Chapter 37.1

Zhou Yinuo hid in a snow pit, motionless and vigilant. Around him, a dozen comrades huddled in similar icy pits, their ragged breaths the only sign of life in the desolate expanse. Shivering beneath layers of damp clothing, they clung to a fragile hope, their muscles screaming for release yet their will holding them prisoner in this silent vigil.

Not far from their vantage point, a procession of horses and men strained against the winter's wrath. The carriage they pulled, piled high with a precarious mountain of grain and supplies, labored through the thick snowdrifts.

Each hoofstep was a battle, the silence punctuated only by the rhythmic creak of leather straps and the exhale of exertion from both beast and burden. The men, bundled in layers against the biting cold, trudged beside the horses, their faces etched with determination as they wrestled the cumbersome load forward.

A wall of stoicism guarded the carriage – not the usual king's guard, but a band of warriors from a distant tribe. Their attire screamed of a harsher land; thick fur coats, weathered brown from sun and snow, contrasted sharply with the polished armor of the court.

Wide-brimmed felt hats, adorned with feathers of unknown birds, cast deep shadows over their faces, making it hard to discern expressions. Beneath the coats, powerful builds hinted at a life spent wrestling with the elements and facing down beasts.

A telltale bulge at each warrior's hip wasn't a weapon, but a hefty wineskin, its leather worn and stained with a potent, unknown brew. Their voices, when they spoke, were a guttural rumble, an avalanche of consonants and harsh vowels foreign to the ears of the onlookers.

It was a language as untamed as the warriors themselves, a language that spoke of windswept plains and battles fought under a sky ablaze with a thousand stars.

As the carriage finally passed, Zhou Yinuo emerged from the snow pit and quickly brushed off the snow from his body.

"I almost froze to death!" A tall man emerged beside him, completely covered in snow, looking like a snowman. "Hey, don't say...Nuozi, this thing you have is indeed useful, not a speck of snow got in."

A soft chuckle escaped Zhou Yinuo's lips as his fingers brushed against the fabric of his garments. Crafted with love by his young wife back in his hometown, they were unlike anything he'd ever worn before.

The short cape, designed for both practicality and draped from his head down to his chest, leaving only a slit for his eyes to peek through. The supple leather gloves, meticulously stitched and surprisingly comfortable, reached just past his knuckles, with cleverly designed openings at the fingertips that allowed him to grasp objects with surprising dexterity.

Every stitch, every curve, spoke of his wife's devotion and her meticulous attention to detail. He couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth bloom in his chest, a silent promise to live up to the love woven into the very threads of his attire.

The biting cold held no dominion over him. When the temperature dipped, a clever transformation took place. With a practiced flick of the wrist, he'd flip the top half of his garment inwards.

This seemingly simple maneuver revealed a hidden layer, crafted from supple leather. It cradled his hands like a second skin, instantly banishing the chill and radiating comforting warmth.

The transformation was as smooth and natural as a second breath

His knee pads and boots were sewn with soft wolf hide by his mother-in-law, finely stitched and ensuring the warmth of the wolf's coat permeated every fiber, a silent guardian against the winter's bite.

In the military, they hunted for cheap hides to make leather boots, knee pads, and hand warmers. Several short capes were also made specifically for scouts like them.

"Nuozi, how do you see it?" A thin young boy approached him, sounding even younger than Zhou Yinuo.

Zhou Yinuo looked in the direction where the convoy disappeared and said, "Big ones, each take three men and continue to investigate with me, leave three people to stay here, and the rest go back to deliver the message."

"Why? Yinuo, aren't you coming back with us this time?" Another round man said, "Are you planning to do something on your own again this time? Don't you want to achieve something together with your brothers?"

Zhou Yinuo glanced at the man and said, "Either you stay with your men here and I'll go back to deliver the message, or you go back to report the news?"

The man tugged at the cloth covering his nose and mouth and fell silent.

The taller man sneered, "Fat Liu, you're no fun. Yinuo has always achieved success through his own efforts. Do you expect him to carry you? Grab your hand to kill or give you his military merit? You were the one who insisted on coming as a scout this time, right? You've been complaining all the way, haven't you? Just eager for military merit but not willing to suffer? Is there such a cheap thing in the world? Remember to ask the old brother to go with you."

Fat Liu spat and said, "Just because he has a good wife to rely on? This military merit is not even worth giving to that woman."

"If he can marry a good wife, why can't you? Marrying a good wife is also a skill, isn't it?" The taller man retorted.

"Enough, stop arguing." Zhou Yinuo said calmly, "Fat Liu, either you continue tracking with your men or go back to deliver the message, you choose."

Fat Liu adjusted his clothes tightly, grumbling, "I'll take my men back to deliver the news."

