The reverberating stomping of boots shook the ground with the force of the thousands of men present and the atmosphere swirled into a frenzied fervor as the crowd thumped their chest plates and clanged their weapons in the air.
In a booming cry, Prince Adlai addressed the Northern warriors in their native tongue, "For Chieftain Burat!"
"For Chieftain Burat!" The warriors mirrored with a whooping shout, their maces and axes swinging overhead.
"For the Middle Kingdom!" Ye An roared with a fist into the sky and the soldiers echoed with swords and crossbows cutting through the air, "For the Middle Kingdom!"
The vein on Ye An's neck strained as she hollered, "Today we march towards the capital! And then we attack!"
The crowd exploded into a united uproar. It was a sight to behold. As Ye An surveyed the men, the sensation of time slowing down into a thick sluice washed over her as she marveled at the camaraderie between the soldiers and warriors, standing side by side exclaiming with an intense ardor like they had been brother in arms since the dawn of time. Goosebumps pebbled her skin.
Ye An drew a deep breath and time resumed. Beside her, punching his fist into the air, Prince Adlai barked, "Time to move out!"
The men clamored at the announcement, adrenaline running high in their blood.
Before the hour was up, the troop was already on the muddy path to the capital. This far from the mountains, the frost of the winter was truly a thing of the past, melting into water that seeped into the ground. Despite it being midday, the sun casting over the travelling convoy was mellow and watery, much like how it usually was in the winter months, as if it was still unaware of the changing seasons. Similarly, the grass on either side of the path had yet to completely shed the brownness that was gained in the icy winter. However, fresh buds of green leaves were already sprouting on the trees surrounding them and the forest was waking up to the returning birds chirping the first tunes of spring over the sounds of the horse's trotting hooves and the men's marching boots.
Ye An breathed in the crisp air as she rode on a horse with Xi Chen by her side and both Prince Adlai and Sze Chang behind them, each of them astride their own horses. Ye An was glad that she chose to be saddled on a horse over being cooped up and suffocated in her own anxiety in a carriage.
At that moment, Sze Chang's horse inched closer. "May I speak to you in private?" The question was quietly directed towards Ye An but was also indirectly aimed at Xi Chen so that he could give them some privacy. Xi Chen locked eyes with Ye An, a question in his eyes to which she subtly dipped her head. Xi Chen fell back into pace with Prince Adlai.
Sze Chang positioned himself in the now vacant spot beside Ye An and cleared his throat. "Congratulations on your wedding."
"Thank you." Ye An answered quietly and returned her focus to the path ahead.
An awkward silence draped over them like a damp blanket.
"I-" Sze Chang swallowed, the delicate column of his throat bobbed. He steeled himself before starting again. "When my father passed away.. It felt like the end of the world. Like I was left all alone. Abandoned by the gods."
YOU ARE READING
THE DAY EMPEROR: 阳明王 【The Night Emperor Book 2】
Historical Fiction"There are enough bad things in life, hold on to whatever it is that gives you joy." In the months after Ye An had ascended to the throne, she has learned about all the secrets that were kept from her. Secrets that had spanned generations. But is th...
