The words struck the hearts of everyone present, and they looked at Duo Zai with sympathy.
Duo Zai herself was overcome with complex emotions, surprised that Huang Bei Shuang had noticed even this.
However, the authority of Huang Bei Shuang, whip in hand, did not diminish despite the sorrowful story. She continued, “You are a group of girls who have endured hardships for your people, using your bodies as weapons of wisdom. Together with me, you walk this path, enduring the piercing pain of body and soul. None of you have deserted. In seven more days, we will arrive. Will any of you abandon this journey now?”
All twenty-four women shook their heads.
Huang Bei Shuang did not smile. Instead, she cracked the whip down again on Guo’er.
“You are children of the desert who care not for life or death, who can endure hardships and trials. Yet you cannot resist the temptation of cruelty, choosing to torment an old woman instead? Do you want to be served? To know what it feels like to have someone serve you? When Duo Zai, an elderly woman with nothing but her frail bones, lets you order her around, do you not fear the heavens’ wrath?”
With that, she whipped the air twice more, before throwing the whip aside.
“In these seven days, anyone who wishes to leave is free to do so—guards included. As long as you forget that you are children of the Ernaqi, I, the Nashou, will not stop you. But after seven days, those who remain will enter Yunpei with me, and from then on, life and death will be left to fate!”
The crowd was silent. Even after Huang Bei Shuang led Duo Zai back into the carriage to rest, not a sound could be heard for a long while.
The bonfire continued to burn brightly, and the white wind marker on the hill fluttered wildly in the chaotic winds. Gradually, people began to drift off to sleep, with only a few guards taking turns keeping watch.
The wind remained cold, but no longer biting. The darkness was still thick, but no longer filled with fears of lurking monsters. The moon shone through thin clouds, casting a gentle light on the land, unable to leave its own shadow but soothing the hearts of over a hundred anxious souls.
Residing in the wind was the Nashou of the Ernaqi.
Sleep now. Seven more sunrises will come after today.
Inside the carriage, Huang Bei Shuang slept against the window, covered by her new wedding silk blanket, while Duo Zai sat beside her.
“Nashou, you aren’t asleep yet, are you? Nanny knows you’re pretending. You’ve been watching the wind marker on the hill all this time,” Duo Zai’s voice was still that of a ceremonial priestess. But Huang Bei Shuang did not open her eyes, nor did she respond. The moonlight illuminated her face, casting a dreamy, mythical glow. Duo Zai said nothing more, turning her head to sleep. The pillow beneath her head, however, was damp with tears. After a while, her breathing became steady—she must have fallen asleep. Exhaustion comes easily with age.
Huang Bei Shuang exhaled softly and opened her eyes, staring firmly at the wind marker on the hill.
In the somber stillness, the moonlight remained unchanged, and her face looked just as serene. Only the wind had softened, caressing this quiet, dream-filled night.
The next morning, only a few charred pieces of wood remained in the fire pit. All 150 people were accounted for, ready to move out.
In the desert, day and night are as different as heaven and earth. It seemed the desert had already forgotten the bone-chilling winds of dawn. All that was left was the arrogant sun, burning high in the sky, drying their very blood and bones from the moment they were born.
No one complained. They had long grown accustomed to this searing, bone-melting pain.
What they didn’t know, however, was that another danger was already closing in.
“This time, the prey looks promising!”
The speaker was a burly man dressed in a sandy yellow coat, with a sword, a gun, and a saber strapped to his waist. His rough face was framed by sharp brows and bright eyes, and his voice carried unhidden excitement as he snapped his fingers to the group behind him.
Upon closer inspection, what appeared to be just a few people was actually a large group of heads emerging from behind the sand dunes, at least a thousand in total. It seemed they had been watching Huang Bei Shuang’s convoy for days, waiting for the moment when they would enter the ambush circle.
It was obvious: these were bandits, and the man speaking was undoubtedly the leader. They were dressed in clothes matching the desert’s color, hiding behind the yellow sands, ready to strike.
“Brothers! Take the women you fancy, sell the ones you don’t! As for the men, if they resist, kill them on the spot!” The young leader clearly held great authority, as his order sent his men into eager motion.
“Charge!” He drew a large curved sword from his waist, leading his men with a ferocious grin as they rushed towards Huang Bei Shuang’s convoy, many of them shouting wildly like vultures descending upon their prey.
“Bandits! It’s bandits! Protect the Nashou!” The guards, who had been packing up their belongings, were the first to react. They quickly grabbed their bows and surrounded Huang Bei Shuang’s carriage and the twenty-four maidservants.
