MLMD -Chapter 58 Hailanzhu

Just as a fierce battle was finally brought under control, in a northwest corner about ten or so li away from Yue Yang and the others, a small stream ran through the land. By the edge of this stream stood a small tent in alternating blue and white. A slender figure sat on a rock by the water, facing away from the tent, softly humming an unfamiliar tune.

“Ah… oh no… something’s happened…”

At that moment, a delicate figure came running from the direction of the tent, accompanied by a flurry of urgent shouts. Soon, the young girl reached the edge of the stream and slowed her pace.

She was only sixteen or seventeen, with a round, rosy face, dark, well-shaped eyebrows, and bright, straightforward eyes full of warmth. When she walked, her weight seemed to rest on her toes, as if she were about to leap or fly.

Hearing the girl’s voice, the figure on the rock turned around. As she did, it was as if the surrounding scenery brightened. She faced a bouquet, her figure slender, long black hair cascading down her back, lightly tied with a single blue ribbon. Her snow-white sheepskin jacket fit her perfectly. The stream beside her reflected her exceptional beauty, highlighting her radiant features. She looked barely twenty, but what stood out most were her piercing phoenix-like eyes and the upward sweep of her brows, giving her an air of heroic elegance.

The beautiful woman smiled slightly and said, “Xiaoman, what’s wrong with you? You’re already grown, yet still so reckless. Be careful, or you’ll have trouble finding a husband someday!”

The Mongolian girl, Xiaoman, pouted in protest: “Sister Hailanzhu, something serious really happened up ahead. I came to tell you in good faith, and you’re just laughing at me!”

It turned out that the figure on the rock was none other than Hailanzhu Borjigit, the most beautiful flower of the Khorchin tribe and the treasured daughter of Zaisang. At twenty-three, she was in what future generations would call the prime age right after college, but in this era, most women of twenty-three were already mothers with children running around. Hailanzhu, however, was an exception; she was still a young maiden living alone.

Her beautiful phoenix-like eyes twinkled as she said lightly, “Alright, Xiaoman, tell me—what exactly happened up ahead?”

“Sister Hailanzhu, something huge happened! Did you know? A caravan from the Ming came into conflict with the Later Jin forces. I heard many people died. Now Zaisang and Lord Wudamu have rushed over. Isn’t this a major event?”

Hailanzhu’s face showed surprise. “Huh… that’s strange. A Ming caravan dares to fight with the Later Jin forces? Where did they get the courage? Xiaoman, are you talking about the caravan from Shanxi, the one surnamed Li?”

“Not at all!” Xiaoman laughed proudly. “Sister Hailanzhu, you guessed wrong this time. Uncle Pulile said this caravan is new. The one leading it is a young man surnamed Yue! If you ask me, this guy is fearless—he even dared to fight Lord Daishan’s men and killed quite a few! This is going to be exciting to watch!” Xiaoman spoke with a hint of gloating.

“A new caravan? Fighting with the Later Jin forces?” Hailanzhu murmured, puzzled. “No, that can’t be right. Lord Daishan is an experienced warrior. How could he trouble a small caravan? This is a disgrace to the Khorchin tribe. This isn’t the kind of thing Lord Daishan would do…”

“Who knows? The thing is done. Zaisang must be furious. I want to see if the Later Jin dare to ask for a marriage alliance now! That Later Jin Khan is shameless—nearly forty and asking our chief to marry him. Clearly, an old bull going after young grass!” Xiaoman said with a frown, clearly unhappy about this marriage arrangement.

Hailanzhu chuckled softly, amused. “Xiaoman, I think you’re just saying that because you don’t want me to marry the Later Jin Khan, aren’t you?”

“No way…” Xiaoman stretched her words, clutching Hailanzhu’s sleeve coquettishly. “Wherever you go, Sister Hailanzhu, Xiaoman will follow. I’ll never leave you!”

“You little thing, your words don’t match your heart, yet you refuse to admit it.” Hailanzhu turned and lightly ran a finger along Xiaoman’s nose, saying nothing further. Soon, a faint worry appeared on her face as she softly said, “So what if an old bull goes after young grass? Just like my aunt Borjigit Zhezhe and my sister Borjigit Bumubutai, they both married Huang Taiji. Now it’s my turn. Perhaps this is the fate of the Borjigit women.”

As she spoke, a trace of melancholy crossed the bright, cheerful girl’s face.

Seeing Hailanzhu this way, Xiaoman—who had grown up alongside her—felt her eyes welling up. She held Hailanzhu’s hand to comfort her: “Sister, don’t be sad. It’s not even time yet. Tomorrow is the sheep-catching competition. According to Khorchin custom, anyone who finds their ideal husband there is blessed by the Eternal Heaven. No one can interfere. If you settle your lifelong matter at the competition tomorrow, everything will be fine.”

Hailanzhu, knowing Xiaoman was trying to console her, forced a faint smile and patted Xiaoman’s little head in silence. She understood well: finding the right man at the sheep-catching competition wouldn’t be easy. Even if she found him, which young man in the tribe could compete with the Later Jin Khan under such pressure?

“Better to wait for fate,” Hailanzhu sighed quietly.

Just as she was about to speak, the distant sound of repeated, urgent horns drifted over from the front—different from ordinary horns, continuous and fast-paced.

Hailanzhu’s expression stiffened. Confused, she asked, “Xiaoman, what’s going on up ahead? Why would Father order the tribe’s warriors to sound an emergency assembly? Could something serious have happened? Let’s go… we need to see.”

Indeed, Zaisang had ordered the tribal assembly horns to be sounded—because Yue Yang had once again clashed with Daishan.

At the frontlines, Yue Yang squinted at Daishan, his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably. At this point, if Yue Yang didn’t realize that all the chaos had been caused by this great Beile, he might as well go buy a block of tofu to bang his head on.

Seeing this young man’s hostile expression, Daishan’s eyes flickered with a faint sneer. “Young man, I must say, your courage is astounding—astonishing. You really have no regard for the Great Jin Kingdom, huh?”

“Hahaha…”

Yue Yang suddenly felt a wave of uncontrollable amusement. Even now, Daishan hadn’t forgotten to play the great Beile act. Did he really think he was a celestial being descended to earth?

Looking at this old man with a golden rat tail and fitted cotton armor, Yue Yang restrained his killing intent and, after stopping his laughter, said: “Great Beile, you have it backwards. You should be explaining yourself. Not only did you dispatch troops to search my goods without permission, but you also attempted to rob them. When you failed, you even tried to kill me to cover it up. How is this different from a bandit? Oh… I forgot, you ARE a group of bandits. This is your natural behavior—my mistake for forgetting!”

“Impudent! Do you really think I dare not kill you?” Daishan roared. Over the years, aside from his father and Huang Taiji, no one had dared speak to him this way—especially a Ming merchant he looked down upon.

Just as Daishan was about to turn hostile, Zaisang shouted beside him: “Enough… Great Beile Daishan, this young man is right. What right do you have to search my caravan in my tribe? Who gave you the courage? Do you really think I wouldn’t dare report you to the Khan?”