Tan Hua - Chapter 94: You Are My Luck

Chapter 94: You Are My Luck

“Don’t let that dog, Jun Qi Yu, escape!”

Xiao Taizi was entirely focused on killing Jun Qi Yu. He couldn’t let him escape so easily. With a command, his many soldiers surged forward, encircling them.

If it weren’t for Jun Qi Yu’s incredible strength, even his exceptional martial skills wouldn’t save him from dying under the chaos of swords.

Despite Jun Qi Yu’s ferocity, he was still flesh and blood, and there would come a time when he would run out of strength. Song Liqing could feel his movements slowing, and the occasional splatter of blood painted the barren land. He couldn’t count how many people Jun Qi Yu had killed.

Qi Miao held a sword in his right hand and supported Old Qi with his left, struggling to follow behind Jun Qi Yu and Song Liqing.

They fled eastward, finally reaching a river.

Though the river wasn’t wide, only about four zhang (around 12 meters), the snowmelt made the water churn fiercely, enough to easily drag even an elephant into the muddy depths.

“This… it’s a dead-end!”

Qi Miao gazed at the dark, frothing river and felt a sense of despair. He was a scholar, and reaching this point had already been his limit. Old Qi, even more frail, was struggling to breathe, unable to speak.

Song Liqing looked around, but in the darkness, it was difficult to find another route.

“This place is…”

“It’s the Withered Wood River.”

Jun Qi Yu knew the geography of the Western Regions like the back of his hand. The rivers in this vast land were rare, and he could easily guess their location from memory.

The sound of the pursuing soldiers was growing closer.

Song Liqing asked anxiously, “Jun Qi Yu, which way do we go?”

“Water is scarce in the Western Regions. Along this river, many herders live, and they must have a bridge for crossing. Liqing, you pick a direction.”

Song Liqing had no idea which direction had a bridge.

“I don’t know, this…”

Jun Qi Yu glanced back briefly. “It’s fine, I trust you. As long as you’re by my side, my luck will never be bad.”

They didn’t have time to hesitate. Song Liqing picked a direction based on instinct.

“Downstream.”

“Alright, we’ll go with you.”

Jun Qi Yu followed the river downstream, while Song Liqing carefully guided him, avoiding obstacles.

“Jun Qi Yu, I can’t see clearly… They seem to be catching up.”

Unless it was a full moon, the desert nights were always pitch black. Song Liqing, unfamiliar with this barren land, found it difficult to direct Jun Qi Yu.

The lights of the pursuers grew nearer, and Jun Qi Yu quickened his pace, but Old Qi couldn’t keep up and stumbled.

Song Liqing looked back, and Jun Qi Yu paused as well.

“Old Qi…”

“Your Highness… you should go on ahead, don’t worry about me.”

Old Qi’s voice was hoarse, and he could barely catch his breath after speaking.

“Father, don’t worry, I won’t abandon you.”

Qi Miao gritted his teeth and reluctantly carried Old Qi on his back, barely keeping up with Jun Qi Yu’s pace.

“A bridge!”

Song Liqing exclaimed in joy, and the group felt energized.

However, when they got closer, they realized it wasn’t a bridge, but a Poplar tree lying across the river.

Poplar trees were said to live for three thousand years without dying, to not fall for three thousand years after dying, and to not rot for three thousand years after falling. This Poplar tree lay across the river, half submerged, but its trunk was still solid and firm.

“I told you, you’re my luck, Liqing,” Jun Qi Yu said lightly.

This Poplar tree was only a few hundred meters away. If they had gone upstream, it would have taken much longer to find a bridge.

Song Liqing directed Jun Qi Yu to step onto the Poplar, but though it was sturdy, it was a curved single-log bridge. Jun Qi Yu moved steadily across, but Qi Miao, carrying someone, struggled to maintain balance. When he stepped on, the bridge wobbled, and he almost fell.

Song Liqing was startled and warned, “Qi Miao, be careful!”

Sweat poured down Qi Miao’s forehead, but he took a deep breath and tried again.

“Miao’er, let me down.”

Old Qi suddenly spoke.

“Father…”

“Let me down!”

With a stern command, Qi Miao had no choice but to set him down.

Old Qi sat down at the end of the log bridge.

“You go on ahead.”

“Father!” Qi Miao urgently pleaded, “There’s a way out ahead, the territory of Jingguo is close! You can’t give up now!”

Old Qi remained calm and said softly, “The Crown Prince and Princess cannot die here. You still have a chance to help them, and it’s not in vain that you left the scholarly path to study medicine all these years. But my old body is just a burden.”

“But how can I abandon you as your son?!” Qi Miao exclaimed.

“This is a choice!”

Old Qi shouted, and slapped Qi Miao hard across the face.

“The country, the monarch, the teacher—how could a minister not die for his lord? My Qi family has served for generations! With our noble lineage, why fear death? Stop babbling!”

Qi Miao opened his mouth, his eyes reddening, but he didn’t retort.

Old Qi softened and gently touched his hair.

“Miao’er, our family has been single-handed for three generations. You must live, do you understand? You will bear more responsibility, but don’t burden yourself too much. As long as you’re true to the heavens and your heart, that will be enough.”

Tears rolled down Qi Miao’s face as he nodded, but remained silent.

Jun Qi Yu turned back.

“Old Qi,” he said earnestly, “When I was younger, I didn’t understand, and I caused trouble for your family. But rest assured, as long as I’m here, the Qi family’s reputation will not fall.”

“With such a promise from His Highness, how could I not be at ease? Thank you, Your Highness,” Old Qi waved, “Hurry and leave, the enemy is coming.”

Jun Qi Yu nodded slightly, then moved towards the other end of the log bridge.

Qi Miao dared not delay any longer. But just as he reached halfway across, Xiao Taizi and his soldiers appeared over the sand dunes, catching up.

“Hahaha, Jun Qi Yu, you really can run…”

Xiao Taizi saw only the single log bridge across the river and immediately ordered his men to abandon their horses and cross the river to pursue.

But as they reached the bridge, they saw Old Qi lying across the Poplar, seemingly trying to block the way.

“Hahaha, old man, aren’t you afraid of death?”

Old Qi spat.

“I’m a scholar, but even a scholar can be fearless and die for the country, just as any loyal man would!”

“A loyal man, yes, but you should be loyal to the right person. I, Xiao Taizi, am the legitimate royal heir.”

Xiao Taizi showed a cruel smile, then raised his foot and stomped down on Old Qi.

“Father!”

Qi Miao’s eyes widened in fury.

Though humiliated, Old Qi clung to the Poplar, refusing to let go.

“Your Highness! Cut the bridge! Cut it down!”

Old Qi shouted. Upon hearing this, Xiao Taizi’s expression changed.

Author’s note:

It’s late, goodnight~