Early in the morning, the sound of Xiao Yu’s laughter spread throughout the courtyard, “Miss, it’s snowing.”
Ah Luo walked out of the room wearing a long robe with her hair loose. Sure enough, the houses on the hillside near and far were covered in a silver sheen with spots of greenery struggling out of the snow. The eaves on the corners of the houses were indigo and the light snow drifted down slowly. What did all this look like? Ah Luo smiled slightly and gasped in admiration that it was just like an ink painting. What a beautiful Lin Nan City.
“Miss, aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?!” Xiao Yu dusted the fine snow off Ah Luo’s shoulders and put a cloak on her, complaining affectionately. Ah Luo watched Xiao Yu’s movements and with a smile, she said, “Let’s go for a walk in the mountains?”
“Hey, Miss, you still haven’t washed your face or brushed your hair yet.” Xiao Yu said somewhat anxiously.
“What does it matter? You’ve washed your face and brushed your hair, so let’s go!” Ah Luo smiled with a shake of her head. She had only been able to change Xiao Yu by a small fraction. Sometimes, the deep-rooted mindsets of the people here could not be changed.
On the mountain trails in the early morning, they occasionally came across a few woodcutters and mountain people who were collecting firewood and charcoal to take back into the city. Sometimes, they could hear a few dog barks from the courtyards of the houses in the forest. Taking a detour on the trails, they heard the sound of a mountain spring. Ah Luo led Xiao Yu over carefully and standing there, they had a panoramic view of Chang Le Restaurant and could clearly see Madam Zhang accompanying Seventh Mistress, standing in the courtyard and viewing the snow. A faint spiral of smoke rose from the front yard and like this, the ink painting came to life.
Ah Luo crouched down and with the palm of her hand, she gently shattered the thin layer of ice. She took a handful of clear spring water and washed her face. Shivering with cold, she felt more comfortable. She was refreshed and clear-headed. She stood up slowly and stretched while taking a deep breath of air. Watching her with fascination, Xiao Yu said, “Miss, you look so good without even washing your face.” Ah Luo laughed melodiously with joy.
In the woods on the side of the hill, Liu Jue sat quietly on his horse in a black robe. Several people of the dark-clothed force were behind him, just as silent as he was. Liu Ying looked ahead. Third Miss had indeed changed. She used to be small and delicate, yet she looked intelligent and refined today. He sighed, no wonder his Lord could never forget someone like this.
He glanced secretly at Liu Jue. Liu Jue was pursing his lips tightly and his whole body appeared to have turned to stone, without showing any expression. Liu Ying sighed secretly again. Riding up the mountain so early in the morning, they had stayed here for more than an hour. Yet he was just watching without a word, so what were his intentions? He clearly thought about her to the extreme, yet he refused to go and meet her.
Liu Jue was quiet like a deep lake. His eyes showed all kinds of complex expressions. After Ah Luo left, he kept asking himself, just what was he angry about? When he thought of Ah Luo not wanting him, his heart was so painful that he wanted to strangle her. Recalling the times when he was with Ah Luo, even when she annoyed him, he felt a deep affectionate sorrow and a slight bitterness. Three days after he was appointed General Ping Nan, he left the city to head southwards. He rode to Princess Hu Guo’s villa and spent a whole day at the peach blossom forest in the valley. Summer was ending and the valley was as green as before, though the flowers were no longer blooming. In the dry heat, he laid down straight in the stream, letting the refreshingly cool water soak him. He could not help but force a smile. If he had not been strolling here at that time and Ah Luo had fallen into the water, there would not have been any later complications.
He went to the Minister’s residence and Minister Li had accompanied him to the Begonia Garden. The begonia tree in the courtyard sheltered the area. Minister Li had said that nothing in Begonia Garden had changed and that it would wait for him to bring Ah Luo and Seventh Mistress back. He recalled Ah Luo eating only meat and not vegetables on the painted flower boat and then looked again at the calm simplicity of the Begonia Garden. The way that Minister Li was crying had almost made him go crazy in anger. If it were not for the situation at home, Ah Luo would not have acted so boldly. Even if she had not wanted to marry him, there would have been no need to bring her mother and maid when she ran away! Ah Luo’s poem from when she was six years old had given Liu Jue a heartache. What was it that had made a six year old child create such a poem?
