Chapter 130

Da Wang followed the Eagle Riders in their orderly morning studies, then spent an hour refining his body; in the afternoon he practiced formations and techniques with Ling Yin and Zhang Tu, busy and delighted. Having no idle moments, he also had no time to let his mind wander.

That day Da Wang was as usual covered in dirt at the northern camp when Tong Chen reported that someone had arrived from Shanggu Pass.

Da Wang's heart jumped violently—could it be military news at this hour? Were the three Xianbei tribes or the southern Xiongnu making trouble?

Da Wang immediately grew anxious, face unwashed, rushing hastily to the side hall of the Mingguang Palace. The visitor only delivered a card, saying the Duke of Dongdu invited him to a hunt at Zhi Yan Mountain the day after tomorrow. Da Wang had let the Shanggu Pass envoy see his flowered face for nothing!

After hearing the full story, Da Wang's little heart settled. Hunting sounded wonderful—Zhi Yan Mountain was vast and deep, and he heard the interior was quite lively; wouldn't a fur coat be nice~

When Da Wang said this that evening to his cousin, Wei Shen, who had accompanied his father and elder brother into the southwestern dense forest, hearing this laughed and said: "A fur coat?"

Then he gestured with his hand to compare heights: "Fine! Just don't let the fur coat chase after you, or things won't end well."

Da Wang: "……Not bringing my cousin!"

Wei Shen: "Hey, I have my own legs to go with～"

Da Wang's diary:

【November 3rd, Youzhou Prince's Manor.

Tomorrow is the day for the hunt appointed by the Duke of Dongdu～

This is my first meeting with the Duke of Dongdu—I absolutely cannot let him look down on me; I must put on a good show!

I'll make a fox fur collar for my elder sister,

a hand tube for Consort Wei Zhao,

a knee guard for my maternal grandfather,

a cloak for my maternal uncle,

and a mask for my cousin, to cover his mouth.】

。

When the day of the hunt arrived, they would set out at dawn, agreeing to meet at the巳时 hour in the morning. Though Da Wang held high status, he was still young, and it would not be proper to keep the Duke of Dongdu waiting.

So when they gathered at the Beihua Gate, the sky had just begun to lighten, with only a faint glow in the east.

When Da Wang arrived with his 'hunting entourage,' Wei Shen felt he had been superficial the day before.

With this lineup, wouldn't they sweep across Zhi Yan Mountain?

Indeed, not only did the tall and slender Zhi Yan stand on Da Wang's shoulder, but Bai Ze and Wei Ni were also present.

Bai Ze wasn't unwilling to go with Da Wang out of concern—he wanted to meet the Duke of Dongdu and see what kind of person the 'great benefactor' praised by Youzhou's common folk really was. This was hard to say; if he mentioned Da Wang, the latter would surely inquire about the reason, so he only said he had lain at home until tired.

Wei Ni saw that the whole family was prepared for a long journey and refused to stay behind; he too wanted to come along.

Da Wang tried to scare him off, but failed; he didn't worry about Bai Ze, but as for this fat Wei Ni—what horse could carry him?

Getting him a carriage wouldn't that slow things down?

Yet he couldn't be persuaded.

Wei Ni would not tolerate being left behind when they formed a small group and set out; there was no room for negotiation.

When this party appeared, it startled more than just Wei Shen. He often saw Bai Ze and Wei Ni, but the soldiers who loafed around the northern great camp every day, never entering the manor, had never seen these two ancestral beasts kept in the Sui Fu Dian.

Bai Ze, now standing upright, was already taller than Da Wang, with a body length reaching 1.5 meters.

His whole body was silver-white fur like satin, a holy horn atop his head, a pair of deep, mysterious purple eyes, and above them two red lines—who knew if they were eyebrows—quite flowing, as if a painter had shaken his brush too hard, the strokes drifting all the way to the fluffy ears behind.

In any case, he did not look like an ordinary earthly beast.

Wei Shen had once described him accurately, saying Bai Ze's four hooves should not tread on soil but on auspicious clouds. Da Wang had been greatly shocked then, his expression saying: "How do you know?!"

And Wei Shen understood it thus—his younger cousin also felt his description was spot on!

Right, right, like those heavenly-themed wall paintings imagined in stories, that's how they should be painted.

Bai Ze strode proudly behind Da Wang, making the little fat one look even smaller by comparison.

And behind him, Wei Ni—ah, even more so… a colossal beast.

He was not like the bears of the southwest, nor like those of Youzhou; instead, the longer he grew, the lighter his color became, whereas it was his inflated build that stood out.

Now, when this fellow planted his four paws on the ground, he was longer than Bai Ze by half a body.

When he began this wild growth, Da Wang still thought he was an ordinary beast who had eaten too many animal feed pills and ruined himself, growing more fearful by the thought, weeping as he went to find Qiao Yi to seek a way to save his bear.

Qiao Yi, after hearing the full story, was utterly speechless, telling him that animal feed pills could be eaten by any beast, with no side effects.

His rapid growth might be due to good feeding; unlike other bears needing to hunt themselves, Wei Ni didn't even need to hibernate—he grew through all four seasons, and if not fast, it would still be difficult. Moreover, animal feed pills, for animals, are like spiritual elixirs that slowly cleanse the meridians with regular consumption—only benefits, no drawbacks. That bear, having followed you, enjoys blessings.

After telling Bai Yang about this, it provoked his elder brother Bai into a hearty laugh.

Da Wang then learned that bears in the world come in all colors.

In the far north there are white ones, in the west golden ones, and even in their region not all are black—there are coffee-colored, yellow, and gray ones, with individual mutations showing every conceivable hue.

Da Wang felt relieved, but as Wei Ni's fur grew longer and diluted like insufficient ink, he feared it might stop there.

Seeing Wei Ni's habitual phrase—"You must strive! Strive for lighter, lighter—I, the king, want a white bear!"—

Wei·Huang Bu La Ji·Ni: ……Does the bear get to decide?

Now this deep-yellow bear swayed in the dim morning light, staggering over, leaving everyone gathered at the gate dumbfounded.

They only knew Da Wang loved keeping pets, but usually what appeared was just that bird on his shoulder—you say these two are pets?!

The soldier Niu Tie Zhu at the outermost rank gripped his bow tighter; everyone stared at Bai Ze's immortal aura, his appearance something they hadn't anticipated fearing—until this bear approached, and these soldiers began to tense, for Wei Ni would not diminish his presence to play the meek white rabbit.

Da Wang's sharp eyes instantly noticed his beloved general 'Tie Zhu'.

"Tie Zhu, what are you trembling about?"

"Report, report, Your Highness—I used to be a hunter, and seeing this……sized bear, I grow nervous."

Originally Da Wang had grown accustomed to it and felt nothing, but upon being reminded, he instantly wanted to show off: "Majestic, right?! I raised him from arm-length to this size, and now is exactly when he's useful. Ling Yin said he'll become the finest aid in my hunting grounds. We're a team—you needn't be nervous, hahaha～"

The laughter hadn't faded when they saw Wei Ni lie down right where he was……lie down………

So he wasn't going far after all? Then I'll rest a bit?

Taking over Da Wang's loud laughter, Wei Shen said: "Hahaha just this? An aid? This bear won't even make it halfway—might as well send him back now, still time～"

Da Wang: ……Hate iron for not becoming steel·JPG

(￣(●●)￣)

Our bear prototype is a Kodiak brown bear.

I've been a bit busy these past two days; I'll add another chapter to this one tomorrow when I have time. Yesterday's supplement is done, muah muah!