Faithful Dog Training Camp (1)
I Believe in My Character (On How Senior Brother and Senior Sister Escaped the Crown Prince’s Pursuers)
When Cao Yun was not yet seven years old, his parents, unable to afford raising him, sent him to the Shadow Guard Camp.
After the initial occasional letters, he lost all contact with his biological family. However, the boy, mature beyond his years, never complained. Instead, he felt somewhat fortunate for his fate.
In the Shadow Guard Camp, where everyone complained of hardship, he not only finally had enough to eat but also met the talkative and curious Lin Yan, the straightforward yet somewhat simple Ming Qin, and Song Shuqing, who, after a feverish night, became a whimsical and mischievous girl who loved to talk nonsense.
Like all shadow guards, Cao Yun’s teenage years at the Night Orchid Pavilion were far from easy.
Grinding his will, practicing martial arts, and studying, even as blisters formed and burst repeatedly on his hands from holding the blade, with bandages soaked in blood, his naturally reticent self could only grit his teeth and endure, having no way out.
But fortunately, there was the company of fellow comrades, laughing in sweat, cheering each other up in tears. Now, recalling those tough training days, the grown-up boy could do so with a smile.
Whether it was secretly roasting sweet potatoes in the snow after hard training, sneaking food to Ming Qin who was in confinement, or quietly sharing maltose rewards among the four of them, he cherished all these memories deep in his heart.
Just like Master He Jingshou and Mistress Gu Yun chose to stay together, many men and women who grew up together in the Shadow Guard Camp developed feelings for each other over time. Even with swords hanging over their necks, they chose to stay together in times that could end at any moment.
Cao Yun and Lin Yan did once doubt whether they might have feelings for the two girls they grew up with. After all, Ming Qin was straightforward and cute, and Song Shuqing was clever and smart. Moreover, in their most restless teenage years, they ate, lived, and were inseparable almost every day.
But later, they realized that the bond forged by decades of mutual support and life-and-death experiences couldn’t be explained by a few youthful crushes.
A shallow liking seemed insufficient to explain the mutual trust they had in each other, the kind of certainty that allowed them to entrust their backs to each other in times of crisis surrounded by enemies. Nor could it explain the instinctive urge to protect a comrade when sensing danger, acting faster than thought.
Just like how Song Shuqing, with red eyes, stayed up all night reading ancient texts to make an antidote for Ming Qin.
Just like how Ming Qin unhesitatingly blocked the pursuers in the forests of Southern Yue to save the injured Cao Yun.
Just like how Cao Yun resolutely sacrificed his arm to block a sword aimed at Song Shuqing on the boat.
“Damn… we can’t hide it anymore.”
Disguised as the County Princess, Song Shuqing, in the cabin, looked at the ambushers outside through the window paper. Helplessly, she took out hidden weapons from her bag, preparing to deal with the impending attack, “Oh well, we’ve come this far anyway.”
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“Junior Sister Song… in a moment, I’ll push the door open. Don’t mind me, just go straight out.” Cao Yun slowly drew the sharp twin knives from his waist, softly instructing, “You’re an excellent swimmer. In the dark, once you get into the water, they’ll have a hard time finding you.”
“Ah Yun, you’re not thinking of holding them off alone, are you?” The vibrations from the deck indicated at least fifty of the Crown Prince’s men outside. Song Shuqing rolled her eyes, “Have you watched too many Marvel movies? Don’t think about playing some lone hero.”
Frowning, Cao Yun sighed, “Junior Sister Song, the current here is swift. I’m not as good a swimmer as you. With so many pursuers, I certainly can’t escape their encirclement…” He tried to persuade her quickly but was abruptly interrupted.
“You’re so wordy, only in these situations.” Without looking at the man beside her, Song Shuqing gripped a dagger in one hand and a long needle in the other, “You handle thirty, I’ll handle twenty. Don’t say I’m unfair. I’m wearing a skirt, you know.”
Cao Yun wanted to say more, but suddenly, there was a flash outside, possibly a signal. In the next second, a group of masked men kicked open the windows and doors, rushing in from all directions, surrounding the two of them.
