Chapter 2: The Killing Intent in Spring (Part 2)

Mo Rigen received his brother's decree, and the "flood" beneath his waist surged forth uncontrollably. The melody was unclear; could this foul-smelling urine possibly be more useful than the pure snowmelt from Mount Alatan?

The two brothers first saw a large head appearing at the top of the slope, which was mismatched with the small, green-maned horse, yet they did not see the rider, leaving them both with puzzled expressions. It was only when the short, small green-maned horse began to descend the slope that the brothers realized that the youth named Bu'erhan, taking advantage of his small stature, was lying on the horse's back with his eyes squinted, looking quite relaxed and enjoying himself.

"Not at all, you are the smartest person I have ever met, you are the youngest Bilege 3 in the world!" Qu Luy exclaimed joyfully, "This method really works, how do you know so much?"

This person still has a breath left, and there are quite a few wounds on his body, but none of them are life-threatening. His lips are chapped; if we can get some water, he might wake up immediately, " said Mo Rigen.

"Is it really necessary to run so far to find water? By the time you get back, everyone will be dead!" Zhao Cheng said, "If there is something readily available, why not use it?"

Note 1: "Na Ke Er" refers to "Bandang", meaning a companion who has been together since childhood

"Qulü, how many times have I told you two brothers? I am not called Bu Erhan; I am Han, with the surname Zhao, and my name is Zhao Cheng!" protested the youth who claimed to be Han, seemingly even more displeased with the brothers for disturbing him while he was basking in the sun

"Unbelievable! After finally having the opportunity to go hunting, you, instead of bringing a bow, are just lying on the horse's back sleeping!" The two brothers couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.

The Qu brothers had long reached an age where they could only partially understand such risqué jokes between men and women. In a fit of anger, they spurred their horses to chase after him, but Zhao Cheng turned his horse around and galloped into the nearby dense forest. In that thicket filled with larch, birch, and various low shrubs, the horses could not run fast, and the Qu brothers were unable to catch up, shouting loudly behind him, which made Zhao Cheng laugh heartily. However, as the setting sun gradually sank in the west, its golden rays filtered through the gaps between the tall treetops, casting a warm glow on his fair face, a lingering sense of melancholy began to accumulate deep within his heart.

Brother, isn't Erhan just teasing you? Are you taking it seriously? How many times have we been fooled by him, and you still haven't learned? Morigen felt ashamed of his brother's behavior

The boy lying on the horse's back sat up upon hearing these words, yet he possessed a face that was different from that of the Mongols

Note 3: The term "Bileg" in Mongolian means "wise one"

"Not at all, your words are quite perplexing. Last autumn, when everyone in the village went hunting, you killed more deer than the two of us combined, and they were all pregnant does that could hardly run!" Morigen retorted

He was dressed much like an ordinary Mongolian youth, speaking fluent Mongolian. Without looking at his face, which was exquisite even in the eyes of Han people, his hairstyle was the most significant difference compared to other Mongolians, being quite unique: a head of jet-black hair, meticulously tied up, wrapped neatly with a blue cloth strip about the width of a finger, clean and tidy, exuding a certain elegance. However, it seemed somewhat mismatched with his youthful face, giving an impression of a child with an adult's demeanor.

Only Mo Rigen understood Zhao Cheng's meaning. He stood up and, laughing heartily, began to take off his pants, at which point Qu Lü also understood.

Indeed, after that person on the brink of death received the nourishment of the "Sweet Spring," he surprisingly opened his mouth and gulped it down eagerly. However, his weary eyes could not open, and the trembling eyelids indicated that this person's vitality had been strengthened.

Zhao Cheng made a bold joke, a risqué one that only he, a 13-year-old boy regarded as the "mysterious child" by the Mongols and held in awe, would dare to utter, and he did so while joking about his older brothers, the Qu Lü brothers. The Qu Lü brothers also found it quite strange; in the presence of this Han youth, they always felt like they would forever remain young boys.

Oh! The two brothers of the Qu family also sighed deeply at the same time. Whenever Zhao Cheng used the heavens to explain all the questions that arose in his life, everything could be easily resolved

What is the difference?" asked Qu Lvy with curiosity

Understood, my dear child 1! Mo Rihe * Tu * Shugen laughed heartily, completely disregarding his protests, and continued to call out as he pleased.

