The Nanzhao soldiers rushed onto the pontoon bridge with hearts yearning for home, while the Tang army pursued them like maggots on bone. The soldiers crowded at the bridgehead instinctively wanted to resist, but with their morale shattered, they were no match for the blood-drunk Tang forces.
Yang Jingyuan felt the resistance of his iron spear piercing through human flesh. He had forgotten his initial purpose. In his mind, there was only one thought: if he could kill everyone blocking his path, he could step onto this bridge.
If only Xuefei could fly as lightly as snow, carrying him across this great river. He would find her and fly with her back to Yizhou, back to their Mingyue Residence.
“Thud!” The spear plunged into a Nanzhao soldier’s body. It went too deep, and the soldier, in his agony, clutched it tightly, making it impossible to withdraw.
Yang Jingyuan let out a mighty roar, lifting the soldier and throwing him aside. A spray of blood scattered in the air. The soldier crashed onto the bridge. The white horse stepped onto the pontoon bridge, its long spear sweeping Nanzhao soldiers into the river.
“Yang Jingyuan! Stop right there! Your wife is here!”Chi Kuang shouted, holding his broadsword while pulling up the rope that bound Ji Yingying, hanging her from a wooden stake.
Hundreds of military dependents were pushed to the end of the pontoon bridge.
“Third Lord!” Ji Yingying called out softly. The morning sun was rising, its light dancing on the river’s surface. He came charging on horseback, his red cape flying in the air like an arrow, parting the Nanzhao soldiers on the bridge. In that instant, Ji Yingying’s eyes stung as tears welled up.
The wind carried voices from the opposite shore. Yang Jingyuan, who had led the Tang soldiers to the middle of the pontoon bridge, suddenly jerked his horse to a halt.
The Nanzhao soldiers quickly fled from his sight. The world fell silent.
“Get back! We have hundreds of Tang military dependents here! If you dare cross the bridge, I’ll cut off their heads! Look carefully, that’s your wife!” Chi Kuang shouted hoarsely, raising his broadsword toward Ji Yingying.
A lieutenant quickly pulled Niu Wuniang forward: “She’s the daughter of Deputy Commander Niu! Deputy Commander Niu who died defending Yizhou City! The daughter of the loyal Deputy Commander Niu whom your emperor honored!”
Niu Wuniang stared blankly at Yang Jingyuan. The distance of over a hundred zhang made it impossible to see his face beneath the helmet. She recognized the white horse. That day in spring, when he had sparred with Sang Shisi and Qiniang in the back courtyard training ground. As he galloped in the sunlight, she couldn’t see his face then either. She only knew she had fallen for this man who was like the proud sun.
The white horse stamped its hooves uneasily, taking two steps forward.
“General, they’re all family members, hundreds of them,” the guard behind Yang Jingyuan reminded him softly.
Yang Jingyuan stared at Ji Yingying, seeing only a gray-white figure floating before him, unable to make out her face. Suddenly, he reached for his bow and arrow from beside his saddle, drawing the string taut as a full moon.
The arrow flew.
With a “clang,” the arrow struck Chi Kuang’s broad-backed sword.
The sword almost flew from his hand. “Damn!” Chi Kuang’s face turned green. From such a distance, Yang Jingyuan had managed to hit his sword. He jumped and cursed, “Do you still want your wife to live?! You madman! You’ve chased me for days and nights, when will it end?! The Tang Emperor and our envoy are already negotiating peace in Chang’an, don’t you know?!”
[Continued in next section due to length]
They had just taken Meizhou, and the two countries were already negotiating peace. The Dadu River would serve as the boundary, with all land south of it given to Nanzhao. Nanzhao would continue to submit as a vassal state and pay tribute. However, when the imperial edict reached Yizhou Prefecture, Yang Jingyuan had already led his vanguard camp south in pursuit of Chi Kuang. They fought as they chased, finally reaching the Dadu River by dawn.
“Third Lord!” Ji Yingying finally called out loudly.
This time Yang Jingyuan heard her. He couldn’t help but drive his horse a few steps forward.
