SWHCBB 60

Chapter 60: Three Years Ago / The Beginning of Zhiyu’s Feelings

A figure came rushing out of the woods at high speed, darting toward the encampment from the hunting grounds. Several others followed closely behind, it was the Third Prince and his guards. He looked deathly pale, with a deep gash on his back. A dead deer was strapped to his horse. The guards behind him shouted as they ran:

“Retreat! Protect His Majesty!”

Suddenly, several enormous shadows swept across the sky. Harsh, grating screeches rang out, the sound of their excitement. Massive wings unfurled, blocking out the sun. When one looked up, all that could be seen was a blanket of black. It felt as though no matter where one ran, there was no escaping their hunt.

It was terrifying beyond words. Even just lifting one’s head slightly made the legs go weak. No matter how fast the Third Prince’s horse galloped, it could never outrun them. But they hadn’t given up, if they could just make it back to the encampment, they would be safe. The vultures couldn’t see them under the tents.

Wen Jue sat beneath the canopy. Hearing the noise from the beasts, his arm trembled slightly before he stood up. Changning quickly supported him and helped him to a corner to hide.

“Protect His Majesty! Hurry! Cover the princes!” Jiang Chuang rode past, scooping up a guard who had collapsed from fear and tossing him onto his horse. He raced to the tent and set the man down before turning around again.

He didn’t panic. Instead, his voice rang out like a hammer, striking clarity into everyone’s minds: “What are you afraid of?! Vultures don’t actively attack living people! Go protect the nobles, if they get hurt, it’s on your heads!”

Only the Eldest Princess and the Emperor were still inside the hunting grounds. But that was actually for the best, vultures were too large to get in. They’d be safe.

Just as everyone was shielding the Sixth Prince and trying to get him into the tent, one of the circling vultures suddenly dove. The Sixth Prince shrieked in terror. His guard shoved him aside just in time to avoid the talons that came crashing down.

Everyone broke into a cold sweat. If that strike had landed, even if he didn’t die, he’d have been maimed.

The Sixth Prince collapsed on the ground in shock. But the vulture wasn’t done, not just one, but several of them were coming. His horse had already been killed by a single swipe of a vulture’s talons.

It all happened in an instant.

Jiang Chuang shouted, “Quick! Archers, prepare fire arrows! When the vultures approach, shoot, but be careful not to injure them. Just scare them off!”

“Yes!”

If the vultures were hurt, they could go into a frenzy, and no one would escape unscathed.

At the time, Jiang Chuang was only the deputy general of the guard, not even the commander. The lead general had entered the hunting grounds to protect the Emperor. Left outside, Jiang Chuang had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility. Even so, he remained calm under pressure.

The Sixth Prince’s guards were dragging him toward the tent, but this movement only incited the vultures further. One dove straight at him. Jiang Chuang, seeing this, immediately spurred his horse and raced toward the prince with a single thought in mind: save him.

He managed to snatch the Sixth Prince from beneath the vulture’s claws, but in doing so, the entire tent was torn apart. Everyone inside was now fully exposed.

Wen Jue, who had been hiding in a corner of the tent, was nearly knocked down in the chaos, fortunately, Changning caught him in time.

Changning stared at the giant birds warily. No matter what happened, even if he had to expose his identity, he would protect his master.

Another vulture flew toward them. Its cries grew louder and closer. Wen Jue was drenched in cold sweat. Danger loomed, and he couldn’t even defend himself. All he could do was stay still and not create trouble for others.

Trouble. A burden. A nuisance. That was what others had always thought of him.

Even with Changning standing protectively in front of him, it couldn’t ease the fear and despair inside.

So be it. If he really had to die here… perhaps it was what he deserved.

Fire arrows whistled through the air, forcing the vultures back and saving the Sixth Prince, for now. But the vultures were relentless, pouncing at anyone they could.

Wen Jue was about to be attacked. Changning gripped a dagger tightly in his hand. At this point, even if he tried to escape with His Highness, it would be near impossible.

Just then, a fire arrow flew in, sending the vulture into retreat.

Changning turned, Jiang Chuang had just released the bowstring. His eyes were sharp as blades. “Run!” he shouted.

Changning tried to lift Wen Jue onto his back. “Your Highness, get on my back!”

Jiang Chuang saw everything clearly. As the vultures came diving again, he had no choice but to ride forward, scoop Wen Jue into his arms, and speak in a quick, low voice, “Please hold tightly to my waist, Your Highness. It’s not safe to put you down right now.”

Wen Jue only knew that he was being held in someone’s arms, surrounded entirely by that person’s scent. His shoulders were broad, his body strong. Nestled in his embrace, all dangers felt far away. Without thinking, he tightly wrapped his arms around the man’s waist.

The peril that followed seemed no longer his concern. He heard the piercing cries of the vultures, the pained shouts of the Third Prince, and the Sixth Prince’s screams as he stumbled and crawled away.

Then the Fourth Prince shouted through tears, “Third Brother! You’re already so badly hurt, why did you still shield me? Someone come quickly! Bandage him! There’s so much blood, so much!”

The man holding him shouted, “Vultures feed on carrion! Throw out the game hunted by the princes, hurry!”

