Chapter Seven, Cat's Eye

Cha Cha's expression changed slightly as she widened her eyes to look at him. Cheng Duo thought to himself that her panic was a good sign, as it would make it easier to deceive her. It was evident that she placed great importance on this matter, and his curiosity grew even stronger. He then raised his hand, signaling that she could leave.

Cheng Duo stared at Dongfang with a smile that seemed to conceal something and said, "Alright." After speaking, he looked at Cha Cha and raised his chin towards the account door, prompting Cha Cha to turn around and leave.

Cheng Duo straightened up without changing his expression, and seeing that Cha Cha's demeanor had softened and showed no signs of vigilance, he gently asked, "Do you recognize our characters?"

The East pondered: "Her voice is not an issue. If she truly cannot make a sound at all, it is possible that she has become mute due to shock or fright. Otherwise, she is merely pretending."

Cha Cha stepped aside at the door, silently retreating to the corner. Zheren had already come over to lower the tent curtain, while Zheyi brought fresh water. Chengduo did not mind the cold water and began to wash himself from head to toe. After a hasty wash, he changed into clean clothes and came out. Zheren followed closely behind him and, not far from the tent, whispered, "My lord, Cha Cha has been in the tent without leaving for these past few days." Chengduo walked straight ahead, ignoring him. Zheren continued, "Only Mr. Dongfang often sends someone to deliver medicine, or comes personally. There is no other news." Chengduo stopped, paused for a moment, and replied with a soft "Hmm," then headed towards the central army.

Amidst the chaos of the crowd, in a small corner by the side door of the western camp, a pair of round, dark eyes peered out, gazing at the fire in the stable. The eyes darted around, and a small figure emerged. The child threw the firebrand in his hand to the ground and extinguished it, taking advantage of the confusion to quietly sneak towards the camp's exit as night began to fall. When he reached the side gate of the main camp, he was caught off guard and was seized by a patrolling soldier. The leader of the sentry team loudly questioned him about his origins. When he reached the side gate of the main camp, he was caught off guard and was seized by a patrolling soldier. The leader of the sentry team loudly questioned him about his origins.

On this day, Chengduo was bent over his desk writing a memorial. Zheren suddenly approached the right side of the main table and whispered, "The servant of the brothel in the rear camp reported that someone accused Chacha of stealing something. It was said that she was seen burying something under the pillar of the stable trough and that she had hidden it elsewhere as well."

A person can possess numerous secret havens throughout their life, yet the very first one always begins with the mother. When the mother no longer ages, or even when she is no longer vividly remembered, that person truly becomes homeless.

She glanced up at Chengduo, then turned gracefully and walked towards the tent entrance

Cha Cha picked up the tea and took a small sip. Dongfang looked at her, neither moving nor speaking, and after a while suddenly asked, "Miss, do you believe in fate?" Cha Cha was taken aback by the question and momentarily did not know how to respond. Dongfang continued, "This year, you will face a great calamity, particularly unfavorable in the northwest during the transition from the old year to the new, when Wu and Ji intersect." After a moment of astonishment, Cha Cha instead smiled.

After examining Dongfang, he furrowed his brows and pondered, "The young lady has a weak spleen and stomach, resulting in an imbalance of the internal organs' energy, which is even less than that of someone who has suffered a serious illness. With a constitution as frail as yours, if you do not take care of yourself, you will only live for three to five more years at best. For now, your spirit is still acceptable." He then turned to Chengduo and said, "Her diet does not suit the military provisions; how about I prescribe her some medicine to nourish her internal organs? Is that feasible?"

Chacha nodded again

The captain also turned to look, following the direction of the main camp where torches were shining. In the twilight, he vaguely recognized the eagle flag of Chengduo, which was slowly approaching the camp. A group of patrolling soldiers and scribes became excited, eager to investigate the battle results. When the captain suddenly turned back, the child who had just appeared reluctant to part was no longer in sight. He looked up and seemed to see a small figure running wildly across the vast plain, which quickly merged into the twilight.

Cheng Duo summoned Dong Fang, opened the screen to the left and right, and conveyed this meaning. Dong Fang pondered for a moment and felt it was worth a try: "This method requires two prerequisites. First, confidentiality; second, uniqueness. Before we master it, it is best not to deploy troops."

Zheren then asked in a questioning manner: "So should we still drive her away?"

