Lu Qianqiao didn't return to the War Demon Clan, and joined other soldiers in the battlefield instead. At this moment, gunpowder smoke filled the air. The remnants of the peasant soldiers had fled in all directions after being surrounded by the armor soldiers.
It was another victorious battle.
It had been ten days since Emperor Rongzheng sent an Imperial Degree to Changgeng Mountain Pass, asking Lu Qianqao to the northernmost gateway of Qiongguo. Recently, it had not only been invaded by peasant soldiers, but also Tianyuan Country on the other side of the sea, which often came to provoke. It was said that Tianyuan had a prince who had received orders of Heaven. With demon blood flowing in his body, he was bold and fearless, unmatched by others. Driven by wild ambition, he started to launch an offensive attack against all countries in every direction. Many small countries had been swallowed up by him.
Fortunately, Qiongguo was surrounded by towering mountains and precipitous ridges¹Chinese idiom : high and steep mountainsand also vast ocean. Separated by mountains and ocean, the other party did not dare to mobilise large contingent arbitrarily. It just colluded with the peasant soldiers and occasionally fight now and then just to test its actual strength.
The wind rolled up the gunpowder smoke and the smell of blood hit him in the face. Lu Qianqiao closed his eyes as he felt his whole body trembling slightly.
He loved this kind of smell. With his whip in his hand, he led his horse galloped forward onto the battlefield, like liberating his entire life from the cage and getting rid of all his entanglements, especially those people that made him uneasy, distressed and unwilling to part with.
“Catch up with them! Don’t let even one go!“
With a loud neighing sound, Lie Yun Hua spread out its hoofs and sprang up high in the air. They were the first ones to rush forward to catch up with the remnants of the peasant army. The black whip swept in like a hurricane, and as it passed, everything became showers of blood.
He had never loved chasing and killing as much as he did now. Unfortunately, his opponent was too weak and his instinct as a war demon was longing for a stronger enemy.
There was a hard thing pressing against his chest in his armor, and Lu Qianqiao subconsciously pulled it out – it was the heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors doll. Her beautiful face had been stained with blood, which was not very good to look at.
He felt it quite strange and familiar, as a tender emotion unconsciously emerged deep inside his heart.
He would bring along this doll to the battlefield every day. He remembered all the things that happened before, but could not understand why he was so weak and confused. Why didn't he like to fight? Why when you have nothing to do, you would make those boring dolls? Why...would you not want to kill a girl as soft as a white rabbit? Don't want to kill those trivial and useless little monsters?
He didn’t understand why, but his body seemed to remember an absolute command. Whenever the thought of killing rose up, and he wanted to go back to the Imperial Mausoleum to completely kill them, he would take out the doll and stroke it. Then, the killing thought would gradually subside.
Lie Yun Hua didn’t understand why the master on his back suddenly stopped. It turned around and bumped its nose into his leg.
“…Forget it. Let's go back.“
Lu Qianqiao put away the doll, turned the horse’s head around, then he beat the gong and recalled the troops³Chinese idiom : to order a retreat. This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.blogspot.com.
He didn’t like this doll to be stained with blood. It was better to wash it clean, otherwise she would be angry when she saw it. However, she probably wouldn’t see it for the rest of her life, would she?
There was a faint pain in his heart, and soon it disappeared.
——
“As you can see, he is now about to become a perfect war demon, which means he has completely changed. You won’t be able to say anything to him.“
The magnificent long vehicle was hidden behind the clouds, as the Great Monk shook his head with his arms folded and sighed.
“Let’s go to the Fox Clan with me. There are also my clansmen guarding your home and they will return together with us.”
Xin Mei was squatting in front of the vehicle with her chin in her hand, still in a daze and was not even listening to him at all.
Liu Qianqiao must not have a good meal and rest. After they had not met for a few days, he had become thinner. There was no meat on his face, and he was covered in dust⁴Chinese idiom : travel-worn. He didn’t look good.
By the way, just now, he seemed to be looking at the doll of heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors. No wonder she couldn’t find it in the Imperial Mausoleum after searching for a long time. He took it away, and he didn’t even say anything to her, which made her became sad all night.
She searched her body. She had left the General daren²title of respect toward superiors doll in the Imperial Mausoleum. She didn’t bring it with her. She only had one small wood carving rabbit he made for her in her purse. It was half as big as a palm, and she had stroked its long ears till they became so shiny that they could reflect human figure.
