Empress Dowager Xiaoxuan

Chapter 11

The three watched as she quickly ran into the house, and a moment later she ran out again, carrying some random little trinkets: wooden horses and cows, as well as small wooden knives and guns... Xiao Xuan ran to the edge of the pit, gently placed the toys in her hand next to the boy, then got up, slowly walked to the side, and curled up in a corner to cry secretly.

Liu Jiye and his two companions gently covered the family with soil, allowing them to continue to rest in peace in their home.

Xiao Xuan, who was secretly crying, kept tugging at her clothes and fidgeting with her fingers until a voice called out from behind her, "How long are you going to stop crying?"

Xiao Xuan quickly wiped away her tears and turned to look at the middle-aged man behind her. She frowned, unsure what to say, when the man said, "We're going back to Taiyuan. What about you?"

“I’m going too!” Xiaoxuan said immediately.

"What? You want to go too! Who do you think you are! Let me tell you, you better not make me..." Yan Yu was interrupted by his father before he could finish speaking: "If you want to go to Taiyuan, then get on your horse quickly."

Yan Yu was furious that his father would agree to the proposal from this barbarian woman dressed in Hanfu, but he was helpless. He watched as Xiao Xuan walked past him and Zhou Yunqing, shouting loudly at the empty space around them, "Achi!"

Liu Jiye frowned. Could there still be barbarians here? "Achi!"

The sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, and a bright red pony appeared in everyone's sight. The pony cleverly ran to Xiao Xuan's side and stopped. Xiao Xuan mounted the horse, and together with Liu Jiye and the other two, they embarked on their journey to Taiyuan.

Liu Jiye didn't seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere, and continued walking slowly. Suddenly, he looked at Xiao Xuan and asked, "Aren't you afraid of dead people?"

"I was scared!" Looking into the middle-aged man's eyes, Xiaoxuan said earnestly, "I used to be very scared, but I'm not anymore. What could be more terrifying than watching them die with my own eyes?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Jiye looked into the distance and asked, "What are you going to Taiyuan for? Do you have any relatives there?" Feeling that she was different from those barbarians, Liu Jiye secretly hoped that she was a Han Chinese who had been captured by the Khitans and taken to the Liao Kingdom.

Shaking her head, Xiaoxuan said dejectedly, "I want to see someone, but I have to get to Taiyuan first." "Oh?" Liu Jiye asked, "May I ask who it is?"

"He's a great hero."

Xiao Xuan's answer surprised Liu Jiye and the other two.

"A great hero?" Liu Yanyu asked, puzzled. "Who is it? Who is this great hero you're talking about?"

Xiao Xuan remained silent. They were from the Han Dynasty, and the army attacking the Han Dynasty now was the Song army. If she said that the great hero she wanted to see was Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of Song, she would be killed as a spy.

"Then let's hurry on our way. The sooner we get to Taiyuan, the sooner you can see your great hero." After saying this, Liu Jiye whipped his horse and galloped away like an arrow.

Achi was not to be outdone, following closely behind Liu Jiye. Unexpectedly, this little horse had such good leg strength, so Liu Yanyu and Zhou Yunqing hurriedly caught up as well.

They ran wildly until night fell and the stars twinkled, at which point they stopped.

"Young lady, you'll have to sleep outdoors tonight, I'm sorry to trouble you."

"General, you're too kind." Xiao Xuan didn't know who this middle-aged man was, but judging from his brave and imposing appearance, he must be a general. "Never mind," she thought, "I'll just greet him first."

Liu Jiye smiled at her, dismounted, and said to Liu Yanyu, "Yanyu, go with Yunqing to gather some firewood and hunt some wild game." After saying that, he took the wine bag hanging on the saddle and threw it to Yanyu, "See if there is any clean water source nearby. If there is, fill it up."

"Yes, Father." Yan Yu replied and left with Zhou Yunqing to make arrangements. Liu Jiye and Xiao Xuan were left alone. They found a sheltered spot and sat down to wait.

"Aren't your family worried about you coming out alone?" Liu Jiye asked.

"They don't know," Xiao Xuan replied. Afraid that if he continued asking, she would eventually say something wrong and give herself away, Xiao Xuan quickly looked at Liu Jiye and asked, "May I ask how the General is addressed?"

