燺: 烤 is a newly created character from the early 20th century. There was also a character 熇 in the Song Dynasty's *Jiyun* dictionary. To maintain a sense of nostalgia, I will only write 燺 from today onwards. If any readers ever invite me to Peking duck in the future, please be sure to write 燺鴨, otherwise I will be very unhappy if I eat it.
Chapter Twelve
12 [Shooting Contest]
The Turks, fearing their falcons would escape, never fed them their fill. This served two purposes: firstly, by using limited food to lure the falcons and suppress their wild nature; and secondly, to teach them that they wouldn't be able to fly if they tried to escape. Thus, although this falcon escaped, it flew lower and lower along the way.
Huan She, running in the lead, saw that the falcon had already flown to the stone pillar forest of the special forces cemetery. If it flew any further, it would reach the woods ahead, making it even more difficult to pursue on horseback. He immediately drew his bow and shot. Those chasing behind shouted, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Huan She had already released the arrow, pinning the long rope the falcon was dragging to a stone pillar. The falcon flapped its wings a few times. Huan She caught up on horseback, took out some dried meat from his pocket, and fed it to the falcon. The falcon, having flown for so long, was already exhausted and extremely hungry, and immediately ate the meat obediently, no longer struggling.
Silifa and his men caught up and saw Huan She's arrow embedded in the stone pillar. They tried to pull it out, but it remained firmly planted. Silifa's followers were astonished that he had managed to shoot an arrow that struck a thin rope in the distance and embedded it in the stone. Some even shouted, "It's the Flying General of the Han people! The Flying General's arrow has pierced the stone!" Silifa's face darkened. "Who are you? A Han Chinese? How long have you been hiding here?" He didn't utter a single word of praise. Huan She sensed his displeasure. Seeing that Xutuogu and Li Weiying had also arrived, he pointed at Xutuogu and said, "I am his friend." He handed the falcon to Xutuogu and said with a smile, "Here you go. Please give me your reward." Xutuogu happily said, "Silifa, you said that whoever captures your beloved falcon can make one request. I request that you give me Isley."
Silifa snorted and said, "I meant that the person who captures the falcon can be rewarded, but you didn't capture this falcon." Huan She said, "Then I ask Silifa to give Islai to Sutuogu." Silifa coldly said, "Who do you think you are, daring to ask me for a reward?" Huan She suppressed his anger and said, "Silifa is a man, and his word should be kept." Silifa was furious and lashed out at Huan She with his whip. Huan She also raised his whip to meet it, and the two whips became entangled. Huan She used his strength to pull back and actually pulled Silifa's whip away, throwing it to the ground. Those around Huan She fell silent in shock at his offense against Silifa. Huan She sneered, "Is this how Silifa behaves?" Xutuogu quickly pulled Huan She away, saying, "Stop talking! I don't want Islai anymore." Silifa retorted sharply, "You Han slave, do you dare to rebel?" Huan She angrily replied, "I am Han, not your slave." Silifa said, "Then what's that tattoo on your left cheek? We Turks brand our horses on their ears. Your ears aren't so obedient, so you branded them on your face?" These words deeply stung Huan She, and he gritted his teeth, remaining silent.
But Li Weiying said, "That's not a slave's mark." Si Lifa stared at her for a moment and said, "Then what do you think it is?" She turned to look at Huan She and chuckled, "It's my name." Huan She felt a wave of dizziness. She tugged at Huan She's sleeve, signaling him to leave.
Just as the two of them and Sutuogu turned their horses around, Silifa suddenly said, "Hey, I'll give you another chance. You can get Isilai." The three stopped their horses. Silifa said, "Let's have an archery contest. If you win, Isilai is yours." Huan She snorted, "How do I know you won't renege?" Silifa said, "Fine, then let everyone here be a witness. If I break my promise, may the gods forsake me." Huan She looked into Sutuogu's eager eyes and said, "Okay." Silifa said, "Don't agree so easily. When betting with a master, you have to place a wager. What's your wager?" Huan She said, "What do you want?" Silifa said, "One woman for one woman. I want her." He pointed to Li Weiying. Huan She immediately pulled Li Weiying and turned the horse around. Silifa sneered, "People say that southerners are only as bold as grape seeds, and it turns out it's true." Huan She ignored him, and Silifa shouted, "You're afraid to lose! This Han man is afraid to lose, he's afraid to lose before the competition even starts!" He and his attendants burst into laughter. Seeing that Huan She still didn't react, he finally said, "Alright, here's what you'll do. If you lose, you can leave your horse behind. A horse for a beautiful woman, isn't that a good deal?" Huan She thought about it and agreed.
