It was a windy morning. The sound of clashing weapons echoed in the fields. Two warriors sparred in the field. Xiahou Dun had managed to pry the lady away from Guo Jia's or Jia Xu's grasps for a brief spar.
Although the female officer is physically present, she was obviously mentally not there. Ai Xin made no effort in charging to attack.
"Agh!" Ai Xin yelped. She had raised the handle of the spear in time to block another attack.
"Focus, Ai Xin. You're moving slower," Xiahou Dun cautioned. He swung the spear in a predictable move, but immediately stopped when he noticed no attempt of defense.
Ai Xin's routine had drastically changed since her return to Xuchang. Her contribution in the acquisition of another talent into Cao Cao's service had bumped up her promotion to the rank of captain under Xiahou Dun's command. This left the young woman with more time on her hands to do more activities.
It became an interplay of sparring sessions with warriors and keeping herself awake during tactical discourses. However, despite looking chirpy and fine throughout the day, the lady captain had been secretly carrying a heavy load of sleepless nights.
Xiahou Dun sighed. He gave a signal that ended their session. He walked over to the woman who was leaning against her spear. He noticed dark circles under her eyes. "Is everything alright? You look sick."
Ai Xin managed to steady her breath again. She tried her best to look active but it looked like she could not hide her current situation any longer. "I am fine, my lord," she said with a stifled yawn.
"Keeping yourself awake from reading again?" Xiahou Dun asked. It was followed by a disapproving snort. It was an obvious truth for all that the lady could not lie even if her life depended on it. "You should have prioritized your time better, Captain."
Ai Xin shrugged her shoulders and spoke nonchalantly, "I was just having some nightmares… that's all."
It was the first time Xiahou Dun heard such a complaint from this soldier. Normally, she would whine about the difficulty of his drills or the amount of readings she had to finish before another deadline.
"Nightmares are common with those who have survived the wars," he said. "Even I am not spared from it."
Noticing the absent answer from his captain, he glanced over to see the woman leaning against her spear with eyes closed. He could hear a faint snore escape from her lips.
"Ai Xin?" He shook her shoulder.
Ai Xin jolted awake, at the same time tripping over her feet. Xiahou Dun caught her easily with his arms. It was the closest physical contact they had of each other. He could feel her body against his. Time seemed to stop when their gaze met.
It was enough for another familiar memory to resurface through touch.
The woman's face flushed red in embarrassment, and she pulled herself away.
"I'm sorry sir! I'm really sorry!" she apologized immediately with multiple low bows. "Oh no, my cheeks feel so warm and it hurts..." She bent down to her knees and covered her face to hide the flush on her cheeks.
Xiahou Dun looked away as well. He wondered what caused such a warm spark.
The awkward moment was dispelled when a messenger arrived.
"Lord Cao Pi has called for a hunt along with the other young princes," a messenger reported. "Captain Ai Xin, he has specifically requested for your presence. You are to serve as Lady Zhen's personal guard for the trip."
"Wh-What? Why me?" Ai Xin asked in a whiny tone.
Xiahou Dun frowned. He thought Cao Cao was enough of a womanizer, and it seemed as if the trait had passed on to the current eldest son. He glanced over to his still blushing captain with her face covered with her hands.
"Don't just mope there, Captain," he ordered while easily yanking her back up to her feet by the collar. "Go and prepare for the hunt. Cao Pi is not one to wait."
At the city gates that lead to the nearby forest, Ai Xin rode on her horse next to the carriage that housed Lady Zhenji. She had dressed in light armor and carried a bow with a quiver of arrows. For most of the time, she ignored the stares of the other male guards and spoke only when spoken to.
She gripped at the reins, trying to control her emotions. Did she overreact? But how could she not react that way when she felt the firmness of his chest? How did her nose easily register that bodily sweat? Did it become too obvious to the general of her secret crush towards him? Oh no, what if that would cause more problems?
Ai Xin inhaled deeply then exhaled, calming her thoughts. She can't be distracted now. There's a lady to guard.
