Chapter 021 - Taming the Tiger
Five days later, Li Yuan was gradually getting used to this grueling routine of heading home at midnight and leaving again before dawn. In a strange twist, spending less time with Yan Yu only made them cling to each other more. She never tired of having him close, whispering to him in the dark.
“I heard that the provincial authorities have dispatched troops to suppress the Red Lotus Rebels. Meanwhile, our Gemhill County magistrate is still waiting to see how things unfold.
“That means Uncle Wang and the others are safe for now. They can’t come home, of course. They’re stuck training in the barracks. But otherwise, they’re unharmed.
“Auntie Wang nearly burst with joy when she heard the news. She pulled me aside and chattered on for ages.
“If we’d known things would work out like this, maybe you wouldn’t have needed to hide up in the mountains.”
But Li Yuan just shook his head. “Who can predict what lies ahead? Whether the government forces can really suppress the Red Lotus Rebels is uncertain, whether our county’s troops will have to go to battle is uncertain, and whether the magistrate will change his mind is also uncertain...
“On the battlefield, spears and arrows don’t discriminate. Once you’re there, your life is no longer your own. Hiding in the mountains early on might’ve been the wisest choice.”
Yan Yu sighed. “You’re right... But it’s so tiring and risky for you to sneak back and forth every night...”
Li Yuan wrapped an arm around her. “For you, it doesn’t feel tiring at all.”
She froze for a moment, then gently tapped his chest with a small fist. “You’re such a tease,” she said, her tone scolding but her eyes full of happiness.
After that brief moment of joy came a hint of worry. “How about this? Maybe you could come home injured. Tell everyone you were chased by a wild beast in the mountains and got lost, and barely made it out alive. Then you’d be stuck at home nursing your wounds, and you wouldn’t have to go to the barracks.”
Li Yuan shook his head. “It’s too early to make that call.” Then a sudden thought struck him. “If I do find a perfect place deep in the mountains, would you join me there? To live in seclusion and wait out this storm?”