Chapter 167: The Appearance of Bandits

“General, I keep feeling there’s something wrong here.”
When the convoy reached Ganzhou, Yan Zhuang finally voiced his doubts. “General, An Sishun isn’t a magnanimous man. On the surface, he seems to have no connection with An Lushan, but I know they’re actually very close in private. Every time he receives a letter from An Sishun, An Lushan becomes overjoyed as if it were a festival, eagerly retreating to his room to write back. The letters are long—he spends an entire hour, or even longer, writing. General, please forgive my rudeness, but I’ve seen An Sishun treat you with great familiarity. He wasn’t this friendly when he met An Lushan in Fanyang. Is your relationship with him stronger than his with An Lushan?”
Li Qing’an sat across from Yan Zhuang. As the carriage moved forward, through the window, they could see the three thousand cavalry sent by An Sishun, dutifully guarding them. It was more like surveillance than protection—they led the way, determined the route, and controlled when to rest or set off. They always used polite words: “General, we’re the masters here in Hexi; we know the situation better. Please follow our lead!”
In fact, even after passing Liangzhou, Li Qing’an sensed something was off. An Sishun was too enthusiastic, insisting that they stay in Liangzhou for five days. But when they left, he didn’t even give them any water, let alone provide food for those three thousand guards. An Sishun’s enthusiasm hid extreme stinginess—clearly, he didn’t want to spend a single penny on the Northern Court’s troops. Was his enthusiasm hypocrisy, or was he trying to cover up something?
What was he trying to hide? Upon arriving in Ganzhou, two words kept popping into Li Qing’an’s mind: “Bandits!”
Yes! He had traveled through the Hexi Corridor many times and had heard of small bands of bandits, but never of one with a thousand members. If such a bandit group really existed, then what were the eight armies of the Hexi Military Governorship for? A bandit force of three to four thousand was simply unimaginable.
“Are you saying An Lushan wrote to him recently?” Li Qing’an asked after pondering for a moment.
Wang Changling beside him was shocked. Only then did he understand what Li Qing’an and Yan Zhuang meant—An Sishun intended to attack the convoy. He quickly interjected, “That’s unbelievable! As a regional lord and the head of the Hexi Military Governorship, would An Sishun act like a child, taking revenge for others? If the imperial court finds out, will he still be able to hold his position? I don’t think he should be so reckless.”

Yan Zhuang smiled and said, “Mr. Wang is right. A letter from An Lushan certainly wouldn’t drive An Sishun to take such risks. But I think his motives are not just about avenging An Lushan. After all, he is a military governor of a town and wouldn’t take such great risks. If I’m not mistaken, he has other plans.”
“The Shatuo!” Li Qing’an blurted out.
Yan Zhuang narrowed his eyes and smiled. “General Li has hit the nail on the head. I also think An Sishun is trying to strain relations between General Li and the Shatuo, perhaps hoping that General Li will drive them away to Hexi.”
Wang Changling, who was sitting nearby, fell silent. He was an honest man who had never thought about schemes or deceit. He didn’t understand such things, nor did he want to consider them. That’s why he was gradually demoted, unable even to hold a minor position as a county officer. None of his friends or family around him could explain why he couldn’t get ahead. He had always been an outsider in the officialdom.
But this time, he found himself in the same carriage as a man like Jia Xu. Instead of feeling disgusted, he felt as if the clouds had cleared, revealing the intricate tactics behind power struggles in the bureaucracy.
“What should we do then?” Wang Changling murmured. “If someone really attacks us, how should we prepare?”
“Mr. Wang needn’t worry. An Sishun’s attacks are like wild ghosts that only appear at night. Once the sun rises, they vanish without a trace,” Yan Zhuang said with a slight smile. He glanced at Li Qing’an, who also smiled and said slowly, “They indeed can’t stand the light. But I’d like to meet these little devils at night.”
……
After passing Ganzhou, the group arrived in Suzhou. An Sishun’s troops stopped escorting them and withdrew to Liangzhou. The Beiting caravan continued westward. Five days later, they reached the territory of Guazhou.
“Wuyi, Yumen Pass is right ahead,” Li Qing’an said, pointing at a city in the distance with a smile.
A month of long journeys had made Wuyi thinner, but she was in high spirits, making her appear even more elegant and refined. She was playing chess with Yunu. Hearing that they had reached Yumen Pass, she exclaimed in surprise, leaning forward to gaze at the distant city. In the distance were poplar forests, with a small river flowing through them. Yumen Pass stood atop the vast Gobi Desert. She suddenly understood the meaning of the poem—“Why should the Qiang flute complain about the willows? The spring breeze never reaches Yumen Pass.” Her emotions were stirred for a long time. Finally, she asked Li Qing’an, “General Li, where is Yangguan?”
“Yangguan is in Shouchang County, Shazhou.”