The hunting party stopped at a bamboo clearing. A small troop of soldiers broke off from the formation to begin scouting the area's safety. Ai Xin got down from her horse and tied the reins to a bamboo trunk. Remembering the briefing prior to their departure from the city, the carriage is to stay at the clearing at all times.
"I am surprised that General Xiahou Dun consented to having you take up the position, Captain," Cao Pi arrived with a smug look on his face.
Ai Xin saluted, "I was under the impression that it was General Zhang He's persuasion that made Lady Zhenji ask for me."
Cao Pi chuckled, "Lady Zhenji is a strong woman who can defend herself, however, I must still take precautions as her husband. Know the price of failure should a single hair in her head be harmed."
"Understood, my lord," Ai Xin replied with a bow.
Once the scouts returned with reports of possible game in the area, Cao Pi got on his horse and rode off with the rest of the hunting party.
As soon as silence settled in, that was when the carriage started to make noise. The curtains were pulled open and its passenger emerged from the wooden enclosure. Ai Xin quietly watched with awe as the radiant Zhenji descended the steps. The regal woman's dark hair adorned in a golden hair clip with lush blue plumes. Her dress accentuated her womanly curves and charm.
"Lady Zhen," Ai Xin greeted. She couldn't resist gazing at the noblewoman's prominent chest. She averted her gaze when she heard a giggle from Zhenji.
Zhenji smiled coyly, confident of her physical beauty. "Oh you are an adorable woman indeed, Lady Ai Xin," she said. "Zhang Junyi told me so much about you."
"If it is about my clumsiness, he has witnessed so much of it," the soldier replied.
Zhenji let out a light laugh. "But what I am more interested about is the story of you, Captain."
Ai Xin kept her gaze cool against Zhenji's sultry stare, denying the noblewoman of any information. She was unsure if she could trust the noblewoman with her friendship. "There's nothing interesting about me, Lady Zhen. All I had was a name. I have no memory of family nor home."
"That's what makes you such a tragic woman," Zhenji replied in a more sympathetic tone. She crossed her arms across her bosom, as if shielding her vulnerability. "And yet here you are, smiling as if you find hope in every day."
The statement caught Ai Xin off-guard. She studied the woman's face, understanding the emotion behind her words. Zhenji could have the world in the palm of her dainty hand, the brightest jewel or the finest cloth. Maybe, it's a woman thing to understand each other without saying a word.
"Lonely hearts make such miserable company, Lady Zhen," Ai Xin chuckled. "But I wouldn't mind being in misery with another if there is common ground."
Zhenji's lips curved into a beautiful and genuine smile. Taking the response as a form of friendship. "Have you ever played an instrument, Captain?" she asked, changing the subject.
"I remember playing the qin once on my first day in the brothel," Ai Xin said. "I received ten lashes on the hand for how awful it was."
Zhenji laughed, "A pity!"
Ai Xin blushed lightly, "But it still proves that I can play, right Lady Zhen? I mean, I guess I could use some practice, but I do not have enough means to have a qin crafted for my personal use."
Zhenji giggled. She pulled out her flute. "Then let me regale you with some calming melodies." She pressed her lips against the flute and began playing music.
Ai Xin glanced upward to watch the bamboo sway with the wind. The sound was enchanting, playing with her emotions. She could feel her mind float back into another memory.
It was a brightly colored garden. A radiant stream flowed underneath many pavilions. A woman dressed in pink silken robes sat in front of a qin. Her fingers plucked against the strings, emitting a melodious tune.
"How many other instruments can you play, Lady -?"
"As many as I can in order to please my father and my lord," the woman replied.
"Can you teach me how to play the qin?"
The woman's gentle brown eyes disappeared in a sheepish smile. "We will have to ask your mother about that."
The melody stopped when a loud howl echoed in the trees.
"A wolf," Ai Xin opened her eyes and muttered. "It is near."
Zhenji lowered her flute, aware of the impending danger. "Will the beast attack us?"
"Hush, my lady," Ai Xin spoke, stepping forward holding her bow in hand.
She cautiously approached towards the center of the clearing. They heard the growl becoming louder and the sound of breaking branches. A large wolf appeared. Its teeth bared with dripping saliva. It growled with evident hunger.
