The Innocent Heart - Chapter 80

By evening, Wei Qing issued orders for the army to set up camp and rest on a wide, open clearing beside the imperial highway. He needed to meet with his lieutenants to discuss the arrangements once they reached Shanggu Commandery.

No matter how close their relationship to the commander, such military secrets were not for juniors like Huo Qubing and Guan Yueyao to deliberate. With nothing to do, the two began to wander through the camp.

Campfires had been lit across the clearing, looking like great red flowers blooming against the obsidian backdrop of the night. A bitter wind swept through, scattering sparks into the air where they quickly winked out, falling as ash.

Having finished their simple dinner, the soldiers gathered together, roasting by the fires and drinking. As the two youths walked among them, Huo Qubing frowned; he didn’t care for such settings. It was messy, boisterous, and loud enough to make his head ache.

Guan Yueyao, however, seemed to relish it. Along the way, soldiers constantly greeted her with smiles and genuine warmth.

“Young Master Guan! Over here! Come have a drink with us!” a voice called out—low-pitched but lively.

Guan Yueyao seemed quite familiar with the speaker. Even in the dark, before seeing his face, she called back, “Oho, Big He! Did your wife actually let you drink tonight?!”

A roar of laughter followed her remark.

Ignoring Huo Qubing’s reluctance, Guan Yueyao grabbed his hand and ran toward that specific campfire. “Qubing, those are all Master Wei’s men. Come on, let’s go hang out with them!” she explained casually without looking back.

Huo Qubing offered no protest. Though he didn’t enjoy joining such crowds, if A-Yao liked it, he would indulge her.

However, the warm and casual atmosphere at the fire cooled slightly when the men saw Huo Qubing behind her. The soldiers’ expressions turned reserved, and they stole timid glances at the stern-faced young noble.

“Young Master… Young Master Huo,” Big He, who had suggested the drink, bowed to Huo Qubing, bracing himself.

Though Guan Yueyao could be blunt and unobservant, even she realized the cause of the sudden awkwardness. She thought to herself that she and Qubing would have to spend a long time with these men; it wouldn’t do to stay like this. In her eyes, while Huo Qubing could be aloof, he wasn’t stiff; he possessed the high spirits typical of a youth. Once they were familiar, they would surely get along.

With that wish in mind, she didn’t hesitate. She pulled Huo Qubing toward a gap in the circle to sit down. The soldiers nearby moved even faster, scurrying to either side to clear a wide space for the two of them.

Next, two skins full of wine were handed over. Guan Yueyao took them without ceremony, shoving one into Huo Qubing’s arms.

The wine of this era was not like the high-proof distilled spirits of later generations; fermented from fruit or grain, it wasn’t particularly intoxicating. The soldiers had handed over sugarcane wine—more of a sweet alcoholic beverage used to liven up a party than a heavy drink.

Guan Yueyao popped the wooden stopper and took a long swig. It was incredibly sweet, with a body much richer than the additive-filled juices she had drank in the modern world.

She smacked her lips and took another gulp. “Hey, Qubing, why aren’t you drinking? This sugarcane juice is delicious!” She then added with a look of regret, “It would be even better if we had some barbecue to go with it.”

She didn’t dwell on the thought, turning immediately to chat with the soldiers, and thus missed Huo Qubing’s subtle movement. He beckoned a personal guard over and whispered a few instructions. A short while later, the head cook arrived at a trot with two assistants, carrying several large platters of food.

“Young Master Huo, these were skewered from the sheep slaughtered today. Will these suffice?” the brawny cook asked pleasingly.

Guan Yueyao leaned over to look—they were large platters of meat skewers on bamboo sticks.

“They will. Leave this platter; distribute the rest among the men,” Huo Qubing nodded, gesturing for the cook to give a few skewers to everyone around the fire.

“Wow! Qubing, are you Aladdin’s lamp? Every wish I make comes true!” Seeing meat, Guan Yueyao’s mood soared.

For this campaign, Liu Che had specifically sent a palace chef to accompany the group to look after the two of them and Chen Zhi. Furthermore, the Grand Princess, doting on her grandson, had sent several wagons full of supplies that followed the column. Consequently, the three youths fared much better than the average soldier or even the officers.

The soldiers were long used to such perks for the nobility. Besides, they knew the three weren’t actually part of the campaign; they were just young lords who had grown bored of the capital and come along to experience life at the frontier. And since they got to share in the good food and drink provided by these lords, no one complained. The atmosphere, which had chilled upon Huo Qubing’s arrival, became lively once more.

