"Doctor, he's awake!"
When Zhou Fugui regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was a face that, though unadorned, was far more beautiful than any painted visage. A small mouth, like a cherry, spoke with joy.
"Your Highness, this old physician has already said that Deputy General Zhou is as strong as an ox. These injuries that have not broken his bones are nothing. He will recover in a few days with proper care," said an old man who looked like a physician, bowing and smiling.
"Hmm, go and collect your reward," Murong Huiying nodded at his words.
"Thank you for the Princess's bounty!" The old physician bowed and retreated out of the tent.
Thus, only the Purple Moon Princess of Great Yan and Deputy General Zhou Fugui of the Yan army, lying on animal furs, remained in the tent.
They stared at each other, and after a moment of eye contact, Zhou Fugui sighed, "Your Highness, for our Great Yan, has this humble general not fulfilled his duty to the utmost, and died in service?"
"Pfft!" Murong Huiying couldn't help but laugh. Her pretty face, which had been stern moments before, now bloomed like a flower.
"Why were you so careless?" Murong Huiying asked after smiling, "You went out scouting, why didn't you bring more men?"
Murong Huiying had already learned the full story.
"It was the humble general's negligence," Zhou Fugui nodded.
"Hmm, remnants of demonic monks, daring to ambush a general of our Yan army?" Murong Huiying also nodded, "I have already ordered that all monks and Taoists within a hundred-li radius be apprehended and beheaded, to avenge you."
"Ah? This must not be done." Zhou Fugui was immediately startled and waved his hands repeatedly, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but the ambush was by some bald heads, mere wandering monks who beg for food, not all monks! Why would Your Highness slaughter innocents? Besides, monks are monks, and Taoists are Taoists. What does this have to do with those old Daoist priests? And also, there is an old saying in our China, it is better to resolve enmity than to create it. Why must you... cough... cough... cough..."
In his haste, Zhou Fugui spoke very quickly, aggravating the injuries in his chest, back, and waist, and began to cough violently.
"Lie down first..." Murong Huiying, the dignified Purple Moon Princess of Great Yan, actually helped Zhou Fugui lie down and said, "Why do you bother yourselves with so many things? What do you mean by resolving enmity rather than creating it? I only know that if an enemy cuts me, I will cut him back three times."
*How profound are the principles of our China, what do you know?* Zhou Fugui grumbled in his heart.
"Deputy General Zhou..." Murong Huiying's eyes, like dots of ink, darted around, and then she said with a smile like a blooming flower, "You saved so many people, yet they still regard you as an enemy, wishing to tear you to pieces. They may hate you far more than they hate us."
"Your Highness, I... alas... what do you mean by this?" Zhou Fugui was instantly speechless, sighed, and asked.
What Murong Huiying said was entirely true. At this moment, the Miyin and others hated Zhou Fugui and his men far more than they hated the Xianbei. They hated Zhou Fugui and his men for not complying with their wishes, for being Han traitors. They hated Han traitors far more than they hated the Xianbei. This might also be the sentiment of all Han people in the world, especially Han generals like Zhou Fugui who were "aiding and abetting evil."
But Zhou Fugui, this Han traitor, was truly at his wit's end. Could he just stand by and watch his family suffer persecution? Could Zhou Fugui truly sacrifice himself for righteousness?
Moreover, for Zhou Fugui, were the Xianbei truly unrighteous, and the Han truly righteous?
"You understand what I mean," Murong Huiying said softly, "Don't speak of 'for Great Yan,' or 'fulfilling one's duty to the utmost and dying in service' anymore. I know you have always been ashamed of being Yan and proud of being Han. Deputy General Zhou, if there were an opportunity, would you... would you kill me?"
People of the grasslands speak directly. Although Murong Huiying had loved reading Han books since childhood, she was still a daughter of the grasslands at heart.
"Your Highness, what you said is mistaken!" Zhou Fugui sighed, "Very well, today this Zhou will speak his true thoughts?"
"Are you honest?" Murong Huiying couldn't help but ask with a smile.
"As honest as a thick-skinned little lamb," Zhou Fugui replied.
"Hehe, this little lamb of yours was almost slaughtered," Murong Huiying laughed.
They exchanged a few lighthearted remarks, and the atmosphere instantly eased considerably. At the same time, they both felt a sense of warmth.
"As for me, I have always judged people by their actions, not by who they are," Zhou Fugui continued, "Whether Han or barbarian, Your Highness, may this humble general call them barbarians?"
After the Xianbei occupied the Central Plains, the term "barbarian" was no longer allowed. The Xianbei referred to themselves as "people of the nation."
Murong Huiying did not care about this, so she nodded slightly.
"Whether Han or barbarian!" Zhou Fugui continued, nodding, "Both have good and bad, gentlemen and villains. How can they be generalized? Therefore, this Zhou does not hate barbarians, but detests those barbarians who prey on the common people and do evil. It is the same if they were Han."
"Am I a gentleman?" Zhou Fugui's words struck a chord with Murong Huiying. After hearing them, she was extremely pleased and gratified. Looking at Zhou Fugui, she liked him more and more, and asked with a face full of smiles, "Am I a gentleman?"