Zhenji frowned, "That's a large wolf, Captain."
"Stay behind me, Lady Zhen," Ai Xin cautioned.
The wolf growled aloud and leapt towards them. Ai Xin maintained her calm. She drew her bowstring and swiftly let an arrow fly. The arrow pierced through its open jaw. Another arrow let fly, hitting the beast on the neck. The animal howled weakly, falling to the ground.
Ai Xin lowered her bow cautiously and approached the dying animal. She noticed how this particular wolf had its eye scratched out. A wave of sympathy swept through her. The wolf must have been abandoned by its pack and was forced to seek food by itself. She drew her blade and in a swift movement, ended the animal's misery.
There was a brief moment of silence before Ai Xin returned to Zhenji's side.
"Such bravery, Captain," Zhenji praised in a gentle tone.
"I am just glad that we are both safe," Ai Xin said, she could still hear her heart pounding in her ears. "Thank you for your music, Lady Zhen. It has calmed me."
Zhenji nodded in agreement, "The way you hold the bow with such dexterity. To employ such finger skill to the qin would make you a good player. I hope to be able to play with you in the future."
Ai Xin felt relieved when she heard the sound of galloping horses from beyond. Cao Pi and his entourage have returned.
"Zhen? Zhen!" Cao Pi called aloud. "We heard a wolf's howl. Are you alright?"
He jumped off his horse and immediately ran over to his wife. He held her gingerly, glancing up and down for any wounds. He looked relieved that Zhenji was unharmed.
Zhenji bowed, "The Captain has shown bravery and slew the wolf on her own!"
Ai Xin saluted, "I only did my duty, my lady."
The soldiers dragged the dead wolf over to them. Cao Pi inspected the carcass and smirked, "I will take the fur of this wolf as remembrance of your display of bravery, Captain."
Ai Xin resisted rolling her eyes at the self-absorbed statement of the Cao son. On the other hand, Zhenji covered her face as she giggled.
In the course of the next few days, Xiahou Dun noticed a change in the female captain's daily routine. Even though Ai Xin fulfilled her day to day obligations, it was as if she was hurrying from one task to another.
The one-eyed general sat on the bench. It was another day of military drills for the soldiers. Beside him, his cousin Xiahou Yuan was enjoying a flask of cooled wine. "I don't get it, Miaocai," he said. "Ever since that hunting trip with our lord's sons, the captain's been busier than ever."
"From what I heard, she had done some heroic deed of taking down a feral wolf solo to protect Cao Zihuan's wife," Xiahou Yuan said jovially while beating a fist to his chest "With a bow and arrow!"
"That's not the point, Miaocai," Xiahou Dun groaned. "She's been avoiding the main hallways, skittering in and out like a mouse. It's like she's back to being a palace servant!"
Xiahou Yuan let out a laugh, "Oh, you mean that kind of behavior. Well, have you even passed by the hallway to her quarters lately? It's been getting a lot of foot traffic from marriage-eligible sons of scholars and ministers wanting to get a chance to talk to her."
Xiahou Dun frowned, "So, the captain has been getting unwanted proposals from these men then?"
"Yeah! One time, it got so rowdy in the library that Master Xun Yu threw a fit at them," Xu Huang snickered. He joined into the conversation, taking a seat on the bench across from the Xiahou generals. "It's been a long time since I saw that man get angry," he noted.
"All that attention after a hunting trip? Seems kinda too much for the poor lass," Xiahou Yuan asked.
"If you think about it, General Miaocai. The fame might have stretched even further from the moment she displayed courageous swordsmanship and surviving two campaigns," Xu Huang said. "It goes to show that Captain Ai Xin is a talented woman with virtue and intellect. If only she is from a notable lineage, then she would have been more than enough to be a general's wife or even a consort to the Emperor!"
Xiahou Yuan laughed, "Well, she has me to thank for teaching her my way of the bow!"
Xiahou Dun interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on them, listening in to Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang banter on. Perhaps that would explain why her schedule had become more erratic and unpredictable. There was no one who could prevent these men from imposing themselves on her.
