The three thousand troops finally struggled through Tongguan Pass with difficulty. The sleds prepared by the Yun family’s merchant convoy were already waiting on the canal. They dared not go on the Yellow River—the ice surface there was not solid at all. After the pack horses had run just a few steps, the ice cracked open. Horse and cart together fell into the Yellow River, bubbled a few times, and disappeared from sight.
Yun Ye habitually lay on the sled with both hands pillowed behind his head, staring at the blue sky in a daze. He could never look enough at this azure sky—like a huge sapphire glass dome overhead. Wu She beside him boredly ate fried soybeans, deliberately crunching them loudly.
“Sir, didn’t you lose two teeth? Why do you still like chewing beans so much? Don’t you know to take good care of them? Perhaps those teeth could last another two years.”
“What do you know? The more toothless a person is, the more they like eating hard things. Just like me—clearly I’m already in my twilight years, yet suddenly my wanderlust is aroused. I’ve grown tired of looking at Guanzhong’s refinement and want to go see Liaodong’s white mountains and black waters. That too is one of life’s pleasures. I lived too poorly for the past several decades. Now that I have an opportunity, why should I hide away at Yushan waiting to die?”
“This trip is very worthwhile! Not only can I tour the scenery and watch two armies clash in battle, most importantly I can kill people and plunder. I’ve wasted all my good martial skills without ever doing such things as robbery and murder. What a great regret!”
Yun Ye sat up in shock and looked at Wu She, saying: “You’ve never killed anyone?”
“Nonsense, of course I’ve killed! What I mean is, that was killing for others. I’ve never killed for myself, much less killed to rob their wealth. Damn it, just thinking about it is thrilling—one slash and blood spurts up high, then searching corpses and collecting wealth. Isn’t that one of life’s great pleasures?”
Dan Ying chimed in from the side: “Old Sir, if you have such interest, why don’t you bring your disciple, add this junior, and the three of us go to Goguryeo’s capital Pyongyang to cause a great disturbance? The Goguryeo imperial palace surely has many treasures. This junior specifically obtained a map from Master Gongshu Mu. The three of us can get rich together in the imperial palace. Isn’t that more interesting than killing and robbing? It also sounds better when spoken of.”
Yun Ye watched as Wu She, full of enthusiasm, sat up and muttered with Dan Ying about how to get to Pyongyang. He felt somewhat of a headache. These two unemployed people always had ideas that were unbounded and audacious. The Goguryeo imperial palace, a dragon’s den and tiger’s lair, they regarded as an undefended fat sheep. He must restrain them, otherwise it would be hard to clean up the trouble they’d cause.
“Ahem, Mister Wu She, this time we’re conducting a large military operation. Individual actions are not permitted. Being in a foreign land, caution must come first in everything.”
Wu She waved at Yun Ye like shooing away a fly, also saying: “Once you leave port you become a pirate, yet you won’t allow us master and disciple to visit the imperial palace for some autumn wind plucking? This old man has been poor for many years, and young Ying is still waiting to take a wife. Your black-hearted brother-in-law supposedly wants quite a bride price. If we don’t go to the imperial palace, where else can we get that money?”
Dan Ying nodded with deep feeling, as if Yun Ye were truly selling off his own sister.
Since they wouldn’t listen to advice, there was no need to persuade them further. Better to lie back down and continue watching the blue sky and white clouds. Just as he lay down, Lai Chuanfeng’s fuzzy face appeared before his eyes, carrying a hint of flattery mixed with a bit of embarrassment. He quietly asked Yun Ye: “Commander, you said on this expedition we’ll only enforce the Sixteen Prohibitions and Forty-Eight Executions? Which one do you plan to omit? This subordinate finds articles nine and ten most detestable. Does the Commander share this sentiment?”
“Old Lai, I haven’t told His Majesty explicitly which article to omit, which means we can pick one suitable one not to enforce. I’ve already told you three times—I don’t want to say it again. As for the detailed provisions, go ask the military司马. He’ll explain it to you. Don’t block me from looking at the blue sky.”
Lai Chuanfeng said “oh” and disappeared. Yun Ye finally calmed down, preparing to study why white clouds followed him—this peculiar natural phenomenon. Just as he recalled this was a matter of reference points and causation, another stubbled ugly face appeared before him.
“Yang Yueming, if you don’t disappear after I count to three, I’ll order the judge advocate to give you thirty heavy strokes of the military rod. When we reach Dengzhou, you’ll guard the main camp for me and won’t be permitted to go to Liaodong.”
A very effective threat. Yang Yueming’s ugly face instantly vanished. He knew they were all anxious. The Great Tang garrison soldiers had always been known for strict military law. To conquer the realm, Li Er had never relaxed military discipline. When fighting domestically, they tried their utmost not to disturb even a hair of the people. Even when campaigning in Gaochang, against the Turks, and against the Xueyantuo, there had been no slackening whatsoever. Hou Junji had grabbed just a bit more wealth and was nearly sprayed into a sieve by the censorial officials, now awkwardly submitting memorials to Li Er with explanations.
