Actions had consequences. And worse, they’d managed to do nothing actually useful. Not a single life saved. Cursing himself and Tou Hei, Wu Ying continued to run.
Chapter 17
“You know, all things considered, we got off quite easy,” Tou Hei said this as if to the air as the pair of them stood on guard, watching over the soldiers beside the riverbank.
They were a couple of li from the city walls, safely away from any likely attack and, of course, any excitement. All of them, the entire cultivator group, had been relegated to this posting since Tou Hei and Wu Ying’s escapade.
“You mean there’s something worse than being sent to babysit soldiers washing their clothing and cleaning pots?” Yin Xue said sarcastically.
“Well, they could have made us do it for soldiers dealing with the latrines,” Tou Hei said.
“Don’t forget they also took your contribution points,” said Bao Cong.
“Our contribution points,” Li Yao said disapprovingly as she sat on her horse a distance away from the group.
For the most part, the group was spread out to ensure they could keep an eye on the river and any approach. Along the route back to the army, other mortal soldiers patrolled, travelling back and forth between the route and along the river edge. All to keep an eye out for potential attackers. Stationed as they were, Wu Ying’s group could spot any ships approaching from the city, and Wu Ying knew that more patrols roamed the hills and the riverbank, ensuring the security of their supply line.
“Well—”
“What Bao Cong means is that we are sorry,” Wu Ying interrupted Bao Cong before he could spill the beans that he had threatened to leave if Wu Ying did not make good the lost contribution points. It was why, after both the penalty and Bao Cong’s threat, Wu Ying was currently sitting at only a few hundred points.
“Being sorry is not good enough. Just because you don’t want to follow the rules doesn’t mean they don’t apply to you.” Li Yao crossed her arms, speaking to Tou Hei. But Wu Ying knew she really was speaking to him.
“Amitabha.”
In opposite of its intended effect, Tou Hei’s words managed to make the group sullener. Wu Ying gave up on trying to lighten the mood, choosing instead to watch the soldiers and the flowing water. At this point, a never-ending stream of soldiers was arriving, some coming by to fill their pots and water skins, others loading up the water wagons that traveled back and forth between the army encampment and the river. Others stopped by to wash their bodies and clothing at the same time. Pots and pans were cleaned by another group, while clothing was washed farther down the river. The entire process took up a good amount of space, forcing the group to watch over a wide area.
“Boat,” Bao Cong called, gesturing at the river.
The group turned to eye the large flat-bottomed barge that made its way down the river, oars banked. It was the fifth time in the last couple of hours that a boat had left the city. Without boats of their own, the army was unable to blockade the city, allowing it to continue its merchant activities and to resupply the city with food. It was perhaps one of the reasons why the general was so focused on taking the city quickly—there was no point in trying to starve them out.
Of course, it meant that the team was wary of any ship that arrived or left the city. Each time, they had to send one of the soldiers that waited beside the group off with a message. Once the message was received, additional teams of cultivators would ride along the riverbank, keeping close attention on the ship and ensuring it did not stop and release enemies into the backcountry. Not that the army didn’t have enough harassers as it was.
Still, while this type of work was boring, Wu Ying could not help but be grateful that it was also not dangerous. They might not be earning any contribution points, but like coin, neither could be spent if one was dead. And the number of corpses was slowly increasing as the army continued its assault on the walls.
“We just going to wait here then? My family’s style is inside the wall, not here,” Yin Xue said, once the boat they had been watching had passed by.
“If you have a better idea, I’m open to hearing it.” Wu Ying shot Yin Xue a glare.
Until the army breached the walls, there was no point in the discussion. He couldn’t sneak in, they couldn’t break in—they couldn’t even participate any longer. All they could do was wait and hope that they could get in before the home or tomb was looted.
“How about through the water? If the walls are too sturdy, can we go by the water?” Bao Cong asked. He had been watching the water, scratching his cheek while waiting.
“The water?” Li Yao shook her head, pointing farther up to where the city hid behind the curve of the river and low-lying hills. Only the edges of the wall could be seen from their current position. “They check every ship that comes in. Every single person. If they don’t know you, they leave a bunch of cultivators to watch you unload. The same thing we do. Only trusted ships are even allowed to get close before they are searched.”
“Oh.” Bao Cong shrugged, obviously unconcerned with the process. After all, he was being paid no matter what happened.
Silence enveloped the group as they considered the reality of the situation. Until further notice, all they could do was wait.
***
It was later that evening, when the team was done, that Li Yao guided her horse over to Wu Ying with a deft touch of her knees. Her brows were drawn, her lips pursed, making him realize that the talk that had been brewing for the last few days could no longer be avoided. Wu Ying dreaded it, but he had known he could only avoid it for so long.
“We need to talk.” Li Yao gestured for the rest of the team to go ahead without Wu Ying and her.
As they rode away, Wu Ying could not help but notice the smirk on Yin Xue’s face, though Wu Ying wasn’t entirely certain it was unjustified. He and Li Yao rode for some time in uncomfortable silence. Twice, Wu Ying tried to speak, but she had raised her hand each time, stalling him from doing so. It was only when they were a distance away from the group, when even the straggling soldiers who were busy running their errands were gone, that she spoke. Even so, she refused to look at him.
“I was given the role of the leader in this group.” When Wu Ying moved to agree with her, she sped up what she was saying, overriding his words. “I’m supposed to lead. I’m supposed to be in charge, dictating everyone’s moves, their depositions, their places. If you don’t listen, then it creates problems for all of us. No one will listen to me if you don’t.”
Silence stretched between the pair before Wu Ying realized she was waiting for him to say something. “I know. I’m sorry. I just—”
“You just what? You just chose to stick your sword in, even after I told you not to,” Li Yao’s said, her voice rising a little. “You could have chosen to listen. You could have chosen to stop. You didn’t. You chose to follow your friend. To defy me. To put the rest of us in an awkward position.”
“I’m sorry. When I see something like that, I… I can’t help but get involved. I can’t look away.” Wu Ying tried to explain his position, tried to explain why he’d done what he had. “I just… I didn’t want to not listen to you. I couldn’t help myself.”
“It doesn’t matter what you wanted to do. It’s what you did. You chose to ignore me. You chose to ignore what I asked of you. You went right ahead.” Li Yao finally turned, only now looking at Wu Ying. She saw the look of pain, the look of doubt on his face. He had not really meant to put her in a position like that. She knew it but… “Would you do that again?”
“Charge in and save others?” Wu Ying searched his conscience, trying to determine why he’d gone. He had stopped after all, when she asked him to. Then Tou Hei had gone. “I don’t know. I did stop. But Tou Hei kept going…”