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墨書 Inktalez
Ye Chen was found by the soldiers who had been reassigned.
When they discovered Ye Chen, he was resting against the roots of a poplar tree not far from them, his thin and frail body leaning against the trunk, sitting quietly.
At first, the soldiers thought something had happened to Ye Chen since he hadn’t returned for so long. They had gone out to search for him, only to find him asleep here.
Looking at Ye Chen's peaceful and serene sleeping face, the two soldiers exchanged glances, momentarily reluctant to wake him. After hesitating for a moment, one of the soldiers gently crouched down, carefully slipping his hands under Ye Chen's knees and back, slowly lifting him up.
Ye Chen's head tilted slightly, resting on the soldier's shoulder. The boy's slender neck was exposed without any defense, appearing smooth and warm under the silvery moonlight. His small hand dangled in mid-air, swaying gently with the soldier's steps, as if moving unconsciously.
Pei Guanjing did not follow this time. Leaning against a branch behind him with his hands clasped behind his head, he quietly watched as the soldiers carried Ye Chen away. Once their figures disappeared from view, Pei Guanjing fell into deep thought.
Ye Chen’s behavior was indeed suspicious. Although there was currently no solid evidence proving he was a spy for Xiao Feng, why had he ventured alone away from the group to that Mountain Temple? Did he have an unusual connection with someone there?
The escort mission had only just begun for a day; in the coming days, as long as they kept a close watch on Ye Chen, wouldn’t they be able to find evidence of his contact with Xiao Feng?
With this thought in mind, Pei Guanjing slowly opened his dark eyes, a glimmer of determination flashing within them.
When Ye Chen woke up again, it was already bright outside.
Awakened by Fu Gui, Ye Chen looked bewildered and still half-asleep. He instinctively shrank into a corner, scanning his surroundings warily. When he finally recognized Fu Gui in front of him, disbelief filled his eyes. His black eyes, clouded with confusion, revealed a hint of panic. He pushed himself up with his hands but moved too quickly and nearly fell back to the ground.
“What’s wrong with you, Ye Chen? Why are you so flustered?” Fu Gui asked with concern as he patted Ye Chen’s shoulder. “I heard from those guys that you fell asleep outside all alone. What happened?”
Ye Chen took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He raised his hand to wipe his temples, though there was no cold sweat there. He feigned composure and said, "It's nothing, I just accidentally fell and knocked myself out." After speaking, Ye Chen avoided Fu Gui's gaze, pretending to adjust his clothes, but inside he remained anxious, recalling the terrifying encounter at the Mountain Temple last night—the horrifying corpse and the chilling touch behind him still haunted him.
Could it be that he really bumped into a ghost?
Ye Chen muttered to himself before shaking his head, dismissing these absurd and frightening thoughts from his mind.
As dawn broke, Ye Chen and Fu Gui dove into the busy cooking tasks. Lighting the fire, boiling water, washing rice, and cooking porridge—each action was swift and skilled. The smoke curled upward as the aroma of food gradually filled the air. Once breakfast was ready and everyone had eaten, the troops completed their preparations and got ready to set off again.
During this time, Lou Yu came to find him once. This time, Lou Yu did not approach with his usual playful demeanor to snatch food from Ye Chen; instead, he wore a serious expression, with a hint of steadiness and responsibility in his demeanor.
He walked over to Ye Chen's side, slightly furrowing his brow as he asked with concern, "How much food do we still have left? You and Fu Gui need to manage the portions carefully to ensure everyone can eat before we return to the Military Camp."
Ye Chen was taken aback for a moment by Lou Yu's sudden change. It seemed he had not yet adjusted to this new side of Lou Yu. He looked up and met Lou Yu's determined gaze before slowly nodding in response, "Alright, Brother Fu Gui and I will take care of it."
Watching Lou Yu walk away, Ye Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration; Lou Yu had indeed changed quite a bit.
The once boisterous boy who loved to show off seemed to have matured overnight.
The sharp edge that had once defined him had softened; his youthful naivety gradually faded away, replaced by a calmness and composure. After going through some trials, he was now truly Submissive ldering the responsibilities placed upon him.
The journey ahead went smoothly, though they occasionally encountered some refugees.
This time, without Lou Yu needing to give orders, some soldiers spontaneously shared their food upon seeing the refugees—thin and emaciated with desperate expressions on their faces. Some soldiers quietly slipped their rations into the hands of the refugees while others generously shared their meals for everyone to eat together.
After two days of arduous travel, they finally arrived at the granary in Cangzhou on the evening of the second day.
The tall granaries stood in rows, exuding a sense of stability.
After Lou Yu communicated the orders with the local officials, everyone immediately sprang into action, beginning to transport the rice from the granary.
Some of this rice had been transported from the southern regions, its grains plump and glistening, emanating the gentle warmth of the water towns in Jiangnan. Others were locally sourced from Cangzhou, specifically from Yunlan County, which had once been known as "Northern Jiangnan" before the floods.
At first, Ye Chen watched as those around him worked energetically and thought about lending a hand. However, he was quickly defeated by reality.
Ye Chen approached a bag of rice and grasped one corner tightly with both hands, his face turning red as he exerted all his strength to lift it. But the bag felt as if it were rooted to the ground; it barely shifted before refusing to budge again. After several attempts with no success, his arms began to tremble from overexertion.
Seeing this, the soldiers nearby who had already moved several bags struggled to contain their laughter.
Faced with mockery and realizing his efforts were futile, Ye Chen decided to give up decisively. He walked heavily to a nearby stone and sat down with a thud. Resting his chin on his hands, he watched the soldiers come and go, diligently counting as they transported the rice.
In the quiet night, a breeze occasionally swept by, tousling his hair. Ye Chen merely blinked instinctively and continued to immerse himself in his thoughts.
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