General’s Gown

Chapter 72 The Storm Puts a Strong Grass To The Test Part 9 

The Lady Boss shook her head: “I’ve never seen him before.” 

There was a handsome and fairy-like figure sitting in her shop, but they neither rode white horses nor wore black clothes, which obviously did not match the description of the official. 

The officers and soldiers looked disappointed and anxious. They couldn’t help but put their hands together and said, “How can this be, God, please bless Lord Yan. Please don’t let anything happen!” 

There was a crisp sound of dishes falling to the ground in the store. The Lady Boss turned around and saw Helian Rongchuan had already rushed in front of the officers and soldiers in a few steps. When the two met each other, they were both stunned. Helian Rongchuan grabbed the man’s arm, and his voice was a little nervous: “What did you mean by what you said just now? What happened to Changqing!?” 

The little guard seeing Helian Rongchuan’s sudden appearance, trembled in his heart. Knowing that he could no longer hide it, he could only cry: “Your Royal Highness, it’s not good. Master Yan has had an accident!” 

The ins and outs were shaken out. Only a few people in the county government knew that Yan Changqing had left quietly. Although Yan Changqing did leave a few words to explain, Wei Jin already understood what he was thinking and knew that this matter must not be made public. So after crying silently, Wei Jin suppressed this matter, and outsiders were only told that Yan Changqing would return to the capital temporarily to report the completion of his mission, but in private, he secretly sent a reliable team of people to look for him.

“Doctor Wei went to the northernmost desert hinterland, and we came here to look.” The little guard carefully looked at Helian Rongchuan’s expression and said, “However, from dawn to daybreak, there has been no news at all. It’s like he evaporated. It’s like, even the guards at the gate of Qinchuan said that they have never seen it before…” 

The little guard raised his eyes and did not dare to say any more.     

As if struck by lightning, Helian Rongchuan’s face turned pale, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably, as if he was trying to control something. Suddenly, he raised his hand and gave himself a loud slap in the face.     

The little guard was startled and couldn’t help but take a few steps back, but when he saw Helian Rongchuan’s expression, he seemed to be extremely remorseful and in pain. He felt a little sad in his heart. Although this person was from Dongyun, he was good to his Master and the little guards took it all in his heart, and he understood a little bit. 

The little guard’s eyes were red, and he silently took out a small brocade bag the size of a palm from his arms: “Although the lord didn’t leave a word when he left, he put this thing on the table. I don’t know what it means. I think, maybe the lord left it for you on purpose?” 

Helian Rongchuan took the cloth bag and lifted the layers of knots with trembling fingers. Spreading out on his palm was a small three-edged arrow. There was also crooked engravings on the side of the arrow. 

One was “Chuan” and the other was “Qing”. 

His five fingers clenched the three-edged arrow sharply, and a trace of bright red blood slowly dripped from the cut palm. Helian Rongchuan pursed his lips, and he felt no pain in his palm, but his heart was aching like it was being twisted. 

Yan Changqing left the arrow he sent. What does this mean? Was he going to end his relationship with him? Was it because he didn’t want his disease to affect him? 

Was it his last protection to die quietly in the desert? 

No, he’s not willing, he won’t allow it! ! !

Helian Rongchuan flew on his horse, whipped his whip, and the horse underneath him neighed and galloped away like lightning. The wind whistled in his ears and the cry of the little guard and the exclamation of the Lady Boss were soon inaudible. 

There was only one voice in Helian Rongchuan’s mind. 

Changqing, Changqing. 

He had to find him. 

His Changqing cannot die! 

The wind swept the yellow sand and rose suddenly. 

A white horse walked slowly in the yellow sand, step by step across the rolling sand dunes. The horse finally stopped in front of a scorched poplar forest. 

A figure rolled directly from the horse’s back. Excessive dehydration made him faint, his lips were pale and chapped, and the corners of his eyes were a shocking, sickly red. 

Shuang Zhui bowed it’s head and gently licked Yan Changqing’s cheek with it’s wet tongue. 

After a long while, Yan Changqing opened his eyes slightly and saw Shuang Zhui’s worried eyes.

 “Let’s go…” It was a weak and hoarse voice. Every time he said a word, Yan Changqing felt his throat hurt like a knife. 

At the same time, although the sun was burning like a fire, his whole body was as cold and stiff as falling into an ice cave, he completely couldn’t controlled his shivering. 

Will he die of thirst first, or will he freeze to death first? 

“Go.” 

“Leave me. Go back to where you should be.” Shuang Zhui refused the repeated orders of his master, and stubbornly put his head on Yan Changqing, trying to get him to sit up again. It seemed to think that as long as Yan Changqing stood up straight, he would regain his vigor and vitality. 

“Not leaving yet?” Yan Changqing raised his hand slowly, grabbed the mane of the horse’s neck, staggered, and stood up with great difficulty. For a moment, he felt dizzy, staggered a step, and almost fell over.

Shuang Zhui immediately bent his knees obediently, and made a gesture of waiting for Yan Changqing to mount him. It thought that Yan Changqing had changed his mind and wanted to go back. 

Yan Changqing gently stroked Shuang Zhui’s fur, his eyes full of love and reluctance. This white horse that accompanied him in countless battles was now his last bond with the world. 