“There is a cliff over there. I want to go there.”
She pointed to the opposite cliff of Changgeng Mountain Pass which was situated in between sheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces.
“What are you going to do?” The Great Monk looked at her suspiciously.
“Of course to see him!”
Xin Mei looked back at him like he was an idiot.
…If he had known that this girl would be this difficult, he would not have promised to complete this mission!
The Great Monk landed the long vehicle on the opposite cliff with a green face, but he wasn’t surprised with her unexpected behaviour, as she just got out of the vehicle and sat under a tree while stroking the carved rabbit.
Don’t you want to see Lu Qianqiao? Is that how she’s going to see him?
The Great Monk dozed wearily in the car and waited until the moon was at its zenith. The small moon at the zenith seemed to have been gnawed by a dog. It was bright, but it was not very round.
Xin Mei suddenly stood up, and the Great Monk immediately opened his eyes. He saw her went to the edge of the cliff, put her hand on her mouth —
“Lu Qian Qiao—! I’ve come to see you—!”
She shouted loudly. Her soft sweet voice echoed across the valley.
“If you are a man, come out quickly! Hiding and concealing yourself are not an act of a real man—! “
Her voice continued to reverberate and reverberate…
Such a reckless girl, ah! The Great Monk was struck dumb.
“Lu Qianqiao! How can you love and then abandon me? You come out—! Make it clear to me—!“
A riot broke out inside the Changgeng Mountain Pass, as the privates looked strangely at the main tent. This…they actually didn’t care much about the Commanding Officer’s personal affairs, but, for him to love and then abandoned her…was still a little bit too much…although the General of Flying Calvary hadn’t been here for a few days, but all the people in the mountain pass hold him in awe and veneration. They couldn’t imagine that under his cold appearance, there was actually a heart that was burning hot!
When the whispering among the soldiers reached its peak, the curtain of the main tent was finally lifted. General Lu Qianqiao came out with his hair loose and his coat draped over his shoulder. His face was heavy as water, and there was no expression on his face.
He went towards the cliff, with a whip in his hand — that poor girl! She would not be killed by the angry General, right?!
Xin Mei put her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Come out quickly! I am waiting for you at the opposite cliff—!”
At the next moment, a cold voice came from the opposite cliff, “Why did you come?”
She stopped and looked at the other side with rapture. The moonlight was not bright enough for her to see his face clearly. Only his red eye gleamed in the darkness and they were as ferocious like a wild animal.
“You have robbed my heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors!”
An accusation, like a bolt from the blue sky suddenly stroke the Great Monk that was standing behind her and Lu Qianqiao who was across the cliff. Her first sentence should be ‘I miss you very much, why do you want to leave’, and at worst it should also be ‘don’t worry, I will wait for you’. How could such a puzzling sentence come out?
“But it doesn’t matter, I am generous.” She waved her hand and said, “I’ll give the heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors to you!”
Heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors…Lu Qianqiao unconsciously touched his chest, but he didn’t bring out the doll. Although the opposite cliff was not far away, but he couldn’t see her whole person clearly, vaguely seeing her pale blue skirt drifting with the wind.
Why did you come? Why did you come? He did not understand, but his body trembled slightly because of her arrival.
She was just right across the cliff, and he could jump with all his strength — just went over and then killed her!
He tightened his grip on his whip, as he opened his eyes, excited with the upcoming foul wind and bloody rain⁵Chinese idiom : reign of terror.
“Lu Qianqiao, you must take good care of heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors and treat her as me.” Xin Mei gestured at him, “Help her take a bath every day. Don’t get her dirty. Wash her clothes often, and don’t forget to comb her hair. Remember to kiss her before going to bed, this is the most important!“
“…is that all?”
Along with his voice, there was also the sharp sound of the long whip been waved around. From behind her, she didn’t know who set up an invisible barrier in front of the cliff as Lu Qianqao couldn’t jump over it. He could only shake his whip and tried to tear her apart with the wind coming from the whip.
Even though there was a barrier, the sharp wind still penetrated. With the sound of ‘chi’, the cloth on her collarbone was ripped, and blood slowly oozed, and gradually dyed her clothes red.