At that time, it had been announced to the whole empire that she had been kidnapped and it seemed that he had taken it seriously. He had vented all his anger and sadness towards the bandits in the mountains. Unexpectedly, he had gained the respect of the soldiers in the South Army. He had racked his brains to think of a way to bring the South Army under control as it was not an easy task to rid them of the original power of the Wang family. He had no choice but to be more restrained, more careful, and act after planning. Now that Ah Luo had arrived in Lin Nan, Liu Jue thought to himself that his former self would have already stopped her when she entered the city. Yet now, what he wanted was that if he asked Ah Luo again if she wanted to be with him for life and death, she would not hesitate to give him an answer that would satisfy him.
Liu Jue quietly watched Ah Luo nearby. Standing on the slope, her loose robe covered her graceful figure and her long hair fell straight to her waist. In the snow beside the spring, she had a natural elegance and sweet smile. She really had changed a lot in the past three years. Her face had grown longer and no longer had that childish roundness. She had a sharp chin and was slightly tanned, yet she appeared healthier and more lively. Those eyes had not changed and like the spring water, they were crystal clear. Her slightest facial expressions revealed her charm.
He should be angry and should discipline her severely, yet right now, his heart was simply captured by the person on the slope. He just wanted to watch her for a while longer and see how happy she was. Tenderness crept into his eyes lingered, radiating from his unmoving body. The riders of the dark-clothed force also felt it and could not help but sigh in relief.
Crisp laughter came over like the chirps of the forest birds and like the mountain spring water shattering the ice into fine fragments. It floated lightly in the early morning on the mountain. Did she have no guilt? Did she not care at all? She had disappeared for several years and she was still carefree and cheerful. Yet she had caused a multitude of people to search until they were utterly defeated. Anger rose naturally. Liu Jue snorted lightly and sitting on his horse, a murderous aura enveloped the forest. The iciness in his eyes grew stronger. Beneath him, his mount felt uneasy and shuffled its hooves. He almost wanted to charge forward and his hands held the reins so tightly that blue veins burst out.
Suddenly, a puff of black smoke floated up from the south side of the city. Liu Jue frowned. Was the Chen Empire’s Navy starting to move? He glanced at Ah Luo who was also looking at the smoke and dust on the south side of the city. Without a word, he turned the horse’s head around and headed down the mountain with the dark-clothed force following quietly.
The condensed black smoke hung in the air for a long time without dissipating and the sound of a bell ringing again and again could be heard. Xiao Yu exclaimed, “What’s happening?” As the bell rang, many people rushed out of their houses throughout the forest on the mountain. Everyone had nervous expressions.
Ah Luo said solemnly, “Let’s talk when we’re back.”
When the two of them returned to the restaurant, Madam Zhang greeted them in panic, “Miss, you’re finally back. You mustn’t go out, the two empires are starting a war.”
Ah Luo and Seventh Mistress looked at each other. Seventh Mistress said anxiously, “Haven’t they not fought for decades? How could it be such a coincidence, that they would fight just like that?”
Seeing as Madam Zhang did not know, Ah Luo said, “I’ll go to the city and scout out the situation. Xiao Yu, stay here with mother and Madam Zhang. Close the restaurant and don’t go anywhere.”
Seventh Mistress disagreed, “Take Xiao Yu with you, we will stay here and not go anywhere. How can mother rest assured if you go alone?!”
Xiao Yu also insisted on this. Helpless, Ah Luo changed her clothes hurriedly and went to the city with Xiao Yu.
The shops in Lin Nan City were still open and the streets were crowded with anxious people trying to find out what was happening. The city gate had already been closed. Ah Luo stopped someone and asked, “What’s happening outside?”
“I heard that the Chen Empire’s Navy has arrived! General Gu has assembled a fleet to meet them!”
“From where can I see the situation on the river?”
“Head up the cliff of West Mountain. A lot of people have gone there.”
After asking for directions, Ah Luo and Xiao Yu rushed towards the cliff of West Mountain.
Liu Jue went directly up the city gate tower. The Lin Nan garrison hastily rushed forward and with a salute, they reported, “General! The four city gates have been closed. The Chen Empire’s Navy had long been prepared and had suddenly set sail this morning. Our scouts were shot dead by arrows when they were swimming back to the shore and their bodies were discovered. When the watchpost found out, the Chen Empire’s Navy had already passed the middle of the river.”
“Cut it off!” Liue Jue said lightly.
The city garrison was stunned. A soldier had already been ordered to leave. Several minutes later, the watchman had been beheaded and he had reported back on completion of his duty. The city garrison broke out in a cold sweat. This General Ping Nan ordered a beheading just like that without even blinking an eye.