"My surname is Liu, and my name is Liu Jiye."

Liu Jiye. Xiao Xuan silently murmured this name to herself; she had never heard of this person before.

"Um, I heard that your capital, Taiyuan, has been besieged?" Xiaoxuan probed.

With a faint smile, Liu Jiye said, "Yes, they besieged for several days. I heard reinforcements arrived, so they all withdrew." "The Song army retreated?" Xiaoxuan's heart tightened. Please don't leave! If they do, where will I find you? Seeing Xiaoxuan's surprised look, Liu Jiye nodded and said, "Yes. But we still don't know whether they really withdrew or if they used some kind of trick."

"Oh!" Xiaoxuan breathed a sigh of relief; there was still hope. If they saw the Song army, they would surely find Zhao Kuangyin.

At night, Xiao Xuan watched as Liu Yanyu cleaned the game he had hunted, set up a low wooden frame, skewered the game together, and grilled it. A dish suddenly came to mind.

Cooking for herself was out of the question, but she had at least heard of the dish, so she figured she could give it a try in this desolate wilderness. Without a word, she took a large pheasant from Zhou Yunqing, cleaned it of its feathers and internal organs, then went to the side and used mud and water to cover the entire pheasant completely before tossing it into the campfire and leaving it there. Seeing how Zhou Yunqing had so easily ruined the game she had worked so hard to obtain, Liu Yanyu felt a surge of anger. However, she couldn't speak up in front of her father, so she could only lower her head, suppressing her anger, and continue roasting the game over the campfire.

"Beggar's chicken?" Liu Jiye suddenly asked.

"Huh? You know?" Xiaoxuan asked in surprise.

Liu Jiye smiled and said, "When I was a child, I saw beggars do this. I thought they didn't know how to barbecue, but I didn't know that their method was both simple and practical. Once the mud is thoroughly baked, the chicken inside will naturally be cooked through, tender and delicious. I saw beggars do it when I was a child, but I never ate it myself."

“I’ve never eaten it either,” Xiaoxuan said, then chuckled.

Liu Jiye's eyes gleamed as he asked, puzzled, "You've never eaten this before either?"

"Yes, I've heard people mention it before, but this is the first time I've done it myself."

"Hahaha." Liu Jiye laughed, then sighed softly and said, "You must try it later, see what this legendary 'beggar chicken' tastes like."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoxuan smiled slightly.

Empress of Khitan - Empress Dowager of Khitan Chapter Twenty: Night Sky

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:53:57 Word Count: 3438

Hearing their comments, Liu Yanyu, who was grilling, frowned. He pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused on grilling the game, turning it occasionally to make sure it wasn't burnt. But he was seething with anger. That woman didn't have to do anything; she just smeared the mud on the game and threw it directly into the fire. She was so convenient, and his father seemed to approve of her. Despite his sullen mood, his hands didn't stop working. In no time, the game was ready, and Liu Yanyu distributed it to everyone. The others didn't seem to mind, but Xiao Xuan was in trouble. She couldn't stand the gamey smell, but she couldn't avoid it. Since this was their only food, she simply swallowed it whole.

Looking at her eating so voraciously, Liu Yanyu assumed she hadn't eaten in a long time and was starving. He couldn't help but sneer and said, "Hey, why are you eating so fast? If you're not full, go get some more."

Hearing that the hostility he had shown when they first met was gone from his words, Xiao Xuan replied softly, though not entirely honest, "It's delicious." After saying that, she took two more bites of the remaining meat in her hand and swallowed them.

After glancing at her, Yan Yu finished the food in her hand and pulled out the scorching hot mud from the campfire.

"Hey! How do I do it?" Yan Yu asked Xiao Xuan.

"Let it cool down a bit before you start working on it. The mud is hot right now, so let it sit for a while longer. Then, tap it with something and the mud will fall off, and it'll be ready to eat."

There seemed to be nothing more to say, and the four of them remained silent. After a while, Yan Yu broke the clay chicken into pieces and handed them to the others.