Unless, she was seeing someone else, and that she did not want the world to know.
He stood up abruptly. What is this mixed feeling of anger and jealousy?
"Whoa, hey, Yuanrang, what's the rush?" Xiahou Yuan exclaimed.
"I will look for the Captain," Xiahou Dun answered back, briskly walking away.
Xu Huang called out, "I don't know how you'll do it, but you should know that even Zhang Junyi had a hard time finding her!"
She was running through the woods for heavens knowing how long. The deeper she ran, the thicker the branches covering the sky. The roar of a threatening animal compelling her to keep on moving forward.
"Hurry!" a female voice echoed through the empty trees.
"Do not fall behind!" a male voice echoed.
She could feel herself running out of breath. The path started to tilt higher.
It was the sensation of hot breath behind her neck that caused the woman to trip over. She screamed out for help, grasping over whatever foothold she could find. She let out another long scream when shackles locked around her ankles and started pulling her down from the hill.
"HELP ME!"
Upon reaching flat ground, she found herself lying flat on the ground. The darkness instilled fear in her heart. She saw two pairs of glowing red eyes and a snarl deadlier than that of a tiger.
The demonic laugh echoed again. "You are mine!"
BAM!
In her startled awakening, Ai Xin fell off the chair with her face planted on the floor. She groaned as she pushed herself up to sit. The pain on her nose and forehead stung. The cold sweat drenched her back, making the cloth stick and itch against her skin.
It was the same nightmare that kept her awake most nights. But instead of being in the safety of her own quarters, she had dozed off in the castle library. It was easier to sneak in when it's in the middle of the night.
Abandoning all hope for focusing on her current reading, Ai Xin pushed herself back up to her feet. She rolled up the scrolls and set them aside for the clerk to clean up. Then, she made her way out of the library.
The cold night air greeted her face, sending a refreshed wave of relief over her tired features. Pulling her cloak tighter around her, Ai Xin took a detour through the gardens. Her mindless wandering of the gardens led her to the section where a pavilion and dock stood in the middle of a pond.
The sky was moonless. Hence, the water surface only reflected the small twinkles of the stars above. She gazed at the reflection of the stars. The silence was so inviting that she wanted to fall into the water.
"The snowfall is heavy again today…"
A hand reached out to the white sky, reaching for a snowflake falling into her palm.
Throughout the day, Xiahou Dun tried to find the captain. He searched the library, the training field, even at the gardens. It was difficult for the servants to search for the woman in her usual places. Even Zhang He would not stop complaining about how he and the captain had not had their usual afternoon sword dance. In the familiar hallway that leads to the captain's room, Xiahou Dun could overhear a servant's voice begging.
"Please, my lord. I do not know where the lady has gone off to!"
A minister shook his head. "How could you not know when I specifically assigned you to wait on her every day!"
"Please, my lord," the servant fell to her knees and cowered in fear. "The lady captain desires her privacy so much that even I could not catch her sneak out."
The minister let out an angry yell, "Then don't think of ever coming back to my service!" Without another say, the minister marched away from the hallway.
Xiahou Dun could hear the servant girl sob on the cold stone floor. He pitied the servants who serve fatuous masters. He walked over to the girl and made his presence known. He noted that the servant was holding something large in her arms.
"G-General Xiahou!" the servant exclaimed in fear. She instinctively held the parcel tighter around her arms.
Xiahou Dun mentally tallied the number of servants he currently has in his own household. He could spare one more mouth to feed. "That's an unfortunate turn of events. But it is hard to survive without a good salary," he said. "Work for me."
"Th-Thank you, General Xiahou," the servant stuttered. "B-But… I cannot accept your graciousness."
"And why is that?" Xiahou Dun asked.
The servant wiped her tears and tried to ease her stuttering. "B-Because Lady Ai Xin would take me in, once my former master would dismiss me."
"Is that so? What made you accept the offer from the captain in exchange for silence?"
The servant looked down, "Lady Ai Xin assisted me in finding help for my sick brother. She even used her personal money to hire a physician and buy the medicine."
Xiahou Dun had a small smile. It was a clever move from the lady captain, at the same time a kind act. Maybe that's where her salary for the month went to this time?
