He was still lying on his back, holding a bowl in one hand, pouring the medicine high into his wide-open mouth from the air. Amidst her exclamations of surprise and laughter, he said, "This is called a 'leaking arrow' bronze pot. Are you perhaps not a citizen of the Great Tang Dynasty, and have you never seen one before?" He scrambled to his feet, saying, "Young lady, I've worked so hard, please reward me a little." Li Weiying teased, "What do you want?" Huan She gazed at her, silently thinking, "Can you love me a little?" But aloud he said, "It's simple, just repeat what I just did." Li Weiying laughed, "Huan Lang...you really are...Alright, alright, bring me another bowl of medicine." Huan She ran out and brought her another bowl of medicine. She took a big gulp, then, imitating Huan She, let out a scream and fell to the ground, laughing as she was about to pour the medicine into her mouth from the air like him. But Huan She gently took the bowl away, pulled her up, and brought the medicine to her lips, saying, "No need for that trick. I've practiced it for over ten years." She hummed in agreement and obediently drank the medicine.
The Tang army couldn't catch up, so they had to join the Yanqi people's ranks again. Bachitu said, "Kekelte, what kind of Heavenly Mountain are you going to? Although I don't know where it is, there are many big mountains in Gaochang. Perhaps you can try your luck there." Bachitu told them that the plan was to go north, pass through Yiwu to enter Gaochang, and then turn southwest back to Yanqi.
Unexpectedly, they encountered corpses lying on the ground along the northward journey, their dark bloodstains already congealed, their wide-open eyes still filled with fear. Huan She examined the bodies: "They are all commoners, probably merchants. It looks like they were killed by Turkic sabers. The northward journey seems very unsafe." Baqitu said, "More bandits! But if we want to go back, this is the only way north." Huan She said, "There's also the Great Sea Road." Baqitu immediately shook his head violently: "Is that even a human being? I'd rather be killed by the Turks than take the Great Sea Road." He told his clansmen about Huan She's idea, and they all strongly opposed it: "Haven't you heard that if you take the Great Sea Road, you'll never come out? Once you go in, you'll be haunted by vengeful ghosts." The Great Sea Road was a shortcut from Shazhou northwestward through a vast sea of sand directly into Gaochang, more than a thousand li shorter than going north to Yiwu and then west to Gaochang, but the vast sand sea was desolate and uninhabited, making it a hundred times more dangerous. Huan She had no choice but to continue northward with Li Weiying.
During their journey, they saw a long, rugged mountain range to the northwest, with a narrow entrance. Bachitu said, "That's Devil's Mountain. Beyond this narrow pass lies the Great Sand Sea. But Devil's Mountain, Devil's Mountain—once you enter, the devils of the sand sea await." Shortly after rounding Devil's Mountain, the group stopped. Bachitu rode forward and was stunned: a group of about fifty Turkic soldiers were hacking and slashing at another group of merchants, robbing them of their possessions. Some of the Turkic soldiers, noticing them, laughed mockingly, leaning on their swords, blood flowing from the cold blades.
Huan She said in a deep voice, "Wei Ying, do you remember the Devil's Mountain we saw this afternoon?" She replied, "I remember," her voice trembling slightly. He said, "Good. When I rush out, you lead the Yanqi people towards Devil's Mountain. Remember, keep running until you reach the mountain pass, and don't look back." Li Wei Ying exclaimed, "What are you going to do?" He said, "Don't worry, I'll lure the Turks away and then come." He then said in Yanqi, "Everyone, mount your horses. Bachitu, you lead the team and follow my little lover closely." He then said to another Yanqi youth, "Luo Kebu, you are the bravest Yanqi man. When I ride to the Turks, you drive away these horses laden with treasures, drive them away as much as you can, and then catch up with the others. Don't fall behind. You're the best." Luo Kebu was greatly encouraged and agreed. Huan She mounted a horse laden with treasures and looked longingly at Li Weiying. She anxiously called out, "Huan Lang!" He smiled gently and suddenly shouted, "Weiying, go quickly!" He spurred his horse and charged towards the Turkic army.
