When the two emerged together from the tent, they were quite understandably met with surprise by the others outside.
Amid their confused stares, the General headed first to a barrel of clean water and scooped some with a clay cup to give to Qing Xue. The younger man gratefully accepted it and downed its contents in a few large gulps.
“General, what…” a soldier finally snapped out of his confusion to say.
Not quite answering, the General ordered, “Prepare a horse we can spare, as well as a day’s worth of provisions.”
Despite their own questions, two soldiers immediately obeyed.
The first soldier, who was the same one that had shot the arrow at Qing Xue the day before, continued to stand by the cooking fire, waiting for the General to give an explanation.
The General met his gaze calml