What about Hu Wen

Seeing her smile, he suddenly felt a pang of compassion in his heart. "If it were earlier, there might still be a chance for remedy. Now that fate has been sealed, I must speak frankly: you are unlikely to survive this year." He said succinctly, "If you are willing, I can ask the general to allow you to travel southeast, which might help you avoid your fate." Tea Tea lowered her gaze to the ground and slowly shook her head.

The child carried a bundle, looking extremely terrified, and could only stammer, "Sir, my father... my father passed away three days ago. My brother is in the army, and I... I came to visit him." After saying this, he began to tremble and shed tears. The captain thought to himself how he had been so careless as to let a child slip in; seeing him cry like that, he couldn't help but think of his own frail mother and younger brother at home. He sighed softly, his tone less severe, and simply said, "This is a military camp, and you cannot enter or leave without permission. You should go back."

Chengduo did not lift his head, merely responding with a "hm." Zheren turned and walked to the tent entrance, but Chengduo suddenly called him back. He could not think of anything that would make Chacha want to steal. It seemed that nothing appeared to her with any enthusiasm. Furthermore, now that Chacha had arrived in Chengduo's main tent, it was inevitable that she would attract jealousy, and the woman who reported her certainly had no good intentions.

Tea Tea stopped and turned to look at him

Chengduo said: "You may go."

Chengduo felt that she was not lying, reached out to grasp her hand, placed the pearl chain into her palm, and said, "I permit you to wear it. Burying it might cause it to get lost or damaged." Seeing her gaze still filled with uncertainty, Chengduo sighed softly, still holding her hand that bore the writing, pulling her closer, prying open her fingers, taking out the chain, and bending down from the chair to fasten it around her left ankle.

In this scene, the East did not seem particularly remarkable, yet Zheren was greatly astonished, utterly dumbfounded.

Chacha looked at the towering head from a distance, her expression unchanged. Chengduo, holding a sword, did not linger in the boiling crowd; after exchanging a few words with several deputy generals, he walked towards his large tent. He pressed his lips together, his silver-white armor stained with blood, making it impossible to discern whether he was pleased or displeased. Upon reaching the entrance of the tent, he did not cast a glance at Chacha, and shouted loudly: "Zheyi, fetch water!" Then, as if bitten by lice, he threw his battle robe to the ground.

Tea nods slightly

When she finished writing, Cheng Duo had already seen it. She still extended her hand in front of him, pointing at the chain with one finger, her eyes filled with a plea for him to believe her. Cheng Duo retracted his hand and asked while fiddling with the chain, "If it belongs to your mother, then why is it hidden everywhere?" Tea Tea lowered her gaze and remained silent, slowly putting her hand down. However, Cheng Duo understood in his heart that this ankle bracelet was extremely precious to her. She was to serve others with her body, and not even knowing how her own body would be treated, how could she dare to wear such an item?

As soon as she went out, Chengduo couldn't help but smile and instructed Zheren, "Follow her. If she hides in a secluded place, she will definitely go check it out; if she stays in the tent as usual, she must be hiding near my main tent, so go search for her." Zheren accepted the order and left. Chengduo couldn't help but smile as he held his pen. Before he finished smiling, he saw a tall, slender figure approaching from a distance. The weather had warmed up, and the tent flaps were not often closed. From Chengduo's central military tent, one could see the gate of the stockade, which was one hundred and fifty paces away.

The training ground at the gate of the courtyard suddenly turned into a hellish battlefield, with the enemy's heads piled into a small mountain, while everyone celebrated with applause, cheering for victory. Yang Youlin was even thrown into the air by his subordinate generals. More than half of the fifty thousand cavalry under the command of Khan Hudi were annihilated. Although he himself managed to escape, this battle dealt a heavy blow to Hudi, causing a dramatic shift in the situation for both sides

As Cheng Duo received it, he noticed several characters embroidered on it, which did not resemble any known script, and he could not discern their origin. Holding the silk bag, he felt that the contents were exquisite and varied. When he tipped the bag, a sound of "ka da" echoed as an object resembling a piece of jewelry fell onto the table. Upon unfolding it, he found a metal chain, adorned with three small azure gold sand beads evenly spaced along its length. The craftsmanship of this chain was delicate and intricate, immediately indicating that it was not an item from an ordinary household. Upon closer inspection, the material was neither gold nor silver, yet it shone brighter than both.

