MHNEB 32 (1/2)

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

Chapter 32: An Unexpected Guest [Part 1 of 2]

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He Mulan looked at A-Dan Zhuo, who suddenly cried because of what she had said, and distressfully rubbed her chin. 

This youth looked like the type of masculine man. Why was it that he suddenly cried with a single sentence that she said?

She thought about it. If she grew up with the support of a person, she would probably be so excited to meet the person who supported her……

So, He Mulan did not say much, she simply smiled and watched as the youth calmed down. 

A-Dan Zhuo wiped his tears away and sobbed, "I didn't come to you because I was short of money. You have been sending things over the past ten over years, but this year you suddenly didn't send them. I'm worried that something had happened to you. I can’t help but feel worried, so I inquired about your whereabouts all the way from WuChuan…... "

"Initially I thought you were in HuaiShuo, but when I arrived at the He Rai manor in HuaiShuo, the people there said that your family had moved to Liang county many years ago. Therefore, I headed south and when I inquired your whereabouts in Yu City…..."

"I’m grateful for your consideration. I'm doing well." He Mulan did not expect that there was a young boy who would care about Hua Mulan personally. He went all the way from WuChuan in the north to Yu City in Liang County. "Since you are here, can you tell me how have you been for so many years? How are you doing with your mother? "

Before his death, A-Dan ZhiQi was afraid that the mother and son would live a life of destitute and would be homeless. 

A family without a man, just with a mere thought, one would know that they would not have an easy life.

A-Dan Zhuo nodded and began to slowly talk about what happened when he grew up from young. 

This appeared like something he had always wanted to do. 

"When I was four years old, you brought back the news of my father's sacrifice. My mother and grandmother were heartbroken, and my family set up my father’s cenotaph, and then the next two years…..."

His voice was a little low, and he began to talk about every milestone in his life to him He Mulan. Because there are many changes brought about by Hua Mulan's care for them, A-Dan Zhuo’s voice carried feelings of gratefulness. 

For He Mulan, with the narration of A-Dan Zhuo, her consciousness gradually separated from reminiscing the memory of the "Captain" of Hua Mulan, and her consciousness slowly elongated. This allowed her to connect that memory with the life of A-Dan Zhuo, and it allowed her to know what kind of person Hua Mulan is from another perspective. 

In Hua Mulan's memory, she sent things to A-Dan ZhiQi's family because she didn't know what to do to maintain the peaceful life of the mother and son, so she could only supplement them with certain tangible materials. 

In the beginning, Hua Mulan didn't have a lot of grains or soldier’s pay, so she could only provide limited help to them. She tried her best to reduce her personal clothing and food expenses. In addition to giving the grains and soldier’s salary to her family, almost all of the rest of it was given to the A-Dan ZhiQi’s family.

Later, Hua Mulan became more and more successful in the military, and her wages and salaries became grew more. With her own military slaves and personal guards, she could provide the mother and son with more tangibles. 

Although A-Dan ZhiQi's wife wrote a letter, hoping Hua Mulan wouldn't send any more things, she couldn't help sending things to his home when she thought that her captain’s wife and child might fall into poverty.

Because she has always pretended to be a man, in order not to bring any gossip to this widowed woman, she seldom visited the A-Dan family, but occasionally she also visited his hometown. She would ask about his family's recent situation among the neighbouring villagers and provided all possible help.

A-Dan Zhuo said that he had never seen Hua Mulan, which is true. But Hua Mulan had seen him many times covertly. 

Even the military veteran who taught A-Dan Zhuo's martial arts was only willing to teach such an ordinary teenager because Hua Mulan had politely asked for a favour.

If A-Dan Zhuo did not head here, this part of Hua Mulan’s memories would be sealed forever in He Mulan’s mind, and it would gradually become a part of a legend that nobody knew. 

He Mulan supported her chin with her hands and listened to A-Dan Zhuo's description of his life with a gentle expression, but in his mind, because of A-Dan Zhuo's description, all Hua Mulan’s memories regarding A-Dan family rushed to her mind. 

The more memory she regained, the more she admired this woman.

The legends and stories He Mulan has heard about Hua Mulan are just stories and carols that have been beautified and had been ‘processed’ by others. 

They just kept chanting the heroine's anthem, and but they never really spent a moment in understanding her.

And there would be no such chance to understand her again.

But now she seemed to really understand and admire her at this moment. Now if He Mulan closed her eyes; she can see the noblewoman who lived 1500 years ago……

——Hua Mulan.

He Mulan looked at A-Dan Zhuo narrating his past with gratitude and longing, and an idea came into her mind.

She needs to piece all her memories together.

She will go to all the places Hua Mulan has been to, the roads she has walked, and the scenery she has seen.

She obtained Hua Mulan’s body, Hua Mulan’s benevolence, but Hua Mulan had never transmitted to her any feedback, even she did not know what had happened to the owner of this body that she is using.

