The birthplace of Great Xia was on the eastern bank of the Red River upstream from Hengshui. Since the time of their ancestors, they had lived a nomadic lifestyle following water and pastures, with customs valuing martial prowess and fierce warriors. The harsh cold of Xia limited the development of its people, and they were repeatedly harassed by border invasions from the Dog Rong tribes. For thousands of years, the Xia people struggled to survive on this harsh land east of the Red River, until Emperor Peiluo Zhenhuang established the Great Xia regime, finally allowing this nation that had been fighting against heaven for its fate to catch its breath and develop.

The history of Great Xia was forged with blood and tears in almost every word. The nomadic nature of the people made their relationship with the land tenuous, which to some extent also gave them a more inclusive and tolerant attitude toward racial issues compared to the southern Bian Tang and eastern Huai Song. For hundreds of years, the Xia people continuously migrated westward, living among and fighting with foreign tribes. Their territory grew increasingly vast, and now it had subtly surpassed Bian Tang with its three-thousand-year history and Huai Song with its flourishing commerce, becoming the continent’s premier military power.

As waters rise, boats rise with them. The magnificent Zhenhuang City standing tall on the Red River Plain had clearly become the economic and political center of the entire continent. High buildings stood side by side, merchants traveled back and forth, and the city was prosperous and splendid. Nobles from various countries and wealthy merchants shuttled along the Nine Wai Main Street, shoulder to shoulder, creating an extremely lively atmosphere.

The first bell of early morning rang out, its sound far-reaching and magnificent. The city gates slowly opened to the sound of the bell. Sunlight shone everywhere, and a new day in Zhenhuang City once again slowly began under the iron-blooded order of the empire.

“Hya!”

A clear, sharp voice suddenly rang out. A black steed raised its snow-white hooves, stepping on the snow outside Zhenhuang City. Snow splashed, and the sound of hooves clanged, leaving more than a dozen attendants far behind.

“Young Master Yan, you’re late!”

Zhuge Huai laughed heartily, riding forward to greet the newcomer with a smile. His voice was warm, his face like the spring breeze, and his eyes half-closed, flickering with shrewd light. Dressed in purple and gold brocade robes with silver threads, with a silver jade snow ermine cloak draped behind him, he appeared even more elegant and gallant. Though only fifteen or sixteen years old, he displayed extraordinary charm and wisdom beyond his years.

Standing beside him were four young men, the youngest only eleven or twelve, while the oldest no more than thirteen or fourteen. Each wore brocade robes with attendants surrounding them, their faces handsome and extraordinary. Hearing his voice, they all turned their heads to look toward the newcomer.

Yan Xun reined in his horse with a “whoa.” The magnificent Xunlie Wall snow-hoofed treasure horse suddenly reared up, let out a resonant neigh, and then steadily stopped on the snowy plain. Yan Xun wore deep purple formal robes with a snow-white cloak draped behind him. He said in a deep voice, “When I received Brother Zhuge’s message, the Eighth Princess was at my residence. It was rather difficult to get away. I’ve kept you all waiting.”

“So it was a beautiful lady’s appointment. It seems we’ve disturbed Young Master Yan’s pleasure.” A young lord in pine-green brocade robes stepped forward, his voice still carrying the soft tones of childhood. Looking no more than eleven or twelve years old, with eyes curved like a fox’s, he smiled and said.

Yan Xun’s expression remained calm as he replied, “Prince Jing jests. If not for Prince Jing causing me to break the Princess’s crystal cup at the national banquet the other day, I wouldn’t have had this unexpected romantic fortune today. Everything must be credited to Your Highness.”

The young prince chuckled softly, not showing any annoyance. He turned his head to another youth in cyan robes beside him and said, “See, Mu Yun? I told you Young Master Yan wouldn’t let it go so easily. He was going to confront me about this.”

Mu Yun slightly raised his eyebrows: “Are there few people who’ve suffered from your tricks at the imperial city? Young Master Yan is good-tempered. If it were me, I would have stormed your residence last night.”

“Are we going to compete or not? If you want to chat, we might as well go back.”

A youth dressed in black brocade robes stepped forward with a large yellow bow hanging at his waist, clearly an imperial item. Yan Xun seemed to notice him only then, dismounted, and respectfully bowed, saying, “So the Seventh Prince is also here. Please forgive Yan Xun for not recognizing you earlier.”

