Chapter 86: Close to

“War has begun?” Wei Chi Die whispered, “Why did it happened so suddenly? This is bad, it will be troublesome for us to pass through the border.”

Wei Chi Li shook her head in silence. She frowned as she listened to those people’s conversation, and put down her chopsticks, no longer having the mood to continued eating.

“Let us hurry first. There is still some distance to the real border. We will take a look at the situation before discussing.” Wei Chi Li put down her chopsticks then quickly carry her luggage and reached out habitually to pull Liu Luo Yi but was stopped by Wei Chi Die.

“Hunch a little, you are now an old woman.” Wei Chi Die said as she held Liu Luo Yi’s hand naturally and strode towards the door. Liu Luo Yi glanced at Wei Chi Li, then turned to follow.

Wei Chi Li gritted her teeth. She shook her head, hunched and supported herself using Xin Ra’s reached out hands.

The carriage went on the road again, and this time they no longer talked and laughed, but were all serious and worried. As they got closer to the border, and because Wei Chi Li’s hearing was good, she could hear some messy horseshoes and clanging of swords, halberds from time to time.

Wei Chi Li yelled for the carriage to stop. Xin Ran tightened and pulled the rain, saying: “Princess, it looks like we can’t pass through from here. There seemed to be a village there, why don’t we go and have a look?”

Wei Chi Li nodded. She exchanged glances with Wei Chi Die and both saw worries in one another’s eyes.

Looking at the village from a distance, it was okay. But a closer look revealed that it was dilapidated. There was debris scattered on the ground, and the villagers had either closed the doors and windows or left the door open as there was no one inside.

Wei Chi Li knocked on several houses consecutively, but no one answered. She had no choice but to walked into a random house. It was clean but empty and the valuables and food had all been taken away, leaving tables, chairs, and benches.

“There is no one here. Looking at the number of mess here, they probably flee from here.” Wei Chi Li reached out and took everyone’s baggage and stacked them on the table, “Let us borrow it first. Everyone rearrange a little, while I go out for a while.”

Liu Luo Yi, who had been silent all the while, suddenly grabbed her and raised her eyes, saying: “Princess, where are you going?”

Wei Chi Li smiled at her and said: “Don’t worry. I am just going to have a look at the situation ahead and see if there is a way to bypass the border.”

Liu Luo Yi nodded, but still holding onto her sleeves, refusing to let go. Her clear eyes seemed a little misty and was looking at Wei Chi Li’s eyes persistently.

“I can’t bring you along, It is too dangerous.” Wei Chi Li held her hands helplessly. Seeing Liu Luo Yi refusing to move, she lowered her head and whispered in her ear: “Little Liu’er, be good. I swear that I will be back in an hour.”

Hearing this, Liu Luo Yi nodded lightly, and only then did she let go of her hands. Wei Chi Li raised her eyebrows towards Xin Ran and said, “Xin Ran, protect Little Liu’er.”

Wei Chi Die on one side looked at them and rolled her eyes. She kept stroking the beard on her face while watching Wei Chi Li walked towards the door. After hesitating for a long time, she strode up and patted her shoulder.

“Sister?” Wei Chi Li turned her head and said with a smile.

“You have never recognised the way since you were a child. And not as familiar with this place as I am. I will go with you. Let us go and come back with haste.” Wei Chi Die said quickly then strode in front of Wei Chi Li.

Wei Chi Li looked at her sassy back that deliberately concealed her femininity and smiled helplessly. She was about to follow when someone suddenly stuck on her back, a pair of slender wrists wrapped around her and went in front of her abdomen. The familiar and enchanting fragrance surrounds her.

“Little Liu’er.” Wei Chi Li looked down at the tightly clutched hands and there was some reprimanding tone in her voice, but the corners of her mouth could not help but raise.

Because Liu Luo Yi was too close to Wei Chi Li, she could only see her upright and straight back emitting grass fragrance. But this grass smell was different from the green grass everywhere as if it were mixed with herbs.

Since the accident last time, if she could not see Wei Chi Li even for a moment, she would panic.

She knew that this was not right but does not know how to restrain herself.

Wei Chi Li placed her hands on her hands, wrapping them completely, and only then did she say: “Little Liu’er, I must go and see it for myself. There are some things that I cannot remember anymore.”

Liu Luo Yi slowly leaned her face on Wei Chi Li’s back, closed her eyes and feel her warmth.

“Is it about that secret that only we know?” Liu Luo Yi asked softly.

“Yes.” Wei Chi Li replied. The memory in her mind has blurred. She could never recall the direct cause of the destruction of the Northern Territory. Because when she read the book, she did not read it carefully, and now it was too late to regret it.

Liu Luo Yi released her hands then suddenly grabbed Wei Chi Li’s arm and pull with some force. Because Wei Chi Li was unprepared, she was turned around, and was now facing Liu Luo Yi.

Then, a soft, shy kiss printed on her chin. It was soft, slippery and a little dry because of the lack of water but was enough to make people indulge in fantasy.

In an instant, Liu Luo Yi’s face turned red. She tried her best to be indifferent about it as she takes 2 steps back but was feeling extremely shy in her heart. She originally wanted to kiss Wei Chi Li’s lips boldly, but she was not tall enough to kiss her.

It was too shameful. Liu Luo Yi did not dare to look at Wei Chi Li.

Wei Chi Li stroke her chin with an ignorant expression then chuckled and tease: “So it turns out that Little Liu’er is so eager. Then wait for me to come back and satisfy you.”

Liu Luo Yi looked at the hem of her skirt, not able to say a word.