Note 2: The term "Uyghur" refers to the Mongolian designation for the Uighurs, who are descendants of the Uighurs from the late Tang dynasty and belong to the Turkic ethnic group. During the era of Genghis Khan, they primarily resided in the oases along the Silk Road, benefiting from the advantageous position for trade between the East and the West, which led to a flourishing commerce. The Uyghurs initially submitted to the Western Liao and, in 1209, submitted to the Mongols

Then let's give it a try. The rhythmic patterns articulated by Zhao Cheng were so coherent and sounded profoundly mysterious that one could only comply.

The brothers of Qulü arrived hastily, and the three of them dismounted. There indeed lay a person, dressed like a merchant who traverses the endless expanse between the grasslands, deserts, and oases. However, he did not appear to be a Uyghur, who typically engages in trade between the East and the West; rather, his features were characterized by a prominent nose and deep-set eyes. Morigen placed his right hand on the person's nose to check for a breath, and there was still a faint sign of life.

The three young boys exchanged glances with one another

At that moment, the rapid sound of hooves, "tap, tap," echoed from the other side of the gentle slope. Before long, a strong black steed carrying a rider galloped to the top of the slope. The rider pulled on the reins, causing the black steed to rear up, its front legs kicking wildly in the air, emitting a piercing and defiant neigh.

The rider did not wait for the horse to come to a stop, but instead, he swung his legs free of the stirrups and stood upright on the saddle, vigilantly surveying the surroundings. After seemingly confirming that there was no danger nearby, the rider suddenly waved his hand behind him. Shortly thereafter, Zhao Cheng and the other two, who were hiding in the dense forest, heard the thunderous sound of hooves galloping from afar, which in the blink of an eye brought a palpable aura of menace right before them.

"Where can I find something ready-made?" asked Qu Lüy with surprise

At one time, it was different from another; during autumn, killing a few deer helps reduce competition for food among the same species. After all, throughout the winter, countless deer may die from freezing or starvation. However, now that it is spring, the situation is different. There is grass everywhere that deer love to eat, and it is also the mating season for deer. Look, you are shooting a young female deer, which is equivalent to killing two. If this deer happens to give birth to twins next year, then you have effectively killed three deer at once. Otherwise, in a few years, those three deer could become six, six could become twelve, and twelve could become twenty-four. It is very likely that you two brothers have already driven the entire population of deer on the grassland to extinction!" Zhao Cheng squinted his eyes and shook his head, speaking grandly.

I truly admire you two brothers, with such a beautiful sun and such a pleasant breeze, it is indeed a perfect day to lie on the grass and bask in the sun. Why go hunting?" Zhao Cheng exclaimed, glaring as he glanced at the prey on Qu Lü's horse. "To have killed such a lovely little deer is truly a sin!"

Qu Lyu, being a warm-hearted person, stood up without a word to fetch the already empty skin bag from the horse's back, but Zhao Cheng stopped him

Our yurt-dwelling family never neglects strangers seeking help, nor do we turn a blind eye to passersby who collapse before our yurt. This person is on the verge of death, and yet you continue to mock him like this? Qu Lyu felt it was necessary to teach these two "young people" a lesson

Thank you for the compliment! Zhao Cheng shot a glance, pointed his index finger at the sky, and remained cryptic, pondering how he should respond when this person wakes up and inquires about the circumstances of their rescue

"Qulü, Morigen, look quickly, is there someone lying over there?" Zhao Cheng suddenly stopped and shouted, pointing at the bushes beside him

Haha, what Brother Qulü said is absolutely correct! Zhao Cheng sat on his horse and laughed heartily, "Go back and have your father Uncle Hudu and your mother put in some extra effort to give you two brothers a pair of twin brothers, or a sister would be fine too!"

Qulü is too honest a person; such honest individuals generally do not possess very flexible minds, or they never think negatively. He earnestly counts on his fingers, finding that ten fingers are too few and insufficient for counting

This is the urine of a young boy! In our Han medical texts, this urine is considered a great tonic, let me tell you, you wouldn't understand

Brother Qu, you may not be aware of this. This urine is not waste; didn't your grandfather Hu Tulu often say so? What do those merchants wandering in the desert do when they lose their way? After drinking all the horse blood and camel blood, they can only drink their own urine to survive. Moreover, Morigen's urine is somewhat different

What Bu Erhan said is indeed very reasonable; if a person can give birth to twins, then this deer should also be able to give birth to two fawns at once! However, Qu Lyu remarked, "Surely Chi He and Huai Dou, the brothers, are not twins?"

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