Hearing that Si Lifang was going to have an archery contest with the Han people, everyone crowded around to watch the spectacle.
A servant brought over Silifa's bow and arrows, and Huan She also untied his bow and quiver and handed them over. The servant arranged the two bows on the wine table, leaving each with only one arrow. Silifa carried a large iron bow and a whistling arrow, pointing at Huan She's hunting bow and arrows and laughing, "Is this what Han people use?" Huan She calmly replied, "This is what Turkic hunters use." Silifa snorted, "I doubt you could draw my two-hundred-pound iron bow." Huan She said indifferently, "Only by relying on one's own strength and power, without relying on the weight of the bow and arrow, can one avoid being controlled by external objects."
Sili Fa's already flushed face turned even redder after being rebuked by his two sentences. He said sternly, "Let's shoot a live creature." He ordered his servants to bring back the falcon that had just escaped. The falcon's feet and beak were bound with rope, and its wings were flapping frantically. Huan She exclaimed in surprise, "Why shoot it? Isn't it your favorite? You went to great lengths to catch it just now!" Sili Fa replied, "I caught it because it was disobedient and dared to betray me. Today, I'll shoot this beast dead so everyone will know what happens." Huan She thought of how the falcon had just been nestled in his arms, obediently eating meat, and now it was to be used as a target in the contest. He cursed Sili Fa inwardly for being cold-blooded. Seeing his reluctance, Sili Fa smiled and said, "What, can't you bring yourself to do it? Or are you afraid to continue the contest?" He turned to his servant and asked, "What is the punishment for agreeing to a contest with me but then backing out at the last minute?" The servant replied, "Deceiving Your Excellency deserves three hundred lashes."
Huan She, left with no other choice, could only say, "Alright, I'll compete." He secretly thought that if he were to shoot, he would aim for a less vital part of the falcon, so as not to kill it. He and Si Lifang stood before the wine table. A servant tossed the falcon into the air, and it flew away. The servant shouted "Three!" and the two quickly picked up their bows, nocked arrows, and shot. Huan She's arrow flew swiftly, striking the falcon's talon. Unexpectedly, upon impact, the shaft broke off from the arrowhead and fell to the ground with a thud into a wine jar. Meanwhile, Si Lifang's whistling arrow pierced the falcon's belly, and it whistled as it plummeted from the air, blood splattering everywhere.
The attendant brought the wine jar containing Huan She's arrow shaft and the dead falcon to Si Lifang, who laughed heartily, "Today I've truly witnessed the skills of the Central Plains people." Huan She knew that his arrow must have been tampered with by Si Lifang's attendant; it turned out that Si Lifang had only encouraged him to compete to humiliate him in public. He was furious, but seeing Li Weiying slightly shake her head, he could only suppress his anger and said, "Fine, you win. My horse is yours." Si Lifang clicked his tongue and said, "If you think the bow and arrow are no good, I'll lend you my iron bow, but I'm afraid you won't be able to draw it. Humph, the Han people of the Central Plains are nothing special." With that, he threw the iron bow at Huan She's feet.
Just as Huan She was about to kick the iron bow away, Li Weiying picked it up first and handed it back to the servant, saying, "Si Lifa has misunderstood. Not only did he draw the iron bow easily, but he also deliberately caused the arrow to miss its mark." Si Lifa said, "Oh? Tell me about it." Huan She whispered to her, "Why are you talking nonsense to him?" She smiled and said loudly, "We Han people of the Central Plains value the diligent study of the Six Arts: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics, none of which should be neglected. However, as Confucius said, 'The wise are not perplexed, the benevolent are not worried, and the brave are not afraid.' Therefore, the Han people invented the game of pitch-pot." She only had a rudimentary understanding of Turkic, so she spoke in a mix of Chinese and Turkic. Huan She understood her meaning immediately and translated it to everyone with a smile. Si Lifang said, "Pitch-pot?" Li Weiying said, "Exactly. Remove the arrowheads from the arrows, leaving only the shafts. There's no need to hold a bow; you can simply throw the arrows into the pot from ten feet away. This way, you practice archery, reduce the killing intent, and have fun. It's benevolent. So Huan Lang removing the arrowheads was truly an act of benevolence in imitating the ancients."
Si Lifang snorted, "It's obvious that he lost, yet he makes so many excuses. I've heard that the people of the Central Plains are the most cunning and eccentric, and it seems that's true." She smiled and said, "We are newcomers to Beishan, guests from afar. How could we not give our all when our host invited us to a contest? But today is the day of your father's burial, and the living grieve together. His unwillingness to shoot the falcon offended your father's spirit, and he also remembered that the falcon was the beloved bird that the master had ordered everyone to chase after. Therefore, he shot it before the master but did not kill it. Do you think that's not respectful enough, Si Lifang?" She implied that Huan She had shot the falcon earlier than him and also criticized him for being cold-blooded.
