Chapter Thirty-Five: The First Battle

A few captains walked by, and the short soldier quickly fell silent.

As they passed, the men glanced at Kaiming, who stood with her head lowered, and sneered, "Squad Fourteen is really something. Now they're even taking in women soldiers."

"Chang Geng must be furious this time—just about anyone gets sent to his squad."

"Just another body for the slaughter, that's all. Ha!" The group laughed as they walked away. Kaiming glared fiercely at their retreating figures.

"They're always like that. You can't expect ivory from a dog's mouth," the short soldier said to her with a wide grin. "We're all used to it by now." He rummaged through his pack and pulled out two filthy porcelain bowls, filling one to the brim with rice and handing it to her.

Kaiming looked at him in surprise. He gave a sheepish smile. "It's your first time on the battlefield, isn't it? You probably didn't bring anything. Use mine!"

Taking the steaming bowl of rice, Kaiming felt a rush of warmth in her chest. For a moment, she didn't know what to say; she just found this soldier utterly endearing, and even the other men in the squad seemed more agreeable. After a long pause, she finally managed to say, "Thank you."

The short soldier's dark face flushed a shade redder, and he shifted awkwardly. "Don't look at me like that, it's embarrassing. I haven't even got a wife yet!"

Kaiming smiled as she took the half-length bamboo chopsticks he offered. "Big brother, what’s your name?"

Before he could reply, several nearby soldiers called out loudly, "Doggie! You want to know his name? It's Doggie!" The group burst out laughing.

Kaiming answered coldly, "Don't insult him."

But Doggie didn't seem offended. Scratching his head, he said, "Well, that's really my name..."

Kaiming was taken aback. Was that even a name?

"My father said it would make me easier to raise," he explained with another sheepish grin.

Ah, so it was like those rural customs in the modern era, where the humbler the name, the better the chance of survival. Kaiming nodded in understanding and asked no more.

The soldiers crowded around the cookpot, jostling for their share. An older man winked at Kaiming, "Girl, our Doggie here isn’t married yet. If you’re single, you two could make a pair!"

Doggie, mortified, tossed a pebble at the man and shouted, "Get lost! Mind your own business!"

Everyone laughed, and even Kaiming couldn’t help but chuckle.

"What’s all this racket?!" Chang Geng’s voice thundered from afar. "Finish your food and get moving!"

The soldiers immediately sobered and ate quickly where they stood. Doggie, glancing around furtively, sidled up to Kaiming. "So, what’s your name?"

"I’m Kaiming," she replied with a gentle smile. "It corresponds to a star in your constellations, I think."

Doggie’s eyes widened. "I was just about to say, that’s a good name. Kaiming means ‘ending war’, doesn’t it? ‘When Kaiming rises, it benefits the people and the king, but not the command of armies.’"

She was surprised—Doggie knew quite a lot. Before she could delve further, Chang Geng stormed over, whip in hand, cursing and shouting, "Time's up! Put away your bowls and gear—move!"

Doggie tried to dodge but caught the end of the whip. Annoyed, he muttered to Kaiming, "No wonder Chang Geng’s star brings war—it's a star of disaster!"

"Chang Geng is a star of disaster?" Kaiming asked, intrigued.

Doggie wanted to answer, but the captain barked orders again, so he clamped his mouth shut and hurriedly cleaned up, tossing the leftover rice into an old cloth sack and packing his things away.

Kaiming retrieved her banner and prepared herself. Dawn was just breaking, and the woods were alive with the sounds of soldiers getting ready. Squad after squad marched out from among the trees.

Descending a dirt slope, she looked out across the plain. Far off at the horizon, dark shapes and a forest of banners waved in the wind.

"That’s the Nangong army," Doggie whispered as he came up beside her.

"And what of their commander, Sikong? Is he formidable?" Kaiming asked, lowering her voice.

Doggie shook his head. "He’s a young officer, probably just a vanguard. There must be stronger leaders holding the line behind him."

"How do the two sides compare in strength?"

"If General Dayin leads, the Central Palace has the edge."

That was reassuring. Kaiming thought to herself that this meant she had a chance of surviving and going home.

As she pondered, the enemy lines split open and a young officer leapt out, clad in a steel helmet and silver armor, wielding a long halberd. Kaiming noticed his horse was red, just like Dayin’s warhorses.

The young officer charged forward alone. Dayin glanced to his side, and a captain with a short beard nodded, preparing to ride out. But before he could move, a figure in a green cloak and white armor—Chang Geng—shot ahead on a dappled horse, leaving the rest behind.

"General?"

"Let him go," Dayin said, raising a hand to halt his men. His gaze was fixed on the distant Chang Geng. "Let him test Sikong’s strength. It may be for the best."

Sikong? So that young officer was Sikong? She’d heard the name often enough that she watched more closely.

In a flash, the two riders collided—halberd against spear—and began a fierce duel. The red horse blazed like fire, the white armor gleamed, and the clash was breathtaking to behold.

"What skill!" Kaiming silently praised.

