Chapter Fourteen: Early Spring (III)

Despite her efforts to hide it, a hint of sadness in her expression betrayed Ni Xin.
He had settled down! He had actually started a family.
Indeed, unlike the free-spirited youths of the martial world, how many men of his age in Chang’an were not surrounded by beauties, enjoying life’s pleasures?
She was such a fool to expect him to marry her… He was utterly shameless—having already a family, why still ask for her hair?
Tch! How could she fall in love with such a scoundrel?
Ni Da Biao Shi’s attitude toward the young man suddenly turned cold, evident in his leadership of the Shule army. Previously, Ni Xin would always be at the forefront of the group, using the smoke rising from distant beacon towers to determine their direction, so as to avoid unnecessary detours. But now, she hid alone in the middle of the cavalry, only responding perfunctorily when the general asked questions.
With the general and Ni Biao Shi at odds, everyone stayed silent, unwilling to join in the tension. Though they didn’t know the reason for their dispute, they understood one thing—never interfere in matters that aren’t your concern. This was a rule tacitly accepted by every man born in Chang’an or the Guanzhong region.
One cannot appreciate the vastness of the Tang Empire without having been to the northern deserts, nor can one understand the wonders of the world without visiting the Western Regions.
Some poet must have said this, and at that moment, Li Kuo deeply understood it.
If the beauty of Guanzhong lay in its grandeur and that of the Jianghuai region in its prosperity, then the beauty of the Western Regions lay in its magnificence.
All around was an endless expanse of earthy yellow—endless sand and gravel swirling, dancing, and drifting in the cold winds of early spring… Occasionally, a few pale white bones appeared, reminding everyone that this journey was not safe.
Yumen Pass, beyond reach of the spring breeze, lay deep within the sand dunes just a few miles away.
After leaving Chang’an, passing through Weizhou, Lanzhou, Ganzhou, and Suzhou, traveling over two thousand miles westward, they finally reached Yumen Pass.
“Huh!”
Reining in his horse, Li Kuo waved to signal the army to stop.
“The general orders: the entire army must halt!”
“The general orders: stay where you are!”
The standard-bearer rode a fast horse along the path reserved for him in the middle of the army, conveying Li Kuo’s orders.
Throughout the journey, they had avoided passing through the various passes along the way, but Yumen Pass was a necessary route to Anxi—there was no way around it. Gently touching the crossbow given to him by Ni Xin, Li Kuo shook his head with a wry smile. It was fine for self-defense, but in the face of actual battle, such a small weapon was probably not even enough to fill a tooth gap.

A scouting party of dozens had been sent out by Xianyu Yucheng to explore the area ahead. He was not familiar with the garrison at Yumen Pass. Although he once belonged to the Longyou military force, he could not be considered one of Ge Shu Han’s trusted men. Moreover, with the imperial decree, he was now part of the Anxi military system, so it was best to follow the rules.

Just imagine, if he were the garrison commander at Yumen Pass and suddenly saw nearly three thousand cavalry charging toward the pass, would he order his soldiers to draw their bows?

“What are you waiting for?”

It was the first time Ni Xin had spoken to the young man on her own in days, and Li Kuo was overjoyed.

“I’m waiting for a signal from the garrison at Yumen Pass.”

Li Kuo held the reins in one hand and smiled slightly. “According to military custom, if it’s our own troops passing through, colored smoke will be lit. Once we see that, we can proceed safely toward Yumen Pass.”

“What if it’s the enemy?”

“If it’s the enemy, and their number is less than a thousand, one signal fire will be lit. For every additional thousand enemies, another signal fire will be added!” Li Kuo explained, pointing at the distant city walls. Over the past half year, he had studied military books and tactics in Chang’an and also learned about military customs.

“Once we enter Yumen Pass, rest well.”

Ni Xin sighed and turned her horse away.

“It’s colored smoke!”

An observant bodyguard spotted the fireworks in the distance and shouted excitedly, “General, it’s colored smoke!”

“Pass the order to slow down the march!”

Li Kuo nodded and issued the order.……

“Yumen Pass is far and isolated, with endless sands and withered grass. To the south lie the Quanrong, to the north the Hu. The general’s arrival caught them off guard. Five thousand soldiers, rough in courage, spend their time in merriment when there’s no battle.”

The permanent garrison at Yumen Pass actually numbered five thousand!

Even so, after welcoming three thousand soldiers from Shule, Yumen Pass still didn’t seem crowded at all.

In fact, Yumen Pass was not a purely military fortress. As soon as one entered the city, one could see crisscrossing streets and rows of shops. Although it lacked the grandeur of Chang’an, it had more vitality and warmth. The streets were filled with merchants and residents coming and going. Though their faces were weathered by the wind and sand, they appeared kind and cheerful……

From the top of the city wall, one could see swamps outside the city, crisscrossing ravines, winding Great Wall fortifications, and standing beacon towers. Poplar trees stood tall, springs were green, and red willow flowers bloomed—all signs of vibrant spring.

Who says the spring breeze doesn’t reach Yumen Pass? Perhaps it simply doesn’t because of human barriers!

At this moment, Li Kuo finally understood why more merchants and troops chose to take the Yumen Pass on the north side, abandoning the more equitable Yangguan Pass with its tolls. Yangguan was a necessary stop on the southern Silk Road, located outside a river fed by melting snow, nurturing an oasis. Yet precisely because of this, sandbandits from the depths of the desert often came here to plunder. Moreover, the garrison at Yangguan was smaller than that at Yumen Pass, failing to ensure the safety of passing merchants. Over time, merchants preferred to pay higher tariffs rather than risk their lives by taking the southern route through Yangguan. The safety of their lives was always the top concern for merchants.

“General Li, General Li! I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time!”

Outside the governor’s office, a middle-aged man in his forties, stroking his beard, greeted Li Kuo.

“Oh, it’s Commander Zhang. I’ve long heard of you!”

Li Kuo tightened the reins, dismounted gracefully from his horse, and stepped off. The governor’s guards stepped forward to take Qingfeng and lead it to the stable for rest and food.

Looking at his features… he vaguely recalled an old acquaintance from the military in Hexi that his uncle Gao had mentioned—Zhang Ziqian! Since he was his uncle’s friend, the young man naturally felt a sense of familiarity.

“Well, General Li truly is a handsome man. I thought Da Fu had exaggerated. Seeing you today, I confirm his words were true!”

Zhang Ziqian nodded and said, “Your troops are stationed in the large camp southeast of the city. It can accommodate three thousand men. If more come, I’m afraid even I won’t be able to help.”

“Thank you, Commander Zhang!”

Li Kuo felt warmth in his heart and bowed in gratitude.

“Why be polite with me? Back when I first met Da Fu, I was about your age. Time flies so fast—before we know it, I’ve already grown gray hair… Gao Da Fu’s nephew is my nephew. Stay at this governor’s office today and have a good chat with me!”