The horse galloped fiercely. The vultures’ screeches rang in his ears, yet Wen Jue felt at ease.

The guards followed orders and threw the hunted animals far away. Only when it was confirmed that the vultures were no longer a threat did they begin to retreat.

Jiang Chuang stayed behind to cover the rear. He grabbed the Sixth Prince’s wild boars with one hand and hurled them away.

The vultures, lured by the meat, dove immediately. But before Jiang Chuang could completely retreat, one vulture swooped directly toward him and the person in his arms.

He yanked the reins, changing direction. The vulture’s claws just scraped his left shoulder. He grunted in pain, face pale, but he still shielded the person in his arms as he rode them both to safety.

Wen Jue smelled blood and felt something hot and wet on his hand. His back was soaked in fresh blood. He exclaimed, “You’re seriously injured!”

Jiang Chuang gritted his teeth and steadied his voice, “It’s nothing. I’m strong. A little blood won’t kill me!”

Wen Jue was confused, why would anyone instinctively shield someone else with their own body? What if those talons had landed on his head?

“You didn’t have to protect me like that. It’s fine if I get hurt, as long as I don’t die, no one will punish you.”

Jiang Chuang tightened his hold, tensing every muscle in his body to ease the pain. “Anyone in danger, I’ll save. Whoever I can save, I will. It’s not about whether I’ll be punished.”

Wen Jue: “…Sorry.”

It was the first time he’d met someone like this. The strength with which he held Jiang Chuang’s waist unconsciously loosened, he didn’t want to hurt him any more.

Only when the vultures were finally full and retreated did everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Once the danger had passed, Wen Yan emerged from the forest, protecting the Emperor as they exited together.

In the aftermath of the vulture attack, many had suffered minor injuries, nothing serious. The Sixth Prince was also slightly wounded. The most severely injured were the Third Prince, who had taken two full swipes from the vultures, and Deputy General Jiang Chuang, whose left shoulder had been clawed open. Blood had soaked most of his back.

It was then that Wen Jue learned the man’s name, Jiang Chuang. When he let go of him, Wen Jue’s heart tightened, not from fear, but from worry that the man wouldn’t get treated in time.

He ran to his imperial sister, flustered and rambling, “Someone saved me. I think… I think his name was Jiang Chuang! He’s hurt, badly! Please, get an imperial physician! Quickly!”

The physicians always treated the nobles first, only tending to guards afterward.

He feared Jiang Chuang’s wounds wouldn’t heal if left untreated, that he might die…

Wen Yan embraced him to soothe him. “Alright! I’ll have the physician see him first. He’ll be fine! You’re fine too, Zhiyu, it’s all over!”

Wen Jue gradually calmed down, taking deep breaths. “Are you alright, Sister?”

“I’m fine.” Wen Yan stroked his head and softly chided, “I agreed to this plan because I thought you could protect yourself. What did you promise me?”

Wen Jue shook his head. “Things went beyond what I expected. The Sixth Prince must’ve been carrying something unusual, otherwise the vultures wouldn’t have kept targeting him.”

His original plan had been to release a few vultures to stir panic from above, then use that chaos to expose the Sixth Prince’s cheating, having prey drugged ahead of time and killed before the hunt, pretending he had hunted them himself.

Vultures didn’t actively attack living beings, they fed on carrion. That was why Wen Jue dared to set this trap. But something had gone wrong.

If he guessed correctly, the Sixth Prince had something on him that attracted beasts. He was probably hiding a skilled hunter by his side, someone ready to provide him with fresh kills, drugged game wasn’t enough.

Wen Yan frowned thoughtfully. “Then we’ll have to investigate. Alright, leave the rest to me. You just rest. Next time, no more risking your life!”

Later, when the dust settled, it was indeed discovered that the Sixth Prince had cheated. The Emperor was furious, ordering him to be caned twenty times, stripping him of his power, and placing him under house arrest. Several officials who helped him were exiled.

The Third Prince, Prince Yi, thought it had been the Sixth Prince’s scheme to eliminate him. In retaliation, he went after the Xiang family ruthlessly. Combined with the Emperor’s suppression, the once-glorious Xiang family fell from grace, never fully recovering.

From that moment on, Wen Jue’s heart began to carry a shadow, Jiang Chuang.

He started to pay attention to Jiang Chuang on purpose, learning about his past, his life, his talents. Only then did he realize how exceptional the man was.

In less than three years, he had risen from an unknown soldier to a deputy general. A year later, he became a general, leading troops to victory after victory. Nine out of ten battles won. The soldiers under his command grew, his reputation soared, and he was soon promoted to Grand General. ¹

There was no one in the empire who didn’t know of the mighty General Jiang, who could calm crying babies and reassure an entire nation. With him around, Daling’s people could live in peace. Rumors even spread: “Anyone can be emperor, but the nation cannot go a single day without General Jiang.”

By the time Wen Jue realized it, his world had already been taken over by Jiang Chuang, and he could no longer let go.

1. 大将军 (dà jiāng jūn) “Great General” or “General-in-Chief”, a high-ranking military title, one of the highest under the emperor. ↩︎