SGSHE116

Warm breath brushed against the curve of his ear, making Jing Heguang shrink his neck in a ticklish reflex.

He turned his head and found himself locking eyes with Xing Ming, who was leaning over him.

Jing Heguang: !!!

When did his younger brother get here?!

Jing Heguang’s adam apple bobbed as he spoke with difficulty: “H-how much did you see?” His hand moved instinctively to shield the letter.

Xing Ming’s eyes crinkled into crescents: “From the moment I started caring for you day and night, never leaving your side. Oh, actually, even earlier than that, from when you were musing on the impermanence of life and the awe-inspiring nature of existence. I saw it all.”

Jing Heguang mentally retraced the timeline and asked, dumbfounded, “From start to finish?”

Xing Ming just smiled without a word.

“You don’t usually bathe this quickly,” Jing Heguang muttered under his breath.

He lowered his head, though Xing Ming couldn’t see his face, the reddening of his ear roots was clearly visible.

He’s shy, Xing Ming thought.

It was rather adorable though, even more heart-stirring than how he used to be.

Xing Ming leaned down to plant a kiss just behind his ear and laughed softly, “The water’s getting cold, you’d better go bathe.”

Jing Heguang understood immediately.

He turned, planted a quick peck on Xing Ming’s lips, and dashed out.

“I’ll be right back!”

He glanced back as he spoke, fixing his gaze on Xing Ming with an intensity that felt like a burning hook.

Xing Ming felt as though his heart were being hooked right out of his chest.

***

Three days later, Marshal Chai finished deploying the troops, and Jing Heguang received word that they were setting out.

He served as the deputy commander of the surprise attack force, led by a steady, veteran general.

Although Jing Heguang wasn’t the commander-in-chief, he had the right to offer counsel, and the commander consulted him on decisions.

On the eve of their departure…

Jing Heguang held Xing Ming close, their foreheads resting against each other.

Jing Heguang spoke up: “I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Xing Ming nodded. “I know, everything is packed.”

After speaking, Xing Ming returned to pressing his lips together, his brows knitting slightly.

His hands, tucked beneath the quilt, fidgeted restlessly, twisting and turning until they were practically knotted together.

Seeing Xing Ming’s hesitant, on-the-verge-of-speaking look, Jing Heguang reached out to grasp those hands beneath the covers and asked with a smile, “younger brother Xing, is there nothing you want to say?”

“I…” Xing Ming opened his mouth but managed only a single word.

Jing Heguang gave his hands a squeeze. “If you don’t say it, I really won’t take you along.”

Xing Ming was momentarily stunned, then turned the tables and gripped one of Jing Heguang’s large hands tightly. “You’re willing to take me with you?!”

Jing Heguang smiled. “You’ve already packed your things, of course I’m going to take you.”

Xing Ming had hesitated to speak because he feared others might gossip about Jing Heguang, or that Jing Heguang might find him a nuisance for wanting to get involved in a war.

But now that Jing Heguang had invited him along, he had no more concerns.

Xing Ming voiced the idea he had been mulling over for days: “I can go with the army medics. I know how to bandage wounds and process many kinds of medicinal herbs!”

Jing Heguang quipped, “That’s a great idea. If I get injured later, then—”

Before he could finish, Xing Ming covered his mouth with his hand.

“Ptui, ptui, ptui! What nonsense are you spouting? I certainly don’t want to see you while I’m in the army.”

Jing Heguang pouted like a child and planted a quick kiss in the center of Xing Ming’s palm, holding him even tighter.

Xing Ming withdrew his hand and wiped it on a handkerchief with a look of mock disgust.

As he wiped his hand, Jing Heguang planted another kiss on his cheek.

Xing Ming said helplessly, “We have to set out tomorrow, no fooling around today.”

“I just want a kiss.”

“I don’t believe you and no more kissing, either.”

They might start with just a kiss, but things could easily escalate. Xing Ming had no faith in either his or Jing Heguang’s self-restraint.

That’s right, neither of them was exactly reliable. Xing Ming had come to realize this.

