On the eve of the Snow Cleansing Festival, most of Lucheng’s citizens had returned home and settled in. As tradition dictated, a lantern festival was to be held that night.
This year, due to the tense situation outside the city and the citizens’ recent return from evacuation, preparations were not as thorough as usual. However, the festive spirit was more vibrant than ever.
Every household in Lucheng was adorned with colorful decorations. Light snow drifted from the sky, its stark whiteness accentuating the alluring glow of red lanterns against the hushed landscape.
Despite the joyous atmosphere, vigilance on the city walls remained uncompromised. After patrolling the walls with her guards and finding nothing unusual, Li Shuang descended. Upon reaching the main camp, she discovered several generals had roasted meat to share with the soldiers.
Luo Teng handed Li Shuang the largest piece, saying, “General, we pooled our unused wages to buy meat at the market today. The former city guard’s cook prepared it. We’re distributing it to boost morale before tomorrow’s festival. I saved the best for you.”
Li Shuang chuckled at the piece larger than her head. “Do I look like I can eat more than you?”
“A hearty appetite is a blessing!” Luo Teng declared. “Those delicate ladies eat less than cats and look too fragile to touch. You, General, are made of sterner stuff.”
Behind Li Shuang, Qin Lan shot Luo Teng a warning glance. “Mind your manners.”
Luo Teng waved dismissively. “Our General doesn’t mind such things. Here, General.”
He pushed the meat forward. Li Shuang accepted it with an amused smile. “Very well. Enjoy your meal, but don’t let your guard down.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Li Shuang returned to her tent with the large piece of roasted meat. It was well-prepared – golden-brown, lean, and appetizing. She cut off a piece and took a bite. The skin was crispy, while the inside was tender and juicy. The meat was fresh and had a pleasant texture. As she ate, Li Shuang nodded approvingly. Li Zhangyi’s cook was indeed skilled, no wonder the man had grown so plump.
After eating two pieces, Li Shuang suddenly thought of Jin’an. The boy was still growing and could benefit from some extra meat. She ordered a soldier to fetch him, then began cutting the meat, separating it from the bone, and placing it in a bowl. When the soldier returned empty-handed, he reported, “General, the boy is missing again.”
Li Shuang pondered this, suspecting Jin’an had gone to relay information again. But what could he possibly report about the uneventful happenings in the camp? Her daily routines? She dismissed the soldier with a wave.
Outside, the lantern festival was in full swing. Li Shuang glanced towards the commotion just as Qin Lan entered.
Noticing Li Shuang’s interest, Qin Lan’s lips curved into a slight smile. “General, nothing is pressing in camp. Why not take a stroll through the festival? You’ve been under immense pressure lately and deserve some relaxation.”
Li Shuang hesitated. “The camp…”
Qin Lan’s smile deepened. “I’ll handle everything. Don’t worry, General.”
“Alright,” Li Shuang stood. “I’ll return shortly.” As she left, she instructed that the remaining meat be sent to the guards’ camp to avoid wasting such a rare northern delicacy.
To maintain a low profile, Li Shuang took only one guard with her. Qin Lan assigned Ji Ran, one of the tallest and most imposing figures in the Changfeng Camp, to accompany her. His presence would ensure a clear path through the crowded festival.
Indeed, Qin Lan’s prediction proved accurate.
The Lucheng Lantern Festival, including tomorrow’s Snow Cleansing Festival, was not only a celebration but also the largest annual market. People stocked up on necessities for the coming months, making the marketplace especially lively and crowded.
As Li Shuang and Ji Ran navigated the market, people instinctively made way for the towering guard, allowing Li Shuang to move freely through the dense crowd.
While casually browsing the stalls, Li Shuang’s attention was suddenly drawn to one selling masks. Surprisingly, they were all identical black face masks, strikingly similar to the one worn by the mysterious man. She stopped in her tracks.
“Young man,” she called to the vendor, picking up a mask. “I don’t recall seeing these masks sold in previous years. Why are there so many this time? Is there a new tribe or country beyond the border with a custom of wearing such masks?”
