落尘小说网

第 44 章（第1页）

Afeassedaftertheattack。Thebordervillagewasslowlyreturningtoitsordinaryrhythm。Roofswerebeingrepaired，feraightened，andthedamagedsupplybarnhadfinallybeenclearedofbrokentimber。Soldiersstillpatrolledtheroadsmoreoftenthanbefore，butpeoplewerebeginningtoleavetheirdoorsopenagain。

Suyuamostmswalkingthroughthevillage。Shedidnothavemuchstrengthtobeginwith，sosheayedoutfortoolong。Sometimesshehelpedanoldwomansortdriedvegetables。Sometimesshesatbesidethewellandlisteothevillagerstalk。Shefoundthatordinarypeoplehadastrangeabilitytotinuelivingevenafterfrighteningthingshappened。

Thatm，shefollowedAyaoalongthesouthernroad。“Thereisateastallahead，”Ayaosaid。“Youhaveenanythingsincem。”

“Iate。”

“Youdrankhalfabowlofpe。”

“Thatts。”

“Itdoesnot。”

Suyuanglaher。“Thenwhydidyouletmeleave?”

Ayaosighed。“Becausearguingwithyouisexhausting。”

Theyeventuallyreachedasmallwoodenstallbesidetheroad。Itbelooanelderlycouplewhohadlostpartoftheirroofduringtherettrouble。Thehusbandwasrepairingawoodenbenchwhilehiswifepouredteafortravellers。WhentheysawSuyuan，thewomanimmediatelysmiled。

“Princess，sitdown。Youlookpaleagain。”

Suyuanpaused。

Shestillwasntusedtobeingcalledthat。

“JustSuyuanisfine。”

Thewomanlaughed。“IfIcalledyouthatinfrontofthesoldiers，theydprobablythinkIwasdisrespectful。”Ayaosatdownandorderedtwobowlsofmilletpe。Whiletheywaited，Suyuannoticedsomethinglyihthetable，it’sasmallblackfeather。Herexpressiongedforonlyamoment。Shebentdoickeditup。“Wheredidthisefrom?”Theoldwomanlookedfused。Suyuanturhefeatherbetweenherfiherewasnothingunusualaboutit。Nowriting，nomarkandnothingthatexplainedwhyshehadseenthesamekindbefore。Sheplaceditbathetableandthewomanshruggedandtinuedpreparingtea。

AyaowatchedSuyuancarefully。“Yourethinkingaboutitagain。”Suyuanlookeddowntheroad。Acartpassedinthedistawochildrenchasedeachotherbesideitwhiletheirmothercalledthemback。“Yes，”shesaidquietly。“ButIdontknowenoughyet。”

Ayaonodded。

Amomentlater，hoofbeatssoundedfromtheroad，severalXiansoldiersappearedinthedistance，returningfrompatrol。AtthefrontrodeGeneralSuXieZheng。HenoticedSuyuanimmediately。Hisgazemovedfromhertotheteastall，thentotheblackfeatheroable。Hedismounted。“Youshouldntwalkthisfarwithouttellingtheguards。”Suyuanlookedathimcalmly。“Ihadguards。”XieZhengglancedbehindherandtwosoldiersstoodawkwardlyseveralstepsaway。

“Theyweresupposedtostaycloser。”

“Theyweretoldnottobotherme。”

Xiealmostsighed。

“Youmakemysoldiersquestiontheirlifechoices。”

Ayaocoveredhermouth，tryingnottolaugh。Suyuanloweredhereyestohidethesmallsmilethatalmostappeared。Forabriefmoment，theroadfeltpeaceful。ThenXieZhengnoticedthefeather，hisexpressionbecameslightlymoreserious。“Wheredidyoufindthat?”Suyuanlookedathim。“Uhetable。”Hepickeditupandexamiwithoutsayinganything。Afteramoment，hehaback。“Dontworryaboutit。”SuyuanraisedaneyebrowwhileXielookedtowardthedistantmountains。

Thewindmovedthroughthegrass，herofthemspokeforawhile。Therewerestilltoomanyquestionsbutfornow，thevillagewassafeandthatwasenough。