Zhao Che glanced at Yan Xun with eyes slightly askew, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly as a greeting, and then spoke directly to Zhuge Huai: “Eight Brother and I have to go to the Secretary’s Office for dinner. We don’t have that much idle time.”

Zhuge Huai smiled and said, “Since Young Master Yan has arrived, let’s begin.”

Prince Jing smiled and clapped his hands: “What new amusement has Zhuge found this time? Quickly bring it out for me to see.”

Zhao Jue said, “I see a pile of animal cages being transported over there. Zhuge, you’re not asking us to hunt, are you? That’s not interesting.”

Zhuge Huai shook his head and said mysteriously, “I put a lot of effort into today’s event. Watch.” With that, he extended his hand and lightly clapped twice, the crisp sound echoing across the snow-white ground.

In the distance, a fenced enclosure was opened, and Zhuge Huai’s attendants pushed six large carts into the enclosure, arranging six huge cages in a line on the open ground. They were covered with black cloth, completely concealing what was inside.

Prince Jing said with interest, “What’s inside? Zhuge, stop being mysterious.”

Zhuge Huai smiled and waved to his distant attendants. With a swish, all the black clothes were pulled off at once. Prince Jing let out a surprised sound, paused momentarily, and then began to laugh happily.

Inside those enormous cages were young girls, no more than seven or eight years old. Each cage held twenty children, all wearing only coarse cloth garments. On the front of each child’s clothing was a large character like a prisoner’s mark. The characters in each cage were different – some had “Mu,” “Jing,” “Yan,” and some “Zhuge,” while Zhao Che and Zhao Jue were distinguished by the characters “Che” and “Jue.” The children had been confined in the black cages for a long time, and when suddenly exposed to light, they covered their eyes in confusion, huddling together in fear, their eyes terrified like a group of timid rabbits.

Zhuge Huai laughed and said, “Recently, a team of Western merchants came to my residence. This game was taught to me by them. Soon I’ll have the cages removed and release wolves from the animal cages. Those beasts have been starved for three days and have bloodshot eyes. We can shoot the beasts or the slaves in others’ cages. After one incense stick’s time, whoever has the most slaves left will be the winner.”

Prince Jing laughed heartily, clapping his hands first: “This indeed sounds interesting. Fun.”

Zhuge Huai said, “Then let’s begin. Each person gets thirty arrows.” He turned to a subordinate and said, “Zhu Shun, open the cages.”

The servants, having received the order, removed the cages and then withdrew from the enclosure. The children stood trembling in place, as if still confined by invisible cages, not daring to move at all.

Suddenly, with a howl, the gates on both sides of the enclosure were opened, and more than twenty fierce wolves rushed in, opening their bloody jaws and howling as they charged toward the children!

Massive screams immediately erupted. The seven and eight-year-old children shrieked in unison, huddled together in panic, and ran toward where people were standing. At the same time, arrows from outside the enclosure fiercely shot into the enclosure. However, they were not aimed at the ferocious wolves, but at the children running toward them.

An intense smell of blood rose to the sky, and tragic screams and wails struck the heavens. Arrows pierced through the children’s thin shoulder blades and chests, blood flowing out in streams, blooming like brilliant red flowers on their small bodies. The wolf pack, stimulated by the smell of blood, became even more ferocious. A dark blue wolf quickly jumped up and bit off a child’s neck. Before the child could even utter a scream, another wolf tore off one of her legs, and half her head was bitten off. White brain matter and fresh blood mixed, splashing onto the snow-white ground.

Chaos filled the world, and the intense screams were endless. The pain in her shoulder was unbearable, and her eyelids felt as heavy as thousand-pound stones. Jing Yue’er’s small body was pierced by an arrow, firmly pinning her to the ground. Her breathing gradually weakened, as if she were already dead, but her brows remained tightly furrowed, growing tighter and tighter. A vicious wolf slowly approached, looking at the child with fierce eyes, its foul-smelling saliva growing longer, then dropping with a plop onto the child’s cheek.

Amid oblivion, it seemed as if heaven’s eyes were watching the tragedy below. Just as the wolf’s jaws were about to close, the child’s eyes suddenly opened wide, bright as knives, without a trace of the fear and weakness a child should have. Almost instinctively, she reached out and grabbed the wolf’s upper and lower jaws, then raised her head and bit the wolf’s extended tongue, tearing it with force!