"What is that you are holding?" Xiahou Dun asked.
The servant girl blinked and swallowed,"It is a qin, General. It is a gift from Lady Zhenji to the Captain. She practices in one of the bamboo groves every other evening."
Xiahou Dun snorted. It seemed as if Ai Xin had gained another friend. But it still did not put him at ease that maybe she was still seeing someone else.
"Are you bringing it to the captain now?" he asked.
The servant shook her head. "No sir. I am bringing it back to her quarters. She wasn't there at her usual spot when I brought it."
Xiahou Dun frowned. What luck.
"Lady Ai Xin," a man's concerned voice spoke.
Ai Xin snapped out of her daydream as she recognized that voice. She looked down and was surprised to see her reflection against the black water. Her right arm was outstretched that the finger nearly broke the tranquil surface. As she became more aware of the present, her mind registered that a warm grip was keeping her from falling into the water. Regaining more control over herself, she let the hand pull her back upright. Ai Xin looked behind her to see that her saviour was the man she had crossed blades with.
"Master Xu Shu Yuanzhi," she uttered, releasing her hand away from his hold. She bowed in a lady-like manner. "Thank you."
Xu Shu smiled and shook his head. "Please, do not address me with such honorifics, my lady. I am of no higher rank than you."
"But you're still the better swordsman," Ai Xin admitted, immediately recalling their first duel.
She had rarely seen him outside the walls of the library, reading and listening to the discourses of Cao Cao's other military advisors. They had not talked much either because she felt that he hated her for being the cause of his capture.
She looked at him. "How did you find me... Yuanzhi?"
Xu Shu chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I thought something cracked when you fell off your chair in the library earlier," he said. "I was worried when you looked so aimless."
The woman flushed red, internally berating herself for making too much noise. She put her hands over her cheeks, eyes looking down. "Oh… It was because I dozed off while reading," she explained. "Master Wenhe expects me to have memorized a hundred stratagems by now."
Xu Shu noticed the embarrassed and clumsy reactions that the Ai Xin was notorious for. He took her statement with a grain of salt. The woman's personality is as dynamic as her interactions.
As soon as the heat from her skin simmered down, Ai Xin put down her hands. She looked at the man in front of her and a small chuckle escaped from her lips. "I am a bad liar, Xu Shu," she confessed.
"I do not see the point why you would try, Ai Xin," he said. "Honesty has its strong suits, especially when you put up a sarcastic front like Master Jia Wenhe. An opponent would overthink that you would lie."
"I will take that lesson to heart, Yuanzhi," replied Ai Xin. She crossed her arms and let out a long sigh.
Finally breaking the ice between them, Xu Shu pressed forward with his motive. "If you don't mind me asking, Ai Xin… Why have you been avoiding your colleagues and comrades for the past days?"
Ai Xin glanced at Xu Shu, wary of the sudden question. "Master Wenhe asked you to find out, huh?" she asked. When she saw Xu Shu shrug with no verbal reply, she took it as a yes.
She let out a huff, "I get bombarded with requests and gifts from noblemen seeking my favor! I do not come from any well-known house, nor am I affiliated with any famous name. I was just a servant girl who had earned the privilege to learn and fight."
Her angry countenance dropped to a pout when she heard her companion let out a light-hearted laugh. "What's so funny?" she asked in a snappy tone.
"You are a brilliant individual, my lady. And it is because of your own hard work and diligence that earned such attention, Ai Xin," Xu Shu replied. There was a look of empathy in his eyes. "You are being brutally modest with yourself."
"Just like you?" Ai Xin countered back.
It was Xu Shu's turn to feel the pang of embarrassment. The man looked down, reminiscing memories of his days under the Water Mirror's tutelage with the other great minds. He could easily remember having failed a recitation that was perfected by Zhuge Liang.
Ai Xin leaned forward. She placed herself under Xu Shu's gaze. "Hey, believe me when I say that you're a great strategist," she said earnestly. "To gain Lord Cao Cao's trust so easily is something that I envy about you."
