Wei Yun rushed to Wei Qiu and Wei Xia, immediately saying, “Sha City is not easy to attack. Retreat along the planned route.”
Wei Qiu and Wei Xia hesitated briefly, then said, “Lord Marquis, we may not have enough provisions for seven days…”
“There are other places nearby. Let’s retreat first, then make further plans,” Wei Yun decisively ordered.
Wei Qiu and Wei Xia didn’t hesitate further. Following Wei Yun’s words, Wei Qiu took the lead. Wei Yun guided Chu Yu, Shen Wushuang, and the others as they swiftly left Sha City.
The Sha City soldiers had just prepared for battle when they saw the enemy forces turn and leave. They debated whether to pursue it but decided against it—they had better things to do. After resting for a while and seeing that Wei Yun’s group didn’t return, they sent word to the royal court about the attack on Sha City.
As Wei Yun, Wei Qiu, and Wei Xia led their people along the pre-planned escape route, Wei Yun asked, “Where are we heading now?”
“There’s an oasis not far from here. We’ll rest there,” Wei Qiu replied, leading the way.
“How many people do we have left?”
They had been raiding villages along the way, so there were bound to be casualties. Wei Xia’s expression darkened as he answered, “One thousand one hundred and forty-three.”
Including losses from the city attack, their casualties over these days weren’t extremely heavy, but proportionally, it was rather alarming.
Wei Yun pressed his lips together, then asked, “What made you decide to attack Sha City?”
“We were running low on food,” Wei Xia sighed. “We’re not familiar with the Northern Di territory. Our guide died, so now we’re just attacking wherever we see people, trying to seize food first and foremost.”
Wei Yun remained silent. Few people from Da Chu had ventured deep into Northern Di territory. Although Wei Yun had gathered as much information as possible about Northern Di before coming, the maps were years old. Moreover, as the Northern Di were nomadic, most settlements apart from cities were temporary camps. Even for cities, people from Da Chu only knew about those along the main routes. Even Sha City was just hearsay. If Wei Yun hadn’t lived in the city for a month, they likely wouldn’t have known its true strength.
Listening to their conversation, Chu Yu understood Wei Yun’s concerns. In her past life, she and Gu Chusheng had entered Northern Di territory multiple times for this very reason.
After everyone had set up camp at the oasis, Wei Yun exchanged information with Wei Qiu and Wei Xia about their experiences since getting separated. Chu Yu settled Shen Wushuang, Bai Shang, and Shen Jiaojiao before returning to Wei Yun’s side.
Wei Yun sent Wei Qiu and Wei Xia to rest. Chu Yu sat beside Wei Yun, looking at the map he had drawn.
“Thinking about where to go next?” Chu Yu smiled.
Wei Yun looked up at her, “Sister-in-law, aren’t you going to sleep?”
“There should be a village not far from here,” Chu Yu said, eating a flatbread and pointing to the southwest of Sha City. She calmly added, “I inquired about it while in the city. It’s not large, probably only a few hundred people.”
Wei Yun nodded. Chu Yu thought for a moment, then took out a map from her bosom. “And this—I had someone draw it while we were in the city.”
Wei Yun took the map from Chu Yu. It was much more detailed than the ones he had obtained in Da Chu.
This was a map of the entire Northern Di territory that Chu Yu had drawn over years of life-and-death journeys with Gu Chusheng in her past life. Moreover, based on her memory, she had marked the main strongholds of the major Northern Di tribes and the marching routes of their main forces. She told Wei Yun, “The points on this map are my guesses. We should avoid them when the time comes.”
Wei Yun looked down at Chu Yu. Such a map, if accurate, was incredibly valuable.
He vaguely understood that this kind of information couldn’t possibly have been obtained just by asking around or guessing.
But he also knew that if Chu Yu didn’t explain, she must have her reasons. So he nodded and looked down at the map, a vague idea forming in his mind.
The next morning, before dawn, Wei Yun woke Wei Xia and Wei Qiu. After the soldiers had eaten breakfast, they mounted their horses and galloped towards the village Chu Yu had marked. The desert was vast and sparsely populated. By nightfall, they reached the outskirts of the village. Wei Yun had everyone hide behind dunes while he went forward to observe. After roughly confirming the number of people, he called Wei Xia over and instructed, “Have our men spread out. We’ll go down after nightfall, charging from all directions. Tell everyone to shout as loudly as possible and make as much noise as they can, understand?”
Wei Xia nodded. When night fell, he led the men to spread out, surrounding the village and hiding behind the dunes.
