One

Heluntie was busy beside him, fastening a chainmail made of iron rings to his small coat, then draping a heavy brocade sleeve over it, and finally adding a windproof fox fur. After completing these tasks, she inspected him from top to bottom, and suddenly her gaze met the child's eyes. These were the clearest eyes she had ever seen, reflecting the colors of the sunset, both magnificent and tranquil

"I will not use my mare's milk to feed the wolf cubs of Qingyang; all the people of Qingyang are wolves! They killed my husband, they killed my son, and I will still use my mare's milk to feed these heartless beasts!" Zhegan seemed to have transformed into a different person, she shouted frantically, her eyes swollen and filled with tears

She sat down next to the child and placed the lamp between them

She stopped her hand, staring blankly at that small face. After hesitating for a long time, she gently reached out to touch his cheek

Helun Tie recalled the rosy-cheeked child, she hugged her legs tightly and buried her head in her knees

After a long silence, Heluntie said softly: "Young Master, it is truly not your fault"

"I would rather kill him than feed him!" Zhegan suddenly drew the knife from his waist and recklessly struck at the mare. The injured mare let out a long cry of pain but did not dare to kick her owner, instead dragging her injured leg to evade him. Heluntie tightly embraced Zhegan, but Zhegan's strength was astonishingly like that of an ox.

"Mother, they have all left, do not leave me." The child held her tightly.

The women all rushed out upon hearing the sound. A few strong ones worked hard to restrain Zhegan, who struggled in vain, only able to scream frantically, until her voice finally turned into a whimper from her throat

It does not matter where you were born

"Mother, please don't leave me," the child murmured, "I will... protect you!"

"Is it getting cold? The sky is about to darken." Heluntie walked over, intending to close the curtain

Let me finish milking, my lord has commanded that as long as I do not die, I shall remember to milk for him to drink

"Mother, is it because of me?" the child suddenly said

Zhe Gan tightly embraced the horse's neck, her whole body trembling increasingly out of control. Suddenly, she turned around and lunged at He Lun Tie, forcefully snatching the copper cup and throwing it to the ground.

He Lun's heart surged with sorrow; this child is both too intelligent and too fragile, unable to bear such heavy matters in their heart. How can one live long under such circumstances

He began to gaze blankly outside the tent again. The vast encampment was so desolate, with no one moving between the interconnected tents, and not a single horse in sight. Unrestrained sheep were nibbling at the tent flaps, and the lion banner fluttered weakly in the wind. Heluntie did not know what else to say; she drew the hooked knife from her waist and began to sharpen it on the whetstone. The women had all taken to carrying knives close to their bodies, honing the blades to a sharp sheen. Heluntie did not know what else to say; she drew the hooked knife from her waist and began to sharpen it on the whetstone. The women of the Zhenyan tribe were as fierce as the men; when the enemy breached the encampment, they would rather cut their own throats than live in humiliation. The monotonous sound of Heluntie's knife sharpening filled the tent, and Asule silently gazed at the cold glint of the blade, coughing softly a few times.

"Stop talking! Just stop!" He Lun Tie suddenly shouted, pressing down hard on the child's shoulders. "Enough! Enough! What good does it do for you to speak now? You are not the great lord of Qingyang; you are just a child. What can you do? The cavalry of Qingyang is currently on the battlefield, killing our Zhenyan people! Who can you save?" The cavalry of Qingyang is currently on the battlefield, killing our Zhenyan people! Who can you save?

I wish I were the great lord of Qingyang, for as soon as I say no more fighting, everyone would cease. Zhegan's son would even weave dragonflies for me, and Bamorou would come with his red horse

The sound of a horse neighing came from outside the tent. Heluntie was somewhat surprised, as there should be no horses left in the camp at this time. She looked outside and saw a frail, dappled mare standing by the tent, with an old woman half-kneeling and half-squatting beside the horse's belly, milking it. She felt relieved and walked out. This was the mare that was being milked for Asule, as the child's health was quite poor, and he needed to drink a cup of fresh, warm mare's milk before dinner.

The two stood silently facing each other, as Heluntie tightly embraced Asule.

Kheluntie looked towards the tent, and a gap at the edge of the curtain quietly closed.

She lowered her head and shook it desperately, biting her lip to refrain from making a sound. Tears streamed down her face

"Zhegan, what are you doing?" Heluntie shouted in panic

He had no smile, and Heluntie noticed it. This child could not hide his thoughts; everything he was thinking was reflected in his eyes. Although he had been kept in the tent all this time, by now, he should have been aware of the outside world. Last night, the men who were to go to battle sat around the campfire playing the horsehair lute, and throughout the night, powerful and desolate songs echoed around. How could this child possibly not hear it

The warm, pure white milk filled the copper cup, and Zhe Gan hunched over, presenting the mare's milk to He Lun Tie. She seemed unable to lift her head, not even glancing at He Lun Tie, turning instead to stroke the horse's head, leaning against its neck, her shoulders trembling as if she were crying, yet not a sound could be heard.

