September remembered the clouds of that day vividly. The thin, wiry man took her hand and led her out of the tent, out of the entanglement of panic and fear. Outside the tent, there was wind and clouds. His hand was hard, his fingers long, and holding her wrist made September feel as if she were being pulled by fate. Suddenly, September felt she understood her younger sister, understood why such a proud girl would shoot an arrow at this man, and then why she would run away so heartbrokenly.
But looking at this man's thin, weary profile as he drove, Jiu Yue'er felt that his person, his emotions, his ideals, were almost as thin and hard as his fingers. He seemed perfect, but could someone like him be possessed? Could he be loved?
There are some people in this world who are born to attract the love of others, but are also born to make others want to love them but unable to.
Thinking of this, Jiu Yue'er felt a pang of sadness, not for herself, but for her younger sister. But deeper in her heart, it seemed she was grieving for that man. Did he never understand what tenderness and happiness were in his entire life? Roaming the world, wielding his sword in the martial arts world—it sounded exciting and exhilarating, but was that all there was to life, that true happiness?
The bicycle sped through the grassy hills, and September's thoughts undulated like those hills. She felt this day would be important for the rest of her life. She carefully observed every place the bicycle passed, as if trying to remember everything she had encountered by chance.
They had been driving all day and were nearing the high platform when suddenly four people appeared in front of them. Judging by their height, build, and build, Jiu Yue'er recognized them as Zhang Jiuchang, Ma Yang, Shi Zhen, and Qiao Hua. For some reason, Jiu Yue'er felt a pang of anxiety. What were they doing here? Would they cause trouble for this man? Chen Si had also seen the four, just as they had seen them.
Their carriages and horses met, and each of them reined in their horses and stopped.
If Li Xiaomei had any ideal for the world, her ideal society would be one where everyone has their own herd of horses, grazing on a vast grassland, where no one interferes with anyone else, and they meet once a year at the horse racing festival. Her hometown was actually south of the Qilian Mountains, but she was born disliking mountains; she preferred the flat, open grasslands. The rugged peaks and endless shadows of the mountains always gave her a sense of treacherousness. She didn't believe there should be no evil in the world; she wasn't so kind as to be foolish. She believed it was an inherent vice, an uncontrollable, bloodthirsty mistake that people inevitably made. Like the bandits and villains that were common on the grasslands, but she had her bow and her arrows. What she couldn't tolerate was organized evil and tyranny, the deliberate slaughter by an army. Fighting for the world—they said they wanted to fight for the world, but was it necessary? The world belonged to the world, to heaven and earth; humankind was but a passerby within it. She wondered, what was there to fight for?
Therefore, she didn't understand Chen Si, and she didn't understand why someone like Chen Si would stand up for that Tang Emperor.
Why, why—with his skills, riding across the grasslands, braving sand and snow, roaming freely in the world, isn't that wonderful?
Why should we serve the Tang emperor and make things difficult for them?
But Chen Si possessed a lean, cool, and rugged beauty, along with a refined and aloof demeanor that attracted her. These qualities all stemmed from beyond the grasslands. What kind of world lay beyond the grasslands? Sometimes, Li Xiaomei couldn't help but wonder if there were many people like Chen Si. Then she would think of his appearance, his eyebrows, his eyes, his damned cold gaze, and the occasional smile hidden in his eyes—what a damned smile! Thinking of that smile, Li Xiaomei felt a mixture of pain, hatred, and a strange, unrequited love. She shouldn't like him; why did she like him? Li Xiaomei herself didn't understand. She only knew that whenever she thought of him, her usually calm heart would become incredibly chaotic.
Now, she spurred her horse and galloped towards Zhangye. She had set out two days earlier than Chen Si and Zhang Jiuchang, but upon seeing that the vanguard of the Gan-Liang General's army had reached Heiquan, she turned back to report the danger. She needed to let her elder brother know as soon as possible. Then, she made a decision: she would assassinate Zhang Wuwei! Why should they, with their army, assume they were always right? She herself didn't know how much of her decision was driven by spite towards Chen Si; she didn't think about it too much. She thought resentfully: Since you can come to the grasslands and make a mess of my life and my brother's, why can't I come to your side and kill one or two corrupt officials!