The meat was fresh and hot, and Xiao Xuan took a small piece to eat. Although it had a gamey smell, it was much less so than meat that was simply grilled. After everyone finished eating, they found a place to lie down, and Xiao Xuan followed suit. Before her lay a night sky filled with stars. Looking at the countless stars, Xiao Xuan was filled with mixed emotions. She had ended up in this place, and had encountered so many things. She could have stayed quietly and peacefully in Old Man Xiao's house, waiting for him to arrange everything for her, and then safely completing the path that "Xiao Chuo" was meant to take before returning to the modern world. Wouldn't that have been more comfortable? But why didn't she want to stay on that land? Lost in thought, she heard a soft voice beside her: "Hey, are you asleep?"

Zhong Xuan sat up and looked over, only to see Liu Yanyu making a "shh" gesture at her. He tiptoed to her side and said, "Hey, can't sleep? You probably can't sleep either, let's chat." Zhong Xuan pouted, wondering about Liu Yanyu's motives. What was wrong with this guy? Why would he, who always mocked her, want to chat with her?

“Hey, don’t just stare at me like that. Tell me, who is this great hero you’re looking for?” Liu Yanyu asked.

Throughout the journey, he kept thinking about the great hero she had mentioned. He was a man himself, and what man wouldn't want to be a hero? Hearing someone talk about a great hero filled Liu Yanyu with both surprise and envy. Having diligently practiced martial arts since childhood, he dreamed of one day becoming a hero celebrated by all. When Xiao Xuan spoke of heroes, his heart was stirred with unrest.

Haha, so that's why he came to see me. Xiao Xuan smiled inwardly, then sighed and asked, "You really want to know?"

"Of course, otherwise why would I come to you?" Liu Yanyu said.

Xiao Xuan smiled calmly at him, raised her hand, pointed to the star-studded night sky, and said, "On nights like this, the starlight twinkles like the eyes of lovers, and the gentle breeze carries enchanting melodies as it dances everywhere... A little one crossed the Milky Way in the sky and came to this world."

Liu Yanyu's previously anxious face calmed down after hearing these words. His eyes widened, his expression softening as he gazed at the star-studded night sky. A surge of emotion welled up within him; he realized that stories could be told so beautifully. He looked at the night sky, then at Xiaoxuan's gentle face under the moonlight, waiting for her to continue telling the story of the great hero.

Forgetting that she was a Khitan, forgetting how she had stopped here with him, Liu Yanyu looked at Xiao Xuan, dressed in Hanfu and with a beautiful and kind face, under the night sky, and thought to himself, "The stories of great heroes should be told by girls like her."

"The sky displayed unusual colors, and the room was filled with fragrance. A peaceful atmosphere enveloped the room, while outside, all the flowers bloomed, their fragrance spreading for miles. Heaven and earth were welcoming the arrival of this great hero."

Looking up at the sky, Xiao Xuan said, "In a family, a baby was born. The baby had a loud cry and was very cute." "As the sun rose and set and the years passed, the baby grew up. He had a full forehead, bright eyebrows and eyes, a straight nose and a square mouth. He was cheerful, smart and clever."

Although Xiaoxuan enjoyed listening to storytelling, she knew very little about it. Apart from the story of sending Jingniang a thousand miles away, she knew very little about other stories about Zhao Kuangyin. She originally just wanted to talk about it casually, but when she looked at Liu Yanyu, she found that he was listening to the story very seriously. Her heart warmed, and she became serious about telling the story as well.

"He loved wielding weapons and sticks, and what's even more remarkable is that he also had a chivalrous heart. Whenever he saw injustice, he would take up his stick to help."

"A stick? He uses a stick?" Yan Yu asked.

"Mmm," Xiaoxuan nodded.

He wielded a golden staff with dragons coiled around it, roaming the world and wandering the four seas.

Upon hearing Xiaoxuan's explanation, Liu Yanyu frowned slightly. A golden staff with dragons coiled around its length? Dragons were reserved for the Emperor, not something ordinary people could use casually. She must be mistaken. A faint smile appeared on Yanyu's lips. Without interrupting Xiaoxuan, he continued listening to her story.

"Once, he visited a Taoist temple where a distant relative of his lived. He intended to stay for a few days and enjoy the scenery. However, one day, when he passed by a house behind the temple, he heard a woman crying out in a soft, whimpering voice coming from inside."

"What a shameless Taoist temple!" Yan Yu cursed.

As the two of them were telling their story, Liu Jiye and Zhou Yunqing, who were lying nearby, opened their eyes one after another, listened to their words, and remained silent, pretending to be asleep.

