Chapter 22: Connected Fates (II)

Shanzhou, Jiyuan Goods Depot Branch.
The first light of dawn broke, marking the beginning of another day.
Li Kuo sat at the square table by the street, lost in thought, gazing into the distance.
Flutes sounded atop the high city, under the bright autumn moon. Tears streamed from the Hu people’s eyes, while the Han soldiers roared like dragons.
Nearly half a month had passed since the battle at Great Wall Fort, yet the young man still couldn’t shake off memories of that night’s battle.
It was destined to be a sleepless night—heavy rain, mournful songs of warriors, flying stones, and the sound of horses trampling through the battlefield.
He couldn’t forget how Du, the fire commander, died crushed under a boulder; he couldn’t forget the pain of hundreds of comrades pierced by arrows; he couldn’t forget the piles of heads and rivers of blood that night…
One general’s victory comes at the cost of countless lives. He truly felt the sorrow behind it—not mere pretense, but the coldness and desolation of blades and bullets. Swords swung, flesh flew, limbs lay scattered everywhere. A great victory, a triumph—rewards and titles! But how many knew the humiliation and sacrifices hidden behind such glorious victories? Of the Divine Strategy Army he brought from Chang’an, 113 soldiers died, and including those at Great Wall Fort, a total of 417 men lost their lives in that battle! To outsiders, they had successfully defended Great Wall Fort and dealt a heavy blow to the Tubo barbarians, but who cared about those soldiers who were buried in graves forever?
It was like a huge stone pressing on his chest, causing unbearable pain!
“Qilang, still thinking about the battle at Great Wall Fort?”
Guan Yuyuan walked over slowly, patted the young man’s shoulder, and spoke.
“Brother Guan!”
Li Kuo returned to reality and smiled faintly. “How could I forget? So many comrades died that night. Before leaving Chang’an, I promised them I wouldn’t leave a single brother behind!”
Guan Yuyuan sighed slightly. “Life is full of things we can’t control. There are things we can only strive for, but we can’t predict the outcome. Have you abandoned any comrades? No! Then don’t feel guilty. No one expects you to forget, but you must learn to turn the bitter aspects of life into motivation—keep this in mind and seek revenge from the Tubo people!”
Li Kuo shook his head and smiled bitterly. “I must avenge this, but to reclaim all the lands of Hehuang, I fear many more comrades will die. These vast rivers and passes must be filled with blood, right?”
“Have you heard a story? Once, there was a giant who fought the king for the throne. He was defeated and killed, and the king beheaded him and buried him deep in the mountains. Though his head was cut off, his spirit remained unbroken. He used his breasts as eyes, his navel as a mouth, and continued to wield shields and axes to fight against the Yellow Emperor once more.” (Note 1)

Seeing that the young man was still absorbed in his thoughts, Guan Yuyuan turned to tell him a story.
“Brother Guan, the giant you mentioned must be Xing Tian.”
Li Kuo paused for a moment before saying, “Brother Guan, are you trying to tell me that we shouldn’t give up hope even in desperate situations, and must stick to our principles and bottom lines?”
“That’s right!” Guan Yuyuan replied. “Do you know that the land of Longyou was won through the bloody struggles of generations of Tang men? Did over a hundred thousand brave soldiers travel to Helong and Anxi just to compete with the Tubo? No—they were there to defend their own homeland! This war wasn’t fought for the throne of any single family, nor even for the Tang Dynasty as you often claim. Why then? It was for the yellow land beneath everyone’s feet, so that their wives and children could live in peace! So this war must be fought—not only must it be fought, but it must be fought to the end. No matter how many people sacrifice, as long as hope endures, miracles can be created!”
“As long as hope endures, miracles can be created?”
Li Kuo repeated these words silently before his eyes suddenly lit up. “We’re not fighting for the sake of any single family, but to protect our own homeland! So we have no reason to back down. If we do, it would be irresponsible not only to our fallen comrades but also to our wives, children, and our homeland!”
Guan Yuyuan nodded in satisfaction. “I’m glad you think that way. None of the men of the Tang Dynasty are weaklings. You must learn to endure pressure instead of avoiding it!”
“Hmm, thank you, Brother Guan, for your advice!”
Li Kuo had already moved on from the Battle of Great Wall Fort. One shouldn’t be burdened by emotions for life—one must learn to look forward!
“By the way, Brother Guan, what happened to the caravan in the end? Did they head west to Liangzhou, or sell their goods locally?”
Suddenly remembering the caravan, Li Kuo asked eagerly.
“They split into two groups,” Guan Yuyuan said, shaking his head. “Most of the old companions were terrified by the bandits and Tubo soldiers and didn’t want to take the risk of heading west again. Although the price of the goods was much lower than when selling them in the northern deserts, it was still several times higher than the cost in Chang’an. But some people refused to sell their goods and insisted on going to Hexi. I had someone hire assassins to accompany them.”
Guan Yuyuan clearly felt helpless and sighed deeply.
After the Battle of Great Wall Fort, the entire court was in shock. Geshu Han, who was handling military affairs in Liangzhou, rushed to Longyou at full speed. After taking a short rest, Li Kuo’s group continued westward and encountered Geshu Han in Shanzhou City. With this sudden change, the entire defense strategy in the Helong region was completely adjusted. Since the military supplies had been safely delivered, Geshu Han decided to keep Li Kuo by his side. This left the caravan with a choice: continue westward or sell their goods in Shanzhou City?

“That’s rather unfair to them.”
Li Kuo lowered his head in shame. Having spent time with these merchants, he had gradually developed feelings for them. They had worked together to fight against bandits and stood united in defending the fortress. These bonds were forged through hard work at the gates of the Great Wall Fortress, and there was no doubt about them. Since General Geshu Han had given orders, he must stay in Shanzhou. But without their protection, these merchants would face more troubles.
“No need to worry. Everyone has their own path to follow. One should learn to be grateful and not take others’ kindness for granted. I’m already very pleased that you can understand this.”
“Brother Guan, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you. With all your skills, why are you content to be just a merchant?”
Guan Yuyuan waved his hand. “Child, do you really think I don’t want to join the army or become an official? To serve a wise ruler and restore honest customs—almost everyone wants to take on such a responsibility. Generals should not reject such a life; who wouldn’t desire it? But if everyone became generals or high officials, who would manage the resources of the Tang Dynasty?”
He cleared his throat and continued, “The emperor established hermit organizations to stay hidden from prying eyes, so naturally, the expenses can’t come from the national treasury. We have to cover all these costs ourselves. If I, Brother Guan, despised wearing plain clothes, how could I afford to run such a large organization?”
“Brother Guan, I…”
The young man realized his mistake and spoke with guilt.
“There is no inherent difference between high and low, noble and humble. These are just views imposed by society. But if you think of yourself as inferior and shut yourself away, no one will be able to help you.”
Guan Yuyuan waved his hand, indicating that the conversation was over.
Some things don’t need to be clarified—what you see isn’t always the truth. To understand the truth, one must explore it on their own.
Note 1: Xing Tian: According to the “Classic of Mountains and Seas: Beyond the Western Seas,” “Xing Tian fought against the Heavenly Emperor for supremacy. The emperor cut off his head and buried it on Changyang Mountain. Xing Tian then used his breasts as eyes and his navel as a mouth, wielding weapons as he danced.” Thus, Xing Tian is often praised as an unyielding hero.
Note 2: During the Tang Dynasty, merchants were prohibited from wearing silk or brocade and were required to wear plain clothes. Their status was very low.