Chapter 010: Private Conversation on a Snowy Night

Daphne felt quite pleased upon hearing this and smiled at him

The campfire crackles, the moonlight outside the cave is just right, and the howl of wolves cuts through the vast sky

This is the first gentle and friendly smile since the two people became acquainted

The next morning, everyone hastily had their meal and set off on their journey. It was unclear what instructions Cui Jingyu had given Wei Jiayin the previous night, but today Wei Jiayin was particularly quiet and obedient, closely following Cui Jingyu without leaving his side. Whenever Dan Fei approached, she would cast a wary and hostile glance in her direction. Dan Fei had no interest in putting on a show of jealousy and kept her distance from the two.

I ... ...

Oh, Dan Fei scratched his head, "This... actually, Duan Ningjiang she..."

On this night, a group of people took shelter at the village chief's home

At this moment, further words are of no use. "Such a great humiliation, the Tang Dynasty will surely seek retribution!" Cui Jingyu fiercely chopped off a piece of wood.

If we act quickly, we can descend the mountain before dark tomorrow" Danfei was whittling a wooden stick

Cui Jingyu truly has no way to refute this, "Then how did you come to work for the Liu family?"

Dan Fei nodded slightly, and his gaze softened a bit, "If General Sha Zha had been able to uphold his loyalty and righteousness back then..."

How do you know

"Afei!" Liu Yujin screamed in horror

Liu Yujin leaned close to Danfei's ear and whispered, "I really find her annoying. Why don't we expose her?"

All of this made Danfei feel nostalgic. When she closed her eyes, she could imagine herself hunting in the mountains with her father. The father and daughter would spend the night in a cave. She would fall asleep by the campfire, and when she woke up in the middle of the night, she would always see her father sitting at the cave entrance, watching over her

Dan Fei looked over. Cui Jingyu immediately ceased her smile and strode forward.

The shopkeeper hurriedly pointed the way

In the quiet of the dark night, the figure of her father stands like a majestic mountain, shielding her from all storms and rain

In the hazy vision, the figure of Cui Jingyu sitting at the entrance of the cave appeared to grow tall.

She has always regarded him as a heartless and carefree young man. However, he is capable of breaking through the city to fight against the enemy, able to assist the common people, and can turn red-eyed for the sake of his country, even at the cost of his family, which shows that he is still a man of passion and integrity

The bonfire blazed brightly in the cave, warming the surrounding space. Everyone sat around the fire, sharing the horse meat. A helmet was placed over the fire, containing a pot of meat soup. Fortunately, Danfei had brought salt. Otherwise, the horse meat, being coarse and not bled properly, would have been very gamey even when roasted, making it quite unpleasant for Danfei herself to eat.

Is it because of height? Is it because of rude behavior? Is it because the voice is somewhat hoarse?

Cui Jingyu had a blank expression, with two blue veins bulging on his forehead. Wei Jiayin clung to him, sobbing softly. Cui Jingyu found it awkward whether to push her away or to hold her, feeling extremely embarrassed.

Two years ago, the Turks came to raid, intending to massacre the village and plunder the merchant convoy. My father led the militia to drive them away, but he was severely injured and did not survive. My mother had some familial ties with Madam Liu, and Lord Liu, grateful for my father's rescue of the merchant convoy, took my mother and me in as relatives.

Dan Fei forced herself to open her eyes, pointed weakly at the bundle containing Duan Ningjiang's ashes, and then fell completely unconscious

Danfei chuckled with glee a couple of times, then returned to her bunk and buried her head in sleep

Think carefully before you speak. Danfei glared at her fiercely, saying, You only have one nose for me to cut off

Wei Jiayin was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she shrank behind Cui Jingyu.

Danfei's nose tinged with acidity, tears silently rolled down.

Dan Fei shook her head, "Without any witnesses or evidence, she will just roll around and make a scene, claiming that I wronged her. I can't be bothered to argue with her. Moreover, if Duan Ningjiang was truly harmed by her, can you guarantee that she won't come back to harm us again"

I believe it will not be long. Although the Turks are advancing aggressively, it is currently winter, and if they wish to defend the city, they lack provisions. They have plundered the city completely, and the horse farms in the three regions have also been raided. With so many goods in their possession, the best strategy for them is to retreat beyond the pass before the Tang Dynasty sends out another army

"It’s nothing," Danfei said softly, wiping her tears. "Tigers have lived in this cave before. The tiger droppings have been swept outside. The wolves will not come near, having caught the scent."

She weaves through the forest, light and agile, free and unrestrained, like a mountain spirit

Where can a doctor be found

Noticing Danfei's gaze, Cui Jingyu also looked over and asked, "How much longer until we can cross the mountain?"

