The Innocent Heart - Chapter 49

As the sun dipped into the west and the first day of training drew to a close, Huo Qubing appeared far more energized and eager than Chen Zhi, who looked half-dead.

“A-Yao, are you hungry? The curfew hasn’t started yet; why don’t we go to the sheep market for some mutton soup?” Huo Qubing threw an arm over Guan Yueyao’s shoulder after packing up, making his suggestion with great enthusiasm.

“Sure! I happen to be hungry too!” Guan Yueyao agreed without hesitation.

Her mind was currently occupied entirely by thoughts of delicious mutton; she didn’t have any mental space left to think about “punishing” Chen Zhi.

The two were of one mind. Arm-in-arm, they walked toward the exit of the military camp. At this point, Huo Qubing’s height had not yet surpassed Guan Yueyao’s, making the gesture look a bit awkward as if he were hanging off her.

But Guan Yueyao didn’t mind. The two of them talked and laughed, walking with swaying steps as they left the camp.

Not having to live inside the barracks like ordinary soldiers was a privilege granted to them by Liu Che. After all, the Emperor knew perfectly well that Chen Zhi and Huo Qubing were children raised in the lap of luxury; forcing them to share the hardships of common soldiers was out of the question.

Furthermore, stuffing Chen Zhi into the Northern Army was less about any military expectations Liu Che had for the boy and more about placating his aunt’s family, who were growing increasingly resentful over the deposition of the Empress.

Meanwhile, Chen Zhi trailed lonely and silent behind Huo Qubing and Guan Yueyao as he exited the camp.

His heart felt bitter. He was long accustomed to being the center of attention. Since his aunt was deposed, those “friends” who used to swarm around him had quickly scattered like birds and beasts, gradually keeping their distance.

So, these were “fair-weather friends”—gathering for profit and dispersing when the profit was gone; associating for power and deserting when the power failed.

Chen Zhi finally saw clearly the position he and his family occupied. No person or family was naturally invincible. The family background and lineage he once took pride in were but flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water—unable to withstand even a slight blow.

Merely because the monarch had withdrawn his trust and favor, his entire family had suffered a massive blow.

No, I won’t just accept this fate!

Chen Zhi watched Huo Qubing’s receding figure. Since that illegitimate son could earn the Emperor’s love and esteem, why couldn’t he?

Suddenly, he recalled what his grandmother had said yesterday when she told him he would serve as a corporal under Wei Qing: “Look at your father and uncles—each one of them is a useless glutton. Now, the House of Tangyi and I can no longer rely on them. I only hope they cause fewer troubles to give me headaches. But you are different, A-Zhi. You are young. If there is even a glimmer of hope for our House, it lies with you.”

His grandmother’s gaze had been deep and solemn. The hand she lightly patted on his shoulder made Chen Zhi feel a heavy weight on his body.

He grit his teeth, understanding that he now carried the hope of revitalizing the Chen family. He finally suppressed the urge to go home and complain to his grandfather and mother. Mounting his horse, he left the camp.

Far from Chen Zhi’s current misery, Guan Yueyao and Huo Qubing rode their horses at a brisk pace toward the sheep market.

Having gone there many times, they were both familiar with the route. Chatting and laughing along the way, it wasn’t long before the sheep market appeared before them.

The crowd gradually became denser. The two dismounted and led their horses through the throng, slowly making their way toward the familiar mutton stall.

To Huo Qubing, this might have been a completely ordinary outing for a meal. But to Guan Yueyao, it felt exceptionally nostalgic. This behavior reminded her of her memories of elementary school: after school, she would go with her close friends—behind her parents’ backs—to eat snacks at street stalls.

Back then, her mother always said the food outside was dirty and forbade her from eating too much.

But what child isn’t greedy for treats? she remembered how she used to save a little bit from the breakfast money her mother gave her every day just so she could enjoy a feast with her friends after school in the afternoon.

“A-Yao, A-Yao, what are you thinking about? You’re so lost in thought.” Suddenly, Huo Qubing’s familiar voice rang in her ear, sounding somewhat dissatisfied.

“Huh? Nothing, I just thought of my life before.” Guan Yueyao gave a bitter smile and pulled back her wandering thoughts.

“What made you think of the past?” Huo Qubing grew curious. In his heart, he still harbored a faint worry—a worry that one day, his friend would act as she did when they first met: suddenly appearing in his life, and then suddenly vanishing.

“When I went to school before, I often ate things with my friends after class before going home,” Guan Yueyao didn’t hide it and told Huo Qubing everything.