"The hero was furious, his veins bulging. Without a word, he found the relative who was in charge of the martial arts in the Taoist temple and was about to give him a good beating. The relative immediately knelt down and begged for mercy, claiming that he was innocent and that they hadn't done such a heinous thing." "If they didn't do it, how come that woman was in that Taoist temple?" Yan Yu asked.

"The relative said that this woman was kidnapped by two bandits and imprisoned in this Taoist temple. She was incredibly beautiful, like a flower in full bloom. Both of them wanted her, but neither was willing to let go. They were afraid that if they fought over her, it would damage their relationship, so they decided to leave her in the temple first, and then kidnap another stunning beauty, one for each of them, and then choose an auspicious day to get married together. The temple originally didn't want to take her in, but the two bandits were highly skilled in martial arts and very powerful. They beat up everyone in the temple, so the temple had no choice but to temporarily take her in. Usually, to prevent the worshippers from seeing her, they locked her in the back of the temple to avoid being seen. Who knew that this Zhao... Achoo! Achoo! This hero still stumbled upon her."

Yan Yu's initial anger gradually subsided upon hearing this. "Good, good," she thought, "that hero happened to see it and naturally wouldn't ignore it; he must have saved the woman."

The hero told his relative to open the door. He went inside and saw a beautiful woman weeping. The hero approached her and said, "Girl, don't panic. I've heard about your situation. These despicable bandits kidnapped you and imprisoned you here. Now that you've met me, I will definitely rescue you. Don't worry, leave everything to me. With me here, I'll hold up the sky for you." With that, he picked up his golden dragon-patterned staff and began smashing the Taoist temple mercilessly. His relative cried and asked, "If you want this woman, just take her away! Why are you smashing my temple?"

As Xiaoxuan finished speaking, not only Yanyu listened intently, but even Liu Jiye and Zhou Yunqing, who were lying next to her, held their breath, afraid of disturbing the two of them.

Xiao Xuan took a breath and continued, "That hero said, 'If I just take this woman away like this, those two bandits will definitely not let your Taoist temple go. Even if you tell the truth, they may not believe you. If I smash your Taoist temple to pieces, when those two come, you can just blame it all on me and say that I took the woman away. When they see these ruins, they will believe it and won't make things difficult for you.' The Taoist priest was skeptical, watching him take the woman away, but he had no other choice."

As Yan Yu listened to Xiao Xuan's story, his furrowed brows not only didn't relax, but instead tightened even more. This hero was indeed very thoughtful; not only did he rescue the woman, but he also took care of the future of the Taoist temple that was implicated.

The hero asked the woman her name and where she lived, but her answer surprised him greatly. Her home was very far from where they lived. After thinking for a moment, the hero said, "My dear, I'll say it again: if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you; no matter how far the road, I'll take you home!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yanyu's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. What a true man!

Empress of Khitan - Empress Dowager of Khitan Chapter Twenty-One: The Dance of the Spear

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:53:57 Word Count: 3608

Xiao Xuan continued, "The woman was incredibly excited, but in this chaotic world, who would easily believe the words of a complete stranger? She heard the man's words, but she didn't trust them."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yanyu nodded slightly. Indeed, how could a young girl, having encountered such a misfortune, easily trust the words of a strange man? She feared that this man might only cause her more trouble.

"Although the beautiful woman didn't trust the hero, he still took her out of the Taoist temple and helped her onto his horse. The hero said to the beauty, 'Don't cry. I'm not the kind of person who gets lustful at first sight. I'm an upright man. Since I've encountered such a situation, I won't ignore it. Don't worry, I will take you home safely.' Just as the hero said, he was respectful and courteous to the beautiful woman along the way. Because the journey was long, for the sake of convenience, he even addressed her as his brother, caring for her in every way, which moved her deeply. Not to mention, the journey was fraught with danger. If it weren't for the chivalrous man who escorted her, she would probably have fallen into the clutches of tigers and wolves long ago."

"Why?"

"Why?" Xiaoxuan looked at Yanyu and said, "As the old saying goes, food and sex are human nature. That woman is so beautiful, how could he not be tempted by her after such a long journey! Along the way, there have been waves of bandits, one after another, without a moment's peace. The hero didn't even dare to close his eyes to rest. You can imagine how dangerous the journey was."