White Horse Neighing in the West Wind Chapter 10

Sang Si’er dodged right and left, managing to avoid Su Pu’s grasps. The cheering of the spectators became louder. “Faster, Su Pu, faster!” “Sang Si’er, attack! Don’t just dodge here and there!” “Aiyo, Su Pu has slipped!” “Never mind, use your strength to pull him down!” The sounds travelled far away, and Li Wenxiu could hear their faint cries of “Su Pu, Su Pu”. She was puzzled, “Why is everyone calling for Su Pu?” So she rode the white horse towards the cries. From behind a large tree, she saw Su Pu wrestling with Sang Si’er, and the spectators calling out excitedly. Suddenly, she saw A’man near the bonfire. Concern and excitement flickered about her face, tears shone in her eyes. One moment she was worried, the next moment, joyful. Li Wenxiu had never observed A’man so clearly before, and thought, “So she really likes Su Pu a lot.” Suddenly, all the spectators shouted in unison as Su Pu and Sang Si’er both fell to the ground. Li Wenxiu was unable to see them wrestle through the wall of people. But by listening to the crying and calling, one could imagine that Su Pu was on top, then forced to the ground by Sang Si’er. Li Wenxiu’s palms began to sweat. As she was unable to see what was going on, she was more anxious than anyone there. Suddenly, the cries of the crowd stopped completely. Li Wenxiu clearly heard the sounds of heavy breathing coming from the two wrestling youths. Then one of them stood up, trembling. The crowd cheered, “Su Pu, Su Pu!” A’man ran into the circle of people, and grasped Su Pu’s hand. Li Wenxiu felt gladdened yet desolate. She turned her horse around and walked away slowly. The spectators crowded around Su Pu, and no one noticed her.

She did not control the reins, but allowed the horse to canter leisurely in the desert. She had travelled for quite some time before realising that the white horse had reached the edge of the pastures. If she went any further, she would reach the Gobi Desert. Softly, she chided, “What did you bring me here for?” At this point, two horses appeared, and then another two appeared. Under the moonlight, she could roughly make out that the riders on the horses were all dressed in Han clothes and were gripping long blades.

She was shocked, “Are they Han bandits?” Within a moment’s hesitation, she heard one of them call out, “The white horse, the white horse!” All the riders galloped over, shouting, “Stay still! Stay still!” Li Wenxiu cried, “Quick, gallop!”

But to the west was the boundless Great Gobi.

When she was younger, Su Pu had told her that there were ghosts in the Great Gobi. Anyone who ventured into the desert never walked out alive again. No, even if they turned into ghosts, they were unable to escape. Once someone ventured into the desert, he would walk in large circles. As he wandered around the desert, he would suddenly find a trail of footprints. He would be jubilant, thinking he had found the way out. But as he followed the footprints, he would finally realise that the footprints were actually made by him, and that he had been walking around in circles. He who perished in this manner was incapable of resting in peace, even when he had become a ghost. For he was unable to enter the heavenly paradise, and was doomed to walk in large circles continuously for all eternity.

Li Wenxiu had once queried the old man Ji, if the Great Gobi was really that frightening, and if people who ventured into it really never walked out again. When the old man heard her questions, the muscles in his face suddenly convulsed, revealing a terrified expression. He stole a look outside the window, as if he had seen many ghosts and demons. Li Wenxiu had never seen him so terrified, and did not dare to persist in her queries. She thought that this matter must be true, and perhaps Grandfather Ji had even seen those ghosts.

The white horse galloped madly. Seeing the thick yellow sands of the vast desert, and thinking about the ghosts doomed to walk in circles forever, made her extremely afraid. But the bandits were in hot pursuit of her. She remembered her parents, and remembered Su Pu’s mother and elder brother. She knew that if the bandits caught up with her she would be killed or perhaps suffer a fate worse than death. But if she went into the Great Gobi, she would not be able to rest in peace even after she turned into a ghost. She wanted to stop the horse and not escape anymore. As she looked back, she was no longer able to see the Kazaks’ tents and the verdant pastures. Five bandits were still chasing her, shouting and calling, while the remaining two had fallen behind. She heard those rough voices filled with excitement, “There can’t be any mistake, it is that horse! Catch her, catch her!” Hatred hidden in her heart for years burst out suddenly, and she thought, “Father and Mama were killed by them. I’ll lure them into the Great Gobi and we’ll perish together, exchanging my life for the lives of five bandits. After all… after all… there is no pleasure in living.” Her eyes filled with tears. Without any hesitation, she urged the white horse to gallop towards the west.

But even if they spoke very loudly, Li Wenxiu heard but paid no attention for she was not eavesdropping on their lovers’ prattle. It was as if she saw a little boy and a little girl before her eyes, sitting shoulder to shoulder on the gra.s.s like they were doing now. The little boy was Su Pu, but the little girl was herself. They were telling stories, but as to what stories they were, she had long forgotten, but the scene from ten years ago still appeared clearly before her eyes…

These men were subordinates of Huo Yuanlong and Chen Dahai’s protection agency, and had pursued White Horse Li San and his wife to the Muslim Region. Even though they had killed Li San and his wife, they had lost all trace of the little girl. They knew that Li San possessed the map to the Gao Chang Labyrinth. But since it was not found on Li San and his wife’s bodies, it had to be with that little girl. The Gao Chang Labyrinth hid countless treasures, thus the men from Jinwei Protection Agency refused to give up, and wandered about in this region, searching for that little girl. They had wandered for ten years. They did not work, and bullied the nomads on the pastures into giving them livestock by flaunting their martial arts skills. They only needed to pull out knives, and went around killing, burning, pillaging, raping…

In these ten years, they did not stop their search for that little girl. But the pastures were so vast, wherever could they start looking? The little girl could have died and her bones turned into ashes. As bandits in the pastures, they enjoyed much freedom. They felt much freer than operating a protection agency back in the Central Plains. So why would there be a need to return to the Central Plains?

Sometimes, they would discuss the treasures in the Gao Chang Labyrinth, and White Horse Li San’s daughter. Even if the girl had not died, she would have matured and would be unrecognizable. Only that white horse would remain unchanged. Tall, pure white horses like it were rare, and one could spot it from afar. But what if the white horse had also died? The lifespan of a horse was much shorter than the lifespan of a human. As the days pa.s.sed one by one, they began to lose hope.

Whoever knew that they were actually able to spot the white horse? Yes, there was no mistake, it was that white horse!

The white horse was already aged. The strength of its legs was much lesser as compared to when it had been younger, but it was still able to run much faster than an ordinary horse. At dawn, it had already outrun the five bandits by a great distance, and she was unable to hear their pursuing hoofbeats. But she knew that she would leave a trail of horse prints and footprints. Even if the five bandits were unable to catch up with her now, they could still find her by following the prints. Thus, she did not dare