Xu Shu blinked and looked away at the sight of her bosom. However, he could not hide the blush when he heard her praise. No one had put him in a higher position during a comparison. It was often his efforts shadowed by someone greater.
Ai Xin giggled and straightened up. She paced a bit around the dock, humming a tune. The woman's aura changed into a more determined and confident one. Xu Shu couldn't help but smile. Once more, he was able to see the woman who faced off with him at Xinye.
"Thank you, Ai Xin," he said.
"You and I still have a long way to go, Xu Shu," Ai Xin said as she stopped pacing and extended her hand to Xu Shu. "If we both want to realize Lord Cao Cao's ambition for peace in the land… I think it would start with building more confidence in getting our voices heard."
Xu Shu linked his hand with hers and chuckled, "It would be my honor to accompany you in that journey."
"Thank you, Yuanzhi," Ai Xin replied. "We can start with a few rounds of weiqi."
In the following days, the gossip of the frequently missing captain eventually subsided. There was also a notable decrease of hopeful men seeking her attention. Relieved to restore normalcy in her activities, Ai Xin had opted to take her qin out into one of the gardens to practice.
She found an empty pavilion and placed the qin down on the table. She seated down and placed her fingers on the strings. After a few minutes of meditation, Ai Xin began her practice. She kept her focus on her technique, playing the first piece she reviewed.
At the end of the last strum, Ai Xin stared at the strings and noticed a shadow on the board. She looked up to see a visitor sitting across from her.
"On the first day I was informed of your presence, I had my doubts of how a silly girl could be of use to my ambition. But I am glad to find that my doubts were washed away with the brilliance you displayed on the battlefield and your luck in finding astounding talents. Now, I find you attempting to be a tone-deaf musician," the visitor spoke. "You continue to astound me with your hidden talents, Lady Ai Xin."
"Lord Cao Cao…" the woman scrambled to her knees then bowed low.
"Raise your head, Lady Ai Xin, your beauty is nothing to be ashamed of."
Ai Xin straightened up. "I was not expecting your presence, my lord. Please forgive me if my amateur playing has disturbed you."
Cao Cao smirked. He beckoned to his entourage of servants to serve him tea. He commented, "I should be mad for your dreadful rendition of a classic. But, I am a merciful leader."
He waved his hand. "Play it again, with more strength in your plucks," he instructed.
Ai Xin bowed and returned to her seat. She placed her fingertips against the strings and began with a smooth strum. The pitch turned lower and lower until it was brought back by a high pitched strum once more.
"Your music gives me a vision, Captain," Cao Cao hummed. "Would you like to hear it?"
"Of course, my lord," Ai Xin replied, keeping her attention to her playing.
The man closed his eyes and extended his hand.
"I see a firestorm rage over a raging river. The white foam crashed against a vast graveyard of shipwreck," Cao Cao then paused as he opened his eyes. "Do you share this vision with me, Captain?"
Ai Xin shook her head. "No my lord. I see something different."
"What do you see?" the warlord inquired.
She closed her eyes as her fingers continued to pluck on the strings. "I see water gushing through the castle walls, sweeping away everything… drowning all that is living in its cold grasp."
"Xiapi," Cao Cao muttered.
The last note hummed into silence. Cao Cao observed the young woman's features. He hoped to see a glint of his former lover in the young woman, but was denied that pleasure. The warlord could see a different woman who only shared gray eyes.
From that realization, he saw the light to his blade.
Cao Cao leaned back onto his chair and picked up his cup. He gave a hand signal for Ai Xin to begin playing again. Ai Xin nodded and played a different song, a more somber tone.
He felt inspired to create another literary piece.
Oh Songbird of the night, You have flown into my net, Your bright eyes stare but refuse to sing, Only in ashes did you become free
The qin strings hummed until they stopped. Ai Xin folded her hands on her lap. She said, "That was beautiful yet full of sadness, my lord."
Cao Cao sipped from his cup. "I wear the scar of heartbreak proudly on my chest. Today, I am reminded why I love my lost songbird so much."
Ai Xin didn't understand that statement. She never had an opportunity to know the warlord on such a personal level to comprehend the man's mind. She watched as the warlord leaned back on his seat, sipping his cup in thought. She immediately straightened her back when the man stirred from his position.
