The summer sun was vicious, but this wouldn’t make the courier soldiers slow their pace. Five couriers charged into a relay station covered in dust.

The station soldiers skillfully verified their tokens and official documents, seeing they were from Yunzhong Commandery.

Though the border warfare had ended, it hadn’t become peaceful. First there was Empress Chu’s treason, which implicated the border army. The court mobilized troops to surround Yunzhong Commandery, causing great tension everywhere. Fortunately, they promptly replaced the commander, and the situation finally stabilized.

Not long ago they’d changed commanders again, and this one was also an Empress’s father. When the news spread, it sparked various discussions.

Frequent correspondence between the court and border army wasn’t surprising.

The station soldiers thought idly while efficiently returning the documents and simultaneously handing over cooling detoxifying tea.

“Hot water and clean clothes are all prepared,” they said. “Brothers, go wash up first. We’ll prepare food for you.”

But the courier soldiers didn’t head inside. They only drained the tea in one gulp.

“We’ll push on to the next station before dark to rest. Right now, change horses and depart immediately,” the lead courier said.

So it was an urgent message. The station soldiers said no more. Courier schedules were strict and couldn’t be delayed. They quickly prepared fresh horses, loaded dried rations and water, and the briefly rested couriers mounted up again.

“Oh, this,” the courier leader seemed to remember something. He pulled out a dispatch from his tunic. “The general orders this to be posted and proclaimed along the way.”

This situation was common, usually for victory reports or when certain officers earned merit. When reporting good news to the capital, they’d spread word along the way, like wartime victory proclamations.

In peacetime, it was probably about bandit suppression or such.

The station soldiers accepted it with acknowledgment. Those couriers spurred their horses into a gallop, stirring up billowing dust clouds.

The station soldiers walked toward the entrance hall chatting and laughing. One lazily opened the dispatch in his hand while bringing up the rear. The dispatch was large, in the format used for posting.

“Don’t know what recent news is worth proclaiming along the way,” the soldier said, shaking it open and holding it before him. His first impression—he made a sound of surprise. “The characters are written quite large—”

Nothing more than the usual matters. The station soldiers weren’t interested and preferred going into the hall to listen to travelers discuss interesting events from various places, like which official took three days’ leave not because he ate too much and had diarrhea, but because his wife had beaten him.

“Who cares what it is? Just post it,” they said casually. “Whoever wants to read it can read it.”

As the words fell, they heard the soldier behind them speak in a stiff, hoarse voice: “This—this—this can’t be posted—”

Everyone couldn’t help turning back. They saw the soldier holding the dispatch. Whether from wind or something else, the dispatch shook with a rustling sound.

“What news is it?” everyone asked, puzzled. “Why can’t it be posted?”

The soldier looked up at everyone, stammering: “This seems to be—a denunciation proclamation—”

Denunciation? Proclamation? Everyone was more confused and couldn’t help crowding around to look at the document in his hands.

“Empress Chu Zhao proclaims to all: The traitor Xie Yanfang murdered Empress Chu Zhao, falsified edicts to deceive the masses, coerced the Son of Heaven, monopolized court power, his heart that of a tiger and wolf—”

Seeing just the opening lines was like a thunderclap exploding. The several men were stunned, unable to see the following characters clearly.

“What are you looking at?” “What good news?” “Is this a new dispatch?” “What does it say?” “Let me see too.”

The hall had many people resting, some entering, some leaving. Several station soldiers crowding at the entrance naturally drew everyone’s attention. They asked while moving closer to look.

Hearing the questions, one station soldier came to his senses and instinctively moved to shield the dispatch with his hand.

“Can’t look—” he shouted.

But it was too late. The dispatch was spread open with large characters. Those looking over saw that line of large text at first glance.

Empress Chu Zhao proclaims to all, the traitor Xie Yanfang—

Those coming and going from the relay station all held official positions. Naturally they understood what this meant. Immediately there was an uproar.

A denunciation proclamation!

The fugitive Empress Chu had appeared!

The fugitive Empress Chu wanted to campaign against Xie Yanfang!

The station superintendent, summoned by the commotion, stood in the corridor watching the chaotic crowd, listening to the station soldier who had crawled out from the crowd, torn in the struggle and only holding a corner of the dispatch, report back.

