Chapter 16: Early Spring (V)

Looking up, the sky was filled with drifting clouds. There was no wind, so what everyone felt was a bone-chilling dry cold. According to Ni Xin, this kind of cold was the most tormenting; even the toughest warriors in the grasslands would huddle under thick furs.

There were essentially two routes from Hexi to Shule Town. One started from Shazhou, heading west through Yangguan Pass and across Puchang Sea to reach Shule. The other began in Guazhou, heading north through Yumen Pass and rushing along the Yiwu Road to Anxi. (Note 1) Li Kuo chose the latter.

It wasn’t because they had reached Yumen Pass and had no other choice. In fact, if he had wanted to, he could have bypassed the foot of the snow-capped mountains, crossed the Ming Water and Ganquan Water to reach Yangguan City.

The young man chose this route only because of Zhang Ziqian’s advice that night. In Zhang Ziqian’s view, the southern route was far more dangerous than the northern one. There were man-eating sand pits everywhere; a single misstep could result in being swallowed whole, leaving not even a bone behind.

Wouldn’t it be quite normal for thousands of troops to “disappear” in the vast Puchang Sea?

Of course, the Yiwu Road wasn’t easy either. The dirt paths, worn flat by caravans, were full of gravel, and there were countless earthen fortifications not far from them. But at least there was no shifting sand! On flat ground, even if they encountered “sand bandits,” they could defend themselves with swords.

“Eighth Brother, Eighth Brother… hurry up! Don’t use the official roads or pass through city gates when marching. It’s best, really best, to take a detour through the desert!”

“…”

“Do you know what was written in that letter? It was the marshal’s own order for me to kill you. If I had been ruthless, you would already be dead!”

“Don’t trust others so easily in the future. Remember, the only one you can trust in life is yourself… He asked me to give you this. Open it when you arrive in Shule!”

Li Kuo closed his eyes tightly and let out a long sigh. That night, he talked a lot with Zhang Ziqian and understood many things. What he had previously found utterly incomprehensible became clear after Zhang’s guidance. It turned out that the affairs in the imperial court were like a thin layer of paper—easy to pierce through!

Whether it was Li Linfu or Yang Zhao, they were just fleeting figures in the politics of the Tang Dynasty. What truly determined the fate of the people was power. Without power, they were nothing.

Good birds choose the right trees to perch on; when the big trees in the court are moved, these birds naturally choose trees that are more advantageous for them. For those in high positions in the court, practical interests are far more important than morality and virtue.

The young man received the emperor’s orders and headed to Anxi Shule, and many of his brothers who had shared life and death with him chose to leave—Sun Cheng, Wang Erbao, Chen Chen… perhaps because of their families, or perhaps for their own reasons.

As for Lin Feng’s group of veterans who had been trapped in Tubo for over a decade, it was mostly out of nostalgia for their hometown. Their roots were in Longyou, and they really didn’t want to travel thousands of miles to make a living in Anxi.

The young man respected their feelings deeply and let them make their own decisions. Whether they left or stayed, they were still his brothers. This path wasn’t easy, and without complete certainty, leaving might be the best choice.

“Aren’t there many caravans on this ancient route? Why haven’t we seen a single camel even after traveling for days?”

Zhang Yanji shrank his neck and asked in confusion.

“Even though there are many caravans, it’s not possible to see one every ten steps or a caravan every hundred steps!”

Ni Xin shook her head, casting a disdainful glance at Zhang Yanji as she stepped closer. “Besides, most caravans set off from Chang’an during the transition between summer and autumn, so they can arrive in Anxi just before winter. After selling their goods, they stay in Anxi, spend the winter there, and return to Chang’an in the spring of the following year!”

Over these days, Ni Xin’s mood had gradually improved. As long as the questions weren’t too outrageous, she would patiently answer them—of course, except for those asked by Zhang Yanji!

“I see.”

Zhang Yanji nodded and smiled. “I didn’t expect you, Big Pancake Face, to know so much. It seems Brother Kuo was right to hire you as a guide!”

“Hey, Big Pancake Face, do you like Brother Kuo? I can tell you have feelings for him. Actually, Brother Kuo is quite kind to people. Even though he’s already married to Sister A Tian, he can still take another wife. If you really like him, just marry him early and avoid suffering from lovesickness!”

The journey was very lonely. Zhang Xiaolangjun had finally found an opportunity to pass the time, so how could he let it slip away? Whether Miss Ni Xin was happy or willing wasn’t something he needed to worry about.

“If you keep talking like that, I’ll gouge out your eyes!”

Ni Xin whipped her horsewhip fiercely and left in a hurry.

“Hey, Brother Kuo, tell her—I was just joking. Why does she have to take it so seriously?”

Zhang Yanji shrugged, unable to understand Ni Xin’s behavior.

“You, you’d better keep your mouth shut from now on. Otherwise, if she really fights to the death with you, I won’t be able to save you!”
Li Kuo shook his head helplessly. This Zhang Yanji always managed to cause trouble for him.
Even if Ni Xin really had feelings for him, after what he said, she would definitely no longer show the slightest sign of affection.
“I’m just feeling bored and restless!”
Zhang Xiaolangjun pouted and complained loudly, “Look at this vast Gobi Desert—nothing but mud walls everywhere, not a trace of life. If I don’t find something to keep myself entertained, I’ll die of boredom!”
After thinking for a moment, Zhang Yanji suddenly came up with an idea: “Brother Kuo, how about we sing together? That way, we can at least dispel the loneliness!”
“This…”
“Ah, fine, I’ll start!”
“Golden belts and linked armor, horses charging through snow toward Lintao. We raise flags at night to raid the Chanyu’s tent, slashing through enemy soldiers with our sharp swords.”
Most of the soldiers in the Shule army came from Chang’an. Though they might not be skilled in poetry, reciting one or two verses wasn’t a problem for them. Once Zhang Xiaolangjun started, the others joined in.
“Flames of war on the battlefield glow under the barbarian moon; clouds and mountains surround Jicheng by the sea. Though I’m young and not a scholar-official, I still wish to fight bravely for merit.”
They were Tang people skilled in martial arts and archery—men who ate meat heartily and drank wine in large bowls! Across the world, which barbarian regime could compare to the Great Tang?
“I’ll write one too!”
Xianyu Yucheng felt a surge of energy rise from his chest to the top of his head, filling him with pride.
“During the day, I climb mountains to watch the beacon fires; at dusk, I water my horse by the Jiahe River. Travelers are hidden in the wind and sand, while the princess plays the pipa with sorrowful melodies. Camps stretch for miles without cities or walls; rain and snow cover the desert. Wild geese cry mournfully night after night, and barbarians shed tears in pairs. Hearing that Yumen is still blocked, I’d sacrifice my life to ride swiftly…”
Nearly three thousand people sang together, their voices carrying across the Gobi Desert, over Yiwu, to Shule, which they longed for so much.
Note 1: Yiwu Road: Refers generally to the road from Guazhou to Yiwu. Yiwu is today’s Hami City in Xinjiang.