He had no intention of continuing to track, just the thought of being discovered would mean a death he wouldn't even know how it happened. Moreover, with so many people on the other side, they wouldn't even be able to carry out a surprise attack.

This military merit was really a hopeless matter, and one wrong move could cost him his life.

Fat Liu selected a few men with whom he had a good relationship and hurried back. Zhou Yinuo chose a few men familiar with mountain and forest life to stay behind and watch, then he led the taller man, Gouzi, and a few others to follow the convoy in the snowy landscape.

The relentless snowfall painted the landscape a pristine white, each flake fat and heavy as it descended. The convoy ahead trudged through the deepening blanket, their progress a slow, deliberate crawl.

This allowed the approaching group to close the distance rapidly, their own vehicle seemingly slicing through the winter wonderland.

As dusk settled, a cloak of inky blue began to drape across the horizon. Yet, the dense curtain of snow, though muffling the usual sounds of the world, held a strange luminescence. It cast an otherworldly glow on the surroundings, allowing for an unusual clarity despite the fading light.

"Nuozi, what's your plan?" The taller man's muffled voice came from inside his cloak.

Zhou Yinuo suppressed the white mist coming out of his mouth and whispered, "I'm thinking if there's a chance for a surprise attack."

"Nuozi, are you crazy? There are more than a hundred of them!" Even Gouzi sounded surprised.

Zhou Yinuo replied, "That's why I said I'm thinking. Looking for an opportunity. After all, military merit is earned with life, not just by fighting, but also by using your brain."

The taller man rubbed his hands, took out a greased paper packet from his chest, opened it, pinched a handful of ginger and dried shrimp, and stuffed it into his mouth to chew. "You use your brain, and I'll use my strength. My brain has been frozen by this damned weather long ago."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, the grand carriage rumbled to a halt in a clearing. A dozen smaller carts, their paint weathered by miles traveled, formed a protective circle around it.

With practiced ease, the weary travelers unloaded the horses. Freed from their harnesses, the animals nudged contentedly at piles of fresh straw, their rhythmic munching a soothing counterpoint to the evening.

Around the central core of carriages and carts, a flurry of activity unfolded. They pitched tents with practiced hands, the warm, golden tones of felt catching the last rays of sunlight.

Soon, a comforting haze of woodsmoke began to rise, carrying with it the tantalizing aroma of sizzling meat. The air, crisp and clean moments before, was now infused with the promise of a hearty meal and the shared camaraderie that only a long journey can forge.

Laughter, mingled with the clinking of glasses and the gentle murmur of conversation, drifted across the camp, a testament to the simple pleasures of a well-earned rest.

"Damn it!" The taller man cursed angrily, then moved his stiff hands and feet in the snow pit.

"Gouzi, you come with me to catch a few live rabbits, and you, tall guy, keep an eye here," Zhou Yinuo said calmly.

The tall man sniffed and swallowed his saliva. "Are you serious, Nuozi? Planning to barbecue here?"

"Yeah," Zhou Nuo's voice carried a smile. "Yes, let's eat barbecue."

Even in the snow, there were rabbits moving around, with their thick fur making them look like balls in the snow, making them difficult to find. However, Zhou Yinuo had a few years of experience hunting in the mountains. He knew the telltale signs – a patch of disturbed snow, a single twitch of a nose, a rustle in the otherwise silent undergrowth.

Gouzi, by his side, came from a lineage of hunters as well, his instincts as sharp as the glint of his hunting knife.

Together, they were a formidable team

Soon, the two men found a rabbit burrow and caught four rabbits.

With practiced ease, Zhou Yinuo dipped his hand into a weathered pouch hanging from his waist. From its depths, he retrieved a small, grease-stained packet. Inside lay his chosen messengers – a collection of firecrackers, tightly bound and ready for use.

These firecrackers were usually used for communication, as when exploded in the open air, they could carry messages far, and the number of explosions and their timing conveyed different meanings.

With a surge of adrenaline, Zhou Yinuo and Gouzi scrambled to the closest point they could safely reach in relation to the convoy. Working with frantic precision, they lashed the firecrackers securely to the rabbits' terrified backsides.

Grasping a flickering lighter, the man ignited the temperamental fuses, sending off a shower of sparks. With a final, desperate shove, they sent the rabbits scuttling towards the convoy in a living, bouncing barrage.

Not daring to linger, they whipped around and bolted in the opposite direction, the pounding of their hearts echoing in their ears.

In the silent snowy night, the firecrackers exploded, frightening the two rabbits. Their desperate flight led them straight towards a tethered convoy, where weary horses drowsed after a satisfying meal.