Huan She swung his sword, drawing a swarm of Turkic soldiers. Behind him, Luo Kebu hurriedly shooed away the many horses laden with treasure. The scattered horses blocked the Turks' pursuit of the merchants and also distracted the soldiers as they fought for the goods. Huan She turned and saw that Li Weiying had already led the merchants far away. He shouted to Luo Kebu, "Hurry up and follow her to Devil's Mountain. Protect my little lover!" Luo Kebu replied, "Yes. You come too." Huan She had no time to speak. He stabbed a Turkic soldier to the ground with his sword, saying, "Don't worry about me. You go first." While blocking the Turkic soldiers for Luo Kebu, he spurred his horse in the opposite direction, slashing open the jewel-filled cargo bags tied to the saddle and throwing them forward with all his might. Countless glittering gems scattered across the sky like a meteor shower. The Turkic soldiers all cried out in surprise, abandoning their pursuit of Luo Kebu and instead galloping towards Huan She.
More and more Turkic soldiers surrounded Huan She. He was hit by arrows in his left rib and thigh and gradually became weak. Huan She looked towards Devil Mountain. Li Weiying and the others had disappeared from sight. He breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt another pain. A long arrow pierced through his right arm. His hand went limp and his short sword fell to the ground. Then he was stabbed in the back and finally fell off his horse.
A agonizing pain jolted him awake. Huan She found himself lying on the ground, his hands bound tightly with sharp iron wire. He screamed in agony and fainted again. After a long while, he shakily awoke, staring intently at his hands, swollen and shiny like rubber balls, soaked in blood. Seeing him awake, the Turkic soldiers kicked his injured left ribs viciously. Huan She nearly fainted again from the pain. He looked up and saw a young, boyish-looking soldier standing before him. With his last breath, he pleaded, "Please... kill me..." The soldier quickly stopped those who were about to further assault Huan She, saying, "Don't torture him to death; he's still useful to the higher-ups." Those kicking Huan She stopped. The soldier helped Huan She up, gave him some water, and asked, "Are you alright?" He then applied some medicine to Huan She's wounds.
Huan She caught his breath and thanked him. The soldier asked, "Are you a Tang person?" Huan She nodded. The soldier said, "My uncle's family is also in Tang." It turned out his name was Tuxi Zhuoer, and he was only twelve years old. In the fourth year of Zhenguan, when Tang defeated the Eastern Turks, his uncle's family, along with 40,000 troops led by Ashina Sijie, the commander of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, surrendered to Tang and later settled in Daizhou. Tuxi Zhuoer had originally intended to go to visit his relatives but was captured and forced into military service. He probably already felt a sense of closeness to Tang, and he felt great sympathy for Huan She.
Huan She didn't have much strength to speak, so he nodded slightly to indicate he was listening, but his mind was gradually becoming hazy. Suddenly, he heard a clear, tinkling sound, a gentle tinkling that drifted slowly towards him. Tuxi Zhuoer shook Huan She: "Hey, look, another Tang person, and it's a girl." Huan She jolted awake, struggling to open his eyes. He saw Li Weiying alone, gracefully riding a horse, seemingly oblivious to everyone around her, slowly making her way towards the Turkic encampment. The bells on her mount were already loud enough, but it seemed she wasn't flamboyant enough. A large, round, luminous pearl adorned the top of her head, casting a faint, emerald-green glow in the deepening twilight, giving her a dreamlike, ethereal beauty. Huan She was furious, while the Turks stared, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets.
She drew closer, her gaze glancing casually at Huan She. The Turkic captain chuckled and approached her. She dismounted and mumbled something incoherently. Not only did the Turks not understand, but Huan She was also confused. She rushed towards the captain, still mumbling. The captain grabbed her, exclaiming, "My little beauty...?" She swiftly moved aside, pressing a dagger to his throat with her right hand and removing the short sword she had given Huan She from his crotch with her left: "Huan Lang, speak!"
Huan She coughed twice: "Kick his right knee hard, and smash the back of his neck." Li Weiying kicked down, and the dagger hidden in the captain's right calf flew out. Li Weiying secretly breathed a sigh of relief and punched him down, sending him crashing to the ground. Luo Kebu and another Yanqi man, Alaya, also rode over immediately. Alaya tied up the Turkic captain, and Luo Kebu said to the soldiers in Turkic: "Drop your weapons. Quickly, or he'll be dead." As he spoke, he slashed the captain's leg, and the soldiers quickly put down their weapons. Luo Kebu then went to help Huan She, trying to untie the wire piercing his hand, but the wound was entangled with the wire and clotted blood, and he couldn't untie it immediately, so he had to help him over. Huan She leaned on Luo Kebu's shoulder and shouted to the soldiers in Turkic, "Take off your belts, gather in one place, lie down, and put your hands on your heads. Anyone who moves... will be killed." The sound of belts being untied made Li Weiying turn her head quickly, "Huan Lang, you can't do this!"