The child huddled in the corner, pressing against the wall of the tent, hugging his legs. In the past, at this time, Helun would always go over to pull him up and make him sleep on the bed, but at this moment, she felt a sense of exhaustion, and Zhegan's shrill cries echoed in her ears, leaving her in a daze.

Zhegan's voice was hoarse and weak, sending a chill down Heluntie's spine. She watched as Zhegan's gray hair trembled beside her brown, aged face, her hands weakly clutching the mare's milk, repeating the action as if she were a drowning person grasping at the last straw. Zhegan had originally been a woman with nimble hands and feet, and the milk produced by the mare she raised was the freshest and best, which is why the lord commanded Zhegan to provide milk for the heir every night.

I still remember many, many other people, all of whom treated me well. Although you do not allow me to go out, I know that gradually I can no longer see their faces. They are gone. I think of Bamo Lu, wishing to see him pass by my tent, playing his bamboo whistle and riding his red horse, but...

The pure white mare's milk spilled all over the ground

Helun Tie held the mare's milk, hesitating and unwilling to leave

She tied the white leopard tail around Asule's wrist, securing it with a red silk ribbon and tying a tight knot. Then she turned his head to face her, gazing into his eyes, "Young Master, you must remember, no matter what happens, you cannot untie this leopard tail. If someone intends to harm you, raise your hand to show it to them. You must never take it off. Do you understand?"

Asule gently shook his head, "But I can do nothing... I am a useless person"

He enjoys watching the clouds at sunset, observing how the sunlight gilds them with a layer of pale gold, and how beams of light burst forth like golden threads among the clouds. When the wind blows, the flowing clouds change shape, forming images of lions, tigers, and dragons, along with herds of fiery steeds galloping across the sky, pursued by waves of crimson clouds. Often, as he watches, he finds himself silently laughing until the sun sets and the grassland dims.

"Do not say anything more! What can we do?" She sobbed as she lifted her head, seeing the tears on the child's small face; he was so quiet, yet so sorrowful

"Young Master, do not be afraid. No matter who emerges victorious, you will be fine. Perhaps your family is coming to fetch you soon, and your mother will be with you, but she will no longer be able to protect you. You are the Young Master of Qingyang, and you will one day be the master of this grassland. The blessings of the Pan Da Tian God rest upon your head, and no one can harm you." Helun Tie gently stroked the top of his head

"Your Highness, do not think too much," Helun Tie adjusted his hair bun and made an effort to display a smile, "The matters of the adults have nothing to do with you. The great lord of the Northern Capital and our lord both care for you, Your Highness is a good child"

Keh Lun Tie entered the tent holding a lamp, and the people outside had already dispersed

Let go! Let go!" she shouted hoarsely, "If you won't let me kill him, I will kill my own horse, I will kill it, I will kill it, I will kill my own mare

I still remember Zhegan and the younger son of the librarian... He once made a dragonfly for me out of grass.

They say that the great army of the Ninth Prince is about to arrive here," Asule kept his head down, "I know, the Ninth Prince is my uncle. They also say that many people have died, all killed by our Qingyang people ... ...

"Zhegan, let me handle this." Heluntie stood behind the old woman, "You and the others go rest in the tent."

She loves this child, even though, given her humble status, she feels unworthy to express such love for this noble child. However, she has thought that if one day she were to have a child of her own, she would want them to be like this little Asule.

Bamoru, Heluntie feared to hear this name. She did not see Bamoru's corpse; only the dancing red horse returned. Heluntie was twenty-four years old, and she had dreamed of marrying a herdsman like Bamoru. Bamoru always rode on his red horse, playing his own strange tune from afar, and then he would smile, revealing his snow-white teeth. Heluntie had woven two leather straps to hold his boots, which she still kept in her bosom, never having the chance to give them to him. Bamoru always rode on his red horse, playing his own strange tune from afar, and then he would smile, revealing his snow-white teeth. Heluntie had woven two leather straps to hold his boots, which she still kept in her bosom, never having the chance to give them to him

Why was I born in Qingyang

Asule nodded slightly, looking down at the ground

Helun Tie was taken aback, tightly grasping his hand, "No, it is not because of you; the young master is a good child."

Asule lifted the tent flap slightly, gazing towards the direction of the setting sun in the west

However, since the war began, Zhegan's husband and four sons have all died. When the body of the youngest son was brought back, only half of it remained. Zhegan cried out like a mother wolf, wailing throughout the night. Now, Zhegan has no relatives left in this world, only this old mare.