His face was pale. Looking at the chaotic relay station, he stood dazed and speechless.

“Quickly disperse these people,” the station soldier said urgently. “How do we stop them from spreading this?”

The superintendent glanced at him and smiled bitterly. “Stop what? Are you confused? Have you forgotten who brought this proclamation?”

The station soldier was stunned. His already pale face turned even whiter.

It was courier soldiers.

Soldiers from the border army.

“Obviously, Yunzhong Commandery, the border army, is already in Empress Chu’s hands,” the superintendent said. Looking past the chaotic crowd toward the distance, “Swift as thunder, unstoppable.”

……

……

The swift thunder wasn’t only at relay stations.

On a bustling marketplace street, a troop of cavalry galloped over. Their armor was neat, colorful banners on their backs.

This was a rapid march.

Having experienced the previous warfare with Xi Liang and the suppression of Prince Zhongshan’s rebellion, the people were already familiar with troop movements. Seeing them, they hurried to make way.

The cavalry galloped through the street. They didn’t speak or shout, but after passing through one street, they’d fling out their hands and scrolls would roll to the ground.

The street people were startled, thinking the soldiers had dropped something. They urgently called to them, but the soldiers had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The scrolls had no seal and scattered open upon hitting the ground. Some people boldly picked them up and shook them open.

If it was a literate person, seeing at a glance, their expression became shocked.

If illiterate, they’d ask those around them. The literate people seeing it all stepped back as if seeing a ghost.

“This—”

“This says—Empress Chu’s proclamation denouncing the traitor Xie clan—”

“Empress Chu? The Empress—”

“The Empress has returned—”

“The Empress says the Xie clan are the true traitors—”

Uproarious clamor instantly exploded on the street.

When officials rushed over upon hearing the news, even though they recovered the proclamations, they couldn’t stop the proclamations from spreading.

Not all rapid marches would brazenly pass through cities in daylight. In the night there were also troops moving stealthily. Wherever they passed, there were low sounds of air breaking.

In the breaking air, countless arrows like shooting stars.

The arrows carried thick sheets of paper that flew and fell through the air like petals, tumbling and scattering in the night, then stirring up waves in the city at dawn.

……

……

Not just towns—villages weren’t overlooked either.

At dawn, an old man gathering cow dung tremblingly picked up a sheet of paper from the ground. The characters on it were very large and looked frightening, but it bore a large official seal, which made the illiterate old man think it was very important. So he took it and rushed back to the village, seeking someone literate.

“Quick, see what’s written? Is it a new announcement from the authorities?”

In this village, only a few children studying in town were literate. The children, originally called to wake up and read something, were very unhappy—they hadn’t studied long, didn’t learn very well, but villagers always thought once you entered school you knew everything.

If you couldn’t do it, you’d be scolded for not working hard, and your parents would give you a good beating.

Drawing near the paper, they immediately became happy.

“I recognize all these characters,” they said gladly. Not only were they no longer unwilling, they read loudly: “Empress Chu was harmed and fled. The traitor Xie clan monopolizes the court. Now I return to punish the wicked and eliminate evil. Inform neighbors, don’t be alarmed or panicked. Everyone remain where you are, await peace quietly.”

So many characters—they read them all in one breath. They were so capable!

The children stood with hands on hips, backs straight, waiting for family and neighbors to praise them.

But family and neighbors stood dazed. The next moment they scattered in uproar.

“Something big has happened—”

“There’s going to be fighting—”

“Martial law, martial law—”

“Gather all the villagers—”

……

……

Heaven and earth seemed to suddenly become clamorous.

Even standing in the mountain forest, one could sense the atmosphere was different.

Ding Dachui put down the rope in his hands, narrowing his eyes to look at the mountain path below. In the time it took for an incense stick to burn, horses had galloped past on the winding mountain path, people with carts and horses had passed, and people carrying loads and holding children had hurried past.

Usually so few people passed through such a remote place.

When a remote place had many people, that meant other places might have had incidents, so they’d avoided coming here.

“Ding Si’er—”

A loud shout pulled the distracted Ding Dachui back. He turned to see a neighbor.

“Why are you slacking off again?” the neighbor said. “You still haven’t caught a single prey today. How can you be a hunter like this?”

