Chapter 57: Mountains and Seas (10)

Passing through Silver Wolf Valley and climbing Wild Fox Ridge, the Tang army, after seven days of relentless marching, finally entered the Dafei River Basin. It must be said that this stretch was the most difficult the Tang army had faced since crossing Qinghai. Every day at dawn, they had to jump out of their warm beds and hurry along the waist-deep mountain paths under the urging of officers such as colonels and brigade commanders. With daily marches of over a hundred miles, they spent most of the day on horseback. Since they had to carry military equipment like small trebuchets, General Gao ordered that each soldier carry at least twenty pounds of load. Although some of the equipment was carried by horses, it still caused great hardship for the soldiers.

The most annoying thing were the mosquitoes in the mountains. These tiny pests would follow any scent to crawl into tents and burrow into people’s armpits and chests. After a day of hard work, soldiers would fall asleep as soon as camp was set up, leaving no energy to check their bedding or clothes. When awakened by the annoying trumpets in the morning, they would find their chests and shoulders covered in red bumps that were swollen and itchy. These pests were true bloodsuckers, taking every opportunity to feast. After feeding, they would lick their lips and vanish, leaving the Tang soldiers to endure the itching while trying to keep up with the main force. The long line was due to the narrow mountain paths; in fact, it took less than half an hour for a fast rider to go from the front to the back of the army.

Fortunately for the Tang soldiers, their generals showed great concern for them. After learning of their difficulties, they not only provided dried mugwort to repel mosquitoes but also slowed down the march so that those who were unwell wouldn’t fall behind. (Note 1) The most admirable among them was General Li, the resolute colonel. He ate, slept, and laughed with the soldiers, showing no arrogance at all. These days, four-legged toads are easy to find, but honest officials with two legs are rare! Moreover, General Li was a young hero who had bravely defended the Great Wall fort and launched surprise attacks on Fusi City—true feats of valor. Among the younger generation of the Tang army, General Li was the most outstanding…

At that time, Li Kuo was in the middle front of the army. Since the night he had clashed with Gao Xiuyan, he had deliberately kept his distance from the army commander. Reflecting on it, he had indeed been impulsive that night, saying things that were rude and extreme. But Gao Xiuyan’s actions had truly disheartened the young man—it was a matter of principle, and he would not compromise on that point. True friends can be found regardless of wealth, and one must have someone they can trust in life and death.

In the eyes of the young man, people like Gao Xiuyan were best kept at a superficial level—never entrusted with matters of life and death. After all, who would want to be brothers with someone who valued a false reputation more than the lives of his comrades? Brothers on the battlefield should share a bond as deep as life itself, for even a moment of hesitation could cost one’s life.

“Brother Ke, don’t push yourself too hard. If necessary, just admit your mistake to General Gao. A true man doesn’t cling to petty details—what’s so hard about that? We’re comrades, sharing meals side by side from dawn to dusk. He’ll probably just say a few words. Would he really tie you up and take you to Chang’an?”

Zhang Yanji, seeing Li Ke’s haggard and pale appearance these days, as if he had aged several years, spoke to him earnestly out of concern.

Li Ke shook his head. “There are things you don’t understand. In this world, many things can be compromised, but one must hold onto one or two principles. That’s a person’s bottom line, their last stronghold. Since he mercilessly destroyed my principles, it’s inevitable we can’t be friends.”

Zhang Yanji urged anxiously, “But he’s the commander of the army! These 30,000 soldiers all follow his orders. What if you really anger him? If he turns against you behind your back, who will you turn to for justice?”

Zhang Xiaolangjun spoke bluntly, explaining the delicate balance at play.

Li Ke sighed deeply. “I only said we can’t be friends—not that we must become enemies. After all, Gao Xiuyan is a fourth-rank general. Surely he can’t refuse even a simple apology?”

Zhang Yanji snorted. “I doubt it. Don’t be fooled by someone’s burly appearance—his heart might be narrower than a needle hole in a shoe sole!” (Note 2)

Li Ke’s heart sank. Zhang Yanji was right—given Gao Xiuyan’s behavior, he didn’t seem like someone who could tolerate others. But they were on a military campaign, and he led many comrades. Surely he wouldn’t risk the safety of the entire army over personal grudges?

“General Gao orders all troops to remain in place! General Gao orders the army to halt marching!”

Just as the young man was lost in thought, a messenger rode swiftly from the front of the army, repeating the orders of the high-ranking general.

Although the Tang soldiers didn’t understand why the army had suddenly stopped, a brief rest was invaluable to these exhausted warriors. Upon hearing the order, they dismounted and leaned against the rocks in the grassland, gasping for breath.

“I say Wu Ge, we’ve only been on the road for less than an hour—why do we stop to rest already? This is just an open grassland, not some difficult mountain path.”

