Gently removing the dark tassel from the helmet and placing it in Cui Yan's hand, Huan She held his hand to his chest, slowly watching his once flushed but now gentle face fade into the shadow cast by the thin wooden coffin lid. Le Yan, Shang Lue, and Yuan Faran burst into tears. Huan She looked down at Cui Yan's helmet, a single tear struggling to travel across the blood-stained surface. Le Yan suddenly snatched the helmet and frantically wiped it on his cotton robe, the tears shining like the clear, cold moon over the Luo River.
"Xiao She! Hold the bow fully." Huan She closed his eyes and meditated.
"Xiao She, use your wrist strength." The voice drifted away. Huan She suddenly opened his eyes. Chen Ti's ashes were being handed over to the sergeant, who instructed him to send them properly to Guazhou. The former elder brother of the Chen family could finally rest in peace and no longer had to struggle with official positions and titles.
"put!"
"put!"
"put!"
"put!"
With the release of their bows, the Tang army unleashed a powerful barrage of arrows towards the vast, high sky in all directions.
"May our heroes rest in peace!" Li Shiji and Xue Wanche led their troops to pour out the turbid wine as a libation to the eight hundred heroic souls buried deep beneath the thick ice and snow.
On the 18th day of the 12th month, the day after the Battle of Nuozhenshui, the Tang army held a memorial service for the fallen soldiers and posthumously awarded them the rank of three promotions before returning south.
***
The vast marshes
A babbling river flows past a broken bridge
How can you know that the vast ice and snow have melted away and spring has arrived?
Pheasant grass is lush
The gentle breeze blows like a blue wave.
Flowers in full bloom, vying for attention
fertile soil
How can you know the warrior's bones burned by wildfire?
The lark sings
Snow Leopard Leap
How can you know who is searching so desperately across the fields?
Yinshan Mountain is draped in green and surrounded by white clouds
How could you know those were tears from a lover?
Flying over the nine heavens
Descending south from the Nuozhen River through the rugged green mountains, passing Dingxiang and Shuozhou, it was already January. The snow and ice had not yet completely melted, and the herdsmen had already driven their cattle and sheep to graze, seeking the first signs of spring. Li Shiji handed over the victorious Turkic cavalry to Ashina Simo and led fewer than a thousand Han cavalrymen down to Daizhou. There, they encountered the Wutai County government troops pursuing the rebellious Turkic tribe of Sijie. Li Shiji immediately led his troops, fully armed and ready, to attack the rebels from both sides.
"Why doesn't Minister Cao make a move?" Shang Lue asked, brandishing his sword. Ever since Cao Ling shot an arrow in the Battle of Nuozhen, everyone had been looking at this frail scholar with new respect. Cao Ling snorted, "A few petty thieves, why should I, Ling, go out and watch from the sidelines." He had learned archery and horsemanship in his youth but hadn't practiced for a long time. Last time, he only joined the battle because he saw how fierce it was, with the disparity in troop strength between the enemy and himself, and even the Grand Commander Li Shiji personally leading the charge. He thought that even if his skills were not good, he would die anyway, so killing one would be one less to kill. He happened to save Huan She, and afterwards, he felt extremely unhappy about it.
In half a day, the two Tang armies had completely annihilated the rebellious Sijie tribe. Cao Ling looked at the corpses strewn across the field, "Wolf-like ambition, devoid of benevolence and righteousness." Shang Lue and Le Yan turned their horses back and chimed in, "Didn't Minister Cao send Princess Wencheng to marry him? With the princess's marriage, Tibet will be grateful for the benevolence of our Great Tang, and the war can be called off." Cao Ling's face showed disgust: "That bastard Songtsen Gampo has invaded the Great Tang many times, his cruelty is no less than that of the Turks, and he pretends to be a coward when he can't win. He has already married four wives, including the princess of Nepal. Poor Princess Wencheng, so noble, was tricked into marrying into Tibet as a concubine. His Majesty sent so many highly skilled craftsmen as part of the dowry, I'm just afraid that, like with the Turks, we've been too lenient and merciful to the enemy, and have only nurtured a scourge. Just watch, once Tibet has had enough rest and learned enough from our skills, they will surely go to war with our Great Tang again in the future."
"Bo Ji!" Shang Lue hurriedly told Cao Ling to shut up when he saw Li Shiji approaching. Cao Ling rolled her eyes, "Even if the Emperor came, I would still say the same thing." Li Shiji knew Cao Ling's temper well, so he didn't take offense and smiled faintly, "Go and see Zi Shen, why haven't you returned yet?" Shang Lue and Le Yan obeyed and left.
Huan She stood on his horse, spear in hand, staring intently at a middle-aged Turkic man who had died beneath Yuan Faran's spear. Yuan Faran exclaimed in surprise and jumped off his horse, turning the fallen corpse over and fiddling with his belt. "It's an eleven-belt gold belt!" Huan She had just caught sight of the bloodied body of another young man beneath the dead man when he suddenly bent over on his horse and began to vomit. The knife wound on his right side had pierced through his body, damaging his internal organs. He also had many other wounds, large and small. He had been riding for days, covering over a thousand miles, without time to recuperate. The wounds had not healed, and the fierce battle had reopened them, leaving his bright armor soaked in blood. Yuan Faran caught Huan She's swaying body, touched the wetness dripping onto his face, and cried out in alarm to Shang Lue and Le Yan, who were galloping towards them, "Seventeenth Prince is vomiting blood!"
***
On the Flower Festival in February, a group of imperial family members and noble children gathered at Taiji Palace, wandering among the flowers, smelling their fragrance and chasing butterflies. They strolled along the thousand-step corridor, where clear streams flowed, and recited poems about the elegant flower goddess.
