Chapter 8 — The Marquis was wronged, I hid with my young master, and later overturned the capital to collect debt.

He was afraid that he had never met an eight-year-old child who dared to bargain with him. I'm so impatient that I'm going crazy. I just want to pull it away, hide it. Hide it somewhere no one can find it. But Mrs. Ah, stopped me. She looked at Co Chieu with complicated eyes. There is anxiety. But even more, was a strange flash of light. The military officer was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Okay, I agree with you.”

“But you are so young, what if you lead the wrong way?”

“I won't.”

Co Chieu's answer was as decisive as a nail.

“If I lead the wrong way, my life is up to you to decide.”

Hearing this sentence, my eyes darkened and I almost fainted. The military officer looked deeply at Co Chieu. Then he looked at me standing behind him, with Mrs. A with a serious face. He nodded.

“It's a given.”

That's how things are going to go down. I can't stop it at all. Because that was Co Chieu's own decision. Also because, that is the hope of the whole camp. That night, I didn't stay awake. I sat beside Co Chieu's bed, looking at his sleeping face. He's only eight years old. Still just a child. But it has begun to use its young shoulders to shoulder responsibilities that do not belong to it. I stroked its soft hair. In my heart, I am both proud and heartbroken. Early the next morning. The soldiers brought food. There was joy in the camp. As for me, I had to see my son off and step into the dangerous forest. Before leaving, I pulled it aside. I took out a small, extremely sharp dagger from my chest. That's something we've been grinding for a long time to get. I give it into Co Chieu's hands.

“Chieu Nhi, remember.”

"You mustn't have the heart to harm people, but you also can't help but be wary of people."

“At any time, do not trust anyone completely.”

"This knife, you must carry close to your body. It is to protect yourself."

Co Chieu took the dagger and nodded. It looked at me, its eyes determined.

“Ah lady, rest assured.”

“I will return alive.”

I watched it carry a small luggage on its back, follow the army, gradually disappearing at the entrance to the forest and mountains. My heart also leaves with it. I stood at the camp gate, standing for a long, long time. Until its back was no longer visible. I don't know, I let him learn those survival skills... is it right or wrong in the end? I raised it... into a real wolf cub. But I forgot. Wolves... will never be willing to be kept in captivity. Sooner or later, it will return to the vast and dangerous forest that belongs to it. The first hour after Co Chieu left, my heart hung in the balance. It's like being stretched by an invisible string, hanging in mid-air. By the second hour, I started to feel restless. I can't stay in the medicine jar. I walked to the camp gate, looked in the direction it left, and stood motionless. People in the camp advised us to go back. They said, Chieu Nhi is smart, it will be okay. We know it's smart. But what it has to face is the human heart. It is something in this world that is more toxic than the miasma and fierce beasts in O Mong Son. I stood there, from early morning, until sunset. My legs were numb and I couldn't feel them anymore. I don't dare to think what it will encounter. I can only pray in my heart, over and over again, to the angels and Buddhas. Pray for the souls of Marquis and his wife in heaven. Bless the only lifeline theirs, return safely. At the same time, deep in O Mong Son. Co Chieu was walking in the front of the military team. Its steps are very steady, its small body, under the tall old trees, looks even more lonely. But on his body, there is a calmness that is not commensurate with his age. At first, the officers and soldiers looked down on this child. What does a kid who still stinks of milk know? They just thought, these are Southern Cuong barbarians, greedy for money to the point of madness. But after less than half a day, they could no longer laugh. The mist in the mountains... rose. Not white. It's a light yellow color, mixed with a strange purple-pink color. Like the breath of a demon. The experienced veterans' faces changed.

“It's a miasma!”

“Quick, cover your mouth and nose!”

There was immediate chaos in the team. A young soldier began to feel dizzy. They all looked towards the young officer leading the team. His name is Ve Huan. Ve Huan's eyebrows also frowned. He didn't expect that he would run into trouble so quickly. At this moment, Co Chieu stopped walking. He turned his head and looked at them. His eyes were calm, like a deep lake.

"If you don't want to die, don't do anything random."

It opened its mouth, its voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. It went to the side of the road, from a bush, and plucked a few leaves. The leaf edges have tiny serrated teeth.

“Chew it together and hold it under your tongue.”

It gave leaves to the dizzy soldier. The soldier hesitated, looking towards Ve Huan. Ve Huan looked at Co Chieu, his eyes full of scrutiny.

“What is this?”

“Green maple grass.” Co Chieu replied, "detoxifies the miasma."

“How do you know?”

“The mountain told me.”