Labor service in the border commandery was heavy—reinforcing city walls, watchtowers, and roads. Especially after the outbreak of hostilities, the labor became even more demanding. It seemed as if walls, watchtowers, and roads everywhere were damaged, and local authorities wished the laborers could work day and night without rest.

However, because of the war, labor was frequently interrupted. Ever since the beacon fire alarm sounded in the afternoon and they returned to the watchtower, they hadn’t gone out again until dusk.

Standing at the highest point, one could see distant firelight. The cold wind faintly carried sounds of combat, but soon both the firelight and sounds of fighting disappeared.

Shortly after, the signal came that the alarm was lifted.

“Those damned Xi Liang bandits,” the garrison chief cursed angrily, then sighed with feeling. “Still, the men of Great Xia are mighty and formidable.”

Turning his head to see the laborers crouching not far away, he grew irritated again. Now it was dark. Although the alarm had been lifted, for safety they couldn’t light torches to work—

“You criminals hurry up and get lost,” the garrison chief cursed in annoyance.

The laborers scattered in all directions. Being cursed at was nothing—today they essentially hadn’t worked, which was the happiest thing possible. However, since the garrison chief was unhappy, they still had to suffer some torment. For instance, tonight’s meal that should have included some meat and vegetable soup became thin gruel instead.

“The entire Yunzhong Commandery is fighting bravely against the enemy. The soldiers are sacrificing their lives. You guilty people should be grateful just to be alive with food to eat,” the garrison chief cursed furiously.

His attendants shouted praise: “The garrison chief is mighty!”

“That old bastard,” a clan brother muttered in a low voice, holding his watery-clear gruel. “What’s so mighty about showing off authority to us? If he has guts, let him go kill the enemy.”

Liang Qiang jabbed him with his elbow, using his eyes to signal him not to say more, then looked around vigilantly. The laborers were all criminals—all kinds of criminals—

If they were reported for another crime, they could truly die here with no one knowing.

His brother stopped talking and drank his thin gruel. However, when they returned to their quarters, there was a pleasant surprise—Second Master Liang had returned.

Not everyone did hard labor. The young and strong did labor service, while the Liang family masters did other work, such as sweeping and cleaning official residences.

Second Master Liang hadn’t just returned—he’d also brought two roasted chickens. In the small earthen house, one could hear the sound of saliva dripping.

“Father, did Uncle give these?” Liang Qiang asked. He didn’t even glance at the tempting roasted chickens, only asked urgently: “Does he have a way to get us out?”

When Liang Siqing was convicted, it implicated his entire family. But after Liang Siqing was exiled and sent away, he hadn’t suffered doing hard labor or being ordered around. This wasn’t because Liang Siqing’s reputation still held weight, but rather because upon arriving at the border commandery, Liang Siqing had sent his daughter to a local elderly gentry to secure shelter living in the city.

A brother whose saliva was dripping also nodded, looking at the roasted chicken and saying: “Right, right, have Uncle find a few more families. Our family also has younger sisters we can send to people.”

Liang Qiang glanced at the corner where his mother held his little sister. The child was drowsy and cold, having fallen into a deep sleep. Even the aroma of the roasted chicken couldn’t wake her, though the child’s mouth moved from time to time, as if eating something delicious in her dreams.

“By the time little sister grows up, we’ll all have died of exhaustion,” he said in a heavy voice, looking at his father. “Father, if he can’t send away daughters, Uncle won’t care about us anymore?”

Second Master Liang hurried to say: “He’ll care, he’ll care. Your uncle asked his son-in-law for help. I no longer have to sweep—I’ve become a clerk.”

A clerk—that meant becoming a scholar again.

The brother who had been drooling earlier clapped his hands happily: “Wonderful! Father has escaped. When little sister grows up in the future and makes a good marriage, our family can shake off hard labor.”

Second Master Liang nodded with a smile. After being convicted, daughters were more useful than sons. Sons with criminal status couldn’t form connections with powerful families, but daughters could—marrying in as replacement wives or concubines, hidden in the inner quarters where no one knew, yet with plenty of benefits.

Now the only pity was that they’d taken too few concubines and had too few daughters.

He called to the young men: “This is what the masters from the county gave me.”

Actually, today the county masters had intended to reward the soldiers, but the soldiers hadn’t come. The food couldn’t be wasted, so he had brazenly pushed forward, and when the county magistrate saw him, he gave him two roasted chickens.

In this frontier town, the roasted chickens were crudely made, but for young men who hadn’t seen meat in months, they were delicacies. They all surged forward, tearing at them with their hands and teeth.

Liang Qiang didn’t push forward. Instead, he walked out and returned to his own freezing little room, taking out a tattered government notice from under his pillow.

It announced the late emperor’s death, the new emperor’s accession, and the investiture of the new empress.

A woman of the Chu clan, Chu Zhao.

Liang Qiang’s gaze slid across this line of text.

The notice said the Chu woman was brave and intelligent, wielding a blade and riding a horse to protect the Imperial Grand Prince.