But on the way, she heard news of a grassland woman being kidnapped. She investigated and captured an officer from Black Spring. Based on his description, she knew that the kidnapped woman was her good sister, Jiu Yue'er. Although Jiu Yue'er always called her "Miss" and she sometimes threw a tantrum at her, in her heart, she truly regarded Jiu Yue'er as a sister.
September was different from her; she possessed a gentle grace that September had never had, a grace that seemed to have seeped into her very bones. Although Li Xiaomei sometimes scoffed at this, sometimes, looking at September's delicate eyebrows and eyes, and her gentle demeanor, she felt a unique envy and fondness in her heart. She could not allow her sisters to fall into the hands of those wolves again.
September was powerless; her life was already miserable enough. She was her sister, and she couldn't allow her to be hurt any further.
In the afternoon, she encountered Zhang Jiuchang and his group, and heard that Chen Si had come to rescue the kidnapped woman. They all thought she was the one who had been captured. Thinking of Chen Si's swift arrival, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction, but her pride was also stirred, and an inexplicable anger and resentment welled up within her. She thought angrily: "You rejected my arrow, so why are you coming to rescue me? My sister Li and my people have nothing to do with you!" Then she rode off. Actually, she had seen Chen Si carrying Jiu Yue'er by in a bicycle while she rested, but she didn't call out. She was still going to assassinate the General of Ganliang. In her heart, she saw the General of Ganliang as a representation of the aspects of Chen Si that she didn't understand and considered bad. Since she couldn't bring herself to kill Chen Si, then this General of Ganliang became a substitute for Chen Si's evil. —You've offended Miss Li, so accept your fate!
Li Xiaomei thought bitterly. Before nightfall, she had already reached Zhangye, stopping her horse far outside General Wuwei's camp. She was no pushover; she would wait for darkness, and when it came, she would charge in alone, killing officials and generals, displaying the fierce and valiant side of a grassland girl who had traversed battlefields alone and faced danger!
For a long time before nightfall, Li Xiaomei rested diligently. She wasn't a rash person; she always planned carefully before acting. She truly needed rest; the continuous travel of the past few days had exhausted her. Looking at the vast, cloud-like camp, Li Xiaomei still couldn't understand why these people, with so many people, could graze so many horses and sheep, yet they seemed to find pleasure in slaughter. She would teach them a lesson.
Night finally fell. As dusk settled, Li Xiaomei began to tidy her attire. First, she fastened her skirt, beneath which lay her knife, her courage, and the soul of her daughter. She arranged each of her feathered arrows neatly, hanging them at her waist, then repositioned her bow to the saddle. Finally, she combed her hair, making sure it was tight so it wouldn't come undone during the duel. Heizi was a fine horse. She gently patted its neck and whispered, "Heizi, Heizi, whether you're a good horse or not depends on this battle."
The camp was heavily guarded, with watchtowers and lanterns already lit. The distant sounds of commands and shouts could be heard. Li Xiaomei waited until the second watch before gently mounting her horse, which glided silently through the grass. She clung to its back as lightly as a feather; in battle, she and her horse were one. She moved quietly towards the camp, without disturbing a single person or bird. Though the camp's fence was high, it was no obstacle for her dark-skinned horse. With a single leap, it traversed the camp of forty thousand soldiers. Suddenly, Li Xiaomei's back tightened; she realized just how close she was to danger.
Ahead, they encountered a sentry. Li Xiaomei leaned to the side, hooking her feet around the saddle, dangling from the horse's belly. The night was dark, a night with a hidden moon and few stars—perfect for assassination. The sentry glanced at her from afar and muttered:
"Damn it, whose horse isn't tied up properly and is running around everywhere?" he thought, and turned away.