A sharp howl immediately resounded, and everyone turned to look at the child with the fierce eyes biting the wolf’s tongue, momentarily forgetting to shoot their arrows in astonishment.

Zhao Che was the first to react. Seeing the large character “Che” on the child, he laughed and bent his bow, firing an arrow that hit the wolf’s throat with a whoosh.

The wolf howled in pain and fell to the ground. The tragedy in the enclosure continued, with the remaining wolves pursuing other girls. The ground was covered with torn bodies and dismembered limbs, and heart-wrenching screams and cries filled the air. Jing Yue’er tremblingly stood up, widening her eyes in disbelief, as if petrified. Her small body’s clothes were tattered, her hair disheveled, her face pale and covered in blood. The cold wind blew fiercely, and the small girl seemed like a weak blade of grass.

With a whoosh, an arrow suddenly shot toward her. Jing Yue’er nimbly jumped backward, avoiding the lethal strike, but being small and weak, she was still wounded in the calf by the arrow. Blood flowed down profusely.

Prince Jing chuckled and continued to nock another arrow, shooting again.

Zhao Che raised an eyebrow, let out a cold snort, bent his bow, and with a swoosh, his arrow broke Prince Jing’s in mid-flight.

With wolves following like shadows behind her, their foul smell suddenly overwhelmed her. Jing Yue’er had no time to check her wounded calf and ran quickly toward Zhao Che’s direction.

It was this person who had saved her twice in this short time. In her dazed state, she quickly chose the direction most beneficial to her.

However, just as she took two steps forward, an arrow suddenly shot toward her, embedding itself firmly in front of her feet. The child paused in surprise, then stopped. She raised her head, frowning in confusion at the black-robed youth riding a chestnut horse.

Zhao Che let out a contemptuous snort, glanced at her, and shot an arrow through the back of another running girl. That child, no more than five or six years old, screamed and fell to the ground. The large character “Yan” on her back was dyed red with blood, and she was quickly torn apart by the wolves.

Time passed both extremely quickly and incredibly slowly. The child stood in place, looking stunned. Suddenly, she pressed her lips together and quickly turned around. Her speed was remarkable; her injured calf did not affect her agility at all. A wolf chased after her, fiercely pouncing forward, yet she managed to escape it by a hair’s breadth.

In a corner of the enclosure lay a pile of wooden sticks and hay for feeding horses. The child picked up a stick and, without looking back, struck the wolf heavily on its side with a thud.

The wolf howled and staggered to one side, clearly severely injured.

“Come here! All of you come here!” the child shouted, crouching down to pick up two stones. She struck them together with a crackling sound, and sparks flew. The hay ignited with a whoosh. Lighting the stick on fire, the child held the torch and ran across the field, driving away the wolves attacking the children, shouting, “Come here! All of you come here!”

The young children ran toward Jing Yue’er, crying loudly. They were all injured – some bitten by wolves, but more with arrow wounds. In this short time, fewer than twenty remained.

Wolves fear fire. Seeing Jing Yue’er protecting the children in the middle, they hesitated to approach. They had been hungry for a long time, so after circling the children for a while, they turned back to feast on the corpses in the field.

Zhuge Huai’s slender eyes narrowed slightly. Suddenly, he said softly, “Useless beasts.” He nocked an arrow and shot at the wolves.

Arrows rained down, and the wolf pack was immediately attacked. After a series of bloody howls, the wolves all fell to the ground, with none surviving.

The surviving children were overjoyed. Despite their wounds, they all jumped up and cheered loudly at their survival.

However, before their voices could even leave their throats, another wave of dense arrows came, striking their small bodies. The noble youths of the imperial dynasty had sharp eyes and ruthless hands, mercilessly targeting the children of their opponents, shooting to kill.

An arrow whistled through the air with astonishing force, striking a child’s head with a thud, entering through the right eye and penetrating the back of the skull, stopping steadily at Jing Yue’er’s nose tip. White brain matter splattered all over her face. The child opened her mouth wide, still holding the burning stick, and stood still as wood, never to move again. The cries of the children echoed in her ears; everything seemed like a nightmare.

As the arrows gradually thinned, Prince Jing and Mu Yun smiled in unison, nocked their bows, aimed at the girls, and shot with swift precision.

Zhao Che frowned, rode forward, and reached for his quiver, but only one arrow remained. He snorted coldly, broke the arrow in half, nocked both halves on his bow with impeccable technique, and shot them simultaneously, knocking down both Prince Jing’s and Mu Yun’s arrows.

