzzlement at Jiang Da’s sudden fit of madness, then laughed helplessly. It seemed that everyone was starting to change after experiencing this troubling disturbance.

“Ji’en, after you’ve finished, I entreat you to help the casualties. If you can, use some limewater as well to prevent the emergence of any disease… ”

“Alright. Your health is already precarious, so stop worrying so much. Also, how did you escape from those bandits?”

“A mere fluke,” Liang Feng replied distractedly. His thoughts had already wandered far, imagining the situation outside….

※

“There, there’s too many….”

Even though the master had already informed him of the militia’s victory, he still gasped with astonishment upon reaching his destination.

It seemed that the land beyond the gates was saturated for miles with blood. Most of the bandits had become eviscerated corpses, rotting in the grass. A few still clung to the dregs of life, wailing dreadfully in their suffering. A dozen or so soldiers wandered about the battlefield; when they came across any who were still living, they’d give them one last jab with their spears. Shortly after, the horrifying sound died down.

Several of the young men that ah-Liang had brought began puking at the grisly sight. He frowned, approached one of the soldiers, and asked, “Don’t you want to leave some of them alive?”

The man heaved his spear pantingly and replied, “Sergeant’s orders. Humph. These sons of bitches – it’s what they get for daring to attack the estate! Of course we’ve gotta kill every last one of ‘em!”

Ah-Liang didn’t question him any further. He went off to find Yiyan, which wasn’t very difficult. He was near the woods, with two men kneeling quaveringly before him, likely bandits who’d just surrendered. There were especially many corpses in this area, tainting the mud red with blood.

Just as ah-Liang was about to open his mouth, he was forced back by the other’s murderous aura. Yiyan was different somehow. Even when he simply stood there, he evoked fear and terror.

Ah-Liang’s words stuck in his throat. Yiyan leisurely pulled a longsword out of a corpse and asked, “Does my lord have orders?”

Ah-Liang swallowed, “The master said to let the young men clean up the battlefield, burying all the corpses, and scattering white ash. Said not to let a trace of blood remain.”

“He didn’t say to hang their heads from the walls?” Yiyan asked coldly.

“I’m afraid… he didn’t.” Ah-Liang paused, then continued, “And the surrenderers, the master said to leave a few…”

“There are no surrenderers, just two live captives.”

Chilled to the bone, the two captives shuddered violently. Ah-Liang speechlessly looked at all the corpses; some of them had obviously been killed while they were kneeling. If that wasn’t surrender, then what was?

Then again, this victory was the fruit of the militia’s efforts alone. He didn’t have the right to criticize, so he said, “It’s fine as long as there’s live captives. Also, the master said to send the militia back if all the bandits were dealt with. If there’s any injured, get them fixed up by Doctor Jiang.”

This time, Yiyan finally nodded. Ignoring the two surrenderers, he walked out into the middle of the field and yelled, “Assemble!”

With one word, all the soldiers instantly set aside what they were doing and jogged over. Although the fighting had exhausted most of their stamina, they still orderly lined up in the blink of an eye.

Yiyan scanned the crowd of men, who were just as bloodstained as himself, and declared, “The lord said that we won this battle excellently!”

Everyone’s eyes lit up in excitement. The battle truly had been easier than they were expecting. Several times outnumbered, and yet they still slaughtered the enemy in droves.

When they started showing signs of smugness, Yiyan’s expression grew frosty, “However, not long ago, several bandits infiltrated the main residence and nearly took the lord’s life! If the lord had died, all your property and lands would turn to dust on the wind.”

His words extinguished their fevered thrill like a bucket of ice water to the head. No one had thought that the enemy would split their troops to conduct an ambush. If the master died, where’d they go to find another master who’d treat them so well?

“The lord didn’t reprimand us for it, but it is the result of my negligence, and it is the shame of this militia! You must remember this carefully: the lord is the sky over this estate; the lord is the one you must vow to defend. If anything were to happen to the lord, we should all deserve to die!”

Even though Yiyan’s face was glacial, not a single person spoke back against him. The lord benevolent; it was by his grace that they ate well, dressed well, and had house and home. If it weren’t for their lord, would they too die by other’s blades as these bandits had? Would they too live precariously on the edge of demise like those dispossessed refugees, willing to toil as another’s horse or cow, just for a handful of gruel?

Under their lord’s guidance, they had cast off their old selves and become new men. Of course their lives belonged to their lord!

“Winning against these bandits is nothing to be proud of. There are still wicked evildoers out there, watching and waiting for the chance to despoil that which belongs to the lord! You must train even more diligently in order to secure the safety of the Liang Estate and the lord.”

The young sergeant standing before them was dressed in rags and muddy all over; even his face was mottled with blood. But everyone took him seriously. They’d witnessed his courageousness with their own two eyes; they’d followed him to victory. They’d obey his orders as if they were mandates from heaven!

”I swear my life to the service of the lord!”

After one person yelled that phrase, the entire militia echoed it as one, “I swear my life to the service of the lord!”

Their shouts reverberated through the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, ferocious and formidable, riling up the serfs nearby till they vibrated with anticipation. These were the elites of their Liang Estate; these were the lord’s indomitable soldiers!

“My lord issued orders: return to the barracks posthaste!” Without wasting another word, Yiyan turned and strode forth. The formation of soldiers trailed neatly in his steps; rather than an army that’d just emerged victorious, they seemed more like they were gathering their strength to take on a new enemy.

Their footsteps rumbling in unison, the militia disappeared behind the Liang Estate’s gates. Ah-Liang released the breath he’d been holding. The master was wise beyond measure. Yiyan was assuredly born to be a general!

The author has something to say:

starting to be more wolf-like, *pats the dog’s head* XD