Chapter 1 The Beginning
When the celestial envoy Zeng Lin arrived at Xianyang City, Xiao Shan was out with Yuan Bufie inspecting the city's defenses.
The entire border knew the Divine Might General had returned. The Tujue had been particularly docile these past few days, cowering in their own territory and not daring to show their faces.
Ha! Hiding meant safety?
Did they think he was still Xiao Qishan, who could be restrained?
This time, he was here for revenge!
"Tomorrow, we'll first reclaim Jinjiang!"
"Alright, after taking Jinjiang, we'll attack their stronghold. I heard the Tujue princes are causing trouble, a perfect opportunity for us to get involved. If we beat them soundly, perhaps the Tujue will cease to exist."
He didn't care if they ceased to exist or not. He just wanted to bring back that maidservant named Qinghe, so his wife wouldn't be unhappy all day.
Zeng Lin had been waiting at the foot of the city wall. Only when Xiao Shan entered the city gate did he present the letter.
Upon seeing the letter, Xiao Shan's chilling aura receded, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards.
"Big Brother, mind your image."
He already had a face that scared people. With that smile, who would fear him? Did he have any awareness of being a general? He wasn't a hunter from a small mountain village anymore!
Xiao Shan ignored him, carefully tucked the letter into his chest, and galloped his horse Qianxing towards the military camp.
In the camp, Yutou, Du Ling, and many new recruits were training, with Deputy General Chen Kui directing and correcting them with an iron spear.
Xiao Shan circled the training grounds, nodding with satisfaction, before entering his tent.
Chen Kui breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed the training today was excellent, as the General hadn't pointed out any mistakes.
Entering the military tent, Xiao Shan eagerly took out the letter from his chest and read it word by word with great concentration.
What was this!
Why was it all scolding him.
But thinking of his wife's puffed-up cheeks, and then imagining these words coming from her, it was still very cute.
Hitting is affection, scolding is love. His wife was different from him; her words were always subtle. He understood.
I miss you too, I think of you day and night.
This was the last sentence.
Xiao Shan grinned, reading it over and over again.
When she wrote this, her face must have been blushing, like a ripe apple in autumn, sweet and alluring. Her white teeth biting her red lips, her eyes filled with spring water, shy and delicate.
Damn it, he couldn't think about it anymore. If he did, all his energy would have nowhere to go.
What did these two lines mean? They were so crooked, he couldn't make out anything.
Xiao Shan looked at it from all angles, up close, from afar, against the sun, but he still couldn't understand. He found a new sheet of white paper and carefully traced it.
"Someone! Go call the strategist!"
Wu Zhoubai was summoned. Knowing he had just returned from outside the city, he thought he had discovered something new, his expression unusually serious. "Is there a major discovery?"
Xiao Shan's face was stern as he slowly nodded and handed him the paper.
"What is this? A intercepted letter? What kind of code is this?"
Wu Zhoubai looked left and right, near and far, against the sun, almost wanting to throw it in the water to see, but Xiao Shan stopped him.
"Did the Tujue barbarians hire a master to use such clever codes?" Wu Zhoubai was flustered.
"Could it be a mountain range map, indicating an ambush?"
"Or a river? This one is shorter, very similar to the Black Water River. This one has so many twists and turns, it doesn't seem like it..."
Xiao Shan shot him a glance and snatched the paper back.
What did he mean, looking down on him? Wu Zhoubai scratched his head. Damn it, what did he draw?
The two stood at a distance, stroking their chins, staring at the paper. In the end, they couldn't figure out what it depicted.
A guard went to the training ground to deliver a message: The General has ordered that a newly acquired secret letter be deciphered. Whoever can crack its meaning will be rewarded with twenty taels of silver and a Meteor Iron Spear.
A cheer erupted from the training ground, everyone eager to try.
The guards led the men to the military tent in groups of twenty.
Groups of men went in spirited and came out dejected. Du Ling couldn't figure it out either and shook his head at Yutou.
When it was Yutou's turn to go in, the paper was placed in the center of the table. The moment he glanced at it, a strange image formed in his mind. He blushed, shook his head, and looked at it more carefully.
The more he looked, the less he could make out.
Finally, when everyone in his group had failed to guess, Yutou, unwilling to give up, desperately wanted a spear of his own. He scratched his head, a look of distress on his face.
"Yutou, speak if you have something to say," Xiao Shan commanded.
"Yes, General. If I say it wrong, will I be punished?"
"No, speak boldly!"
Yutou saw that only Big Brother Xiao, the strategist, and General Yuan were in the tent. He decided to risk it. It wasn't shameful to be wrong! He was still a child!
So, he hooked his two thumbs together.
"General, Strategist, look, aren't these two people... kissing?"
The strategist: "..."
Xiao Shan: "..."
Yuan Bufie: "..."
Damn it, that's right! Aren't those two faces, left and right, with the lines in the middle representing the forehead, nose, and the mouths pressed together?
"Brilliant!" Wu Zhoubai exclaimed. "This is a love letter! Love letters are this elaborate these days?"
Yuan Bufie quietly gave a thumbs-up. He should have thought of it sooner! Sister-in-law is truly talented!
Xiao Shan quickly put the paper away and waved to Yutou. "I know. Go find a guard and claim your reward! Oh, right, at such a young age, focus your mind on proper things. Tomorrow, I'll personally test your skills!"
"Yes, General!" Yutou had guessed correctly, and regardless of what he had said, he left in high spirits.
Wu Zhoubai, with his not-so-large eyes, exclaimed indignantly, "So, this isn't enemy intelligence? Who gave this to you? Could it be the daughter of Governor Liu?"
"Get lost! What strategist, worse than a child!"
Xiao Shan cursed Wu Zhoubai and kicked Yuan Bufie, who was watching the show, "Tomorrow, we enter Jinjiang. You'll be the vanguard. Now get going and muster the troops!"
Got it!
Yuan Bufie dragged Wu Zhoubai out of the tent. Wu Zhoubai was still not convinced, shouting at Xiao Shan, "Hey! No, I'm telling you, you're very strange! War is unpredictable, and swords have no eyes. As a commander, you should have great ambitions, not be entangled in romance!"
"Oh! Why are you pulling me!" Wu Zhoubai shook off Yuan Bufie and said angrily, "Don't you see his demeanor? He's like he's in heat. He must have hooked up with some little vixen. If he gets distracted on the battlefield, he'll lose his life! I can't stand by and watch him go astray!"
Dare to call Sister-in-law a little vixen? You'll lose your life first!
As expected, when Yuan Bufie heard a "whoosh," he dodged.
A date hit the strategist squarely on the mouth.
"Ouch—" Wu Zhoubai clutched his mouth, too hurt to speak. If he hadn't closed his mouth quickly, his front teeth would have been knocked out!
Too cruel. Isn't this still that ruthless killer who recognizes no one!
The noise outside ceased. Xiao Shan took out the letter again and kissed the curved mouth area fiercely.
He said happily, "Oh, my dear mother! How can she be so lovable!"