Since Xing Ming wouldn’t allow it, Jing Heguang had no choice but to abandon his amorous thoughts and turn to serious matters.

Jing Heguang spoke in a gentle, unhurried tone: “I’ll take you back to Wucheng with me so you can see the city the moment we arrive.”

Hearing his words, Xing Ming’s mind drifted back to the day Jing Heguang had driven away that Jin woman outside the theater, the day the brilliant, warm sunlight had streamed freely through the window.

That day, the sunlight had poured into the theater after a long absence, suddenly brightening the entire space.

Xing Ming looked up into Jing Heguang’s eyes, a small smile playing on his lips as she whispered, “Brother Jing, thank you.”

Hearing him call him ‘brother Jing’, he held him even tighter.

His voice grew husky. “There’s no need for thanks between us.”

“No, I do need to thank you,” Xing Ming said, shaking his head. “I thank you on behalf of my parents and family.”

Jing Heguang listened intently.

The family Xing Ming mentioned was a blank space in the original owner’s memories.

The original owner had simply assumed Xing Ming was an ordinary orphan, so Jing Heguang knew nothing about his parents.

Xing Ming said, “My father…was originally the prefect of Wucheng. When the city fell, he was captured by the Jin forces and hanged from the city gate tower. Afterward, my mother and sister both took their own lives to preserve their honor, while uncle Yu managed to smuggle me out.”

“Uncle Yu took me with him, but we were separated amidst the chaos in the city. Later, I was taken in by my master, then uncle Yu eventually found me again, so we ended up living together in the opera house.”

Jing Heguang’s pupils dilated, and his expression turned solemn.

In truth, his heart felt just as heavy.

Xing Ming had said his father was hanged from the city gate tower by the Jin forces…

In the original trajectory, although Xing Ming had died by his own hand in prison, his body was subsequently used as a hostage by King Li of Jin and hung from the city gate tower.

Father and son had met the exact same tragic fate!

Jing Heguang thought for a moment, then promised, “I’ll hang that King Li from the city gate tower myself and send him over to go with wine for father.”

Xing Ming nestled into his embrace. “That would be wonderful if you can do it. But don’t push yourself too hard if you can’t, your safety is what matters most!”

Xing Ming wouldn’t have spoken of it if he hadn’t come to terms with the past.

Sharing the story meant the knot in his heart had finally been untied.

Jing Heguang did not realize that he, too, was a ray of light for Xing Ming. He was a light that shone into the doorway of his heart, growing more intense and more vital with each passing day.

Early the next morning, the two of them rose at dawn.

Clutching the token Jing Heguang had given him, Xing Ming set out with the contingent.

The soldiers rode light cavalry mounts, leading the way.

Xing Ming and the others, military physicians and supply troops, followed behind, traveling in horse-drawn carriages.

The old military doctor, sporting a long white beard, stretched his legs out in the carriage and gave a comfortable, satisfied yawn. “This carriage is finally big enough to stretch my legs properly,” he said happily. “If we tidy things up a bit, there’d probably even be room to lie down!”

Xing Ming asked, “Wasn’t it like this before?”

The old doctor shook his head. “No. I’d asked them to switch it out ages ago, but they never did, until now, when they finally took the initiative.”

Feeling that this was a sign of the respect he commanded, the old doctor smiled with a hint of smug pride in front of the newcomer, Xing Ming.

Xing Ming thought back to the young soldier who had escorted him there that morning, the one who had sweetly remarked, “the general gave orders for this”, and a warm, sweet feeling bubbled up inside him.

Xing Ming was absolutely certain: his brother Jing was the best person in the world!

***

The surprise attack force set out quickly and maintained a rapid pace on the march.

As they pushed further north, the soldiers’ morale soared.

The prospect of reclaiming territory lost sixteen years ago, and doing so under their own command, stirred their spirits. They were so eager they practically wanted to fly straight to the ramparts of Wucheng.

Flying there directly was impossible, of course, but in Jing Heguang’s estimation, they would soon fight their way there.

He knew this was a lightning-fast, unilateral surprise attack. It might not be an ‘honorable’ open battle, but it was swift and possessed an unstoppable, crushing momentum.

