(please listen to the tune above whilst reading)
A DAY
A MONTH
A YEAR
Time flew agonisingly slowly for LiZhao.
When the great battle ended, he remained kneeling in that on spot, crying and yelling at the tree. He'd push away any soldier who attempted to lift him up, he even shoved QianDu away, who had a look of sorrow and pity in his eyes.
(Flash back)
"General...please get up... your wounds will fester."
"Fuck off..." LiZhao replied hoarsely.
"General..."
LiZhao did not budge. Only when he fainted from exhaustion did the soldiers dare to rush him off to healers.
When LiZhao woke up ten days later, heavily drugged up, he found him self with an additional wooden arm and leg. He sat up motionlessly, with no expression on his face.
He looked at his remaining hand, he found it clenched. When he stiffly opened up his palms, he found a single, evergreen leaf lying in his palms. The sight of it sliced and tore at his already shattered heart as he held the leaf tenderly and cried. His shoulders shook as he tore off his prosthetic arm and leg and threw them across the room. What was the point in him healing if YuLin was dead... he did not deserve it.
LiZhao shouted until he lost his voice and energy.
An elderly woman rushed into the room. She was shocked when she saw her son's ragged appearance, long hair scattered across and around his face, wooden limbs missing, the whole bed then to shreds, and that lifeless look in his eyes. Complete emptiness.
"My son..." Madam Li whispered as tears sprang to her eyes. She walked towards the broken man sat on the bed and laid one hand upon his head whilst the other went to wipe her tears. "Who did you loose in battle to make you like this ah..." She cried.
LiZhao did not answer.
After he woke up. He rarely answered anyone. Barely ate. Barely drank. After a few month, he had become a shadow of the great general he once was, his cheek sunken, eyes lifeless and limbs limp.
One day, a eunuch came in and said, "Young lord you have a visitor."
LiZhao sat on his bed staring at the leaf, still green in his palm and didn't reply.
A Young boy walked in and upon seeing LiZhao scowled.
"General Li."
...
"General Li."
...
"General Li!"
A'Li humphed and said with disdain, "To think sisters and YuLin Gege died just for you to become like this... what a disgrace!"
LiZhao flinched at the mention of that persons name. To many things came attached with that name, prodding at the broken pieces of his heart. That silly grin he always wore, the feel of his hair when he stroked it, the small sounds he made when they made love, the odd facts he knew from his travels...
LiZhao lowered his head further and caressed the leaf.
A'Li trembled with anger as he stomped his feet. "YuLin GeGe would hate to see you like this. He'd hate you for becoming like this! You..."
"He's dead." LiZhao muttered. His voice coarse and lifeless.
A'Li shook his head in exasperation, "Stop being selfish and thinking only of your own grievances. The whole country has lost someone they loved, it wasn't just YuLin GeGe who died. But the rest of the world move on. But you don't. Do you know why? You're stuck in a cycle of self pity right now! They rest of the country has moved on because they's kept a bit of their loved ones in their heart, they know that their loved ones wouldn't want their death to hinder their every day lives yet you.... Aiya! I'm not talking to you anymore! YuLin GeGe probably won't drink Lady MengPo's reincarnation soup because of worry for you!"
YOU ARE READING
MEET ME ON THE BATTLEFIELD
Romance"G...General... There's a black panther in your chambers..." War against the demons was looming on the horizon, The emperor has not sent enough soldiers nor provisions, the rumoured ruthless General Li can only act the bad guy and snatch up commo...
