MHNEB 23 (1/2)

Book 2: Generals die after a hundred battles; heroes return after ten years’ time.

Chapter 23: The First Sunrise [Part 1 of 2]

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"Though my legs are useless, riding a horse is not a problem for me. If there are warhorses, war horses are my legs. I have armour and weapons, and they are but 10 over Hu-rens, why would I need to be afraid of them!"

It’s been seven or eight days since the issue, but Hua Father seems to be indulging in the atmosphere of pride and happiness. He rambles on the story that he has repeated over and over again occasionally. Even as Yuan-shi’s face is filled with worry, he did not stop talking about it.

"In the past, I followed the old Khan to battle to carry out an assault on Liu Song. (0) I've seen the south side use this kind of thing to resist the cavalries. They had a bamboo that was more than a foot tall and sharpened the front part of it. Three men lifted the bamboo and levelled it, and when the calvaries and warhorses rushing to it will be burrowed. The impact of the enemy's original purpose to kill us using brutal shock power will become our weapon ... "Hua Father excitedly extended his neck.

"Which one of us doesn't have a bamboo pole that is used to dry clothes! As soon as I heard that the Head of the Township said that several other Hu-rens have entered into other townships, I immediately asked MuTuo to go each household to ask for people to make bamboo spears."

Hua Mutuo was not at home currently. Hua Mulan defeated the leader of LuShuihus and forced him to leave Yu City. Hua family’s father took the villagers of Yingguo to stand here to block the Hu-rens from entering the village. The Hua family has become Yu City's heroes, and many people want to invite them for a drink.

Hua Father’s old rheumatic legs relapsed as soon as winter came. Hua Mulan was a woman, after all, not to mention that He Mulan didn’t want to go, and adding on to the fact that even if she wanted to go over to take a peek, Yuan-shi small heart might not be able to withstand her actions. So, in order not to neglect everyone’s good intention, Hua younger brother will have to go to their houses to accept their wine toast. He had to accept many families’ invitation on behalf of his father and sister to go around accepting “wine toast”. (1)

The manner these people had in these days seemed to had frightened Yuan-shi, and even if He Mulan returned home safely, she was unable to let Yuan-shi be relieved of the feeling of personal loss and gain. 

Now, she refuses to leave Hua father an inch. Even He Mulan, to appease her old mother’s worrisome feelings, these few days she had obediently wore a Xianbei women’s outfit.

With the exception that she is older, has no makeup and her hair is loose, her appearance and Fang-shi’s appearance is not much different. 

"Therefore, no matter whether it is Xianbei-rens, Han-rens, Hu-rens or any other races, as long as someone hits our home, we have to protect it with our lives. They used to think that an old cripple that was useless. Once there was a foreign enemy at our doorsteps, they still obediently called me ‘Captain Hua’, and begged me to led them……“ "Hua Father was delightfully sipped a sip of his wine. This wine was given to him by the wine brewer that brewed the best wine in the village.  

As the only military family in Yingguo Township, Hua Father's life here can be said to be filled with aggrievement.

If it was not for the purpose of concealing the fact that the "Hua Family’s second daughter had suddenly disappeared", Hua Father would not leave the village and move his whole family into the south side to plough and sow. 

The town of HuaiShuo, which is full of soldiers, is the most comfortable place for a veteran. Even if his legs are not working, he could still ride his horse and exchange martial moves with his companions. When spring arrives, he could go hunting on a horseback. 

In Liang County, where the weather was warmer, although it was good for his legs, he could not get out and farm, had no companions to exchange moves, and he couldn't hunt here.

A few years ago, his family had produced an amazing child dubbed as "HuaiShuo Hua Mulan" and won a good reputation in HuaiShuo. But, when the news spread to Liang County, the entire Hua family knew what was going on. They not only could not be excited about the matter, but they also had to be on tenterhooks constantly. They were afraid that one day, they would be pressed down on the crime of “deceiving the emperor” and their whole family would be sent to prison.

Hua Father had been nursing this aggrievement for so many years. At this time, he suddenly became the "Master Hua" in the countryside, how could not be delighted about it?

He Mulan watched Hua father with a smile on her face, as Hua father was reminiscing on “those years”. She quietly warmed his rice wine that had already cooled. 

She believes that this "Master Hua" was also a typical Xianbei warrior when he was young. He should be not afraid of death and a brave warrior that charged on ahead. If not, he would not have raised a daughter like Hua Mulan who had a unique personality and had good shooting skills on a horseback. 

It was only that a hero would grow old too. Hua father leg’s condition is almost incurable in this era and they could only allow the illness to remain dormant.

Now that he was still able to fight, then she shall let him fight.

"My horseback then was still the best. After all, this warhorse that was dragged out from the backyard had not experienced much spectacle. After being frightened by the LuShuihus whistling, it scampered about, not knowing left or right. This is not what it should be. From tomorrow onwards, call Hua MuTuo to scare these few mares. I can’t let my Hua Family’s horse that is to be delivered to Your Majesty be so useless…..."Hua Father twisted his beard as he continued saying:

"Afterall, these are the warhorses that were raised by ‘General Hua’s’ family.”

He Mulan sniggered before she let out a smile. 

Hua family’s father couldn’t be thinking that he wanted to print a “Hua family produce, best quality guaranteed” on the back of the horse!

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(0) Liu Song: Could mean the Liu Song Dynasty (The Liu Song dynasty, also known as Former Song or Southern Song, was the first of the four Southern Dynasties in China,) or the person (Liu Shao, an emperor of Liu Song Dynasty.) To read more, click on the hyperlinks. 

(1) 敬酒(jing jiu): lit meaning: Wine toast. An expression of goodwill and honour; In Chinese contexts, it is usually good if one accepts the toast so as the other would not lose face.  

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Fleur's Corner:

And... we are starting Book 2!! Yay!!

The next update by next Mon/Tues.

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