Chapter 67: Not Listening to Others
Rabbits couldn't be hunted, foxes couldn't be hunted, and birds—still couldn't be hunted.
Since nothing could be hunted, they had no choice but to dutifully "patrol the mountain."
The paths of White Moon Mountain were rugged, but the scenery was breathtaking. Mist rose from the mountain streams, and at a glance, the surroundings were enveloped in lush greenery. The glow of springs and the drifting clouds wrapped around their clothes, while the towering peaks stood majestically, resembling a fairyland.
The slanted-eyed man was clever—he carried a few sheets of yellow paper with him and hastily sketched the path with charcoal as they walked, marking their route. Every so often, the group would carve signs on trees to avoid getting lost and ensure they could find their way back down.
Since no one had brought crossbows, the journey was relatively quiet. They set out at dawn and finally reached the summit by midday.
They tied their horses to the trees and rested by a nearby stream. After eating their rations and regaining their strength, they could begin their descent, returning to the garrison before sunset.
The new recruit who had greeted He Yan earlier wasn’t in the best physical condition. By the time they reached the top, he collapsed on the ground, exhausted. He eagerly pulled out his rations from his pocket and began stuffing his face, muttering, "Finally made it to the top. I can’t walk another step."
He Yan washed his hands by the stream and sat down on a rock nearby, taking out his own rations.
The rations were the dry, hard biscuits distributed that morning. The new recruit scooted closer and pulled out a small handful of pine nuts from his pocket, offering them to He Yan. "Here."
He Yan was surprised. "Where did you get these?"
"My mother packed them for me before I came to Liang Province. I couldn’t bear to finish them all at once, so I saved some." He looked reluctant but feigned generosity. "Try them!"
He Yan picked one from his palm, cracked it open, and tossed it into his mouth. "Very fragrant."
"Right, right?" The boy brightened. "I’m Shen Hong. I know you—He Yan, right? The one who was so impressive at the Martial Arts Field before. No one could beat you."
"Just luck," He Yan laughed.
Shen Hong glanced into the distance, a little regretful. "Too bad I didn’t bring a crossbow. I didn’t know you’d be coming with us. If I had, I’d definitely have brought one. With your archery skills, we could’ve shot a few rabbits and had roast rabbit for dinner."
Was he and Xiao Mai long-lost brothers or something? He Yan mused before asking casually, "What weapon did you bring?"
Shen Hong scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Me? I’m not good with archery, so a crossbow would be useless. My blade skills are mediocre, and my spear skills are… well, I figured I wouldn’t be much help anyway, so I just grabbed…" He pulled out a long stick from behind him. "This."
He Yan was speechless.
He had brought a stick—not even an iron-headed staff, but a bamboo pole. Did the Martial Arts Field’s weapon racks even have something like this? He Yan seriously doubted it. Shen Hong with a stick would indeed be useless—unless there happened to be a jujube tree nearby, in which case he could use it to knock down some dates.
As if sensing He Yan’s silence, Shen Hong quickly added, "It’s not like we’ll be fighting anyone anyway."
He Yan nodded. "You’re right."
She and Shen Hong sat on one side, while the slanted-eyed man and the other two rested a little farther away. After finishing their meal, He Yan leaned against a tree to rest. Shen Hong cautiously asked, "Um, He Yan, could I borrow your knife?"
"What’s wrong?""See that over there?" Shen Hong pointed to a patch of lush green by the stream, its leaves long and slender, unidentifiable at first glance. "My family runs an herb shop. This is called bookstrap grass—it resembles 'allium' but isn't actually allium. It can refresh the eyes and calm the nerves. I thought I'd gather some since we're here all day; it might come in handy. But bookstrap grass is incredibly tough and hard to pick. The others only have long blades or spears, but your small knife would work better."
So he was planning to use her knife as a sickle.
He Yan: "...Alright." She drew the paired daggers from her waist and handed one to Shen Hong. "Be careful."
Shen Hong set down his stick and happily took the knife. "Thanks! I'll gather extra and give you some later."
He Yan was about to decline but then remembered Hong Shan had been complaining about restless sleep due to the heat lately. Besides, it was Shen Hong's kind gesture, so she swallowed her refusal.
She leaned against a tree, watching Shen Hong busily at work.
As she watched, she suddenly heard movement behind her. Turning, she saw the slanted-eyed man and two others untying the horses from the tree. He Yan blinked. "Leaving already? Why not rest a bit longer?"
They hadn't even been here half an hour. It was still early—plenty of time to descend the mountain.
The slanted-eyed man seemed to dislike He Yan and spoke impatiently. "Not going down yet. We're just heading up ahead first."
He Yan looked ahead. They were already at the summit; going further meant Crossing Mountains. She frowned. "The instructor said not to cross the ridge."
"We're just walking a bit farther, not crossing," the slanted-eyed man said. "No need for you to follow. Stay here—we'll be back soon."
"I think," He Yan stood up, "it's better to listen to the instructor. There might be dangers."
"Zheng Xuan, are you coming or not?" Another man had already untied his horse and mounted, urging them on.
The slanted-eyed man—Zheng Xuan—glared at He Yan. "If you're scared, don't come. Besides, who's going to know if you don't tell? Stop worrying and keep playing grass-gathering with that fool. We're going ahead." With that, he ignored He Yan, mounted his horse, and rode off with the other two into the dense woods.
He Yan considered chasing after them but couldn't leave Shen Hong alone. By the time she hesitated, the three had already disappeared. She sighed and sat back under the tree. Well, they hadn't encountered any trouble on the way up. The mountains were sparsely populated, with no large predators—just a few wildcats and badgers that fled at the sight of people.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Shen Hong returned from the stream, clutching two bundles of grass. The grass truly resembled bookstraps—long, soft, and emitting a faint fragrance when brought close. Shen Hong used the longest strand to tie the two bundles together and handed one to He Yan. "Here. Dry it in the sun when we get back, then store it in a cloth bag under your pillow. Guaranteed good sleep."
He Yan nodded. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Shen Hong waved it off, then noticed the others were missing. "Where'd they go?"
"Went for a walk ahead." He Yan shrugged. "We'll wait here for them."Shen Hong was puzzled and about to ask when suddenly, a scream came from deep within the woods—it was one of the new recruits who had been with them just moments ago.
He Yan froze, her brow furrowing. In the next instant, she untied the reins and mounted her horse, galloping straight toward the sound.
(End of Chapter)
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