Er Zhuzi rubbed his hands together, pulled out a stem of foxtail grass, put it in his mouth, and grinned foolishly.
Old Wu with his slanted eyes glared at him and said, “Who cares why? Isn’t it great to have a break? You really are destined to suffer—living in pain!”
Er Zhuzi shrugged resentfully and stopped seeking trouble for himself.
Soon, a messenger rode swiftly on a fast horse and announced, “There’s a crescent-shaped lake ahead. General Gao orders everyone to go there in groups according to their respective units to fetch water!”
This caused an uproar. From crossing Qinghai to now, they had relied on fresh water carried by animals. Although they had seen a few mountain streams along the way, they had been in such a hurry that they hadn’t had time to stop. Now that there was a lake lying on this mirror-like meadow, how could anyone not be delighted?
A moment later, everyone dismounted and, under the organization of their unit leaders, headed toward the Crescent Lake.
Li Kuo walked slowly toward the lake’s entrance, carefully observing this sacred lake that nourished an area of over ten miles around.
It resembled a maiden about to get married, shyly hiding her beauty as she lay quietly between heaven and earth. The lake water was deep and azure; from time to time, wild yellow goats came to drink, only to flee warily upon seeing the people. A few eagles soared over the water, carrying away one or two fish.
“A scout has spotted some scattered riders ahead.”
Gao Xiuyan sighed, “I’m worried they might be Tibetan scouts who have circled around.”
Seeming to sense that the young man had come up beside him, Gao Xiuyan took the initiative to start talking.
The north wind howled against Li Kuo’s cheeks, causing sharp pain. The winds in the borderlands were extremely fierce; even though it was nearly June, one could still feel the chill of winter. The young man was surprised—Gao Xiuyan was actually willing to lower his pride and be friendly with him?
“Hmm, General Gao is wise,” Li Kuo replied calmly, gathering his thoughts.
Since they could coexist peacefully, there was no need to strain relations. After all, they had an important mission ahead, and they couldn’t risk their comrades’ safety for personal reasons.
“It’s a herd of horses!”
A Tang soldier shouted triumphantly, waving to his companions behind him. But Gao Xiuyan didn’t relax his vigilance. It was indeed strange to encounter a herd of horses in such a place; he had to ensure there was no ambush by Tibetan soldiers.
“You two, go ahead and investigate. If anything seems odd, come back immediately,” Gao Xiuyan instructed his two personal guards in a low voice.
The two veteran soldiers from Longyou nodded and rode forward to investigate.

The sky was dark, the waters serene, the wind gentle, and the people joyful. Their cheeks, moistened by the lake water, made all the Tang soldiers feel refreshed; smiles reappeared on their tense faces after a long time.

After about half a cup of tea passed, the two rode back and both said they had seen no signs of a large group arriving. Despite his doubts, Gao Xiuyan ordered everyone to move forward. When they were about 150 steps away from the herd, more than a dozen cavalrymen suddenly appeared among the horses, forming a triangular formation to block the way ahead. The thin morning mist covered the meadow, preventing them from seeing the riders’ attire clearly. The Tang soldiers assumed they were Tibetan scouts and drew their feathered arrows, aiming at them.

“Friends ahead, why have you come to Yellow Sheep Valley? Who led you over the vast mountains? Who showed you the way to our yurts? By the Eternal Heaven, if you are friends, we will invite you to our golden tent to drink freshly brewed mare’s milk wine; if you are enemies, we will defend our tribe’s dignity with arrows and sabers.”

The leader of the cavalry shouted in Tibetan. Though his tone was relatively gentle, it carried a hint of caution.

“By the Eternal Heaven, we are generals of the Tang Dynasty. We came near Crescent Lake and encountered Tibetan cavalry. Could you please allow us and our horses to rest here for a while?”

Gao Xiuyan tried to make his tone sound friendly to dispel their suspicions. Chen Xu translated Gao Xiuyan’s words into Tibetan and placed a hand on his chest as a gesture.

The leader remained silent for a moment before saying loudly, “Friends from afar, please lay down your weapons and follow Lao Has of the White Wolf Tribe to our tent for some milk tea.”

The dozen cavalrymen immediately changed formation, lining up in two columns to lead the way.

Gao Xiuyan frowned slightly before smiling and saying, “Since Brother Has has invited me, I must drink up all the mare’s milk wine in your tribe.” After saying that, he waved his hand, signaling everyone to lay down their weapons and follow the cavalry.

Li Kuo wanted to warn Gao Xiuyan to be cautious, but Zhou Wucui gently pulled his sleeve to stop him.

“Speak less and observe more!” Zhou Datian glared at the young man.

“In this world, what you see is not necessarily true. Only by using your discernment can you see through the superficialities and grasp the essence. After all, the corn that others show you is likely to be moldy grain from old storage. Even if they appear very friendly, don’t trust them easily. Think about it—how would a man who is truly open-hearted show his fresh grain to a stranger? I’ve worked hard to gain the favor of someone important, and I certainly don’t want that relationship to go awry and end up with them using me as firewood!”
Note 1: Mugwort: Burning mugwort leaves can repel mosquitoes.
Note 2: Needle eye: The hole at the end of a needle through which thread is passed. As mentioned in Yu Xin’s “Rhapsody on the Qixi Festival” from the Northern Zhou Dynasty, “The thread is tight and fits perfectly in the frame; the needle eye is fine and can pierce through air.”
Note 3: According to historical records, the Bai Lang were an ancient ethnic group first mentioned in the Han Shu. They originated in the Guoluo region of Qinghai Province. In Tibetan, “Guoluo” has the same meaning as “Elo” in Western Tibet. The Bai Lang took the white wolf as their totem, which is quite similar to that of the Turkic tribes in the northern deserts.