Li Xiaomei dismounted, gently patted the horse's neck, signaling it to lie down and wait for her in the tall grass, and then stealthily moved forward. Over the years, she had witnessed more than ten battles with Xue Ju and his son, gaining a deep understanding of military camps. She knew her only advantage was that the enemy would never expect her arrival. She guessed that the largest tent among these camps must be the central command tent, but she didn't know if Zhang Wuwei was still inside. She proceeded cautiously, quietly bypassing tent after tent, taking almost half an hour to finally approach the central command tent.
She naturally wouldn't approach the tent entrance, but instead concealed herself in a messy area behind the tent where a fire was burning. She drew her curved sword, gently sliced open the large leather tent, and squinted through a crack. Inside, the singing and dancing had just ended, and the dancers' fans lay scattered on the floor. The empty tent was littered with cups and plates, indicating a recent banquet. A very tall man sat before a large table in the center; only his back was visible, not his face. Beside him, a man who appeared to be a military officer asked, "General, Chen Si was so rude this morning, why did you let him go?"
Li Xiaomei's heart skipped a beat. She heard the man addressed as General say, "A true man's revenge is never too late. He has the upper hand today, but that doesn't mean the tide will stay the same forever. I can't kill him today, since he's in the army, and I'm afraid the court will find out. We're in a very passive position right now, and I'm also afraid the Crown Prince will be displeased. Matters in the court aren't like those on the battlefield or in the army, where a single word like 'kill' can solve everything. You probably don't understand these things. Did you send anyone to follow him?"
The lieutenant said, "I've already sent men to follow him. But Chen Si is truly skilled in martial arts, unlike anything I've seen in all these years. Do you think we should ask Hu Bugu to intervene?"
The general said bitterly, "He has offended me several times today, so of course I must. Has Hu Bugu recovered from his injuries in the duel with Li Bo? This man is doomed, but we cannot act rashly; we will discuss it later. News from the Crown Prince should arrive in the next couple of days, and then I will decide whether to take action. Sigh, why are we delaying? The Crown Prince is too cautious, watching the King of Qin grow stronger. It would be better to strike early and catch him off guard."
Li Xiaomei didn't understand what they were talking about. She was slightly puzzled; wasn't Chen Si with them? Why did they still want to kill him? But upon hearing this news, although she couldn't help worrying about Chen Si, she also felt a strange sense of joy, as if the unhappiness that had been weighing on her heart these past few days had been greatly dispelled. She gently reached down, untied her bow from her back, and then fumbled around at her waist for a while, finding a long arrow perfectly suited for the distance. She bit a strand of hair behind her lip, and through the gap in the tent, she aimed, squinted one eye, held her breath, and aimed at the back of the person behind the main table. She gently moved her left hand, adjusted her aim, and prepared to release her deadly arrow.
Li Yongrong knew she only had this one chance, and it would be fleeting, so she needed to be even more patient. She aimed for a long time, ready to fire, when suddenly footsteps sounded behind her. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Little did she know, the Tang army was far more disciplined than the reckless soldiers under Xue Ju and his son; night patrols were extremely strict. She hoped the patrolling soldier hadn't seen her yet, but the more she didn't want it to happen, the faster it seemed to happen. A shout came from behind: "Who goes there?" Knowing she could no longer delay, Li Yongrong gritted her teeth, released her grip, and fired the arrow into the tent.
Zhang Wuwei's years of military service hadn't been for nothing. Hearing the sound, he turned around and, without thinking, saw a faint crack in the wall. He instinctively leaned to the side, and Li Xiaomei's arrow, already fired, struck Zhang Wuwei's arm. She sighed softly, drew a second arrow, and fired again. This arrow was even faster, testing her usual speed and accuracy. Inside the tent, Zhang Wuwei cried out in pain, rolling to dodge the second arrow. Fortunately, his adjutant, a veteran of many battles, remained calm in the chaos, grabbing a tin pot from the table and waving it to block the arrow for him. At this moment, Zhang Wuwei seized the opportunity to hide under the table, overturning it to shield himself from the attack. Li Xiaomei, filled with resentment, drew a third arrow and shot it at the adjutant. This time, the adjutant had no time to dodge; Li Xiaomei's arrow struck him squarely between the eyebrows. Before dying, he saw that the archer appeared to be a woman, and in that moment of stunning beauty, he fell to the ground and died. General Gan Liang's soldiers were seasoned veterans, and Li Xiaomei only had three arrows to fire. After she finished shooting, she felt a gust of wind from behind. She turned around, revealing her face.