Suddenly, Zheren rushed in and, upon seeing Dongfang, hurriedly said: "Sir, the stable in the western camp has flooded." Dongfang only heard this one sentence and immediately leaped out. It was already dusk, and the clouds in the western sky were drifting with a fiery red hue, which was instantly tainted by the thick smoke from the ground, turning into a vast expanse of gray.

Thus, he no longer needed a place to return to

The apprentice of the medical account had finished preparing a dose of medicine and poured it into a coarse porcelain bowl. Seeing that Ming Ji was not present, Dongfang had no choice but to stop what he was doing and carry the medicine himself to the main tent of Chengduo

Zheren understood and responded, then withdrew. After Zheren left, Chengduo turned to Dongfang and asked, "Do you really think she is mute?"

Indeed, for more than a month, Chengduo had refrained from engaging in battle. The cavalry of the Hu Di Khan had advanced to within ten miles of the camp, establishing a very tight and secure encampment. However, whenever they provoked a confrontation, Chengduo ordered the infantry to retaliate with crossbows, employing all means including fire and stones, yet he did not send out troops. The Hu people, eager for battle yet unable to engage, were both frustrated and suspicious, unable to ascertain his true intentions.

Cheng Duo, in a displeased tone, said: "You have made considerable progress. How could you bring such matters to me for consultation!"

The East smiles and says: "There are no fixed rules for materials; the essence lies in their appropriate application"

Cheng Duo paused for a moment in silence, slowly retracting his smile. With a gesture of wisdom and benevolence, he said coldly: "You are staring at her quite intently"

Cheng Duo frowned: "Avoiding battle, this does not seem to be my style."

The Eastern gentleman had been observing all along, and at this moment suddenly said: "Miss, please wait."

The sickle? Cheng Duo is well aware that in the East, he holds considerable prestige among the common people, and it would be better for him to handle such matters.

Two months have quickly passed, and Chengduo has chosen the right moment to engage in a decisive battle with the cavalry of Khan Hudi from mhetushucom.com. However, the Hu people are particularly cautious in dealing with him and are reluctant to fall into traps easily. Chengduo inevitably has to devise schemes to lure them into his net. He personally led an army of fifty thousand to the front line, and it has already been two days. The eastern forces remain stationed at the main camp, and although they are aware of the intense fighting in recent days, the detailed situation remains unclear.

Cheng Duo smiled and said, "I had no idea you could read. I underestimated you since you rarely speak."

Eastern Dao: "Looking at your complexion, it seems your vitality is quite insufficient. May I take your pulse?"

"You are a slave and cannot privately keep any possessions, so I will not give it to you; you are also mute, and I cannot inquire about the reason, so let this matter rest for now and observe the outcome later." Chengduo did not know what that item was and could only fabricate a vague response.

Not to mention that Chengduo, despite his noble status, deigned to have a female servant wear foot ornaments, he himself regarded women with little importance. Even the concubines in the royal residence, no matter how they employed various means of coquetry to seek his favor, might not necessarily earn a word of praise from him. When the primary consort of Prince Jingyuan, Lady Xiao, passed away, even the Emperor ordered officials below the third rank to wear plain clothing, yet this principal figure hurried back only from the front lines. For this matter, Lady Xiao's father, the Prime Minister Xiao Yunshan, was quite displeased with his son-in-law. If one were to witness this scene today, they might very well faint from the shock.

Although Cha Cha knew that Cheng Duo had already tacitly agreed, she still glanced at him before proceeding with the matter

Chengduo's idea is quite simple, which is to use a long weapon to sever the enemy's horse's leg with the force of impact. The warhorse is the foundation of cavalry; if it loses a hoof, it cannot move. This method also requires a corresponding weapon, which Chengduo has sketched out, resembling a halberd. The typical bronze halberd is wielded by palace guards, combining the spear and the ge, capable of both thrusting and slashing. However, the halberd that Chengduo conceived is somewhat different; one end resembles a spear, with a crescent-shaped hook on the side of the spear. The halberd is eight feet long, and before the Hu people's curved sabers come close, it can first hook the horse's leg. The curved hook is meant to cut the horse's leg; with a horizontal sweep of the halberd, it can incapacitate the rider; then, following through, it can be withdrawn and thrust directly to kill the enemy. This weapon is designed to be used in conjunction with this hooking and thrusting technique.

He thought for a moment and instructed, "Take two people with you, ask them where they used to hide, and go search around."

