Chapter 6: Blessings and Auspicious Symbols

At that moment, a white rabbit suddenly appeared from nowhere, immediately capturing his attention. However, he remained motionless, simply gazing intently at it

Yulian feels that the most frightening place is the one where she grew up as a child, and it exists in her dreams

Guo Shao's expression relaxed, and he paid no attention to Yang Biao's attempts to undermine him... This is the proper attitude of a subordinate towards a superior. Although Yang Biao was a centurion not long ago, he is now merely a deputy commander of a squad. The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period is not lacking in arrogant soldiers and fierce generals; this is not a place that values the virtue of humility. Yielding only makes others think you are easy to bully, a convenient target for their amusement. Guo Shao handed the bow to Yang Biao and said, "You give it a try."

Later, she was finally sold to the home of Li Shouzheng in Hezhong Prefecture. She still remembers the densely populated city, the bustling courtyards, and the bright houses, which were never short of oil lamps and candles. At night, lanterns hung outside, and she instantly fell in love with that place. At least initially, she thought it was a wonderful place filled with sunshine in every corner.

When I left my hometown, I was still young, yet people tend to remember the environment they first encountered very clearly. The earthen walls of the thatched cottage were darker and more dilapidated than those of the Chen family residence in Tokyo, and in the countryside, once night fell, it was pitch black outside, with not a single light in the middle of the night; behind the house lay desolate mountains, dotted with many wild graves. Yulian vividly recalls the times when she dared not go out at night to relieve herself.

Although he had only been stationed at the military camp for two days, it felt rather idle for Guo Shao, as he had barely settled into the position of the commander before being reassigned back to the rank of a general; the fourth team of the headquarters consisted of only a little over twenty people, all of whom were familiar faces, leaving him with little to worry about

Yang Biao's face showed a look of surprise, mixed with a hint of embarrassment: "You have some skills."

Yulian widened her eyes in the darkness, afraid to light the lamp. The window let in a draft, making the oil lamp sway even more frighteningly. Moreover, if the lamp remained lit in the dead of night, it might attract the attention of others, leading to idle gossip. At that moment, she felt something soft gently poke her chest. Reaching out to explore, she discovered it was the auspicious talisman she had prayed for a few days ago at the temple, still tied with a thin string and worn on her person.

The tendons on the long and stable fingers have already bulged, emitting a "crackling" sound as if they are about to snap, reminiscent of the noise produced by the immense tension of a catapult, instilling an inexplicable sense of anxiety

Guo Shao took the bow and an arrow, and not noticing where the startled white rabbit had gone, he casually plucked the bowstring. Immediately, he widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Goodness, this must be a two-shi strong bow, where did it come from?"

It is said to be very effective, having been consecrated before the Bodhisattva, and a person of high spiritual attainment performed a ritual to draw the talisman. The runes are drawn on a piece of red silk, folded into a triangle, and can be worn by tying it with a string. Shao Ge'er mentioned that he would be going to battle soon, and Yu Lian hopes he can return alive from the battlefield. Besides praying to the gods and seeking talismans, what else can she do to help?

"Good!" Luo Mengzi immediately exclaimed excitedly, regardless of whether he hit the target or not; the force alone was enough to impress everyone.

The head of the Yuzhen Temple is a female Taoist priest, and since the temple is located in the city, it is quite popular among women. Yulian was also very interested in inquiring about the background of the temple head. It is said that she was originally named Jingniang and had met the commander of the Imperial Guard, Zhao Kuangyin, many years ago. Later, due to emotional wounds, she became disillusioned with worldly affairs and established a temple in Dongjing to become a nun. Women particularly enjoy such romantic tales, which explains the temple's thriving incense offerings.

Is there a ghost after death? In front of Yulian, it seemed she saw the corpse with a bloodied face and lifeless eyes, staring blankly at her. Trembling, she whispered into the dark void: "Do not blame me, do not blame me... I was wrong, I should not have wished for your death, but I did not kill you, nor was I an accomplice. This is all out of helplessness; as a woman, I truly cannot endure such days. If it were not for the unbearable circumstances, my heart would not be so cruel..." This is all out of helplessness; as a woman, I truly cannot endure such days. If it were not for the unbearable circumstances, my heart would not be so cruel...