Wei Chi Li raised her head and saw that An Ge and Xin Ran who were standing side, had already ran to the next door with the excuse of cleaning up the house and would glance over from time to time. She could not help but laugh and in the end, she pinched Liu Luo Yi’s nose and strode off.

“Your face still looks like this, yet has an affectionate expression, which is really not graceful.” Wei Chi Die said with disdain.

“Could it be that sister is envious?” Wei Chi Li could not put away the smile on her face.

“What is there to envy about? Upon returning to the Northern Territory, this princess still has to worry that there will be no pretty girls to like me?” Wei Chi Die sneered.

Wei Chi Li did not expose her. The 2 of them concealed their breath, uses Qing Gong and soon they reached the place where the fighting sound came from. The border was not what Wei Chi Li had imagined which was a vastness of flat land. Instead, it was blocked by an undulating hill. The hill was small, but it stretches across a large area, covered with dense trees that spreads out, making one unable to see the edge with one glance.

“This is the border between the 2 countries?” Wei Chi Li looked at it in surprise because such peculiar landforms were rare.

“Yes. it is the only place that can reach the Northern Territory. I do not know if it is a man-made or is a great natural advantageous barrier. Anyway, royal father had said that the terrain here is complicated and if one does not know the way to enter, it is likely that they will get lost in it.

“Then how do we recognise the way?” Wei Chi Li blurted.

Seemingly to be looking at a silly person, Wei Chi Die said: “You have only been in Yan Country for short while, why have you forgotten this? Whenever the commoners pass through, there will be people to lead the way. Besides apart from some necessary contacts between the Yan Country and the Northern Territory, they do not meddle in each other’s business and rarely contact one other.  It is precisely because of this barrier that the Northern Territory can be peaceful for generations to come.”

“Oh, I have forgotten.” Wei Chi Li said ambiguously, “Then, how do we go in?”

“I remembered the way. After following a few times, I have memorised it.” Wei Chi Die said as she reached out to press Wei Chi Li’s head down: “What do you think they are doing? Why I cannot see even a soldier from the Northern Territory, but the battlefield looks so tragic.”

Hearing this, Wei Chi Li looked over carefully. Wei Chi Die was right. The army dressed in Yan Country’s armour, looked vast and mighty, but they all seemed to be standing guard, and the ground was full of corpses.

As Wei Chi Li continued looking, then her back suddenly felt cold, her mind turns quickly and fine beads of sweat flow down from her forehead.

Wei Chi Die felt that something was wrong with her and quickly reached out to pushed her: “Wei Chi Li?”

Wei Chi Li ignored her as she desperately recalled the description in the book, then slowly whispered: “Someone has revealed the Northern Territory defence strategies and the Northern Territory map. This war is not an accident, it is premeditated.”

It was just brought forward. She said in her heart.

Wei Chi Die was taken aback: “Who? How did you know about it?”

“Don’t care how I learned about it. The one who is now trapped in that dense forest should be royal father.” Wei Chi Li said, her tone was very calm. But her clenched fists can prove that she was not calm at this time.

“What?” Hearing this, Wei Chi Die almost rushed out, fortunately, Wei Chi Li grabbed her and pressed her to the ground.

“Don’t act rashly. Let us go back first, and then find a way to save royal father.” Wei Chi Li said, but a bad premonition suddenly surged in her heart. She could not wait to flash back to the seemingly peaceful village immediately.

“But, if something happens to royal father, what should we do?” Wei Chi Die’s voice was trembling. She stared in the direction of the dense forest; and her eyes quickly filled with tears.

Wei Chi Li had never seen her like this before. In that pair of beautiful eyes, it was full of fears.

Wei Chi Die does not know why she was being like this. Although what Wei Chi Li said was baseless, she could not help but to believe in her, and so, she naturally believed that her royal father was trapped in the forest at this time.

She clutched Wei Chi Li’s hand tightly, her mind was in a mess for a moment.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, relax. Sister.” Wei Chi Li backhanded to held her hand and comforted her softly. Although Wei Chi Die’s mind was clear, active, and clever, it would get messed up when it comes to someone she cared about.

“Trust me, okay? Nothing will happen to royal father. Let’s go back and discuss with An Ge and Xin Ran. Even if we want to break in, we can’t be reckless at this time.” Wei Chi Li said word for word clearly as she gently hugged Wei Chi Die, “Sister, I am here.”

Wei Chi Die’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and she exhaled, turning her head to look at Wei Chi Li.

Although Wei Chi Li was equally nervous, her eyes were still clear and firm.

“Okay.” Wei Chi Die said.

The 2 of them used the fastest speed to return to the village. Just now, Wei Chi Li felt a little uncomfortable in her heart, but now, she was feeling more and more flustered.

She held the jade pendant on her chest, thinking in her heart that everything will be fine. The village was safe with An Ge and Xin Ran by Liu Luo Yi’s side, so she will be fine.

But things would go against one wish. From far away, she saw the quiet and peaceful village just now, was now surrounded by people. Those people were wearing different armours, but they were carrying Yan Country’s banner.

It was a reinforcement army. Wei Chi Li’s heart instantly fell to the bottom and wanted to rush in immediately but stopped abruptly. She sneaked to the back of the house where they were resting and caught a soldier who was urinating.

That man seemed to be young. He was so frightened that his pants fell off when he was caught by Wei Chi Li. Wei Chi Li did not waste any time as she strangles that man’s neck and asked him: “Where are the 3 ladies who were here?”

That soldier pointed trembling in the direction of the border: “Towards, they ran towards that way, they chase, chase……” 

Hearing this, a roaring wave of killing intent surged up in Wei Chi Li’s heart and with one palm, she caused the soldier to faint. She jumped out of the courtyard and ran towards the north side and Wei Chi Die quickly followed.