Ch.27 Chen Lian, The Slumbering Scythe

“I know it’s a horse,” Luo Yue raised an eyebrow, “so what did you name it?”

Wu Zhe Yan looked her dead in the eye and then very slowly, he enunciated that one word again, “Ho-rse.”

“…” a frown filled with contempt broke out on Luo Yue’s expressionless face. For the first time, he saw genuine, unrestrained emotion on her face. She almost looked disgusted as she questioned him, “you named your own horse, ‘Horse’?”

“Yeah, doesn’t it perfectly describe him?”

To the lady who thought more highly of animals than humans, she found herself unable to stay idle as she listened to this disrespect. She turned back to the horse and pondered for a while.

A horse that was reluctant to be risen from its slumber, too proud to be ridden, yet once awoken, would leave a trail of bodies in its wake. Luo Yue had thought of a perfect name for him. She said to the horse, “what do you think about the name, Chen Lian, the slumbering scythe.”

The horse seemed delighted, having finally gotten rid of the name that even it had thought was absolutely ridiculous. It rubbed its head against her palm and gave a satisfied neigh.

Someone else, on the other hand, was not as amused.

“Hey, who do you think you are to name my horse?!” Wu Zhe Yan was ready to start a fight with her. What was so bad about naming him ‘Horse’ that it had to be changed by someone who had only ridden him once?

It reminded him of his beloved giant sword that he had used to roam the Jianghu with. The giant sword that he had bestowed upon the almighty name ‘Sword’, which some bastards had gone around spreading rumours and calling it the ‘Berserk Sword’ on their own accord.

What was so insufferable about calling a sword, 'Sword', and a horse, 'Horse'?

He was about to fight his case for this one when a loud screech sounded as Xiao Hei broke through the sky. It swooped down with an incredible speed and just when he thought that the gigantic eagle was about to attack, it stopped a short distance away from Luo Yue. Then, it landed softly on her shoulder.

Wu Zhe Yan stared at the eagle which was at least half of Luo Yue’s size. Then, turned back to the unfazed lady and her composure which he had gotten used to at a surprising speed. “Your pet?”

“Mn,” she nodded as Xiao Hei tapped his feet on her arm a few times. “He says the soldiers will finish getting ready soon.”

“How do you know?”

“Telegraph code,” she answered matter-of-factly.

“…” Alright, perhaps he hasn’t become completely immune to her surprises. The fact that he had never met a lady like her imprinted itself deeper into his mind. Her words were sarcastic yet classy, her character witty yet unrude, her demeanour haughty yet elegant and her attitude unguarded yet wary. Who in the world was she? Suddenly, he felt a sense of relief that she had managed to dodge his attack on their first meeting. Else, who knows how bored out of his mind he would be right now? “Is there anything you can’t do?”

She pondered for a moment and then smiled, “I can’t work with idiots. But I’ll say I did a pretty good job this time working with you.”

Alright, screw that. Wu Zhe Yan wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword as he returned a tight smile. “I see you have a death wish.”

While the two sworn enemies went about their battle of wits, Xiao Hei seemed to have found a perfect resting spot on Chen Lian’s back. Surprisingly, the usually arrogant horse did not budge, seemingly enjoying the occasional relaxing breeze whenever Xiao Hei flapped his wings.

After more bickering from their masters, Xiao Hei finally left with Luo Yue. As the lady’s silhouette grew smaller and smaller until it finally blended into the horizon, Wu Zhe Yan turned back to his horse and ruffled its mane while muttering complaints, “you lucky bastard. Now, you have a name even stronger than mine. Chen Lian? Is she telling me not to disturb your rest from now on?”

*Chen Lian = Slumbering Scythe

*(Wu) Zhe Yan = Wise Swallow

The black horse scoffed at its master before turning away from him and lying down for some rest.

“I swear I’ve never seen a horse more capable of enjoying its life than you…”

~~

The first thing Wu Zhe Yan saw when he returned back to the military camp with Chen Lian was not the greetings of the soldiers ready to depart, but the image of a certain lady sitting on the driver's seat of a carriage.

“Hey kitty, do you think you’re on some kind of vacation?” Then, he suddenly thought of a more important thing. “You paid for this with my money, didn’t you?”

Luo Yue met his gaze confidently, “what money?”

“…” Wu Zhe Yan took a deep breath. It was easy to quarrel with anyone else but her. Because of the lack of emotion on her face, every bit of reaction that he was giving felt like he was losing out to her. The right way to fight against someone like this was to keep his calm as well, that was something he was starting to learn during these few days. “Why do you need a carriage anyway?”

Shen Tian Ping was about to stand forward and cover up for his master when Luo Yue easily pulled aside the curtains and showed Wu Zhe Yan the few giant urns of alcohol in the carriage. Wu Zhe Yan can swear that half his month's worth of salary was in there.

“How else am I supposed to bring back my wines?”

Without another word, Wu Zhe Yan pulled the reins and turned Chen Lian around as he rode off to the head of the march. Another thing that he had learned these few days; it was no use trying to talk with her. That darn kitty would always have a comeback.

So, Qi was especially surprised when his lord started the return march without any bloodshed. He had not thought that a day would come where someone could make his lord exercise such patience. Have the Gods finally answered his prayers? Have the days of endless cleaning up after his lord’s reckless temper finally reached an end? This was definitely something worthy of a celebration! He had to let the Imperial Hounds Army know immediately!

~~

The march continued on as the sun began to drop. For a while now, Shen Tian Ping had been sending her some signals which Luo Yue had kept pretending to ignore. She sat beside Xiao Liu who was driving the wooden carriage and played with Xiao Hei’s feathers. Since the start of the march, she had made absolutely no attempt to enter the carriage. Even as the sky started to darken, and Shen Tian Ping’s signals became increasingly insistent, Luo Yue remained oblivious.

“Master,” Shen Tian Ping finally could not help but whisper. As the moon started to rise, so did his restlessness. “Please refrain from being stubborn. Your body will not be able to bear it.”

Luo Yue did not move but Xiao Hei did. It had understood Shen Tian Ping’s words and it was a hundred per cent with Shen Tian Ping on this. For the sake of its master, the black eagle spread its wings and flew away to the head of the march. Presumably to visit the new friend that it had made.

Without an excuse to ignore Shen Tian Ping, Luo Yue finally gave up on feigning ignorance. She stood up and Shen Tian Ping hurriedly urge his horse forward to help her.

“Leave the curtains open.” She made a vain attempt.

“Please close the curtains.” Shen Tian Ping could be the most adamant person in the world if he wanted to. Luo Yue was pretty sure she had never seen a subordinate as imprudent as him.

“…” She glared at the top of his head, realised its futility and promptly gave up. This stubbornness must have been taught by ‘that person’. She could only lift the door curtains and enter the carriage. At least her treasures could accompany her there. Still, she made one last retort, “I am getting out at the break of dawn.”

“Understood, Master.”

~~