Li Qing’an pointed south and smiled, “Yumen Pass is important because the Silk Road splits here into two branches. One heads southwest to Shazhou and Dunhuang, then passes Yangguan to reach Loulan and enter Anxi; the other goes northwest to Yizhou and enters Beiting. In the past, whenever I returned from Anxi, I took the route through Dunhuang. This time we’re going to Beiting, and it’s my first time taking the northern Silk Road route.”
“So we’re not going through Yangguan!” Wu Yi let out a soft sigh.
Li Qing’an smiled slightly and said, “I advise you to drink one more cup. Beyond Yangguan, there are no old friends. Wu Yi, it was this very piece you played for me in the Liyuan side courtyard, right?”
“When?” Wu Yi looked at Li Qing’an in surprise; he had never mentioned it before.
“The year before last, I think!” Li Qing’an thought for a moment before smiling. “I remember it was on the last day of the lunar year. I accompanied Shou Yu to the Liyuan side courtyard to find his beloved, and by chance, I heard you playing the zither. Back then, everyone adored the ‘Fairy of the Zither’—the one who captivated so many people in Chang’an. And now she’s here in Beiting with me, Li Qing’an! Hehe! If word gets out, how many people will scold me, Old Li? Just thinking about it makes me proud.”
“You’re dreaming!”
Wu Yi blushed and glared at him. “I came to Beiting to learn the zither. Once I master it, I’ll return to Chang’an. You can keep dreaming by yourself!”
Li Qing’an smiled bitterly. “Then I’ll see you off. I advise you to drink one more cup—once you enter Yangguan from the east, there are no old friends left.”
Hearing him change the poem, Wu Yi couldn’t help but laugh. She gave him a coquettish look and said, “How could you possibly see me off? You might as well disguise yourself as a bandit and intercept me along the way.”
“That’s very likely.”
Li Qing’an stepped aside, raised his eyebrows, and waved casually. “Stop! I built this mountain, I planted these trees. If you want to pass by, leave some money as toll. Alas! A young lady like you has no money to give to your king. Haha! I don’t want your money. You’re so beautiful—stay here and be my wife!”
After his performance, Li Qing’an spurred his horse and fled. Wu Yi found his act amusing and couldn’t help but laugh. But when she heard the last line, her face turned red with embarrassment. She raised her zither pick as if to hit him, but Li Qing’an had already run far away.
“When did you become such a smooth talker?” Wu Yi snapped. “Next time, I’ll ignore him completely.”
Though she said that, her beautiful eyes couldn’t help but follow Li Qing’an’s retreating figure.
At that moment, Yu Nu beside her said with a smile, “Miss, now that we’re in Yizhou, it’s time for me to attend your wedding!”
“What are you talking about?”

