16 Lotus Under The Moonlight

Chinua only watched the mountain from a distance while sightseeing with Haitao. She looked around and saw that the higher they climbed, the greener the trees and bushes became.

Chinua suddenly said, "Do you two think there is water on this mountain?"

Ge Ming said with trembling lips, "I don't know."

Chinua turned around and found that the person behind her were not Khunbish and Khenbish. She saw the pale face man walking slowly behind her. She walked back to Ge Ming and asked, "How do you feel? Are you able to walk up the mountain?"

Ge Ming said, "I'm fine." He took two steps forward and slowly fell to the ground.

Chinua stood there and looked down at Ge Ming. She did not know what happened to the soul of the dead soldier; whether his soul would really return to his homeland, or if his soul will be a wandering soul in a foreign land. If the souls of the dead Hmagol warriors all become stars after death, what about the soul of the dead Tanggolian soldiers, what will their souls become after death? Chinua sighed, picked Ge Ming up, carried Ge Ming on her back, and began to walk up the mountain with the unconscious man on her back through the overgrown mountain road.

Ge Ming was awakened by the cold wind blowing on his face. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a small bonfire in front of him. He looked up to the dark sky full of stars, and a full moon looked down at him. He slowly turned his head to look around and found a person not far from him. He knew in his heart that this must be the Magoli soldier. He could see the moon shining in the dark night and see the Magoli clearly, who was standing a few feet away, begin to undress.

Chinua took off her robe, put her clothes down, and began to untie her hair. She went into the pond and began to bathe. She looked down at the clear water, and she saw her own image appear in the water. She sighed and murmured, "So dark...so chubby...so unwanted... and yet, so ambitious."

After Chinua took her bath, got dressed, walked back to the small campfire, and sat by the campfire. She used a stick to dig out the buried yams. She grabbed two yams and threw them at Ge Ming.

When the hot yams touched his chest, Ge Ming opened his eyes. He quickly pushed the two yam roots on to the ground. He looked at Chinua who was sitting not far from him and had already started eating. Then he looked down at the ground and found two yam roots. He reached out and picked up the two yam roots.

Ge Ming looked at Chinua and nodded, "Thank you." He raised his hand to Chinua. "You brought me here?"

Chinua said, "Yes."

Ge Ming smiled at Chinua, "Thank you."

Chinua asked, "Does every Tanggolian smile like you?"

Ge Ming chuckled and said, "Tanggolian use their smile to expresses how they feel. There is a saying in Tanggolian 'you can see a person's heart by the way they smile'. Why doesn't Magoli smile?"

Chinua said, "In Hmagol, a smile is genuine. We only smile to our parents, family members and our significant other. It shows that we care and cherish them. Smiling to strangers is a sign of weakness."

Ge Ming took a bite of his yam, "No wonder women in the south say that men in the north are more masculine."

Chinua said, "You are quite handsome yourself. With your beauty, many women should like you, no less than northern men." She looked at Ge Ming. "What kind of woman do you have in mind?"

Ge Ming said, "Say yours, and I'll tell you mine."

Chinua said, "No preference, maybe someone who can cook."

Ge Ming sighed and said, "For me, I want someone who is like me, someone who can catch up with me if I have to run all night."

Chinua said, "I heard from others that Tanggolian takes male mistress, is that right?"

Ge Ming said, "Yes, but not always. Sometimes, you just need a person of the same level as you to communicate effectively." He took his last mouthful of yam. "You should go to the South, which has some of the most beautiful women in the land."

Chinua said, "One day I will go south." She looked at Ge Ming. "Sneak into the most heavily guarded camp of Hmagol and tried to assassinate the second prince of Hmagol. You must have the courage."

Ge Ming said, "This is a duty. If there is such an opportunity, sneak into the Lion Camp down south to assassinate General Li, I believe you will do the same yourself."

Chinua chuckled, "That's right."

Ge Ming asked, "Soldier, what's your name?"

Chinua looked at Ge Ming and said, "Chinua."

Ge Ming said, "Your archery is very good." He pointed to the wound on his left shoulder. "I'll remember Chinua's arrow hitting me here."

Chinua said, "Next time, be a man, step on the battlefield, don't use dirty means, your death will be more meaningful."

Ge Ming said, "I'm sure Chinua has more tricks than any soldier in the camp."

Chinua's face changed suddenly, "What do you mean?"

Ge Ming smiled at Chinua and said, "Even if the clouds and mists are blinding my eyes, through the clouds and mists, I can still see the figure of a golden lotus-topped her lotus pad. Even if the night becomes dark, I can still see the golden lotus through the moonlight sparks." He sighed. "Chinua, why did you save me? If I die here, you will have one less enemy."

Chinua said, "I don't take advantage of those who are at disadvantage." She stared at Ge Ming. "You still have not answered my question?"

Ge Ming said, "I did."

Chinua said, "Let me put it another way...why do you think it would be good for your country to assassinate Prince Dzhambul?"

Ge Ming stared at Chinua who was staring at him coldly. Ge Ming has known and killed a lot of people over the years, and he has never seen a person with that kind of look that makes his spine shiver. That seductive stare, like a good book, where you want to skip to the end because you want to know how the story end, but you're afraid to turn the page because you might miss the best part of the story.

Ge Ming shook his head and chuckled, "What do you think?"

Chinua lifted her head up and stared at Ge Ming. She said, "I think your attempt to assassinate Prince Dzhambul has two meaning. If you succeed in assassinating Prince Dzhambul, you are actually killing two birds with one arrow."

Ge Ming asked, "Why does Chinua think so?"

"If Prince Dzhambul dies, you will destroy our coastline with your navy, because you know that Prince Chimgee will not have the support of the northern army," Chinua said. She stared at Ge Ming. "If your assassination attempt fails, most court officials will not allow King Batukhan to send Prince Dzhambul to help Prince Chimgee if you attack the coastline because they fear of another attempt assassination of the beloved Prince?" She stared at Ge Ming. "Am I right?"

Ge Ming scoffed softly, "Chinua... Chinua... What you just said to me seems like you planned it." He stood up slowly. "Are you going to arrest me and take me back to the camp to get your reward? If you go to Tanggolian with me, I will give you ten times the reward the King of Hmagol gave you."

Chinua stood up slowly and said, "Go and tell your generals, if they want to meet the Hmagol army, they just need to cross our southern border." She threw the knife at Ge Ming. "There is a saying in Hmagol 'Defeat a disadvantage man, will gain no honor'." She slowly walked away from Ge Ming.

Ge Ming shouted, "Chinua!" Chinua turned around and looked at Ge Ming. "Thank you for saving my life."

Chinua said, "If you really want to thank me, tell me who your mole is."

Ge Ming said, "You know I can't tell you; how do you know?"

Chinua said, "You told me yourself, you forgot?"

Ge Ming said, "When did I tell you?"

Chinua said, "The northern army is heavily guarded, and without a mole, how can you enter the main camp so easily, and also know exactly where Prince Dzhambul's tent is." She chuckled.

Ge Ming said, "Someone like you should not be just an ordinary soldier, come with me."

Chinua smiled and said, "Today I'm just an ordinary soldier, but the future is uncertain."

Ge Ming grabbed the jade tied around his neck and threw the jade to Chinua, "If you get into trouble when you are down south, take this to the government agency and they will help you."

Chinua, "Mmm...."

Ge Ming said, "I really wish to meet you down south one day."

Chinua said, "I hope we never meet in the South or here again."

Ge Ming asked, "Why?"

Chinua said, "If I step my foot down south, it means I'm there to take and stay." She put her hands behind her back and walked slowly down the mountain.