Chinua arrived just as Dawa and his men approached, their movements signaling an early departure. "Captain Haitao," Dawa announced, "my men and I are returning to camp. With a bit more work still to be done here, we'll head back first, and you and your soldiers can finish assisting the villagers."
"Where are they going?" Chinua asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"They're returning to camp," Timicin replied, his voice flat.
"Oh," Chinua said, her tone laced with disappointment. "They won't stay to help us until the task is done?"
"He probably rushed back to report to General Batzorig to hog all the praise," Od grumbled bitterly, unable to mask his irritation.
"Drop it," Och snapped, giving Od a sharp look. "Captain Haitao already explained the reason for being a soldier. We're not here to fight each other; we're here to help the people."
The eleven soldiers spent the day helping villagers complete the rebuilding of the last bridge. After sharing a hearty dinner with the villagers, the village chief and several elders escorted the soldiers back towards camp. As the sun began to set, the villagers, as always, carried baskets of fruits and vegetables to express their heartfelt gratitude to Captain Haitao.
"Captain Haitao, thank you so much for your help!" one villager called out.
"You and your men come down to help us every year. As citizens, we are deeply grateful to have soldiers like you," an older woman said, her voice soft with emotion, as she handed a woven basket of eggs to Captain Haitao.
Haitao accepted the egg basket. "If you ever need anything else, please let us know," he promised. "We will do our best to come down and help in any way we can." He then handed the basket to Timicin.
The eleven soldiers bid farewell to the villagers and began their walk back to the training camp.
As they traversed the dirt road back to the training camp, Chinua lagged behind the others, Khunbish and Khenbish walking protectively beside her. From the pensive look on her face, they knew she was wrestling with something she couldn't quite resolve. The seven soldiers ahead of her glanced back periodically, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. Among them, Erden and Chaghatai felt the sharpest pangs of guilt.
"Where have you been, Chinua?" Khunbish asked gently.
"I went to meet a man who grows peanuts," Chinua explained, a sigh escaping her. "The problem is, he flatly refused to teach me his planting techniques. He said he had nothing to offer any soldier of the Northern Army."
"Why are you suddenly interested in growing peanuts, Chinua?" Khenbish asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Because of what Captain Haitao said to me," Chinua replied simply.
"What did he say?" Khenbish prompted.
Chinua recounted, "I once asked him why no one seemed to respect him and why he remained here. I even offered him a way out, suggesting he join Elder Brother Chimgee or Elder Brother Mönkhbat, but he refused. He explained that Elder Brother Chimgee, though merciful and loving to every soldier under him, lacks trust. Elder Brother Mönkhbat and his soldiers, while brave, often lack crucial support."
Khunbish nodded slowly. "What he said was true," he affirmed.
"I know that when it comes to the coastline, Father's minions won't hesitate to send food and support," Chinua continued, her voice gaining intensity. "Because the naval coast is the Northern Army's last line of defense, and they fear its fall." Khunbish and Khenbish watched her intently. "But it's different with Prince Mönkhbat."
Khenbish nodded, his expression grim. "You fear that when Prince Mönkhbat truly needs support, the court will refuse it," he stated.
Chinua nodded. "Mmm... The southeast of Hmagol Kingdom borders Tanggolia and Umusa, two nations locked in constant warfare," she explained. "What fascinates me is that Umusa, despite being a small country, has consistently defended against Tanggolia's attacks over the years. I wonder what kind of defense they employ."
"You want to help Prince Mönkhbat preserve the army's rations?" Khunbish asked, understanding dawning.
"I wanted to discover which foods, even in small amounts, could keep a person full longer," Chinua elaborated. "This afternoon, two villagers told me that mixed nuts are incredibly effective – you only need a small handful." She reached into her robe, pulling out a small bag, and poured out the mixed nuts the villagers had given her. "Try them," she urged. "They taste good, especially the roasted peanuts." Khenbish and Khunbish each took a few, popping them into their mouths. "If Prince Mönkhbat and his men can grow and store peanuts, it could be a game-changer for them, and for all of us. As emergency rations, these could be invaluable if we're ever besieged within our own walls."
Khunbish nodded thoughtfully. "This idea of yours, Chinua, is very good," he praised.
Chinua's brow furrowed with disappointment. "It's a shame that man refused to share his knowledge with me," she lamented.
"Who is this man, Chinua?" Khenbish asked.
"The same person who created doubts in my head," Chinua replied cryptically.
Khenbish plucked a peanut from Chinua's hand, a reassuring smile on his face. "Chinua is very good at persuading people," he said confidently. "I'm quite sure you can convince him to help you solve this problem."
Muunokhoi, who abhorred conflict, suddenly rushed back to Chinua, Khenbish, and Khunbish. He gently pushed Khenbish aside and clapped a hand on Chinua's shoulder. "Chinua, how are you feeling?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Chinua looked surprised. "I feel fine. Is there a problem?"
