Chapter 59: Blade Duel
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On this day, He Yan once again attracted a lot of attention.
On the way back, He Yan encountered Wang Ba, who had been hiding in the crowd. Wang Ba had likely come to watch the spear duel between He Yan and Jiang Jiao. After watching, he intended to leave, but unfortunately, He Yan spotted him. From a distance, He Yan greeted him, “Brother Wang!”
In full view of everyone, Wang Ba’s face turned black as he awkwardly forced out a greeting, his voice as small as a mosquito. He Yan looked at him with a smile, and he quickly turned and walked away, as if someone were chasing him from behind.
“Brother Ah He, you’re really something,” Xiao Mai exclaimed enviously.
“Such things will become more common in the future, and you’ll have to get used to it,” He Yan said as she patted Xiao Mai’s head. Hong Shan couldn’t help but chuckle, “You act like a big shot, but you should grow a bit taller first.”
He Yan shrugged, thinking that while one can plan, success still depends on fate. Getting taller wasn’t something that could be forced.
Perhaps in a good mood that day, He Yan did something unusual – she had a dream when she went to sleep after her late-night practice.
In the dream, she stood on the elevated platform of the training ground, and everyone was addressing her as “Leader.” Cheng Lisu ran over, smiling, and said, “Big Brother He, you’re joining the Nine Banner Battalion!”
“Really?” She was delighted in the dream. Then, she heard a voice, “He Rufei?”
She turned around and saw it was Xiao Jue, gazing at her coldly, his words tinged with sarcasm. “Are you really He Yan, or are you He Rufei?”
When she heard the name “He Rufei,” she suddenly woke up from the dream, sitting up and wiping sweat from her forehead.
Outside, it was already getting light, and Hong Shan was pushing open the window. Seeing her wiping sweat, he casually said, “These days have been scorching hot. It’s probably going to rain soon. After a few rainstorms, the weather will cool down. D*mn it, I don’t want to spend another summer in the Liangzhou Garrison. I’ve sweated off a layer of skin.”
He Yan smiled and still felt a bit unsettled. Seeing her expression, Xiao Mai wondered, “Brother Ah He, you complexion doesn’t look so good, are you feeling unwell due to the heat? Want some herbal tea?”
“No need, it’s just the heat,” He Yan got off the bed and put on her shoes. “I’ll go out for a run and work up a sweat.”
After the morning’s intense weight-bearing run, they continued their training at the training ground. Today, it was blade techniques. As she practiced, a group of people approached and stopped in front of He Yan.
He Yan put down the blade in her hand.
“Are you going to honor your words from yesterday?” the leader of the group asked in a deep voice.
He was a bald man with fierce brows and leopard-like eyes. He wore a string of Buddhist prayer beads around his neck, and they glowed with a dark sheen, each bead about the size of a fingertip. He held a large blade with a golden back in both hands. He appeared much older than He Yan, perhaps beyond his prime, maybe even at the end of his life. However, he showed no signs of slackening or weariness, as if he were a tightly wound bear.
“I’m Huang Xiong,” the bald man said with a gruff voice, “I want to spar with you in blade techniques.”
The new recruits around them immediately became excited, their ears perked up as they eavesdropped on their conversation.
“Ah, someone’s here, someone’s here already! I told you, with the tens of thousands of us in the Liangzhou Garrison, how could we not find someone to teach this kid a lesson in humility!”
“Exactly, let’s put an end to his arrogance and avenge our dry biscuits!”
“I think He Yan won’t be so arrogant this time. Look at the blade in Huang Xiong’s hand. It’s no ordinary weapon! He’s probably been a wandering warrior before.”
He Yan also noticed the blade in Huang Xiong’s hand. The blade was crimson, the back of the blade was thick, the edge was sharp, the tip was flat, and it had a slight curve. This kind of blade was very heavy, and an ordinary person would find it difficult to wield, but in the hands of someone like Huang Xiong, it had a fitting air of might.
“You have a good blade,” He Yan praised.
At her words, Huang Xiong’s gaze softened slightly, and he said, “It’s been my old friend for thirty years.”
He Yan was amazed in her heart, and couldn’t help but think of her Qinglang Sword. Now that she was a new recruit again, and with the hasty departure, she didn’t bring her own sword to Liangzhou like Huang Xiong did. Without a familiar weapon, she actually felt quite uncomfortable.
At this moment, she couldn’t help but envy Huang Xiong.
Seeing that He Yan didn’t respond for a while, Huang Xiong frowned and said, “Didn’t you say yesterday that you wouldn’t refuse any challengers? Are you hesitating now?”
He Yan was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, “Of course not. I always do what I say. I’m ready now.”
Facing the gaze of the crowd, she calmly walked up to the elevated platform of the training ground.
Below the platform, Liang Ping watched He Yan’s movements with a numb expression.
Du Mao leaned against a tree and said with a grin, “The person under your command, He Yan, sure knows how to stir up trouble.”
Liang Ping wanted to go up and give him a couple of slaps. If it weren’t for Du Mao’s meddling yesterday, suggesting that Jiang Jiao should have a match with He Yan, He Yan wouldn’t have gone up the training platform at all, and there wouldn’t have been all this fuss today.
Now that even Instructor Shen had tacitly approved of this, Liang Ping couldn’t stop it. He could only silently hope that He Yan would have good luck today and pass through this safely.
…
Cheng Lisu was in Xiao Jue’s room, idly doodling on a small table. His uncle was busy reading a document that had arrived from the capital, and he had no idea what it was, but he had been reading it all morning.
Cheng Lisu was feeling a bit bored. He was contemplating whether to go out and see what was happening at the training ground for some entertainment. Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Xiao Jue said, “Come in.”
It was Shen Han who entered.
Shen Han walked over to Xiao Jue and whispered a few words. Cheng Lisu, while his uncle’s back was turned, made an exaggerated attempt to eavesdrop, catching a few words.
“He Yan… Huang Xiong… blade duel… training ground.”
For the first time, Cheng Lisu’s usually uncooperative brain worked well, and after a moment, he understood what was going on. Someone wanted to have a blade duel with He Yan, and it was happening now at the training ground. His excitement surged. His big brother’s words yesterday had already brought a challenger today. He wanted to go watch!
Cheng Lisu secretly put down the pen and paper in his hand and, while Xiao Jue’s back was turned, gave Shen Han a signal with his eyes. He was about to sneak out when Xiao Jue said, “Cheng Lisu.”
Cheng Lisu: “…”
He gave a sheepish smile and thought, why does his uncle always seem to have an extra pair of eyes? How does he always catch him whenever he’s up to something?
With a somewhat resigned expression, Cheng Lisu tiptoed over to Xiao Jue and nervously said, “Uncle, I just want to take a look. My big brother is having a blade duel with someone. How can I not watch? It’s about camaraderie. I’ll come back to practice calligraphy right after, I promise it won’t be a delay!”
Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow and looked at him, “Did I ever say you couldn’t go?”
“Eh?” Cheng Lisu suddenly brightened, “So you’re letting me go! Why didn’t you say so earlier? I’m off then!” He turned to leave, but Xiao Jue said, “Hold on.”
Cheng Lisu looked at him with suspicion.
Xiao Jue stood up and walked out with Shen Han, “I’m going too.”
Cheng Lisu’s eyes widened.
“Isn’t your big brother planning to join the Nine Banner Battalion?” Xiao Jue’s lips curled into a slight smile. “I also want to see how he plans to join the Nine Banner Battalion.”
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