Huan She took a breath and, with his eyes closed, ordered, "Alaya, go and throw all their bows and arrows... into the fire... wait... leave me two bows and a few quivers of arrows." Alaya did as he was told. Li Weiying saw the Turkic captain, who was bound and lying on the ground, move slightly, so she struck him hard on the head with the hilt of her sword and kicked him in the waist. She then asked Huan She, "Huan Lang, what rank are you?" Huan She answered with difficulty, "Silver belt, nine... ranks." She said "Oh," and pointed at the Turkic captain, "He has a gold belt, eleven ranks. Shall I give it to you?" Huan She gave a weak "Mmm." After Alaya finished carrying out Huan She's orders, Huan She glanced at Tuxizhuoer and saw him looking at him expectantly. He then whispered, "Tuxizhuoer, do you want... to come with us...?" Tuxizhuoer nodded frantically. Huan She asked Alaya to bring him over. Everyone mounted their horses. Luo Kebu helped Huan She onto one horse, while the rest of the people rode on their own. Even the Turk captain was tied to a horse and led by Alaya.
The group galloped towards Devil's Mountain, while the Turkic soldiers hurriedly put on their trousers and chased after them, shouting. The group secretly thanked Huan She for ordering the burning of their bows and arrows; otherwise, they would surely be dead. Entering the narrow valley entrance, the Yanqi merchants waiting there quickly helped the unconscious Huan She off his horse and settled him, then concealed themselves. Alaya and Rokobu, holding two ends of a long rope laid flat on the ground, guarded the valley entrance. As the Turkic soldiers drew closer, Li Weiying shouted in the rudimentary Yanqi language Huan She had taught her the day before: "One!" Alaya and Rokobu simultaneously lifted the rope, instantly tripping the two leading Turkic soldiers. Several riders following behind couldn't dodge in time and crashed into each other, creating a pile of fallen men and horses blocking the valley entrance. She shouted again: "Two!" Bachitu led his men to cut the rope, and large rocks suspended from the mountain fell on the chaotic Turkic soldiers, sealing the valley entrance.
Smelling a burnt smell and hearing the clattering and banging sounds, Huan She woke up to find himself in a small tent. Li Weiying was hunched over with her back to him, busy with something. Hearing Huan She cough, she rushed to his side, excitedly saying, "You're awake!" Huan She smiled wryly, "What... are you doing?" Li Weiying said worriedly, "I'm boiling water for you. I've been boiling it for a long time; the copper kettle is even worn through, and the water still hasn't boiled." Huan She was taken aback, then said with emotion, "You're boiling... water for me?" He said with difficulty, "No... it's like this. The ice and snow are too cold; the bottom melts... but the top is still frozen... I have to boil it little by little..." Li Weiying said, "Ah? Is that how it's done?" She said with shame, "I didn't know that."
His brows furrowed: "You know nothing... why are you acting so recklessly? What kind of scheme are you plotting? A honey trap?... It's riddled with flaws, a complete mess." He was weak from his injuries, his voice low and deep, yet it carried an imposing air even without anger. The smile on Li Weiying's face instantly froze. He continued, "Just now it was luck... good luck. We almost all died, you know? Are you looking for death?" Li Weiying pursed her lips tightly, glanced at Huan She, and ran out of the tent. Huan She gritted his teeth and ignored her, thinking, "If I don't scare her, she'll act recklessly again. But she risked her life to save me, only to be severely scolded. She must be heartbroken. Alas, Weiying, Weiying, I love you so much, how could I bear to hurt you? Do you know how anxious I was when I saw you turn back on your horse?"
His throat was parched and burning, but he hardened his heart and didn't call out to her, only calling, "Luo Kebu!" Luo Kebu responded and came in to boil water for Huan She again. Huan She saw that he was holding something to start a fire, so he asked, "What are you burning in your hand?" Luo Kebu replied, "It's paper." Huan She asked, "What's all that crooked and winding on it? A map?" Luo Kebu casually handed a piece of paper to Huan She: "It was drawn by your little lover."