Wuyi was both ashamed and anxious; she could no longer maintain her composure. She pinched Yunu’s arm hard and muttered angrily, “You foolish girl! What wedding are you talking about? You must be half-asleep and talking nonsense.”
“That’s exactly right. You two are meant for each other—such a perfect match. Why can’t you marry him?”
At these words, Yunu quickly covered her mouth. She suddenly remembered that Wuyi was still technically a wife of the Cui family. Unless the engagement was dissolved, how could she marry Li Qing’an?
“Stop thinking nonsense. Let’s finish playing the game!”
Wuyi’s expression remained calm. She placed a piece on the board and said with a smile, “It’s your turn. Go ahead.”
Yunu had no choice but to continue playing with her. But after a few moves, Wuyi moved more and more slowly. She stared blankly at the board, her eyes filled with sorrow. She had just embarked on a new path for herself, yet her status acted like a huge barrier, blocking her hopes. She hated the Cui family—they had imposed an invisible shackle on her, restraining her for five years, leaving her barely able to breathe. And now they wanted to continue restraining her. Despair stung her fragile heart like a bee’s sting; she felt her heart swelling from the pain.
“Miss, do you still remember what Lady Yang said to you?” Yunu whispered.
“Lady Yang?” Wuyi remembered—Lady Yang Wanrong, the wife of Minister Yang, who used to visit her frequently two years ago.
“It was on the Mid-Autumn night two years ago. Do you still remember what she said about the leaves?”
Wuyi gazed quietly out the window. The words Lady Yang had spoken to her that night two years ago surfaced in her mind once again, clear as flowing water.
“You are just one leaf on the big tree of the Cui family. They will do everything in their power to prevent the wind from blowing you away. But once you break free and go with the wind, they will declare that you no longer belong to their tree, claiming none of their leaves are missing…”
Wuyi’s mind was in chaos; she didn’t know what to do anymore.
……
Li Qing’an rushed to the front of the troops. The scouts had already brought information about the bandits. He unrolled a map and listened to their reports while marking locations on it.
“Daze Lake is three miles to our north. Last night, we found piles of fresh horse manure and countless hoofprints by Daze Lake. The bandits number about three to four thousand. This morning, we went west of Yumen Pass but found no trace of them. From this, we can infer that the bandits are still near Daze Lake. We’ve entered their ambush range. It’s very likely they’ll attack us tonight.”

On the map, Daze Lake was right next to Yumen Pass, and about 200 li south of Yumen Pass lay Jinchang County in Guazhou, where the Molí Army among the Eight Armies of Hexi was stationed—5,000 soldiers in total. The route from Yumen Pass to Jinchang County was entirely desert, which was highly favorable for cavalry battles. Li Qing’an glanced back at his convoy of supplies. Although he had 2,000 soldiers, those 1,000 carts were a major burden.

After pondering for a moment, he said, “Pass my order: the troops shall enter Yumen Pass!”

……

Yumen Pass was an important city in the Hexi Corridor. It housed hundreds of households and had about 300 troops stationed there, 200 of whom were inside the pass. Fifteen li north of Yumen Pass lay another fort called Hehe Fort, with 100 soldiers stationed there.

At noon, Li Qing’an’s army entered Yumen Pass in great numbers, crowding the small city. The two main streets were filled with carts, and each of the hundreds of households made room for the troops’ families to live in.

Li Qing’an arranged for Wu Yi and her servants to stay in a separate courtyard of a wealthy Han family’s house. The courtyard was small but exquisite, with three rooms, a pond, artificial hills, and dense trees planted with various flowers and plants. It had originally been the only daughter’s bedroom, but Wu Yi and her companions moved in without disrupting the family’s life; in fact, they provided her with company.

Li Qing’an planned to rest in Yumen Pass for three days so that Wu Yi, who had endured a long journey, could recover properly. Seeing that Wu Yi got along well with the young lady, he quickly left the mansion. As soon as he stepped onto the street, an officer rushed up to greet him.

The leading officer was the highest-ranking official in Yumen Pass—a colonel named Jiǔ Sānwēi, from Dunhuang. The Jiǔ family was a prominent family in Dunhuang, and Sānwēi Mountain was a small mountain to the east of Dunhuang, from which he got his name. Jiǔ Sānwēi was short and chubby and very good at expressing himself.

He quickly knelt down and saluted Li Qing’an, saying, “Your humble servant, Jiǔ Sānwēi, the commander of Yumen Pass, pays his respects to the envoy.”

“Colonel Jiǔ, please stand up. I was just about to look for you.”

Li Qing’an had met this man before when he passed by Yumen Pass. Seeing that he had become even fatter than before, he felt very familiar with him and smiled, saying, “Colonel Jiǔ, do you still remember me?”

Colonel Jiǔ scratched the back of his head and said, “I vaguely recall you looking familiar, but I really can’t remember.”

Li Qing’an knew that many people came and went through Yumen Pass, so he guessed he might not remember him. He smiled and said, “Come to my tent! I have important matters to ask you.”

