A large flock of pigeons with small bamboo tubes tied to their legs flew strenuously among the towering mountains and ridges. Traversing the Ba Mountains and Shu Rivers was itself an extremely arduous task, not to mention the hungry eagles and hawks in this patch of sky—they were everywhere. They flew higher and faster than pigeons, and their talons and long beaks were more powerful. As rulers of the sky, basically everything that flew was their food.
How could the pigeons be spared? Only these rulers, when pecking at their food, wouldn’t care what was tied to the food’s legs. They just found it bothersome, so with one peck they’d knock off the bamboo tube and toss it into the mountain valley below.
To return home, the pigeons flapped their wings and flew strenuously back to that city with many two-legged creatures. When they saw the city wall, of the sixteen pigeons, only three remained. Two flew into the city, and one flew straight back to the Yun household.
Old Qian, his face gloomy, hands clasped behind his back, directed the servants in the courtyard as they moved the grain that had been brought out from the storehouse for airing back inside, from time to time looking up at the sky that was as depressed as his face and cursing a few times.
A blue pigeon swayed and fell from the sky, landing in the grain pile and beginning to peck at the food without any regard. Old Qian’s eyes brightened. He grabbed the pigeon and removed the bamboo tube from its leg, pulling out the small piece of waxed cloth inside to look at it. His hand trembled, and the pigeon fell back into the grain pile. The servants were just about to pick the pigeon out—this thing always defecated while eating and would dirty the grain—when they heard Old Qian roar, “Just let it eat! Just let it eat! Let it eat as much as it wants! Prepare clean water for it!”
After speaking, he burst into tears and ran toward the inner courtyard.
“There’s news of the Marquis! There’s news of the Marquis! Oh Heavens, there’s finally news!”
In the inner courtyard, Xinyue was tapping Na Rimu’s head, teaching her that she mustn’t only eat meat—she had to eat more vegetables too. Upon suddenly hearing Old Qian shouting in the courtyard, she finally heard clearly what he was yelling. Her legs went soft and she collapsed to the ground.
Her husband had left home for four months without even greeting the family, only saying he was going to attend to an elder. Xinyue never believed this statement. How could she not understand her own man? Even if he was going to attend to an elder, he would certainly bring the elder back home, let the family see them, arrange all matters properly, and only then would there be the possibility of going out. He would absolutely not abandon a large household and run out alone.
Unless he encountered danger—very great danger—would he do this. Xinyue wasn’t very clear about her husband’s affairs outside. Even if she knew, she only knew some happy and joyful things. Her husband never spoke of hardships and dangers, and Xinyue didn’t dare ask. No matter how much she threw tantrums, she didn’t dare ask about things Yun Ye was unwilling to talk about.
These past days, Xinyue had handed the child over to two wet nurses to care for and personally managed the Yun residence herself. Even if her husband couldn’t return, she would manage this household cleanly and hand it over to her grown son, then she could go see her husband.
Na Rimu threw the full bowl of vegetables on the table and, holding her slightly protruding belly, came to the doorway. Yun Ye still didn’t know she was already pregnant, which made her feel very wronged. Now that there was news, naturally she was anxious.
She snatched the cloth strip from Old Qian’s hand. After looking at it for a long time, she remembered she couldn’t read characters. She gave the cloth strip to Xinyue, staring wide-eyed waiting for Xinyue to tell her about it.
Xinyue recovered her bearing as an imperially-appointed lady. She calmly took the cloth strip. On it was written: “Nanzhao in chaos, Dou Yanshan rebelled, battle extremely urgent, Marquis Yun appeared, riding bamboo raft, fled into great river.”
In an instant, Xinyue understood the cause and effect of the matter. Her husband had fallen into Dou Yanshan’s hands and was now riding a bamboo raft, having escaped to the great river.
Thinking of how that place was full of war, and Yun Ye was struggling to survive with difficulty, large tears slid down. Her heart ached like it was cut by knives. Na Rimu urgently tugged at her sleeve, wanting to know where her husband actually was.
Wiping away her tears, Xinyue said to Na Rimu, “Husband is in Nanzhao, currently handling matters. When the matters are finished, he’ll come back. He wants you to obediently behave and go eat that bowl of vegetables completely.”
Na Rimu would never refuse anything regarding Yun Ye. On the grasslands, it was very normal for men to go out for half a year or a year. As long as they were safe, it was fine. She would nourish her body well, and when the time came, give birth to a plump son to show him—he would certainly be pleased. Thinking of this, she happily picked up her rice bowl to eat.
Xinyue glanced at Old Qian. Old Qian nodded understandingly, bowed, and left the room.
Xinyue clutched the cloth strip and with difficulty came to the Buddhist hall. Since her husband disappeared, Old Grandmother had been kneeling in the Buddhist hall all day. She wouldn’t stop until she recited a prayer scripture for blessings a hundred times.
Just reaching the Buddhist hall entrance, she heard Old Grandmother’s voice: “Is there news of Ye’er?”
“Yes, he’s in Nanzhao.”
“Say everything at once. I, your grandmother, have lost my husband and son. What sorrow haven’t I tasted? Even the worst news I can withstand. Say everything at once. Don’t hide anything.”
“Grandmother, Husband fell into Dou Yanshan’s hands. Now, taking advantage of Nanzhao’s chaos, he’s escaped. He left by bamboo raft on the great river. Now there’s no other news.”
