novelSusiti Chapter 26 The Eve
Chapter 26 The Eve
It was very quiet inside the tent.
The flame of the oil lamp remained motionless, pressed against the wick.
Shen Anning stood in front of the desk, her hands tucked into her sleeves, without moving.
Shen Bai sat behind the desk, waiting for her to speak.
There's something I need to tell you.
Shen Anning said.
Her voice was very soft, as if it came from a very far place.
"Shen Bai, I have something I want to tell you."
Shen Bai looked at her.
Shen Anning's lips moved. She pulled her hand out of her sleeve, then pulled it back in. She did this twice.
Just then—
The curtain was lifted.
Iron Shield stood at the door, his expression strange.
"Someone is looking for you."
He said.
"Who?"
"Chen Yue's men."
Shen Bai's brow twitched. He stood up and glanced at Shen Anning.
"Wait a moment."
Shen Anning remained silent.
She tucked her hands back into her sleeves, took a step back, and stood in the corner.
---
The newcomer was a middle-aged man. He was thin, with little expression on his face, and stood outside the tent like a tree growing in the ground.
Shen Bai recognized him.
I came here once before, and it was the same person.
"What did your parents say?"
The visitor clasped his hands in greeting but did not perform a formal bow.
"Lord Chen asked me to pass on a message."
His voice was very low.
"It was Chen Tingyu who promoted you."
Shen Bai didn't move.
"You're being transferred to Nanzhao, not by the imperial court."
The newcomer raised his head and looked into Shen Bai's eyes.
"It's the Cui family."
Shen Bai clenched his fist inside his sleeve.
"Lord Chen said that the Cui family moved very quickly this time. The transfer order has already been filed in the Ministry of War and will be submitted to the Section of War tomorrow."
He paused for a moment.
"The day after tomorrow, you will be an official appointed by the imperial court. If you try to disobey orders then, it will be a crime."
Shen Bai remained silent.
The person spoke again, but in an even lower voice:
"Lord Chen also said that this is all he can do for you. He has no connections in Nanzhao. If you go there, it will be like a lamb entering a tiger's den."
His eyes were fixed on Shen Bai, devoid of any expression.
"Lord Chen asked me to ask you a question."
"What?"
"What are you planning to do?"
Shen Bai stood there, the wind blowing from the camp, ruffling the hem of his clothes.
He didn't answer immediately.
He turned around and glanced in the direction of the tent.
The curtains were drawn. Those inside couldn't see what was happening outside, but they could hear voices outside.
He turned back.
"understood."
He said.
"Please thank your parents for me."
The person who came looked at him but didn't move.
"That's all?"
That's all.
The person clasped his hands in a fist salute, then turned and left.
The footsteps were very light, landing on the ground like a cat's paws.
Shen Bai stood there, watching the man's figure disappear between the tents.
It was already getting dark.
---
He went back into the tent.
Shen Anning was still standing in the corner, her hands tucked into her sleeves, in the exact same posture as before.
Iron Shield stood at the doorway, leaning against the tent flap, without saying a word.
Shen Bai went inside and sat down behind the desk.
"Speak."
He looked at Shen Anning.
Shen Anning did not move.
Her eyes were fixed on Shen Bai's chest, on the wrinkles in his clothes, and on a distant place.
"You found out?"
She asked.
"understood."
"The transfer order is a matter for the Cui family."
"understood."
Shen Anning remained silent for a moment.
Her lips moved again. It was as if something was stuck in her throat, wanting to come out, but then being blocked back by something else.
Shen Bai looked at her.
Lin Yu stood by the tent, leaning against the pole, arms crossed. He looked at Shen Anning, then at Shen Bai, and frowned slightly.
His mouth opened.
But he didn't say anything.
The tent was quiet. Iron Shield's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, motionless.
Shen Anning stood there for a long time.
Then she pulled her hand out of her sleeve.