"You didn't sit with us all day. You distanced yourself from our small group," Muunokhoi pointed out, his gaze earnest. "Are you upset by Terbish and Chaghatai's stupid comments?"
Chinua's brow furrowed in genuine puzzlement. "What comments?" she asked.
"Their stupid comments about pretty women," Muunokhoi explained, trying to soothe her. "You don't have to be upset." He tapped twice on his own chest. "To me, Chinua is the rarest beauty of all women in Hmagol Kingdom."
"Someone said that to me once," Chinua murmured, a ghost of a smile touching her lips.
Muunokhoi beamed. "And that person is one thousand percent correct! Think about it, eh? Which of these women is like Chinua? Brave, strong, ambitious, and smart." He chuckled, delighted with his own words.
Chinua shook her head, a soft sigh escaping her. "Did you misunderstand something, or did I miss some information? Today, I genuinely just wanted to figure out some answers, which is why I didn't sit with everyone."
Muunokhoi's eyes widened slightly. "So, you were distancing yourself all day, not because of what Terbish and Chaghatai said?" he asked, genuinely surprised.
Chinua shook her head, still bewildered by Muunokhoi's implication. She quickly hurried towards Haitao, who was walking ahead of the group. "Captain Haitao," she called, her voice eager, "remember the question I asked you about what foods can help a person stay fuller longer?"
Haitao turned, a curious smile on his face. "Yes, have you figured it out?" he asked.
"Yes!" Chinua exclaimed, her excitement evident. "I was with the villagers this afternoon, and they told me who could help me grow peanuts!"
Haitao's smile faded slightly. "You asked to leave this afternoon because you were looking for that person?" he confirmed. "What did they say?"
Chinua's brow furrowed. "He wouldn't help me," she said, disappointment coloring her voice. "He stated that when it comes to the Northern Army, he has nothing to say. I still can't understand why he refuses to help us."
Haitao offered a knowing smile. "For some people," he explained, "the most precious wealth isn't a handful of gold and silver, but a heart full of dignity. If you want their information, the price is your own heart." He then turned to his subordinates, his voice snapping with authority. "If you want to make it back for dinner, hurry up!"
He walked slowly ahead. Chinua stood rooted to the spot, watching Haitao's retreating back, his words echoing in her mind. "Heart for heart," she murmured to herself, the phrase resonating deeply.
Timicin approached Chinua cautiously. "What are you thinking about?" he asked softly.
"Heart for heart," Chinua repeated, her gaze distant.
"What?" Timicin asked, confused.
Chinua turned to him, her eyes searching. "What prevents you from sharing your knowledge with others?"
"I hated that person to the core," Timicin admitted, a shadow passing over his face.
"That person did a bad thing to me in the past," Od muttered, still feeling the sting.
"That person has no will to learn," Och stated flatly.
"That person didn't pay me a reasonable fee for my knowledge," Erden complained with a shrug.
"I just simply don't like that person," Terbish declared with a decisive nod.
"That person doesn't respect me," Chaghatai added, a hint of indignation in his voice.
"That person might use my knowledge to do bad things," Muunokhoi said, a touch of genuine worry in his tone.
Chinua smiled faintly at the men surrounding her. "Thank you for your honest opinions," she said, her voice thoughtful.
Muunokhoi grinned widely. "Let's work together to become captains and generals in the future!" he declared with renewed enthusiasm.
Timicin scoffed, a wry sound escaping him. "Do you honestly think it's easy to be a captain or a general?" he challenged, a hint of veteran weariness in his voice.
Muunokhoi, sensing Chinua's persistent unease despite their efforts, wanted to lift her spirits. He walked over to her, his expression softening. "I know it's not easy to climb that ladder," he said, gently placing his left arm on Chinua's shoulder, "but just think about it… General Chinua and her nine most ferocious captains!" He swept his arm towards the eight men in front of them. "Sounds beautiful, doesn't it?"
The eight men, eager to cheer Chinua and play along with Muunokhoi, placed their right hands over their left chests, knelt down on one knee, and declared in booming unison, "To General Chinua!"
Haitao turned, seeing his young subordinates still fooling around not far behind. He roared at them, "If the food ration window closes before we get back to camp, then the Great General and his nine most ferocious captains will do three hundred push-ups and skip dinner!"
The young soldiers groaned playfully at Haitao's threat, then quickly followed him down the dirt road, still playfully jostling each other. Their lighthearted banter abruptly ceased when the thundering sound of hooves rapidly rushing towards them filled the air.
A lone soldier, riding at a frantic gallop, bore down on them, shouting, "Urgent report! Make way! Urgent report! Make way!"