Li Qing’an’s main tent was just a hundred steps away, set up on the street and newly assembled; soldiers were still driving stakes into the ground to reinforce it. Inside the tent, Wang Changling was busy sorting through various documents. Most high-ranking officials had many aides—some handled official affairs on their behalf or exercised certain powers, such as those in charge of military supplies or armaments, often holding nominal positions; others served as advisors. Wang Changling belonged to the former group, while Yan Zhuang was in the latter.

Wang Changling was diligently organizing the documents, while Yan Zhuang sat at the desk, carefully studying a map of the area around Yumen Pass. At that moment, Li Qing’an strode into the tent, followed by Colonel Jiu Sanwei.

Upon entering the tent, Li Qing’an waved his hand, and more than a dozen bodyguards stepped back. After sitting down, he asked, “Colonel Jiu, are there bandits in the Guazhou area?”

“Yes, there are several groups. Most of them are Qiang and Hu people. The largest group has about three hundred members, while the smallest still has dozens.”

“Then why doesn’t the army wipe them out?”

“Wipe them out?” Colonel Jiu licked his dry lips and smiled bitterly. “How can we? We can’t even catch them. By day, they act as herders, but at night, they turn into bandits, attacking merchants passing by.”

“What about the army?” Li Qing’an asked coldly. “Is the Mo Li Army just for show?”

“Don’t even mention the army. Of the five thousand soldiers in the Mo Li Army, three thousand are Qiang and Hu people. Expecting them to fight their own people? That’s impossible! Many of these bandit groups have existed for generations—older brothers serve in the army while their brothers rob merchants. As long as they don’t go too far, the higher-ups don’t interfere.”

“What do you mean by ‘not going too far’?”

“It means not exterminating them completely and avoiding deaths. Also, they’re not allowed to target merchants protected by the army. As long as these two rules are followed, the higher-ups turn a blind eye.”

“I see.” Li Qing’an exchanged a glance with Yan Zhuang and then asked, “Could there be three or four thousand bandits?”

Jiu Sanwei shuddered in fear and shrunk his neck. “Lord, please don’t joke. Three or four thousand? That’s not bandits—that would be the Hui army coming down from Juyan Lake. That’s possible. But three or four thousand bandits? How could that happen?”

“What if they’re Shatuo people? Is that possible?”

“The Shatuo are quite likely. They usually send several thousand people to graze in the area around Daze, crossing Xingxing Gorge. If they’re involved, things will get troublesome. There’s a high chance of bloodshed. Last year, a fierce battle with the Qiang and Hu resulted in nearly a hundred deaths.”

“Why would there be a bloody battle?” Wang Changling also put down his documents and asked.

“Fighting over the pastures!” Jiu Sanwei sighed. “To the north of Daze Lake, the grass is lush and the water supply is abundant—perfect for grazing. Every year at this time, the Uyghurs from the north, the Shatuo from the west, as well as the local Qiang and Hu tribes, along with some scattered Turkic tribes, gather here. They stay until June, when the new lambs can walk, before gradually leaving. If everything goes smoothly, that’s fine, but there’s a high risk of losses to sheep and horses, which almost always leads to fights.”
……
After Captain Jiu left, Li Qing’an fell into deep thought. Things had become complicated. The three to four thousand horses spotted by the scouts might belong to herders—Qiang, Hu, Shatuo, or Uyghurs. Of course, they could also be bandits sent by An Sishun to attack them. The question was where these bandits would attack them? At Yumen Pass? Unlikely. If he were a bandit, he’d prefer to attack along the way, where there are no city defenses.
“Mr. Yan, it seems An Sishun isn’t as foolish as we thought.”
After a while, Li Qing’an said with a bitter smile, “He’s a military commander. How could he not plan everything carefully? It’s precisely because he knows chaos will arise on the Daze Lake grasslands at this time that he’s creating trouble to keep us from knowing who’s attacking. If I’m not mistaken, the traces spotted by the scouts yesterday were likely those of the Shatuo. The bandits are still waiting for the right moment.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Zhuang immediately said, “General, waiting like this is too passive. I suggest sending people to Yizhou right away to request help from the Yiwu troops and disrupt An Sishun’s plans.”