Li Mei sat on the veranda, gazing out at the orange and pink hues of the evening sky. The faint chatter of the household was a comforting hum, but her mind was far away, lingering on the words she had overheard earlier in the day. She was thinking of Wei Ming again, and just as her thoughts began to wander toward their next meeting, a heavy conversation in her father's study caught her attention.
Her father rarely spoke so openly about matters of the kingdom, but there was something urgent in his tone today. Quietly, Li Mei moved closer to the screen door, trying not to make a sound. It wasn't her place to listen in, but curiosity got the better of her.
"The war's over for now," one of the older advisors said with a deep sigh. "Another victory, thanks to General Han Cheng."
Her father, his voice always so calm, responded, "Yes, the general strikes again. But I fear that each victory makes him more terrifying. The king sees him as a hero, but to those who know the battlefield… Han Cheng is a ruthless force."
Li Mei felt a shiver crawl up her spine. She had heard tales of General Han Cheng—how he'd been raised on the battlefield since he was just a child, barely four years old, and had known nothing but war for the last twenty-four years of his life. Now twenty-eight, he was a man who had never tasted the peace of a home, nor the warmth of a family. He lived for one thing—battle.
Her father's tone dropped, filled with pity. "Han Cheng is a product of war. He was forged in blood and violence, and he's never known anything else. To think he's spent his entire life with a sword in hand… There's no room in his heart for anything but victory, no softness left in him."
One of the younger advisors, who seemed more impressed than disturbed, chimed in, "That's why he's the king's favorite. Han Cheng doesn't lose. The king sends him to fight wars no one else can win, and he returns victorious every time. He's invincible."
"But at what cost?" her father said, his voice weary. "The boy has never known love or comfort. He's become a weapon, not a man. And with the king's ambitions growing stronger by the day, Han Cheng will continue to be used. I can't help but feel sorry for him. He knows nothing of life beyond the battlefield."
Li Mei's heart ached as she listened. How could anyone survive such a life? To be hardened by war from childhood, never knowing peace, never knowing what it felt like to be part of a family or experience joy beyond the battlefield. It was a life of sacrifice and emptiness.
"I've heard that after this victory, Han Cheng will return to the capital," one advisor said. "The king wants to honor him again."
Her father sighed deeply. "I wonder if he'll even recognize the capital after so many years. It's been his home only in name. His true home is wherever the next battle takes him."
Li Mei bit her lip, unsure of what to make of this man she had never met. General Han Cheng was like a shadow, a figure so distant from her world of quiet gardens and tea parties. Yet, his presence loomed large, shaping the very world she lived in.
One of the advisors chuckled darkly. "You should see the soldiers talk about him. They say he's not just ruthless—he's downright terrifying. A ghost on the battlefield, with no mercy and no fear. They claim he's never hesitated once, not even when outnumbered."
"But that's what makes him dangerous," her father said, his voice heavy. "Han Cheng is not just a general. He's a man with nothing left to lose. That's why he fights the way he does. The king may celebrate him as a hero, but he's a broken soul, and that makes him unpredictable."
Li Mei stepped back, overwhelmed by the conversation. The more she listened, the more she understood the tragic figure of General Han Cheng. A man who had spent nearly his entire life surrounded by violence, shaped by a world that had taken everything from him. And now, he was returning to the capital—a hero in the eyes of some, but a terrifying force to those who knew the truth.
She retreated to her chambers, closing the door behind her softly. The tales of General Han Cheng weighed heavily on her heart. The image of a man who had never known anything but war stayed with her as she prepared for bed. How could anyone endure such a life, and yet be seen as a hero?
Her thoughts spun as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. For a brief moment, she found herself wondering what it would be like to meet him, to look into the eyes of a man who had seen nothing but battle his whole life. Would he be as cold and ruthless as they said? Or was there a part of him that longed for something more.
The capital would soon see the return of the legendary general, a man whose victories were feared as much as they were celebrated. A hero, yes, but also a shadow—a reminder of what endless war could do to even the strongest of men.
"Peace," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. "I hope it lasts this time." But even as the words left her lips, she knew deep down that it wouldn't.