Huan She's right hand, badly injured and in a sling, curiously reached out his equally heavily bandaged, damaged left hand to take it. His eyes immediately welled with tears: a piece of hemp paper, charred and tattered from a fire, covered with faint, fine charcoal lines—likely the ink used by women to draw eyebrows—sketched mountains and figures. One figure, perhaps Huan She, had stars above his head; another rode a horse, holding a knife. Further behind were two smaller figures, and the mountains were depicted with stones tied together. Huan She seemed to see Li Weiying, who only spoke the Yanqi dialect, counting "one, two, three," explaining to everyone how to rescue him through gestures. Fighting back tears, Huan She stammered, "I… my little lover…" He gasped, "Where did she go?" Luo Kebu replied, "Ah? She probably went to fetch the horse."
Huan She was shocked: "Is she leaving?" Luo Kebu said, "I haven't heard anything." Huan She hurriedly got up, ignoring his reopened wound, and limped out of the tent. Night had fallen, and the Yanqi merchants were warming themselves around the campfire in twos and threes. Seeing him come out, they all greeted him. Huan She kept asking, "Have you seen her?" After searching for a while, he finally saw a woman's figure in the distance, clinging to a horse's neck, her head radiating a faint green pearly light.
Huan She breathed a sigh of relief and approached, softly calling, "Wei Ying..." She remained tightly embracing her horse. He gently patted her shoulder: "Are you angry? I spoke too harshly... I was just worried about you." She wouldn't turn around, repeating softly, "I was just worried about you." Huan She said, "You came alone, it was so dangerous..." Reaching her, she quickly covered her eyes, as if afraid Huan She would see her tear-stained eyes. Huan She said gently, "You took a hostage, and they were so fierce, hiding a dagger; they could easily have turned on you." She lowered her head and said, "With you here, you'll find a way."
Huan She sighed, "But what if I'm already dead when you come back?" She stiffened, then resolutely said, "No way. You're so powerful, how could you? Huan Lang, you said you'd come with me to Tianci Mountain, you can't go back on your word. You promised you wouldn't leave me behind." Huan She put his left arm around her shoulder, saying repeatedly, "Yes, it's my fault, it's my fault." He gently stroked her, "It's my fault... I'll never leave you behind again. Let's go back, it's cold here." He teased her, "By the way, you also burned Baqitu's copper kettle, he'll be furious if he finds out. Let's sneak back now, hmm, and secretly hide the kettle, okay?" Li Weiying smiled through her tears, sniffling as she nodded.
Because a lot of goods and equipment had been lost earlier, only one tent remained. Outside, it was freezing cold, and the other Yanqi merchants, including Tuxizhuoer and the prisoner captain, squeezed inside. Huan She counted; there were now seventeen people in total. The tent was cramped, and everyone was huddled together shoulder to shoulder. Being squeezed together with so many people, especially all men, Li Weiying felt very uncomfortable, curling up tightly. Huan She said softly, "Don't be afraid, relax. Didn't the ancients say, 'Great deeds, uh, small courtesies… don't concern themselves with…'" She couldn't quite get the bookish phrase out, feeling rather embarrassed. She smiled and said, "It's 'Great deeds don't concern themselves with small details, great courtesies don't concern themselves with small concessions.'" Then she leaned against his left shoulder and closed her eyes to sleep. Huan She quietly listened to her soft breathing, feeling extremely happy.
Chapter Five
5. [Drawing the bow]
He dared not move all night, afraid of waking her. When he woke the next morning, Huan She's left side was numb. The group got up and argued about their next move. Although they had crossed the Devil's Valley and reached the Great Sand Sea, some still hoped to turn back and take the route north to Yiwu. Baqitu was also quite hesitant. Huan She firmly said, "Now we can only take the Great Sea route. If the valley entrance is blocked and freezes overnight, who can move anything? Even if we get out of the valley, there are still Turkic soldiers outside." Someone countered, "Many Turkic soldiers have died, and the rest have long since fled." Huan She said, "This force only has about fifty men. Judging from their banners, it's just an advance team. The main force is nearby. We only escaped by luck." When asked, Tuxi Zhuoer confirmed that there were indeed more than two thousand men behind them. Someone was still unwilling to give up, "But the Great Sea route is extremely dangerous. Merchants dare not take it, and no one here has ever taken it. Have you?"