The Turks were usually taciturn and had never heard such eloquent speech before. Seeing that Huan She's arrow was faster than Silifa's, they immediately cheered. She quickly said, "If you don't believe me, sir, why don't you show everyone the broken arrow shaft and let them judge whether he was sincere?" Silifa secretly thought this was bad. If she passed the arrow shaft to everyone, wouldn't they discover that Huan She's arrow had been tampered with? He hurriedly said, "No need. You're right, I believe you." She nodded and said, "Then it doesn't count as a loss." Silifa could only say, "Yes."
Huan She smiled and was about to help her onto her horse to leave when Si Lifa said, "Who gave you permission to leave?" She laughed and said, "My lord has already given us two chances, but we're just clumsy and haven't been able to claim the reward. We'd rather not accept any further orders." Si Lifa was so angry he was about to lose his temper. He disregarded his manners and blocked her horse, saying, "What a sharp tongue you have! You're so good at talking, do you dare to try it with me?" She feigned fear, "I wouldn't dare." Si Lifa said, "Have you ever seen how Turkic men and women chase and woo each other?" Li Weiying nodded and said, "I've seen quite a few today, but my lord is already married and has just taken in several of your father's wives. I'm afraid it's inconvenient for you to play such games anymore." Si Lifa now understood that this kind of Central Plains woman was not someone to be trifled with. Every casual remark she made was a slap in the face to him. Huan She, however, laughed until his stomach hurt, thinking to himself, "Do you think you have any chance of survival after falling into Weiying's hands?"
Ignoring what she was saying, Si Lifa said bluntly, "Let's play a game of courtship, a horse race, and then an archery contest." He had his servants show her the game. It turned out that the man and woman had to ride from point A to point B, then return from point B to point A, and shoot arrows at a target set up at point C from point A. Points A and B were a hundred zhang apart, and point A and point C were ten zhang apart.
Li Weiying observed carefully and said, "The distance is so far, I'm afraid I won't be able to hit it." Silifa said, "Didn't you say that the people of the Central Plains are most particular about archery? Every Turkic woman can shoot; don't let people laugh at you." She said, "I can't shoot; I don't have enough strength." Silifa laughed and said, "The people of the Central Plains all lack strength; you can tell by how badly your man shot just now. That distance is the rule; even my horse can't cross it by even an inch." She said, "Your horse can't cross the line either?" He said, "That's right. If the horse's hoof crosses the line, it loses." Li Weiying laughed and said, "Alright, I'll compete with you, but you have to raise the stakes. Besides Islai, you have to give me another hundred taels of gold." Silifa said, "Such a boastful tone. What are you betting on?"
She said, "Me."
Huan She was shocked upon hearing this and hurriedly grabbed her, saying, "Is this some kind of nonsense? These Turkic barbarians are the most cunning and ruthless. How could you get yourself into this mess!" He forcefully pulled her wrist to leave. She said, "Let go." Huan She still held on tightly, refusing to let go: "Come back with me!" She cried out in pain, "Let go, my wrist is about to break!" Her face turned pale with pain. Huan She quickly released his grip, but she turned her face away, ignoring him, while rubbing her wrist: "Si Lifa, let's have a match now."
Silifa laughed, "Hmph, you've fallen out with your lover? Fine, following me is certainly better than following this poor boy. But are you really willing to gamble with yourself? Do you know what will happen if you lose?" She said, "I won't lose." Silifa said, "You clearly said you couldn't shoot." She said, "At first, I was scared." She glanced at Huan She, "Actually, my master is a top-notch archer in the Central Plains, and I'm excellent at both riding and archery. You look down on us Han people, and now I'm furious, I'm going to prove you wrong." Silifa said, "Hmph, I said you're after gold." She laughed, "I'm worth a fortune, why would I care about such a small amount of money? I just want you to contribute to Isley's dowry."
She said, "I don't have a bow and arrows, give me a pair." Silifa then ordered his servants to give her an iron bow and whistling arrow: "Since you're so fond of showing off, try my tools." She took them, feeling their weight in her hand, but laughed and said, "Hmm, indeed extraordinary." Huan She dared not touch her again, and could only say with all his might, "Wei Ying, no matter what method you've come up with, I absolutely cannot let you take this risk." She then spurred her horse and rode to Silifa's side. Huan She was about to step forward when he was stopped by the Turkic soldiers.
