Lan

Zhi Lan is lying unconscious on a horse with one of the soldiers. The general caught up to his men and took lead riding back to their training camp.

General Wei and his men were on their daily night watch in the village. This was surely unnecessary, but it's the commander's nature to insists on overseeing any villages that are near any of their camps. The village was silent and empty as usual until the scream of a child was heard. It's probably a kid disobeying his parents.

However, rumor has it that children are getting kidnapped and being sold off into slavery. It's probably just another scare for children to obey their parents though. Under their watch, the general and his men have yet witnessed such acts. General Wei still had to make sure, otherwise, the commander would surely give him an earful.

He and three of his men proceeded to the source of the sound. There, they saw two men carrying a little girl. She was putting up a fight. She is not with them. Quickly, he unsheathes his sword and slices the man carrying the girl on the back. He immediately dropped to the floor, bleeding to his death. "What're two grown men like yourselves have to do with a tiny defenseless girl."

The dying man's partner scoffed and idiotically tried to punch General Wei. In return, he got sliced across the chest instead and is bleeding to his death as well. 'The world has no place for scums like you.'

The general cleans his sword and puts it back into its case. He looks around. 'Where's the girl.' He then felt beaming energy in front of him--from the girl's eye. 'Where did she come from?' A dagger against him and his men. 'She's just a kid.' But her hazel eyes had an aura that pierces through his defense and made him break a sweat.

Fortunately, two of his men show up behind her, and knocked her unconscious, bringing him back from his trance. "This girl is not from here. We don't know her purpose. Bring her back to camp and the Commander." "Yes sir"

Back at camp, Commander Wei is in his tent doing his paperwork. "General Wei requests an audience", his guard said. "Let him in". He expected his trusted general to come in and report the usuals from their night watch. However, he is shocked to see that the general, instead, came in carrying a little girl...sleeping? General Wei explains the situation and the reason why he brought her back. The Commander is curious and told him to have her lay on his bed until she wakes up.

"Father..mothe..r", Zhi Lan sees her father and grandfather on the ground again, her mother telling her to leave then kneels in front of her uncle. They all slowly disappear again, leaving her alone. "No-" Zhi Lan wakes up.

Zhi Lan's eye widens in confusion. She's in a tent? Why is the floor soft? Is she dead?

"You're awake." Zhi Lan sits up to see another older man, sitting, reading his papers.

'Is he with uncle?'

"A..Are...Are you going to kill me?" The old man chuckles. "Seems like General Wei's age is finally catching up to him for him to break a sweat because of a child like you. You're scared." Zhi Lan looks down and nods. "No, we won't kill you. Unless you're a spy from the Chun. Are you?"

Chun? What's that? Zhi Lan shakes her head. The old man chuckles again, "I'm Commander Wei from the Xia Kingdom. You know where that is right? What's your name?"

Zhi Lan recalls a time when her grandfather mentioned his business with the kingdom south of Qiu, the Xia. Since he's from the Xia, he must not be affiliated with her uncle. It's not safe yet to tell him her whole name.

Zhi Lan nods and responds, "Lan".