The mournful sound of the horn echoed, and even the stoutest of warriors found their eyes welling with tears. Their beloved king was offering flowers for their fallen brothers. This was an honor—a soldier's greatest glory.
Having completed this solemn act, Ronald sensed the muffled sobs behind him. With a gentle sigh, he clasped his hands behind his back and recited, "Loyal bones lie buried in the green hills; no need for horsehide to wrap the dead. Rest here for now, and I shall return with my brothers to pay you homage."
With those words, he turned around. "Brothers, this is not the time for sorrow. To the rafts! We must leave this place!"
"To the rafts!" Liu Long shouted, his voice strained with the effort to hold back tears.
Suddenly, a boisterous laugh rang out from nearby. "What a splendid verse about loyal bones and horsehide, little brother! Since when did you become a poet?"
Startled, the warriors turned to see a group of two hundred people emerging from the thicket. Leading them were two figures adorned in fine garments, radiating an air of authority—it was none other than Li Haotian and Mia.
The tension was palpable; they had just come from a bloody battle, and now swords were drawn again.
Ronald felt a surge of alarm. This was already the territory of the elves. He had assumed that Li Haotian would not dare pursue him, but their boldness surprised him. Yet, observing their numbers, doubt crept in. After a fierce fight, the thousands of guards had failed to contain them, yet these two to three hundred dared to chase him?
He sneered, "I wondered who it was, but it's just my royal brother. Do you really think you can capture me with such a handful of men?"
Li Haotian returned the sneer, "Ronald, you're nothing but a hunted dog. Letting you linger a few more days is of no consequence to me. But as brothers, I can't bear to see you reduced to this state. I came to see you off."
Ronald laughed heartily. "Ah, brother, your loyalty touches me. Rest assured, I shall send word far and wide of your brotherly devotion and noble character, so that all may know who you truly are."
"You—" Li Haotian's fury bubbled over. "You dare to spread such rumors? Don't you fear the Empire's wrath?"
Ronald chuckled coldly. "The Empire's authority cannot be defied. After today, do you think they will let me go free?"
"Humph!" Li Haotian fell silent, frustrated by Ronald's words. At his side, Mia smiled slightly and stepped forward gracefully, bowing. "Princess Mengyu greets the king. On the day of the palace chaos, I couldn't find you and was quite worried. Now that I see you safe, I can breathe easy."
Ronald's expression turned icy. "My beloved, do you dare treat me like a fool?"
Mengyu replied calmly, "You may have misunderstood, my king. The palace fell into disarray due to an assassin's fire, and it was His Majesty who quelled the chaos. After searching the palace in vain for you, we feared the worst. A kingdom cannot be without a ruler for even a day, so the Prime Minister and the others decided to place Prince Cheng on the throne with the Emperor's consent. Now that we see you safe, it is regrettable that things have come to this. I hope you do not hold a grudge."
The warriors exchanged glances, and it seemed to make sense, given what Mia had said.