Chapter 85: He Has Returned

Dawn was approaching.

It had now been ten days.

The Crown Prince had not eaten supper. Since entering the study, he had sat motionless at his desk, showing no sign of movement or response.

Xiao Ji, his personal eunuch, watched anxiously. He came in to check on him, summoned his courage to call out a few times, but got no answer. With a sigh, he could only withdraw quietly once more.

Another half an hour passed. Xiao Ji entered again; the Crown Prince was still frozen in the same position.

This time, Xiao Ji brought in a bowl of hot soup and set it on the desk. The Crown Prince stirred at last, yet he did not even glance at the soup. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "What time is it?"

"It is the fourth watch, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince closed his eyes and waved his hand weakly.

Xiao Ji sighed inwardly. He knew there was no persuading him and retreated once more.

“Your Highness! Your Highness! Crown Prince!”

In less than a quarter of an hour, Xiao Ji’s voice rang out, breathless with excitement from outside.

The Crown Prince snapped back to himself, sprang to his feet, his heart leaping into his throat. "What is it?!"

Xiao Ji burst through the door, too overjoyed even to remember to bow. Weeping with joy and choked with emotion, he cried out, "Your Highness! The city guards have sent word! General Chang'an has arrived at the city gate!"

He has returned!

Lie Chang'an has come back!

He was truly alive and had come back!

The Crown Prince could scarcely believe it; he was so overwhelmed with joy that he was at a loss for words, stammering incoherently for a long while before he finally shouted excitedly to Xiao Ji, "Quick! Hurry! Send word at once to the Emperor, the Empress, and the Empress Dowager—tell them General Chang'an has returned! The Princess can be saved!"

"Yes! At once!" Xiao Ji dashed out, tears streaming down his old face in elated relief.

Heaven above, at last this ordeal had come to an end.

General Chang'an was truly a living Bodhisattva, savior of the people.

The Crown Prince could not wait a moment longer. He immediately led his attendants to the palace gates to greet Lie Chang'an.

He paced back and forth at the gate, glancing anxiously down the avenue toward the city gate, his heart pounding with impatience, his gaze never wavering.

Before long, the distant sound of hooves echoed from afar.

The Crown Prince looked up sharply. Sure enough, as the heavy fog began to lift, the tall, upright figure astride a horse grew clearer and clearer in the center of the avenue, like the shining stars breaking through the night before dawn, charging toward them with unwavering hope.

The Crown Prince felt a sting in his nose and was seized by the urge to weep.

But when the fine steed finally stopped before him, the rider could hold on no longer and collapsed to the ground. When the Crown Prince saw the figure lying there, his eyes truly grew wet.

The man on the ground was almost unrecognizable as Lie Chang'an.

His face was covered with stubble and looked as ashen and lifeless as Gu Li, who lay unconscious in bed. His lips were cracked, his cheeks sunken, so emaciated he seemed almost a specter. His clothing bore no trace of its original color, dyed through with blood—some stains had dried to a dark red, some were still wet and growing brighter.

He lay there, struggling to lift his eyelids, then raised a trembling hand to pull from inside his blood-soaked robe a flower, tightly wrapped in a handkerchief.

The Crown Prince could not even tell it was a handkerchief, for it was so saturated with blood that its form was almost unrecognizable.

Lie Chang'an extended his shaking hand, forcing the words out through ragged breaths: "Your Highness, I... I brought it back alive... I can save her..."

With those words, he collapsed once more, unconscious.

The Crown Prince clutched the bloodstained handkerchief, its searing heat burning into his heart.

He spun around, eyes red, and shouted hoarsely to those behind him, "What are you all standing there for? Save him!"