Baitou (ever white) / Paekdu Mountain. In Korean, it is known as Baekdu Mountain. The lake on top of the mountain, as you can see in the picture, is called

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 Laika ac via Wiki

The journey there was a bit boring, so Xin Mei held on to Lie Yun Hua's neck and chatted with it. If only Qiu Yue was there. At least Qiu Yue would react to whatever she said despite not knowing how to speak. Unlike this horse, that only knew to stare ahead and ran forward.

This is a slander! Lie Yun Hua blew its nose hard. It was a horse, not a human being. For a horse to be able to talk, that was totally an absurd matter!

I didn't say that! Lie Yun Hua gave a long neigh.

I really didn't say that! Lie Yun Hua shed its tears.

… Brother Qiu Yue, you are great. Lie Yun Hua looked at the distant clouds and mists with feelings of disappointment and frustration. Because of this a donkey's lips do not match a horse's mouthChinese idiom : incongruous²kind of dialogue, a supreme respect for Qiu Yue appeared in its heart. 

Lie Yun Hua cleverly moved aside and bowed its head respectfully while in the air, waiting for the long vehicle to pa.s.s by.

The long vehicle came slowly and stopped beside Xin Mei. Then, the white bamboo curtain was rolled up by a slender hand as the young man in the black coat inside poked out his head and gave her a friendly smile.

“Hey, beautiful girl.” He opened his mouth with gentle voice and frivolous tone. “I'm hungry, can you give me a box of moon cakes?”

Fruit kernerls moon cakes. To see the recipe, just click at the name mentioned below.

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  via Sina

The birds of paradise began to sing again and the vehicle continued its way against the wind. Xin Mei scratched her head and then patted Lie Yun Hua's neck. “Okay, let's go too. Let's hurry up to the Imperial Mausoleum.”

Since Lu Qianqiao woke up, the Mist Formation had been put around the Imperial Mausoleum once more. Big and small monsters withdrew from the underground palace and returned to the green hills and clear watersChinese idiom : Pleasant country scene⁴ground. The Imperial Mausoleum had changed from its old days of decline and resumed its former red peach blossoms and green willowsChinese idiom : spring scenes⁵, with birdsongs and fragrant flowersChinese idiom : fig. the intoxication of a beautiful spring day⁶.

Xin Mei tied Lie Yun Hua outside to graze and sneaked into Lord Zhao's cave. He wore a white headscarf as he wielded his brush furiouslywrite with pa.s.sion⁷and cried as he wrote. His tears dripped down to his beard.

Uh, when she first met Lu Qianqiao? It seemed that… it seemed that it was on a quiet night, she knocked out Tao Guoguo, and then Liu Qianqao knocked her out with his palm… uh huh, it did look like a lightning had struck and made the ground on fire.

Sansheng (three-life) Stone

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At that time, she knew it was a man. This man even beat her and robbed her spirit animal. Back then, she was merely thinking of whipping at him back.

“… Anyway, I had nothing to do with Lu Qianqiao. He always treated me like a child, right? I'm not even his daughter.”

Xin Mei put the moon cakes on the table, “No. I'm here just to send you moon cakes.”

She thought for a moment and pouted, “We are not like a real couple at all. Every time I touch him, he ties me with his bewitching rope. Moreover, we are already married, but he refused to admit it and asked to do it once more. He's only wasting time, deliberately evading himself from this marriage.“

Lord Zhao wished that iron could turn straight into steelChinese idiom : be anxious for somebody to improve¹⁰and he could only shake his head.

Xin Mei was silent for a moment and whispered, “I know.”

She remained silent.

Xin Mei silently broke a piece of lotus seed filling moon cake, while drinking tea, and never said a word.

As soon as Lord Zhao saw her actions, he took up his writing brush and went on writing. He smeared all the writing in front of him and asked her, “Miss, what was it like when you first met the General? Can you tell me again?”

As she was about to speak, she heard a loud neigh from Lie Yun Hua outside the cave. Then the big leaves that covered the cave entrance were suddenly uncovered. Lu Qianqiao, whom she hadn't seen for two days, strode in. He picked her up and walked away.

Xin Mei's feet did not even touch the ground as he pulled her out like a kite. She felt dizzy and he threw her on the back of Qiu Yue. When she recovered, she realized that they were already in mid-air. Qiu Yue fanned its wings at leisure and deliberately flew slowly. While Lie Yun Hua followed from far behind like it had human intelligence. Unexpectedly, everyone didn't want to disturb them.

“That is… Lu Qianqiao,” she opened her mouth first, “Where are we going?”

Speaking of Xinxie Manor, she just realized that he was still wearing the clothes he had when he came to her home that day. However, now his white clothes were dusty with gra.s.ses sap smudging the hem of his coat. While his hair seemed a little messy. Even though she could not see any tiredness on his face… but, had he been looking for her for two days without any sleep?

He ignored her.

He finally moved as he raised his hand and rubbed his forehead.

“You can speak to me. Just say something.”

At first, Lu Qianqiao hesitated to raise his hand, but then he gently took her by the shoulder and whispered, “... Sorry, it's my fault.”

His gloomy face finally softened gradually, and he inserted his five fingers into her thick hair to straighten out her pigtails, “Where have you been to?”

“Xin Mei.”

“In half a month, I will personally escort you to my home, and by then, I will not flee anymore.”

He pulled his fingers out of her hair and gently stroked her delicate cheek. Suddenly, he lowered his head and printed a kiss on her full forehead. Being close to her, skin to skin, suddenly there was a very unpleasant smell coming from her. He could not help lowering down a little and sniffed at her hair.

She put her arms around his neck and smiled at him.

He seemed to be… a little lost.

“Naughty.”

Her whole body was vaguely infected with an extremely unpleasant smell, which he could only smell if he was being very close with her. Did she meet anyone?

2. The t.i.tle for this chapter is from an old Chinese poem called Beating The Drum. It was a war poem, but somehow it now becomes a love poem, especially this part

死生契闊，

Meet or part, live or die,

與子成說。

We've made oath, you and I.

執子之手，

Give me your hand I'll hold,

與子偕老。

And live with me till old!

于嗟闊兮，

With my wife I've long parted.

不我活兮。

Can I live broken-hearted?

于嗟洵兮，

Alas! The oath we swore

不我信兮。

Can be fulfilled no more.

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