Cheng Duo put down the chain and looked at Cha Cha. Seeing Cheng Duo gaze at her, Cha Cha extended her hands towards him and shook her head slightly. Although she was somewhat calmer, she could not hide her anxiety, as she was unable to speak.

Tea's eyes widened in surprise, as if confirming that the matter was indeed true

Cheng Duo looked at Cha Cha coldly and said, "As a slave, you dare to secretly keep such things? Take it out and smash it!" As he spoke, he threw the chain to Zhe Ren. Just as Zhe Ren was about to catch it, Cha Cha suddenly stood up and rushed to Cheng Duo's desk in two steps. She did not dare to write casually on the paper on Cheng Duo's desk, so she picked up the pen and wrote four characters on the back of her hand up to her wrist: "My mother's." Although her writing was somewhat awkward, she wrote extremely quickly.

Cha Cha was taken aback and looked at Cheng Duo inquiringly. Cheng Duo nodded. She then approached Dong Fang and extended her hand to him. Dong Fang placed three fingers on the three pulse points of the wrist, resting for a moment, then switched to the other hand and silently made a cut before saying: "Please open your mouth and stick out your tongue for me to take a look."

What displeased Zheren even more was that Chengduo had brought her an anklet, and Chacha stood there silently, showing no sign of reaction. She was usually indifferent to etiquette, and while residing in Chengduo's large tent, she took no responsibility for anything. Since the first time she stayed overnight in Chengduo's tent until today, regardless of when Chengduo got up each morning, she simply continued to sleep. Chengduo did not mind at all, treating her as if she did not exist, allowing her to nestle in the corner of the large tent. It was just that she was usually quiet and unobtrusive, never causing any trouble or seeking it out. Zheren and Zheyi, apart from the inconvenience of entering and exiting Chengduo's large tent, could also treat her as if she did not exist. Chengduo did not mind at all, treating her as if she did not exist, allowing her to nestle in the corner of the large tent. It was just that she was usually quiet and unobtrusive, never causing any trouble or seeking it out. Zheren and Zheyi, apart from the inconvenience of entering and exiting Chengduo's large tent, could also treat her as if she did not exist.

He walked to the side of the tent, stopped, and felt that it was eerily silent inside. He then circled to the front, where the tent flap was open, and after scanning the area, he discovered Cha Cha curled up on a mat in one corner. Dongfang quickened his pace, cleared his throat lightly, and walked in. Cha Cha hurriedly stood up, and upon seeing Dongfang, walked to the lower seat, bowing her head and clasping her hands together. Dongfang placed the medicine bowl down across the large table and said, "Your medicine, drink it while it's hot"

*

Cheng Duo replied disdainfully, "Such a crude method of provocation, and you can still resort to it."

"Victory is not merely about defeating the enemy, but rather about sacrificing oneself to ensure the enemy's demise." Dongfang paused for a moment, "You don't think that avoiding battle is cowardice, do you?"

At that time, the sound of wind and fire was quite loud, and the soldiers were bustling about, making it impossible to hear a single word clearly. However, the voice from the east did not raise its volume, yet everyone could hear it. At that moment, upon hearing the arrangements, they abandoned the stable that was already fully engulfed in flames and turned to extinguish the fire, controlling its spread.

Chengduo sent out to the east and returned to sit down. He calmed his mind, reached for the pen, and suddenly noticed the faint ink marks imprinted on his palm, left by the hand that had just held the tea. There were vaguely reversed characters of "mother". He gazed at those two characters but halted his actions.

Zheren did not know much, but he could roughly tell that the chain was not something an ordinary person would possess, so he said: "Perhaps it is something belonging to the butcher king, which she has hidden away and does not dare to take out..." Suddenly, he noticed Chengduo's fierce gaze and abruptly fell silent

Cha Cha looked at his warm smile, and suddenly there was a hint of shyness in her eyes as she lowered her head

As Chengduo was about to speak again, Zheren suddenly brought in Chacha. Chacha was still weak and was pushed to the ground to kneel. Dongfang merely glanced over and continued to drink water from his cup. Zheren presented a plain silk bag.

Yang Youlin and Zhao Sun each withdrew 20,000 cavalry from the East and West Camps, retreating five miles to set up camp, with all training directed by the East. However, Cheng Duo merely remained in the central army, reviewing the reports from the three armies daily, while Yang and Zhao took turns returning to their camps, and even the personal guards around the central command tent were unaware of the secret training of the cavalry.

