落尘小说网

第 41 章（第1页）

Them，GeneralSuXieZhehebarracksbeforesuheabandonedwagonhadbeenfoundagaihesouthernroad，andthistimeXieZhengdecidedtoihesurroundingareahimself。Hetookseveraldozenriderswithhim，leavingthemainbarracksuheandofhisdeputy。Suyuanwatchedthemdisappearthroughtheeasterngateandforonce，shehadnoiionoffollowing。Herbodywasstillrec，andevenshekhatchasingageneralonhorsebackwasbeyorength。

Instead，shedecidedtowalk。Twosoldierswereassigoapanyher，withAyaofollowingclosebehind。"Wherearewegoing?"Ayaoasked。

"Toseetheborder。"

"Wevealreadyseentheborder。"

"Imeanthepeoplelivinghere。"

Ayaotiltedherhead。

Suyuandidntanswer。

Shesimplytinuedwalking。

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TheborderwasnotwhatSuyuanhadimagined，shehadexpectedsoldiers，watchtowers，ons，andendlessfields。Instead，shefoundordinarypeopletryingtoliveordinarylives。Therewerefarmersrepairingfencesdamagedduringtheraid。Anoldwomansatoutsideherhomesbeansonebyone。Childrencarriedwaterbetweenhouseswhilearguingoverwhohadtocarrytheheavierbucket。

Ayoungboydroppedhisbasketandthebeansscatteredacrosstheground。Beforehecouldstartg，anotherchildimmediatelykdowntohelphim。"Youdroppedthemagain。"Thetwochildrengatheredthebeanstogether。Suyuanwatchedthemquietlyandoneofthesoldiersbesidehersmiled。

"Theyvebeenlikethatallm。"

"Evenaftertheattack?"

Thesoldiernodded。

"Peoplehereareusedtodifficultdays。"

Suyuanloweredhereyes。Usedtodifficultdays，sheuoodthosewordsbetterthanshewao。Astheytihroughthevillage，peoplereizedthesoldiersescherandbegaingthem。AfarmerofferedthesoldierswarmteaandanoldwomaninsistedAyaotaketwosteamedbuns。

Then，thelittlegirlwhomSuyuanhadmetbeforerantowardher。"Princess!"Suyuancrouchedcarefully，thegirlheldoutasmallwoodenflower。"Imadethis。"Suyuanacceptedit。"Itsbeautiful。"Thegirlseyesbrightened。"Myfathermadetheknifeforme。"Herfather，standingnearby，immediatelycalledout，"DonttellpeopleIletyouplaywithknives!"Thegirlgiggledandranaway。Ayaolaughedeven，Suyuancouldntstopherselffromsmiling。

Thenhergazeslowlymovedacrossthevillage。Thesepeoplehadalmostnothing，theirhomesweresimple，theirclotheswerewornandtheirfoodwaslimitedyettheystillsharedwhattheyhad。

Abowloftea…

Apieceofbread…

Ahelpinghand…

Suyuansfiightenedaroundthelittlewoodenflower。Hermotherhadooldherthatatrywasnotitspalacebutitwasitspeople。Atthetime，Suyuanhadbeentooyoungtouandandnowshedid。Shelookedtowardthedistantborderwall，“sothisiswhatyouprotected，Mother”。Notgold，nottitlesandnottheemperorsthrone。Butthesepeople，thefarmers，childrenandoldpeople。Thesoldierswhostoodoutsideinthecoldsothesepeoplecouldsleepsafely。Forthefirsttime，Suyuanwonderedwhetherhermreatestsacrificehadbeenworthit。Thenshesawanoldmanquietlyplaghalfofhisownrationintoanotherfamilysbasket。Herquestiondisappeared，perhapsshealreadykheanswer。

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Bynoon，Suyuanhadwanderedfartherthaended，herguardshadbeeacedtofollowingher。"Princess，weshouldreturn，"onesaid。Suyuannodded，sheturnedaroundandstopped。Somethinghadmovedontheroofacrosstheroadbutonlyforamoment。Ashadowthennothing。

Suyuanstared。

"Princess?"

"Wait。"

Hervoicewasquiet。Thesoldiersimmediatelybecamealert。Suyuanlookedaroundbutthevillagewasstillpeaceful，awomanwashangingclothes，childrenwereplayingnearawellandacartrolleddowntheroadnothingseemedwrong。Then—Asharpsoundcutthroughtheair。OneofthesoldiersbesideSuyuansuddenlydroppedtoonekneewhiletheothersoldierdrewhissword。"Princess，staybehindme!"Suyuanbarelyhadtimetoreactwhenadarkfiguresuddenlyleaptfromtheroof。Theassassinmoveddirectlytowardherandtheguardsteppedforwardandblockedtheattack。

Steelstrucksteel。

Thevillagersscreamedandscattered，AyaograbbedSuyuansarm。"Run!"ButSuyuancouldntmove。Notbecauseshewasfrightenedbutbecauseshehadseentheassassinssleeve。Therewasasmallsymbolembroideredhewrist，acrestandthreeshortlihesamesymbolfromhermothersmap。Suyuansexpressionged，theassassinwasnthereforthevillage。Hewashereforherandjustastheguardsclosedaroundher，anothershadoearedontheroofbehindthethenanother。

Suyuanlookedup，herfacewentpale。"Therearemore。"Thevillageeruptedintochaosandsomewherefarbeyondtheborder，XieZhengwasstillridingtowardthesouthernroad—pletelyunawarethattheenemyhadalreadyreachedthewomanhehadbeenorderedtoprotect