Suddenly, Sikong wheeled his horse and dashed back toward his own lines. Chang Geng shouted and gave chase.

"Careful, it might be a ruse!" the short-bearded captain shouted, spurring his horse. Dayin watched, tense.

As Sikong fled, he twisted around, now holding a longbow he seemed to have conjured from nowhere. He drew it and loosed at Chang Geng, who ducked aside, but the bowstring twanged empty.

Sikong sneered, mocking him, and raced on. Chang Geng, enraged, spurred his horse faster.

Again Sikong turned, another empty twang. Chang Geng dodged, angrier than ever, roaring, "You little brat, just wait till I catch you!"

He closed the distance, freeing one hand to seize his foe.

But Sikong turned a third time, bow drawn to the fullest, eyes suddenly cold and merciless. Chang Geng’s heart lurched—he saw the gleam of a real arrow this time.

The shaft cut through the icy air with a whistle, slamming into Chang Geng’s left chest. Blood blossomed in a crimson burst.

Darkness swallowed his vision and he toppled from his horse. Sikong reined in. Shouts erupted as Nangong’s soldiers surged forward like a tide.

The short-bearded captain reached Chang Geng first, swinging his spear to fend off Sikong. Other officers thundered into the fray. Dayin called out sharply, "Squad Fourteen—retrieve your captain!"

With a sweep of his sword, his soldiers surged in a wave.

The general’s order was ironclad. Even if Kaiming had wanted to hold back, she couldn’t—the men around her charged like wild beasts, trampling anyone too slow. She had to run with all her might. Thanks to Jiping’s rigorous training, she actually outran most of the men.

Ahead, enemy soldiers hurled dragging hooks, catching on Chang Geng’s armor and pulling him their way. Fury surged in her chest, fierce and unbidden. Eyes blazing, she swung her banner at them with all her strength.

Caught off guard, the Nangong soldiers took the blow to their arms and released their grip. She rushed forward, shielding Chang Geng and gripping her banner pole, eyes full of warning.

All around was chaos—generals from both sides clashing on horseback, infantry surging in. The Nangong soldiers, so close to their prize, refused to retreat, and the two armies battled ferociously.

Kaiming quickly knelt by Chang Geng. "Captain, are you alright?"

Gritting his teeth, Chang Geng opened his eyes. Seeing it was her, a flicker of emotion passed over his face. "I won’t die yet. Move! Go!"

She tried to help him walk, but Chang Geng’s body sagged, blood dripping into the mud. They couldn’t take a step. Desperate, Kaiming searched the melee for any other officers, but everywhere was clashing steel and rearing horses—she couldn’t tell friend from foe.

She sighed and gave up looking for help. Squatting in front of him, she said, "Quick, get on my back—I’ll carry you out!"

"Are you joking?" Chang Geng’s face contorted in pain and pride. "I’m a captain—how can I let a woman soldier carry me—"

"Captain, if we don’t go now, we’ll both die here! If you want to die, I don’t!" Kaiming’s temper flared, and she shouted at him.

Stunned, Chang Geng fell silent. Then his eyes flicked upward, and he shouted in terror, "Behind you—!"

Kaiming heard the whistle of a blade and twisted aside, but not quite fast enough. Cold steel grazed her arm, slicing flesh from bone. Blood spurted, and she gasped at the pain.

"Watch out!" Chang Geng cried. Instinctively, Kaiming grabbed her broken banner and blocked the next blow. The wooden pole snapped in two. Thinking quickly, she wrapped the banner around her attacker’s wrist and drove her fist into his thumb joint.

With a cry of pain, the man dropped his weapon. She shoved him away. Chang Geng snatched up a saber from the ground and tossed it to her. "Catch!"

She turned, blade in hand, and suddenly felt the tip sink into flesh. There was a wet, sickening sound, and hot blood splattered her face and body.

Kaiming froze, stunned. The advancing Nangong soldier stared at her with wide, unseeing eyes as the heat drained from his body and he collapsed at her feet. The movements had been smooth and instinctive.

She let go, and the man fell, saber still in his chest. Her knees buckled and she knelt in the blood-soaked mud. I killed someone. I killed him! It was me!

All around her, the world fell silent. It was as if she were the last living soul, stained with blood, eyes wide in shock, kneeling in the scarlet mire. The world faded to white, leaving only her in brilliant red—a red that chilled the soul.

"Kaiming!" In that white world, someone called her name. Someone shook her, hard.

"Kaiming! Kaiming!"

Suddenly she snapped back to herself. Doggie’s anxious face loomed close. "Kaiming! What’s wrong?!"

"Doggie?" She was still dazed.

"Hurry! The general’s sounding the retreat!"

The clang of the gong—yes, sound returned to the world. Dayin banged on the drums and gongs, ringing clear and sharp—the signal to withdraw. She saw Chang Geng being carried away by a burly soldier, Doggie supporting her, her legs so weak she could barely stand, her whole weight leaning on Doggie as they retreated from the field.