Crown Prince Chengqian, wearing a flat turban, purple pleated white trousers, and a jeweled belt, was the first to drink a cup of wine, saying, "The weather and scenery of February are profound." Prince Wei, wearing a three-tiered crown, a black turban, and a blue tassel with a gold cicada, spoke in a loud voice, replying from across the stream, "Clouds flow over the high pavilion to explore the new morning." His tone was condescending. Li Chengqian's face stiffened. Prince Wu, Ke, lightly flicked a flower, singing two lines: "The dew and rain shyly moisten its color, the butterflies playfully hide in the emperor's heart."
“He hesitated to speak, but we still cherished the moment,” said Du He, the second son of Duke Du Ruhui of Lai, as he accepted the wine poured by Princess Wei Chi of Chengyang with a smile. She pulled Princess Wei Zhen of Baling aside, saying, “Listen to what my brother has to say, sister.” The son-in-law, Chai Lingwu, slightly shook his head and said, “He laughs and sighs, lamenting that none of the beauties truly know him.” He was the son of Princess Zhao of Pingyang and Duke Chai Shao of Qiao. Coming from a military family, he was famous for his archery and horsemanship from a young age. He was exceptionally handsome and charming. Those who heard him and Du He reciting poems in praise of their wives were filled with envy.
Prince Zhi of Jin teased a yellow bird, "The warbling bird sings on the wind, asking—Ah Yang, it's your turn."
"I eagerly thank the flower-viewers," sang a gentle, elegant, and tall young man. King Tai of Wei clapped his hands. "The Cao family truly produces talented men! One Cao Ling has escaped, but there are also Cao Yang and Cao Liu. Ah Yang, when the results are announced this spring, you will surely be the third-ranked scholar at the Apricot Garden Banquet." Last winter, Cao Yang sent his younger brother Cao Liu from Luoyang to the capital to enter the Imperial Academy. After taking the imperial examination himself, he stayed at King Tai's residence, participating in the compilation of the *Kuodi Zhi* (Records of the Land), which King Tai oversaw. The book was completed in early January, and the emperor bestowed great honors upon him. It was customary for the newly appointed scholars to hold a banquet at the Apricot Garden, where two handsome young men would gather famous flowers to adorn the feast. If a handsome young man like Cao Yang were to be the third-ranked scholar, he would certainly be highly regarded.
Before Cao Liu had even undergone his coming-of-age ceremony, the young man smiled shyly and, following his second brother's lead, continued, "What will the Inspector Prince do?" But no one responded.
"Qin'er, Qin'er!"
“Quickly recite a line to conclude, and your fourth brother will give you a copy of the newly revised ‘Kuodi Zhi’. Cao Yang compiled a chapter on the Western Regions, so you can see how accurate his description is.”
Princess Xianyang, Li Weiying, sat quietly in the corridor watching the merriment. Hearing her siblings call her, she stepped out. Having just returned to the capital from Luoyang, she was still recovering from a long illness and weak. Although it was mid-spring, the lingering chill was still biting. A palace attendant quickly draped a silver fox fur coat over her shoulders, its long needles gleaming in the sunlight. She sipped a cup of warm wine, plucked a sprig of apricot blossom offered by Cao Yang, and held it diagonally to her lapel, reciting: "For its lingering beauty, how dare I conceal spring?"
Princess Chengyang chuckled, "Well, Qin'er, for which canal have you hidden away the spring?"
Li Weiying chatted and laughed for a while, but her feet felt a little tired. The eunuch quickly added a brocade cushion to the back of the chair and asked her to sit down. She leaned back lazily and idly flipped through the "Kuodi Zhi" (Records of the Land), which read, "...standing tall and majestic, steep and covered in snow all year round..." The surroundings seemed to quiet down a bit, but she felt a wave of drowsiness. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Drip, drip, the sound pierced the darkness of her dream. She opened her eyes to find rain falling, yet she remained untouched by the rain. Li Weiying closed her eyes again, slowly reaching behind her shoulder—and grasped a rough, burning palm. Her eyes remained closed, but she suddenly stood up, turned, and hugged that broad chest.
Whoosh! The canopy tumbled to the side, and the heavy rain drenched it.
"Not yet full!"
"Don't talk, don't make a sound! You'll wake up if you do!"
"My dear Wei Ying!"
She nestled close to him, letting him lift her up and carry her through the clouds and mist until they finally stopped. There was no cold wind or freezing rain.
Why aren't you speaking?
"...Didn't you forbid it?"
"But I want to hear it again. It's been almost a year since I last heard your voice."
He remained silent for a long time before slowly opening his hands. "Your Highness!"
She shuddered, opened her eyes, and looked at Huan She's weathered face, with faint scars and his chapped lips, with a look of astonishment and disbelief.
"Don't say it! You're not allowed to say it!" She sensed something was wrong.
Huan She clenched his fists. "I'm going to manage the Anxi Protectorate right now." Li Weiying stared at him with wide eyes. Huan She's heart shattered at that sorrowful and resolute gaze. He closed his eyes and said firmly, "I volunteered to the Emperor. No one forced me. I was obsessed with fame and fortune. I fought the Xueyantuo, and then the Western Turks, Tibet, Yanqi, Kucha, Shule, Khotan, Goryeo, cough, the Abbasid Caliphate. One by one." He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the pain from the old wound on his right side. "I'm used to being a rough man. I just need a strong woman who can boil water, cook, and sew clothes on the edge of the desert."
He looked down at Li Weiying's slender feet, gently touching her ankle, as if he could hear her heart-wrenching cry when she fell from her horse last spring. He thought to himself, "My dear, why did you get hurt so badly?" He looked up and met her angry eyes and endless tears. He reached out and caught the pearl and jade hairpin that had fallen from her hair, and his heart was instantly filled with tears as well.
"You're lying to me!"