Zhuge Huai laughed loudly and exclaimed, “Excellent archery!”

As his words fell, all screams ceased. The north wind swept across the white land, and the smell of blood permeated the air. In the enclosure, now crimson with blood, only Jing Yue’er remained. Her hair was disheveled with straw caught in it, her clothes stained with blood, and her face pale. She leaned on a wooden stick, standing in place with a wooden expression, looking toward them as if she had been frightened out of her wits.

Zhao Jue said, “Seventh Brother is so formidable. I’ve run out of arrows. It seems Seventh Brother is the big winner today.”

Prince Jing raised an eyebrow, looked at himself, then at Mu Yun, and finally turned to Zhuge Huai.

Zhuge Huai, with his handsome features, smiled and said, “I ran out of arrows long ago.”

“Doesn’t Young Master Yan still have some? Time isn’t up yet. The deer isn’t dead, and who knows whose hands it will fall into.”

Mu Yun suddenly said, and everyone’s eyes immediately turned to Yan Xun. Zhao Che coldly looked at Yan Xun and said flatly, “Young Master Yan always manages to surprise people unexpectedly.”

Only half the time of one incense stick had passed, and everyone’s arrows were already depleted. Only in Yan Xun’s quiver was there still one arrow with a snow-white feather.

Yan Xun sat upright on his horse. Although only thirteen or fourteen years old, his back was straight, his eyebrows like swords, his eyes like stars, his nose high, and his gaze sharp. His deep purple formal robes fit perfectly on his body, making him appear even more outstanding, handsome, and cold. With a calm expression, he slowly rode forward, drew his bow fully, and aimed at the child in the center of the enclosure.

The long wind howled, lifting the child’s tattered clothes and disheveled hair. She was still very young, about six or seven years old, malnourished and emaciated, like a newborn wolf cub without fur. Her arms, neck, and calves were all wounded, and the injury on her shoulder was nearly close to her heart vessels. She stood in the center of a scattered battlefield, surrounded by dismembered limbs, corpses, and blood. The smell of blood wafted everywhere, and the cruel power, like a desperate and terrified soul, tore at the child’s fragile eyes.

An arrow flashing with bloodthirsty cold light slowly pointed at the child’s throat. The youth sat upright on horseback, his gaze sharp, his eyebrows furrowed, blue veins bulging on his arms as he slowly drew the bow to its full extent.

She had nowhere to escape. Chaotic thoughts raced through her mind, and all the confusion and questions collapsed in the face of the sudden massacre. She slowly raised her head, her gaze cold, carrying bitter hatred and disgust, looking coldly at the youth targeting her, without a trace of fear.

That day was the fourth day of the first month in the 466th year of the Baicang Calendar. The citizens of Zhenhuang City had just celebrated their New Year. At the royal hunting grounds outside Zhenhuang City, she and he met for the first time.

Time pierced through the track of history broke through the gates of space-time and placed two souls that were never meant to touch on the same platform.

Yan Xun frowned slightly, his finger shifted a little and released the arrow.

The long arrow whistled through the air, driving the cold wind, and making a whooshing sound. Everyone’s gaze was fixed upon it, looking toward the child standing in place.

With a swish, a bloodline immediately extended. The arrow grazed the child’s neck in an instant, leaving a bloodied mark. The child’s form wavered slightly, staggering two steps, but still stood in place.

“Haha! Congratulations, Seventh Brother!” Zhao Jue laughed loudly.

Zhao Che looked at Yan Xun with contempt and sneered, “Young Master Yan is immersed in songs, dances, and poetry all day. Perhaps he has forgotten how the ancestors of the Zhao family held their arrows.”

Yan Xun lowered his bow, turned his head, and said calmly, “How the ancestors of the Zhao family held their arrows is best remembered by the descendants of the Zhao family. Yan Xun dares not overstep his bounds.”

Zhuge Huai smiled and said, “In that case, today’s prize goes to the Seventh Prince. I have prepared a banquet at my residence. Would you all like to join me for a drink?”

Everyone agreed and mounted their horses as if what had just happened was nothing more than an ordinary game.

The wind howled past, lifting everyone’s billowing cloaks. Bloody wind spread across the vast snowy plain. From a distance, Yan Xun looked back and saw the blood-covered child still standing in the wilderness, her eyes deep as she gazed in their direction, motionless for a long time.