Finest Servant

Chapter 554 The Golden Blade

Gao Qiu and Hu Bugui felt their spirits grow heavy as they listened. Helan Mountain was the emotional anchor for the five thousand soldiers—it held their hopes and dreams. Should Helan Mountain fall, these five thousand men deep in the grasslands would be like drifting duckweed, left with nothing to cling to.

Old Gao hummed in agreement. "Miss Xu is intelligent and wise; she must have received your message by now. Perhaps she is already finding a way to establish contact with us. Put your mind at ease, Brother Lin."

The crackling bonfire burned intensely, casting its dim light on their faces. Lin Wanrong shook his head. "What do I have to worry about? From the moment I set foot on these grasslands, life and death ceased to be my concerns. Traveling with both of you in this vast land and accomplishing something magnificent—should I die, I die a hero. What regret could there be?"

"Well said!" Hu Bugui clapped and laughed heartily, full of spirit. "Why envy a fur coat worth a thousand gold? A man should carry a Wu Hook! Standing tall in this mortal world, able to touch the earth and reach the sky, driving away nomads, and protecting our homeland—what’s there to fear in living grandly or dying gloriously?"

[TL: From Baidu: The Wu Hook is a type of curved blade popular during the Spring and Autumn period, cast from bronze. It is a quintessential example of cold weaponry, filled with legendary allure. Over time, it was written into poems by literati across generations, becoming a symbol of galloping across battlefields and aspiring to serve the country.]

Gao Qiu looked Hu Bugui up and down, grinning broadly. "Old Hu, I've known you for some time, and this is the manliest thing I've heard you say! You both rest easy—whether it's a mountain of blades or a sea of arrows, if Old Gao so much as furrows his brow, consider me a coward."

The three men looked at each other and burst into laughter. Their six hands reached out, clasping tightly together. The firelight illuminated their dark, resolute faces.

After three consecutive victories, five thousand soldiers penetrated deep into the grasslands, launching a surprise attack on Bayanhot and wiping out three thousand cavalrymen from Ha'er Helin and Ejina. In just a few days, they killed over ten thousand enemies, all of whom were robust Turkic men. It was indeed a grand victory, psychologically shaking the enemy as well. It was hard to believe that any Turkic people would underestimate this daring team from Great Hua any longer.

The army rested on the spot for half a day, replenishing supplies while also awaiting the enemy's reaction. Of course, deep within Lin Wanrong's soul, there lingered a nearly naive hope. He wished that Xu Zhiqing, upon hearing the news, would find a way to contact him. At the very least, before entering Yiwu and embarking on this journey of life and death, he needed to know the situation at Helan Mountain. This was not just his own wish but also the collective yearning of the five thousand soldiers.

As expected, the Ha'er Helin and Ejina tribes became anxious and unsettled after losing three thousand cavalry. According to reports from the scouts, there were indications of troop movements within the tribes. However, after tasting defeat, they had become much more cautious, no longer daring to send out small cavalry units. The situation gradually reached a stalemate.

If they couldn’t capture Ejina, they couldn’t proceed to Yiwu, let alone raid the Turkic royal court of Kyzil. Were these five thousand brothers to wander the grasslands forever? Under these circumstances, both Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu grew increasingly anxious. Lin Wanrong, on the other hand, maintained a casual demeanor, joking and laughing with the men, showing no signs of stress. It was as if he was truly ready to settle in the grasslands, to be an outlaw for life. This attitude puzzled Gao Qiu and Hu Bugui but delighted the soldiers. They vied to talk to him, and the atmosphere as they marched was light. Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu could only sigh, still unclear as to what Lin Wanrong was really thinking.

"Sweet as honey, your smile is sweet as honey, like a flower blooming in the spring breeze, ah, blooming in the spring breeze—" A bandit lay on the cart shaft, hands behind his head as a cushion, a blade of unknown grass dangling from his mouth. He swayed from side to side, humming a little tune contentedly.