The little white rabbit in spring is adorable yet easily frightened by m.hetushu.com. If one does not approach slowly, it will immediately be scared away. Guo Shao, holding the auspicious charm around his neck, gazed at the rabbit in a daze, a smile appearing in his eyes

I vaguely remember that my hometown belongs to Gaoping in Hedong. Listening to the old men chat, they said that Gaoping was once called Changping, which is near the ancient battlefield of the long-ago battle between the Qin and Zhao states. It is rumored that the Qin general Bai Qi executed four hundred thousand Zhao soldiers on that land! No wonder the villagers often unintentionally unearth bones. At that time, Yulian loved to listen to the adults' idle talk from all over, but she was very scared after hearing it.

Yulian caressed the talisman in her palm, hesitating whether to give it to Shao Ge'er. Tomorrow morning is the last opportunity for the gift, as he will return to the camp at dawn

Although Yang Biao is not very old, he has a face marked by the hardships of life, with a complexion that is both dark and yellowish, clearly indicating someone who has been through many battles. However, not everyone who has experienced warfare can master the art of archery to perfection, and such individuals are quite rare. One can tell from his expression that he is evidently lacking in confidence

"Damn you, Luo Er! Look at your foolish appearance!" Guo Shao scolded.

"Pull or can it be pulled open?" Guo Shao replied calmly, just in time to notice that the white rabbit had come out, standing with its ears up under the eaves of the house across the yard. The soldiers followed his gaze and easily spotted the brightly colored rabbit. The rabbit was not far away, perhaps twenty or thirty steps, but the target was too small. Everyone grew more expectant, and a murmur of excitement arose from the crowd.

He sat on the threshold basking in the sun, looking listless. The spring sunlight was warm and gentle, and the flowers on the pear tree in the courtyard were about to bloom. This season, with its comfortable temperatures, made one feel utterly lethargic. He usually appeared quite lazy when idle, as if lacking any energy, speaking little and preferring to sit rather than stand.

With a resounding "bang!" a powerful string sound reverberated, seemingly carrying a sharp edge that pierced the air, startling the onlooking soldiers. In that brief moment, many were captivated by Guo Shao's intense focus, which enveloped them from his gaze to every part of his being, and the sound of the string finally brought them back to reality

If only it had been a few years earlier, back when we were at Li Shouzheng's residence... But at that time, Shao Ge'er seemed to be completely infatuated with the Fu family, willing to die for her. Even if he has truly let go now

At the sound of the response, it was evident that the white rabbit had been firmly pinned in the corner, leaving it no room to struggle.

The night envelops the land for miles, and within the same darkness, each place harbors its own unique solitude. The Chen family residence is located in a deep alley corner of Longjin Fang, where the narrow space and high walls result in poor lighting; their house is small and low, showing signs of age, with beams coated in soot and broken wooden windows, which casts a very dark tone over the entire space. This evokes the image of a haunted house from a story.

Guo Shao sneered, "You don't even dare to try? Then it would be best to understand the rules of hierarchy."

In the past two days, the Imperial Guard has treated the soldiers very well, as they are about to embark on a campaign. They have been rewarded with money, pigs, sheep, and wine to celebrate their service, which has greatly lifted everyone's spirits. Seeing this, the crowd cheerfully began to make a commotion, calling for Guo Shao to show his skills.

In accordance with the military orders of the Privy Council, the imperial guards were to assemble and report to their respective barracks in advance, with the troops set to depart two days later. Guo Shao arrived at the barracks a day prior to the stipulated date.

Unexpectedly, this fellow turned out to be a stubborn character who refused to admit defeat, and immediately said: "It's just that your archery is accurate."

At that moment, a harsh voice was heard saying: "The things used by the captain, yet I do not know if a mere ten generals have the ability to pull them apart"

Guo Shao and Luo Mengzi turned around and saw Yang Biao and a dozen soldiers carrying a skinned sheep approaching. Yang Biao was a burly man with a fierce horse-like face, but his speech had a sharp edge to it. He was currently the deputy commander of the Fourth Squad, one rank lower than Guo Shao, but he had previously served as a centurion, which made it seem like he was not very willing to take orders from a young lad like Guo Shao, who was only eighteen or nineteen years old. Moreover, Guo Shao had been demoted from the head of the unit to a rank of ten, which inadvertently caused Yang Biao to be demoted one rank as well, likely making him view Guo Shao unfavorably.