"Gentleman usually refers to men," Zhou Fugui replied, "but there is also the saying 'a lady of virtue among women.' Your Highness, I have not known you for long, but I already understand that Your Highness is a lady of virtue among women. You ask if I would want to kill you. My answer is, such a delicate, celestial beauty of a lady of virtue among women, how could I bring myself to harm you? I would rather commit suicide than harm Your Highness in the slightest."
Zhou Fugui was flattering her with exaggerated praise, his aim being to save those monks and Taoists who were suffering undeserved calamity. However, these words of Zhou Fugui also carried a hint of flirtatiousness towards Murong Huiying.
As soon as Zhou Fugui finished speaking, he immediately regretted it, thinking that Murong Huiying would surely be furious, and if she didn't kill him on the spot, she would at least leave in anger.
But unexpectedly, after hearing him, Murong Huiying became even happier. She was beaming with joy and didn't know what to say.
Women of the grasslands are straightforward. If you praise them to their faces, they will not be angry, but will be extremely pleased. If you express it indirectly, they will not understand it, and might even misunderstand your intentions...
"You're not angry?" Seeing Murong Huiying's delighted expression, Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
"Why should I be angry when you praise my beauty?" Murong Huiying replied with a smile.
Of course, it also depends on the person...
"Good!" Zhou Fugui was greatly relieved and extended a hand, asking, "What is this?"
"A hand? Could it be a claw?" Murong Huiying asked, feigning annoyance.
"This is a man's hand..." Zhou Fugui said, "A man's hand is not meant for striking women, but for protecting them."
"Hehe, you can't even protect yourself, and you want to protect me?" Murong Huiying blushed and asked Zhou Fugui, "Deputy General Zhou, I understand what you mean. But you lost two subordinates this time. Don't you want revenge?"
"Damn it, they should be cut into a thousand pieces for being captured! They should all be annihilated!" Murong Huiying's question suddenly touched a sore spot in Zhou Fugui's heart. Two brothers he had spent day and night with were killed in the ambush by the Lesser Vehicle Sect. Zhou Fugui couldn't help but feel immense grief, clenched his fists, and said hatefully.
Murong Huiying stared blankly at Zhou Fugui, filled with bewilderment.
He said one moment that it is better to resolve enmity than to create it, and the next moment he wanted to annihilate them all. So, was he going to kill or not?
Zhou Fugui was not a scholar of this world, nor was he a pedantic scholar. However, the long-standing Confucian culture had influenced him. Confucian culture has a spirit of self-sacrifice, meaning that killing me is acceptable, and I can resolve enmity rather than create it with you, but you cannot kill my brothers. Of course, Murong Huiying could not understand this.
"Deputy General Zhou, you should rest and recuperate," Murong Huiying then took out a sandalwood box and said, "I present this to you; it will protect you."
"What is this?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise, holding the sandalwood box.
"When I leave, you can look at it yourself. Remember to wear it at all times," Murong Huiying said with a smile.
"You're... leaving?" Zhou Fugui's reluctance was evident.
"Yes, there are already some discussions in the army. I... I must leave..." Murong Huiying said, her face slightly flushed.
"Oh, thank you, Your Highness. I am afraid I cannot see you off," Zhou Fugui said gratefully.
Murong Huiying nodded and left Zhou Fugui's tent.
"What on earth is this thing?" After Murong Huiying left, Zhou Fugui muttered to himself, holding the sandalwood box.
At this moment, a light laugh came from behind the tent.
"Young Master Tang, please show yourself." Zhou Fugui had just opened the sandalwood box when he heard a movement, so he said.
"Hehe, brother Fugui, you truly are something." As soon as Zhou Fugui finished speaking, Tang Yao emerged from behind the tent, dressed in green, like a scholar, but with a long sword hanging from his waist. He looked at Zhou Fugui with a smile and said.
"What is there to be said about me?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
"Brother Fugui is indeed no ordinary person!" Tang Yao laughed, "A mere soldier, who in such a short time has become a deputy general in the Great Yan army, tsk tsk tsk, truly remarkable. I, Tang, have misjudged you."
"You misjudged me? I am the one who failed to recognize Mount Tai," Zhou Fugui laughed, "I, Zhou, have not yet thanked little brother Tang for saving my life."
"Little brother? Brother Fugui, your tone is not small," Tang Yao laughed.
"Hmm, hehe, is it? Brother, you are so young, yet possess such skill? I, your elder brother, am greatly astonished," Zhou Fugui laughed, "The night in Youzhou, that was you, wasn't it? Thank you for showing mercy. However, I have a question, why have you come?"
"Why have I come?" Tang Yao sneered, "With such mediocre skills, you dare to step forward and right wrongs?"
"When you see injustice on the road, let out a shout! When the time comes, take action!" Zhou Fugui laughed, "What does this have to do with whether your skills are mediocre or not?"
"When you see injustice on the road, let out a shout! When the time comes, take action? Well said!" Tang Yao exclaimed, then asked, "Brother Fugui, do you know who you killed?"