Chapter 10: Battlefield

 

"Kill him... kill him!" the Hu Qi soldier roared through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse with desperate fury, yet drowned beneath the thunderous cacophony of battle cries.

A soldier with grand ambitions indeed—one who grasped the principle of capturing the commander to defeat the entire army.

He Simu rose gracefully, her form flickering before materializing directly in front of Duan Xu's mount. The chestnut warhorse seemed to sense the deathly, spectral aura radiating from her presence, suddenly rearing up with a terrified whinny, its powerful forelegs clawing at empty air.

Duan Xu swiftly reined in his steed, his legs gripping firmly in the stirrups as the hooves crashed down mere inches from He Simu, sending clouds of dust billowing around her motionless figure.

He Simu stood with hands clasped behind her back, gazing up at Duan Xu astride his restless mount. A flicker of bewilderment crossed his usually composed features as he furrowed his brow, staring intently at what appeared to be nothing more than vacant air before his horse.

"Duan Xu," He Simu spoke, her voice carrying clearly despite the surrounding chaos, though naturally he remained deaf to her words.

In that suspended moment of confrontation, the very air seemed to crystallize. The pitch-black sky suddenly blazed with light, and from the void materialized countless crimson birds, their wings adorned with vivid flame patterns, descending like a great conflagration sweeping across the heavens.

The Danzhi forces, locked in fierce combat, were struck with supernatural terror. They cast aside their weapons and fled in complete disarray. The deadlocked battlefield collapsed like withered trees before a hurricane. Great Liang war drums thundered as soldiers raised their weapons in triumphant slaughter, surging forward like an unstoppable tempest.

The retreating Hu Qi warriors cast fearful glances skyward as they ran, terrified the birds might descend upon them, crying out desperately in their native tongue.

In the growing morning light, blood-streaked Duan Xu smiled with serene contentment. Though his face bore traces of crimson, his eyes curved slightly, revealing pristine white teeth.

A smile so innocent and carefree, so flawlessly perfect it appeared almost artificial.

Beneath the sky-encompassing crimson canopy, he parted his lips slightly, uttering several clear syllables. Then he spurred his horse forward, passing by He Simu with his cloak billowing like wind made manifest.

He Simu turned to observe his charge into enemy ranks, her eyes narrowing as she toyed with the jade pendant at her waist, blue ghost fire flickering around her fingers.

What Duan Xu had just spoken was fluent Hu Qi.

His words carried identical meaning to the panicked shouts of fleeing Danzhi soldiers. Duan Xu had articulated each syllable with perfect clarity and natural fluency.

As if it were his mother tongue.

—The Azure God brings calamity, burning all living things to ashes.

He Simu approached her intended meal—the Hu Qi soldier sprawled upon bloodsoaked earth, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at the bird-filled sky. She patted his shoulder gently and whispered in his ear, "Congratulations. Fortune will accompany you in your next life as well."

Transaction declined.

Perhaps Duan Xu's continued existence in this world would prove far more intriguing.

Duan Xu.

Was he truly Duan Xu?

Could Duan Shunxi genuinely be the scion of civil officials, aspiring to high governmental positions, yet possessing exceptional martial prowess, superb horsemanship, and fluent command of the Hu Qi language?

Or perhaps the real Duan Shunxi had perished alongside his servants at fourteen on the road from Daizhou to the Southern Capital, his identity assumed by another.

After all, the years between seven and fourteen mark a child's most dramatic transformation. Even significant differences from his earlier self would have attracted little scrutiny.

When He Simu returned to her borrowed mortal form in Liangzhou Prefecture City, the sun hung high overhead. She flexed her arms and legs experimentally as she sat up in bed.

The previous day, she had specifically instructed Chen Ying to take breakfast at Madam Song's and avoid disturbing her rest. Judging by the prevailing tranquility, the child had proven remarkably obedient.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, the boy—whom praise inevitably spoiled—began hammering her door with earth-shaking vigor, shouting, "Sister Xiao Xiao! Magnificent news! We've captured Shuozhou Prefecture City!"

His triumphant tone suggested he had personally led the charge and conquered the fortress himself.

He Simu dressed and rose from bed. The moment she opened the door, Chen Ying threw his arms around her legs, gazing up with sparkling excitement. "Sister Xiao Xiao, General Duan has taken Shuozhou Prefecture City! He remains alive!"