He seemed able to see that girl charging through the dark night, just as she had faced the scholars stirred up by the Third Prince, neither retreating nor avoiding—

Actually, his memories of this girl weren’t many. Probably just watching the commotion from the wine shop when that girl suddenly looked at him and said: “Young Master Liang Qiang is not afraid of hardship. Dismounted, he can wield a brush to write; mounted, he can wield a blade and shoot arrows—”

In that moment, that girl became clear in his eyes, clearer and clearer, until—

The Imperial Grand Prince of Xie clan bloodline became emperor, and the Chu woman who was friendly with the Xie clan became empress.

How wonderful—being friendly with the Xie clan was truly wonderful.

Being friendly with the Xie clan, one could rise rapidly and soar to great heights. Opposing the Xie clan meant conviction, disgrace, exile, wandering, and plunging into a mire of mud and deep pools.

The tattered notice was crumpled in his hand, becoming even more fragmented.

A knocking sound suddenly rang on the broken door. The young man inside started and turned around.

“A’Qiang,” came his father’s voice from outside.

Why had Father come over?

Liang Qiang hurried to open the door and saw Second Master Liang standing outside, still carrying the smoky aroma of roasted chicken.

“What’s wrong, Father?” Liang Qiang asked somewhat nervously.

Second Master Liang’s expression was somewhat hesitant: “There’s a matter. I can’t make up my mind, so I’m discussing it with you.”

Liang Qiang quickly asked: “Father, please speak.”

Second Master Liang said softly: “I encountered an old acquaintance. He has considerable power in Yunzhong Commandery now and is willing to give me a position.”

At this point, he looked at Liang Qiang.

“It’s not a position obtained by selling a daughter.”

“Nor is it a position from flattering superiors.”

“Even less is it a position obtained through writing.”

Just these few sentences made Liang Qiang’s whole body go numb. He asked: “Then what does it depend on?”

Second Master Liang looked at him: “It depends on one’s life.”

……

……

The night was deep and dark. Second Master Liang’s earthen house was once again filled with family members, but this time there were no roasted chickens to eat. The lingering aroma of meat in the room also didn’t make everyone salivate.

“You want us to join the army?” a young man said in a low voice, trembling slightly either from cold or fear. “This is sending us to our deaths, isn’t it?”

Liang Qiang said: “Joining the army doesn’t necessarily mean death. There are so many soldiers.”

Another young man smiled bitterly: “A’Qiang, others are others, but we’re the Liang clan—criminals, and moreover, we have enmity with the current National Uncle, the Xie clan.”

The law couldn’t make them die, but the Xie clan had countless methods to make them die.

“Fighting to defend our home and country, even if the Xie clan is the National Uncle, they cannot make things difficult for us because of private grudges,” Liang Qiang said. “Moreover, even if we die, we can wash away our criminal status.”

The young man smiled bitterly. If they were already dead, what use was washing away their criminal status?

Although when they were first convicted and exiled, everyone had said they’d rather die than suffer humiliation, in the end no one had died.

Though life was bitter, if they endured, living was still better. At least alive, they ate thin gruel for a month, and occasionally one day could eat roasted chicken. Dead, they couldn’t eat anything. Moreover, things were clearly getting better—

“Getting better how?” Liang Qiang raised his voice. “Sending young girls to be playthings for decrepit old men? Learning and talent used for clerical work? Us going to marry into other families as live-in sons-in-law—is this the good life? Don’t you forget, we are the Liang clan of Liangshan!”

Perhaps unable to withstand the vibration of his voice, the paper on the broken window made a rustling sound.

Outside, shouting voices came: “Everyone sleep! Who’s making noise!”

Second Master Liang blew out the oil lamp before him with a puff. The room plunged into darkness, and only everyone’s heavy breathing could be heard.

“A’Qiang,” an older collateral clan uncle said softly, “All things in the world rise and fall, live and die. The Liang clan of Liangshan also once had nothing. As long as people remain—you, and your next generation of children—in the future there will still be the Liang clan—”

Liang Qiang let out a derisive laugh: “That won’t be the Liang clan of Liangshan. That will only be commoner Liang, unworthy of the clan designation.”

These words made the room fall silent again.

“Since our Liang clan still has some use, then we have one more opportunity, one more path,” Liang Qiang stood up and said. “This departure—either we achieve merit and glory, returning the Liang clan to its former glory, or we die in battle—”

He looked at the young men in the darkness.

“Those who find life here worse than death, come with us.”

“Those who can still live on here, stay behind to look after the women and children.”

……

……

Due to wartime conditions, not a single light could be seen in the night. Standing outside the watchtower, one couldn’t see one’s hand in front of one’s face.

“Sir,” someone asked in a low voice in the darkness, “Will those cowards from the Liang clan dare to come?”

A person whose face was hidden by a large cloak and hood cupped his hands near his mouth and exhaled vapor: “Whether they come or not, we have no loss. Without them, we’ll just choose others.”

