CHAPTER 302: CHAPTER 299: GRATITUDE

Just as Lady Xue’s words landed, Old General Xue’s face turned grim: "What are you talking about?"

Usually, Lady Xue wouldn’t dare utter another word, but now it was different, faced with life and death, this might be Ke’er’s only path of survival.

It’s not that the Qi people would start mass killings once they reclaim the Land of the Eight States, but she was very clear about the master’s character; he would definitely follow their majesty to the very end, until he died in battle.

Their Ke’er was not a military general, but now he was already nineteen, and at such an age, he could only perish along with the dynasty.

Lady Xue’s eyes reddened: "Master, at this moment, don’t you think even a bit about Ke’er?"

Old General Xue was slightly touched but soon turned resolute: "Could it be, at such a time, you still want to entertain other thoughts? As early as when we arrived in the Land of the Eight States, I felt you should have understood, if our dynasty is replaced, none of us would have any way out."

Lady Xue lowered her head: "The times then are not like now, Ke’er was still small, and we had no choice, it’s different now..."

"There’s no difference," Old General Xue said, "The victorious become lords, and the defeated are thieves, it has always been thus."

Lady Xue’s lips moved: "Since that’s the case, why did you have a compassionate thought when Prince Guangyang died in battle? Why did you risk such great danger to go to the Prince Guangyang Mansion first?"

"At that time, why didn’t you say that the Prince Guangyang Mansion deserved such an end? Instead, you felt sorry for Prince Guangyang?"

Old General Xue looked at Lady Xue in astonishment, not anticipating she would speak so recklessly: "Where has your heart gone? Why I went to the Prince Guangyang Mansion you don’t know? Back when we were at war, it was Prince Guangyang who released you womenfolk, gave you respect, saved you from humiliation, I did that to repay Prince Guangyang a favor."

Hearing this, Lady Xue became emotionally agitated: "But you risked the lives of the whole family at that time, in comparison, Prince Guangyang owes us instead."

Old General Xue waved his hand: "Prince Guangyang did what he did, I repaid in kind willingly, I said long ago we owe each other nothing."

Lady Xue clenched her hand and raised her voice: "Master even now you won’t admit it? You secretly released Prince Guangyang’s daughter, to the Guangyang lineage, isn’t that a great favor? Now that they are making a comeback, I don’t even ask them to spare our family, as long as there’s a way to save Ke’er, you won’t agree to this one request?"

The husband and wife locked eyes, seeing unfamiliar emotions in each other’s eyes, Old General Xue felt his wife had gone mad.

Old General Xue was silent for a moment: "Did you tell Ke’er about this?"

Lady Xue’s lips moved without speaking immediately, Old General Xue instantly knew the answer.

"You are muddled," Old General Xue was furious, "I shouldn’t have told you about this matter, I agreed with the people of Chen Family Village, no one else would know this matter, whether Chen Family Village could leave the territory with people, whether they could keep Prince Guangyang’s daughter alive was none of my concern."

"If it is to be said someone to thank for Princess Guangyang’s survival, it should be Chen Family Village, Chen Youli risked the entire Chen Family Village as a wager to take her away, if discovered, the whole village wouldn’t survive, whereas I merely diverted some resources, opening a path."

Old General Xue still remembered Chen Youli rushing into the flames to carry out Prince Guangyang’s daughter; if Chen Youli had hesitated slightly, or felt fear of the flames, it couldn’t have been accomplished.

Later he handled the aftermath, using a corpse to replace Prince Guangyang’s daughter, since then he had had no further contact with Chen Family Village, nor had he seen Chen Youli again.

About a month later, he went to inquire about the news that the Chen Family Village escaped to Qi Land.

There were many refugees, whether they could survive was uncertain, ultimately his action was truly to repay Prince Guangyang’s favor, he would not have completed this alone without Chen Youli.

So many years have passed, and unexpectedly the people of Chen Family Village returned again, and returned as part of the Western Expedition General Song Xian’s domain, though he hadn’t asked about this Chen Family Village closely, he knew in his heart, those should be the people Chen Youli took away.

Old General Zhang allied with Song Xian, helping him capture Xinzhou and Dai State, presumably with the connection to Chen Family Village, after all, Old General Zhang was loyal to Prince Guangyang to the end.

In the past, Prince Guangyang’s lineage was forced to a dead end, Prince Guangyang and his sole son died in battle, the remaining womenfolk willingly went to their deaths, such a tragic sight he witnessed with his own eyes.

Who would have thought Prince Guangyang only left behind a daughter and their lineage could once again step into the Land of the Eight States, now everything is different, they have become the fish on the chopping board.

Perhaps this was fate.

Back then, the emperor’s actions against the Guangyang family were truly too cruel, now blood must be paid with blood, no one can escape.

Old General Xue stared at Lady Xue: "I hope you keep some dignity before you die, if this matter is known to the emperor, do you know what the result would be? How do you know Chen Family Village would help plead for Ke’er?"

Old General Xue said: "Back then, I was also ordered to besiege Prince Guangyang, in essence, the blood on my hands outweighs the favor, how would Prince Guangyang’s descendants perceive us? Recklessly going would be courting humiliation."

Upon hearing this, Lady Xue’s passion turned cold instantly: "But... the Guangyang lineage values faithfulness above all..."

Old General Xue replied with disdain: "Even if Chen Family Village is willing to help, would Song Xian agree? Song Xian fought this battle quickly and ruthlessly, and had quite a reputation before becoming the Western Expedition General, such a person, how could he be easily swayed?"

Lady Xue’s last ray of hope was about to be extinguished.

Old General Xue sighed: "Think of those who died early in battle, being here now we both should be grateful, as for Ke’er, let fate take its course, if by chance he survives, that’s his blessing, don’t do anything useless... This matter you told him, you go and explain it to him."

Old General Xue turned to go to the study.

Lady Xue looked around the empty room, her heart twisted in pain, not knowing how much time passed, a voice sounded in her ear: "Mother, mother what’s wrong with you?"

Xue Ke helped Lady Xue up: "You must take care of yourself."

"What’s the use?" Lady Xue tightened her grip on Xue Ke’s hand, "At this point there’s no way, my poor child." After her eldest son died in battle, she had this son in her forties, always doting on him, and now in such a situation, fearing he couldn’t escape death, how could she bear it...

Xue Ke pondered, looking in the direction where his father left, if not for Song Xian killing Han Wei, his mother might not have told him about this, maybe this matter could really save his life.

"Mother," Xue Ke said, "The emperor ordered us to raise military funds, I will leave Taiyuan Prefecture today."

Lady Xue reached out to grasp Xue Ke tightly, her expression full of worry, finally she said: "When you go out, find a way... don’t come back, never come back."

Xue Ke’s heart shook, perhaps his mother was right, this time was the last chance, but if he didn’t return where would he go? Did he really have to seek out Song Xian?

Appealing to Song Xian with favors, Song Xian had no relation to Prince Guangyang, he might not be moved, what if he sought Old General Zhang?