At Wei Yun’s signal, they charged down with loud battle cries. Suddenly, the sound of killing filled the air, with gongs and drums echoing from all directions. Cattle, sheep, and horses were startled and scattered. The villagers rushed out, men wielding knives and bows, protecting women and children in the center.
Wei Yun shouted in the Northern Di language, “Surrender and you won’t be killed! Surrender and you won’t be killed!”
Wei Yun’s group appeared so quickly, and in the deep of night, it was impossible to tell how many there were. With the sound of killing coming from all directions, this village of less than a thousand people was terrified. Hearing these words, men and women looked at each other in the firelight, put down their weapons, and slowly knelt.
Wei Xia and Wei Qiu separated the men and women, then began to lead away the cattle, and sheep, and gather dry provisions.
An old man watched Wei Qiu and Wei Xia doing this, clenching his fists, his eyes filled with tears.
Wei Yun noticed and turned to pat the old man’s shoulder.
Startled, the old man immediately kowtowed, thinking his expression had displeased Wei Yun. The villagers became agitated, but Wei Yun steadied the old man and calmly said, “Grandfather, we won’t take everything. We’ll leave you half of the dry provisions.”
The old man was slightly stunned. The people nearby heard Wei Yun’s words and gradually calmed down. Wei Yun watched as Wei Qiu and Wei Xia led away the cattle, sheep, and horses, and said calmly, “War has broken out ahead. Everyone is forced into this situation. If there was another way, no one would want to do this. If you must hate someone, hate Su Can.”
His awkward Northern Di language revealed Wei Yun’s identity. The old man’s face showed sorrow: “You’re at war, but what does that have to do with us civilians?”
“Old man, that’s not right,” Wei Xia heard this and spoke mockingly. “Why don’t you ask your Northern Di army? When they killed our Da Chu civilians, did they say it had nothing to do with civilians? You come to Da Chu every year to steal people and food. This is the first time we’ve done this, and we’re being quite courteous.”
These words left the old man speechless. After a long while, he sighed and said dejectedly, “Take it all then. In the end, it’s always the common people who suffer from these wars.”
“We’ve lost people too,” Wei Xia rolled his eyes.
Wei Qiu came over and reported to Wei Yun, “Lord Marquis, we’ve finished counting the food and horses.”
Wei Yun nodded and turned to the old man, “Give me twenty young men.”
“What are you going to do?” The old man’s eyes widened.
Wei Yun smiled, “We need some guides. Give me ten young men, and I’ll take good care of them and their wives and daughters.”
“No!” The old man refused firmly. “You can take the food, cattle, and horses, but not the people!”
Wei Yun’s face remained calm, but his eyes showed some regret. “Grandfather, I’m not someone who won’t kill.”
Wei Yun drew the sword at his waist and said coolly, “If you don’t give me these ten people, I’m afraid no one in your village will survive.”
The old man clenched his fists, his whole body trembling. After a moment, a bright young voice rang out, “I’ll go with you.”
“Tu Suo, come back!” The old man shouted.
But the young man didn’t retreat. He stared at Wei Yun and said, “I’ll go with you.”
Wei Yun nodded and told Wei Xia to bring the young man over. However, at this moment, many young people stood up, excitedly blocking the young man’s way, saying, “I’ll go! We’ll go!”
“Young clan leader, you can’t go…” The crowd surrounded the young man, preventing Wei Xia from approaching. Wei Xia looked at Wei Yun, somewhat at a loss. Wei Yun looked at the young man and finally said, “Let him come. He can choose two more people himself. I’ll count to ten, and when the selection is done, we leave.”
The young man sighed in relief, a smile appearing on his face. Everyone around him excitedly tried to stop him or volunteered themselves. The young man looked around, pointed at two people, then separated from the crowd. He walked to the old man, placed his hand on his chest, bowed deeply, and said seriously, “Grandfather, goodbye.”
Then he turned and said farewell to each of his relatives one by one.
After all this, the young man came to Wei Yun. Wei Qiu and the others were already prepared to depart. Wei Yun looked him over and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Tu Suo,” the young man lowered his eyes, his expression respectful.
Wei Yun nodded and had Wei Xia bring him a horse, saying, “Mount up.”
Tu Suo obediently did as Wei Yun said. Before dawn, this lightning raid was over. Wei Yun led Chu Yu, with the camels guiding the way. The group traveled all night, and by noon, they finally found the next water source.
Everyone rested. Chu Yu and Bai Shang went to start a fire and butcher a sheep. Wei Yun called Tu Suo over, gave him a flatbread, and the two chatted in the shadow of a camel.
“How old are you?”
“Fourteen,” Tu Suo ate the flatbread, secretly observing Wei Yun.
