Chapter 8: with translation of chapter title

At night, Shiniu sat by the campfire, gnawing on a baked flatbread.

The flatbread was specially made by the Kitchen, larger than a palm, thick, with meat sauce inside.

He ate eight in one go before feeling somewhat full.

Wang Gui came over, handed him a Water Bag, and said, "Drink some water, don't choke."

Shiniu took it, gulped a few mouthfuls, wiped his mouth, and said, "Thanks, Wang Ge."

Wang Gui sat down beside him, poked the Fire Pit, and sparks crackled.

From afar came the footsteps of night patrol soldiers, and even farther away, wolves howled.

"Shiniu, about the question you asked earlier today… I've been thinking about it," Wang Gui suddenly said.

"What question..."

"It's about why we fight; my hometown is in Western Huai. In the 14th year of the Zhizheng era, Northern Yuan dynasty cavalry came through, my parents and little sister died in that attack; over a hundred people in the village perished, fewer than thirty survived." Wang Gui said, looking at the flames.

Shiniu stopped chewing and looked at Wang Gui.

"I was fourteen then, about your age now; I hid in a cellar, hearing the wails outside, the hoofbeats, the sound of houses burning and collapsing; when I crawled out, the village was gone." Wang Gui continued.

The firelight shone on his face, flickering bright and dim.

"Later I joined the army, following General Chang to conquer the realm; each time I killed a Northern Yuan Soldier, I thought that perhaps one fewer Northern Yuan Soldier meant one fewer village suffering, one fewer group of children becoming orphans." Wang Gui said.

Shiniu remained silent for a long time before saying, "Wang Ge, do you hate the Yuan People?"

Shiniu remained silent for a long time, then said: "Wang Ge, do you hate the Northern Yuan people?"

Wang Gui nodded and replied, "But hatred solves nothing; General Chang said we fight not for revenge, but so that there will be no more war in the future."

"Once we defeat the Northern Yuan, make them fear us, and stop them from coming back, we can farm in peace and live our lives."

Shiniu swallowed the last bite of flatbread, thought seriously, and said, "Then I understand."

Shiniu swallowed the last bite of the cake, thought seriously, then said: "Then I understand."

"I fight to protect people like you, Wang Ge, and to protect future children so they don't end up as bones by the roadside," Shiniu said slowly.

Wang Gui's eyes welled up, he firmly patted Shiniu's shoulder, and replied, "Good brother!"

Wang Gui's eyes grew hot, he firmly patted Shiniu's shoulder and replied: "Good brother!"

Outside came footsteps; it was the changing of the guard.

Immediately after, a hurried hoofbeat sounded from afar and drew near, stopping before the Central Command Tent.

Shiniu sat up, hearing someone speaking softly outside, voice urgent.

Then the Central Command Tent lit up, and General Chang's voice came: "Issue orders to all the Hundred Household Officers; come see me at once!"

He rolled off the bunk, put on his shoes, grabbed his hammer, and headed out.

Wang Gui also woke up and followed him out.

Outside the Marshal's Tent, several people had already gathered, all from the Personal Guard Unit.

Li Cheng was there too, his face solemn.

"What's happening?" Wang Gui asked quietly.

Li Cheng lowered his voice: "The Vanguard Scout reported unusual activity at Kaiping City; the Northern Yuan may be gathering reinforcements."

As they spoke, the Hundred Household Officers from each unit arrived one after another; Lan Yu was among them.

Before entering the tent, he glanced at Shiniu, his eyes complex.

Inside the tent, General Chang stood before the map, his voice deep: "Just received news: Northern Yuan General Yesu leads thirty thousand cavalry, already a hundred li north of Kaiping; the False Emperor intends a pincer attack to crush our army."

Inside the tent, Chang Yuchun stood before the map, speaking in a low voice: "Just received news, Northern Yuan general Yesu leads thirty thousand cavalry, already reached a hundred li north of Kaiping; the False Emperor intends to attack from inside and out, to crush our army."

Lan Yu spoke first: "Brother-in-law, give me five thousand cavalry, and I'll intercept Yesu!"

"Yesu is a renowned Northern Yuan General; his thirty thousand cavalry are all elite—we can't meet them head‑on," General Chang said, shaking his head.

"Then what do we do? Wait for them to encircle us?"