She said to Silifa, "My Turkic language isn't very fluent. Is this the rule you mentioned, sir: First, travel from point A to point B, then return from point B to point A. The horse can only travel to the boundary of point A; it cannot cross that boundary. Then, whoever hits the target first wins." Silifa said, "Yes, that's it." Li Weiying said, "Are there any other rules?" Silifa said impatiently, "People from the Central Plains are so long-winded. These are the rules. There's no point in saying more. Anyway, tonight you're mine." He laughed wildly a few times.
She turned to look at Huan She, and seeing his anxious and bewildered expression, whispered to him from afar, "Trust me without doubt."
★A Visual Era of Straightforward Longing★:
…………target…………
shoot
…………Location A…………
...riding...↓↑...
…………↓↑………riding………………
…………Location B…………
Li Weiying, wearing a cloak, stood side-by-side with Silifa at point A, waiting for the attendant's command before galloping together towards point B. She rode a Yanqi horse, while Silifa rode a Turkic horse, both fine steeds. The wind howled across the vast grassland, the shouts of the crowd deafening. The two horses, their competitive spirit ignited, galloped at full speed, sometimes close behind, sometimes neck and neck, their kicks scattering leaves and dust across the green grass, tearing the golden sunlight across the grassland. The water hyacinths in her hair, adorned with Huan She's hairpin, were blown about by the strong wind, a few petals falling back onto her forehead.
As Li Fa rode, he made lewd remarks:
A Han Chinese girl from the south,
Let me see your size.
I also have my reasons for not being concerned about large groups.
Why don't you come into my yurt?
Strip naked.
Look at your perky breasts and strong butt!
Whether or not they compete, they're like Aries in heat during springtime.
This was a vulgar phrase often uttered by Turkic men when pursuing pleasure (actually, it was a poem I wrote about sex; I even consulted "Eighteen Touches" to get into the mood), which caused all the Turkic men present to burst into laughter, while Huan She was furious. Li Weiying also blushed deeply upon hearing it, but pretended not to understand.
As they rode almost side-by-side to point B and turned back, the two riders were pressed tightly together, jostling each other. Silifa reached out and tugged at Li Weiying's cloak, which was billowing in the wind. She lashed out with her whip, and he ducked, his pace slowing slightly. Just as they were about to reach point A, Li Weiying suddenly hurled her iron bow at Silifa, who was close behind. It struck him hard on his half-shaved, shiny head, the bowstring slicing a sharp gash across his forehead. Enraged, Silifa spurred his horse forward, his whip lashing at her left forearm. She abruptly unfastened her cloak, and the swirling wind swept it away, casting a blinding shadow over Silifa's face.
At that moment, the two were already near the boundary line of Area A. They should have slightly turned their horses to the left and drawn their bows to shoot at the target when they were closest to the line. Si Lifeng's horse, which was chasing Li Weiying at full speed, was caught off guard by her sudden attack and couldn't control itself to turn left, charging straight ahead. Huan She, who had been watching them closely, immediately shouted, "Si Lifeng has crossed the line! Si Lifeng has lost!" Meanwhile, Li Weiying had already firmly reined in her horse, standing outside the boundary, smiling as she looked at Si Lifeng, who had removed his cloak and was furious.
Si Lifeng, enraged and embarrassed, retorted, "Did your arrow hit the target? If so, I've lost, but you haven't won either." She laughed, "Who says so?" She leaped lightly off her horse, galloping with the wind to the target, and planted the arrow straight in the bullseye. She clapped her hands, looked at it, and still wasn't satisfied. She plucked the water hyacinth flower that Huan She had pinned to her hair, only to find that the flower had been blown away by the wind during their chase, leaving only a single, vibrant green stem. She simply used the arrow to impale the stem on the target. The onlookers, seeing her graceful demeanor, cheered loudly.
Si Lifeng said, "What is this?" She replied leisurely, "You only said horses can't cross the line, but you didn't say people can't. I even kindly asked you repeatedly if there were any other rules. I told you long ago I couldn't shoot from that far, but you just ignored me." Si Lifeng then realized that her earlier insistence on his admission of any rules was all part of her plan. He was so angry that he trembled and drew his sword, ready to strike her down. Huan She spurred his horse to Li Weiying's side, swung his sword to block Si Lifeng, and shouted, "Si Lifeng has lost! Si Lifeng is shameless!"