He Simu bent down and tapped his nose playfully. "What concern is that of yours?"

Chen Ying beamed with infectious joy and pointed toward the courtyard entrance. "Brother General has dispatched someone to fetch us!"

"..."

He Simu raised her eyebrows in genuine surprise. Without further explanation, Chen Ying grasped her hand and pulled her toward the courtyard gate, pointing excitedly at the impressive vehicle waiting outside. "Sister, look! Magnificent horses! What a beautiful carriage!"

A substantial crowd of onlookers had already gathered along both sides of the street, speculating about the unfolding events. Commander Han stood beside the carriage, clasping his hands in respectful greeting to He Simu. "Miss He, the General asked me to convey a message."

He Simu returned his bow gracefully. "Please speak, Commander."

"Shuozhou Prefecture City has fallen. The young lady's wind observations and strategic counsel have contributed significantly to this victory. The General extends a special invitation for the young lady to continue serving as Taibai's fortune teller and accompany us to Shuozhou."

"The General understands that the young lady is delicate, abhors bloodshed, and remains detached from worldly concerns, but he promises to spare you hardship, ensure your safety, and will impose no unwelcome obligations."

Han Ling Qiu recited these words with practiced precision, then bowed deeply to He Simu. "Would the young lady be willing?"

He Simu's eyes narrowed slightly, an amused smile playing across her features as she regarded the man before her and the elegant carriage beside him. To arrive at Liangzhou Prefecture City at this precise moment, Duan Xu must have dispatched Han Ling Qiu immediately upon Shuozhou's capture.

Had Duan Xu decided to pursue this intricate game with her to its ultimate conclusion?

He Simu recalled the crimson birds filling the heavens and the bright lamps beneath which Duan Xu had smiled while speaking of "The Azure God brings calamity." She smiled in return and extended her hand gracefully, leaving it suspended in expectant space.

"The General's sincere invitation would make refusal discourteous for this humble citizen."

Han Ling Qiu supported her hand respectfully, and with elegant ease, He Simu ascended into the carriage. Chen Ying dashed back to gather their few possessions before joining her in the luxurious compartment.

He Simu observed that the boy had brought both the veiled hat gifted by Duan Xu and the suona she had rented. Clutching these items protectively, Chen Ying said hesitantly, "We might need them later."

Indeed... for invisible eavesdropping again, or perhaps for performing at Duan Xu's funeral?

He Simu ruffled Chen Ying's hair affectionately. "Such a thoughtful, exemplary child."

Across from Liangzhou lay Jicheng in Shuozhou. The Taibai Army had already secured the corridor between Jicheng and Shuozhou Prefecture City, with all five intermediate cities now under Great Liang control. A direct official road connected Jicheng to the Prefecture City, ensuring swift passage.

He Simu reclined in the gently swaying carriage, resting with closed eyes. Chen Ying pressed against the window, absorbed in the passing scenery while murmuring wonderingly, "So this is Danzhi territory..."

He Simu glanced up and peered through the window. Shuozhou's architectural style proved identical to Liangzhou's—charcoal-gray tiles, blue brick defensive walls, and streets paved with mixed brick and stone. The sole difference lay in the abundance of shops bearing Hu Qi script on their signboards, and every establishment with such characters appeared magnificently appointed.

These storefronts were also decorated with intricate flame patterns, remarkably similar to the markings she had observed on the previous night's crimson birds.

These were totems of the deity worshipped by the Hu Qi people—the Azure God. In their language, "Danzhi" meant "the great realm of the Azure God."

After observing their surroundings extensively, Chen Ying turned back to He Simu. "Sister Xiao Xiao, my grandfather told me our family's ancestral home was actually in Lucheng, Shuozhou. When my great-grandfather lived, the Great Sheng Dynasty still flourished, and the Hu Qi people hadn't yet invaded—all of Shuozhou belonged to us Han people."

"Later, the Hu Qi forces conquered and destroyed the Great Sheng Dynasty, forcing my great-grandfather to flee south to Liangzhou with his family. They exhausted their wealth, lost their lands, and eventually couldn't even afford basic sustenance."

"When Grandfather lived, he would occasionally speak of Shuozhou. He said that in his lifetime, and probably mine as well, we would never return to Shuozhou. But here I am! I've returned to Shuozhou."

