Luo Wei’s speech had just ended when the sound of war drums began to reverberate like thunder beneath the gates. The Northern Yan army had begun their attack on the city.
Wei Lan stepped up and shielded Luo Wei begins him, “Young master, perhaps you should get inside first.”
“There’s no need,” Luo Wei smiled at the generals present, “I leave the fate of the city in all of your capable hands.”
The battlefield was a slaughter, corpses were strewn across the wilderness and blood ran like rivers.
Luo Wei stood aside in silence. He’d already altered the course of so many things in his second chance at life. If he lost his life today at Ye Jie, it would be a death with no regrets.
“Young master!” Wei Lan guarded Luo Wei begins him, terrified that the hail of arrows from below the walls would hurt Luo Wei.
“I’m sorry,” Luo Wei said unexpectedly.
Wei Lan froze for a moment, then turned to look at Luo Wei.
Luo Wei was watching him too, “I’ve pulled you into this.”
Wei Lan stared at Luo Wei for a long while before he spoke, “No harm will come to you, Young master!”
Luo Wei replied, “I only wish no harm will come to you.”
Wei Lan lifted the saber in his hand and two halves of an arrow fell at their feet, broken, “Wei Lan’s life has always been cheap. Don’t worry, Young Master. I’ll make sure you’re safe even if I have to die fighting.”
“How can human lives be spoken of in terms of valuable and cheap?” Luo Wei chuckled lightly behind Wei Lan, “Perhaps it’d be better if we died together, the two of us. At least we won’t be lonely on our journey to the underworld.”
The blizzard grew ever more vicious, making it almost impossible to keep one’s eyes open.
But Wei Lan felt warm inside. With the person behind him, the trip to the land of spirits could never be a lonely one.
Luo Wei watched Wei Lan as the man shielded him, but his chest was caving in with guilt. If they don’t make it past this, wouldn’t he be the one to put Wei Lan to death?
The Northern Yan army besieged the city for an entire night. It wasn’t until daybreak that their trumpets sounded, and the soldiers retreated.
“Young master,” Wei Lan’s clothes were stained with blood all over. He jogged to Luo Wei and asked, “Are you hurt?”
Luo Wei shook his head, “How about you? Were you injured?” This person was actually more concerned about him.
“No.” Wei Lan put a little distance between himself and Luo Wei, afraid that the rotten stench of blood would disgust him.
“Aren’t you wounded here?” But Luo Wei just so happened to to see a wound on Wei Lan’s left thigh, deep enough that the skin curled outward around the slash, “Doesn’t it hurt?” He quickly reached out to steady Wei Lan.
“Young master, I’m dirty,” Wei Lan stepped aside, “It’ll be fine. I’ll go and find a doctor to bandage it up.”
“Young master,” At this point, all of the officers and generals who weren’t hurt gathered around.
“Everyone, I must offer my deepest gratitude in advance for all the hard work and extra effort you’re putting into this battle,” Luo Wei said to everyone present, “I’m only well versed in books and letters, and not very experienced in the defense of a city.” Luo Wei said as he put his hands together and paid respects to everyone individually.
All of them quickly moved, each avoiding Luo Wei’s respects. The propriety and gratitude from a disciple of the emperor was not something they could afford to receive.
“The third young master should not worry,” Xu Chuan, One of Luo Qi’s confidants and close generals said to Luo Wei, “So long as we’re alive for another day, we’ll defend this city for another day!”
“Excellent,” Luo Wei was still calm at this point, “I’ll be under the city walls, if there’s anything anyone needs, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Perhaps the third young master should go and rest,” Xu Chuan said, “We can guard things around here.”
“The storm is harsh,” Luo Wei said, “I couldn’t hope to fight, but with all of you here risking your lives in the snow, how could I go and wait in a warm room?”
They didn’t say anything more, but all of them saluted to Luo Wei. Even though this third young master of the Luo family was still young, but he had the style and grace of his elder brother. Even if it was just for their commander, Luo Qi, they’d make sure that Luo Wei was safe.
At the base of the city wall, near a makeshift fire, Luo Wei was carefully bandaging Wei Lan’s wounds.
“Has the young master learned medicine as well?” Wei Lan asked.
Luo Wei smiled bitterly, “I’ve read a few books on it.” In his past life, if he didn’t know how to take care of himself, how could he have survived all those years?
Wei Lan noticed a drop of cast off blood at the corner of Luo Wei’s mouth, and automatically reached over to wipe it. It was only when his finger touched Luo Wei’s lips that he’d realized what he was doing, and quickly pulled his hand away, embarrassed as he looked at Luo Wei.
But all Luo Wei did was smile back as he leaned his head on Wei Lan’s shoulder, saying, “It’s freezing today, Lan.”
Wei Lan pulled his fur cape over the both of them, wrapping the two of them up together, “Is this better?”
“Much better.”
In the wind and the snow, the two of them huddled and leaned on one another, listening to each other’s heartbeat, and slowly fell asleep.