The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 437 : Retreat

When Yuxi entered the room, she was surprised to see the sharp arrow still in Zijin’s arm and asked, “Why hasn’t the arrow been pulled out yet?”

Master Yang explained, “This is a barbed arrow. It can’t be pulled out. It can only be released smoothly by pushing it through.” The reason Zijin had just screamed was that Master Yang had pushed the arrow forward after grabbing its handle, causing it to pierce Zijin’s arm.

Yuxi understood as soon as she heard the explanation but frowned when she suddenly saw the sharp, cold arrow on Ziji’s arm. “This arrow looks like it’s made of fine iron. It won’t be easy to break it.” After passing through Zijin’s arm, the arrow’s spine would have to be cut off before the rest of the shaft could be pulled out.

Image Credit | Master Of Arrow (How to Choose an Arrow | A Complete Guide, Oct 11th, 2021)

When Zijin heard this, she felt like crying. She cursed all eighteen generations of the archer’s ancestors in her heart. She was just a lowly little soldier, yet she had to suffer such a vicious attack.

Master Yang looked at Zijin and said, “My broadsword can cut it off.”

After Master Yang cut off the arrow’s spine with his broadsword, all that remained was to take out the rest. Instead of doing it right away, Master Yang first asked Yuxi for some medicinal herbs, then pounded them well before starting the rest of the process. Master Yang grabbed the barbed arrow and pulled it out with all his might. As soon as the arrow came out, blood immediately gushed out.

Although Master Yang was in his fifties, his hands and feet were still very agile. He quickly stopped the bleeding and applied the crushed medicine to her wound. Only then did he bandage it with gauze.

When Master Yang had tended to Zijin’s injury, Yuxi walked over and looked at the sickly Zijin and asked softly, “Can you still hold on?”

Zijin answered weakly, “Madam, I’m hungry. Could you please ask Mama Bai to get me some food?” She was now sore, sleepy and hungry, which made her feel terrible.

Seeing this scene, Yu Zhi quickly said, “Madam, Zijin has not slept for three days and three nights. Please let her rest after eating!” The half a shichen[1] of sleep she had last night was insignificant.

After hearing this, Yuxi said to Mama Qu, standing by, “Hurry up and help her inside. Then she told Zijin, “You should sleep after eating.” No wonder Zijin’s eyes were red. It was because she hadn’t slept for three days, and Yuxi had thought it was because she was in pain.

Zijin had no objection, of course. If she went to the city platform to kill the enemy again in her current state, her master would knock her unconscious.

Master Yang said to Yuxi, “Yu Zhi has me here. You can go back now.” He could say that the maid acted just like her master. Even when she was heavily pregnant, this Han girl never stopped doing this and that. He would be dreaming if he ever saw Zijin become more peaceful and well-behaved than Yuxi.

Yuxi didn’t delay Yu Zhi’s treatment either, saying, “I’ll ask Tian Ju to stay. If Master Yang needs anything, just send Tian Ju to tell me.”

Master Yang grunted in acceptance and said, “They’ve lost too much blood. You should give them something to nourish their blood and qi[2].” If they didn’t eat well, their wounds would heal much slower.

Yuxi readily agreed. The tonic herbs she had prepared for the soldiers were almost gone, but there were still a few in her hand. Of course, Yuxi had reserved these for her own personal use.

After Yuxi left, Master Yang prepared another medicine for Yu Zhi, and after applying the first-class medicine to him, he asked, “How did Zijin get hit by a barbed arrow? This kind of arrow is only used by the best archers in the army. It was not surprising that Zijin was hit by an arrow, but it was strange that she was hit by a barbed arrowhead. Whoever could alert the archers and get them to act must be an officer of the rank of General or above. He was surprised that Zijin, a small soldier, could alert the enemy’s best archer.

Yu Zhi told Master Yang what had happened. “Perhaps Zijin was targeted because she was too heroic in killing the enemy.” After a pause, Yu Zhi continued, “Master, Zijin killed no less than four hundred northern barbarians this time.”

Master Yang’s hand paused for a moment, then asked Yu Zhi, “What about you? How many have you killed?”

Yu Zhi said with some embarrassment, “It should be three hundred.” Killing more than three hundred northern barbarians in four days was quite remarkable. However, compared to Zijin’s number, it was still a bit short.

Master Yang thought about it and said, “You deserve to join the army company for killing over seven hundred enemies.

Yu Zhi let out an erratic cry and asked, “Master, what do you mean by that? What army company?” This didn’t feel right!

Master Yang said, “You are like a stump of an elm tree[3]. Zijin is a woman. Even if she kills more enemies, she will never be rewarded. In that case, I’ll let you take all the credit. You’re her fiancé anyway, so it won’t make any difference if I give it all to you.

When Yu Zhi heard this, he argued loudly, “Master, I don’t want to serve in the army. There was no freedom in being a soldier, he had to go to war all the time, and his life was always in danger. So he didn’t want to be one!

Master Yang slapped Yu Zhi’s head and scolded, “You two almost got killed. Why don’t you take what you deserve?”

Yu Zhi was stunned. “Master, when you become a soldier, you must go to war. When you’re on the battlefield, you might lose your life. Master, if something happens to me, who will take care of you when you get older and give you a proper burial when you die?” After a pause, Yu Zhi added, “Master, you didn’t let us go to war before. What made you change your mind after these few days?” Yu Zhi was not an ambitious man. He just wanted to live a simple life. If Zijin had not wanted to go into battle this time, he wouldn’t have gone to the frontline.

