The Mobei tribe’s bonfire festival was equivalent to the Central Plains’ spring festival — the most joyous day of the entire year. Every household would prepare their finest offerings and bring them to the High Priest.
This ceremony was a festival for the entire tribe. On the day of the celebration, before dawn even broke, every member of the tribe — men, women, young and old, even infants still in swaddling clothes — would attend the ritual.
The Nangong family would also generally attend in full. Though they weren’t Mobei tribespeople and had no Xiongnu or Xiliang blood in their lineage, the head of Nangong Manor attended every year as a gesture of goodwill.
Before the festival, they would send envoys ahead with tribute gifts.
Xuanyuan Lige was well aware of the relationship between Situ City and Nangong Manor, though he held little personal interest in it — merely curious, having long heard of Nangong Manor’s reputation without ever having met anyone from the family.
Just as he was nearly at the chieftain’s great hall, Yu Xiaomeng suddenly darted out from the crowd and grabbed his arm. “Young Master Xuanyuan!”
He never used her name, only calling her Miss Yu, so out of necessity, Yu Xiaomeng had taken to calling him Young Master Xuanyuan instead.
Xuanyuan Lige subtly slipped his arm free of her grip and said flatly, “Weren’t you out hunting? Why are you back so suddenly?”
“Come with me, this way, hurry!” Yu Xiaomeng said, her expression full of mystery. Knowing Xuanyuan Lige disliked physical contact, she didn’t touch him again, only urged him along.
In truth, she had noticed long ago that he disliked her holding his hand — it was just that sometimes, in her excitement, she forgot.
“What’s going on?” Xuanyuan Lige asked, puzzled.
“Ugh, hurry up and come, they’re about to light the fire!” Yu Xiaomeng said, and couldn’t help but reach for him again — but caught herself and pulled her hand back immediately.
In that moment, Xuanyuan Lige felt a flicker of awkwardness, and Yu Xiaomeng felt it even more strongly. She suddenly fell silent and lowered her head.
“Lead the way,” Xuanyuan Lige said, breaking the awkward silence.
“Hurry, hurry!” Yu Xiaomeng immediately perked back up, running and skipping excitedly ahead.
Xuanyuan Lige followed close behind, watching this young girl’s joyful back, a helpless smile tugging at the corner of his mouth despite himself. He never meant to hurt her, yet he had, without realizing it, already done exactly that.
Soon, he saw flames leaping into the sky ahead!
Before the main bonfire festival, people always eagerly lit smaller bonfires first, gathering together to sing and dance.
“There’s still room, come dance with us!”
Yu Xiaomeng was thrilled and rushed forward at once. Only then did Xuanyuan Lige understand — she had just been in a hurry to claim a spot.
The Mobei tribespeople loved dancing around the bonfire, and legend held that whoever danced closest to the flames would receive the greatest blessing from the spirits.
So naturally, many people scrambled for the front positions.
Xuanyuan Lige couldn’t dance at all, and stood to the side, saying with a smile, “I’ll watch you dance.”
But before Yu Xiaomeng could even respond, several nearby tribespeople had already started urging him on.
“Young Master Xuanyuan, come on, dance with all of us!”
“Young Master Xuanyuan, hurry over, receive the spirits’ blessing with the rest of us!”
“Young Master Xuanyuan, come on, we’re waiting for you!”
…
The tribespeople were exceedingly warm and enthusiastic, and the sound of drums and strings had already begun nearby. A young man, unable to wait any longer, came over to pull Xuanyuan Lige along.
Xuanyuan Lige found it hard to refuse, but noticing a guqin off to the side, he said, “I don’t dance. Let me play music for all of you instead!”
“You can play the qin?” Yu Xiaomeng was astonished.
“Mm,” Xuanyuan Lige said, and without waiting for anyone’s agreement, he picked up the guqin and sat down cross-legged.
“Twang!”
