Chapter 9: I just wanted to see your stick

Li Mianyu’s voice was crisp, carrying the soft sweetness of melting candy.

Yan Shi, eyes open, turned his head slightly to glance at the person in his arms, and after a long moment, he responded with a simple “Oh.”

Such a plain tone!

Li Mianyu frowned, unable to resist propping her hand on Yan Shi’s chest and sitting up halfway, speaking to him with heavy emphasis, “I, Li Mianyu, Ningguo Princess of Great Zhou, will support you.”

Yan Shi looked at her but neither nodded nor spoke.

Li Mianyu’s eyes reddened again.

“I have five hundred households in my fief, of course I can afford to keep a single Dark Guard…Do you think that because Great Zhou is occupied by traitors now, I’m no longer a princess, so you don’t take my words seriously? Imperial Grandfather must have escaped. When he gathers the troops, he will surely reclaim the Imperial Capital swiftly. Great Zhou is still Great Zhou, I am still a princess, and I can afford to support you!”

Her mind was sensitive, her voice tinged with both grievance and anger, tears brimming in her eyes.

She raised her chin defiantly—though fallen, she was still a princess.

She glared at Yan Shi, as if daring him to say something she didn’t want to hear so she could make him pay.

The youth continued to gaze at her with his dark eyes.

“Fine, I’ll wait for the princess to support me.”

Li Mianyu looked him over, making sure he wasn’t just humoring her.

Only then did her anger subside, and she lay back down with a light hum.

“Even if you can eat, I have five hundred households in my fief. I can support you for life.”

Li Mianyu didn’t actually know how Imperial Grandfather maintained the Dark Guards, but such a capable one, kept until his death, surely was worth it.

The taciturn youth blinked and closed his eyes.

After a moment, he couldn’t help but let out a brief, quiet laugh.

But Li Mianyu didn’t see it.

She was already comfortably leaning on her Dark Guard and had fallen asleep.

In the latter half of the night, Yan Shi suddenly opened his eyes, lowering his head to look at Li Mianyu, who had almost wrapped all her limbs around him.

In her sleep, her eyes were red.

Uncertain of what she dreamed, she sobbed softly, murmuring, “Imperial Grandfather…Imperial Grandfather…”

Yan Shi didn’t move.

He remained as he was when he lay down, quietly listening to her sleep-talk, hearing names shift from “Imperial Grandfather” to “Chuiling Nanny” and then to “Cui Yunqi.”

Perhaps Li Mianyu dreamt of her fiancé, perhaps he comforted her in her dream.

Gradually, her sobbing stopped and she became still again, as if nothing had happened.

Only the damp patch on Yan Shi’s chest seemed to speak of something unspoken.

Yan Shi turned his head toward the broken temple’s exterior.

His dark eyes reflected the endless, gloomy rain.

His gaze shifted to the doorway—muddy water had already reached within four or five inches of the threshold.

He frowned again.

He stirred slightly, preparing to get up and check outside.

But at the slightest movement, Li Mianyu, still half asleep, furrowed her brow and let out a soft grunt.

Her limbs entwined more tightly around Yan Shi.

The young Dark Guard glanced at the person in his arms and sighed softly.

He turned his gaze back to the rain outside.

Li Mianyu had slept soundly.

When she opened her eyes, she felt refreshed but only vaguely remembered something from her dream.

She tried hard to recall but could remember nothing.

She wanted to get up but found her arms and legs somehow all resting on her Dark Guard.

Her cheeks flushed slightly as she glanced stealthily at Yan Shi.

Yan Shi was still asleep with his eyes closed.

She wanted to quietly withdraw her limbs but her knee brushed something hard.

Li Mianyu paused, curiously looking toward Yan Shi’s waist.

Why would he sleep with a stick tucked under his waistband?

She remembered Yan Shi’s Soft Sword wrapped at his waist and wondered what kind of stick this was.

She reached out to take it, but before her hand could touch it, a rough, calloused hand gripped her wrist.

Li Mianyu winced at the sudden pain, raising her head with furrowed brows.

“What are you doing?”

But almost instantly after grabbing her wrist, the youth released her and sat up.

Li Mianyu, leaning on him, was pulled up too.

They were pressed closely together.

Yan Shi lowered his head to smooth his clothes, silent but breathing heavier.

Li Mianyu, dissatisfied, leaned closer and pointed at her reddened wrist, questioning him again, “I just wanted to see your stick. Why do you react like this?”

Her voice was thick with sleep and annoyance.

Yan Shi looked up at her.

Li Mianyu stared him down and caught his gaze.

The youth was clearly awake, his eyes wide like a cat’s, the glossy black depths showing a trace of helplessness.

His usually pale face was flushed unusually red.

Li Mianyu was taken aback, then suddenly recalled his wounds.

Her anger faded greatly, replaced by concern.

“You’re not running a fever again, are you?”

Yan Shi: “No.”