Master Yang said grumpily, “Who told you had to go to war? You can still stay at the Yun residence even if you get an official position. “However, there would be an extra salary in the future.

Yu Zhi was astonished and asked, “Can I even do that?”

Master Yang grunted. “I’ll make it happen.” Two of his disciples had almost died; this meritorious service should never be discarded.

When Zijin returned to the courtyard, she was too sore to even hold her chopsticks. Yuxi wouldn’t let her eat dry food either and immediately asked Mama Bai to prepare a bowl of noodles with bone broth as the base.

While waiting for the noodles, Zijin looked at several parcels in the room and asked, “Madam, what are you packing?”

Yuxi didn’t hide it from Zijin, saying, “This is a precaution. Once the city is breached, we will hide in the secret passage.”

Seeing this, Zijin said, “Madam, the northern barbarians’ attack today is not as fierce as yesterday’s. I think they can’t hold out much longer and will retreat tomorrow at the latest.

Yuxi asked in surprise, “Really?”

Zijin replied with a smile, “When have I ever lied to you, Madam? You can ask Guard Xu to find out if you don’t believe me.”

Yuxi let out a long sigh of relief and said, “That’s good, that’s good.” Although she pretended to be okay, she was actually very worried. Once the city fell to the enemy, even hiding in the secret passageways would be extremely dangerous. After all, she was still pregnant! If she were discovered giving birth, she wouldn’t even be able to save her life.

Mama Bai brought in the noodles.

After Zijin had finished eating the bowl of noodles, she still looked at Yuxi eagerly and said, “Madam, I’m not full yet.” How could one bowl of noodles be enough?

Hearing this request, Yuxi told Mama Qu, “Please bring my bowl of bird’s nest congee here.” With that, she turned to Zijin. “You will go to sleep after eating the congee so you shouldn’t eat until full. I will ask Mama Bai to make pork baozi[4] for you to eat when you wake up.” Mama Bai had received authentic teachings on how to make baozi[4] from Mama Fang. Her big pork baozi[4] were particularly delicious and were Zijin’s favourite.

Zijin replied, grinning broadly, “OK.”

After eating about sixty per cent full, Zijin lay down and closed her eyes. Seeing that Zijin was finally asleep, Yuxi gently left the room and said to Mama Qu, “Tell Gan Cao[5] to keep an eye on Zijin. If anything happens to her, come and tell me immediately.” An injury was not just a matter of stopping the bleeding and dressing it up. You had to ensure the patients didn’t develop a fever after treatment as it would be dangerous for them.

Mama Qu nodded. “I’ll talk to Gan Cao[5] right away.” Gan Cao[5] was one of the two young maids that Yuxi had asked to stay at the residence, the other being Tian Ju.

The man Zijin had cursed eighteen generations of his ancestors was called Morigen, and he was the enemy’s best archer. Morigen advised Agu to retreat. “General Agu, the rations will only last until noon tomorrow. Our loss will be even more catastrophic if we don’t retreat.” By then, they had lost over 20,000 of their 130,000 troops in the gorge and another 50,000 here. Of course, if they had enough food, they could continue to attack Yu City and take its food. But they did not have enough grain to feed themselves now, and with the other side fighting bravely and showing no signs of weakening, they could only retreat.

Morigen’s status was rather special, as he was a member of the royal families of the northern barbarians. Otherwise, he would not have been qualified to enter Agu’s tent, let alone offer to withdraw.

Agu looked grim. According to his original estimate, Yu City could be breached in five days at most. But d*mn that Yun Qing for burning their provisions. The matter of siege could only fall through. Since he had failed to take revenge this time, he would be punished when he returned.

Vice General Orgele also suggested, “Great General, order the troops to withdraw!” Since it was impossible to break the city, not withdrawing the army would only cause more unnecessary casualties. Although there was still some food left, they had to save it for the road; it would be a ten-day journey back to the royal court from here!

Agu stood up grim-faced and gave the call to retreat.

The messenger ran down the platform at a gallop, shouting as he went: “The northern barbarians are retreating, the northern barbarians are retreating……”

Everyone cheered, whether on or off the platform.

Qin Zhao slumped in his chair when he heard that the northern barbarians had retreated. After days of anxiety, he was finally at peace. The city had been saved, so the previous unfavourable battle would be reprimanded by the court, but there would be no serious crime.

General Zhao also heaved a sigh of relief; they had less than 20,000 soldiers capable of fighting left and could only hold out for three more days at most. Now that the northern barbarians had retreated, the matter was finally over.

After taking a deep breath, Qin Zhao stood up. The barbarians had retreated, but there was still much to be done. For example, the bodies of the soldiers who died in battle must be buried, the wounded must be settled, and many other things must be taken care of.

Before Qin Zhao could walk out, a messenger ran in and shouted, “Great General, General Xia has been killed by two arrows.”

Qin Zhao’s complexion didn’t look good when he heard this report. Xia Hong had leaked military information to the enemy, and now that he had died in battle, Qin Zhao could not possibly settle accounts with a dead man. Therefore, he could only swallow this hidden loss.

Seeing Qin Zhao’s ugly face, General Zhao thought he was mourning the loss of one of his senior generals and said to Qin Zhao, “General Qin, let’s go over and have a look! It was best for them, who were expected to be wrapped in horsehide after death[6], to die fighting on the battlefield.

Qin Zhao endured the resentment inside him, nodded slightly and strode out.