Xin Mei continued, “You must eat well yourself! Don’t patronize killing people! There are many things in this world that are more fun than killing people! If you keep on acting self-satisfied like that all day long, and be outdone by the instinct of your bloodline, you will definitely lose your face! Also, you should sleep on time. Otherwise, if you can't get up in the morning, you'll have to stay in bed again. It is childish when you acting lazy to get out of bed!“
There was another wind hitting her waist and abdomen. Her purse that was tied to her waist fell to the ground, and the wooden rabbit inside rolled out. She quickly picked it up and patted the dust on it.
“…Lu Qianqiao, in fact, I have a lot to say to you.“ She looked down, thinking. Then she frowned and smiled, “We haven’t been together for a long time. Regarding my treatment towards you…they were never tender nor considerate all the time…“
Other than washing her hands to make the bridal soup and so on, she only did it for a few days after the wedding. Afterwards, the matter of taking care of people was left to Silan. It must have been hard for him, from taking care of one person to take care of two people, like he was their wet nurse.
“But there are some things that I will unlikely give to others.” She tightens her hold on the little rabbit. “I’ll come see you in two days. I’ll tell you about a lot of things. If you have finished with the war, remember to go home. I will – I will be waiting for you at home.“
Going home…
Lu Qianqiao’s whip stopped. Not far away, he seemed to be able to see her clearly for a moment. The light blue clothes were stained with blood, but she was still smiling. Her white and soft cheeks, black and white clear eyes, were bright and innocent.
“Well, then I’ll leave first.”
Xin Mei waved at him, “The day after tomorrow night, when the moon climbs to the zenith, I’ll see you at this same old place by the cliffs.”
Is it really okay to watch her go like this? A voice from the bottom of his heart gently asked him.
.....I don’t know. I really don’t know. Liu Qianqiao grabbed the whip tightly, and the faint pain in his heart floated up again as he watched her figure disappeared into the woods. The murderous spirit that had filled his blood, in an instant disappeared without a trace. He awkwardly felt at a loss.
As if recalling some sweet fragments, he once dedicated himself to carve dolls for her. Her long cool hair fell on the back of her hand, which was very sweet smelling and made him slightly tipsy.
Do you really want to abandon those memories?
On a moonlit night, at Canxue⁶lit. melting snowCliff, no one answered him.
The General went back to the barracks, kissed the heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors, and fell asleep in a daze.
Lu Qianqiao didn't return to the War Demon Clan, and joined other soldiers in the battlefield instead. At this moment, gunpowder smoke filled the air. The remnants of the peasant soldiers had fled in all directions after being surrounded by the armor soldiers.
It was another victorious battle.
It had been ten days since Emperor Rongzheng sent an Imperial Degree to Changgeng Mountain Pass, asking Lu Qianqao to the northernmost gateway of Qiongguo. Recently, it had not only been invaded by peasant soldiers, but also Tianyuan Country on the other side of the sea, which often came to provoke. It was said that Tianyuan had a prince who had received orders of Heaven. With demon blood flowing in his body, he was bold and fearless, unmatched by others. Driven by wild ambition, he started to launch an offensive attack against all countries in every direction. Many small countries had been swallowed up by him.
Fortunately, Qiongguo was surrounded by towering mountains and precipitous ridges¹Chinese idiom : high and steep mountainsand also vast ocean. Separated by mountains and ocean, the other party did not dare to mobilise large contingent arbitrarily. It just colluded with the peasant soldiers and occasionally fight now and then just to test its actual strength.
The wind rolled up the gunpowder smoke and the smell of blood hit him in the face. Lu Qianqiao closed his eyes as he felt his whole body trembling slightly.
He loved this kind of smell. With his whip in his hand, he led his horse galloped forward onto the battlefield, like liberating his entire life from the cage and getting rid of all his entanglements, especially those people that made him uneasy, distressed and unwilling to part with.
“Catch up with them! Don’t let even one go!“
With a loud neighing sound, Lie Yun Hua spread out its hoofs and sprang up high in the air. They were the first ones to rush forward to catch up with the remnants of the peasant army. The black whip swept in like a hurricane, and as it passed, everything became showers of blood.
He had never loved chasing and killing as much as he did now. Unfortunately, his opponent was too weak and his instinct as a war demon was longing for a stronger enemy.
There was a hard thing pressing against his chest in his armor, and Lu Qianqiao subconsciously pulled it out – it was the heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors doll. Her beautiful face had been stained with blood, which was not very good to look at.
He felt it quite strange and familiar, as a tender emotion unconsciously emerged deep inside his heart.