His voice was a little hoarse, his tone calmer than usual but with slight breathlessness.

He then propped himself up on his hand, turned slightly, and stretched his waist to stand—light and agile.

Li Mianyu lost her support and nearly fell, barely steadying herself as she looked at her Dark Guard with irritation.

The youth had already walked to the broken temple’s doorway, standing there with his back to her.

Li Mianyu’s gaze was on him, but unconsciously, she was drawn to the outside.

The sky was still gray, the rain still drizzling.

Near the threshold, a wet patch spread; muddy water had begun to seep inside.

Li Mianyu quickly got up and moved toward the door.

As she approached, Yan Shi quietly shifted his body to the side, but Li Mianyu, focused on the outside, didn’t notice.

She clutched her chest and exclaimed, “Yan Shi, can we still leave today?”

The heavy rain had plunged the world into gloom.

The road outside was flooded with mud and water, impassable.

Yan Shi didn’t reply immediately, but Li Mianyu was already used to her Dark Guard’s silent temperament and didn’t think much of it.

With a face full of worry, she clasped her hands together.

“Those chasing me will be stopped by the rain too, right? Besides, my clothes were thrown into the outhouse, so they won’t be able to track me anymore, right?”

Still no response from the young Dark Guard.

Only the nearby horses snorted.

Li Mianyu finally couldn’t help but look at him, her delicate brows furrowed.

Just then, Yan Shi turned to face her.

His sharp and handsome face, framed by dark, serene eyes, fixed directly on her.

Li Mianyu was momentarily stunned, forgetting what she was about to say.

“My stick, Princess, cannot be touched.”

The youth’s voice was serious, strict, and formal.

Yan Shi’s expression was calm, but Li Mianyu inexplicably felt his face darkened.

Just as she was about to angrily ask why she couldn’t touch his stick—she was a princess, he was her Dark Guard, what could he forbid?—her eyes caught the torrential rain outside.

Thinking about the journey ahead and how strong Yan Shi was, and how unwilling he was to let her touch it, she realized it wasn’t easy to reach it anyway.

She, a dignified princess, truly did not dare to go against him!

Li Mianyu pouted in frustration.

“Who even wants to touch it!”

Yan Shi remained silent.

Li Mianyu crossed her arms and didn’t speak.

After a while, Yan Shi said, “The rain is too heavy. There’s a risk of landslides in the mountains. It’s unsafe. We’ll leave when the rain stops.”

His voice had returned to its usual calm.

Li Mianyu no longer responded and turned inside, plopping down on a straw mat.

Yan Shi silently turned as well and went to his horse to take down a water bag.

It had been left by the previous owner of the black horse and was still full.

He squatted down and handed it to Li Mianyu.

“Who knows who’s drunk from this. Why would I drink someone else’s saliva? I won’t.”

Li Mianyu frowned and turned her head away.

Besides, she worried about having to change clothes frequently.

Yan Shi glanced at her and said nothing more.

He untied the water bag, poured some water into his mouth, then took out a few corn cakes to roast.

When he handed the roasted cakes to Li Mianyu, she didn’t refuse but continued to ignore him, nibbling quietly.

Li Mianyu was sulking.

She was angry that her Dark Guard’s stern face didn’t take her seriously.

It was just a stick!

She said nothing, and Yan Shi even less so.

The two were enveloped in silence.

Around noon, the rain finally stopped, though the sky remained gray.

Yan Shi looked outside, then back at Li Mianyu, who still had her cheeks puffed out in displeasure.

He said softly, “Princess, we will leave once the sun is out.”

Li Mianyu had only been angry for a moment before falling into a slump.

She felt she no longer had the dignity of a princess, which was why Yan Shi dared refuse her touching his stick.

Hearing his words, she only nodded weakly, unwilling to linger here.

Li Mianyu had been spoiled since childhood, always wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Whatever she felt showed plainly on her face—easy to read.

Yan Shi glanced at her, lowered his head thoughtfully, his ears reddening, then turned away without saying a word.

The heavy clouds soon dispersed, sunlight warmed the earth, and after more than half an hour, the water receded somewhat.

Yan Shi approached the horse and rummaged through a bundle on its back.

Unexpectedly, he found some paper.

After a moment’s thought, he took out a few sheets and handed them to Li Mianyu.

Li Mianyu looked at him in confusion.

Yan Shi led the horse toward the exit.

“Princess, we should go.”

Without waiting for her to reply, he walked outside, a few steps from the door.

Li Mianyu paused on the straw mat, looked down at the papers in her hands, and blushed deeper as she understood his meaning.

She glanced around the broken temple.

When she stepped outside again, her face was still red but she resolutely extended both hands to Yan Shi.

Yan Shi silently took the water bag and offered it for her to wash her hands.

Li Mianyu looked up at the youth’s lowered lashes, finally deciding that a princess should not hold a grudge against her Dark Guard.

Her tone was natural.