As his words fell, someone nearby said softly: “They’ve come.”

They turned their heads in the darkness to look back.

……

……

In the end, only Liang Qiang and his father came out.

“Uncle,” a young man saw them off from behind, explaining in a low voice, “It’s not that everyone fears death—”

Liang Qiang interrupted him coldly: “Fearing death isn’t shameful. It’s fine to say it directly.”

That young man sighed helplessly: “A’Qiang, you’re so full of resentment now that you’ve lost all reason.”

Liang Qiang laughed, looking at this brother: “So Fourth Brother has already submitted. I never expected it. Back at home, when Grandfather praised me a bit more, you refused to accept it and competed with me for half a year. I admired your steadfast will, but it turns out it was nothing much after all.”

That young man didn’t become ashamed or angry, saying: “It was just ignorant arrogance, nothing more.”

He was silent for a moment, then continued:

“Moreover, the Liang clan’s downfall let me see clearly those people’s true faces. They wanted our downfall for profit, so now those willing to help us—what are they doing it for? I don’t believe this old acquaintance is truly doing it for—”

“So what if he’s doing it for profit! Everything in this world—isn’t it all for profit?” Liang Qiang said coldly.

Second Master Liang smiled from the side and gestured to the young man: “A’Si, go back. Everyone has their own aspirations, their own choices. Since the choice has been made, there’s no need to say more.”

The young man stood in place, watching Second Master Liang lead Liang Qiang striding forward into the night.

“It’s not about profit, nor about ambition,” the young man sighed helplessly. “Besides all that, think about yourselves. How can you be so certain this departure will achieve merit and glory? Second Uncle, we’ve never been on a battlefield.”

……

……

“Second Master Liang,” the man in the night said with a smile as he bowed, then stood and removed his hood, revealing an utterly ordinary face covered with the weathering of the borderlands. Even his accent had been influenced, showing he’d been at the border for many years. “It’s been many years. I never expected our reunion would be in Yunzhong Commandery.”

Second Master Liang said: “This is probably what’s called the impermanence of worldly affairs. Back then I merely spoke a word on your behalf, yet you still remember.”

The man bowed again: “That word from Second Master allowed me to avoid waiting three more days and enter the military department directly, obtaining the position I wanted. Otherwise, I still don’t know where I’d be scraping by between life and death. So Second Master, this isn’t me helping you—it’s you helping yourself.”

Second Master Liang quickly reached out to support him. The two men grasped hands and looked at each other, everything understood without words.

The man continued: “Moreover, Second Master’s courage to cast aside the brush for military service also earns my great admiration. Though I say I’m finding you an opportunity, this opportunity is truly too dangerous—it’s exchanging life itself. I feel uneasy—”

Second Master Liang interrupted him, saying: “Brother Cai, don’t say such things. Don’t think a scholar useless—I can still ride horses and shoot arrows. Though these hands have never been stained with blood, to kill one Xi Liang bandit for country and people, I won’t be soft-handed.”

Master Cai laughed heartily: “Second Master jests. Having your hands kill just one Xi Liang bandit would be a waste. When you’re on the battlefield, naturally you’ll serve as an officer and general, commanding strategy, and with those hands destroy countless Xi Liang bandits.”

Under the torchlight, Second Master Liang’s face couldn’t hide his astonishment. To be able to arrange for him to hold an officer’s position—this old acquaintance had become so formidable.

He could barely remember the past, only recalling an unremarkable minor military officer.

“This is how Yunzhong Commandery works,” Master Cai said with bold expression. “Fortune favors the bold—as long as you’re not afraid of death, as long as you win military merit, you can rise rapidly, and no one can stop you.”

Second Master Liang’s face showed some yearning, and the young man behind him had even brighter eyes.

Master Cai noticed and smiled, looking at the young man: “However, the young master is too young. An officer position would be hard to arrange—”

Liang Qiang stepped forward and interrupted him: “I don’t want an officer position. I’ll earn my rank myself through killing enemies and winning merit.”

Master Cai nodded: “Excellent. Hardship hasn’t worn away the Liang clan’s mettle.” Then he turned and called for someone.

Nearby figures emerged from the night shadows, leading horses forward.

Liang Qiang clenched his hands hanging at his sides, took a deep breath, and strode toward the horses.

Master Cai bowed to Second Master Liang: “Second Master, please.”

Second Master Liang nodded and also walked over, taking the reins and mounting the horse in one smooth motion.

Master Cai also mounted: “Then please, brave warriors of the Liang clan, come with me to kill bandits and achieve merit and glory.”

With his words, hoofbeats clattered chaotically. The group spurred their horses and galloped away, soon disappearing into the night.

Quiet returned before the watchtower.

Whether when the Liang family members walked out earlier, or when the Liang family departed into the night, the night patrol guards who normally weren’t permitted to speak loudly, or the watchtower guards—all seemed to have vanished, as if they didn’t exist.

Night shrouded the earth, as if nothing had happened at all.