General Chang stared at the map, his finger pointing at Kaiping's location: "Yesu must come; he will certainly have to pass through Eagle's Mouth Gorge, where the terrain is perilous—mountains on both sides, a narrow valley in between. If we seize the two mountain ridges first…"

Chang Yuchun stared at the map, his finger pointing at the location of Kaiping city and said: "Yesu is coming; he must pass through Eagle's Mouth Gorge, where the terrain is perilous, mountains on both sides, a narrow valley in between; if we seize the two mountain peaks first…"

"Exactly! But we must act quickly—Eagle's Mouth Gorge is 150 li from here; Yesu's cavalry are fast, at most two days away. We must reach it within a day and set up the ambush."

General Chang looked at the officers and said.

"I, the humble officer, volunteer to be the vanguard!" Lan Yu cupped his fists.

General Chang nodded: "Lan Yu, take one thousand light cavalry, set out tonight, and be sure to arrive at Eagle's Mouth Gorge before noon tomorrow, seize advantageous terrain; I will lead the main force to follow."

Chang Yuchun nodded and said: "Lan Yu, take a thousand light cavalry, set out tonight, be sure to reach Eagle's Mouth Gorge before noon tomorrow, seize the advantageous terrain; I will lead the main force to follow."

Lan Yu turned and left the tent; passing Shiniu, he paused, then said softly, "Simpleton, dare you come with me?"

Shiniu looked toward General Chang.

General Chang pondered a moment, then nodded: "Shiniu, you go with Lan Yu—remember, watch more, learn more, speak less."

"Mm." Shiniu nodded in acknowledgment.

After a quarter hour, the one thousand light cavalry were assembled.

Lan Yu swung onto his horse, glanced at Shiniu following behind, and said, "Stay close, don't fall behind."

Shiniu nodded, gripping the reins tightly.

Hooves rang out; the thousand cavalry surged like wind, charging out of the Military Camp and disappearing into the night.

Treading Snow ran swift and steady; Shiniu crouched on the horse's back, listening to the wind whistling past his ears.

He glanced back; the lights of the Military Camp grew ever more distant, finally vanishing into darkness.

Ahead lay endless night and an unknown battlefield.

Lan Yu looked back at him from his horse and suddenly asked, "Are you afraid?"

Lan Yu turned his head to look at him while on horseback, then suddenly asked, "Are you scared?"

Shiniu thought for a moment, shook his head and said: "I don't know, I've never been in battle, I don't know what fear feels like."

Lan Yu smiled; this time his smile held less ridicule and something else.

"Silly kid, once you've seen blood, you'll know."

Shiniu didn't speak, just gripped the double hammers hanging beside the saddle.

The hammer handles were icy cold, but his palms were hot.

Eagle's Mouth Gorge, one hundred fifty li.

The night was dark as ink, a thousand cavalry galloped.

Hoofbeats on the wilderness tapped out a dense drumbeat, crushing grass and dew along the way.

Shiniu lay low on his horse's back, both hands gripping the reins tightly, his eyes fixed on Lan Yu's back ahead.

A wind whistled in his ears, bringing the dry cold characteristic of the North.

No one in the column spoke; only hoofbeats, ragged breaths, and the faint clink of armor could be heard.

Everyone was conserving strength, because everyone knew that after dawn would come the time to fight for their lives.

Lan Yu turned in his saddle and glanced back; seeing Shiniu keeping up steadily, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

"This silly kid's riding isn't bad at all, and of course his Western Regions tall horse deserves credit too."

"We still have eighty li to go; we must reach it before dawn!" Lan Yu suddenly called out, his voice spreading on the wind.

No one answered, but the hoofbeats quickened.

Shiniu lowered his head to look at the double hammers hanging beside the saddle.

The black-gold hammer shafts gleamed with a dim light in the moonlight, the hammer heads' embossed drum‑like gold characters appearing and disappearing.

He reached out and touched the hammer handles; they were icy cold and felt exceptionally smooth in his grip.

For some reason, he recalled the words Wang Gui had said.

"Every Northern Yuan soldier you kill means one less village will suffer."

Shiniu tightened his grip on the hammer handle.

This was his first time on the battlefield, and Shiniu realized he felt no fear at all.

Perhaps he was born to belong on the battlefield.