My Beloved Enemy

16. Yielding to Fate?... No!

"Even if he is in hell, I will find him!" Du YuShi said firmly as there was no way he would give up before even trying. Finally, all the mystery was revealed and he was happy that Yu royalty didn't kill his mother. Well, it was what Yu Qiao Bai claimed, but Du YuShi believed him whole-heartedly. Now, there was no dilemma in his heart, only fear for Yu Qiao Bai's perishing life.

"You are too kind, but there is no need," Yu Qiao Bai squeezed his clench hand, "I already accepted my fate."

"But I don't accept it!" Du YuShi saved his hand from the prince's grip and grabbed his shoulders, "don't you have any compassion for me in your heart? Do you want to leave me so badly?"

Hearing the unexpected desperation in his voice, Yu Qiao Bai felt like millions of knives stabbed him from the heart. He shook his head vigorously as he denied the allegation. "I just don't want you to suffer because of false hope. My father looked for a cure for five years, and that general could be dead already. Even if that general is still alive and living in Yang, I have only three bottles left, so I can't make it."

"Stop saying that!" Du YuShi snapped at him, "have a little faith in me," he begged Yu Qiao Bai before turning to Ren Jing to ask "do you still have some Leng Du?"

"General, it is..." Ren Jing uttered in hesitation.

"Just give it to me, I know what I am doing," Du YuShi cut him impatiently, opening his hand towards him.

Ren Jing got the message and produced a small pouch out of his sleeve and handed it to the general.

Du YuShi opened the pouch and saw there was fortunately one blue marble-like poison in it. He took out the poison and showed it to Yu Qiao Bai, "Leng Du is also a deadly poison, but it has an antidote unlike Hei Si Du. Although it will make you feel so weak, cold, dizzy, it will slow the spread of Hei Si Du," Du YuShi explained the solution he found.

"Then we can arrive Du?" Yu Qiao Bai asked with hope. Although he was super happy with Du YuShi's caring attitude towards him, he couldn't forget about the promise he gave to the king of Du.

"We can't" was the resolute answer, "it can only give us an additional two days the most if you can bear Leng Du for four days, then I have to give you the antidote, but it is enough until Yang."

"Then I don't want to do it," Yu Qiao Bai said softly, "I'd rather pass my last days normally... with you."

Du YuShi sighed in defeat and rose to his feet. He took a few steps away from Yu Qiao Bai, but then suddenly turned around and rushed back. Grabbing Yu Qiao Bai's nape with one hand and his waist with the other, he smashed their lips. Flustered, the prince couldn't move and let the general nibble his lips, but when the latter wanted access to his mouth, he opened his lips. Seizing the opportunity, Du YuShi pushed the hidden marble in his mouth into Yu Qiao Bai's throat and he immediately massaged it so that the already poisoned man would swallow it.

Gulp... and without even noticing, Yu Qiao Bai swallowed Leng Du.

"I am so sorry, but I can't lose you," Du YuShi cupped Yu Qiao Bai's face and kissed him for real this time, flustering the prince again. Then he gathered him in his arms and said "you will feel very uncomfortable and cold, but I swear it will pass in half an incense stick of time. I am here, so don't worry."

"You..." Yu Qiao Bai wanted to scold him, but a sudden pain struck and his breath hitched. With shaky hands, he grabbed Du YuShi's robes and pressed his face to his chest to muffle his cries. Du YuShi tightened his hold, caressing his hair and whispering soothing words to his ear. Being understanding, the others left the duo alone.

As Du YuShi said, the pain left its place to numbness soon and Yu Qiao Bai became muddled. While he was slipping in and out of consciousness, the determined general gave his command. With that, Ren Jing and Wu Bo rushed to the border to find a detailed map of Yang as well as some information; Dong Feng and Chun Hua went ahead towards Yang direction while Hua Suo and Fu Jian are sent to the palace to convey the message of Du YuShi to the king.

After everyone was sent away to their respective destinations, Du YuShi waited until Yu Qiao Bai's condition was stabilized, then he put his unconscious body onto the remaining horse, securing him in his arms, and hit the road.

As now there were two poisons in his body, Yu Qiao Bai remained unconscious until dusk. When Du YuShi found an abandoned village, he decided to pass the night there.

He found the most intact house and laid Yu Qiao Bai on the mattress. After covering his shivering body with a tattered cloak, he checked around to find something to eat. To his luck, he managed to find a bag of rice as well as some tea leaves. Collecting the necessary utensils, Du YuShi came back to cook some porridge before Yu Qiao Bai woke up.

"YuShi?!"

The exclamation made Du YuShi rush inside the house. "I am here," he reassured him as he helped Yu Qiao Bai into a sitting position, "how are you?"

"I had better days," the double poisoned man uttered, "I can't believe you tricked me with a kiss."

"Well..." Du YuShi grimaced and rubbed the corner of his eye with an abashed but not regretful manner, "I told you that I wouldn't yield to fate that easily."

"Why?" Yu Qiao Bai asked with a penetrating gaze, "I thought you hated me."

Du YuShi rolled his eyes, "I am cooking porridge for you in an abandoned village, of course I don't hate you... well not anymore."

The touched prince let out a tired chuckle, "see? I knew you were husband material," he teased the general. Even two poisons couldn't prevent his humour.

"Funny," Du YuShi snorted, "I should have used Lu Du, that would make you sleep for ten days."

"But I don't have ten days," Yu Qiao Bai reminded him with a fake smile.

"Stop saying that!" the angry general reprimanded the prince, "I will save your ass so that you will be indebted to me forever!"

"Why do you want something like that?" the prince asked with curiosity.

Du YuShi was flabbergasted, so he couldn't find an excuse. He fidgeted on his spot awkwardly without uttering a word.

Seeing his discomfort, Yu Qiao Bai offered a reason; "is it because you love me now?"

"What?!" Du YuShi could be excellent in wars but he was terrible in love.

Seeing his extreme reaction, Yu Qiao Bai pursed his lips. Although now Du YuShi knew that his days were numbered, he was still adamant not to expose his feelings. "You said you don't hate me, so I thought you loved me," he said coldly in the end.

"You think too much," Du YuShi mumbled and ran out, excusing the boiling porridge. At least, the second poison was providing the coldness for Yu Qiao Bai's body, so he didn't need to be fanned or stay away from warmth.

Indeed, Du YuShi was neither a man of nice words nor he was good at expressing his feelings, but he was good at action. That is to say, when Yu Qiao Bai was struck with the effects of Hei Si Du, Du YuShi gave him half a bottle of medicine and held him dear in his arms while rubbing his back and whispering soothing words into his ear like the previous time.

Words for the ear, but actions for the heart, right?