“Oh my, we all know who you’re working for, no need to waste fabric on masks, really unnecessary…” Song Shuqing’s tone was relaxed, but her face was somewhat grave, “Sending so many men, the Crown Prince sure is ‘deeply affectionate’ towards the County Princess.”
She shot out the long needle from her hand, and the enemy dodged, the weapon only grazing their necks. “Tsk, they’re skilled, and the troublesome type at that.” As she fired more hidden weapons, she raised her dagger to fend off the close attacks of the masked men.
On the other side of the cabin, Cao Yun wielded his twin knives, gritting his teeth, moving urgently.
Junior Sister Song excelled in hidden weapons, adept at using the environment and her wit to win, but in the confined cabin facing such a dense crowd, it was highly disadvantageous for someone not good at close combat like her.
He had to cut down more enemies quickly.
Without a moment’s rest, he swung his arms, where he went, crimson flowers bloomed.
But the enemies were no pushovers, using sheer numbers to manage a few rounds even under the hands of the two highly skilled shadow guards, leaving wounds on them.
“Damn.” Song Shuqing fired her last remaining hidden weapon, taking down an enemy jumping onto the beam, muttering, “Trouble.” She dodged attacks aimed at her, finding a chance to exit the crowded cabin, reaching the deck.
“Twenty-eight, twenty-nine…” Cao Yun counted softly, clearing the enemies around him, knife wounds crisscrossing, yet he did not pause, hurriedly running towards the deck.
Song Shuqing, wielding an unfamiliar weapon, was entangled with four or five tough opponents, her long hair disheveled, looking inexplicably battered.
One moment, she blocked an axe attack with her dagger, the next, her hand numbed from the shock, the weapon slipping from her grasp.
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“Damn it!” She saw the long sword aimed at her from the corner of her eye, unable to dodge, inwardly cursing, “Damn, am I going to die again?”
No way, I’m still single!
She closed her eyes, but the expected pain didn’t come.
Instead, she felt warmth splatter on her cheek.
Opening her eyes, she saw Cao Yun’s determined eyes, instantly standing before her, his left arm already severed, blood gushing from the stump, the cut limb still gripping the knife lying on the ground.
Without a word, despite his pale face, he swung his remaining arm, beheading two enemies in front.
But then he staggered and fell.
“Ah Yun!”
Song Shuqing screamed, rushing to catch the fallen man, heart-wrenching, “Ah Yun! What are you doing? Why did you do that!”
Looking at the frantic woman before him, Cao Yun’s mouth moved, but no sound came out.
No time to spare, Song Shuqing forced herself to pull together, hastily applying acupuncture to the injured comrade, picking up Cao Yun’s curved knife, charging at the remaining two enemies.
Always composed, she felt a surge of anger, not knowing where the strength came from, wielding the unfamiliar weapon, injuring the enemies with straightforward moves, but still unable to finish them off quickly.
Just as she thought they might meet their end here, the remaining two suddenly retreated, heading towards the back of the deck.
Curious, she peeked and saw several boats with the Crown Prince’s flags approaching, aiming to encircle them, with several people on the bows waving chains, ready to board with more men.
Damn.
No wonder those two didn’t keep fighting.
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At this rate, they were doomed.
Gritting her teeth, she crouched down, took out a handful of emergency pills, shoved them into the unconscious man’s mouth, then tore her skirt into strips, tightly binding his bleeding wound. She carried the semi-conscious Cao Yun to the deck’s edge.
Looking at the waves crashing against the hull, dark and ominous like a beast ready to swallow them, she took a deep breath, suppressing her rare fear.
“Should I use freestyle or breaststroke? The swimming coach never taught me this…” Forcing a smile, she muttered to herself, “Never mind… As a representative of good deeds and helpfulness, I believe in my character.”
Stepping forward, giving herself no time to hesitate.
Song Shuqing, carrying the unconscious Cao Yun, plunged into the icy river water.
LP: Re-translated on June 04, 2024