The soldiers drank, roasted meat, and chatted about everything under the sun.

Huo Qubing sat quietly beside his friend, listening to her unbridled laughter and idle talk with the men. He felt a strange sense of contentment. He couldn’t help but steal a glance at Guan Yueyao. The bright firelight and the pale moonlight reflected off the youth’s face.

Whether it was the effect of the alcohol or the heat of the fire, Guan Yueyao’s fair skin was flushed. Even her smile, which usually seemed too dazzling to Huo Qubing, appeared softened.

“Hahaha! Right! Next time, I’m going beyond the borders with you all! To fight the Xiongnu!” Guan Yueyao shouted, laughing as she leaned drunkenly into Huo Qubing’s shoulder.

“A-Yao, are you drunk?” Huo Qubing asked, smelling the faint scent of wine on her and speaking with a tone of reprimand.

“No way! My head is perfectly clear!” Guan Yueyao insisted stubbornly, though her face betrayed a slight state of intoxication.

Huo Qubing glared at her, wanting to push the drunkard away. But suddenly, a figure flashed beside them. When he looked closer, it was Chen Zhi, sitting down next to Guan Yueyao with a sour face.

“What are you doing here?!” In the next second, Huo Qubing tightened his arm around Guan Yueyao, pulling her a few inches further away from Chen Zhi.

“What, you two are allowed to drink and be merry here, but I’m not?” Chen Zhi glared back, refusing to back down.

He wouldn’t admit it, but he had been bored to death in his own tent. He had come out for a walk to pass the time and saw the two of them having a grand time by the fire. Chen Zhi had a long-standing rivalry with Huo Qubing; he was used to trying whatever Huo Qubing did. So, without thinking, he had run over.

Fortunately, the soldiers were mostly tipsy by now, long since forgetting to care whether the person sitting by the fire was a comrade or a high-ranking noble.

Someone started it, and gradually, the idle chatter ceased as the crowd began to sing an ancient, rhythmic ballad:

“Cold mountains in disarray, I shake my robes and gaze North. A thousand Hu riders in the dust, plundering our cattle and sheep. Sleeping with spears for a pillow, we march out from the Great Pass. Driving them to the North of the Desert, striking them in the South. When the autumn chill comes, we shed our armor and return home in glory!”

The heroic, casual singing was a bit ragged since there was no conductor, and voices went out of tune here and there. Yet, this unharmonious melody possessed a surprisingly powerful infection. The melody wasn’t difficult; even Guan Yueyao, hearing it for the first time, was able to join in with the others after two verses.

Soon, this simple song—carrying the beautiful hopes of the soldiers—echoed throughout the camp. Even the generals and colonels discussing serious military matters in their tents stopped talking to listen for a while, smiles slowly appearing on their faces.

The heated atmosphere of the camp seemed to drive away the chill of the late winter night. When it was time to rest, many seemed reluctant to return to their tents.

Huo Qubing looked helplessly at Guan Yueyao, who was slumping against his shoulder, her mouth still mumbling as if she hadn’t finished singing. Beside her, Chen Zhi was already arm-in-arm with a soldier, boasting about how much game he had caught while hunting with the Emperor.

He chuckled, thinking for the first time that Chen Zhi wasn’t too annoying.

“A-Yao, can you still walk? We should go back to sleep; the march continues in the morning.” He patted her face and asked softly.

Guan Yueyao’s head was heavy and she was ready for sleep. Huo Qubing watched her nod with rare obedience before standing up shakily. Seeing her like this, Huo Qubing hurriedly stood to support her.

“You call this being able to walk? Lean on me; don’t wander off on your own!” Huo Qubing snapped, though he reached out to brace the drunkard, walking unsteadily toward their shared tent.

Fortunately, Guan Yueyao wasn’t heavy and hadn’t completely lost consciousness. It took some effort, but it didn’t take long for them to reach the tent.

“Alright! Take off your own shoes and get into the blankets!” Huo Qubing huffed as he “dropped” his friend onto the campaign bed. He prepared to leave her be, crossing his arms and looking down at her.

“Oh,” Guan Yueyao replied obediently, her eyes half-closed as she wobbled her head and began to kick off her shoes.

Watching this, a strange, ill-timed thought occurred to Huo Qubing—he actually found Guan Yueyao to be somewhat cute like this?!

He shook his head, trying to drive the bizarre notion completely out of his mind.