Liu Jue’s gaze swept across the soldiers of the city garrison and said loudly, “The Ning and Chen Empires have not been at war for decades. The border has been at peace and trade has been frequent. Today, they suddenly attacked our Lin Nan, coveting our beautiful rivers and mountains. This kind of greedy and cruel person will definitely be punished by heaven! I have been training you troops all this time for this moment. Sacrifice yourselves to defend our country. Making great contributions and accomplishing great tasks is the ambition of men like us!”
The soldiers replied uproariously, “We will follow the general to protect Lin Nan and defeat the Chen Empire’s troops!”
Liu Jue gave decisive orders to the Lin Nan City garrison and guards to take full military control of the whole city while placating the merchants and citizens. A series of commands fired from his mouth like a cannon. Seeing that their commander was perfectly calm and directing them well, their confidence increased and they acted upon their orders.
Standing on the city wall, Liu Jue looked towards the river. The Chen Navy was only about 150 metres away from Lin Nan City and had been intercepted by the Ning Army’s fleet. Rockets flew and those who were close would board each other’s ships and fight in close quarters. The sounds of the battle on the river rose skyward and there was dense smoke everywhere. Liu Jue looked at the formation. Knowing that the South Navy had been dispatched late and that ships were still sailing out of the harbour, the formation was still not as orderly as the Chen Navy.
At this moment, there was the sudden beating of a huge drum on the river. At a closer look, Gu Tian Xiang was wearing white robed armor, standing on a large turreted boat that was charging towards the Chen Navy. Battleships were in front and around him in a shuttle formation and they headed straight for the large turreted boat in the central area of the Chen Navy. The drum was beating heavily and although they were not violent, it was a powerfully breathtaking sound with a murderous aura.
Gu Tian Xiang was angry. He had known years ago that the Chen Army had been starting to move and there had been signs of troop transfers. They had observed them day and night, yet they had still called an enemy attack so suddenly and they had laid out an attack formation so close to Lin Nan City to meet them. He had kicked away the drum beating soldier and was personally instigating morale. He saw that the ship had reached the firing range and with a wave of the military flag, the flag signal was sent and a dense wave of rockets were fired. The two sides began to fight at close quarters.
Motivated by the drumbeats, the navy soldiers fought bravely. On the city wall, Liu Jue saw everything clearly. The Chen Navy had come prepared this time and with the Chen Empire’s strength, they had actually built a force that was equivalent to the Ning Empire’s Navy. Moreover, they had arrived so suddenly that the Ning Empire’s Navy was clearly at a disadvantage. He watched Gu Tian Xiang as he stopped beating the drum and took charge. Only his squad was still in order. The left and right squads had been torn open and it could be seen that the formation was breaking.
Liu Jue raised his voice and roared, “Tian Xiang is spreading his wings!” He had raised his voice with his internal strength and a hundred metres away, Gu Tian Xiang was startled. With a smile in his eyes, he grabbed the flag from the hands of the flagbearer and personally waved the flag signal.
Liu Jue stretched out his arms as he stood on the city wall and immediately, an urgent “boom boom” drumming sounded. Bold and fierce, the beats became closer and closer. Far away on West Mountain, the people were so fired up that their eyes glistened with tears. Ah Luo felt like all her blood had been awakened by the sound of the drums. Looking into the distance at the gate tower, she vaguely saw a figure in black clothing with a powerful dragon-like aura. Her heart trembled, was that Liu Jue?
At this time, Gu Tian Xiang was waving the flag and the South Army warships were sailing to either side, no longer fighting. The Chen Navy had neared the shore by another 50 metres. The drumbeats were continuous, full of vigor and vitality without exhaustion. The South Army kept their grace and hurriedly rearranged their formation. The shouts and sounds of killing were drowned out by the drum.
The Chen Navy saw that the South Army had changed their formation , and that the city gate was nearby, yet the main army was waving a flag and ordering a swift retreat. The soldiers felt puzzled. A clear whistle from the tower could be heard, “We can’t retreat anymore!”
Liu Jue threw down the drumsticks and with a wave of his hand, a dense rain of arrows flew from the crenels of the city wall, dark like a black dragon’s fury as they charged straight towards the Chen Navy’s ships. The two wings of the South Navy’s fleet began their counterattack. The Chen Navy’s frontline turned into the rearguard and quickly started to escape to the opposite shore. A small portion remained surrounded by the warships and unable to stop, they rushed straight onto the shore. When they were about 30 metres away, stones were launched from trebuchets on the city wall, smashing down into the middle of the hulls and shattering them. The South Army cheered loudly.
Both sides had suffered losses in this battle with equal numbers of casualties. However, the South Army had gained morale from winning the first battle!
