Baghlan City was smoking. Helu saw it from afar. Boma raised his hand to halt the army’s advance. The fierce hot wind blew across the Gobi, and after passing through the horses’ bellies, it turned into a fishy stench. The Elder poked his head out from the white carriage, looked at the smoke-billowing Baghlan City with a smile and nodded, then wearily returned to the carriage. For an old man, endless long-distance travel was severely destroying his health. Ever since the large contingent of Turks had returned, the Elder had fallen gravely ill.

Another Turkic warrior had died, and along with him went one of his old friends. Every hero was the Turks’ most precious treasure, yet now they could only futilely attack that terrifying Camel City.

“Too much blood has been shed!” The Elder lay on the blankets, looking at the carriage ceiling and talking to himself.

Thinking of his old friend and King Tushi, the Elder’s heart began to ache. Was the path he was leading the army on truly the correct one? Not necessarily. Their foothold in Lesser Bolü territory was not yet stable when Greater Bolü allied with Tubo and forcibly drove them from that land onto this long journey.

Anqi’s identity was about to be revealed. She must be a Tang person. The Elder could say with certainty that only Tang people could equip such a large army in such a short time. Helu only felt pleased, but didn’t understand this principle: how could one find an oasis of survival by following in the enemy’s footsteps?

When all the Turks were still rejoicing that someone was helping them open the way ahead, the Great Elder had already wanted to lead his people to flee in the opposite direction.

What the enemy wants you to do is certainly not a good path. Even if turning back is a wrong decision, it’s a thousand times better than following in the enemy’s footsteps.

The fires of war in Baghlan City had just ceased. The scouts’ reports further deepened the Elder’s worries. It was already very dangerous now. After conducting brief looting, the Tang army was preparing to leave Baghlan City. Their target would inevitably be Huolu City.

What a good name—Huolu City, the City of Living Path. After the Tang people left, he wondered whether his people would be able to find their own living path in this city. Probably from here on, the Turks would have to fight for their path to survival.

Helu, grow up quickly. Tushi is already dead. I only hope you can grow into a true man before I die.

The Elder pitied himself in the carriage, while Helu pointed his horsewhip at distant Baghlan City and said, “Let’s push on a bit more and rest when we reach Baghlan City. Once we’re there, we’ll have abundant grain.”

Boma shook his head and pointed at the Turkic civilians staggering along in the distance, saying, “We can’t go any further. If we keep going, they’ll collapse from exhaustion. We have a severe shortage of livestock. Most people can only walk on foot. Moreover, many of those who rushed over from the eastern route don’t even have warhorses. Many are wounded and unable to fight. Helu, you know very well what the result will be when cavalry fight on the ground.”

Helu opened his mouth, wanting to say why he had to shoulder these burdens. Seeing Boma’s anxious appearance, he couldn’t bear to say these hurtful words.

“Boma, send two thousand cavalry ahead to Baghlan City to see if Anqi has left. If she’s left, have them start collecting grain. We’ll make camp here. Also, send out scouts to gather intelligence about this area. They can go a bit farther. I always feel uneasy—this place is very unsafe.”

The Elder’s voice came from the carriage. Boma agreed and went off to busy himself. Helu jumped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked at the Elder, saying, “Elder, where do you think we’ll end up going? How far can we get?”

The Elder looked at Helu with indulgence and said, “It’s best to find a piece of land without people. If there are people, it doesn’t matter—we just need to kill them all to obtain our own land. Turks are a nation on horseback. Plunder is our nature to begin with. The sons of the wolf naturally need to hunt prey.”

Helu lowered the curtain and prepared to get off the carriage. After hesitating, he lifted the curtain again and looked at the Elder, asking, “Elder, can you help me propose marriage to Anqi? I want to marry her.”

The Elder’s face immediately turned pale. He beckoned Helu to come in and, holding Helu’s hand, said, “It’s not yet time for you to consider such matters. This is the most dangerous stage for us Turks. We cannot think about our own affairs at this time. You are the King of the Turks. Right now you need to think about how to let your people fill their bellies.”

Helu nodded shyly and jumped out of the carriage, shouting loudly for his personal guards and having them prepare to make camp and arrange the best tent for the Elder.

“How am I supposed to get married!” Xiao Miao lay in the bathtub looking at the large bruise on her chest, talking to herself.

Iris’s head poked in from behind the curtain and she asked Xiao Miao curiously, “Who are you planning to marry? What kind of man is he? Is he good to you? Why have I never seen him? You’re injured now, and he doesn’t even come to see you.”

Xiao Miao looked at Iris and said shyly, “He’s a very good person, and also a miraculous person. He can compose extremely beautiful poetry and can create the most miraculous things, such as hot air balloons that can make people fly in the sky.”