He would bring along this doll to the battlefield every day. He remembered all the things that happened before, but could not understand why he was so weak and confused. Why didn't he like to fight? Why when you have nothing to do, you would make those boring dolls? Why...would you not want to kill a girl as soft as a white rabbit? Don't want to kill those trivial and useless little monsters?
He didn’t understand why, but his body seemed to remember an absolute command. Whenever the thought of killing rose up, and he wanted to go back to the Imperial Mausoleum to completely kill them, he would take out the doll and stroke it. Then, the killing thought would gradually subside.
Lie Yun Hua didn’t understand why the master on his back suddenly stopped. It turned around and bumped its nose into his leg.
“…Forget it. Let's go back.“
Lu Qianqiao put away the doll, turned the horse’s head around, then he beat the gong and recalled the troops³Chinese idiom : to order a retreat. This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.blogspot.com.
He didn’t like this doll to be stained with blood. It was better to wash it clean, otherwise she would be angry when she saw it. However, she probably wouldn’t see it for the rest of her life, would she?
There was a faint pain in his heart, and soon it disappeared.
——
“As you can see, he is now about to become a perfect war demon, which means he has completely changed. You won’t be able to say anything to him.“
The magnificent long vehicle was hidden behind the clouds, as the Great Monk shook his head with his arms folded and sighed.
“Let’s go to the Fox Clan with me. There are also my clansmen guarding your home and they will return together with us.”
Xin Mei was squatting in front of the vehicle with her chin in her hand, still in a daze and was not even listening to him at all.
Liu Qianqiao must not have a good meal and rest. After they had not met for a few days, he had become thinner. There was no meat on his face, and he was covered in dust⁴Chinese idiom : travel-worn. He didn’t look good.
By the way, just now, he seemed to be looking at the doll of heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors. No wonder she couldn’t find it in the Imperial Mausoleum after searching for a long time. He took it away, and he didn’t even say anything to her, which made her became sad all night.
She searched her body. She had left the General daren²title of respect toward superiors doll in the Imperial Mausoleum. She didn’t bring it with her. She only had one small wood carving rabbit he made for her in her purse. It was half as big as a palm, and she had stroked its long ears till they became so shiny that they could reflect human figure.
“There is a cliff over there. I want to go there.”
She pointed to the opposite cliff of Changgeng Mountain Pass which was situated in between sheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces.
“What are you going to do?” The Great Monk looked at her suspiciously.
“Of course to see him!”
Xin Mei looked back at him like he was an idiot.
…If he had known that this girl would be this difficult, he would not have promised to complete this mission!
The Great Monk landed the long vehicle on the opposite cliff with a green face, but he wasn’t surprised with her unexpected behaviour, as she just got out of the vehicle and sat under a tree while stroking the carved rabbit.
Don’t you want to see Lu Qianqiao? Is that how she’s going to see him?
The Great Monk dozed wearily in the car and waited until the moon was at its zenith. The small moon at the zenith seemed to have been gnawed by a dog. It was bright, but it was not very round.
Xin Mei suddenly stood up, and the Great Monk immediately opened his eyes. He saw her went to the edge of the cliff, put her hand on her mouth —
“Lu Qian Qiao—! I’ve come to see you—!”
She shouted loudly. Her soft sweet voice echoed across the valley.
“If you are a man, come out quickly! Hiding and concealing yourself are not an act of a real man—! “
Her voice continued to reverberate and reverberate…
Such a reckless girl, ah! The Great Monk was struck dumb.
“Lu Qianqiao! How can you love and then abandon me? You come out—! Make it clear to me—!“
A riot broke out inside the Changgeng Mountain Pass, as the privates looked strangely at the main tent. This…they actually didn’t care much about the Commanding Officer’s personal affairs, but, for him to love and then abandoned her…was still a little bit too much…although the General of Flying Calvary hadn’t been here for a few days, but all the people in the mountain pass hold him in awe and veneration. They couldn’t imagine that under his cold appearance, there was actually a heart that was burning hot!
When the whispering among the soldiers reached its peak, the curtain of the main tent was finally lifted. General Lu Qianqiao came out with his hair loose and his coat draped over his shoulder. His face was heavy as water, and there was no expression on his face.
He went towards the cliff, with a whip in his hand — that poor girl! She would not be killed by the angry General, right?!
Xin Mei put her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Come out quickly! I am waiting for you at the opposite cliff—!”
