Chapter 95: Rebirth (II)

Faint lights illuminated the mountains, while the mournful sounds of the Qiang people and chaotic birds filled the air.
Thirty thousand comrades turned against each other; a cup of muddy wine chilled their hearts. (Note 1) The gloomy evening wind swept across the faces of the Bronze Warrior soldiers, piercing their hearts like sharp needles. Were these the brothers they had entrusted their lives to? Were these the comrades who had sworn to stick together no matter what?
In the fierce battles against the Nine-Bend Tubo army, the Bronze Warrior soldiers had exhausted all their strength and shed countless tears of blood. Yet, they never expected to be stabbed in the back by their own comrades!
The veterans of the Bronze Warrior camp were utterly heartbroken and chilled to the core!
Some soldiers, in fury, had their wounds on their arms burst open, blood soaking through the bandages and streaming down their arms. Others spat out thick phlegm and cursed the “relatives” in the opposing camp in their native dialects, which few could understand. Even worse, some suddenly drew the recurve bows they carried on their backs and aimed at their comrades dozens of steps away.
Pu Da Chui stood straight from beginning to end, holding the blood-red flag of the Tang army in one hand, closely beside Li Kuo. Inspired by him, more and more Bronze Warrior soldiers gathered around their commander’s horse. This was their hope, their obsession—Lieutenant Li would surely lead them home, he must!
They wanted to go home! They wanted to go home!
They had had enough of these endless battles filled with despair, enough of these complicated and frustrating troubles. They wanted to go home! Back home, there were their wives’ steamed black-rice buns, their children’s soft voices, and endless days of comfort! There, they wouldn’t have to guess their superiors’ intentions, nor strain to figure out anything, nor deal with this damned world!
They didn’t want those worthless titles anymore, nor keep accumulating endless military merits. All they wanted was to go home—was that too much to ask?
Anyone who tried to stop them would die, including their comrades! It wasn’t their fault—it was Gao Xiuyan who started it first, they were the ones who acted first.
It wasn’t their fault, it wasn’t their fault…
The wounded soldiers glared angrily, their eyes bloodshot. They would never surrender or wait to be executed. They were all sons of Han, born and raised by their parents—whose life was any less valuable than another’s?

Gao Xiuyan is heartless—don’t blame them for being unjust! Once a person dies, even if everyone has to sacrifice their lives, those despicable scoundrels must have their hearts ripped out to see why they’re so vile and dark-hearted. What wrong did Captain Li do to him? Why does Gao Xiuyan want to kill him? And why drag everyone else into it? Are their lives really that worthless, less than even ants?
“Woo—woo—woo!”
A chilling horn sound echoed through the opposing camp. A narrow path emerged from the central army, and under the protection of his attendants, Gao Xiuyan rode up to the front lines at a steady pace.
“Captain Li, long time no see.”
Gao Xiuyan cleared his throat and spat out some nonsense while holding the reins.
At the sight of Gao Xiuyan’s smirk-like face, Li Kuo felt nauseous. Suppressing his disgust, he bowed and said, “I don’t understand what your intention is with all this. Even if you’re here to support us, you don’t need so many men!”
“Haha, hahaha. Captain Li is really witty—I truly admire you.”
Gao Xiuyan laughed a few times, then paused, “Captain Li really won’t cry until he sees the coffin. Do you really insist on forcing me to reveal everything?”
“You’ve been colluding with Tubo, betraying your country, and secretly communicating with the troops at Jiuqu—your crimes deserve death!”
Gao Xiuyan kept listing Li Kuo’s “crimes” without pause.
The young man smiled bitterly and shook his head.
What a set of “crimes of treason”—what eloquent rhetoric!
“Heaven and earth may be balanced, but people’s hearts are not. When people’s hearts are at peace, the world will be at peace too.”
Back in Chang’an, Zhang Shouyu had once said those words to him. He hadn’t taken them seriously then, but now they seemed like precious wisdom.
What is the human heart? You can never figure it out—never!
“As a commander, you must be cautious everywhere, for the most unpredictable thing is human hearts!”
Uncle Gao’s teachings echoed in his ears, so clear and loud. Li Kuo felt as if a fish bone was stuck in his throat, making him want to stamp his feet in frustration.
He only regretted not seeing Gao Xiuyan’s true nature back then and treating him as an elder brother!
“Do you have any evidence for what you’re saying, General Gao?”
Li Kuo smiled and raised his head fearlessly.
“Evidence?”
Gao Xiuyan was slightly stunned, clearly not expecting the young man to ask such a question at the brink of death.
“Weren’t you looking for evidence? Then letting the Tubo king escape is the best proof! How could you let the Tubo people escape from such a narrow pass and valley?”

A cold smirk appeared on the young man’s lips. It was truly easy to invent crimes when one wanted to.
“Gao Shuai, do you really think I can wipe out over twenty thousand elite Tibetan cavalry with less than five thousand soldiers?”
“Uh, well…”
Gao Xiuyan clearly realized his answer was weak, but he refused to back down. Waving his whip, he said, “If you weren’t colluding with the Tibetans, why would you be so close to the White Wolf tribe? Everyone knows that the nomadic tribes in this area of Jiuqu and Dafeichuan have to look to the Tibetans for approval!”
Clearly satisfied with his own reasoning, Gao Xiuyan glanced at Li Kuo arrogantly, his eyes filled with disdain.
“Nonsense! The colonel led the charge in the Battle of Hehuang and was seriously injured. How could he possibly ally with the Tibetans? Give us five thousand men and expect us to destroy the Tibetan main force? Have you lost your mind? I think it’s you who’s up to no good, probably scheming with the Tibetans!”
Pu Dachui could take it no longer and started shouting insults.
Gao Xiuyan felt extremely humiliated by being insulted by a low-ranking officer. His face turned blue and then red before he finally waved his whip and said, “This isn’t your place to speak. How dare a mere lieutenant be so insolent!”
“Waste no more words with him, Colonel Li. Just fight him and see whose sword is stronger!”
Dou Qing also clasped his fists and swiftly drew the sword at his waist.
“Fight them! Fight them!”
“Go home! Go home! Go home!”
A faint smile appeared on Li Kuo’s lips as he drew the black sword stained with countless bloodstains and stood firm at the front of the two armies.
“Woo—woo—woo!”
In black helmets and armor, with bows drawn and hair straight, the young man fulfilled his promise.
“Brothers, let’s go home!”
White sands like snow, moonlight like frost, three thousand warriors in gleaming armor.
With a resounding horn blast, all the soldiers longed for home that night!……
Note 1: This poem is dedicated to the brave men of Tang. They sacrificed so much, even their lives, for the Tang Dynasty. We have no reason to forget them! Keep going!
Volume 3: Qingping Diao