Heaven is the shore of mortal dust

Chapter 10

[Volume 1, Deer City Chapter: Chapter 9 Entering the City (Part 2)]

"General! General, avenge us!" the grieving soldier on the ground cried out, wiping the blood from his mouth.

He's their general? Oh no! Wei Zijun snapped out of her daze and took off running.

He tried to run for a bit but couldn't move. He took two more steps forward, but even as he sprinted, he was still stuck in the same spot. He looked down and was shocked to find that someone had grabbed him by the back of his collar and was lifting him into the air. He was dumbfounded.

This is just too shameful. They don't even have the courage to resist.

When the general saw that Wei Zijun had stopped walking in the air, he turned her around and put her down.

As soon as Wei Zijun's feet touched the ground, she was filled with shame and, with a desperate determination, struck the person in front of her in the face with all her might.

Her goal was to swell his eyes until he couldn't see clearly, and then escape.

Unexpectedly, the man simply raised his right hand and caught the fierce fist.

Wei Zijun hurriedly tried to pull her fist back, but she couldn't pull it back or pull it away. It was just being held there, and no matter how much she shook it, it wouldn't budge.

Before she knew it, her face flushed red. Seeing the crowd of people watching her make a fool of herself, two red blushes appeared on her fair face.

I'm so ashamed I can't live like this anymore!

My head was hanging lower and lower, with so many people watching! It was so embarrassing!

The general, seeing the bowed head and blushing cheeks before him, burst into laughter.

"This is the spy you're talking about? Hahahaha... If he were a spy, wouldn't he be a laughingstock to the world?!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zijun was furious. Was she really that despicable, not even qualified to be a spy? She raised her ostrich-like head and glared angrily at the person in front of her.

In an instant, he calmed down, adjusted his emotions, and avoided losing his composure. This person was not simple; he couldn't act rashly. If anything happened to him, it might implicate his master and Dieyun. He must not let a small matter cause a greater loss.

Thinking this, he suppressed his anger and forced a smile at the person in front of him. "General, isn't it too tiring to keep pressing me like this? Since General Chen doesn't believe I'm a spy, please release me."

"You know my surname is Chen?" The general was quite surprised, and his thick eyebrows twitched.

"Yes, I've often heard my grandfather mention that the general is not only brave but also kind-hearted, so it's impossible not to know him. Just now, I heard the guards calling for the general, so I guessed it must be General Chen!"

That flamboyant flag really helped her. No one dislikes hearing compliments; a few words of flattery are never wrong.

"Does this young master have a grudge against me?" General Chen asked.

"Why do you say that, General? We have only just met, what grudge could there be between us?"

"If we have no enmity, why was that punch so vicious? If I hadn't caught you, I probably would have gone blind."

"Ah~~~ Haha." Wei Zijun chuckled awkwardly. "General, you misunderstand. It's because I heard from my grandfather that you are highly skilled in martial arts and have few rivals. So, out of curiosity, I dared to test your skills."

General Chen seemed to have already discerned how much truth was in her ramblings, so he ignored her answer, but he still held her hand tightly and looked her up and down several times with his eyes.

"Your surname is Wei?"

"Yes, my name is Wei Zijun. I came to visit my grandfather in the countryside. My grandfather is seriously ill, so I went to the city to buy medicine. However, I was questioned as a spy. But my life was at stake, so I dared not delay and had to force my way in. I hope the general will not be angry." To avoid being questioned again, he simply confessed everything. Although it was all nonsense, he should be able to get away with it.

She thought the general would ask her where she came from, and she had already prepared a story. But General Chen didn't continue asking; instead, he let go of Wei Zijun's hand, which had been gripped until it was red.

He rubbed his hand, which was throbbing from being gripped so tightly and covered in bruises. He cursed General Chen countless times in his mind.

General Chen glanced at Wei Zijun's hand, then looked up and saw her annoyed expression. A barely suppressed smile appeared on his handsome, angular face.

"I never imagined that your hands, sir, would be even more delicate than a woman's. A light touch leaves red marks all over them. You must be resenting me for not knowing how to cherish a lady, sir?" General Chen looked at Wei Zijun with a mischievous grin.

"I am neither fragrant nor jade, so General Chen need not pity me!" She was secretly annoyed. To say that a man was both fragrant and jade was clearly an insult to her.

"Hahahaha..." General Chen laughed wildly, but it wasn't hard to see the admiration in his eyes. "Young master, with such a fine demeanor, if you are neither fragrant nor jade, then what are you?"

"Wei is just a boorish man!"

"You uncouth man! Very well, may I invite you, uncouth man, to my home as a guest?"

"Huh?" This sudden change startled Wei Zijun, who wondered what the man was thinking. Even the soldiers who were waiting for the general to avenge them were stunned.

"General, you flatter me. How could I, a mere rough man, dare to disturb your residence?" Although I did not understand his meaning, I still had to be polite.

"If you, sir, demean yourself as a boor, then I, Chen, am even more so. My invitation to speak with you is sincere, stemming from a rare sense of affinity we share. If you, sir, do not feel I have been too harsh just now and harbor resentment..."

"General, why do you say that? I will obey your command. However, I have important matters to attend to today, and I will definitely come to visit another day." Wei Zijun paused for a moment and then said, "If the general allows me to leave, I will take my leave now."

"Alright." General Chen seemed completely controlled by Wei Zijun's words and stepped aside to make way.

Wei Zijun bowed and took his leave, then walked into the city.

"Wait!" General Chen called out again.

Wei Zijun stopped and turned around, hoping that nothing more would go wrong.

"If anyone makes things difficult for you... tell them to come find me." General Chen said these words with some difficulty, then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, General. I will remember this." Wei Zijun bowed and thanked him sincerely this time. If she had someone to look after her, she would indeed have far fewer troubles, and she would be able to do business here with ease in the future.

[Volume 1, Deer City Chapter: Chapter 10 The Origin (Part 1)]

Once inside the city, Wei Zijun's eyes were not enough to take it all in; everything she looked at was new and interesting, and she was extremely excited.

It's unbelievable that this ancient city is so developed. On both sides of the main road, there are restaurants, teahouses, banks, and money exchanges—basically any shop that exists in modern times can be found here. Although some are still in their infancy, it's easy to see the prosperity of commerce here.

Looking at the bustling street scene, Wei Zijun felt as if she had become part of it, and she lingered on the street, completely absorbed in the moment. The ancient eaves and gray tiles, the vermilion doors and flowery windows, the yellow walls and mud bricks, the tender green and pale yellow hues, all gave Wei Zijun an indescribable sense of familiarity, and she even had a long-lost feeling of coming home.