Maybe it is because when a hero is experiencing a hero’s life, one does not think that one is doing anything amazing. One does not think what one is going through is something that will happen in the historical theology or the biography. Therefore, Hua Mulan's memorable memories, conversely, does not have any touching moments that held her heartfelt intentions of "her protecting her home and country" and "her protecting the citizenry".

But others can not care about her life, how can He Mulan not care?

She's using what Hua Mulan left behind!

A-Dan Zhuo's description of his life experience is not long. Like most boys, even if they look forward to how glorious and fulfilling their past will be like, their age determines that their future will be much longer than their past, and the things they can tell are quite limited.

So, when He Mulan heard about his experiences during his childhood and youth, she was relieved.

Hua Mulan can't give him another father, but she has done what she could under the current conditions.

"You are a very good child. A-Dan ZhiQi should be able to rest peacefully in his death. " He Mulan folded her arms and looked at the child carefully again.

His eyes are clear and firm. It is the type of eyes that would hold onto his faith. 

With strong arms and a large body figure, he grew up to be a reliable man without suffering from hunger and poverty.

He said that he was still working in a blacksmith's shop. Just with a mere thought, one would know that he wasn’t a spoilt child just because someone supported him. 

For today's A-Dan Zhuo, he has two legs to walk out of his own path, two arms to hold the sword to defend against any enemies, and a lot of time to strive for what he wants. 

All the most important attributes for a “warrior” is what he already possessed. 

"Speaking of which……” A-Dan Zhuo showed an expression of curiosity and fear. "My father……Your captain, what kind of person is he? "

He Mulan is slightly shocked, she suddenly recalled the A-Dan ZhiQi who sat on the ground and said, “I am an ordinary person”. 

She raised her head slightly and said to him with great certainty:

"My captain is an extremely capable person…..."

A-Dan Zhuo involuntarily showed a proud smile.

She smiled, too.

"He is a very powerful man. He can use very superficial words to tell the hows and whys behind most principles that no one else knows. Your father, he has indirectly changed the fate of Hua Mulan. "

He Mulan saw the young man turned his head slightly and listened attentively. She continued to speak thoughtfully.

"At that year, I just entered the HeiShan camp. ‘I’ was actually a person who was afraid of death…..."

He Mulan began to speak slowly about A-Dan ZhiQi’s past deeds. 

The slight sunlight in the winter morning splayed in from the window. There were specks of gold dust floating in the air, and it made her appear ever so gentle and warm. 

It's really like a scene where an old person who had removed his armour and returned back home that was reminiscing his or her memories, but in such a situation, A-Dan Zhuo felt the happiness that he had been pursuing.

Yes, he is very happy now.

.

.

.

The next day, early morning. 

After staying at Hua family's house that night and being invited to stay for a short period of time as the "son of an old friend", A-Dan Zhuo is practising with his sword in Hua Mulan's yard.

"Eh, you are also using such a…..." He Mulan raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise. 

In this era, there are too few warriors who choose to use heavy swords. Heavy swords require a high level of physical fitness, and it also requires blacksmith’s high calibre. In military families, boys usually learn how to use weapons such as spears and halberds when they are young, and some learn to use weapons such as single sabres because these weapons are easy to find in the army. Even if they are lost in the battlefield, they can find another one.

Moreover, in close combat, the heavy sword is obviously less lethal than a sabre. 

Of course, that's another matter if you have great strength.

A-Dan Zhuo's face turned red. These two days, the number of times his face turned red could be equal to the number of times his face turned red over the past 17 years.

"That……I heard that you used a heavy sword…... "

He was a little worried, but he was more proud to say why he chose to use a heavy sword. 

A-Dan Zhuo didn't say that in order to use the heavy sword well, he even lifted the stone lock at home when he was young, and went to the iron shop to help people push the bellows and swing the sledgehammers, just to be able to pick up the same weapon as Hua Mulan in the future.

He did not know that it was difficult to learn and use the heavy sword, but since it was difficult, he worshipped the "general" in front of him more because she was able to use this terrible weapon to the point where she could frighten the enemy. Because of his idol, this skill was worth learning even if he spent his entire life learning. 

He Mulan was even more surprised now.

How unbelievable, she can't believe that this kid is a fan of Hua Mulan.

However, it also seemed right because Hua Mulan has an aura that would automatically attract fans. As soon as she gets close, everyone cannot help but become her followers and admirers.

Is this the legendary "main protagonist’s halo"?

"Since you use the heavy sword, we may as well duel......" He Mulan came out this early for the sake of exercising. Now that she knows that A-Dan Zhuo is the little admirer of Hua Mulan, she is naturally willing to give some pointers. 

She went back to the house and took out "Pan Shi" and stood opposite A-Dan Zhuo again.

"You attack first, I defend……Eh? "

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Fleur's Corner: 

Thank you everyone for appreciating this story! ;A;

It makes translating this so much more worthwhile! 

Next Update: 29/4. 

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