Chapter 400 - Never Listened To Me
"Your Highness, we shall go to the house of Village Headman," Wang Hao bent on his knees as he came closer to Sheng Li.
"Why did you not bring the Physician?" Sheng Li looked at the face of Hu Jingguo. "Why did you let him come to me?" Sheng Li questioned him.
"Forgive me, your highness," Wang Hao lowered his eyes. The rain had completely drenched them.
"Sheng Li," they heard a familiar voice. Sheng Li lifted his eyes and saw Ying Lili in front of him. Because of the rain, it was difficult to understand if Sheng Li was crying or not as his face had turned blank. Seeing the Crown Princess there, Wang Hao stood up and bowed.
Oppositely, Sheng Li immediately lowered his eyes, not able to meet her gaze. How could he? He broke his promise to her to protect Hu Jingguo.
Ying Lili stepped forward and got on her knees. She looked at Hu Jingguo, who had fallen into a deep sleep from which he would never wake up. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She rested her palm on his cheek.
"F-forgive me," Sheng Li said in a low voice.
Ying Lili shed tears silently. The lightning traveled among the dark clouds, followed by thunder. "I got late," she finally said. She wiped the blood from Hu Jingguo's cheeks and chin. "I will kill the person who did this to you, Hu Jingguo," Ying Lili took a pledge before breaking into tears. She glanced at Sheng Li, who was also crying but did not meet his gaze with her.
Ying Lili cupped Sheng Li's face between her palms and made him look at her. "This is not the time to cry. It is time to get up and kill the person who did this," Ying Lili pronounced. Sheng Li gazed into her eyes and shook his head in a negative affirmation.
Xiao Zhan came towards Wang Hao and found out how injured he was! He then looked at Hu Jingguo's lifeless body, who had sacrificed his life to save the Crown Prince.
"Sheng Li, get yourself together. He did not sacrifice for you to see you like this. Go and kill Tan Gengxin," Ying Lili sternly said. Sheng Li stopped crying after hearing her words. "Sheng Li, before Tan Gengxin kills more people close to us, we need to end him," Ying Lili affirmed.
"The Han Army is here along with the Five Commanders. Let's openly challenge him. You shall not hide anymore from him. Send him the message to prepare for a battle," Ying Lili encouraged Sheng Li, who kept looking into her eyes for a few minutes before speaking.
"Prepare a cart for Hu Jingguo," Sheng Li commanded. The rain's intensity reduced gradually and soon it stopped. A Cart was brought there. Sheng Li, with the help of Xiao Zhan, made Hu Jingguo lay on the cart.
"Let's first go to the village headman's house," Sheng Li ordered.
"Wang Hao, where's Wan Ju's body?" Sheng Li queried. Ying Lili wondered who could be Wan Ju when two soldiers brought him on a stretcher and put him beside Hu Jingguo's dead body.
Ying Lili clenched her fists, seeing the battle sight when her eyes fell on Sheng Li's arm, which was slit from a sword. She gazed at him, who was still looking at Hu Jingguo. Her eyes turned teary again. 'You kept your promise, but I could not. I promised you to keep you safe from every danger, but today, I could not pull you out from that danger.' She thought and started crying. The flashbacks from childhood started coming in front of her eyes as she realized that Hu Jingguo would never wake up; it was the bitter truth which she had to accept for the nth time.
"Crown Prince, Crown Princess, the carriage is ready," Xiao Zhan stated.
Sheng Li turned, and without looking at Ying Lili, walked ahead. "Your highness, the border is sealed by our forces. The villagers will soon be evacuated from their houses to a place safer for them for a few days… mostly to the tent houses," Xiao Zhan reported to Ying Lili, who hummed at him and followed her husband's steps.
When Sheng Li stopped near the carriage, she halted too. He took her hand and helped her get into the carriage. However, never once he met her eyes. He then got inside and sat beside her, turning his head away, again ignoring her.
The ground had turned muddy after rain, so it was a little difficult for the chauffeur to run the horses. The carriage was moving at a slower pace than usual.
Ying Lili also did not speak a word. She wanted to give time to Sheng Li. She did not know that Sheng Li had lost two dearest friends to him today. It was more shocking for him because it never once happened with him.
Soon, they reached the Residence of the Village Headman, which was well guarded by the soldiers. Feng Yao was pacing in front of the door, waiting for the Crown Prince. His wife and son were also worried for the Crown Prince.
They heard the sound of a moving carriage which stopped in front of them. Sheng Li and Ying Lili came out of the carriage. Quickly, Feng Yao, his wife, and his son bowed. Three more carriages came. Wang Hao came out of the one and from the other dead bodies of Hu Jingguo and Wan Ju were brought out.
Feng Yao was shocked to see that. "Your highness, your room is prepared. Please rest in your prepared room," Feng Yao informed the Crown Prince.
"Xiao, tell the servants to clean their bodies and dress them up in neat dresses," Sheng Li ordered and walked in with Ying Lili. In the chamber, Sheng Li stood in the middle with his back towards Ying Lili. His eyes were red, and he was guilty even looking at Ying Lili. With what face he should look at her? But the biggest question in front of him was how Ying Lili arrived in this Northern Province's small village.
"How did you get here? Why did you come here when I strictly instructed you not to come? Then why did you not listen to me? He also never listened to m-me," Sheng Li's voice quivered.
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Please Read the author note.