Huan She was speechless. He had only heard of the Great Sea Road before. After thinking for a moment, he said, "But many of our Tang people have traveled this route. Isn't that right?" He turned to her and asked again in Chinese. She nodded: "The Book of Han says that during the Yuanshi era, the Later Kingdom of Cheshi had a new road that went north from Wuchuan, leading to Yumen Pass, which was a shorter route. Xu Pu, the Wuji Colonel, wanted to open it to save half a mile and avoid the Bailongdui pass. Ban Yong of the Eastern Han Dynasty took this route. The Book of Wei and the Book of Zhou also mention it." Huan She said proudly in Yanqi dialect, "The Han people have been using this route for six hundred years, saving half the distance and a thousand li. It's all recorded in the books. My little sweetheart is absolutely right." The Yanqi people burst into laughter: "Kelta, you young flower, always talking about your little sweetheart, your heart is stuck with honey."
Li Weiying asked, "What are Huan Lang and the others laughing at? Did I say something wrong?" Huan She chuckled at her but didn't answer. She listened carefully for a while, then asked him, mimicking the Yanqi accent of her "little lover," "What does 'Lidehas, Lidehasniweite' mean?" Huan She's scalp tingled. "Um, oh, it's... Hu, they say I'm talking nonsense." She looked at him suspiciously, "You're stammering; your words can't be trusted. When I get back to Chang'an, I'll find a translator and ask them to see if what you're saying is true."
Huan She waited until everyone had finished laughing before saying, "No matter what, right now the only way is the Great Sea Route." Baqitu said, "The Great Sand Sea has fierce sandstorms and no water; we'd die in less than three days." Huan She said, "It's winter now, the sandstorms are much less severe than in spring, and there's snow, so drinking water won't be a problem." Seeing that everyone seemed interested, he quickened his pace, "Those who want to turn back are free to do so; there are over two thousand Turkic soldiers waiting outside with swords. Yanqi is a vassal state of Tang, and I am a Tang citizen..." He hesitated for a moment, then resolutely said, "I am a Commandant of the Great Tang, trust me, I will definitely lead you all safely to Gaochang." He repeated it in Chinese, looking at Li Weiying with deep affection. She smiled approvingly and nodded slightly.
Alya led the cheers, and everyone else joined in. Lokobu exclaimed, "Now it's all good! We have the envoy sent by the Great Tang Khan to protect us; we'll definitely be able to return home!" Bachitu asked, "Kekert, what about these two Turks?" Huan She said, "Tushizhuoer is just a child, and he saved me. I can't bear to see him die in the army, so of course I'll take him with me. As for this squad leader..." He turned to the Turkic captain and said, "Do you want to live or die? If you want to die, I'll kill you now!" "Save some food." The Turkic captain, terrified, quickly said, "I want to live, I want to live!" Huan She said, "Even if you escape, you won't survive. Where can you go alone in this vast desert? You'd better be smart and not have any crooked ideas." The Turkic captain nodded vigorously, and Huan She said, "In that case, obediently go to the side and be quick with your work. There are plenty of people who don't like you." He then said to Tuxi Zhuoer, "Little brother, keep an eye on him and don't let him do anything bad." Tuxi Zhuoer agreed. Huan She gave Tuxi Zhuoer the eleven gold belts that had been confiscated from the captain the day before: "Take this, it'll be a good gift when you visit your uncle in the future." Tuxi Zhuoer happily accepted it.
Bachitu quickly urged everyone to eat their dry rations and prepare for the journey. Huan She wanted to drink water, but his right hand was in a sling across his chest, and his left hand was not only injured but also so tightly bandaged that he couldn't grasp it. He tried several times to lift the cup, but to no avail. Just as he was about to bend down and drink from the cup, Li Weiying had already brought the cup to his lips and fed him the water. She then broke the hard flatbread into small pieces and fed them to Huan She. Seeing that he was a little embarrassed, she said, "The ancients said, 'Great deeds, uh, small courtesies... are not to be disregarded...'" Huan She laughed, "Oh, are you laughing at me? Alas, I am a rough man, but I am not good at being cultured. Reading the classics gives me a headache." She said, "Then you must be extremely intelligent, otherwise how could you be so good at martial arts and strategy? Oh right, you also speak Turkic and Yanqi languages." Huan She said, "Guazhou guards the important route between the East and West, and there are many travelers from various countries passing through. There are even foreign soldiers in the army. I naturally learned them over time. It's nothing special."