In just two days, the surprise attack force captured two smaller towns that served as grain depots for Wucheng.

Then, they surged rapidly toward Wucheng itself.

Scattered Jin forces along the way attempted to intercept them, only to find that this army seemed to have eyes everywhere. They could anticipate enemy movements, seemingly aware of exactly where troops were deployed, the size of each unit, and the command habits of the generals in charge.

Jing Heguang’s explanation was simple: he had reported everything found on the city defense maps, as well as details not on the maps but confirmed by the memories of the original owner.

His ability to foresee events also came in handy, making the campaign run far more smoothly than one might have expected.

It is also worth noting that Jing Heguang earned a fearsome reputation.

Possessing immense strength, the scenes of him slaughtering the enemy were truly gruesome.

With a single sweep of his spear, a swathe of men would be sent flying. As they slammed violently into the ground, they either vomited blood from the impact or met a wretched end, trampled to death by the horses.

If he started nitpicking, it would be even more terrifying.

The sight of bodies skewered together like ‘tanghulu’ was simply too gruesome to look at.

Jing Heguang soon realized that everyone both respected and feared him.

As the battle broke out, the team of military medics moved to the front lines, mingling with the soldiers and standing ready to treat the wounded at a moment’s notice.

With no one paying him any mind, a disgruntled Jing Heguang wandered over to where the medics were stationed.

When he arrived, Xing Ming was in the middle of stitching up a patient.

The patient had lost a significant amount of blood and was feeling dizzy and disoriented.

Upon seeing the fearsome General Jing approach, the soldier felt a lump form in his throat. “Am I dying? I’m seeing General Jing…”

Xing Ming turned around and smiled at Jing Heguang.

The wounded soldier watched in shock as the terrifying General Jing smiled back!

Overcome with emotion, the soldier began to weep. “I really am dying! I’m even dreaming of General Jing smiling at me!”

Sniffling, he looked at Jing Heguang and delivered his final words: “General Jing…since I saw you before I died, I hope you can break through the gates of Wucheng and reclaim the territory for our Wu country!”

Jing Heguang: ???

Thinking the man was out of his mind, Jing Heguang looked at Xing Ming, pointed at the patient, and then tapped his own temple.

He whispered, “Did he suffer a head injury?”

Xing Ming shook his head with a smile. “No.”

Turning back to the patient, Xing Ming said, “You’re going to live.”

The soldier’s eyes were drooping shut, but he struggled to speak. “I…I don’t believe it…”

Xing Ming smiled. “General Jing wasn’t smiling at you, he was smiling at me.”

The soldier took one last look at Jing Heguang, then at the new medic’s face, and thought, ‘that actually seems plausible’. After all, the new medic was the most handsome man in the entire army.

With that thought, the soldier felt reassured. Once his mind was at ease, the tension that had kept him taut snapped, and he drifted into sleep.

Xing Ming finished tending to the man’s wounds, the soldier was already snoring loudly.

After treating the last of the wounded, Jing Heguang whisked Xing Ming away.

The two of them huddled near the edge of the tent, watching the soldiers bustle back and forth.

Jing Heguang clasped Xing Ming’s hand tightly. “It won’t be long now.”

Xing Ming gazed toward the direction of Wucheng. “Yes, not long now.”

Before they could share any tender words, Cui Tong, seeing how close they were to Wucheng, sought them out again.

***

Cui Tong found a spot where their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

Jing Heguang asked, “What is it? Why call us over here in secret?”

Cui Tong glanced at Xing Ming, then said to Jing Heguang, “Brother Jing, we are very close to Wucheng now. I’ve heard you can infiltrate the city without making a sound, could you perhaps go ahead and look for Leyou?”

Jing Heguang frowned. “We are at a critical juncture in the campaign, I cannot leave.”

Jing Heguang felt Cui Tong’s request was pointless, there was no way he would agree to it.

Cui Tong seemed to anticipate this. Remaining calm and unhurried, he reached into his sleeve and produced a seal bearing a four-clawed dragon emblem. “This is an order from his highness the crown prince!”