Ding Dachui made a sound of acknowledgment and said, “Take it slowly.”

“What slowly? How long has it been? You can’t even catch a rabbit,” the neighbor said with painful urgency. “You came to rely on your great-aunt, but she’s poor and can’t help you. You still have to support her. You need to find a livelihood. Otherwise how will you support a family? How will you marry? Let me tell you, the eldest daughter of Old Yang’s family east of the village has her eye on you, but if you can’t save up for a room, Old Yang’s daughter won’t sleep squeezed together with you and your great-aunt—”

The neighbor rambled on. Ding Dachui heard yet didn’t hear, suddenly interrupting him.

“Listen, what’s that sound?” he said.

The neighbor was stunned and asked, “Did prey fall in a trap?” He listened carefully, but there was no animal wailing. The mountain forest was quiet, with occasional bird calls.

The bird calls were clear and long.

He was about to speak when Ding Dachui suddenly made a bird call. The neighbor was startled.

“You think that can fool prey?” The neighbor laughed, patiently wanting to teach him. “That won’t work—”

His words weren’t finished when Ding Dachui made another bird call, louder than before, sharp, even somewhat hoarse—

Bird calls rose up in response throughout the mountain forest.

“Are you planning to learn bird calls?” the neighbor said again. “Birds aren’t valuable. To make money, you need rabbits. Wild chickens work too—”

His words weren’t finished when Ding Dachui threw the rope to him, saying, “Brother Tie Niu, I’m leaving.”

Leaving? The neighbor was stunned, then quickly said, “Don’t give up on yourself. Hunting can’t be learned in a day or two. You need patience.”

Ding Dachui smiled at him, walked over, took the bow and arrows from his hands, swept his gaze over the mountain forest, and suddenly raised his hand to shoot.

As the arrow flew out, a nearby bush rustled and shook wildly. A rabbit with an arrow in its back burst out, then immediately fell motionless.

“Hunting requires steadiness, but striking must also be fast. Brother Tie Niu, your archery is very good. You just hesitate easily. Be more decisive next time,” Ding Dachui said. He stuffed the bow and arrows to the neighbor, then strode away.

Was he teaching him to hunt? The neighbor stood dazed, asking, “Ding Si’er, where are you going?”

Ding Dachui didn’t turn back but waved his hand, saying, “To hunt.”

To hunt? Aren’t we hunting now? The neighbor watched the thin, listless man suddenly become agile like a wild rabbit, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

……

……

Pursuit couldn’t catch the courier soldiers.

At night, travelers appeared from who knows where.

In towns, proclamations scattered and posted were recited with cadence.

In rural villages, rhymes about impending military action and swift evasion spread by word of mouth.

Like a flaming arrow shot from the border commandery, it ignited raging fires along the way, surging directly toward the capital.

……

……

The three commanderies outside the capital were on high alert. Troops established layer upon layer of checkpoints. Anyone passing through was strictly examined with extremely fierce attitudes.

However, after seeing the identity documents of one particular group, they withdrew half their fierceness and added half strange expressions.

“General Liang,” the lead official general said. “My condolences.”

Liang Qiang’s expression was wooden. Completely changed from his usual warmth and courtesy, he didn’t acknowledge the official general. That official general didn’t mind his attitude and led his people away.

“How pitiful.”

“Hasn’t even reached the border army, and the border army is gone.”

“His father is still with the border army. Don’t know what now—”

“He definitely can’t escape. Empress Chu deeply resents the Liang clan now. After all, now a Liang clan daughter has become Empress—”

“No discussing this. Get to work quickly.”

Accompanied by shouts, the noisy troops dispersed. Liang Qiang’s complexion didn’t improve much.

“Young General Liang,” a guard asked in a low voice. “Continue forward?”

Continue forward? To do what? Xie Yanfang had made him a general of the border army. Now the border army had already been seized by Empress Chu. What would he go do? Go die? Liang Qiang stood woodenly. “Return to the capital.”

“But General Liang…” one guard couldn’t help asking.

Liang Qiang glanced at him. That guard stopped talking.

“How can one consider private feelings when serving the nation?” he said. With that, he mounted his horse and looked once more toward the distant northwest.

Their father and son had already walked to this point today. They couldn’t both die, could they?