THE WINTER ROAD NORTH 1132
(From Dream of My Father’s Land – Book One: The Winter Road North 1132)
He recalled meeting Meiyue at the restaurant; she showed no fear or shyness in his presence, unlike the other women he usually encountered. She was calm and natural, with a bright smile, as if she were sitting peacefully in a tranquil garden rather than facing a formidable officer of the Jin army. He disliked delicate, shy, and timid women. He was a warrior, belonging to a people who lived on the almost perpetually frozen steppes, so he preferred strong, courageous, and resourceful women. Meiyue was beautiful, yet she carried none of the fragility of a delicate lady. She wore the ordinary clothes of a common woman, but her presence radiated vitality, confidence, and cheerfulness. These qualities deeply impressed him. He liked a woman like that. She had spoken only a few words to him in the restaurant, yet he still remembered her soft, polite voice. He was sure that the other officers in his unit would envy him and be jealous of him if he were to marry her. He was also certain that his parents would be delighted to have a daughter-in-law like her, and that their future children would be the most beautiful in the clan, perhaps even the most beautiful on the entire steppe. Thinking about this, he chuckled to himself.
*******
Thirteen aliens secretly came to China in 1132 to gather intelligence on one of Earth’s most populous regions in preparation for their eventual mass arrival on the planet. What happened along the way was completely unexpected. They had to decide whether to intervene or continue their mission. That choice had very serious consequences.
…….
Once the city had faded behind the hills, Ziyan could hold it in no longer. He threw his head back and laughed, pitching his voice just loud enough for Meiyue to catch every word. “Little Zhiming fell off his horse,” he announced to Li Huang, eyes dancing. “But Daibao fell harder.”
Li Huang’s mouth twitched; Junhao’s shoulders shook with silent mirth. Neither gave Ziyan the satisfaction of a reply. Ziyan clapped Junhao on the back. “You saw it, didn’t you? The mighty eldest son, thud.”
Junhao only grinned wider. Ziyan wheeled toward Li Huang. “Come on, you can’t tell me you missed it. He hit the ground like a sack of rice.”
Li Huang shook his head, still smiling, more at Ziyan’s glee than the joke itself. At last Ziyan spun to Meiyue, triumphant. “And you, you definitely saw him fall.”
She arched an eyebrow, saying nothing. Foiled by their silence, Ziyan threw up his hands. “Fine! I’ll say it. He fell for you, Meiyue. Head over heels!”
He leapt aside just in time; Meiyue’s playful swat whistled past his ear. “Nonsense!” she scolded, half-laughing, the tone one might use with an incorrigible younger brother. Their laughter rose together, bright against the cold road, and carried them a little farther north.
…….
His cheerful mood lingered. It felt fitting, he thought: People are always sorrowful when placed into a coffin, yet here he was emerging from this glass enclosure after so many years. How could he not feel joy? Thus, as he swung his legs over the edge and stepped out, a smile still played on his lips.
The smile vanished almost immediately. His legs buckled beneath him, forcing him to clutch the side of the cylinder for support. His arms trembled under the strain. Inside the confined space, he had noticed little difference, but gravity and open air revealed the truth: This body was frail, sluggish, far removed from the effortless control he remembered. A flicker of panic rose. He had not expected such a delay between thought and movement. All other concerns fell away. The smile disappeared entirely as he focused solely on mastering his limbs, on learning to stand and walk like a man instead of a newborn.
So absorbed in examining his new body, Li Huang failed to notice the polite greeting from a smart robot standing nearby.
It spoke in a warm, male voice, its tone unmistakably cheerful: “Welcome to planet 21473, sir.”
After a moment, Li Huang finally registered its presence and turned toward it. “Your voice sounds awfully cheerful. You must think I look ridiculous right now, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir,” the robot admitted. “You do look a little funny, like a baby learning to walk.”
Li Huang gave a sheepish grin. “Can you help me, then?”
“No, sir. It’s a strict protocol. No assistance whatsoever for… that, sir.”
“What’s your name?”
“Brisvmonvsje, sir. Awaiting your orders.”
“But not for this?”
“Precisely, sir… and no, sir.”