Wei Yun nodded, “Mm, I’m fifteen, almost sixteen.”
“Are you a high official?” Tu Suo asked curiously.
Wei Yun couldn’t help but smile and replied, “Mm, I suppose so.”
“Then you must be very capable,” Tu Suo nodded.
Wei Yun smiled bitterly, “I just inherited the family business.”
“Ah, then where’s your father?”
“Dead,” Wei Yun’s voice was low.
Tu Suo didn’t seem to think he had touched on a sensitive topic and continued, “Don’t you have any brothers?”
“I do.”
“Where’s your brother?”
“Dead.”
Tu Suo was stunned. He pondered for a moment, then carefully asked, “Was it… the Northern Di who killed them?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. After a moment, he nodded.
Tu Suo’s eyes showed some despair, but Wei Yun patted his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, I won’t take it out on you. Throughout history, it’s always the common people who suffer most in war. Whether the people rise or fall, they suffer. If I want revenge, I’ll seek it from your Northern Di royal family. Serve me well, and I won’t make things difficult for you.”
Tu Suo was a bit puzzled, “What do you want me to do?”
“Guide us,” Wei Yun looked up at Chu Yu, who was wearing a cloak and tending to the roasting lamb in the scorching sun. He calmly said, “I have no other intentions. I just want to end the war and go home quickly. Help me well, and when I return to Da Chu, if you’re willing, I’ll take you back with me. I’ll help you get a high position and good salary then.”
Tu Suo thought for a moment, then shook his head, “I don’t want a high position or good salary.”
“Then what do you want?” Wei Yun turned to look at him.
The reason he chose Tu Suo was that he could see Tu Suo hadn’t been forced to come; he had volunteered.
Tu Suo seemed a bit embarrassed. He said quietly, “When the war is over, could you give me a piece of land? I want to bring my clan to Da Chu.”
Wei Yun was puzzled, “Why? Isn’t it good in Northern Di?”
“Our tribe is small,” Tu Suo sighed. “We’re scattered across a few villages, less than two thousand people in total. We’re often bullied by the larger tribes. To be honest, if it wasn’t you raiding us this time, it would have been someone else. I don’t like war,” Tu Suo looked towards Da Chu, his eyes showing envy. “I’ve heard that people in Da Chu don’t like war. They live very peacefully. I want that too.”
No one likes war. Everyone is the same.
Wei Yun didn’t comment on Tu Suo’s thoughts. Everyone just wants to live a better life.
He patted Tu Suo’s shoulder and said calmly, “Don’t worry. When the war is over, I’ll give you a piece of land from the Wei family’s fief.”
“Thank you!” Tu Suo was full of gratitude. “I know you’re a good person!”
As they were talking, Chu Yu walked over. She called out to them, “The lamb is ready. Come and eat.”
Wei Yun stood up, responding with a smile, “Thank you for your trouble, Sister-in-law.”
Hearing Wei Yun’s words, Tu Suo’s ears perked up, and he looked up at Chu Yu. Everyone gathered around the lamb. Wei Yun personally cut some lamb for Tu Suo and said earnestly, “Now that we’re in the desert, you’re our host. We’ll be relying on you from now on.”
Tu Suo nodded repeatedly. Shen Wushuang also used water instead of wine to toast Tu Suo.
Tu Suo’s face reddened as Wei Yun introduced everyone to him. Tu Suo kept trying to remember everyone. After the introductions, Tu Suo asked Wei Yun, “Is the young master in Da Chu?”
Everyone was slightly stunned. Wei Yun said a bit awkwardly, “I’m not yet married.”
Tu Suo was puzzled. Looking at Chu Yu, he said, “But isn’t the madam here?”
“That’s his sister-in-law!” Shen Wushuang quickly interjected.
Tu Suo said seriously, “Yes, his brother is dead, so isn’t his sister-in-law his woman now?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Yu spat out a mouthful of water.
She coughed urgently, her face flushed from coughing. Everyone looked at Tu Suo, dumbfounded. Shen Wushuang suddenly remembered and hurriedly explained, “In Northern Di culture, when an elder brother dies, the younger brother inherits all his property.”
As he spoke, Shen Wushuang’s face also reddened, but he still forced himself to continue, “Including his wife.”
Short Play:
Shen Wushuang: I suddenly feel that the Northern Di inheritance system is quite good.
Wei Yun: …
Shen Wushuang: Don’t be hypocritical, say something.
Wei Yun: My sister-in-law is not property and can’t be inherited!
Chu Yu: Good boy, Xiao Qi is so sensible.
Bai Shang: This is why I don’t like you.
Shen Wushuang: …
Wei Yun: >