Chapter 6 — After Rebirth, I Will Not Be a Widow Anymore

12

The days at the military camp passed very quickly. Outside the tent, it was not yet dawn when the training command was heard. Although I have been untied, outside the camp there are soldiers guarding me. I can't go out, I just squat every day and count ants on the ground. Every time I hear footsteps passing by outside, I stand up excitedly. Waiting for the sound of footsteps to pass, I sat down again in disappointment. Since the day I met Yen Chinh, I have never seen him again. As time passed, I and the soldier guarding me, Tieu Ngu, became familiar. Tieu Ngu is younger than me and is a talkative person. Listening to him, they compared it with the painting sent from the capital, confirming that I was indeed the second lady of the Tham family reported missing. When my family heard that I was at the border, they immediately wanted to send someone to pick me up. Going back and forth would take at least half a month.

"Miss Shen, you're not in the capital and are a lady dressed in jade, why are you running to this place where birds don't even bother to poop?"

“I came to find your General Yen.”

Listening to me repeatedly, Tieu Ngu gradually accepted the saying that I was General Yen's fiancee. Otherwise, General Yen, who killed people without blinking an eye that day, would have the soft heart to wipe away the tears of a person suspected of being a traitor like me? The story of Yen Chinh wiping my tears grew wings and flying all over the barracks, adding more fish sauce and salt. Who isn't curious about their superiors' private matters? Someone said I came to urge you to get married. Some people say I love Yen Chinh so much that I came from thousands of miles to find him. Some people also said that Yen Chinh couldn't bear to let me suffer at the border, so he wanted to take me home. But Yen Chinh doesn't know about the rumors below. Because Tieu Ngu said, after interrogating me that day, the next day Yen Chinh led his army to attack. Right now, the news coming back from the front lines is all news of victory. I breathed a sigh of relief. That night, my eyelids kept twitching violently for some reason, and I couldn't sleep anyway. At midnight, rustling footsteps were heard outside the tent. At first I just thought it was a night guard, so I didn't pay attention and turned over and continued to sleep. Until I heard someone inside unconsciously stomping his feet. Knock knock knock, knock knock knock. I immediately opened my eyes. In his previous life, Yen Chinh often held me in his arms and vividly told stories of border battles. Thanks to that, I heard many messages from the Huns and learned the Hun language from him. If I remember correctly, that sound of short and long footsteps was the signal the Huns used to indicate direction.

13

My heart hangs in my throat. I gingerly crawled to the door, pushing Tieu Ngu who was dozing.

"Wake up, Tieu Ngu. Where is the food warehouse located? Where are the Hungarian prisoners of war kept?"

Tieu Ngu was startled and woke up completely.

"Miss Shen, why are you asking about this? This is a military secret. Even if you are the general's fiancee, I can't say."

Without time to explain, I said directly:

“I heard a signal from the Huns. There may be interlopers in the army.”

Tieu Ngu was a rookie, had never been on the battlefield, his face immediately turned pale. I say this with certainty:

"You believe me. Hurry up and report, strengthen the defense of the food warehouse. The patrol team has more people in the northwest and southeast directions. The sound of footsteps disappeared from that direction!"

Tieu Ngu didn't hesitate anymore and immediately stood up.

“Let's go find the deputy general right. Miss Tham is inside the tent, absolutely don't go out."

A moment later, the sound of a horn tore through the quiet night. The sound of clashing weapons intermingled. The chaos lasted for about half an hour, then gradually subsided. Outside the tent came the sound of dragging and the sounds of Huns cursing. The east revealed a silvery white color, the sky was about to dawn. It must be safe. Thinking that, I finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat down. The curtain was suddenly lifted sharply. Yen Chinh strode in. He was windy and tired, his armor was stained with blood, the tears in his eyes had not yet disappeared, his eyes locked on me. He took two steps forward and grabbed my neck.

“Tell me, who are you? Why do you understand the signals of the Huns?

Yen Chinh really wanted to kill. The feeling of suffocation came, the air gradually became thinner.

"It was you... who taught me..."

I don't want to cry. But it seems that after being reborn and meeting Yen Chinh again, I couldn't hold back my tears. Every time I see this face ten years younger, I think of the last time Yen Chinh left the capital. He smiled, hooked his hand and promised me.

“Uyen Uyen, the war is finally about to calm down. Wait until I return to Luong Chau to finish everything and chase those barbarians back to the grasslands. I will hand over military authority and take you to explore the mountains and water, okay?"

“When the world is at peace, will you be willing to marry me?”

I confronted him, tightening my hooked fingers.

"Yen Chinh, when you return safely, I will marry you."

But three months later, the people of the capital crowded both sides of the road to welcome the victorious army. Everyone had a smile of victory on their faces. What we're waiting for is a jar of ashes. The eight-meter-old man, just like that, lay quietly in a small box. Yen Chinh fought in battle for nearly twenty years, leaving behind a disease. Every time it rains, the whole body's joints and bones hurt. The postman said, Yen Chinh did not need to die. It was he who, in order to save a hundred children who were taken hostage by the Huns while fleeing, took off his armor and voluntarily changed people. The day Yen Chinh died. Luong Chau poured the heaviest rain in ten years. The people of Luong Chau wept and mourned all along the way. My Yen Chinh, how painful it must have been at that time.