The mournful sound of the horn echoed through the gorge, its melancholic tones causing even the strongest men to weep. Their beloved king, Li Mufan, was offering flowers to their fallen brothers, a gesture that was the greatest honor for a soldier.
After laying down the flowers, he heard faint sobs rising from behind him. Li Mufan sighed softly, hands clasped behind his back, and recited: "Loyal bones lie buried in the green mountains. Why should we return wrapped in horsehide? You rest here for now; I will bring our brothers to see you later."
With that, he turned to face his men. "Brothers, it's not the time for sorrow. We need to get on the bamboo rafts and leave this place!"
"Get on the bamboo rafts!" Liu Long shouted, fighting back his tears.
Just then, a sudden burst of laughter broke through the somber atmosphere. "Loyal bones lie buried in the green mountains, why return wrapped in horsehide? Brother Wang, when will you learn to compose poetry?"
The soldiers were stunned, their heads turning toward the source of the voice. Emerging from the dense forest were about two hundred figures, two of whom commanded attention. Clad in opulent attire and exuding an air of authority, they were none other than Li Haotian and Wang Mengyu.
Tension crackled in the air as both sides recognized one another. Li Mufan felt a rush of shock; this was elven territory, and he hadn't expected Li Haotian to pursue them so boldly. Yet, as he assessed their numbers, doubt crept in. In their earlier battle, thousands had been unable to stop them. What made these two or three hundred think they could succeed?
Li Mufan sneered, "I thought it was someone significant, but it's just you, Brother Wang. What, you think you can keep me here with just this handful of people?"
Li Haotian shot back with a scornful laugh. "Li Mufan, you're nothing more than a stray dog. Even if you live a little longer, it won't affect me. But since we are brothers, I can't bear to see you drift away, so I came to see you off."
"Ah, Brother Wang, how loyal you are," Li Mufan replied, a mocking smile on his lips. "I'll have to spread the word about your noble character so that the world knows what kind of person you are."
"You dare to spread rumors?" Li Haotian retorted, anger flaring in his eyes. "Aren't you afraid the empire will hunt you down?"
Li Mufan merely sneered. "The empire's majesty cannot be challenged. Do you truly think they'll let me go after today's events?"
"Humph!" Li Haotian huffed, momentarily at a loss for words. Wang Mengyu, noticing the tension, stepped forward with grace, bowing slightly.
"Mengyu greets the king. The palace was thrown into chaos that day. I searched for you in vain and was deeply concerned. Now that I see you are unharmed, I feel relieved."
Li Mufan's eyes narrowed. "My dear, do you take me for a fool?"
Wang Mengyu maintained her calm demeanor. "The king may misunderstand the situation. The palace was set ablaze by an assassin, and chaos ensued. It was the current emperor who quelled the turmoil. When he couldn't find you afterward, he assumed you had perished. Since a country cannot be without a king, the prime minister convened with the nobles, and they decided to place King Cheng on the throne, with the empire's agreement. I'm glad to see you safe, but things have reached a point beyond our control. I hope the king can hold no grudges this time."
The gathered soldiers exchanged glances, and as Wang Mengyu's words sank in, it appeared to them that perhaps there was more to the situation than they had understood.