“Back then, when school let out, the gate was surrounded by street vendors selling all sorts of things—fried sausages, fried spring rolls, fried clam cakes, fried potatoes, and multi-grain pancakes. Oh, right, right, right! There was also malatang, oden, teppanyaki, and takoyaki…” At this point, Guan Yueyao wiped her mouth (where there wasn’t actually any drool) and continued with immense nostalgia: “Every single thing was incredibly delicious!”

To her, these were rare and beautiful memories. Those inconspicuous, even cheap things in her memory were uniquely delicious. Perhaps it was because they were shared with friends…

Suddenly, Guan Yueyao felt a warmth in her palm. She turned to look and saw that Huo Qubing had reached out to hold her left hand, which was hanging by her side.

“From now on, we will also eat something after we finish training every day before going home.”

She suddenly heard her friend say this. He spoke so solemnly, as if it were a promise that needed to be seriously executed.

Suddenly, Guan Yueyao felt her eyes burn. She turned her head away, not wanting Huo Qubing to see how moved she was.

“Okay.”

After a long pause, Huo Qubing finally heard his friend’s reply, which carried a slight nasal tone.

When they reached the mutton stall, it wasn’t too late yet; the diners hadn’t had time to fill all the tables.

As soon as they sat at an empty table, the old owner walked over and asked cordially, “The two young masters are back? The same as before?”

They were regulars; the old man already knew Huo Qubing and Guan Yueyao’s preferences by heart. His question was more of a greeting than an inquiry.

“Yes, same as before!” Guan Yueyao replied crisply. She stopped worrying about the food and turned to chat.

“It’s the first day in the army—how do you feel?” Guan Yueyao rested her chin on her hand, looking at her friend sitting opposite her. She finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask all day.

She had keenly noticed that although they trained together, Huo Qubing didn’t seem fully invested.

“The grounds are still too small. Although the scale of cavalry breakthrough tactics is starting to take shape from what I saw today, look—the training ground is only this big, and the training time is quite rushed. I’m a bit worried that when the soldiers first go to the battlefield, they might not achieve great results.”

Huo Qubing frowned, sharing everything he had seen and thought today with his friend.

“You had time to think about that while training?” Guan Yueyao was quite surprised. She scratched her chin and thought; when she trained, her attention was entirely on the movements of her hands. She wanted to strive for perfection in every saber swing and every horse gallop.

“If one wishes to be the commander of an army, how can they only focus on themselves? If the soldiers under your command lack strength, even if your own martial prowess is supreme, two fists cannot fight four hands. Do you really think you can hold a pass against ten thousand alone?”

Huo Qubing shook his head after hearing his friend’s account and instead began to instruct her with a serious expression.

“Young masters, the mutton soup is here!”

Midway through the conversation, two steaming bowls of mutton soup were placed on the table. Both were feeling quite hungry, so they stopped talking and focused on eating.

The mutton soup was delicious to begin with, and as they were both growing adolescents, the soup was gone in no time. The interrupted topic finally continued.

“But when I train, I instinctively focus on the task in my hands. It’s hard to look at others unless I’m doing nothing and just watching them practice.” Guan Yueyao frowned, looking quite troubled.

Compared to Huo Qubing’s talk of commanding thousands, she thought for a moment: “I think I still prefer researching martial arts. As for commanding an army… I’ll leave that to you.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “If you want me to charge into the fray, fine. But making me think about those complicated things? I’m too lazy to waste my brain on that.”

With that, she downed the last sip of soup and turned to shout at the stall owner, “Old man, five more skewers of grilled mutton!”

Huo Qubing looked at his friend’s carefree and unrestrained manner and sighed somewhat helplessly. Yet, it was precisely this side of her—this simple mindset—that he envied immensely.

At this moment, Guan Yueyao reminded him of another person—the “Flying General” Li Guang. Like Li Guang, she had supreme martial arts skills and would surely enjoy a prominent reputation in the army. But it was also people like him who, despite being famous for years, ultimately found it difficult to be enfeoffed as a marquis through military merit.

Having only bravery without strategy is, in the end, merely the courage of a commoner—it’s difficult to achieve great things.

Of the famous generals in the army, Huo Qubing admired General Cheng Bushi much more than Li Guang. Although in Huo Qubing’s view, Cheng Bushi’s way of war was still too conservative, at least the casualties under his command were far fewer.

But on second thought, A-Yao had him by her side to watch over her. Surely, she wouldn’t end up like Li Guang.

Thinking this, Huo Qubing felt even more invigorated. If he could go to war with A-Yao—having such a fierce general who also shared his ambitions—it would be an immense pleasure just to think about it.

“Storekeeper, give me five skewers of grilled mutton as well!”