Chen Ying appeared simultaneously melancholic and exhilarated. He gazed into the distant horizon through the window and spoke softly, "I want to journey even farther and witness more of the world."

He Simu rested her arm against the window frame, observing Chen Ying with detached contemplation. With merely a thought, she could traverse anywhere in existence—not just Shuozhou, but the seventeen prefectures north of the Guan River, even the Northern Abyss itself.

She cared nothing for mortal wars or earthly distances, yet for beings like Chen Ying, these represented insurmountable chasms spanning entire lifetimes before they crumbled to dust.

Mortals were truly diminutive and pitiable, capable of traversing only the smallest fraction of creation before becoming skeletal remains in an instant.

She stroked Chen Ying's head gently, and he settled contentedly beside her.

Midway through their journey, sudden clamorous voices erupted around them. The entire carriage shuddered violently several times, jolting Chen Ying from his peaceful slumber. He leaped upright immediately, stammering, "What's happening? What's happening?"

He Simu calmly lowered the window curtain and withdrew with composed dignity. "We've encountered an ambush."

"Ambush! The... the Hu Qi people?" Chen Ying stuttered.

"Precisely."

The metallic clash of weapons resonated beyond the carriage door. A fierce battle must be raging outside. Chen Ying huddled beside He Simu, not daring to venture forth. He whispered anxiously, "Where are we? Will Brother General come to rescue us?"

"We remain distant from Shuozhou Prefecture City. I observed at least a hundred men in ambush, while we possess merely a dozen defenders. The young general cannot possibly reach us in time."

He Simu smiled, reflecting privately that it remained uncertain whether these ambushers bore any connection to Duan Xu's designs.

Chen Ying asked with growing anxiety, "What should we do? Will the Hu Qi people capture you to interpret winds for their benefit?"

"Then we shall comply. Reading wind patterns remains the same regardless of who requests such service. Those Hu Qi warriors will surely provide sustenance if they desire my assistance. You'll still receive adequate nourishment. Perhaps conditions will prove more comfortable than in Liangzhou." He Simu spoke with casual indifference, but as she continued, she noticed Chen Ying's expression transform dramatically.

He stared at He Simu in profound shock, his cheeks inflating with righteous anger as he spoke each word with deliberate emphasis: "Sister Xiao Xiao, how could you possibly assist the Hu Qi people!"

"They drove my great-grandfather from Shuozhou to Liangzhou. Why do they possess their own homes yet still steal others' homes? Why, after we fled, did they pursue us to Liangzhou? Why did they murder my father? We've dwelled here for countless generations—why must we endure their tyranny? Sister Xiao Xiao, you still wish to aid them! I refuse! I would rather perish than assist them!" Chen Ying spoke with passionate vehemence, yet tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

He grasped He Simu's hand desperately and wept, "Sister Xiao Xiao, please don't help them, I beg you!"

He Simu's gaze remained as tranquil as undisturbed water as she observed Chen Ying's tear-streaked countenance. Outside, the sounds of clashing steel and battle cries continued unabated. The carriage swayed rhythmically, mirroring Chen Ying's turbulent emotions.

"Ah... very well." He Simu sighed deeply. She patted Chen Ying's shoulder consolingly and smiled warmly. "Fortunately, a nearby mountain contains numerous ancient graves."

"What?" Chen Ying looked bewildered.

He Simu raised her fingers with solemn gravity. "I possess divination abilities. The Han ancestors resting in those graves cannot bear witnessing their descendants suffer such indignities. They are about to emerge from their eternal rest to strike the Hu Qi invaders upon their heads. Quickly, close your eyes, cover your ears, and count silently to one hundred. By then, they will have driven away the Hu Qi forces!"

Chen Ying immediately obeyed, sealing his eyes and covering his ears as he began counting internally.

He Simu's expression turned glacial. The lamp-shaped jade pendant at her waist emanated faint blue luminescence, then floated upward and expanded, transforming into an authentic six-angled crackled glass lantern.

He Simu embraced this Ghost King's Lantern—an artifact feared by all supernatural entities—resting her chin upon its surface as she murmured thoughtfully, "Approximately one hundred enemies—will five evil ghosts suffice to consume them all?"

Blue flames—ghost fire—suddenly ignited within the lantern's depths.

"Or would simple immolation prove more efficient?" He Simu raised her hand, twirled her index finger through the air, and snapped her fingers with a crisp, decisive sound.

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