Chapter Twenty-Six: Lin Miaomiao’s Verbal Duel with Batu

Along the way, Lin Miaomiao beheld the northern landscapes of ancient times for the first time. Nearing winter, even with the sun hanging high in the sky, she could not feel a trace of warmth. In that moment, Lin Miaomiao truly experienced the biting cold of the North. Though it was only autumn, the temperature difference between day and night was immense.

Lin Miaomiao had lived in the plains before, a place much like the capital city, where she had never known such drastic shifts in temperature. Observing Li Yanhé urging the carriage onward at an ever-increasing pace, she guessed that if they delayed much longer, she might not reach their destination alive.

The journey was marked by silence. The wolf children, Lin Langluan and Lin Langze, had adopted the habits of their kind—if they were not eating, they were sleeping. This animalistic routine left Lin Miaomiao disheartened, so she began teaching the wolf children the "Three Character Classic." Thus, as Li Yanhé drove, he would often hear the clear, youthful voices reciting:

"At the beginning, man is good in nature. Their natures are similar, but habits make them different. If not taught, their nature will change. The right way of teaching values dedication..."

And so the days passed. As they traveled, the landscape changed: grasslands appeared, and then low hills. Only then did Lin Miaomiao feel, in the truest sense, just how far she had come.

Suddenly, a scene she had often seen in television dramas crossed her mind: several bandits leaping out, shouting, "This mountain is mine, this tree I planted. If you wish to pass, leave a toll!"

She was playing with Li Yanhé's hand when the carriage came to an abrupt halt, giving her a fright. Looking out, she saw several middle-aged men in gray clothing shouting, "Robbery! Robbery!" Their words stumbled out awkwardly; it was clear they were unpracticed, perhaps their first time attempting such a thing.

Li Yanhé glanced at Anqi, who promptly floored them. Before Lin Miaomiao could even comprehend what had happened, the men were already sprawled on the ground. She hid behind Li Yanhé, watching as he stepped down from the carriage to address the would-be robbers.

"If I am not mistaken, you must be villagers from a nearby settlement. Why resort to banditry?" Li Yanhé’s voice was deep and calm. The men looked up, scratching their heads, and replied in the official dialect, "Sir, we have no choice. Our families have been driven from our homes. Only after leaving did we realize our money wouldn’t last. What could we do?"

Tears streaming down their faces, the men poured out their woes. They were, at heart, poor farmers, forced from the borderlands by the constant raids of nomadic tribes. With little money, they had turned to robbing travelers to survive—today was their first attempt. They had not expected to run into Li Yanhé’s group.

Li Yanhé listened quietly, then sat back in the carriage, rubbing his brow. "Though you are poor, you must not abandon your conscience. Becoming outlaws may bring quick money, but you know full well that if caught, your families will suffer as well." As his words sank in, the men fell to their knees, bowing and begging forgiveness.

With a sigh, Li Yanhé said, "Trust in the soldiers at the frontier; they will drive the invaders away. And you, grown men, ought not to turn to crime. Enough—I will say no more. Go back to your families."

He returned to the carriage. Lin Miaomiao discreetly handed a piece of silver to Anqi, who tossed it to the men as they left. As they drove on, Lin Miaomiao noticed a hint of melancholy in Li Yanhé. "Millions of soldiers hold the border for years, unable to return home, all to protect these very people. Yet so many flee, leaving their own behind—how chilling."

Hearing the sadness in his voice, Lin Miaomiao felt a sudden tenderness for him. Like a little adult, she wrapped her arms around Li Yanhé and said, "Don't be sad, let me give you a hug."

Li Yanhé’s expression remained calm, but no one knew that his heart was bleeding inside. He was one of those millions at the border—how could he not care what the people thought?

At night, Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhé leaned against each other, backs pressed together as she toasted a bun over the fire. Even in his embrace, she shivered, proof of the stark difference between day and night.

As they journeyed on, accompanied by the bleak autumn wind, their carriage was suddenly stopped by a group led by a man in ethnic dress. In halting Central Plains dialect, he addressed Li Yanhé: "See, you have too many enemies."

Li Yanhé narrowed his eyes at Batu, then said, "So someone has informed you."

A cold smile flickered across Li Yanhé’s face; clearly, a consensus had been reached—they meant to block his path to becoming a prince. He lowered his gaze, pondering silently. This was the ruthlessness of imperial power; his so-called brothers—brotherhood was but an empty word.

A violent aura radiated from Li Yanhé as he took in the scene. Lin Miaomiao stood nearby and, addressing the man atop his tall horse, greeted him in Tibetan. Batu raised an eyebrow at this little girl and replied in kind. Surprised, Lin Miaomiao tried a few more words, but as Batu rattled on, it all sounded like gibberish to her ears.

Switching to Russian, she spoke a few sentences, but Batu looked baffled. Then she tried English, leaving everyone staring at her, unable to understand a word she said.

Standing atop the carriage, Lin Miaomiao said to Batu, "Huh? So you only speak your own tongue? You can barely speak Mandarin and yet here you are, posturing?"

Batu’s gaze turned sharp, his aura flaring. Li Yanhé tried to shield Lin Miaomiao, but she brushed him aside.

"You must be a general, or someone of high rank. Yet all you do is rely on others' information. Do you not know how to find people by your own skill? Why not lead your people to build a new era, instead of always indulging in these crooked ways? Burning, looting, and calling yourselves heroes and lords—how laughable!"

Lin Miaomiao's mouth grew tired as she spoke, and someone nearby translated her words for Batu. He stared at her in disbelief, but she ignored him and continued from her seat in the carriage.

"Once, Zhuge Kongming defended an empty city; today, Lin Miaomiao can face a barbarian chief. As a leader, you can't lead your people to glory and instead stoop to banditry—clearly, you are a useless leader. Every people should have its own spirit, but I see none of that in you or your tribe. Frankly, you’re being used as a tool and still act so foolishly."

She looked at him as one would a fool and went on, "There are only four of us here, yet we speak to you so calmly. Do you really think we have no backup? Or are you as naive as you look? Goodbye! Used as a pawn and still dreaming you’ll be written into the annals of history? Someone like Brother Li is not someone you can simply intercept. We’re already enemies, and yet you march into the Central Plains—do you think your head’s been on your shoulders too long? Or is it that life is too dull, and you want to find someone to test your mettle?"

Sentence by sentence, she scolded him. As Batu, growing furious, raised his blade, Lin Miaomiao—though frightened—stood firm and continued her tirade.

Suddenly, Batu fell silent. He realized that Li Yanhé and his group were in no hurry to leave—did that mean there was an ambush? Batu had not risen to his position without some skill. With a wave of his hand, he ordered his soldiers to withdraw.

"Li Yanhé, I'll let you go this time. But next time, you will pay in blood for my people," he said as he departed.

Once Batu had gone, Lin Miaomiao waved frantically at Li Yanhé and Anqi, urging them to hurry away. Watching her, Li Yanhé found her unexpectedly endearing, and so Anqi whipped the horses, and they sped off.

By the time Batu realized he had been tricked and returned with his main force, Lin Miaomiao and her companions were long gone.

After they had escaped a great distance, Lin Miaomiao turned to Li Yanhé and asked, "Who was that man just now?"

As calm as ever, Li Yanhé replied, "The barbarian chief, Batu."

Lin Miaomiao stumbled over the words, "The...chie...chief!" Suddenly, she felt immensely proud of herself—she was truly, truly, incredible!