The soldier exclaimed in surprise, "Damn it, it's a woman!" Li Xiaomei's hand flicked under her skirt, revealing a dagger. With a single, deadly slash, it sliced across the soldier's neck. The soldier never imagined the woman's blade could be so swift. Inside the tent, General Wuwei shouted, "Seize the assassin!"
He shouted, and the sound of gongs resounded throughout the camp, echoing in waves: "Catch the assassin! Catch the assassin!" The clamor quickly spread throughout the entire camp. Li Xiaomei cursed inwardly, knowing that if she didn't leave now, she might never escape. She turned to retreat, but it was too late. A small squad of soldiers arrived with torches. Li Xiaomei gritted her teeth, having no time to shoot, and fired several arrows at the nearby torches. Her archery skills were exceptional; the arrows extinguished the flames, dimming all the lights in the vicinity. Unaware, the enemy cried out in alarm, "There's more than one! Light the fire! Light the fire!"
A moment of chaos erupted within the camp. Li Xiaomei tried to escape, but the enemy gave her little time; in the blink of an eye, the torches were relit. Li Xiaomei knew that escaping was nearly impossible. Even with the Five Heroes of Jingtieshan all present, escaping unscathed from tens of thousands of soldiers would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. But she was not a woman who gave up easily. Using the shadows of the tents, she moved swiftly and stealthily, retreating quietly. Soldiers who drew their swords occasionally stumbled upon her, but all were instantly killed by her blade. Only then did Li Xiaomei realize what it meant for the enemy's overwhelming force to be so formidable. She quietly retreated to where her horse had stopped, gave a soft whistle, and Hei Zi stood up. She mounted her horse and heard Zhang Wuwei's command echoing from the center of the camp: "Everyone, do not be alarmed, the general is alive and well. General Zhang orders all soldiers to guard their respective camps, with patrols to check back and forth. I do not believe any assassin can escape this sea of swords."
Li Xiaomei knew that if she didn't retreat now, it would be too late. Ignoring whether the enemy would notice, she pulled on the reins, and her horse reared up, charging straight out of the camp.
In that brief moment, the seemingly chaotic scene had quieted down. Tens of thousands of troops were each holding their own camps, and all the loopholes seemed to have been plugged. Li Xiaomei inwardly cried out in despair. Fortunately, the enemy, outnumbered, was unable to fire arrows easily. Li Xiaomei, on the other hand, frequently drew her bow, shooting arrows at a distance and slashing with her sword at close range, as if she were in an empty field. But the horses were also forced to circle and weave between the tents, unable to find a way out. Li Xiaomei only cared about reaching for her quiver at her side, killing one person with each arrow. Seeing her ferocity, the enemy couldn't help but dodge. Suddenly, Li Xiaomei reached out with her right hand and cried out inwardly, "Oh no!" Although she was well prepared, how many arrows could one person carry? There were only three arrows left in her quiver.
The girl involuntarily closed her eyes. Was she going to die here today? Just as she was thinking this, she heard a deep shout from the other side: "Witch, take my arrow too."
The arrow whistled through the air with incredible speed. Li Xiaomei dodged to the side, and the arrow grazed her face less than an inch from her cheek, sending a chill down her spine. Good Li Xiaomei, in this critical moment, showed no weakness. She reached out, pulled the arrow, and turned to return it to the source. A soldier's cry of pain rang out. Li Xiaomei sighed inwardly, knowing she had missed her target. The one who fired the arrow was Lieutenant General Wei Hualing, renowned for his archery skills. He couldn't help but curse, "You clever woman, what excellent archery! Take another one!"
