Nightfall Chapter 18

The meaningful conversation developed from the fable seemed to throw a rock into the lake of life and sank to the bottom. The two people communicating with each other might seem different at first, but if their social status as the royal princess and the lumberjack in Shu Bi Lake were disregarded then they were just two regular teenagers.

When young people were surrounded by extreme environments such as the depth of a well or a frozen cave, they will usually forget about their status, responsibility, or some other things. They became purer and more innocent under such circumstances. The campfire in the nightly forest of the entrance to the North Mountain that just underwent a bloody battle was one of such setting. Under its influence, the Tang Princess Li Yu and Ning Que were simply an audience and a storyteller.

Since the wounded soldiers around them were sleeping, the voice of the storyteller must be low. To hear the story clearly, the audience needed to be right next to the storyteller. Therefore, they sat next to each other naturally, their shoulders were touching each other, They exchanged some meaningless conversations around the campfire until they felt sleepy.

After a long time, the darkness of night retreated. The stars gave the sky above the tree branches back to the sun, and sound of horses’ hoof was heard from the southern North Mountain.

The elder, Lu Qing Chen, and Ning Que opened their eyes at the same time. They looked at each other and woke up the soldiers around them. A barbarian soldier lay on the floor and listened, then raised his right hand and made a sign. He made a fist and shook heavily and then fanned swiftly, telling the group that a mob of heavy riders were coming from the south.

The campfires were put out. The burnt firewood left behind traces of grey ashes that still lingered a few sparks. The guards and barbarian soldiers struggled to push themselves up and took out the crossbow that they prepared for emergency. The weapons were aimed at the entrance to the North Mountain, which was still dark at the moment. The group could not move quickly because the wounds were too severe for swift movements. Furthermore, they knew the power of heavy riders, it was useless to hide. The only thing they needed to do was to wait patiently – wait to be saved, or to be killed.

The fallen leaves on the North Mountain were blown off by strong gales, and a couple dozens of cavalry rushed out of the gloomy and dimmed forest. The knights and horses were both equipped with thick black heavy armor; the combination of their weight and speed trembled the earth and traveled like thunder. The leftover ashes were vibrated off the ground and created a mist around the camp.

It was the most elite force of Tang Empire, the heavy armored riders!

The calvary covered in heavy armor was unstoppable after they started charging on the battlefield. Even the powerful Sword Masters cannot deal effective damage against these heavy riders.

But the group in the entrance saw the knife marks and arrow holes on the armors of these knights, clearly they got ambushed before arriving; perhaps they were under attack at the southern exit of the North Mountain. Under a situation like this, this group of heavy riders still crossed the North Mountain overnight to reach and give aid to the princess, it was clear they were desperate to protect her safety.

The couple dozen knights rushed out of the entrance and were thirty yards away from the two campfires. The leading young knight wearing a red cloak glanced at the group gathered around the campfire and yelled, “I’m Hua Shan Yue of Gu Mountain Province, where is the princess!”

After hearing the name of Hua Shan Yue, the expressions of the guards holding crossbows relaxed, they answered back loudly. Ning Que lowered his head and looked at Princess Li Yu, who was leaning on his shoulder. Her eyelashes twitched slightly and seemed to almost woke up, Ning Que held back his simile and raised his eyebrows. He quietly put away the yellow hard bow in his left hand.

Just like thunder strikes the horses’ hoof stepped over the North Mountain, tearing or ripping the fallen leaves part. The young leader named Hua Shan Yue got off his horse and ran quickly to the campfire and kneeled on one knee. He then raised his two fists to make a gesture, and spoke with his hoarse voice, “Shan Yue was late of aiding and support. My crime is worthy of a thousand death, please forgive my sin, Princess.

Now the couple dozen knights all arrived near the campfire. Fatigue was undoubtedly on the faces of the most elite heavy riders of Tang empire. The riders all got off their horses and kneeled behind Hua Sha Yue and pleaded, “Please forgive our sin, Princess.”

Li Yu opened her eyes, it was unclear that if she just woke up or maybe……she woke up a long time ago.

She looked at the province general of Gu Mountain who was kneeling before her. Looking at the young general who was loyal to her and looking at the riders who overcame ambushes and battles to get here, her expression was filled with joy and excitement. She smiled and said, “How long are you going to kneel, do you really want me to punish you?”

She was very happy. These Tang calvaries had worried her for days and hurried to the south way of the North Mountain overnight. After a year they finally saw this able and virtuous princess again, how could they not feel excited?

Hua Shan Yue turned his head up excitedly. He was going to say something, but he saw the Princess was lying naturally on a young soldier. Seeing this, his heart tightened up for no reason, his eyes showed a sense of unhappiness and surprise, and his eyebrows frowned.

Ning Que, who paid attention to the heavy riders, saw the young general’s face as he turned his head up. It is a handsome face, with the eyebrows extended upward like two swords, adding some heroic manner to him.

At such young age, he was already a province general at Gu Mountain Province, leading a regiment of heavy riders. Hua Shan Yue no doubt is one of the contemporary Tang’s most outstanding character, possessing great shrewdness.

However, in his life, he could never pass one threshold. He fell on this threshold hard several years ago — this threshold had been always buried in his heart, yet the entire Tang had known his love.

It was the heaviest and hottest love to Tang’s fourth Princess Li Yu highness.

Hua Shan Yue’s sudden cold feeling, obvious was not towards Li Yu, he was not dared to show any disrespect to the princess even if he had to die — he was just very disliked the young soldier standing next to the princess. Who did he think he was, how dare did he to get so close to the noble princess, actually not close, but touched!!

He never got close to the princess even once in his life. He had never enjoyed such nice treatment, if possible he would take out his knife and chop off that young soldier’s shoulder!

Hua Shan Yue hide his jealous very well. At least in front of the princess he would hide it well, so Li Yu only saw a temporary unhappiness and surprise in his eyes.

She was surprised, then felt the warmth coming from her arm, eventually understood where the young general’s strange feelings came from. Subconsciously, she lifted her hand to neaten her hair in order to hide her embarrassment — she did not even think it herself that, she already lied on Ning Que’s shoulder for a night. Even though it happened in a special condition, but to Tang’s princess, having such intimate interaction with a young man was certainly not right.

Princess Li Yu slowly stood up.

Thereby, the maid eager to hear stories no longer existed.

The remaining heat on the two people’s shoulders were blown away quickly by the morning wind.

Remained silent for a while, Ning Que shook his head and smiled, looked towards her side face, suddenly he felt that she looked much more lovely than before.

Coldness and arrogance obviously were not as beautiful as calmness and grace.

However, he still thought that the girl looked the prettiest when she was sitting by the firewoods.