Chapter 8: The Elder, Master of the Five Spirits

“Mother, who is this Cen Song?”
Xifeng’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she crouched down to meet Chu Junhan’s gaze. “Yan’er, you must not be rude. When you see Master Cen Song in a moment, you must greet him respectfully, and address him as ‘Elder,’ do you understand?”
Chu Junhan nodded obediently. “Yes, yes, Yan’er understands.”
Though Chu Junhan was the only child in the barracks, fortunately, their camp was not far from the city. Following Xifeng’s instructions, Yingdie quickly found several sets of boys’ clothing.
After Chu Junhan changed, Xifeng took her small hand and led her toward the council tent ahead.
This was Chu Junhan’s first time stepping outside the rear camp. Though she was Chu Xiong’s daughter and could come and go as she pleased, her mother’s restrictions meant that since she could remember, her activities had always been confined to the area around her parents’ tents.
To avoid giving the enemy any leverage and turning Chu Junhan into a bargaining chip, perhaps many soldiers had no idea that, in the general’s residence, a little girl was hidden away.
The world only knew that the general’s wife was named Xifeng, a valiant and skilled warrior, but they did not know that they had a lovely daughter named Chu Ruyan.
If Chu Xiong had wanted to deliberately conceal Chu Junhan’s identity, it would not have been difficult.
“Yan’er, do you remember what I told you?” Xifeng crouched at the entrance of the tent, straightening Chu Junhan’s clothes to make her look as much like a boy as possible.
At this moment, Chu Junhan had abandoned her two little ox-horn braids and wore a high, simple hair crown, tied with a plain white ribbon. She looked spirited and adorable.
Chu Junhan nodded seriously. “Yan’er remembers: after entering, I must bow and greet Elder Cen Song, and my name is Chu Han.”
Xifeng smiled in relief, patted Chu Junhan’s shoulder, brushed a few snowflakes from her, and motioned for her to go in.
Chu Junhan nodded, reached out her small hand to lift the tent flap, and darted inside.
Xifeng watched her daughter’s tiny figure with deep satisfaction. Her daughter had always been sensible—not like other children who cried and fussed; she always listened to reason.
Yes, she had always been so sensible.
Because of this, in her previous life, even with a heart full of resentment, she restrained herself and became the virtuous and proper young lady of the Chu family in everyone’s eyes.
But today was not like yesterday. Now that Chu Junhan had returned, she would not let such a golden opportunity slip by.
She remembered her father’s wish: unification of the land and an end to the war that left the people destitute. Since she had returned, she would fulfill this wish herself—not for the Xiao family, but for all those displaced by the chaos of the times.
“Father!” Chu Junhan walked with small steps to the center of the tent and bowed respectfully and crisply to Chu Xiong, who sat in the seat of honor.
Chu Xiong responded with satisfaction. He hadn’t expected his little Ruyan to carry herself with such poise. He had worried she might be timid, but clearly his concerns were unfounded.
Indeed, Chu Junhan in boys’ attire at the center of the tent, coupled with her brisk and proper bow, truly had the bearing of a young lad.
“Yan… Han’er, this is Master Cen.” Chu Xiong gestured to the elderly man seated beside him, eager to see just how courageous his daughter really was.
Chu Junhan turned toward the old man. Seated upright was an elder with an air of transcendence, a faint and enigmatic smile at his lips.
Their eyes met for only a moment, yet Chu Junhan felt herself trembling—not because the old man was hideously ugly like some ancient beast, but quite the contrary: he had kindly features and gentle eyes.
What unsettled her was the aura that surrounded him. Those eyes, sunken with age, seemed as though they could see through everything about her.
All the secrets in her heart felt as if they had nowhere to hide under his gaze.