As he spoke, his second arrow pierced the air. Li Xiaomei tilted her head back to dodge, the arrow narrowly missing her nose. Instead of straightening up, she retaliated in her supine position, firing a second arrow while lying down. Wei Hualing dodged to the side, and the arrow clattered against the tent flap behind him. Wei Hualing's expression changed—a formidable opponent. Without a word, he fired a third arrow straight at him.
Li Xiaomei had a perfect aim. She turned her head and, incredibly, bit the arrow with her steel teeth, while she drew the last arrow from her quiver. She fired this arrow with a reverse arm, as her posture no longer allowed for a proper, straight shot. The arrow flew with a piercing thud, and Wei Hualing didn't even have time to dodge. He only had time to duck before the arrow trembled and embedded itself in his helmet plume. In the midst of their archery duel, the surrounding torches had illuminated the area, and the soldiers could clearly see that their opponent was a woman. Upon seeing the arrow, they all gasped in shock. Li Xiaomei's face paled, and she couldn't help but admire her opponent. Her quiver was empty, except for the single wolf-tooth arrow she held in her mouth. Her opponent had also noticed her empty quiver. Wei Hualing, still shaken, couldn't help but exclaim, "What a woman!" He shouted to the surrounding soldiers, "It's a woman! Capture her alive and see what she's got to do with her life!"
A chorus of agreement erupted from all around, and the soldiers ceased their indiscriminate firing at Li Xiaomei, instead drawing their swords and advancing. For General Wei, this was a golden opportunity to prove himself. Li Xiaomei, however, didn't look at them. As soon as Wei Hualing finished speaking, he saw her cold eyes fixed on him, her bow still pointed at him, the string empty, but he was horrified to see her hand already on the fletching of the arrow she had been holding in her mouth. This arrow hadn't been released yet, and it lacked the power of the previous three, yet for some reason, Wei Hualing felt a pang of panic. In his many years of military service, this was arguably the first time he had ever been intimidated by a woman. He dared not move rashly, as if a single misstep could provoke Li Xiaomei's final, desperate arrow.
Some moved, some remained still. The soldiers slowly advanced, eager to seize the woman and curry favor with Wei Hualing, while Li Xiaomei and Wei Hualing stood frozen like wooden statues. That moment was brief, but for the two facing off, it felt like an eternity. Suddenly, Li Xiaomei pulled the arrow from her mouth. In this final, desperate moment, her eyes were only on Wei Hualing, nothing but Wei Hualing. A pang of sorrow crossed her mind, not for her elder brother, nor for anyone else in the Grass Sands, but for Chen Si. Was he still alive? If he heard of this in the future, what would he think of—
"Was my desperate assassination attempt actually for him?" A poignant feeling welled up in Li Xiaomei's heart. This love had come so quickly, so quickly that she hadn't even had time to fully process it, but in this life-or-death struggle, a sudden realization dawned on her: she loved him! No matter which side he was on, she loved him. Her death might be the subject of various legends in the future, but would anyone think that this desperate act was actually for him?
Actually, she just wanted to die in front of him.
—If you haven't cherished me like you would a precious piece of porcelain, then what good has my life been, even if it's a thousand years of fleeting moments? Our meeting was short, but our love may have been deep, inexplicably so. If you don't cherish me, then why not smash me to show you? Li Xiaomei felt a bittersweet, yet comforting, sense of relief; everything, all for the sake of smashing me to show you.
"If you remain unmoved, then I admire you and have nothing more to say. But what if you are moved? I'll risk my life to inflict pain upon you." Li Xiaomei felt a sense of exhilarating freedom. It's a long story, but these thoughts flashed through her mind like lightning. Love, oh love, a beautiful feeling welled up within her. Even if no one dances with you, I will still dance out a poignant love story.
Suddenly someone cried out, "Fire!" Everyone jumped in surprise, looking up to see, sure enough, a fire had broken out. The flames were still raging, erupting from various places, including the food tents. Wei Hualing roared, "Protect the grain supplies!" Grain was the heart of the army; it could not be abandoned lightly. For a fleeting moment, the firelight illuminated Li Xiaomei's face, her cheeks glowing like fire. She hadn't even thought of escaping in the chaos. She simply held her bow, knowing her life was over, and that her last act was to shoot that so-called lieutenant general before her. Thinking this, she felt he was surely doomed.