A bow and arrow is not a firearm; it can be aimed, but its reliability is somewhat questionable, and hitting the target relies entirely on instinct. From the moment one stands to draw the bow, every action is essentially an act of aiming, a search for the feeling of the target; this feeling is an intuition formed through countless practices of hitting or missing, completely indescribable and elusive. Whenever he picks up the bow, this feeling inexplicably excites Guo Shao, as if he is facing a beloved girl in the throes of romance, having already won her affection, yet feeling a twinge of anxiety, fearing she might quietly slip away, unwilling to entertain any distracting thoughts. In this moment, Guo Shao has forgotten whether he is in a modern academy or amidst the chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms; his eyes are solely on the arrow.

His languid and leisurely movements were just as he usually conducted himself. But suddenly, he took a deep breath, and his entire body became filled with strength, nocking an arrow and drawing the bow like a full moon. The two-stone strong bow was primarily used for practicing arm strength and was rarely employed in actual combat; with the bow drawn to this extent, he could probably draw an additional stone with ease

She continuously comforted herself and finally dozed off for a while in a daze. After all, this is not the most terrifying place; at least it is in the metropolis of Tokyo. The reason it feels frightening may be because there is a dead person outside in the foul gutter.

In this situation, Guo Shao found it impossible to step down. Unhurried, he picked up a handful of sand from the ground, rubbed it in his hands, and then put on a finger cot.

In her heart, Yulian did not blame Guo Shao for killing her husband; in fact, she secretly felt a sense of gratitude... She certainly held a high regard for a young man like Shao, who not only possessed courage but was also not a simple-minded brute. Yulian believed he had extraordinary insight, and if fortune favored him, he might truly achieve wealth and nobility. However, could a young officer of only eighteen or nineteen really be interested in a woman who had been married three times and was unable to bear children?

What does this mean, a blatant threat, intending to sabotage on the battlefield

If one behaves with impatience, it is likely to demean oneself: while the husband's remains are not yet cold, you are already engaging in flirtations with others. Are you not a frivolous woman of loose morals? Yulian understands very well that if one does not respect oneself, then others will also look down upon one and consider one as something insignificant that can be discarded at any time

Uncertain of how long she had slept, she opened her eyes to find the bright room had vanished, replaced by a darkness of reality, with a faint scent of plant ash lingering in the air

The atmosphere, which had just begun to ease, tightened slightly once again as everyone turned their attention to the square-faced man

This fellow is named Luo Mengzi, a minor soldier from the Fourth Squad. He seems to have hurt himself, grimacing as he gets up, brushing off the dirt and limping over, hopping along. He takes the bow off his back and hands it over, saying: "Guo Shijiang, quickly shoot that rabbit"

Heaven has never been fair. Some individuals are indeed born to receive all kinds of affection from others; even if they do nothing, there will be those willing to make sacrifices for them. Take the Fu family, for instance. Born into nobility and possessing both beauty and intelligence, no matter how many times she has married, she remains a goddess in the hearts of the people

Guo Shao got up early in the morning and opened the back door, only to find a red object that had fallen out from the crack of the door. He picked it up and examined it carefully for a while, then put the object away and turned to take a glance into the alley.

Unexpectedly, a burly man suddenly charged in from somewhere, clad in heavy armor. Without a word, he rushed over with a clatter and lunged at the rabbit. His cumbersome body crashed to the ground with a loud thud, but the rabbit escaped in a flash, leaving him with a mouthful of mud.

... ...

The talisman was requested for Shao Ge'er, and that was several days ago, before the murder occurred

Yang Biao's face suddenly flushed red and then pale, and he found himself at a loss for words. Coupled with the mocking laughter of the soldiers around him, he angrily exclaimed: "Guo Shijiang's arrows have eyes, but the arrows on the battlefield do not!"

Luo Mengzi said: "A couple of days ago, Guo Shijiang was promoted, awarded by Commander Wang, and you were not in the barracks."

At that moment, Yulian realized one small benefit of the Chen family man; when he was around, Yulian was not so afraid. She curled up against the wall, and the more afraid she became, the less she could sleep.