Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Seventy-five,
The Departed

“Yu……” Xiao Zuo pulled on the reins, the white horse beneath stopped to it. He got down and found a corner to tie the horse to a tree, then secretly hid behind the tree and distantly looked at He Xuan on the high platform.

He Xuan was dressed in a bright armour[1] all of Jin’s generals wear, dazzling and bright underneath the scorching sun, making his cold features look to be even more removed, like a divine messenger that obtained the blessings of the heavens. All places he would be at would be like the light of the sun, where darkness would be all dispelled. His right hand was pressed on a sword, pursing his lips as he listened to He Heng give a speech, with the red tassel on the helmet moving along with the wind.

The white horse hung its head down and nonchalantly gnawed on the grass on the ground, and made a snort. He Heng’s speech seemed to be over, He Xuan and Lan Shou Yi said something too, and after the soldiers beneath made a chant about absolute victory, the two came down the platform, and the neat and orderly group stirred for an instant, then returned to peace.

“Your Highness?” The adjutant Qiu Jia Muexcellent wood spoke out and prompted He Xuan, “Your Highness? Let us depart.”

“En.” He Xuan took back his gaze and nodded his head. Just now, he seemed to have seen Xiao Zuo underneath the tree by a tea stand, he hadn’t seen him for just half a day, yet he already…… He Xuan helplessly smiled bitterly, and got on the horse with a stern expression.

Qiu Jia Mu was a person that Empress Liu forcefully added in, He Xuan was not willing to tear off facades with Empress Liu on the position of adjutant either, so kept one eye closed and allowed her hand to reach out a bit within his range of control- after all, he could not hide away from eyes either way, putting it in public was better to control than in secret.

Though this was how he thought inside, He Xuan still could not help but take a peek beneath that tree. That person beneath the tree coincidentally lifted their eyes up, the shadows of the tree rustled as it swayed, creating rising and falling dark colours on that person’s face. But this face was something he encountered day and night, He Xuan froze, if it isn’t Xiao Zuo, then who is it! Lan Shou Yi’s horse who was at the front already took two steps in front of him, He Xuan’s heart moved, and seeing Qiu Jia Mu to the side secretly taking glances at him, he then openly beckoned him over, and said, “You guy go first, Ig have some private affairs, but will come soon.”

“What is your Highness off to do?” Empress Liu probably saw wrong, to send such a rash person over, He Xuan found it funny, but immediately had a thought of flaunting even he himself did not realize, and smiled with raised eyebrows, “To see myg wife.”

After finishing, He Xuan clipped the horse’s stomach, lightly yelled out, and left Qiu Jia Mu blankly standing there, unable to come to for the time being.

That’s not right, he hasn’t heard of the crown prince being married though?

Xiao Zuo saw He Xuan’s horse leave the big group and coming over towards his side. When he hid behind the leaves to watch He Xuan, he didn’t find anything awkward about it, but at this time when that bit of thought was exposed underneath the sun, he finally found some embarrassment after the fact, and shuffled back, then used his sleeves to hide his face like he was deceiving himself, and lowered his head without a sound.

“What is it? Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?” He Xuan had a face of taking a mile for an inch, and merrily reached out with two fingers to pull down Xiao Zuo’s sleeves, and teased, “Could it be you missed your husband too much, and could not help it?”

Xiao Zuo reddened his face at this word husband, then in the bright of morning, recalled two days ago underneath the red silk blankets when he yielded and said preposterous things like husband, and could not help but have some mist-like charm in his eyes. He felt like his chest was so weak he could not think of anything to refute, hummed for a while, then said angrily like he was acting spoiled, “What nonsense are you saying! You……”

Xiao Zuo could not beat He Xuan with his mouth, so he turned around to go undo the reins on the tree. He Xuan quickly grabbed his hand, and kneaded it in his palm, Xiao Zuo lifted his reddened eyes about to throw a temper, but then He Xuan stopped at the right moment, and smiled, “It’s all my fault, for Li Nu to especially run over to send me off, I really……”

He Xuan stopped speaking, then bent down and seized Xiao Zuo’s lips. The web of his left hand wrapped around the reins, while the right grabbed the back of Xiao Zuo’s head, and used all his strength yet very carefully sucked, Xiao Zuo got kissed so much by him he couldn’t close his mouth, and leaked a silver thread, licked away by He Xuan, making watery sounds.

Xiao Zuo’s back leaned on the trunk, and completely fell inside He Xuan’s shadow. The crown of the tree blocked off all the sunlight, and considerately partitioned a corner just for them. Xiao Zuo breathlessly stuck to he Xuan as he fixed his breathing, and said beside his ear, “Blades have no eyes, take care of yourself.”

Xiao Zuo paused, he seemed to hesitate for a while, but in the end, pursed his lips, then added another sentence like he made a decision, “I…… will wait for you to return victorious.”

A sliver of surprise passed by He Xuan’s eyes, and the hand holding Xiao Zuo tightened.

“En.” After a long while, Xiao Zuo heard He Xuan lightly respond, the breath that came out along with his response swept by his ears, yet carried the irrefutable power of a thousand tons, making him believe in him without any reason.

Xiao Zuo watched as He Xuan flipped onto the horse, His steed Fei Chen was as quick as lightning on the battlefield, but at this moment, instead seemed to be slowly stamping, like someone departing taking three looks every step.

A yellowed leaf drifted down from the top of the head, Xiao Zuo reached out, and it got swept by the winds and fell onto his palm.

How does thee form sorrow, when autumns form upon the departing’s heart[2].