Arrows were aimed at the charging bandits, but none of them hesitated or slowed down. Armed with large blades, they wouldn’t fall unless hit in a vital spot. The first of the bandits to reach the guards began slashing wildly, the air filled with the sound of clashing weapons and the sickening noise of flesh being cut. Agonizing screams rang out as men fell to the ground.
Huang Bei Shuang sat in the carriage, her face filled with worry. She pulled the curtain back slightly to see the scene outside, her heart sinking into despair. There were a thousand bandits, but fewer than a hundred guards protecting her, and some of the guards and maidservants had already abandoned her, fleeing in panic. Those who remained fought desperately, unwilling to fall even as they were covered in blood.
Frowning, Huang Bei Shuang’s mind was in chaos. Along the journey, she had carefully monitored the weather, fearing that any misstep would bury all 150 of them in the desert. She had planned for the dangers of the elements, but not for the cruelty of men.
Realizing this, she resolutely stepped out of the carriage, standing tall and calm on the front platform. She called out loudly, “Stop! Lay down your weapons! Do not resist.”
The guards immediately obeyed, gathering around her.
"We are a peace marriage convoy, belonging to the Ernaqi tribe, passing through this land. We never intended to become the water in your cups or the food on your plates. Now, all the gold, silver, jewels, wine, and provisions on these carriages, we are willing to offer with both hands. In return, we ask only for a path to survival. Should we make it through this, we will not forget this act of mercy!"
Though Huang Bei Shuang’s voice wasn’t loud, it rang clearly in everyone’s ears.
The bandits, apparently unused to such a bold woman, were momentarily stunned. They exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of how to react, until they all turned their gaze toward their leader.
The leader, his curved blade still dripping with fresh blood, stood in the center, staring at Huang Bei Shuang in silence for a long moment. Then, suddenly, he burst into wild laughter—loud, arrogant, and unrestrained, his voice echoing in the air.
“Well, well! The world is truly full of surprises! I've spent over a decade plundering and pillaging, but I’ve never seen prey step forward to negotiate terms!” He scoffed, letting out another mocking laugh. "Interesting!"
Huang Bei Shuang pressed her lips together, her expression calm and unflinching.
"Little girl, you should know that from the moment you surrendered, you became nothing more than my property. Don’t try to bargain with me using what already belongs to me."
The leader’s eyes gleamed with the bloodthirsty excitement that followed slaughter, and Huang Bei Shuang felt panic rise within her.
"But stepping out of that carriage, after seeing bloodshed, and still carrying yourself as a person? You’re the first woman I’ve seen like that! And..." He stepped closer, scrutinizing her, "Ah! You’re a true beauty. Looks like you're being sent off to some great nation as a plaything, right? Haha! How about I take advantage of that instead?" With that, he let out a malicious laugh, prompting his men to cheer and jeer in support.
At this moment, Duo Zai rushed out of the carriage, standing beside Huang Bei Shuang and half-shielding her. In a fierce voice, she cried out, "Gentlemen! I beg you to spare the Nashou! We did not leave our homeland to enjoy luxury. Our convoy and the gifts intended for the king have cost the Ernaqi tribe five years of hard-earned savings. These jewels are like thorns piercing our flesh, knives that have scraped the very marrow from our bones! Now, we are willing to abandon everything."
"But we cannot abandon the desolate land that nurtured us, nor can we forsake the parents and children waiting for us at home. They live in constant fear that if we fail to reach Yunpei’s palace on time, they will face a bloody massacre. That is the fate of over seven thousand innocent tribespeople! We are not pleading for our own lives—we are terrified of failing this mission!"
Duo Zai’s words, spoken with the cadence of a priestess accustomed to leading rituals, were filled with emotion. Her wild hair blew in the wind, making her look like a witch with a head full of writhing white snakes. Her toothless mouth opened and closed like a black void, and her trembling voice seemed to carry ancient, foreboding power. It was a chilling sight, and the bandits fell silent.
"Duo Zai, step back!" Huang Bei Shuang commanded, her voice cutting through the quiet. "Even if your words have softened the hearts of many cold-blooded men, there remains one whose heart is frozen, who sees all of us as nothing more than ants!"
With that, Huang Bei Shuang leaped from the carriage, standing resolute and furious in front of the guards, her eyes fixed on the bandit leader.
"Why do you still laugh? Why do you still grip that bloodstained blade? Are you not born of parents? Do you not have children to care for? Who are you, that you lack even a shred of humanity? Are you a man, or a demon?"
The leader stared at Huang Bei Shuang for a long moment, his expression unchanged. Then, with a cold smile, he dropped his earlier mocking tone and said, "Well now, looks like the old woman and the young girl have some guts. In just a few words, you’ve managed to leave my brothers speechless."
He slowly walked to the center of the circle, and a tense silence filled the air.
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