This was a good horse that understood human nature, and should not accompany him to annihilation in this uninhabited desert. 

Yan Changqing tremblingly pulled out the sword from his waist, turned his face away, and waved it at Shuang Zhui. 

Shuang Zhui neighed in pain, turning his horse’s head to look at his master in disbelief. There was a bloodstain on the snow-white satin-like horse’s back. 

Yan Changqing’s chest was heaving, and it seemed that every word he uttered now would have to use all his strength: “This is a military order!” 

Shuang Zhui was frightened. His dark, beautiful big eyes filled up instantly with glittering tears. It made a low voice in grievance, tentatively rubbing against Yan Changqing’s arm, but still refused to leave. 

Yan Changqing’s brows trembled. He avoided his face again. This knife was getting heavier and the handle of the knife went straight into the horse’s buttocks. Shuang Zhui screamed. Yan Changqing couldn’t bear to look anymore, turned around and walked slowly towards the forest with difficulty. 

This time, Shuang Zhui didn’t follow. 

It was not until the sound of his hooves disappeared that Yan Changqing finally turned around. 

Thousands of miles of sky, boundless yellow sand, finally he was the only one left between heaven and earth. 

Yan Changqing closed his eyes calmly, and the piercing pain all over his body completely swept through him.

    ———————————-

In the desert, there was a muffled sound. 

Helian Rongchuan’s steed ran for days and nights almost uninterruptedly. Finally, it couldn’t hold on any longer, its hooves went soft, and it fell to the ground. The horse’s mouth was full of white foam. 

Helian Rongchuan also fell from the horse. Since he came all the way from the bamboo forest in Monan to now, he had not closed his eyes for three days and three nights in a row. The palms and soles of his feet were all frayed with blood blisters, and the rolling heat wave made him sweat like rain. The clothes on his body were wet and dry. His stamina was nearly exhausted. 

He had inquired from many villages, and explored countless roads, large and small, but he couldn’t find any trace of Yan Changqing’s visit. 

Changqing, Changqing, where did you go? 

Helian Rongchuan immediately struggled to get up, and when he saw that his horse was not moving, he picked up his bag and limped to the west of the thorax forest. He has searched all possible places, except for the desert behind the forest. 

People in Monan say that passing through this forest means stepping into the gate of h*ll. It was the deepest part of the desert, and its name was Hu Mubo. Those who went in never come out. 

But Helian Rongchuan walked in without hesitation. 

He didn’t know how long he had walked. The wind was getting stronger and stronger, and the yellow sand filled the sky. Helian Rongchuan half wrapped his face with a towel, his amber eyes narrowed slightly. 

Da da da. 

It was the sound of horseshoes on blowing sand. 

In the distance, at the end of the rolling sand dunes, a familiar white horse appeared. 

Helian Rongchuan was shocked.

Shuang Zhui! 

Changqing? ! Is it him? 

Helian Rongchuan ran forward desperately. Close, it’s close – 

He finally could see it clearly, this was indeed Shuang Zhui. But on the horseback, it was empty. There was a bloodstain on the horse’s body!     

Helian Rongchuan ‘s face changed suddenly, and with a buzzing sound in his head, he pulled Shuang Zhui and said, “Where’s your master? Who hurt you?!” 

Shuang Zhui turned around, as if to want Helian Rongchuan to look at its horse hips. 

There was a short blade on it, and the handle of the knife was inlaid with amethyst and diamonds with a gorgeous eagle piercing the clouds. 

Helian Rongchuan’s heart stopped. His fingers trembled slightly, and he pulled out the knife forcefully. 

“This is a protective item I gave him…” Helian Rongchuan stroked the handle of the knife and muttered, “He must not have had the heart to let you die with him, so he used this method to drive you away. Isn’t it?” 

Yan Changqing, Yan Changqing, you are so kind to a horse, but why are you so cruel to yourself? 

Shuang Zhui  had tears well up in his eyes, and he nodded silently. 

Helian Rongchuan got on the horse and looked towards the distant hinterland of the desert. 

Hu Mubo, the mouth of h*ll. He patted Shuang Zhui, and without hesitation, he ran to the depths of the rarely visited sand dunes. 

As the sun approached dusk, the gust of wind gradually subsided, and the majestic, solemn but dead sea of ​​sand was plated with a layer of scorching and monotonous yellow by the setting sun. After turning over another sand dune, Helian Rongchuan finally saw a forest. 

The dense leaves, browned by sunlight and sand erosion, gleamed like gold in the setting sun. The trunk was thick and tough, standing proudly against the countless wind and sand. When Shuang Zhui saw it, his pace increased significantly, rushing and hissing sharply. 

Helian Rongchuan immediately realized something and started searching anxiously. 

“Changqing! Yan Changqing!” 

“Where are you—!” 

The hoarse call neigh to an abrupt end. 

Helian Rongchuan was suddenly stunned. In an instant, he seemed to have turned into a rigid stone sculpture. 

Under a poplar tree in the distance, leaning with a thin back, he saw a man dressed in black, with his head hanging down, one arm resting softly on his right knee, and his long black hair covering most of his face. From this angle, he could only see half his profile, handsome and unparalleled, but pale as snow. 

He…he…was…