There was an old scar on her wrist. It peeked out from the edge of her sleeve, a lighter color than the surrounding skin, as if it had been there a long time ago.
Shen Bai saw it.
She didn't cover it up.
She reached out and pushed a package on the table in front of Shen Bai.
"This is this month's medication."
she says.
The sound was flat, unlike before. It was as if something had been forcibly pushed back in.
"The mystic stone suppresses the flow patterns and can last for seven days. This pack should last you a month."
She took a step back.
"Enough for the journey."
She turned around and walked towards the tent flap.
She stopped halfway through her journey.
"My father escaped from the Nanzhao Kingdom."
Her voice was very soft.
"He lived for twenty years. He didn't live past his fortieth."
The curtain moved slightly.
She went out.
Shen Bai sat behind the desk, looking at the packet of medicine.
He slowly reached out and picked up the medicine packet. The paper packet was very light, and something inside was rattling.
He tucked it into his arms.
Lin Yu was still standing by the tent, arms crossed. He looked at Shen Bai's profile, and his lips moved again.
But he didn't say anything.
He turned around and went out.
---
Iron Shield didn't leave.
He leaned against the tent flap, his hand on the hilt of his sword, looking at Shen Bai.
Shen Bai raised his head.
"What's wrong?"
Iron Shield didn't answer immediately. He stood there for a while, as if thinking about how to bring it up.
"Where to?"
he asks.
"Nanzhao".
"How far?"
"It's very far."
"Will I be able to come back alive?"
Shen Bai did not answer.
He looked down at his hands.
There's a black mark on the tip of my right index and middle fingers, like a burn mark.
He tucked his hands into his sleeves.
"have no idea."
He said.
Iron Shield stood there, watching him.
His left shoulder twitched, as if he wanted to lift it, but didn't. His left arm hung at his side, lower than his right arm.
He turned around, lifted the curtain, and went outside.
He paused at the doorway.
"I couldn't make it when your brother left."
His voice was flat.
"I'll go with you this time."
The curtains were drawn down.
---
Its daybreak.
In the center of the camp, dozens of people stood in a row.
Shen Bai stood in front, Tie Dun stood beside him, and Lao Gui stood on the other side. Lin Yu leaned against the tent pole, arms crossed, and remained silent.
Shen Bai looked at them.
"The transfer order has arrived."
He said.
"We're leaving the day after tomorrow. Our destination is the border between Southern Liang and Nanzhao."
No one spoke.
A gust of wind blew in from outside the camp gate, raising a bit of dust.
There's a war going on over there.
Shen Bai said again.
"I don't know if I'll come back alive."
He paused for a moment.
His gaze swept across the faces. Each person's expression was different. Some were nervous, some were afraid, and some didn't care at all.
"This time it's not mandatory."
He said.
"Who doesn't want to go? Say so now. Quit."
Nobody moved.
In the crowd, an old soldier's lips moved. He wanted to take a step forward, but the person next to him held him back.
The man's hand was very tight.
The veteran didn't move.
Shen Bai looked at them.
"You can think about it all night. Give me an answer tomorrow morning. If you want to leave, we won't pursue it; you won't be considered a deserter."
He turned around and walked towards the tent.
He took two steps, then stopped and looked back.
Still no one moved.
Iron Shield stood still, his left shoulder slumped. Old Ghost stood beside him, his face expressionless. Lin Yu was still leaning against the tent pole, watching Shen Bai's back.
Shen Bai didn't say anything more.
He entered the tent, and the tent flap fell down.
He stood in front of the desk, his back to the light.
Slowly clench your right fist.
A tingling sensation spread through his fingertips, starting from his index and middle fingers and moving upwards along the back of his hand. He looked down at his hand.
The dark spots have spread a little more.
He tucked his hands into his sleeves, untied the medicine packet, and took out a small piece of black stone. It was gray and cool, and felt like holding a piece of ice in his palm.
He didn't eat.
He put it back.
(End of Chapter Twenty-Six)