Chapter 389

Just one sentence, only one sentence.

The plan that had previously been barely considered meticulous vanished instantly.

Only now did Xuan Feixing realize he had made a grave mistake——

His plan actually didn't even include He Lian Bo Bo.

He had gotten along with this person for over half a month, so he had some understanding of his temperament and abilities.

This person truly lives up to being someone the Southern Dynasty cannot drink his blood while alive nor eat his flesh after death.

Whether it's martial skill, troop formation, military strategy, or marching......

All far exceed the limits imaginable for ordinary people.

Even Xuan Feixing couldn't help but admit that, on the path of martial arts, He Lian Bo Bo is undoubtedly the unrivaled number one of the present age.

His petty tricks might fool the northern barbarians outside whose brains are only the size of almonds, but they could never deceive He Lian Bo Bo.

This person is brave and valiant; once he discovers the escape, he will surely lead his personal troops in pursuit.

He would likely only have time to steal a single horse when fleeing, but they, in pursuit, could rotate multiple horses.

As long as we wait for He Lian Bo Bo to catch up to his horse and discover he's not on it......

They will definitely send people to search back along the old route.

By then, how long can he hide?

One day? Two days? Three days?

Xuan Feixing stared at the person approaching the tent not far away; his body involuntarily stiffened, and he couldn't respond for a moment.

At this moment, Xuan Feixing finally realized something——

His life, from the moment he entered the commander's tent, had long ceased to belong to himself.

People under heaven have many hobbies; some like cockfighting, others like cricket fighting.

And He Lian Bo Bo likes to keep people who can keep him company and talk to relieve his boredom.

This teenage general, rumored to have been ennobled with an unmatchable title at sixteen, may not truly be loyal to the Northern Dynasty, but he may also not genuinely wish to surrender easily to the Southern Dynasty.

His heart is more whimsical than anyone imagines, yet also more stubborn.

"Southern lad, why are you staring at me like that and refusing to speak?"

Perhaps because Xuan Feixing had stayed silent too long, He Lian Bo Bo finally spoke up with a laugh and said:

"Rest assured, as long as you can tell me something that interests me, I still wouldn't bear to kill you."

"Now that it's snowing outside, whether north or south, it's not a good time to wage war; it's the period to recall troops with the sounding of the gong, and capturing Han people now is also truly difficult, so I actually am rather reluctant to part with you......"

It's merely reluctance, not a desire to spare his life.

Xuan Feixing, with keen hearing, caught the hidden meaning in those words, and his expression grew even more stiff.

He Lian Bo Bo didn't mind; he stood at the doorway, shook off the snow on his body, stepped inside, and after giving Xuan Feixing a few up-and-down glances, he laughed and said:

"You look so stiff...... could it be that you happened to want to escape today?"

"Don't worry, you can't escape—not even mentioning those bloodthirsty oafs outside; even the maid who normally brings you medicine has some skill, capable of taking on three or four ordinary Han men by herself."

"The escape route you're considering has been tried by all the Han people who have come to my tent before; without exception, they all ended up dead."

He Lian Bo Bo said this with considerable contempt; Xuan Feixing, having his thoughts guessed, felt his heart tighten again instantly, and even the scar on his back that had healed showed faint signs of reopening.

Seeing him look just like an irritated wolf pup, He Lian Bo Bo couldn't help but laugh and say:

"Do you still want to tell a story?"

"If you're prepared to fight to the death, give it your all...... I'm willing to duel with you, but we'd have to go outside to fight."

Although his status is not low, it's indeed not easy to gather rare treasures from the Han people.

All the ornaments here are things he painstakingly collected bit by bit.

He certainly doesn't think Xuan Feixing could defeat him, but if they were to fight here and accidentally break one or two of these items, he would indeed feel sorry.

The hint of mockery in He Lian Bo Bo's eyes was really too obvious, even lacking any hidden meaning.

Xuan Feixing met that gaze, sharper even than that of an eagle or hawk, and was somewhat startled, cold sweat beading on his forehead:

"...... Without resorting to force, I am still willing to tell you a story today."