Iris shook her head disdainfully and said, “He still doesn’t match you. He’s just a wandering minstrel. You can just listen to his songs—why marry him?”

Xiao Miao’s face immediately flushed red as she argued, “Nonsense! He’s the most formidable general in this world, and also the most learned person, and also the kindest person. He’s not some wandering minstrel. You don’t know anything—don’t talk nonsense.”

Iris stuck out her tongue mischievously and said, “Then why doesn’t he come to get you? You’re already injured.”

Xiao Miao stood up naked from the water and pointed eastward, saying, “Who says he’s not coming to get me? He’s already coming. I heard he built a city that can move, and now he’s bringing this city to get me. When he comes, I’ll marry him.”

Iris giggled and wrapped Xiao Miao’s body in a large cloth. She mischievously leaned close to Xiao Miao’s chest, sniffed, blinked her large eyes, and called out, “So fragrant!” Then she laughed and escaped.

After bathing, Xiao Miao lay on the soft bed in the city lord’s house. She pulled out a wooden plaque from around her neck and carefully looked at the characters written on it: “Yun Family, Zhang Clan, Xiao Miao.” She kissed it and quickly tucked it back.

Old Grandmother had said that if the Marquis saw this plaque too early, she might not be able to marry him, so she mustn’t let others see it. Only when sleeping each day would she take it out to steal a glance.

Coming from Dongting Lake to the Yun family, during breaks from practicing martial arts, seeing the Yun family members loving each other, and thinking of her own miserable background, she inevitably felt self-pity. She always wanted to integrate into the Yun family, but Master was cultivating her sense of isolation. In his old man’s view, all knights-errant in this world should come and go alone—strike once, and if unsuccessful, flee a thousand li away. She had been lonely since childhood, and Xiao Miao deeply detested this bone-gnawing, heart-eating pain.

On the ancient Meiling Road, seeing Yun Ye, no one could know how happy Xiao Miao was. When Yun Ye embraced her and wiped away her tears, Xiao Miao felt that marrying Yun Ye as a concubine wasn’t bad either. Everyone said being a concubine was bad, and Master strongly opposed it, but Xiao Miao didn’t see what was wrong with being a concubine. Na Rimu and Lingdang both lived very well. Moreover, Na Rimu was sometimes very domineering and unreasonable. She only wanted a family—she would live very well.

She would always remember the scene of the Marquis sleeping while embracing Na Rimu. Na Rimu’s snow-mountain-like bosom was as clear as if it were right before her eyes. She pulled open the front of her nightgown and looked down at her own chest, then sighed once again. Not only was her chest small, but it also had a large bruise. A few days ago it had actually gotten bigger, but now after suffering this heavy blow, it seemed to have gotten smaller again.

The troubled Xiao Miao rolled back and forth on the bed, while Dan Ying patrolled everywhere in the city, gathering up his soldiers who were looting. Tomorrow they would leave Baghlan City, and all preparations had to be completed tonight.

Rape and plunder were the victor’s privileges. No matter which side’s army the Turks became, this essential nature would not change at all. Dan Ying lowered his fierce face mask and let his horse wander freely along the streets. The clopping hooves struck the stone-paved road, occasionally sparking.

The natives of Baghlan City cowered in corners. Women with their faces smeared with ash tightly held their children, looking with terror at the demon-god-like Dan Ying. Today on the city walls, they had seen how the terrifyingly demon-like Dan Ying used demon-like methods to brutally slaughter their fathers and brothers. Fear reached its extreme, and finally some women began to sob quietly.

Dan Ying swept his gaze over them and suddenly felt this world was extremely boring. His warfare had no meaning whatsoever. His existence had no meaning either. Pure warfare already made him feel weary. The heads severed by his war blade did not represent glory, nor did they represent martial prowess. The only thing they could represent was the manifestation of his own evil.

Laozi had said that when moral standards decline, good human hearts will depart and evil will raise its head. Dan Ying had already witnessed too much of such evil. Now he had become numb and bored.

It was time to go home. Daya was still waiting for him. The family only had two children. He and Daya were still young. If he spent more time with Daya, perhaps next year they could have another child.

He squinted at the distant mountains, then looked back at the smoke-rising Baghlan City. With his lance, he lifted up a subordinate who was thrusting atop a woman and shouted, “Time to go back, stop playing around.”

Having said this, he turned and left. Behind him, countless soldiers either carrying goods or fastening their belts slowly converged from all directions and followed behind their general, gathering toward the military camp.

The killing after breaching the city had ended. For the people of Baghlan City, suffering had only just begun. When the sun rose, the Angel Army left Baghlan City under the terrified and hateful gazes of the Tokharians.

Liu Fang looked through the carriage window at the people outside, then turned to Abbas beside him and said, “We didn’t come to conquer. We only came to spread hatred. Only hatred is the most enduring emotion in this world!”