In the depths of the Eastern heart, there is a quiet laughter: it does not matter if it is inferior, as long as it is useful

When Dongfang arrived at the stable, the entire stable was already engulfed in flames. Fortunately, all the horses had already been sent to battle, leaving only an empty stable. Seeing that the fire was raging fiercely and that it was too late to extinguish it, Dongfang decisively ordered, "All personnel must remain at their posts and instruct them not to watch or flee." Zheren glanced at him and nodded before leaving. Dongfang turned to the soldiers fighting the fire and said, "Do not pour water on it anymore; stop the fire on both sides and remove the nearby wooden fences."

Zheren could not help but exclaim "Ah" upon hearing this order, thinking to himself: Is this matter of searching the camp for prostitutes also to be handled by me? Seeing that Chengduo did not seem to be joking, he could only respond with a "Yes".

Chacha has always been obedient and adept at reading the room, yet this time she stood still, looking at Chengduo with a mix of disbelief and panic. Chengduo, appearing somewhat impatient, casually picked up a few pages of documents to read. Zheren stepped forward to pull her away, but unexpectedly, Chacha broke free. Chengduo looked up, and for the first time, he saw a pleading expression in her calm eyes.

After speaking, he was carried to the entrance of the camp and set down. The child stood up, looking up at the flags above the military camp with a heart full of grievances, his gaze infused with a hint of longing, as if they were his relatives. The captain could not bear to see this and waved his hand, saying, "Go on!" The child took three steps outward but could not help turning back for one last look. This glance startled him, and his expression of sorrow transformed.

Before long, Dongfang had entered the tent, and Chengduo invited him to sit sideways. Dongfang got straight to the point, "It is not the harvest season now, and the farmers' sickles are hardly in use. In the Yan Province area, there are some usable sickles. I plan to borrow them and find a way to directly cast them into weapons, which would be more convenient. However, they will definitely be damaged, so I trouble you to leave some silver in advance for compensation when the time comes"

He examined the length of the chain; it was not a piece of jewelry, but rather an anklet worn by women from the Western Regions. The climate in the Western Regions is humid and hot, and during the summer, the clothing is light and thin, not covering the feet. Thus, the girls also adorn their ankles, and with every gesture, they appear particularly enchanting

Cheng Duo feigned a slight anger and said in a low voice, "Why aren't you going out yet!" Zheren made a gesture with both hands and pushed her out of the central military tent. This time, Chacha did not resist and allowed him to push her out.

The three beads are of average size, and they are polished evenly and proportionately. However, it is difficult to discern what type of gemstone they are. Each bead can concentrate light into a line, commonly referred to as "cat's eye." What astonished Chengduo is that all three cat's eyes are double pupils

Zhe Ren went out for half a day and then came back to report that he had searched, and several women had spoken, but nothing was found. Cheng Duo, upon hearing this, instructed him to bring Cha Cha to the central military tent. Cha Cha followed Zhe Ren in. It was her first time entering the central military tent, and she couldn't help but look around at the decorations inside. Cheng Duo then said in a deep voice: "Someone has reported that you stole something, which was previously buried under the wooden stake in front of the felt house." After he finished speaking, he paused, noticing her focused expression, and continued: "Now, I have instructed Zhe Ren to find the items."

In Chengduo's tent, Chacha held a bowl but seemed to have forgotten to drink the medicine, as if she had not noticed that the dawn had already broken. She stood silently in the tent, gradually hearing the clamor of voices outside. Chacha set down the bowl and walked to the entrance of the tent, where she saw Chengduo returning with the cavalry. Each horse carried several enemy heads.

Gemstones are originally produced in the Western Regions, and some polished stones can focus light into a line. No matter how the stone is turned, that line always remains in the center, resembling a cat's eye. There is a type of gemstone that can produce two parallel lines of light, known as the double pupil, which is a rare treasure among cat's eyes and is worth a fortune. Cat's eye gemstones are extremely precious in the Central Plains. Cheng Duo had previously seen single-line cat's eyes in the palace, and he had only heard the governor of the Western Regions mention the double pupil. Now, this chain surprisingly bears three of them, which is an exceedingly rare item to be found in the hands of a slave. Cat's eye gemstones are extremely precious in the Central Plains. Cheng Duo had previously seen single-line cat's eyes in the palace, and he had only heard the governor of the Western Regions mention the double pupil. Now, this chain surprisingly bears three of them, which is an exceedingly rare item to be found in the hands of a slave