The Innocent Heart - Chapter 71

Huo Qubing dismissed his long-serving attendant and walked back into the courtyard with a heavy expression. There, he saw Guan Yueyao still clutching a snowball she had rubbed into a perfect sphere, blinking her eyes as she watched him.

The gloom weighing on his heart suddenly lifted, and Huo Qubing couldn’t help but break into a smile.

“Luxiu! Where is the fur cloak I asked you to fetch?! Hurry and put it on Young Master Guan!” he shouted as he strode to Guan Yueyao’s side. He reached out and touched her; as expected, she was icy cold.

“A-Yao, we don’t have time for snowball fights anymore. A real war is coming.”

“Huh?”

Huo Qubing spoke with such gravity that Guan Yueyao gasped in surprise. Her hand loosened, and the snowball fell to the ground, shattering back into its original form.

The goose-feather snow continued to fall without pause, and the daylight began to dim. In the short time the two had stood in the courtyard, a thin layer of white had already settled on their hair, brows, and shoulders.

Guan Yueyao widened her eyes, staring at her friend in disbelief. She thought she had long since prepared herself, but hearing him say it so solemnly still made her heart skip a beat.

Neither spoke, both appearing lost in thought. It wasn’t until Luxiu arrived with a heavy black mink cloak and draped it over Guan Yueyao’s shoulders that she finally snapped back to reality.

“Thank you,” Guan Yueyao said instinctively. The thick fur was remarkably effective at blocking out the wind, snow, and biting chill.

Luxiu gave Guan Yueyao a slightly shy smile before retreating respectfully.

“A-Yao, let’s go. We’ll wait inside for my uncle to return,” Huo Qubing said with a slight frown, turning to lead the way indoors.

With no snowball fight to be had, staying out in the garden lost its appeal. Guan Yueyao stuck out her tongue playfully and followed Huo Qubing back into the warmth of the inner chamber.

The bamboo curtains had been partially lowered. A small red-clay stove warmed a pot of wine, while a few plates of cakes and pastries were laid out on a side table. On either side of the table lay a prayer mat.

“A-Yao, sit. Let’s have something to eat first.” Huo Qubing seemed to have regained his composure, yet he remained serious as he sat on one of the mats, gesturing for Guan Yueyao to take the other.

Guan Yueyao was hungry and didn’t stand on ceremony, sitting down cross-legged. But when she turned her head, she noticed that the hand Huo Qubing used to hold his wine cup was trembling slightly—far from the calm demeanor he was trying to project.

Her eyes darted around, and she turned to the maid with a smile. “Sister Luxiu, you all may leave. Qubing and I are just going to watch the snow; we don’t need any service.”

“As you wish.”

A rustle of clothing followed, and a moment later, the room returned to silence.

“Qubing, what’s wrong?” Guan Yueyao couldn’t sit still any longer. She picked up her mat, moved it right next to him, and sat back down.

“Hmm?” Huo Qubing turned in surprise, appearing as if he had just snapped out of a deep trance.

“It’s nothing. I was just lost in the snowy view,” he said nonchalantly, as if he truly had been immersed in the beauty outside.

But in the next second, he felt a pair of cold hands cup his face, forcing him to turn toward her. He was about to flare up in anger when he met a pair of eyes filled with deep concern.

It was A-Yao.

That realization steadied his heart. The anger faded from his eyes, revealing his true emotions—a sense of profound unease.

“A-Yao… do you think my uncle is going to the battlefield?”

Neither of them moved. Because of the way Guan Yueyao was squeezing his cheeks, Huo Qubing’s mouth was puckered, making him look rather comical. Yet neither noticed; they were both picturing the same elegant, jade-like face in their minds.

Huo Qubing was an illegitimate son. To this day, his mother, Wei Shao’er, remained tight-lipped about his biological father. His eldest uncle, Wei Zhangjun, was frail and spent half the year bedridden. Thus, he had been raised almost entirely by his younger uncle, Wei Qing. In Huo Qubing’s heart, Wei Qing was like a father.

As for Guan Yueyao, her feelings toward Wei Qing were more complex. She couldn’t explain why, but every time she saw him, she couldn’t help but fixate on this gentle young man. It was as if something about him naturally drew her attention.

“It’s not certain yet. But if the Emperor truly intends to go to war with the Xiongnu, Master Wei will surely participate, won’t he?” Guan Yueyao managed a forced smile, though her mind involuntarily flashed to the tragic, bloody scenes she had once seen on television.