“Shall we go now?”

Yan Shi breathed a sigh of relief at her initiative, nodded, and looked up at her with dark eyes.

“Now.”

Without waiting for her, he picked her up and mounted the horse.

Li Mianyu hurried to steady herself.

As Yan Shi raised the whip, mud splattered.

The Zhao King had colluded with foreign enemies to stage a palace coup but was killed inside the palace.

The Northern Di Royal Family seized the Imperial Capital, leaving countless dead and wounded.

Many aristocratic families defected.

These rumors spread quickly.

How could the people of Great Zhou submit to such a savage foreign enemy?

The various regional Commanders and princes began recruiting troops, vowing to drive out the invaders and avenge the Great Zhou royal family.

Heavy rains in recent days caused rare Flood Disasters in many places, swelling the number of refugees.

Scholars and literati wrote manifestos condemning the traitorous aristocrats and officials who sided with the enemy, railing against the Northern Di Royal Family occupying the capital.

Naturally, the Northern Di gathered troops, guarding the capital fiercely while dispatching reinforcements from the border, seeking to conquer the regions with their momentum.

Because of this relentless storm and the Great Zhou dynasty’s collapse, Li Mianyu and Yan Shi’s escape from the capital was gradually accompanied by many refugees.

She listened to the news Yan Shi had gathered.

None brought good tidings.

Being a Great Zhou princess witnessing her shattered land, her spirits remained low.

One day, the heat was oppressive as they traveled mountain paths.

At dusk, they rested beside a mountain stream.

Yan Shi went to fetch water while Li Mianyu sat under a tree.

“小玉, you and your brother are very close. I saw how he took care of you on the way, even letting you pick the wild chicken first,” a woman’s voice said with emotion nearby.

Li Mianyu, worried for Imperial Grandfather and having not heard any news of him, had many times wanted Yan Shi to take her in search of him.

Her thoughts snapped back at the sound.

She instinctively looked ahead toward the stream.

Yan Shi, sleeves rolled up, squatted at the upper reaches of the stream, washing the water bag and refilling it.

Li Mianyu was pleased. He was not her brother, but her Dark Guard.

Fine, she thought. She’d grant him a little face and nodded proudly.

“Not bad.”

“You don’t know my boy. He never lets his sister do things herself. Now he’s somewhere unknown. He said at the time to have them return to the old home.”

The woman speaking was Chen Xiue, a refugee who had fled from a countryside estate on the outskirts of the capital with her husband.

They were tenant farmers for a wealthy household that had fallen into ruin.

They had been traveling back to their hometown when they were caught by a landslide and rescued by Yan Shi, traveling together for a day.

Her voice was tinged with sadness, her eyes red.

Li Mianyu, who hated to see others cry, felt helpless.

She hurriedly handed Chen Xiue some plums picked by Yan Shi.

Chen Xiue’s eyes were still red, but upon receiving the fruit, she smiled and refused at first.

“Your brother picked these just for you. They all look so red and ripe. Surely he picked only the best.”

Li Mianyu insisted.

“Eat them. He’ll pick more for me.”

Chen Xiue held the fruit, looking at Li Mianyu’s delicate and exquisite appearance, making one feel happy just to see her.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Where are you and your brother going?”

Li Mianyu didn’t know.

Once outside the capital, she was completely lost.

After leaving the city, there were natural disasters.

Following Imperial Grandfather’s instructions, Yan Shi had been choosing safe paths for over half a month, avoiding cities and large groups of refugees, though a few stragglers still walked along.

Since she had burned her palace clothes, the pursuers hadn’t come—nor had Cui Yunqi appeared to seek her.

She hesitated, then said, “My brother and I…our family has suffered disaster. We don’t know where to go.”

Chen Xiue, observing their beauty and bearing, guessed them to be fallen noble youths from the capital.

She warmly suggested, “Then why not come with me back to my hometown? It’s a small mountain village in Longxi, surrounded by mountains and water. We can be self-sufficient there.”

Li Mianyu found the idea appealing and was already thinking of agreeing, but on the surface, she still said, “I need to ask my brother.”

Chen Xiue nodded naturally but then looked around the forest gloomily.

“With these disasters, I hear wild beasts come down hungry at night. I wonder if it will be dangerous for us to spend the night here.”

Li Mianyu, feeling a little shy, said, “No need to worry. My brother is very capable. With him here, no beast dares come near…”

Chen Xiue looked toward the thin youth slowly walking nearby, then at two burly men fishing.

She naturally didn’t believe Li Mianyu’s words and smiled.

“Your brother is so slim and unarmed. If anything happens, come hide with me. My husband carries an Iron Shovel and is as strong as an ox. He can protect us.”

Li Mianyu frowned, unable to hear such words, and quickly said, “My brother has weapons too. The belt at his waist is actually a Soft Sword. He also has a stick. Two weapons—he can fight off ten men alone.”

Yan Shi returned, carrying fish.