The thin cart curtain swayed gently, revealing the petite face of Yujia. She sat cross-legged, just a few feet away from Lin Wanrong. Her eyes slightly closed, she remained silent. Since the "performance" last night, she had not spoken to Lin Wanrong, not even giving him a proper look. Even when treating Li Wuling earlier, she had been as silent as iron, not uttering a word. These two sat in the same cart— one humming a tune, the other in stillness. The harmony between the dynamic and the quiet was quite extraordinary.

"Shoot, shoot quickly, hurry up and shoot!" A frantic and enthusiastic clamor carried over, accompanied by the hurried sound of hooves. Lin Wanrong looked up and saw Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu, bows and arrows in hand, galloping on horses. They were gleefully chasing a small white figure darting across the grassland, seemingly engaged in an archery contest. The soldiers around them were cheering them on.

"Huh, such a small white horse?" Lin Wanrong squinted and observed for a while before saying in amazement.

Yujia slowly opened her eyes, glanced distantly, and then said, unable to bear it any longer, "If you keep quiet, no one would notice your ignorance. Have you ever seen such a small horse? That's clearly a jade rabbit, you fool!"

Lin Wanrong let out a long 'oh,' and chuckled, "So it's a little white rabbit. My apologies, it's been so long since I've hunted rabbits that I mistook it for something else. Thank you, Miss Yujia, for the correction."

Seeing Lin Wanrong's playful expression, the young Turkic girl suddenly felt tricked. This man was full of schemes, deliberately coaxing her into speaking. How did she not see through him?

"You don't have to thank me," Yujia glanced at him helplessly and said, "I just hope that next time you sing your off-key tunes, you'll be farther away from me so I can't hear you. That would be a blessing from the god of the grasslands for Yujia."

She shook her head in irritation, her eyes deep and her expression ambivalent, a mix of smile and seriousness.

"Miss Yujia, you flatter me again," Lin Wanrong unabashedly said, "I was actually preparing to sing a song in the Turkic language. But when it came to it, I forgot those Turkic lines. I'm truly sorry!"

Speaking of learning the Turkic language brought memories of last night. Yujia lightly clenched her teeth and said, "Weren't you not interested in the Turkic script and Turkic women? Why are you singing Turkic songs now?"

"Ah, while it's true I have no interest in Turkic women, I can't stop Turkic women from taking an interest in me," Lin Wanrong spoke with an air of melancholy, "It can't be helped, being charming comes with its downsides. By the way, Miss Yujia, what do Turkic young ladies usually say to express their feelings to someone they love?"

"What are you asking this for?! You're not allowed to bring harm to Turkic women!" The young girl looked at him warily, her expression grave.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Miss Yujia, you're being too harsh. Who's harming whom is still up for debate! Actually, I just wanted to discuss something scholarly with you—I've heard that the most sincere way for Turkic women to express their feelings is by giving something they depend on for their life to the man they love, as a sign of unwavering loyalty. Is that true?"

The bandit's eyes twinkled as he stared intently at Yujia. Yueya'er, visibly indignant, haughtily lifted her beautiful face. "So what if it is? I'm not afraid to tell you that we Turkic women have been cherishing a life-dependent treasure since childhood. When we come of age, we give it to the man we love. Once given, whether he's rich or poor, healthy or sick, we have no regrets for life! We Turkic women are passionate; we love boldly and hate decisively, unlike those timid, coquettish daughters of wealthy families in your Great Hua. They play coy while pretending to be reserved. Hypocrites!"

The young Turkic woman spat out the word, her face full of disdain, clearly having little regard for the daughters of wealthy families in Great Hua.

Lin Wanrong shook his head and laughed, "Miss Yujia, you're being too absolute! Being straightforward has its own charm, but so does being shy. Just as different flowers have different blooms, people have different tastes and preferences. You can't understand since you're not a man!"

Yueya'er looked at him, her red lips tightly held, and scoffed coldly, "What a sophist you are!"

