Chapter 1: Leaving the Frontier (1)

The weather in October grew increasingly cold. Since leaving Wei Bridge, cases of fever and typhoid began to appear among the caravan members. To avoid slowing down the group’s progress, Li Kuo, the commander of the Shence Army tasked with protecting the caravan, ordered those suffering from fever or discomfort to fall back to the end of the convoy. He assigned a squad of soldiers to cover the rear, ensuring no one was left behind.

This time, the Jiyuan Caravan was heading to Hexi to trade furs with the Uyghurs, taking the western trade route. With military protection, they walked confidently along the official road. The journey from Jingzhao Prefecture to Chencang took only three or four days. But once they left Chencang Prefecture, the road became rough, and days of rain had turned the loess into muddy messes. Often, as soon as they pulled their animals out of one pit, they would fall into another.

“Brother Guan, we’ve been traveling nonstop since leaving Chencang. Although we set out later this year, there’s no need to rush so much. Once we reach Hexi and cross the Great Wall, it’s still us who set the prices. The Uyghurs can go live in the Qiaobashan Mountains anyway.”

A man with a flesh-colored scar on his face approached Master Guan and complained in a low voice. He dealt in twill satin, which was in high demand in the grasslands, so he had no worries about sales. The rapid pace of travel had left everyone exhausted.

“Stop talking nonsense! If you want to complain, go complain to Commander Li. Those soldiers haven’t said a word—why should we, mere merchants, complain about being tired?”

Master Guan glared at the scar-faced man, leaving no room for negotiation.

“If I could talk to him, why would I come to you, Brother Yu Yuan? It’s because everyone else can’t speak up, so they ask you to pass on their message.”

The scar-faced man clung to him like a stubborn sticker.

“Chen Bala, have you been hanging around brothels too much lately? Have the women drained you of your strength? As a man, stop talking nonsense. We merchants live a hard life, day after day, earning our keep through hard work. If anyone complains about the hardships, they should stay in Xijing and collect rents—much more comfortable. Our Jiyuan Caravan is too small to accommodate such a ‘great Buddha’!”

Guan Yu Yuan tightened the reins, urged his horse forward, and snapped a harsh remark.

“Hey, hey, Brother Guan, don’t get angry. I was just joking.”

Seeing Guan Yu Yuan’s anger, Chen Bala shrugged dejectedly and immediately backed down.

In this Jiyuan Caravan, Guan Yu Yuan was the absolute authority. No matter how unreasonable Chen Bala was, he wouldn’t dare provoke this powerful figure.

Seeming to realize his words had been too harsh, Guan Yuyuan softened his tone and said, “Don’t be too disheartened. At our current pace, if we hurry, we can reach Shanggui by nightfall. Once we’re in the city, I’ll give everyone a day off. Then the brothers can take a hot bath, and whether they want to visit brothels or gamble depends on their preferences!”
Chen Bala was overjoyed. With Guan Yuyuan’s approval, he could convey the message to the other merchants. A reward of fifty coins per person was inevitable, and thinking that he could earn such a large sum just by talking, he felt secretly proud. In this world, indeed, the unskilled starve, while the smooth-talking thrive. Once they reached Shanggui, he had to relieve himself properly—he heard the women there had firm, attractive flesh, truly enchanting.
“Brother Bala, what are you daydreaming about?”
A bald young man urged his blue-and-white mule forward and approached Chen Bala.
“Huh?”
Chen Bala’s dream was interrupted. He was stunned at first, but once he recognized the person, he spat thick phlegm at him.
“Tch! How dare you call me Brother Bala? While I was working on women’s bodies, you were still wearing open-crotch pants and playing in the mud.”
The bald young man, angered by Chen Bala’s harsh words, retorted, “What do you mean by that, Brother Bala? Although I’m inexperienced and of lower status, I’m not some easy target to manipulate. If I’ve done anything wrong, there’s no need to speak so cruelly!”
“Enough, enough. Xi Nan, stop talking too. You know well what kind of person Chen Bala is—why argue with him?”
A middle-aged man, seeing the two arguing, stepped in as a peacemaker, waving his hands repeatedly.
“Hmph!”
Xi Nan also found it pointless. With a sigh, he turned his mule away, deliberately avoiding Chen Bala.
As darkness fell, Li Kuo’s heart was far from calm. He thought leaving Chang’an would help him forget many past memories, but once he actually left, he realized that every plant and tree in Chang’an was deeply etched in his heart—unforgettable and unbearable to erase. All the good, bad, right, and wrong things kept flooding his mind like a curse, impossible to shake off.

It was his first time leaving Chang’an, and everything seemed so strange and new. Leading a group of soldiers to escort caravans beyond the borders—this was utterly unimaginable for Li Kuo, who just a few months ago had been a mere servant. Life was indeed peculiar; at the most unexpected moments, an inexplicable joy would suddenly appear, touching one’s heart deeply.

“Brother Kuo, what are your plans for the future?”

Zhang Yanji spurred his horse forward and started chatting with Li Kuo with a smile. Ever since leaving Chang’an, his mood had been excellent. The plains of Guanzhong were so beautiful, the sky there so blue—it felt great to be away from his parents!

“Plans?”

A flicker appeared in the young man’s eyes as he reflected inward, but he couldn’t give a definite answer. “Maybe I’ll try to earn military merits?”

Li Kuo gave a vague response. Perhaps in his view, joining the army was mainly to gain the emperor’s trust and recognition.

“Oh, then let’s give them a taste of their own medicine. Those Tubo dogs have been getting too arrogant lately, raiding the people of our Tang Dynasty everywhere. If we don’t show them who’s in charge, they’ll think our Tang men are weak and easy to bully,” Zhang Yanji said, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.

“Fools, nothing but fools. They only know to charge headlong—you’ll never become a great general,” Zhou Wucui said mercilessly, shaking his fatty cheeks.

“You fat bastard, what did you say?” Zhang Yanji snapped loudly, unable to stand Zhou Wucui’s attitude.

“Enough, enough. You two are now battalion commanders—keep a proper image,” Li Kuo said, waving his hand to stop their argument.

“Sir, there are fifty li to the next post station. Should we hurry or not?” Dou Qing glanced at the sky and whispered to Li Kuo.

After some thought, Li Kuo said solemnly, “Never mind. We’ll reach Shanggui tomorrow. Let’s endure a little discomfort today. With all of us here, we probably won’t even be able to fit at the post station. We’ll camp outside tonight and enclose our goods and horses to protect them from the wind and cold!”

“Understood, sir!” Dou Qing bowed and readily took orders.

“Commander Li orders that the caravan stop moving and camp here for the night.”

Dou Qing spurred his horse toward the caravan, which stretched like a snake behind them, and loudly announced his commander’s orders to everyone.

“Commander Li orders that we camp here and spend the night outdoors. Everyone, enclose our goods and horses to protect them from the wind and cold!”

Note 1: Chencang: An ancient county name, the origin of the idiom “build roads openly while secretly passing through Chencang.” It is now part of Baoji City.

Note 2: Shanggui: Today’s Tianshui City in Gansu Province, a key stop on the Silk Road.