Li Weiying's hand was firmly held by him. She noticed his palms were damp with cold sweat, and his thick robe was soaked through with perspiration. She trembled slightly, and Huan She, knowing she was afraid, held her even tighter. Among the spectators were many Turkic youths. They were already captivated by Li Weiying's beauty and grace, and seeing her dare to challenge Silifa, even knowing she had used a trick, they admired her wit even more. They immediately joined in the cheering: "Silifa lost! Silifa is a disgrace! Silifa should honor his bet!"
Silifa turned and left with a dark face. A short while later, his attendants brought Islai and Huangjin before Li Weiying. Li Weiying summoned Xutuogu, who was overjoyed and speechless, smiling repeatedly at Islai. Huan She spoke for him, "Islai, Xutuogu likes you very much." Islai coldly replied, "I don't like him. The Turks killed my people and destroyed my home. I was captured. How could I like my enemy?" Li Weiying said, "He's just an ordinary herdsman; he's never killed anyone." Islai said, "You're all the same. You treat me like a gamble, like a commodity. Who treats me like a human being? Are we Tiele people so worthless? That damned Silifa may have given me to you, but you can take my body, not my heart. As long as I live, I will never forget my revenge."
Upon hearing this, Sudago's heart sank. After thinking for a long time, he said, "So that's how it is. Isilai, I can't keep you. Go, go back to your hometown." Isilai said, "Do you think I wouldn't dare?" With a flick of her head, she actually left. Huan She and Li Weiying hadn't expected things to end this way, and they were both stunned for a long time.
As darkness fell, everyone returned to their tents dejectedly. Huan She and Xu Tuogu went out to prepare meat, while Li Weiying sat in her tent, extending her left arm. There, she had been lashed hard by Si Lifa, her sleeve torn. She gently rolled up her sleeve, revealing a long, bloody welt on her forearm and a dark bruise around her wrist—the marks left when Huan She had desperately pulled her. Just as she was about to touch the wound, he whispered from behind, "Don't move." He sat down, looked down at it for a long while, silently applying medicine to her welt, then placed a cold towel on the bruise on her wrist. Without even glancing at her, he turned and left.
Li Weiying was in pain and, seeing Huan She remain silent, knew he was still angry, and felt incredibly wronged. She waited silently for a long time. When the tent flap was lifted, she expected him to return, but it was only a Turkic girl who brought her food. She ate a few bites but couldn't swallow anymore. She took off her lotus-colored shirt and changed into an orange one. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a Hubosi zither outside the tent. Joyfully, she lifted the curtain and ran out. Immediately, several Turkic youths appeared, carrying zithers and presenting her with gifts. Startled, she quickly retreated back into the tent. The Turkic youths outside called out to her louder and louder, playing and singing. She grew increasingly irritated listening inside the tent and couldn't help but step out, struggling against the eager encirclement of the Turkic youths. Suddenly, a strong arm reached out and pulled her out of the encirclement. She exclaimed joyfully, "Huan Lang!" Huan She pulled her onto his horse, and they galloped away.
They rode at full gallop for a long time before Huan She helped her dismount. She brushed off the bird feathers that covered her body—the ones the Turkic youth had forced on her as a gift decorated with owl feathers. Seeing Huan She looking at her quietly, she suddenly burst into tears: "Huan Lang, you can't ignore me." He hugged her tightly, saying, "Do you know how scared I was? How scared? Do you know?" She sobbed, "I know. Don't be angry anymore." He said, "Alright, don't cry. It's my fault." He gently wiped her tears with his sleeve, asking, "Does your injury still hurt?" She nodded: "It hurts a lot." He said, "Okay, let's find a place to rest."
In the twilight of the grassland, stars drifted overhead, horses strolled behind them, and the two walked hand in hand. Every now and then, they bumped into a couple hiding in the shadows, who scolded, "Didn't you see the whips stuck in the ground?" They looked carefully and finally managed to see that wherever there were people, two whips were stuck alternately in the ground. They chuckled and continued walking for a while until they finally came to a secluded spot. They also stuck their whips in the grass and sat down side by side.
The night was gentle, the air filled with the faint fragrance of grass, and the occasional neighing of horses. He gazed intently at her hazy face, recognizing her soft smile. He asked, "What are you smiling about?" She replied, "So many stars have fallen into your eyes." He slowly moved closer to her face, struggling to control his racing heart and heavy breathing. She closed her eyes, and after a long hesitation, he finally lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead. She took a deep breath, as if savoring the intense feeling, and rested her head on his broad shoulder. It had been so long since she had left the vast desert, and she hadn't leaned on him like this. She realized that nestling against him, listening to his strong heartbeat, was always so warm and reassuring, no matter the time. Exhausted from the day, she fell into a deep sleep in his arms.
Chapter Thirteen
13 [Jade Shattered]