“The Nanzhao soldiers have all retreated across the bridge. Don’t come any closer. They have archers!” Suspended high above, Ji Yingying could see the archers behind their shields, fearing Yang Jingyuan would charge within range and be turned into a porcupine.
Yang Jingyuan, filled with inexplicable anger, shouted at her: “Why don’t you ever listen?! Why did you go back to Sandaoyan?! Ji Yingying, why are you so troublesome!”
Ji Yingying shouted back: “Do you regret divorcing me?!”
Yang Jingyuan responded instantly: “In your dreams!”
His words reached Niu Wuniang’s ears, and she laughed, shouting: “Yang Jingyuan! Ji Yingying was taken by me! By me! Did you hear that?”
Yang Jingyuan quickly drew his bow.
“Shoot! With your strength, you could kill me!” Niu Wuniang cried out.
His fingers released, and the arrow flew. The prepared Nanzhao soldiers raised their rattan shields. The arrow whistled through the air, swooshing as it cut through the rope holding Ji Yingying. Watching her fall into the crowd, no longer visible, Yang Jingyuan lowered his bow.
The river wind howled, carrying Niu Wuniang’s seemingly mad voice: “Let me go! Let him shoot me!”
Chi Kuang, hearing Ji Yingying and Yang Jingyuan’s voices, sat down exhausted. He waved his hand, not letting the lieutenant stop Ji Yingying. He believed that before Nanzhao could destroy the pontoon bridge, Yang Jingyuan would charge across these few hundred steps.
“Madman!” He took the water offered by the lieutenant, drank it in one gulp, and wiped his mouth, saying, “Tell Yang Jingyuan to retreat to the other bank! Otherwise, these people die!”
The dozens of gathered Nanzhao soldiers shouted again in unison.
“General, we haven’t received the imperial edict. But they have made peace,” the guard sighed, “There are hundreds of family members over there. If they’re killed by the Nanzhao people, how can we face our brothers?”
He knew. But he couldn’t bear to retreat.
“General, there will be other days. Now that the court has made peace when we’re better prepared, we might attack next year,” the guard pleaded.
“Send them all over! Then I’ll stop pursuing you!” Yang Jingyuan finally spoke.
Chi Kuang shouted: “What if you go back on your word?”
Yang Jingyuan, enraged, was about to charge forward on his horse.
Chi Kuang panicked: “Come any closer and I’ll kill them!”
Yang Jingyuan stopped.
Why couldn’t he have ridden faster? Just a bit faster, and he could have taken her back.
“Chi Kuang, take good care of them. Otherwise, I’ll come to Nanzhao and kill your entire clan!” After shouting these words, Yang Jingyuan lowered his head as tears fell. He dared not look at the opposite shore, fearing he wouldn’t be able to resist charging across: “Retreat!”
The Tang army withdrew.
“Burn the bridge!”
Nanzhao soldiers charged onto the bridge behind their rattan shields, poured oil, and set it ablaze.
The pontoon bridge burned before the Tang army’s eyes broke apart, and was carried away by the rushing river.
Even straining his eyes to their limit, Yang Jingyuan couldn’t see Ji Yingying’s figure. He closed his eyes briefly and called to his guard: “Help me down from my horse.”
Two men helped him dismount. He collapsed stiffly by the riverbank, watching as his guard massaged his legs. As the numbness gave way to stabbing pain, Yang Jingyuan cursed loudly: “You barbarians, just wait! One day, I’ll raze The City to the ground! Everyone, shout with me!”
Thousands of Tang soldiers shouted in unison. The sound waves carried across the Dadu River, reaching the ears of the Nanzhao soldiers.
Chi Kuang, his eyes bloodshot, walked to where Ji Yingying had been lowered and pointed at her, swallowing before speaking: “I respect your husband as a true man, so I won’t make things difficult for you. But the Qingping Official won’t let you off!”
She had to survive, no matter what. Ji Yingying looked at the Tang military banner on the riverbank and made her determination.
The bridge was broken, the path home forever severed, and hundreds of family members broke into tears.
“Cry! South of the river is now Nanzhao territory! Cry your farewell to the Great Tang!” Chi Kuang said irritably, “Rest for two days, then return to Tahe!”