Chapter 1152: Chapter 1152: If There Is a Next Life, Let’s Be Brothers Again!

Everyone pretended to cry for a while, sent someone to report to the Capital City, and then continued with their usual activities.

The commotion was far less than what it caused for Hai Tang.

Ten days later.

Xia Tingfeng and Yang Chenyi returned, and the soldiers in the army hadn’t had time to be happy,

when the two announced two news that made everyone silent and mournful.

The first was:

King Hai Zhentian of Western Xia and Crown Prince Hai Yue had already passed in prison, and Hai Tang’s final wish was still unfulfilled.

The second was:

Monster died halfway.

Xia Tingfeng’s heart was so pained it had become numb, he couldn’t even feel anything anymore.

When he delivered the news.

His face was pale, his body was cold, and he was expressionless.

Rat also went along.

He witnessed Monster’s body festering all over, leaving in endless pain.

Tears had long dried up.

The heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys - all internal organs long shattered, intensely painful.

Facing Tiger’s ’ferocious’ interrogation.

Rat opened his mouth several times but didn’t know what to say.

Only his pale face and trembling lips spoke of his unparalleled grief.

"What happened, speak up!"

"How can someone just leave like that!"

Tiger cried fiercely, looking around and wailing.

If it were someone else, he would have grabbed their collar and forced them with a knife for answers.

But standing opposite him was also his brother, he couldn’t! He was aggrieved!

Xia Tingfeng coughed lightly twice, pressing down on the faint pain in his chest, and slowly said.

"He was... new injuries added to old ones, plus the journey, he couldn’t hold on and passed!"

Tiger was dumbfounded.

"I didn’t see him hurt, when was he injured?"

Rat after a long silence said.

"That day when he returned from the Western Xia camp, he was covered in wounds, the military doctor only bandaged the exterior but didn’t properly treat the internal injuries."

"Later when we used fire attack... he..."

"His back suffered large burns! He... just endured without speaking!"

Tiger froze, unable to believe.

"How did he get burned!"

"I didn’t notice at all, are you fooling me!"

Rat suddenly shouted.

"Why would I fool you?"

"You didn’t notice, neither did I!"

"Such ugly burn wounds, he’s such a vain person, how could he say it!"

"If I noticed, I’d tie him up in the camp for proper treatment!"

"But... we just didn’t notice!"

"And he didn’t say!"

"When we found out on the road, his whole body was burning hot, and his entire back was rotten!"

"He endured the heart-peircing intense pain just to not let us worry!"

"To cover his pale face, he put rouge on!"

"To prevent the festering blood from flowing out, he wrapped round after rounds of white cloth around himself!"

"To hide the smell of rotting flesh, he poured strong liquor on his back!"

"No wonder..."

"No wonder that guy kept drinking!"

"Turned out, he was explaining the strong smell of alcohol on his body!"

Rat cried painfully, clutching his heart, wailing like a child.

That bastard!

That bastard deceived them for so long! Made them suffer so much!

Tiger was in a daze for a long time, finally digesting the series of news.

He murmured.

"Why?"

"Why didn’t he stay for treatment!"

"Why insist on going along!"

"In the camp there are the best military doctors, if he stayed, he certainly wouldn’t die!"

"Big brother, why on earth?!"

Tiger broke his head yet couldn’t figure it out.

Xia Tingfeng’s facial muscles twitched, his face was pale, after a while he said softly.

"Even if the burns are healed, extremely ugly scars will remain!"

"He’s a person who loves beauty to the extreme, to blemish his looks is akin to taking his life!"

"He already decided to seek death when he got injured!"

"He went along just to send off Hai Tang one final journey!"

"He was unwilling to part!"

Tiger finally understood.

"So, he hid his injuries thinking everyone saw him as a normal person!"

"So, when going to Western Xia, he insisted on joining!"

"So, he’d rather die than stay behind..."

Xia Tingfeng slightly lifted his eyes, looking afar.

A pure white cloud floated in the azure sky.

So clean, so immaculate, so beautiful, so quiet, he gently spoke.

"Tiger!"

"You need to understand, everyone has their own aspirations!"

Some just: would rather shatter like jade than remain intact like tile.

Some just: would rather die gloriously than live ignobly!

Tiger was silent.

Rat bowed in quietness.

Xia Tingfeng watched that white cloud for a while.

Then lowered his head with a ’splutter’, spitting a mouthful of blood before collapsing.

"Big brother!"

"Big brother, what’s wrong?!"

"Someone, call the military doctor!"

The tent was in a busy panic.

Xia Tingfeng, face pale as paper, bloodless, always enduring without falling, finally couldn’t hold on anymore.

He was too tired.

So tired he didn’t want to move a finger.

He was too hurt.

The dearest people leaving one after another, he could only watch, yet there was no way to reverse it.

He would never forget how Monster looked before dying.

He smiled saying.

"Big brother, back then I had no parents, without you, there would be no me now!"

"Big brother, in this lifetime the most correct decision was being brothers with you."

"Big brother! In the next life, we’ll still be brothers!"

He left.

Leaving he was still so beautiful.

Peach blossom eyes, long eyelashes, white skin, exquisite features.

Wearing clean white clothes, like jade bone fan fingers nearly transparent.

There was no odor on his body, only a faint scent of flowers and liquor.

The flower scent from sachets, the liquor smell from fine wines.

He departed very gracefully.

Xia Tingfeng thought.

’Maybe, we should be happy for him!’

...

After the army regrouped in Yanguan City for more than ten days.

They returned triumphantly at the end of July, beginning of August.

A month later, a hundred thousand soldiers stationed at the Capital Military Department.

Yang He led the generals back to report to the emperor.

The triumphant soldiers deserved the highest level of welcome.

Zhao Junyao led civil and military officials to personally welcome at the Main Gate of the Capital City.

On the high city tower, the Great Chu Dynasty’s bright yellow flag fluttered in the wind.

On both sides of the tower passage, Capital City citizens lined up to welcome, cheers, shouts, and the sound of drums resounded.

As rows of generals on war horses lined up neatly entering from outside the city.

The citizens were completely jubilant.

They welcomed the soldiers who used their lives to protect them.

They welcomed the indomitable, valiant, and unbeatable heroes.

All their happy lives were exchanged by heroes with their lives.

How could they not be grateful, moved, and excited?!

The streets were lined with people.

Some were there just to watch the bustle.

Some had received family letters early, waiting there for their sons, for their husbands.

Of course, there were also some families of martyrs quietly wiping tears.