The Insatiable Beast of Han

Foreword

Swift as the wind.

Mighty as the sword.

Brave is the heart

Of this reckless boar.

"On your knees!"

Trapped by their sharpest blades, I succumb to the words of their swords.

This brave and reckless warrior.

Now faces her final acumen.

"The scriptures, hand them over!"

These I shall not let go.

"The scriptures are mine now. Take them from my corpse."

"Then you leave me with no choice."

The sound of the waterfalls echo invitingly underneath me. I can jump and plunge to my death.

Or I can stay down and await my death.

As I await the powerful sting of his blade, a gust of wind blows in front of me.

"Why the rash judgment, Jian Ting?"

In front of me, riding a tall, gallant horse is a young man of noble stature.

"His Imperial Highness, this lady stole some sacred scriptures from the Imperial Archives."

His stance is domineering yet there's a certain gentleness to him.

Kind eyes.

"Your name, young lady?"

I dare not meet his eyes. I do not want to see how little he thinks of people like me.

"Xiao Xing."

"Why did you steal from the Imperial Archives?"

The same reason your kind steals from us.

"I want them."

How dare him smile like my words aren't poignant.

"For what, may I ask?"

To defeat your ruler.

"So I can learn."

That smile once more. One that is amused.

"You can be a scholar."

Laughter. These scums are making a mockery out of me.

"She is a lowly peasant, Crown Prince."

Crown Prince. So he is the son of the tyrant.

"Peasants can also learn."

I don't sense any mockery on his voice.

"But they can't pay."

My vision darkens at the words of that fool, Jian Ting.

"What is wealth to an empty mind?"

I feel the tip of the blade brushing against my skin.

The Crown Prince steps forward and pushes the sword away.

"Jian Ting, let the lady go. Stealing is a crime but not grave enough to warrant death."

"But she stole the sacred scriptures of war!"

He smiles, a gentle smile that knows no judgment.

"She's a young girl. What harm can she bring?"

He mounts his horse and addresses that despicable.

"She wants to learn but has no money. What do you expect her to do?"

He guides his horse towards me.

"This thing, I will let my father know. I will do everything in my power to let people like you get equal opportunity to learn."

As swiftly as he came, he quickly disappeared, leaving me with an impetuous thought.

When shall I see you again?