The Spring Tree North of the Wei River / Weibei Spring Tree 渭北春天树 by 休屠城 Xiu Tu Cheng (HE)

Behind you, peach blossoms on horseback; before you, snow on the bridle path. The Qilian peaks unbroken, draped in eternal white. Beyond Yumen Pass, tumbleweeds roll; the Yellow Sands stretch on and on, where camel bells chime along the road.

“Li Wei,” she murmured.

From inside the blanket, she tilted her head up. That delicate, pointed chin rested right over his heart. A tuft of white fluff had caught on her long eyelashes. He wanted to blow it away—but feared the breath would stir her from this peaceful moment.

“Li Wei.” Still wrapped in the blanket, she hugged his waist tightly, her cheek rubbing against his chest like a kitten nuzzling close.

His heart nearly stopped. Li Wei stared down at her, eyes dark and deep. In a low voice, he asked, “Do you want some water?”

She giggled, clear and sweet. “Li Wei.”

He answered softly, “Mn.”

“Li Wei.”

“Mn.”

“Li Wei.”

(Credit : Twin Dragons Translations)

Chun Tian was born into a life of luxury in a noble family in Chang’an, a delicate and beautiful young woman naive to the world. One day, to find her deceased father’s remains, she journeys alone to the Northern Court.

Unexpectedly, she is seriously wounded by bandits and is on the verge of death when she is saved by Li Wei, a traveling merchant’s guard.

She is the last caravan he escorts, a lone woman on a single horse, but she resolutely follows him into that desolate and vast world beyond the passes.

They travel west together, eating and sleeping in the open, crossing deserts, oases, barren lands, and snow-capped mountains. They face poison winds, scorching sun, plague, and wolf attacks… The journey is long and arduous, and as they depend on each other for survival, a certain affection begins to grow quietly.

She has never met anyone like him: steady and reserved, with shoulders broad enough to bear the sun and moon. He is a shining pearl obscured by coarse cloth and dust, a lone tree standing strong among wild weeds. And she, like a late-coming beat of the heart in his life, is both incredibly innocent and incredibly brave, making it more and more difficult for him to resist her.

“Li Wei, we’ve had pretty bad luck on this journey.”
“Is that so? I, on the contrary, feel this has been my best luck.”

Peach blossoms behind the horse, snow before the horse, the Qilian Mountains’ snowy peaks are endless.
Tumbleweeds outside Jade Gate Pass, yellow sand stretches on the camel bell road.

(Credit: loveeattea)

Chun Tian was born in a boudoir in the city of Chang’an. She was delicate and beautiful, and ignorant of worldly affairs. One day, she went to Beiting alone to get the remains of her deceased father.

Unexpectedly, she was seriously injured by bandits on the way. When her life was in danger, she was saved by Li Wei, a passing merchant guard.

She was in the last caravan he escorted. With only one person and one horse, she resolutely set foot with him in the desolate and vast world outside the Great Wall.

They travelled westward, sleeping in the open air, trekking through deserts, oases, wastelands, and snow-capped mountains, resisting poisonous winds, scorching sun, epidemics, and wolf attacks… They depended on each other for survival. No matter how they tried to hide it, some feelings were quietly growing.

She had never met a man like him, calm and introverted, with a pair of shoulders that could bear the sun and the moon. He was a pearl covered with dust under a coarse brown coat, and a solitary tree standing in the weeds in the wilderness. And she was like a belated heartbeat in fate, naive to the extreme, and brave to the extreme, making it increasingly difficult for him to cope with it…

“Li Wei, our luck along the way has not been very good.”

“Really? I think this is my best luck.”

Peach blossoms behind the horse and snow in front of the horse, the snow-capped peaks of Qilian are endless.

Tumbleweeds outside Yumen Pass, and camel bells on the endless yellow sand.

(Translated by Vico SDL)

[Ebook][Eng Translation One or Two]

Vico SDL

Recent Posts

May We All Live Long and Prosper (Dan Yuan Ren Chang Jiu) 但愿人长久 by 李尾 Li Wei

That day, while her mother was pinching the edges of dumplings, she said, “The youngest…

20 hours ago

Empty Song of the Jade Terrace 碧台空歌 by 青枚 Qing Mei

She is the Eldest Princess Yongde of the Southern Dynasty, living in secret while burdened…

2 days ago

The Substitute 替身 by 半截白菜 Ban Jie Bai Cai (HE)

Having a crush on someone and being their stand-in is a level of humiliation beyond…

3 days ago

Falling Star 落下星 / 凶矜 by 李丁尧 Li Ding Yao

To get close to Zhu Qiuting, Ji Qiao went to great lengths. In reality, she…

4 days ago

Lonely Moon Crossing 孤月渡 / 洞房前还有遗言吗 by 且墨 Qie Mo

The young girl Qin Qing was unconventional and dared to challenge imperial power. Emperor Hui…

6 days ago