He Lian Bo Bo couldn't say whether he was disappointed or something else; he casually found a seat, waved his hand grandly, and declared boldly:

"Then let's hear it."

"I'm still saying the same thing: I hope you can say something interesting today."

"Don't be like last time, when there was a civet cat next door at home; the civet cat gave birth to seven kittens, six of which were given away by the owner, leaving only one litter, and when that civet cat grew up, it gave birth to seven tiny kittens, and those tiny kittens were again sent away six......"

"... that sort of story."

"Really, that's going too far!"

"He went to the trouble of rescuing me and treating me well with food and drink—is that all he wants to hear?"

"This Southern Han lad is clearly bullying him!"

He Lian Bo Bo casually grabbed another wineskin from his waist, opened it, and tilted his head back to take a gulp.

The Mongols are naturally bold and unrestrained, so the wine they brew is extremely coarse, harsh on the throat.

However, the good thing is that last year the south sent enough tribute grain, so the grain wine brewed from it is plenty strong even without fine filtering.

Just one sip is enough to make a man of He Lian Bo Bo's nine‑chi height feel as if he's fallen into a dream.

And it was precisely in such a dream that He Lian Bo Bo......

He first heard of that woman who would be unforgettable for the rest of his life.

Xuan Feixing thought left and right, then finally asked with an unpleasant expression:

"Commander, you like Southern customs; have you ever considered taking a Han woman as your wife?"

He Lian Bo Bo seemed to be hearing this for the first time; he first stared, then involuntarily straightened his body, gesturing for Xuan Feixing to continue.

Xuan Feixing had indeed been talking for over twenty days; he had truly exhausted everything he could say, and only then did he prepare to give it his all. Now, seeing that He Lian Bo Bo was genuinely interested, he gritted his teeth and continued.

I have a beloved who is incredibly talented.......

Du Shanü's beauty is not merely a matter of appearance.

Her beauty lies in her spirit, in her heart that, once resolved, cannot be shaken.

She possesses the talent to govern the world, capable of shining alongside the sun and moon, daring to make heaven and earth change color.

Xuan Feixing's heart and eyes were already full of her, so when he spoke, it was inevitable that a touch of feeling would color his words.

Just recounting that day's flood, when she led people in rescue and used her specially made Chief Commander Crossbow to lift them to safety, this simple story took up most of the daylight, lasting until the Xuan star and bright moon shone high.

The snow outside fell extremely deep and lasted extremely long.

Simply, the two people inside the tent were immersed in that story capable of sweeping away the historical torrent, and neither came to their senses.

By the end, Xuan Feixing even didn't know why he had recalled that first encounter.

He merely thought that, if he could not return this time, to fondly remember the Witch Ancestor before death would not make his coming into this world in vain.

And He Lian Bo Bo........

His thoughts and considerations were obviously far more than Xuan Feixing's.

He drank alcohol while listening to the beautiful woman, becoming so enamored and intoxicated that he only opened his mouth to mutter after a good while.

"You actually make and improve weapons yourself? Listening to you sounds like a peerless, tender‑hearted and compassionate Atuma......."

Atuma, in the meaning of the steppe, is precisely a beauty who shines like the moon.

The youths of the steppe, upon meeting their beloved, will address them thus.

He Lian Bo Bo usually differs from ordinary steppe youths, but.........

In this regard, he is ultimately nothing more than a pure blank slate, even inferior to ordinary youths.

Ordinary youths may have seen their beloved, perhaps even held their hand, kissed them.

And He Lian Bo Bo, born destined to remain only on his horseback, used by the Blade‑wielding Ghost, to conquer the four frontiers.

Xuan Feixing's heart was already filled with grief and indignation; upon seeing that opposite side's enamored, intoxicated appearance, his head throbbed unbearably.

"That is my beloved......."

Exactly!

That is his beloved; He Lian Bo Bo, listening so intently, what kind of situation is this?

Can this even be considered talk?!

Xuan Feixing was furious beyond measure, yet He Lian Bo Bo was even more righteous and confident than he.

"What do you mean, your beloved? Since you told me about her, she is now my beloved!"

"From now on, your task is to tell me about her as often as you can!"