RPAGF Chapter 469 Missing Home
Chapter 469 Missing Home
The powerful, revolutionary, heroic, and majestic singing voice suddenly and strangely pierced through the darkness, echoing in the empty mountains and forests, even startling a few roosting birds.
After finishing the song, Shi Wanxia felt her chest filled with a burning emotion, and the fear she had felt earlier was largely dispelled.
A surge of emotion, mixed with unspeakable longing, welled up in her heart, and her eyes instantly reddened.
She was homesick.
Not any place in this time and space, but that distant, modern homeland that can never be returned to.
She misses her peaceful, strong, and prosperous motherland.
I miss those ordinary days when I was just a "little piece of trash," silently protected by the powerful nation, without having to worry about my life or safety all the time.
Cui Jiu, who was standing to the side, was completely stunned. The shock in his heart far exceeded the fear he had felt before.
He looked at Shi Wanxia in disbelief.
This melody... these lyrics! The melody is unique yet stirring and powerful, and the lyrics are unlike anything I've ever heard before, filled with unwavering courage, responsibility, loyalty, and an unyielding belief in victory. This is clearly a magnificent military battle song!
But... how could Miss Shi, a delicate and seemingly frail woman, sing such a song?
And he sang so naturally, as if he had been immersed in it for a long time?
Since ancient times, have there ever been women in military camps?
Where does her aura and passion come from?
Looking at Shi Wanxia's slightly red eyes and her stubbornly straight back, Cui Jiu was filled with enormous questions and an indescribable shock.
This young lady seems to be hiding too many secrets.
Cui Jiu was not a person with a strong sense of curiosity.
Although he was deeply moved by the unprecedented and powerful war song, and had even more doubts about Shi Wanxia's identity and background, he knew his place.
He is the young master's bodyguard. His primary duty is to protect the young master's safety, and his secondary duty is to carry out the young master's orders.
Miss Shi is someone the young master values, and everything she has done so far has been beneficial to the young master and Chuzhou.
As long as she does not harm the young master or do anything rebellious, her secret is none of his business.
He suppressed his surging doubts once more, his gaze sharpening and focusing again as he vigilantly guarded his side.
Shi Qing, on the other hand, was simple-minded. After listening to the song, she felt a surge of pride dispel her fear and became cheerful.
She affectionately took Shi Wanxia's arm, her voice becoming much lighter: "Sister Shi, the song you sang was so beautiful! The melody was a bit strange, but it made people feel energetic!"
"And... I don't know why, but after hearing it, I'm not so scared anymore!"
Seeing that she had regained her liveliness, Shi Wanxia was also happy. It's always a good thing to be appreciated, especially at times like this.
She smiled and patted Shiqing's hand: "It sounds nice, right? Don't be afraid, I'm here, I'll protect you!"
She spoke with great confidence, as if she weren't the one who had almost been scared to tears just moments before.
She glanced at the increasingly dark night around her and dared not linger any longer: "It's too eerie here, we shouldn't stay any longer, let's hurry down the mountain!"
The three of them then continued their trek down the mountain, their steps uneven.
The mountain path was rugged and difficult to traverse. The pitch-black night was like a huge velvet blanket, completely enveloping the entire forest. With only a dim lantern in hand, the light was so weak that it could only illuminate a few steps ahead.
The roadside was overgrown with weeds and thorns, which would occasionally snag on their clothes, making a rustling sound that was particularly clear in the silence.
Shi Wanxia's hair had long since become disheveled from her running around, with a few strands of hair falling down her cheeks, and even a few dry grasses that had somehow gotten stuck in her hair, making her look rather disheveled.
Just as they were struggling to reach the halfway point of the mountain and were almost exhausted, a few flickering lights and faint human voices suddenly appeared ahead.
"Miss Shi?"
"Sister Shi? Is that you?"
A clear, familiar voice, tinged with obvious worry, came through.
Shi Wanxia looked up and saw Cui Zhihao holding a torch, leading several guards, hurrying towards her.
The flickering firelight illuminated his handsome face, revealing a hint of barely perceptible anxiety between his brows.
"Master Cui!"
When Shi Wanxia saw him, her tense nerves finally relaxed, and she breathed a long sigh of relief.
Cui Zhihao walked quickly to her, his gaze sweeping over her body, noticing that her clothes were torn in several places.
His hair was disheveled and covered in grass clippings, making him look a bit disheveled, but he didn't seem to be injured, which eased my anxiety a little.
His gaze fell on her disheveled hair and the few playful withered grasses, a barely perceptible smile and pity flashing in his eyes.
He reached out very naturally and gently removed the weeds from her hair one by one.
Her tone was so gentle it could melt your heart: "Miss Shi, you've had a hard time. What happened to you? Did you encounter any danger?"
His fingertips occasionally brushed against her temples, bringing a slightly itchy sensation.
Shi Wanxia was slightly taken aback, her face flushed, and she subconsciously tilted her head and whispered, "No... there was no danger, it's just that the road was difficult to walk on, and I accidentally got it on my face."
Seeing this, Cui Jiu silently lowered his eyelids. Shi Qing blinked and secretly smiled.
Choi Ji-ho took in her subtle movements, his smile deepening as he took a clean cloak from the guard behind him.
He carefully draped the shawl over Shi Wanxia's shoulders, shielding her from the mountain dew: "It's chilly in the mountains at night, be careful not to catch a cold. Let's go, I'll go back with you."
With the addition of Choi Ji-ho and his guards, the team immediately gained a leader.
The torches dispelled the darkness and the last trace of fear.
As Shi Wanxia walked beside Cui Zhihao, listening to his gentle inquiries about her observations during the day's investigation and his occasional pertinent suggestions, the loneliness and panic she felt in the mountains gradually gave way to a sense of peace and security.
The night was still deep, but the path down the mountain no longer seemed so difficult.
It was mid-autumn, and the capital was already bathed in a cool night breeze. However, the candlelight in the side hall of the Eastern Palace burned exceptionally brightly. Sparks from the candle wicks fell onto the mountain of documents, casting shadows on the face of Crown Prince Shen Yanzhou.
He held a secret report between his fingers, his knuckles turning white from the force. Seven days had passed since the jade pendant engraved with the character "Rong" was left behind by the former subordinates of the Prince of Rongyang in the suburbs.
He led Pei Xuan, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, to search every corner of the capital, but those rebels were like ink dissolved in the night, leaving no trace.
"Your Highness, we have gone through the rosters of the Left and Right Battalions of the Imperial Guards three times, and we have even checked the kitchen servants, but we still haven't found anything unusual."
Pei Xuan stood to the side, his black official robe stained with night dew, his eyes revealing unconcealed weariness.
The teacup in his hand had long since gone cold, but he didn't even touch it—the Crown Prince hadn't dared to sleep deeply for seven days, so he, as his advisor, had even less reason to slack off.
Shen Yanzhou raised his hand and rubbed his temples, his voice slightly hoarse: "The Prince of Rongyang has been cultivating for many years, and his remnants must be hiding very deep. But with the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet approaching, if they want to harm the Emperor, they will not remain in hiding forever."
He gazed at the deep night outside the window, then suddenly remembered something and tapped his fingertips lightly on the table.
"I have already sent a message to Chuzhou by carrier pigeon. Wanxia is a clever girl; perhaps she has a solution."
Meanwhile, the lights in the Imperial Study remained on. Emperor Shen Yuxi held a urgent border report, but his gaze fell on an envelope marked "Secret Report from the Crown Prince" on the corner of the table.