At this point, he suddenly remembered, "What language did you speak when you lured that Turkic captain over yesterday? I couldn't understand a word." She immediately mumbled it back, but Huan She was still completely confused. She laughed, "That's how it is. You're so smart, can't you tell?" Huan She said shamefully, "I give up. Tell me." She laughed first, "Actually, I was speaking Chinese. It's about those Turkic bandits, how did they capture me, Huan She? Just scramble the tones and read it out quickly. Just get the spirit of it, not the exact form." She laughed and read it out again, and this time Huan She finally understood.
Seeing that he didn't laugh, but instead seemed somewhat dazed, Li Weiying asked curiously, "Don't you find it funny?" Huan She shook his head and said softly, "You were just talking about my Huan She." Li Weiying realized what he meant and fled the tent in shame. Huan She didn't chase after her, his heart filled with intoxication, repeatedly chanting, "My Huan She, my, Weiying, you called me your Huan She. Do you truly have me in your heart?"
As everyone prepared to depart, Li Weiying kept her distance from Huan She, refusing to look at him. Huan She sighed and limped closer to her: "Come on, let's get going. Of course, I'm your...your bodyguard. When we find the Heavenly Gift Mountain, you'll have to reward me handsomely. Come on, mount your horse." She mounted her horse without a word, and seeing Huan She still standing on the ground, she said, "You should get on too." Huan She said, "There aren't enough horses for everyone. This gravel road is uneven, I'll lead your horse." Standing for too long aggravated his leg injury, and he swayed uncontrollably. She jumped off her horse and insisted, "You're seriously injured, you ride."
Huan She smiled and said, "If I don't ride, you won't have the heart to; if you don't ride, I won't have the heart to either. If we both don't ride, neither of us will have the heart to." Seeing the faint anger on Li Weiying's face, he quickly said, "I'll ask them." He asked in the Yanqi dialect, "I still need another horse. Who can spare one for me?" The Yanqi people laughed, "Silly Kekelt, why don't you ride with her? What a great opportunity!" Huan She said, "My little lover..." Seeing that Li Weiying was listening intently, he swallowed the word "lover" and said instead, "She's angry with me." Baqitu said, "Then you should coax her even more. Stick close to her and say sweet words." He turned to everyone and said, "Listen up, everyone help this Tang man. Nobody should lend him a horse." Everyone agreed.
Huan She looked helplessly at Li Weiying. She remained silent, mounted her horse, and extended her hand to Huan She, saying, "You're my bodyguard, shouldn't you be with me at all times?" Huan She was overjoyed. He grasped her small hand and mounted the horse, his left arm encircling her slender waist. She trembled slightly but did not resist. Huan She whistled, and the horse galloped northwest.
Huan She was severely injured and had exhausted himself earlier. Despite the bumpy ride on horseback, his head gradually slumped, and he fell asleep on Li Weiying's shoulder. She felt his entire upper body pressing against her, and when she gently called to him, he didn't respond. Knowing he was asleep, and smelling his strong masculine scent, her heart pounded like a deer. Looking down, she saw his left hand, which was wrapped around her waist. The heavily bandaged palm was still bleeding, and the unbandaged fingertips were covered with mottled wounds, turned purple from the cold. She quickly covered his left hand with her sheepskin left sleeve, then her right sleeve, warmly holding his stiff, frozen hand. A strange joy welled up inside her. What it was, she didn't understand.
At midday, everyone dismounted to rest. Li Weiying woke Huan She, who dismounted first and reached out his left hand to help her down. Li Weiying noticed that Huan She's left cheek was flushed, covered in marks from the pressure of his weight on her shoulder, and couldn't help but smile. Huan She saw her dark hair reflecting the light, and her usually slightly upturned lips now held an even more charming smile. For a moment, both of them, on and off horseback, stood motionless, lost in their own world.