When her father passed away, she still had her mother to rely on. However, when her mother suddenly left this world as well, she became a complete orphan. Even though she is surrounded by many people at this moment, with the warmth of the bonfire, she still feels extremely lonely and helpless, her heart shrouded in coldness

After a whole day of toil, everyone was utterly exhausted. After having their meal, Danfei instructed everyone to lay pine needles on the ground. The women settled inside while the men stood guard at the entrance, and thus they fell asleep.

It seemed that Dan Fei sensed the gaze of Cui Jingyu, so she raised her eyes to look at him

At this moment, Danfei also deeply realized that her mother was no longer in this world forever

After the meal, everyone rested for a moment before setting off again

Cui Jingyu frowned, felt Danfei's pulse, and then picked her up horizontally.

"How is Ajiang?" Cui Jingyu pressed for an answer

Cui Jingyu kicked the obstructing stool aside with a bang, took a swift step forward, and barely caught Danfei's fainting body in his arms.

Cui Jingyu sat against the cave wall, holding a dagger in one hand, gently stroking it. His gaze met Danfei's. Danfei clearly saw the sorrow in his eyes, and her heart was shaken.

Cui Jingyu observed the movements of her hands. The girl's fingers were long and steady, entirely different from the delicate and fragile hands of ordinary women, yet they did not appear rough; instead, they possessed a beauty of strength. She skillfully wielded a dagger, shaping a wooden stick into a spear. Watching her adept movements, it was clear that she handled this task with ease.

Cui Jingyu also took out a dagger and began to carve wood alongside Danfei

Dan Fei rubbed her temples and stood up while supporting herself on the table. Liu Yujin was bickering with Wei Jiayin, unable to win the argument, and in her frustration, she tugged at Dan Fei's sleeve, asking for her assistance

Dan Fei has always kept Duan Ningjiang's urn wrapped in a package. She is wary of Wei Jiayin and wants to find an opportunity to talk to Cui Jingyu, but Wei Jiayin is always by Cui Jingyu's side. To this day, Cui Jingyu is still unaware that his cousin has passed away, and the urn is in the hands of someone close to him.

Dan Fei glanced over at Cui Jingyu and said, "I am not familiar with that man either, so I cannot be certain how much he will trust us."

"This is my mother's ashes," Danfei said, "What? Is there something wrong?"

Apart from guiding the way, without Danfei, this group of people would truly be unable to find food in this snowy mountain range. However, the snowy mountains are devoid of birds and beasts, making it completely unclear how to find any prey.

Cui Jingyu stood in solemn respect, "Your father is indeed a hero!"

The howling of wolves grew closer. Cui Jingyu looked around anxiously

How could he mistake her for a man

The next day, everyone left the village chief's house and continued southward. By nightfall, they arrived at a bustling town. This place is a transportation hub, frequented by many travelers from the north and south, and it has also gathered a large number of refugees who cannot escape. Everyone was discussing the war in the Shaming era, filled with anxiety.

As the evening sky gradually darkened, they finally caught sight of the village below the mountain. They saw the curling smoke from cooking fires and the lights twinkling like stars, which was incredibly exhilarating

Wei Jiayin turned over. Dan Fei closed her mouth

It is Danfei, searching for the past based on the traces left in the snow, having dug a hole for snow hares, capturing plump wild rabbits for the winter. Alternatively, lying in wait behind the bushes to shoot wild chickens

"My father is a hunter," Danfei said, "I have been learning to ride and shoot with him since I was young, going into the mountains to hunt. Our hunting is not like that of you noble sons, with servants surrounding us, helping to retrieve arrows and knives. We go into the mountains with just two or three people, tracking the prey, setting traps, relying solely on our true skills"

Wei Jiayin was distracted, her gaze fixed on the package beside Danfei.

Cui Jingyu silently watched as Dan Fei drew the bowstring, releasing two arrows in quick succession, bringing down two fleeing wild chickens. He couldn't help but smile faintly

Due to the great mountains in between, the Turks have not launched an attack here, so the common people continue their lives as usual. However, the villagers have heard about the turmoil in the north, and they are not surprised to see Danfei and the others; they are just somewhat worried, concerned that the Turks might cross the mountains.

Is there a jar in here

By the way, Cui Jingyu recalled something, "Today at the restaurant, you mentioned that I was still here. Did you come specifically to find me?"

Danfei was completely unconscious, her head tilted back weakly, revealing her long and slender neck

The only good news is that the Turks retreated to the steppe with their spoils and did not continue their southward invasion

Wei Jiayin hurriedly moved the bowl aside, saying, "How can one ... ... "

Ah! Wei Jiayin suddenly exclaimed, scrambling up and throwing herself into Cui Jingyu's arms, "Yulang, I am so scared! I dreamt that those Turkic people came again!"

In the middle of the night, the campfire had weakened somewhat. Danfei instinctively got up and added a handful of firewood.

How long do you think this battle will last

Danfei waved her hand impatiently, took a step forward, and suddenly felt a dizzying sensation, before collapsing to the ground.