Xue Zining woke to find the tent empty and the sky bright.
Getting up, she felt a dull ache from her wound.
"Sister, why are you up? Please lie down." Chu Ling'er, entering the tent, rushed to stop Xue Zining as she got out of bed.
"Ling'er, I'm fine. I want to take a walk."
Seeing that she was indeed not as serious as she had thought, Chu Ling'er stepped forward to support her. "Then I'll help you out."
Xue Zining nodded and walked out of the tent, only to discover they were not at the border between Snow Country and Frost Country.
The area was half in Snow Country's icy expanse and half in Frost Country's eternal spring.
"Isn't it beautiful here?" Chu Ling'er asked.
Xue Zining took a deep breath. "It is."
Suddenly, a young soldier ran over, appearing to be familiar with Chu Ling'er, and whispered a few words in her ear. Chu Ling'er's expression changed instantly.
"I understand. Go and call Father at once." Chu Ling'er's face was grave.
Seeing this, Xue Zining asked, "Ling'er, has something happened?"
Chu Ling'er looked at her. "General Yuan Lao wants to have Yuan Zhao beaten."
Xue Zining was startled. "Why?"
Chu Ling'er looked at her pleadingly. "Sister, can you stall General Yuan Lao for me? I'll go and beg my father."
Xue Zining nodded and asked, "Where is General Yuan Lao's tent?"
Chu Ling'er pointed to a larger tent not far away. "That one."
Xue Zining nodded. "I may not be able to stall General Yuan Lao, but I will do my best."
Chu Ling'er nodded. "Doing your best is enough, Sister."
Xue Zining walked towards the tent. Outside, she heard a resonant voice, "Yuan Zhao, do you know your crime?"
A clear, cool voice followed, Yuan Zhao's. "Yuan Zhao knows his mistake, but in that situation, Yuan Zhao had no other choice. If I had delayed further, that young lady might not have survived."
Xue Zining blinked. The young lady Yuan Zhao mentioned was likely herself.
"Yuan Zhao, you still don't know where you went wrong? I will tell you. First, you kept an unidentified person in your tent. Second, you went alone to confront the Frost Country people."
At this point, General Yuan Lao's voice grew colder. "If the Frost Country people discovered our presence here, do you know what would happen? We could be annihilated."
"Yuan Zhao knows his mistake."
"Since you know your mistake... Stop lurking outside and listen. Come in..."
The tent flap was lifted, and a slender figure entered.
Her fair face, pale from her injuries, made her skin appear even whiter, as pure and clean as the snow of Snow Country.
Her clear eyes looked at the two people inside the tent.
Though she was merely a girl on the cusp of womanhood, Yuan Guan saw a trace of nobility and authority in her.
"Who are you..."
"Feng Ning." Xue Zining gave the name she used outside.
Yuan Guan narrowed his eyes. "Miss Feng, you've come at a good time. I have something to say to you."
"General Yuan Lao, please speak." The young lady was neither humble nor arrogant, utterly unfazed by Yuan Guan's authority.
Yuan Guan's eyes brightened. This young lady was interesting. "Miss Feng, when your injuries have healed, I will arrange for someone to escort you home."
Xue Zining looked up at Yuan Guan. The imposing and stern old man before her was indeed the Yuan Lao General who had once commanded respect throughout the land, living up to his reputation.
"General Yuan Lao, I have no home."
Yuan Guan paused slightly and frowned. "Miss Feng, you must know that women are not allowed in the army."
Xue Zining chuckled softly at this, her smile not reaching her eyes. She looked up and said calmly, "General Yuan Lao, I will leave once my injuries have healed."
If General Yuan Lao didn't mention it, she wouldn't stay anyway; she still had to find Feng Wu and the others.
Yuan Guan narrowed his eyes. "If that is the case, please leave for now."
"May I ask what offense young General Yuan committed?" Xue Zining inquired.
Yuan Guan's gaze turned cold. "This is not something Miss Feng needs to inquire about."
"If young General Yuan is to be punished for sheltering me, I will naturally not stand idly by."
Yuan Guan saw the unwavering determination in the young lady's eyes, without a trace of hesitation.
"Miss Feng, please return to rest. I have my own reasons for facing this." Yuan Zhao, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
Xue Zining looked down at the young man. His expression was resolute.
"Alright, I understand." Xue Zining turned and left the tent.
A moment later, Yuan Zhao emerged and was surprised to see Xue Zining still outside the tent, having not left.
Yuan Zhao seemed somewhat ill at ease and said sternly, "Aren't you going back to rest?"
"He's going to be beaten? I haven't seen that before, I'd like to watch." Xue Zining said, crossing her arms with feigned interest.
The young man's expression was unpleasant. "Miss Feng, are you not aware of the principle of separation between men and women?"
"I only know that in the army, there is no distinction between men and women." Xue Zining lifted the corner of her lips, smiling mischievously.
The two men preparing for the punishment exchanged glances. One asked, "Young General Yuan, can we begin?"
Yuan Zhao gritted his teeth and asked, "Do you really have to watch?"
Xue Zining nodded.
Yuan Zhao's face darkened with anger, but knowing he could not delay, he went to the execution spot and lay down on the long bench. The executioners said, "Young General Yuan, brace yourself."
Upon hearing that Yuan Zhao was to be beaten, many soldiers came to observe.
When Chu Ling'er arrived, her eyes were blurry with tears. She grabbed Xue Zining's hand and asked, "Sister..."
Xue Zining patted Chu Ling'er's hand. "It's only twenty planks; it won't injure him. He'll be back to his lively self in a few days."
Chu Ling'er was taken aback and looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. "Really?"
"Honest as ever," Xue Zining replied.
Chu Ling'er felt relieved. "Father tried to intercede, but it was no use."
"Young General Yuan cannot avoid this beating because he violated military regulations," Xue Zining said calmly.
Hearing this, Chu Ling'er bit her lower lip. "It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, Yuan Zhao gege wouldn't have to be beaten."
"If anyone is to blame, it's not you; it's me."
Chu Ling'er blinked. "Sister, it has nothing to do with you."
Xue Zining looked at her. "If you hadn't saved me, none of this would have happened."
Chu Ling'er shook her head and looked at her, her eyes bright. "Sister, I've never regretted saving you."
"Silly Ling'er, we're just stating facts." Xue Zining patted Chu Ling'er's hand.
After the twenty planks were delivered, Yuan Zhao stood up, pushing away those who tried to help him, and limped towards his tent.
"I'll go check on Yuan Zhao gege." Chu Ling'er was about to leave when Xue Zining stopped her.
"Sister, you..."
"Young General Yuan will be changing his clothes and tending to his wounds. Do you want to watch?"
Chu Ling'er's face immediately turned red. She bit her lower lip and said shyly, "Sister, you're so annoying."
Xue Zining smiled and released Chu Ling'er's hand. She looked up; the moonlight was beautiful.
"Miss Feng, a word, if you please?"