The unexpected intrusion pierced the tranquil scene. The horses, startled from their doze, erupted in a chorus of startled neighs. Their hooves, no longer anchored by rest, lashed out in a flurry of panicked kicks. The confined space of the convoy added to the chaos.

In the ensuing mayhem, some unfortunate animals bore the brunt of the flailing hooves. One, struck a cruel blow in the chest, crumpled and fell with a heavy thud, landing tragically in the glowing embers of a nearby fire pit.

The once peaceful scene devolved into a tableau of startled whinnies, thrashing bodies, and the acrid scent of singed fur mingling with the fading smoke of the firecrackers.

The guards of the convoy were also shocked. Frantic shouts and whistles pierced the air, but the terrified steeds were beyond reason. With a primal terror in their eyes, they surged forward, reins snapping taut in the desperate hands of the guards.

The scene descended into chaos.

Carts overturned, their precious cargo spilling onto the dusty road. Men scrambled for safety, their faces etched with a mixture of fear and determination. Tragedy struck in a heartbeat.

A guard, caught off guard by a rearing stallion, was sent sprawling. His scream was cut short as he fell backwards, landing with a sickening thud in the smoldering remains of a recently extinguished campfire.

Others weren't as fortunate. Wild hooves lashed out, connecting with sickening thuds against human flesh. Cries of pain joined the cacophony as several unfortunate souls were sent sprawling, some into the very flames they sought to avoid.

The guards, though shaken to their core, were faced with a horrifying choice - watch the horses scatter their precious cargo and potentially cause untold damage, or risk their own lives trying to regain control.

The sound of howling echoed in the night sky.

A piece of charcoal flew up from a horse's hoof and landed on the grain cart.

At first, it seemed innocuous, a mere speck against the vast canvas of golden wheat piled high. But like a serpent coiling unseen, a tendril of smoke began to twist upwards, a wispy tendril soon joined by another, then another, until a plume of acrid grey stained the sky.

However, in the midst of the chaos, no one paid attention to the burning cart. By the time they realized and tried to put out the fire, it was too late.

The carts were tightly packed together, and most of the horses pulling them had already run off. The scene spoke of chaos.

The remaining steeds, their hides slick with sweat and flanks heaving, strained against their harnesses, the air thick with their frustrated whinnies. Moving these carts, even a single one, was a herculean effort, requiring the combined strength of several men.

The result was a direct hit by the fire, with more than half of the grain supplies lost. The once-proud convoy, now a tangled mess of charred wood and blackened grain, mirrored the despair etched on the faces of the weary survivors.

Once the chaos settled down, the group of people looked disheveled, staring in horror at the raging flames before them. With the grain supplies burnt, if they returned to their troops, death would be the only outcome.

So, without waiting long for calm, a group of them started to turn against each other.

Some wanted to desert, some wanted to report the incident, and before a few words were even spoken, knives were drawn.

By the time morning came, the snow-covered ground was left with burnt grain and several dozen bodies, a truly gruesome scene.

"I can't believe it, I was scared silly!" Gouzi cheerfully recounted to his teammates, "Wow, this time the credit should go to the rabbits. I never expected two rabbits to have such skills! Nuozi, brother, you are really clever. Originally, we were planning to shoot rockets in the chaos, but before we could do anything, their grain caught fire. When they scattered, I, Nuozi, and the tall guy went over and found a lot of good stuff. And there was a cart with grain farther away, luckily some horses hadn't run off, so we managed to pull it all back."

"Gouzi, you've said it hundreds of times, aren't you tired?" The tall man grinned lazily, half-lying in the sunny spot, his face covered with a beard and messy hair hiding his original appearance. "Please, do tell, Fat Liu's face must be as black as charcoal by now."

Gouzi rolled his eyes and said, "It's not my concern, he said he wanted to go back. Besides, what use is he following us? Can't shoot a bow, can't catch a rabbit. Hey, tall guy, do you think Nuozi can get a promotion this time?"

"Who knows?" The tall man chuckled, "Oh, look, Gouzi, is the rabbit cooked yet? Oh... thinking about it, today is the thirtieth day of the Lunar New Year, right? It's been five years since coming here... "

Gouzi fiddled with the rabbits, saying, "I've been with Nuozi for two years now."

Two years ago, Zhou Yinuo was a lowly officer, his calloused fingers struggling to decipher even the simplest characters. Today, a metamorphosis seemed to have taken place. He now stood tall as a Qianhu captain, a feat that whispered of remarkable leadership and unwavering resolve.

While the former captain Wang Dong had become a junior general, quite illustrious. It was rumored that if they managed to repel the enemy tribes this year, he would return to the imperial capital to be promoted and marry a beautiful lady.

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