“But even if he goes to the battlefield, Master Wei is so brave and strategic—he will surely return in glorious victory!” Seeing her friend offer no reaction, she added another word of encouragement.

She wasn’t sure if she was comforting Huo Qubing or herself.

“A-Yao… did I overestimate myself?” To her surprise, Huo Qubing spoke up, his voice tinged with self-doubt.

“Huh? Why would you think that?” Guan Yueyao blinked, momentarily stunned.

“I thought I was fully prepared to face the iron hooves and spears of the battlefield. But today, just the thought of my uncle going to war… I actually lost my composure.”

He paused, lowering his eyes and turning his head slightly away, unable to look her in the eye. “A-Yao, I am disappointed in myself.”

Guan Yueyao listened to her friend’s soft admission. She released his face and grabbed him by the shoulders instead.

“Why be disappointed? This is only human! The first time I fought some thugs after school, I looked tough, but I was actually terrified inside. I didn’t know what the opponent was like—if they were just blustering or if they were actually dangerous. Everyone is afraid of the unknown, right? I think it’s an instinct. But if we dare to face it and overcome it, then we are truly formidable people!”

Guan Yueyao’s words were as blunt as ever. Huo Qubing looked at her, thinking back to the many brawls they’d been in since they met. Given how skilled she was, he found it hard to imagine she had ever been afraid.

The thought flashed through his mind and instantly lightened his oppressive mood.

“Oh, why worry so much? When the time comes, just get it done! Is the problem going to go away if you don’t face it?” She spoke in her familiar, slightly reckless tone, using words that were a bit crude and unrefined.

Yet, through her rough speech, Huo Qubing could hear the unspoken care and encouragement.

“Haha, you’re right. We’ll just get it done! Quick, eat your breakfast. I’m going to get that map the Emperor bestowed upon me from the study. Let’s analyze where the Emperor might deploy his troops if he decides to move!”

Huo Qubing cheered up quickly and urged Guan Yueyao to finish her food.

Guan Yueyao grabbed a steamed bun and began to munch on it, but her mind wasn’t on the meal. She tilted her head, watching her friend. Huo Qubing had always shown a level of maturity far beyond his years; he was highly disciplined, working toward his goals one step at a time. This often gave her the illusion that he was older than she was.

So, he gets scared too, she thought. He gets lost and confused just like anyone else.

She didn’t feel disappointed. On the contrary, she felt this version of Huo Qubing was much more real, and the distance between them seemed to have closed just a little more.

By the time Wei Qing returned to the manor through the wind and snow, it was time to light the lamps. His expression carried a hint of weariness, yet his eyes remained bright and sharp.

“Uncle!” “Master Wei!”

Two youthful voices rang out in the courtyard. He didn’t need to turn around to know who they were, but he was puzzled nonetheless.

“Qubing, A-Yao, what are you two doing out here so late?”

“Uncle, what did you discuss with the Emperor in the palace? Is the Great Han about to deploy troops against the Xiongnu?!” His nephew’s tone was thick with worry, which surprised Wei Qing.

“Come inside first. It’s freezing out here; this is no place to stand around.” He looked at the two teenagers. He didn’t know how long they had been waiting, but the snow had already turned their heads white.

“Hehe, we just got here!” Guan Yueyao replied with a grin, her usual carefree self.

Wei Qing couldn’t help but smile as he led them into the room.

“Uncle, are you really going to lead the army to war?” As soon as they entered, Huo Qubing asked urgently for the second time.

“Likely so. From the Emperor’s words today, he intends to order us to lead the army beyond the border once spring arrives, to catch the Xiongnu by surprise.”

As Wei Qing spoke, he silently observed their expressions. He expected them to look eager or ambitious, but instead, both boys were looking at him with nothing but concern.

Being watched like that made Wei Qing feel a bit awkward.

“Why do you both look so gloomy after hearing such news? Especially you, Qubing. I thought you’d be jumping out of your seat and pestering me to take you along.” Wei Qing teased the youngsters.

“Uncle!” Huo Qubing looked at his uncle sheepishly, surprised that was how he was perceived. “I’m just worried about you. On the battlefield, swords and arrows have no eyes…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but it warmed Wei Qing’s heart nonetheless.

He patted both boys on the head and said with a smile, “There is no need to worry about me. A great man’s ambitions lie in all directions. Besides, the Emperor trusts us so deeply; how could we possibly let him down?”

But despite his words, who could truly be free of nerves when heading to the battlefield for the first time?

Wei Qing suppressed the faint unease in his own heart, unwilling to let the boys worry further, and brushed the matter aside lightly.