"Let's say I am," Lin Wanrong said nonchalantly, waving his hand. "If Turkic women do have a treasure more important than life itself, I'm curious, given Miss Yujia's noble background, what sort of treasure have you chosen?"

He sighed lightly, pulling a golden blade from his boot. The scabbard shone brightly in pure gold, and the sharp blade emanated a chilling glow. With a casual flick, several strands of hair were cleanly cut, falling silently to the ground.

Yujia stared, dumbfounded, her face changing abruptly. She lunged at him, struggling to free her hands and feet, "Give it back to me, you wretched bandit!"

Tears formed in Yueya'er's lightly blue eyes as she bit her red lip and pounced at him like an enraged young leopardess. But her hands and feet were bound; she struggled twice, breathless, and only realized her error when she had fully thrown herself into his arms. Trying to pull away, she found she no longer had the strength.

"What...what are you going to do?" Leaning weakly against the bandit and sensing his scent, the young Turkic woman's heart raced, her face flushed as she cried out in horror.

"That's what I should be asking," Lin Wanrong adjusted her posture, looking at her amusedly.

Their faces were close, eyes meeting, as if they had returned to last night's dramatic scene. Yujia's face turned a slight shade of red, and she lowered her voice, "Give me back my golden blade, or else, I won't let you go!"

"Such a formidable threat, huh?" Lin Wanrong chuckled. "Fear not, Miss Yujia. This golden blade may be more valuable than life in your eyes, but to me, it's just a heap of scrap metal. Even if you offered it, I wouldn't want it."

"You accursed bandit, give it back to me, now!" Yujia's pretty face flushed red as she yelled, her voice tinged with fury. She lunged at him.

Watching her body struggle continuously, beads of perspiration forming at the tip of her nose, Lin Wanrong casually waved his hand. "It's merely a piece of junk to me, useless. Don't worry, I'll return it to you. However, Miss Yujia, your desperation for this blade has reminded me of something."

"W—what is it?" The young Turki woman, caught in her struggle, abruptly looked up. Her eyes flashed a momentary but unmistakable shock.

Lin Wanrong gently blew on the blade and smiled. "This golden blade is lavish and seems to hold great sentimental value. No doubt, it is a token of affection you intend to give to your lover. But, to simply consider it as such would be to underestimate you, Miss Yujia."

Yujia looked up at him. Her pale blue eyes shimmered with a faint light, constantly shifting. Finally, she ceased her struggles and offered him a radiant smile. Her beautiful cheeks blossomed like a hundred flowers in the chill of winter, utterly enchanting.

"A beautiful golden blade—what else could it mean?" Her voice was soft and melodious, like a stream of pearls tumbling down. Her eyes sparkled as they appraised him, her cheeks as translucent as jade. A few strands of hair brushed against her forehead, lending her an air of nobility and grace. Her mouth curved into an alluring smile, her red lips slightly parted, tempting as a ripe cherry.

Moments ago, she had seemed like a young girl in the throes of her first love. Now she appeared to be a mature and seductive woman. This dramatic change left Lin Wanrong utterly speechless.

"This blade may well signify your true identity," he said, finding it hard to keep up with the chameleon-like Yujia, a far cry from the demure Yueya'er he'd met earlier. Overwhelmed, he quickly looked away.

"Really?" Yujia smiled, her eyes as gentle as water, her red lips impossibly vivid. "Well then, why don't we make a bet? If you can guess my true identity, I'll gift this golden blade to you. Remember—" She chuckled lightly, her eyes softening. "—it's a gift from me, not something you took. Are you willing?"

"Ah, I just remembered—I need to practice my marksmanship. Excuse me, excuse me!" Lin Wanrong broke into a sweat, abruptly standing up. His head collided with the carriage beam, causing a dull thud and a slight rocking of the carriage.

Watching his awkward retreat, Yujia's giggles echoed for quite a distance, crystal clear. "A cowardly bandit you are! Who's the bad actor now? Do you understand?"

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