"I am pleased with our artistic discourse this afternoon, Captain," Cao Cao said. "For that, I must reward you."
He beckoned to his servants to bring him writing paraphernalia. He wrote swiftly into the scroll. After he was done, he had a servant hand it over to the lady. "Go to Xiapi with General Zhang Liao. He usually goes there at this time of the year. I believe he will enjoy your company," he said.
Surprised with the sudden gesture, Ai Xin accepted the letter with gratitude. "What of my duties here in the capital, my lord?"
"General Xiahou Dun shall be notified of your absence," Cao Cao replied. He chuckled, "In fact, why not inform him now?"
As if everything was planned, a soldier knelt and announced the arrival of the general. Ai Xin dug her fingers into her palms and looked down, hiding her face. Xiahou Dun entered the pavilion and paid his respects to his cousin.
"You called for me, Mengde?" he said. He looked irritated at first, but eventually his features softened at the sight of Ai Xin.
Cao Cao gestured to the shy woman behind the table. "I found your missing captain, Yuanrang. As you can see, she is simply hiding her talent from the world. It was by chance that I get to hear her horrible playing," he said with a proud smirk. He stood up, giving a signal for the servants to clean up the tea set.
"Continue your practice, Captain Ai Xin," Cao Cao said. "So that one day, I may be inspired once more by your music."
He patted Xiahou Dun on the shoulder and said, "I hope this serves as a reminder to you that it is alright to seek help from me, Yuanrang."
"Yes, Lord Mengde."
Xiahou Dun bowed his head as Cao Cao walked past him, leaving only the general and the captain at the pavilion. He stood up and turned to face the woman who had stood up on her feet as well.
"Captain," he said curtly.
"General," she replied with a short bow.
An awkward silence fell between them. If this were a normal training day, Xiahou Dun would have already raised his voice and have angrily reprimanded her. But instead of anger, the general felt relief. It was foolish jealousy to have thoughts of her entertaining someone else.
An idea that he decided to keep in the back of his mind.
Ai Xin shuffled her feet and walked towards the general. She presented the freshly written paper to the general then saluted.
"Lord Cao Cao has given me leave for a short trip," she stated.
Xiahou Dun glanced at the letter and returned back to her hands. In the process, his fingers brushed against the formed callus on her fingertips. He held her hands between his. Normally, Ai Xin would have pulled her hands away, but instead, she stayed still with her cheeks blushing.
"Do you… still have your nightmares?" he asked carefully.
Ai Xin shook her head. "Not as much before I started practicing again, sir," she answered.
He wanted to say something from the heart, but decided against it. There would be no sense in asking something that would distress her more. Maybe it was satisfying enough just to be able to see this woman after all the rumors about her.
"Take care, Captain," Xiahou Dun said, releasing her hands. "Once you come back, I hope to have the chance to listen to you play the qin."
Ai Xin nodded, "Of course, General."
The sun was breaking through the darkness of dawn. The sound of roosters crowing signaled the start of a new day. The common folk stirred from their beds to begin another day's work.
In the central path that leads to the city gates, Zhang Liao walked alone, pulling his horse along the reins. He paused when a familiar person stood near the gate, holding the reins of a gray horse.
"Pleasant morning, General Wenyuan," Ai Xin greeted with a bow.
Zhang Liao chuckled, "I was told by Gongming that you would accompany me on this trip. How long has it been since we journeyed together?"
Ai Xin shrugged her shoulders. "Quite a long while, sir," she replied.
Together, they resumed their march towards the open gates. When they had reached the fields, that was when they started riding on their horses.
"How often do you make this trip, General?" asked Ai Xin.
The man thought about it briefly, and replied, "In the first year of my service under Lord Cao Cao, I frequently rode to the city coming from Xuchang. Nowadays, I make a trip once or twice a month."
Ai Xin recalled that it was a place that held a lot of memories for the man. "Do you think… I would be able to find something about myself in Xiapi, General?"
Zhang Liao looked ahead, staring afar.
"Maybe."