"Young lady, how could this boy possibly survive among wolves? It's highly improbable. Wolves are fierce and cunning creatures. Why would a predator let its prey go if it had the chance?"
Besides, it was already strange enough that the wolves hadn't eaten him. What was even stranger was that he recovered from his illness. This was simply preposterous.
Li Man'er chuckled, "You said it's a story. Stories are a mix of truth and falsehood; you don't need to take it too seriously."
That made sense.
Ding Yan nodded and said no more.
"What happened after he recovered from his illness?" A Si couldn't help but ask.
"After recovering, the young man not only possessed exceptional knowledge, understanding astronomy and geography, but more impressively, he quickly mastered the art of swordsmanship and acquired formidable martial skills."
Li Man'er recounted the story of Man Muha River, adding a touch of artistic flair. "Their tribe revered the wolf as their totem. Their shamans declared Man Muha River to be a chosen one, someone selected by the gods. Such a person could reshape the world and make the sun and moon shine brighter."
It sounded so mystical. Did such people truly exist?
Li Man'er continued, "I heard that one year, the snow fell exceptionally heavily, making it impossible for horses to travel. There was no way for different tribes to communicate. This chosen one then invented a tool for skiing."
"Skiing?"
Li Man'er nodded. "Indeed. They strapped two peculiar-looking, flat-bottomed boards onto their feet. These boards had bindings to secure their feet firmly. By also using two pole-like ski poles, they could glide freely on the snow."
Ding Yan frowned, having never heard of such a thing.
Qi Yihan asked, "Could such a contraption actually glide on snow?"
"Of course!" Li Man'er exclaimed. "They say it's quite fast, though a bit difficult to control. But this Man Muha River was incredibly intelligent. Not only did he invent these skis, but he also created sleds and other devices. It's said that now, no matter how heavy the snowfall, the barbarians are not afraid. Gliding on skis is almost as fast as riding a horse. Moreover, sleds can carry goods and people."
Ding Yan couldn't shake the feeling that Li Man'er was hinting at something, but was this story real or just a tale?
"This story is truly fascinating."
"I agree," Li Man'er raised her cup. "To General."
Qi Yihan clinked his cup with hers, and they downed the wine in one gulp.
"Could you enlighten me, young lady, what do these skis and sleds look like?"
Li Man'er replied, "When I first heard this story, I was as curious as you are. I pestered them for a long time, but their drawings weren't quite accurate. I analyzed it carefully, and based on their suggestions and analyses, I've formed a general idea of these objects. May I borrow your brush and paper?"
There was some in the room, and Ding Yan quickly retrieved them.
A Si ground ink for Li Man'er. She picked up the brush and began to draw with swift strokes. Soon, an image of a skier appeared on the paper.
"Is this a ski?"
"Then the object in his hand must be a ski pole."
"And this is a sled?"
Li Man'er nodded. She extended the lines, finishing the reins and then drawing several huskies pulling the sled.
"That's a wolf!" Ding Yan proudly declared. "Can wolves pull a cart for humans? Isn't that a joke?" He had never heard of such a thing.
A Si, however, chimed in, "What's so strange about that? Dogs were domesticated from wolves. Besides, in a story, the protagonist is naturally omnipotent. The wolf is their tribe's totem. Perhaps wolves protected the protagonist? Otherwise, why would he have survived being carried off by wolves and even recovered from his illness?"
Ding Yan was rendered speechless. His argument was so sound that he couldn't refute it.
Li Man'er's brush froze in mid-air. She looked down at her drawing. It was correct; she had drawn huskies, not wolves.
These two people have poor eyesight.
But people at this time had never seen a husky. Seeing her drawing, they could only assume it was a wolf.
"The story you told is captivating and eye-opening. This drawing is quite realistic. I didn't expect you to be so skilled in martial arts and also a painter."
Li Man'er put down her brush. "You flatter me, General. I am neither accomplished in literature nor proficient in martial arts. I am the one in my family who is least adept at pleasing my father."
Mentioning this, Qi Yihan inquired about Li Shu's condition.
"Alas," Li Man'er feigned a sorrowful expression. "Doctor Ji visited him that day, disturbing his rest. He was already angry, and he took it all out then. He fell ill again. He had fallen ill twice before, and I had advised him several times, prescribing him medicine to relieve his anger. But he refused to take the medicine, and even suspected me of trying to harm him..."
"It's not entirely Father's fault. After all, I've had a bad reputation since childhood, which is quite far from the image of a virtuous young lady he envisioned. My mother came from a merchant family, so he would say that my mother and I were both tainted with the smell of copper. Alas, I don't blame him."
A Si thought: This is the pinnacle of telling outright lies with a straight face.
Ding Yan felt embarrassed hearing this. It was, after all, private family matters, and he felt quite awkward.
Qi Yihan said nothing and took a sip of wine nonchalantly.
Li Man'er gazed at his mask with curiosity. The mask had a notch from the bridge of his nose down to his jaw, designed for him to eat and drink. However, upon closer inspection, one could see some scars around the edges of the opening.
"Are you curious about my mask, young lady?"
Li Man'er gave an awkward smile, feeling caught red-handed. "You wear a mask, General, which already makes you different from others. I was just curious."
"I have scars on my face and feared I might frighten people, so I wear this."
Li Man'er waved her hand. "Scars are a soldier's honor, General. You need not be concerned. It's getting late, so I shall take my leave. If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask."
Qi Yihan cupped his hands in thanks. "Ding Yan, escort Miss Li out for me."
Ding Yan quickly replied, "Your subordinate has prepared an umbrella and will escort the young lady back."
Li Man'er nodded, bidding farewell to Qi Yihan.
After the three of them had left the room, Qi Yihan subtly put away Li Man'er's drawing and then picked up a sachet from the ground, quietly tucking it into his embrace.
Ding Yan returned a little over half an hour later.
"General, that Miss Li has such great spirit. Your subordinate believes that not marrying her is a truly regrettable loss of a treasure."
"Don't talk nonsense. Miss Li's reputation is paramount."
"Yes, sir." Ding Yan continued, "You have no idea. After Miss Li returned, she immediately organized people to clear the snow. Even though it was still snowing, they cleared it, piling it in places where it wouldn't be a hindrance. She said it could be used for making ice balls to hurl at the attacking enemies. This young lady is truly remarkable. You, sir, will regret it if you miss this opportunity."