The surrounding merchants, seeing the two staring at each other in a daze, burst into laughter: "They've made up! They've made up!" The two men, realizing their mistake, felt a little embarrassed. While everyone was eating, Bachitu squeezed next to them and began to ramble on to Huan She, complaining about the severe losses of his goods and valuables, the complete loss of his capital, the two extra Turkic bandits he had brought along, the lack of food, and so on, all while glancing at Li Weiying. Without asking Huan She, she took off the luminous pearl from her hair ornament and handed it to him. Only then did Bachitu leave with a grin. Huan She asked in surprise, "You understood?" Li Weiying replied, "His eyes were fixed on the top of my head, his drool almost drowning me. Didn't I understand? That pearl is quite ordinary; it was just a pair of waist ornaments. One was already lost on the way, and this one is meaningless. What use are pearls and gold in this endless yellow sand?" Huan She laughed, "You're right." In his heart, he admired her magnanimity but also felt ashamed that he had caused her to sell her jewelry along the way.
After the meal, Huan She inquired about Bachitu and learned that after the two attacks, food was running low, enough for seventeen people to last another day, or at most two days even with careful eating. Huan She thought that it would take more than ten days to get out of the Great Desert, and at this rate, they would either die of thirst or starvation. He immediately ordered Alaya to bring the bows and arrows they had previously captured, and selected Alaya, Rokobu, another young man, Delaidiwo, and Tuxizhuoer, preparing long ropes, scimitars, and daggers for self-defense, intending to hunt some animals. Delaidiwo objected: "Why bring that little Turk?" Huan She said: "Although he is young, he has grown up in the desert and is better at finding cattle and sheep than you are." He said to Tuxizhuoer: "Little brother, show us your skills, don't let everyone look down on you." Tuxizhuoer puffed out his chest and loudly agreed. Huan She looked at Li Weiying, but before he could speak, she blurted out, "You can't leave me behind." Huan She thought to himself that he wouldn't feel at ease leaving her alone in the caravan, so he said, "Alright, let's go together, be careful." The six of them each rode off on a horse.
After running about twenty li, Tuxizhuoer excitedly told everyone that there were sheep. Li Weiying asked Huan She how he knew, and Huan She examined the area and said, "Look, there are hoofprints on the ground. These kinds of narrow, pointed hoofprints are most likely from wild sheep. Also, the gnaw marks on the bushes are diagonal; if it were deer, they would be straight. The hoofprints are still very clear, so the wild sheep must have just left." He praised Tuxizhuoer, "Well done, young man, you went ahead to track them."
As Huan She rode, he unwrapped his right hand from the sling across his chest, preparing to draw his bow and arrow. Li Weiying said anxiously, "Your hand injury hasn't healed yet." Huan She said, "Then you try. Can you do it?" Li Weiying said, "I've seen my father and brothers shoot." Huan She said, "Ha. There are five kinds of people in this world. The first kind is the smartest; they don't need a teacher to teach them. The first time they touch a bow and arrow, they can shoot accurately by their own talent. The second kind is also smart; they learn by watching others shoot. The third kind learns after being taught by their teacher. The fourth kind still makes mistakes even after being taught by their teacher, but fortunately, they can achieve some success with practice. The dumbest are those who still can't learn even after being taught by their teacher."
Li Weiying asked, "Then what rank are you?" Huan She boasted, "I'm naturally first-rate." Li Weiying laughed and didn't believe her. Huan She said, "When I was five, my uncle slapped me. I was furious, so I stole his bow and arrow and shot through a newly brewed wine jug a good ten feet away. Doesn't that make me a first-rate genius?" Li Weiying said, "Oh, that's not bad." Huan She was pleased and taught her some basic archery techniques. "Your comprehension is pretty good too. Hey, hey, hey, don't aim randomly, be careful not to shoot someone."
As they rode and practiced, Huan She praised, "You ride quite well. Why didn't your master teach you archery before?" Li Weiying replied, "He did, but seeing them standing there every day, stretching their arms and drawing their bows, practicing their eyesight and arm strength, seemed a bit silly and tiring. I just stood aside and watched them." Huan She said, "Oh, right. Who... is the best archer?" Li Weiying remained silent, lost in thought. Huan She suddenly felt a pang of regret, regretting asking the question. Seeing her about to speak, he knew she would only say "Cao Ling." But she smiled and said, "It's my cousin, Chai Lingwu. My aunt is skilled in archery, so my cousin is naturally no less. Chai is the best at both archery and horsemanship, but he never shows off his skills; he's always been refined and quiet." Huan She had just breathed a sigh of relief when she murmured to herself, "Even more refined than Cao Ling."