“Oh, you haven’t heard?” The vendor had just finished wrapping a mask for a woman with a child, who excitedly put it on. After collecting payment, he continued, “It’s not about any tribe or country. Remember the recent battle outside the city? The Western Rong army was at our doorstep, and everyone fled in panic. We thought this year would be a disaster, but then a hero emerged from our Changfeng Camp!”
“A hero from Changfeng Camp?” Li Shuang exchanged a puzzled glance with Ji Ran.
“Yes! They say this hero is strong and imposing. Single-handedly, he rescued General Li Shuang from the chaos of battle. You know General Li Shuang, right? That female warrior, the commander of Changfeng Camp! She’s quite formidable herself…”
Li Shuang interrupted, “Tell me more about this hero.”
“Oh, right. So, this hero rescued General Li Shuang from the battle, then, from a hundred li away, shot and killed that treacherous Li Zhangyi with his bare hands! After that, he infiltrated the Western Rong army alone and swiftly beheaded their general! He brought the head back to the battlefield in the blink of an eye, and when he threw it to the ground, it scared those 100,000 troops into retreating thirty li!”
The vendor’s animated storytelling quickly drew a crowd of onlookers.
Ji Ran coughed softly and whispered to Li Shuang, “General, is that how it happened?”
During the chaos at the city gate, Ji Ran had been engrossed in fighting the enemy. He only learned about the beheading of the Western Rong general after returning to Lucheng. The lower-ranking soldiers were abuzz with rumors, but as Li Shuang’s guard, he was isolated from such gossip. The higher-ranking officers kept tight-lipped, and he dared not ask, making the personal guards perhaps the least informed group in the entire Changfeng Camp about that day’s events.
“The order is a bit off, and the description is exaggerated… but it’s roughly what happened,” Li Shuang replied, amused by the embellishments of teleportation and sorcery.
Ji Ran’s eyes widened in amazement.
The vendor continued enthusiastically, “That’s not all! This hero later defeated two more Western Rong champions, claiming three high-ranking heads in total! Finally, he single-handedly infiltrated the enemy camp again, setting it ablaze and sending those Western Rong wolves fleeing with their tails between their legs!”
“Bravo!” “Bravo!” The surrounding crowd burst into applause…
Li Shuang was speechless.
“And this hero, with such extraordinary martial skills, who protected our homeland, didn’t even leave a name! The only thing people remember is the half-mask he wore, just like this…” The vendor held up one of the black masks from his stall. “This mask!”
“I’ll buy one!” Someone immediately handed over the money.
With the first sale made, others quickly followed. Soon, almost everyone who had gathered to listen to the story was buying a black mask. The vendor could barely keep up with counting the money.
Li Shuang was gradually pushed to the side by the crowd.
Unperturbed, she deftly plucked a mask from the edge of the stall. After examining it briefly, she flicked a piece of silver into the vendor’s pouch hanging at his waist.
As Li Shuang left with the mask, Ji Ran asked curiously, “General, why did you buy that?”
“I thought someone might need a new one after wearing his for so long,” she replied cryptically.
Ji Ran was puzzled. “General… are you referring to the mysterious man with the black mask?”
Li Shuang simply smiled without answering. Her gaze briefly flickered to a shadowy corner where the trees rustled despite the lack of wind. Understanding but not revealing anything, she put on the mask and turned to Ji Ran. “How do I look?”
Ji Ran immediately stood at attention and saluted. “General, you look imposing no matter what!”
His loud voice drew attention from nearby. Before Li Shuang could respond, a soft female voice called out, “Brother Ji?”
Li Shuang turned to see a sweet-looking young girl with dimples – a rare sight of gentleness among the frontier women. Ji Ran smiled in recognition. “Oh, Miss Lu.”
Miss Lu’s gaze quickly swept over Li Shuang, who promptly asked, “You know my guard?”