The very first note rang out powerful and forceful, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.
It had been so, so long since he had touched the strings — he had nearly forgotten he was once a qin player at all.
Under the gaze of the crowd, he lost himself entirely, oblivious to everyone around him, even forgetting himself. He began playing “War Rising”!
The instrument rang out sharp and powerful, sorrowful and vast, and the originally lively atmosphere instantly transformed into something magnificent and stirring!
The nearby drummers, listening, couldn’t help but call out in admiration — they had never known that such a frail, sickly-looking man from the Central Plains could produce a melody so tragic and heroic!
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Soon, the drummers joined in, matching Xuanyuan Lige’s “War Rising,” each beat adding fierce, virile energy to the music.
With the drums came new life, and the tribespeople finally snapped out of their trance, immediately dancing around the fire — all except Yu Xiaomeng, who stared at Xuanyuan Lige as if enchanted.
She watched his long, gentle fingers strike out that powerful, forceful war song, watched his purple robes and silver hair fluttering wildly, his whole frame weak and haggard, yet radiating a fierce, unyielding spirit like tempered iron!
He was, without question, a man with a story.
What kind of person was he, really?
The music, the drums, the roaring cries of the dancers, all intertwined together, illuminated by the blazing fire, powerful and magnificent — even onlookers couldn’t help but feel their hearts stirring in response.
Before anyone realized it, a large crowd had gathered around, including even the tribal chieftain and the Third Young Master of the Nangong family.
“This qin player…” The Third Young Master of Nangong murmured, puzzled, having stopped in his tracks because of the music — and because of the musician himself.
This qin player… he felt he had seen him somewhere before!
“Ha, this is a young man a girl in our tribe rescued, from the Central Plains,” the chieftain said with a smile, clearly quite pleased with Xuanyuan Lige.
“From the Central Plains…” The Third Young Master of Nangong grew even more puzzled, staring at Xuanyuan Lige’s fluttering silver hair, and suddenly started, murmuring to himself, “Xuanyuan Lige.”
Such silver hair, such skill on the qin — could this possibly be the legendary greatest qin player under heaven, Xuanyuan Lige?
“What’s his name?” the Third Young Master of Nangong asked.
“Of the Xuanyuan clan, single character name Shang,” the chieftain answered, not noticing the Third Young Master’s astonishment at all, his attention entirely fixed on Xuanyuan Lige himself.
“So it’s him…” The Third Young Master of Nangong felt certain now — this was indeed Xuanyuan Lige. But why on earth would he be here?
The Nangong family had never concerned itself with worldly affairs, and the Third Young Master didn’t dwell on it too much. He lingered with the chieftain a while longer before finally taking his leave.
He had originally planned to stay a few days, to experience some of the Mobei tribe’s festival atmosphere, but his aunt from Situ City had said she would be visiting these next few days, so he had to head back.
He wondered whether Situ Xin’er and Situ Haonan might come along too — if they came together, he could actually bring them along to attend the Mobei festival!
After a long while, the music finally stopped, and the drums fell silent as well.
Yet the tribespeople still seemed reluctant for it to end. Aunt Yu, standing among the crowd, watched Xuanyuan Lige from a distance, unable to hide the delight in her eyes. She hesitated for a long moment before finally murmuring something quietly to a few burly men standing nearby.
Suddenly, one of the men stepped forward and shouted loudly, “Young Master Xuanyuan, stay with us! Marry Xiaomeng and become our Mobei tribe’s son-in-law!”
At these words, others immediately chimed in!
“Yes, yes! A perfect match, talented and beautiful! Young Master Xuanyuan, stay and become our Mobei tribe’s son-in-law!”
This chorus of agreement instantly energized the entire crowd, and everyone joined in the excitement.
“Young Master Xuanyuan, stay and become our Mobei tribe’s son-in-law!”
“Young Master Xuanyuan, stay and become our Mobei tribe’s son-in-law!”
…