At the next moment, a cold voice came from the opposite cliff, “Why did you come?”
She stopped and looked at the other side with rapture. The moonlight was not bright enough for her to see his face clearly. Only his red eye gleamed in the darkness and they were as ferocious like a wild animal.
“You have robbed my heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors!”
An accusation, like a bolt from the blue sky suddenly stroke the Great Monk that was standing behind her and Lu Qianqiao who was across the cliff. Her first sentence should be ‘I miss you very much, why do you want to leave’, and at worst it should also be ‘don’t worry, I will wait for you’. How could such a puzzling sentence come out?
“But it doesn’t matter, I am generous.” She waved her hand and said, “I’ll give the heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors to you!”
Heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors…Lu Qianqiao unconsciously touched his chest, but he didn’t bring out the doll. Although the opposite cliff was not far away, but he couldn’t see her whole person clearly, vaguely seeing her pale blue skirt drifting with the wind.
Why did you come? Why did you come? He did not understand, but his body trembled slightly because of her arrival.
She was just right across the cliff, and he could jump with all his strength — just went over and then killed her!
He tightened his grip on his whip, as he opened his eyes, excited with the upcoming foul wind and bloody rain⁵Chinese idiom : reign of terror.
“Lu Qianqiao, you must take good care of heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors and treat her as me.” Xin Mei gestured at him, “Help her take a bath every day. Don’t get her dirty. Wash her clothes often, and don’t forget to comb her hair. Remember to kiss her before going to bed, this is the most important!“
“…is that all?”
Along with his voice, there was also the sharp sound of the long whip been waved around. From behind her, she didn’t know who set up an invisible barrier in front of the cliff as Lu Qianqao couldn’t jump over it. He could only shake his whip and tried to tear her apart with the wind coming from the whip.
Even though there was a barrier, the sharp wind still penetrated. With the sound of ‘chi’, the cloth on her collarbone was ripped, and blood slowly oozed, and gradually dyed her clothes red.
Xin Mei continued, “You must eat well yourself! Don’t patronize killing people! There are many things in this world that are more fun than killing people! If you keep on acting self-satisfied like that all day long, and be outdone by the instinct of your bloodline, you will definitely lose your face! Also, you should sleep on time. Otherwise, if you can't get up in the morning, you'll have to stay in bed again. It is childish when you acting lazy to get out of bed!“
There was another wind hitting her waist and abdomen. Her purse that was tied to her waist fell to the ground, and the wooden rabbit inside rolled out. She quickly picked it up and patted the dust on it.
“…Lu Qianqiao, in fact, I have a lot to say to you.“ She looked down, thinking. Then she frowned and smiled, “We haven’t been together for a long time. Regarding my treatment towards you…they were never tender nor considerate all the time…“
Other than washing her hands to make the bridal soup and so on, she only did it for a few days after the wedding. Afterwards, the matter of taking care of people was left to Silan. It must have been hard for him, from taking care of one person to take care of two people, like he was their wet nurse.
“But there are some things that I will unlikely give to others.” She tightens her hold on the little rabbit. “I’ll come see you in two days. I’ll tell you about a lot of things. If you have finished with the war, remember to go home. I will – I will be waiting for you at home.“
Going home…
Lu Qianqiao’s whip stopped. Not far away, he seemed to be able to see her clearly for a moment. The light blue clothes were stained with blood, but she was still smiling. Her white and soft cheeks, black and white clear eyes, were bright and innocent.
“Well, then I’ll leave first.”
Xin Mei waved at him, “The day after tomorrow night, when the moon climbs to the zenith, I’ll see you at this same old place by the cliffs.”
Is it really okay to watch her go like this? A voice from the bottom of his heart gently asked him.
.....I don’t know. I really don’t know. Liu Qianqiao grabbed the whip tightly, and the faint pain in his heart floated up again as he watched her figure disappeared into the woods. The murderous spirit that had filled his blood, in an instant disappeared without a trace. He awkwardly felt at a loss.
As if recalling some sweet fragments, he once dedicated himself to carve dolls for her. Her long cool hair fell on the back of her hand, which was very sweet smelling and made him slightly tipsy.
Do you really want to abandon those memories?
On a moonlit night, at Canxue⁶lit. melting snowCliff, no one answered him.
The General went back to the barracks, kissed the heavenly maiden daren²title of respect toward superiors, and fell asleep in a daze.