Xinyue handed the cloth strip to Old Grandmother. Old Grandmother took it, glanced at it, and the hand holding the prayer beads trembled slightly, but quickly steadied. She said to Xinyue, “With Ye’er not here, you’re the pillar of this household. Na Rimu is pregnant—don’t let her worry. Whatever matters there are, you handle them.” After speaking, she closed her eyes again and continued reciting scriptures.
Li’er was looking at the same cloth strip. After a long while, he placed the strip on the desk and said nothing. Li Chengqian, attending at his side, wanted to ask but didn’t dare speak out of turn. He was unbearably anxious.
“Steady yourself. You’re the Crown Prince. Showing joy and anger on your face is not good. Yun Ye escaped alive from Dou Yanshan’s hands. That this boy accomplished this step—even I, your Imperial Father, must say he did well. He actually could, in an impossible situation, stir up towering waves in Nanzhao. The nine Dong tribes and eighteen villages of Nanzhao are fighting Dou Yanshan to mutual destruction. With forces evenly matched, they’ve now entered a standoff period. It’s just that Yun Ye, alone, fled via the great river—his life or death unknown. Couldn’t this boy have endured a few more days? Once Dou Yanshan defeats the tribespeople, his great army will fall apart, and then he could have returned safely.” Li’er tapped the desk, speaking leisurely.
“Your Majesty, that Dou Yanshan could keep Yun Ye until now without killing him—there must have been unexpected developments. Since he discovered our person and resolutely chose to flee, it can only mean the situation at that time had reached a critical point. He couldn’t afford to stay longer.”
Zhangsun emerged from behind the curtain, also holding a cloth strip in her hand, only hers was densely covered with writing, unlike the Yun household’s strip with only a few brief strokes.
“The Empress speaks reasonably. That Yun Ye could preserve his life until now is already a miracle. If I were in Dou Yanshan’s position, upon meeting him, without saying a word, chopping off his head first would be proper.”
Zhangsun covered her mouth and laughed softly twice, saying, “Not necessarily. Anyone would know Yun Ye is rare. Before killing someone, they would calculate. If Yun Ye were a few years older and you encountered him when fighting for the empire, even if you had enormous enmity with him, you’d still consider whether there was a chance to subdue him. Look at your hundred officials—how many followed you from Jinyang to fight for the empire? Didn’t you fight all the way and recruit all the way? Dou Yanshan is learning from you.”
Li’er laughed heartily. After a long while, he stopped and said to the Crown Prince, “You see, Dou Yanshan is one with grand ambitions. He wants to establish his own country in Nanzhao, and he’s acting on it. Just this one point makes him far stronger than his grandfather and father. Unfortunately, he encountered Yun Ye. If he could calm down and spend ten years building foundations, he might succeed. But unfortunately, he was blinded by Yun Ye’s gold mine. That gold mine not only failed to have a good effect but instead had the effect of pulling up seedlings to help them grow—haste makes waste.”
“Chengqian, remember this: what the Great Tang needs now is steady progress, not rapid advancement. Every time we fight, we have clear objectives. For instance, this time, our purpose is to open trade routes, allowing the Great Tang to connect with distant nations. Yun Ye’s map, after verification, is very accurate—at least very accurate within our Great Tang’s borders. Those Persian merchants also confirmed the accuracy of the Western Regions’ positions. The world is so vast—I underestimated the heroes of the world.”
“So beyond the mountains there are more mountains, beyond the seas there are more seas. That I only focused my gaze on the Central Plains is somewhat laughable. Since our perspective has changed, Chengqian, our breadth of mind must also keep up. Since there are boundless lands for us to gallop across, then we shall conquer a vast territory for our descendants.”
“Ma Zhou is now living as one abandoned by all. Li Gang personally expelled him from the Academy and burned his student registration, considering him the Academy’s greatest disgrace, and declared that even if he dies, he’ll curse him from hell.”
“I heard Ma Zhou knelt for three days at the Academy gates, neither drinking nor eating, and finally fainted, yet still didn’t obtain the Academy’s forgiveness. He paid such a tragic price merely wanting the court to prohibit the trend of land annexation—not for selfish gain. It’s just that limited by his knowledge, plus I was fanning the flames behind the scenes, he was driven to a dead end. Take him with you on this expedition. He has no possibility of returning to the Central Plains in this life. Consider it a bit of compensation from the Imperial family.”
Li’er rarely spoke so much with Li Chengqian. He recounted one by one to Li Chengqian the deductions he’d obtained from the brief intelligence report.
Father and son—one earnestly teaching, one listening attentively. Zhangsun sat to the side watching, looking at Li’er for a moment, then at Chengqian for a moment, her eyes full of happiness and pride.
“Father Emperor’s teachings—your child keeps them firmly in mind. Open perspectives, expand breadth of mind, learn skills. On this expedition, your child will certainly observe more, listen more, do more, and speak less. I’ll learn well, learn thoroughly, and master the abilities of those veteran commanders. This time being calculated against by Commander Li let your child know his shortcomings. I’ll certainly put away pride and overconfidence. It’s just that your child’s expedition will require at least over a year before returning. I ask Father Emperor and Mother Empress to take great care, eat meals on time, add more clothing when cold, and don’t make your child worry from ten thousand li away.”
Li Chengqian knelt on the ground and respectfully kowtowed to Li’er and Zhangsun. Then he rose and strode out of the palace.
The Yun household must be very anxious now. No matter what, he had to convey news of Yun Ye’s safety to the Yun household, even if it would violate Father Emperor’s prohibition from several months ago.