Hearing her finally call out Cao Ling's name, Huan She sighed inwardly, "You still can't forget him." Seeing her somber expression, he changed the subject, "Well, then I'll teach you a secret technique." She was indeed curious, "Okay." Huan She said, "Most people aim first, steady themselves, and then shoot, thinking that's the only way to be accurate, but that's not true. If you steady yourself before shooting, the object you're aiming for will have already moved slightly in that instant, and your arm will inevitably tremble the moment you draw the bow. With these two errors combined, it's often difficult to hit the target." Li Weiying said, "That makes sense. So how should I do it? Don't I need to aim?" Huan She smiled and said, "That's the secret technique—you must aim and shoot simultaneously, with your mind and hand moving at the same time, to avoid deviation. Once you've mastered this technique, you can hit the target every time, whether standing still or on horseback." Li Weiying exclaimed in surprise, "Huan Lang, you really have a knack for strategy!" Huan She smiled.
They chased for another ten miles or so and finally spotted a herd of yellow goats with stripes of black on their backs. Tuxizhuoer swiftly shot one down, while the others herded the flock together on horseback. Huan She said to Li Weiying, "Shoot quickly, remember my instructions." She drew her bow and released the arrow, hitting a goat squarely in the back. Huan She cheered, "Amazing! Amazing! Truly a disciple taught by a first-rate master!" But she cried out in terror, "Huan She, my face!"
It turned out that when she drew her bow, the arrow tip had been too close to her face, and when she released it with too much force, the arrow tip, still bearing the impact, grazed her right cheek, leaving a bloody mark. Huan She quickly handed her bow and arrow to Alaya, tearing off a piece of his robe to cover her slightly bleeding right cheek. She cried out anxiously, "Huan She, am I disfigured?" Huan She comforted her, "It's alright, just a scratch, only a little blood. It's nothing, nothing." She was both shocked and frightened, tears welling in her eyes. Huan She removed the cloth from her wound to show her, "Look, there's only a little blood. It's alright, you're still very pretty." She said, "Get me a mirror." But where was there a mirror? Huan She could only instruct Tuxizhuoer and the others to continue hunting gazelles, while he took her back to the campsite.
Where did this bunch of Yanqi men get a mirror? In his haste, Huan She brought her the copper kettle used for boiling water. She looked at herself for a long time and said, "I can't see clearly." Huan She thought for a moment, then went outside the tent, grabbed a handful of sand, and rubbed the surface of the kettle until it shone brightly. She looked at herself carefully again and found that she had only scratched her skin a little. Only then did she calm down.
Huan She poured her a cup of water and said gently, "Drink some to soothe your nerves, otherwise you won't have the strength to cry." Li Weiying wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and was about to take the cup when Huan She quickly put it down. It turned out that he had been busy looking for a mirror for her and had been polishing the surface of the copper kettle, which had caused his already deep wounds to burst open and tear even more. He hadn't even realized it until now, when he was holding the water, he saw that the cup was filled with blood. Looking at his hands, he saw that they were covered in blood, especially his right arm, which was badly injured to the bone, with blood soaking half of his sleeve.
Li Weiying exclaimed, "Huan She!" He replied wearily, "It's nothing." She quickly re-bandaged his arm, slinging it back to his chest. Huan She remained silent, his eyes fixed on the ground. Li Weiying followed his gaze and saw that Huan She's left cheek was reflected in the gleaming surface of the bronze kettle, clearly showing even the grotesque tattoo. She quickly removed the kettle, looking at him apologetically. He said with difficulty, "I never knew... it was so ugly." Li Weiying didn't know how to comfort him when he gave a bitter laugh, "Heh, I'm not an actor, what use is a face?" Li Weiying suddenly felt a sharp pain in her heart, and the tears she had held back for so long suddenly fell. Huan She asked, "Why are you crying again?" He barely managed to raise his left hand to wipe her tears, but she quickly grasped his hand, "Don't move. I won't cry anymore."
Huan She held her small hand in his fingers, gently pulling it closer. He paused in front of her, then pressed it against his left cheek, closing his eyes slightly. He softly rubbed his cheek against the back of her warm hand, a sense of peace washing over him. She let him hold her hand, speaking softly, "It's nothing for a grown man to have a scar or mark on his face. You're already handsome, tall, and strong. You should know that I've never looked down on you."