“Guard?” She realized suddenly. “Ah! You’re…” She glanced around and lowered her voice. “General Li.”
Li Shuang smiled politely. “Pleased to meet you.”
“The honor is mine… I just heard Brother Ji’s voice and wanted to say hello. I hope I’m not intruding, General…”
As she lowered her head shyly, Ji Ran explained, “She’s from the Lu family’s pharmacy in town. When Jin’an was sick, I bought medicine from their shop. Mr. Lu refused to leave Lucheng during the chaos, saying he wanted to stay in case there were wounded soldiers who needed their medicine. It’s quite admirable.”
Li Shuang nodded, noticing Miss Lu’s flushed cheeks. “Indeed, very admirable. Miss Lu must be a wonderful young lady. Why don’t you two chat for a bit? I’ll go look at the lanterns nearby.”
As Li Shuang turned to leave, Miss Lu’s eyes shone with admiration. However, Ji Ran interjected, “That won’t do. Deputy Commander Qin specifically ordered me to accompany you, General. I won’t leave your side for a moment. I’m sworn to protect you.”
Ji Ran’s determined gaze left Li Shuang momentarily speechless. Noticing Miss Lu’s disappointment, she devised a plan. “Very well. In that case, Miss Lu, would you mind doing me a favor? I’m not familiar with the festival. Could you accompany us and explain things as we go?”
The young girl eagerly agreed.
Li Shuang walked ahead, intentionally leaving the two behind her.
She knew her guards well – they were all notoriously single. If she couldn’t easily find a spouse herself, she certainly didn’t want her subordinates to share her fate. Better to match them up when possible.
As they strolled, Miss Lu occasionally explained the surroundings, using the opportunity to engage Ji Ran. “This snack is a Lucheng specialty. Have you and the General tried it? If not, I could make some for you next time.”
Li Shuang’s responses were vague nods, but Ji Ran replied seriously, “The General can’t eat food from outside the camp. It might be poisoned.”
Li Shuang turned back, giving Ji Ran a look of exasperation, which he failed to comprehend. She then cast a sympathetic glance at the suddenly silent young girl, understanding her plight.
No wonder her guards were all single.
Just then, the dejected Miss Lu stumbled. Ji Ran reacted swiftly, catching her with one arm – strong enough to lift ten girls. Li Shuang inwardly applauded his quick reflexes.
Discreetly, she kicked a small stone towards Miss Lu’s ankle. The girl let out a soft cry of pain.
“Did you twist your ankle?” Li Shuang asked promptly.
Miss Lu began to say “No…” but caught Li Shuang’s meaningful look through the mask. Being quicker on the uptake than Ji Ran, she changed her reply to, “Not… too badly.”
Ji Ran frowned. “You’re hurt?” He started to kneel to examine her ankle, but Li Shuang stopped him.
“That’s improper. You can’t remove a young lady’s shoe in public. Her family runs a pharmacy, so they can treat a minor sprain. Take her home now and let her family tend to it.”
“Yes, but… General, what about you?” Ji Ran hesitated after agreeing.
“I’ll wait here for you to return. These are ordinary citizens; nothing will happen.”
Ji Ran considered for a moment before complying.
As he carried Miss Lu away, Li Shuang smiled to herself and continued walking. She gazed at the snow-covered ground when suddenly, a loud “Bang!” erupted from the center of Lucheng as fireworks were launched.
Li Shuang looked up, but instead of seeing fireworks, she found someone standing before her.
The fireworks exploded behind him, making him appear like a legend stepping out of an ethereal beauty, almost like an illusion.
His appearances were always mysterious and uncannily timely.
He wore a black mask identical to hers. Through their masks, they saw themselves reflected in each other’s eyes.
Li Shuang smiled. “Well, hero, how have you been?”
“Well enough,” he replied, his eyes crinkling with a smile behind his mask. “Are you happy to see me?”
Happy? Perhaps… a little.
Knowing he was unharmed and still active, she probably felt a bit happy… maybe. content