Suddenly, the horse, Blackie, jolted violently. Blackie had never been so startled before, jolting Li Xiaomei so much she almost lost her balance. Startled, Li Xiaomei realized someone had thrown a stone at Blackie's rump. The person seemed to have meant no harm, but the force was considerable. Blackie, in pain, couldn't maintain its balance and bolted in the chaos. Seeing the horse startled, some soldiers dodged, others slashed with their swords. Li Xiaomei, without thinking, drew her sword to parry. But a startled horse is hard to control; Blackie galloped so fast it leaped over the crowd in front of the tent, leaving the others far behind, though not quite out of the camp.
All around, shouts could be heard: "Set up tripwires! Set up tripwires!"
Then someone exclaimed, "The horses in the stable are startled! The horses in the stable are startled!" Chaos ensued.
Amidst the chaos of the camp, Hei Zi continued to run wildly, and Li Xiaomei could barely control it. Just as it reached the shadows behind a tent, a long, thin arm suddenly reached out and grabbed the horse's mane. The man's grip seemed incredibly strong; Hei Zi let out a painful groan and reared up. Li Xiaomei looked down and saw that the man was dressed in a long robe. Although his attire had changed, it was clearly Chen Si, the one she loved, adored, and hated most intensely. She heard him urgently say, "Hurry up and run!"
Li Xiaomei felt a sudden explosion in her chest, as all sorts of troubles, resentment, and infatuation towards him burst forth.
She brushed his hand away. Her voice was hoarse: "None of your business!"
The moment those three words left her lips, she felt even more aggrieved and frustrated, with no way to vent her anger. She completely forgot about the situation around her, reached out and grabbed a scabbard hanging from a nearby tent, draped it at her waist, and charged back at the enemy, firing repeatedly as if she were truly prepared to fight to the bitter end.
Chen Si was startled by her sudden movement, and even more alarmed by what he saw. Though highly skilled and daring, he knew their chances of survival were slim. After his initial shock, he immediately seized a horse and chased after Li Xiaomei. Li Xiaomei, now having an opportunity, didn't charge outwards, but instead weaved through the crowd, killing anyone and everything in her path. Chen Si had no time to fight, focusing solely on her, circling the tent three times before finally catching up. He tried to pull her reins, but Li Xiaomei struck his arm with the handle of her bow. Her blow was quite powerful, but unexpectedly, Chen Si didn't dodge, letting her slam heavily into his arm with a crack, nearly breaking his arm bone. Li Xiaomei was startled, only to hear Chen Si whisper to her, "Don't mess with me now, okay?"
The voice sounded like a lover's soft pleading, and for some reason, Li Xiaomei's heart softened. Chen Si's arm was already around her waist; he was an excellent rider, single-handedly controlling two horses as they galloped into the darkness outside the camp. Once they were in the shadows, they would be safe.
This was truly their only chance. The soldiers under General Wuwei's command were gradually recovering from the chaos. With great effort, the two finally reached the fence. Li Xiaomei swung her sword almost subconsciously, instinctively knowing that Chen Si had blocked many attacks for her. Chen Si only had one hand free; the other was always behind Li Xiaomei's waist, controlling the reins. Li Xiaomei didn't know how this gentleness had suddenly struck her in the midst of battle; for a moment, she felt her heart, eyes, and lower back all become incredibly soft.
Chen Si probably had no time to think about anything else. Just as his two horses leaped out of the camp, his mount let out a mournful cry, struck by an arrow and fell to the ground. Chen Si flipped over and jumped onto Hei Zi's back behind Li Xiaomei, shouting, "Lower your stance!" Li Xiaomei lowered her stance, and Chen Si almost pressed his chest against her body, using his back as a shield against the barrage of arrows. The two of them fled into the shadows as Hei Zi galloped away.