8
With a great battle about to break out, a letter from home arrived. It contained just six large characters:
[Dear son, your father is well. Don't worry.]
My mother died young. My father was a boor who knew nothing but military treatises. When it came to raising his children, he taught us only to be “iron-willed and brave,” never about “romantic love.”
In the past, whenever I went on campaign, I had never feared death. Wherever my spear pointed, I charged headlong, ready to risk my life.
A scholar dies for his principles; a warrior dies in battle. To die on the battlefield would have been a fine ending for me.
But this time was different. I had someone I loved now. I wanted to live and see a peaceful world with him.
Xiao Hezhong helped me adjust my armor. Noticing me looking at him, he turned to meet my gaze.
Our eyes met. There were a thousand things to say, but neither of us knew where to begin.
Xiao Hezhong came closer and took my hand.
“General, don't let me become a chain holding you back. Tomorrow, we will win a great victory!”
I banished the hesitation in my heart and laughed heartily.
“Of course. I have never lost a battle.”
“I hear there's a priceless jewel on the King of Đột Đạt's crown. Tomorrow, I'll defeat Đột Đạt and pluck it off with my own hands to give to you.”
Xiao Hezhong's eyes shone. He said softly, “Then I'll await your triumphant return, General.”
The next day, dawn broke. War drums thundered, and the cries of battle shook the sky.
As planned, I led one army to lure the Đột Đạt troops into Thất Tinh Quan. My deputy led another army to attack from the front and rear with me, so we could defeat Đột Đạt's elite forces in one decisive strike.
But after I had fought fiercely with the cavalry for a long while, I still saw no Ôn family banners behind the enemy.
It didn't take much thought to figure out who the traitor was.
Sure enough, in the distance I saw my deputy kneel on one knee and offer the military tally in his hand to a Đột Đạt general.
The encirclement tightened. My eyes turned bloodshot as I gripped my spear.
I couldn't fall. I had to hold on until reinforcements arrived.
Đại Yến, the Ôn family, the people—they were all waiting to see how this battle would end.
If I lost, the Ôn family's hundred years of dedication would go up in smoke, the people would suffer, and the twenty years I'd spent wearing this black uniform would be meaningless.
I swung my spear to break through the shields and armor closing in on me. Then I lowered its tip and barely managed to stay upright.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before exhaustion alone killed me.
Just as all hope seemed lost, a warhorse neighed, its cry tearing through the sky.
A great force of iron cavalry charged in, kicking up clouds of dust.
Unlike the black-armored soldiers, the rider at their head wore only light silver armor.
Hezhong! Xiao Hezhong!
My eyes burned. I suddenly roared, “Soldiers! Reinforcements are here! Follow me and fight our way out!”
The spark of hope roused the soldiers crushed beneath the weight of death. They all shouted and brandished their blades and spears.
“Protect the General! Fight our way out!”
“Kill!”
“……”
Sword in hand, Xiao Hezhong cut a path through to me.
My heart clenched. I knew I hadn't misjudged him. When he'd punched me before, I'd already seen that he was no ordinary man.
The sunset gilded the wild grasses stretching across the field. Blood ran like a river. On a white horse, masked and clad in silver light armor, Xiao Hezhong looked like a god descending to earth.
For years afterward, that scene kept circling through my mind.
Xiao Hezhong pulled hard on the reins. As soon as his horse stopped, he swung down, strode through the clouds of dust, and swept me into his arms.
I couldn't see his expression beneath the mask, but his trembling arms revealed how afraid he was.
The fresh scent of bamboo calmed me at once. Overcome with relief after surviving the disaster, I laughed and cried as I said:
“I told you to use the old emperor's troop-mobilization edict and have the assistant general bring the army here. Why did you come in person? What kind of strategist goes to the battlefield?”
Xiao Hezhong's voice trembled. “I couldn't think about any of that. I only knew I had to come and bring my General home!”
The wine-red sunset cast a mournful glow over the battlefield. Black crows perched on the corpses, letting out piteous cries.
The assistant general led the troops in pursuit of several fleeing enemy companies.
My whole body was exhausted, but my spirits were excellent.
Xiao Hezhong was spattered with blood.
He wiped the blood from my face. His white jade-and-coral earrings and the blood on his mask gave him a wicked air.
His eyes were no longer gentle. He gave a cold laugh. “Well? Does your General's Wife embarrass you?”
“My wife is a mighty warrior. I never knew you could use a sword, too.”
“Xiao Rulin left me at a Taoist temple for years. The Taoist priest there taught me. Looks like all those skills weren't a waste after all.”
“General,” Xiao Hezhong called softly. “I can put on makeup for you, and I can wear armor for you, too.”
I looked at the smile in his eyes and smiled back.
“Having someone like you is my good fortune.”
9
The peace after the war left me feeling a little dazed.
I stood atop Thất Tinh Quan, gazing down at the merchants coming and going, my heart full of emotion.
Just a few months ago, this place had been a scorched battlefield.
I sighed. “The people living in peace—that's what I've fought to the death for.”
Beside me, Xiao Hezhong wore a new necklace, with a brilliant jewel hanging from it.
He said, “Now that the realm is at peace, Lord Marquis, have you thought about what comes next?”
“When the birds are gone, the good bow is put away. Yesterday, I handed my military tally over to the palace. The old emperor told me to return to the capital, but I refused. I'm used to the wind and sand of the frontier; the capital doesn't suit me.”
I turned to look at the mask on his face. “What about you? Do you want to take that mask off? Do you still want to wear that General's Wife's outfit?”
Xiao Hezhong answered without hesitation. “I don't. I do.”
I went on, “You'll have to wear it for the rest of your life.”
Xiao Hezhong didn't seem to mind. “As long as I can stand by your side, I'll wear it for the rest of my life.”
He tilted his head to look back, his eyes shining. “Lord Marquis, you’re staying in Bắc Quan, aren’t you? To guard against the surrendered Turks rebelling one day?”
He looked at me, a smile in his eyes.
“Your wish is to guard the frontier for the rest of your life.”
Xiao Hezhong’s voice was soft, filled with the utmost tenderness. “Then for the rest of our lives, you guard the frontier, and I’ll guard you.”
My heart jolted, and my head began to ring.
I’d thought the winds and sands of the border had hardened my heart to iron. But hearing him say that, I still couldn’t stop my eyes from turning red.
“Then what do you want? Just say the word, and I’ll find it for you.”
Xiao Hezhong pulled me into his arms and sighed by my ear. “It’s not easy to find someone who loves you back. If your heart is true to mine, I have nothing more to ask for.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. In the sunset, the red coral above his white jade earrings caught my eye.
Xiao Hezhong never took off those earrings again, and I never took my eyes off them.
The End.