Li Er had never regarded Yun Ye as a general, nor had he ever considered the naval forces as the main force. A dandy leading a group of somewhat robust soldiers to cause trouble in Goguryeo—this was his understanding of Yun Ye’s operation. So when Yun Ye mentioned military law, he had just laughed it off. He knew Yun Ye very deeply—domestically, even with two extra doses of courage, he wouldn’t dare act recklessly. But as for Goguryeo? Li Er felt there was no need to be so particular.
Thinking of Li Er’s contemptuous look at him, Yun Ye bared his teeth at the blue sky and muttered to himself: “Your Majesty, this is what you agreed to. You also promised to take the blame for me. So, young fellow that I am won’t be polite. If the trouble I cause isn’t big enough, how can I be worthy of your earnest teachings?”
Many sleds glided across the ice surface, naturally leaving two clear tracks on the ice. Horse hooves clattered against the ice surface as the sleds moved smoothly and comfortably.
Yun Ye was soaked in this tranquility and became lazy. After running on the Yongji Canal’s ice surface for ten consecutive days, they were finally nearing their destination. This was even faster than taking boats! Just for this one thing, the entire army admired the Commander’s method with utmost respect.
A road sealed by ice had actually become an unobstructed thoroughfare. When Fang Xuanling received the official document from the Prefect of Xiangzhou, he felt dizzy for quite a while. He really wanted to slap his own face. The Yongji Canal covered by ice and snow truly was a flat, smooth thoroughfare. Sleds—this thing had been no rarity since the western campaign against the Turks. How had he wasted his days worrying, always thinking that heavy snow and severe winter had blocked the canal, causing Hebei and Chang’an to lose contact, making even communication extremely difficult?
The solution was actually so simple and so effective! Yun Ye had dragged away mountains of supplies from Chang’an, and according to the Prefect of Xiangzhou, there still seemed to be surplus capacity. How was that kid’s brain constructed?
After Li Er saw the memorial report, he burst into hearty laughter in the court hall. He extended his right hand and said: “We dare to bet that Yun Ye will certainly safely destroy the bone mound and bring back the soldiers’ remains. Of thirteen thousand soldiers, casualties won’t exceed thirty percent. Which beloved minister wants to make this wager with Us?”
“Your Majesty, battles between two armies cannot be compensated for by clever tricks. From the very beginning, this old minister was unwilling to dispatch a wet-behind-the-ears youth to lead a great army on campaign. Therefore, this old minister will make this wager with Your Majesty.” Old Wang Gui walked out from the civil officials’ ranks, walked before Li Er, and very readily exchanged three handclaps with him. Only after the handclaps ended did he say: “If Yun Ye truly lives up to expectations and completes the heavy responsibility he shoulders, on the day of his victorious return, this old minister will go ten li out of the city to welcome him. If matters go awry, please have Your Majesty think thrice before appointing commanders in the future.”
Li Er nodded with a smile. This wager was thus made. He glanced again at Li Jing and that group of military officers and laughed again. These old commanders now didn’t dare confirm whether Yun Ye had the capability to complete the mission.
The naval forces were originally stationed at Mingzhou and had to wait for the river to thaw before entering inland waterways. The sea always unfroze earlier than inland rivers. When the spring breeze still lingered south of the Yangtze River, the sea had already recovered its former appearance. Wave after wave beat against the beach. Liu Renyuan stood at the bow, watching the warship cleave through the breaking waves. Pulled by billowing sails, it leaped through peaks and troughs. The warship rocked fiercely, but his feet remained motionless—years of life at sea had trained him in excellent skills.
Dongyu, bare-chested, stood on the mast waving flags at him. With one glance he understood—an unidentified fleet had been spotted ahead. At Liu Renyuan’s command, all warships pounced toward the unknown vessels. This was the Great Tang’s maritime domain. Even if it were a fish without Great Tang registry, Liu Renyuan was prepared to question it, much less a fleet.
That fleet actually had eleven ships—among civilian vessels this was already a huge fleet. Seeing warships blotting out the sky pouncing toward them, the entire fleet immediately scattered, preparing to flee in all directions.
Liu Renyuan shook his head incomprehensibly, not knowing who owned this fleet. He had three hundred forty-two warships—how could they possibly escape? The main fleet continued along its predetermined route while a small squadron dispersed in pursuit. No need to consider their fate—being captured alive was their only destiny.
“Right now the Commander is waiting at Dengzhou. We need only unload grain at Dengzhou and this year’s work will be complete. His Majesty has a secret mission entrusted to our Lingnan Navy to accomplish. My rank isn’t high enough—I still don’t know what the mission is, but once we reach Dengzhou everything will become clear.” Liu Renyuan spoke softly to the deputy general following behind him, but unfortunately his words were blown away by the sea wind as soon as they left his mouth.
The deputy general hadn’t heard clearly what the captain said. Just as he stepped forward preparing to ask clearly, he saw Liu Renyuan turn around and loudly say to the deputy general: “We’ve waited for so long and finally don’t need to transport grain anymore. We have important military affairs to complete. The Commander didn’t state it clearly in his letter, but I can sense the weighty atmosphere in his words. It must be a mission of nine deaths and one life. Heaven! What Liu Renyuan has yearned for day and night is precisely such an opportunity. Now it’s delivered itself to our door—how can I not be happy, not delighted?”