Under a black sky swept by howling winds, through dead grass and swirling sand — Xie Changgeng personally led a cavalry unit of one hundred elite riders and set out from Xiutu that very night. Following the trail left by the retreating party, they rode hard northward in the direction of the northern tribal royal court.

On the second night, the northern cavalry force — three hundred men who had completed their mission in the Ma River Valley and were still on their return journey — halted at Huimeng to rest for the night.

They had not expected that the Hexi men they had impersonated two nights before would materialize from nowhere, descending on them like phantoms.

Those jolted awake by the cries of their comrades, upon first catching sight of the Hexi cavalry, still could not believe their eyes.

Their chieftain, in pursuit of those fertile lands further to the south, had relocated the royal court multiple times.

Each southward shift brought them a few degrees closer to Hexi, and as their ambitions swelled, it also signaled that this horse-riding people were pressing ever harder against the dynasty that still held Hexi in its grip.

Tonight, the ground beneath their feet was not far from their royal court.

And a mere hundred li away, there was also a cavalry camp of ten thousand.

They were the ones who had been dispatched from there.

In recent years, the horses and cavalry of Hexi had risen with startling force. In every confrontation over the past few years, they had not once gained the upper hand, and even the raiding and harassment that had once been as routine as their daily bread was now growing steadily more difficult.

But they could not believe it — that the Military Governor of Hexi, Xie Changgeng, would take such an enormous risk, personally leading a unit of just one hundred light riders, to pursue them this night and penetrate this deeply into their territory.

By the time they understood, it was already too late.

Under the open sky of stars, beside the waters of Huimeng — this quiet and sweet-watered lake — became a pool of blood and slaughter.

At the mouth of the Ma River Valley, with the wind howling fiercely, Liu An and his soldiers had been locked in a standoff with the tribal warriors at the valley entrance for two full days and nights.

In the wake of the attack, the tribespeople had massed their forces throughout the valley in a matter of hours. The elder chieftain’s son, Bai Long, was consumed with rage. He refused to listen to any explanation, had the birthday gifts Xie Changgeng had sent burned, and issued the order to fight to the death — to attack the Military Governor’s residence, to kill Xie Changgeng, and to avenge his father and the companions who had died in the attack.

Liu An was deeply anxious.

The order he had received was not to fight, but to use every means available to hold the valley entrance — to keep the tribal warriors temporarily blocked inside the valley, and to await the return of the Military Governor and his party. He must not allow them to break through and march on Guzang.

It was not that there was no strength to suppress them by force. The problem was that if things spiraled out of control, it would not simply be a question of how many lives were lost. The entire carefully maintained balance that the Military Governor had preserved between Hexi and the tribespeople — the foundation of that fragile peace — could be shattered beyond repair.

The previous night, he had deployed the main force and used tactical formations to push back several charges by the tribal warriors who had attempted to break through the blockade. Though he had achieved his goal, the soldiers — despite their shield cover — had suffered a fair number of injuries from the hail of fire stones and arrows flying from the other side.

At daybreak, the first snowflakes of the season drifted down over the valley entrance.

The weather was already bitterly cold, but Liu An was drenched in hot sweat, the fabric of his battle tunic clinging tight against his back beneath his armor.

He received word that there was renewed commotion at the valley entrance. This time, Bai Long himself led the tribal warriors charging out, bolstered by a barrage of fire stones and arrows.

Liu An swiftly climbed the watchtower and looked out at the black mass of tribal warriors swarming like ants at the valley mouth, then called out toward them: “Bai Long! For the elder chieftain’s sixtieth birthday, the Military Governor sent gifts to celebrate — why would he turn around and order an attack on your people! Think carefully, and you will see what truly happened here! This is the work of the northern tribespeople — they are trying to stir up chaos in Hexi!”

The other side paid no heed. Bai Long, bristling with fury, gave the command, and fire stones came flying like a swarm of locusts from the valley entrance once more, accompanied by a full barrage of arrows. Through the falling snow, flames blazed fiercely.

Liu An knew the elder chieftain was still unconscious, and that Bai Long was currently the one with authority over the tribespeople. He had always been hostile toward Xie Changgeng, and the two had clashed even back in the days at Jiaocheng. Reasoning with him at this point was clearly futile. Seeing the enemy’s assault surge forward again, Liu An quickly issued the order for his soldiers to form ranks and hold with everything they had.

Just as the confrontation was about to erupt in full force, a shout rang out from behind: “The Military Governor has arrived—”

Liu An spun around and saw a contingent of light cavalry thundering in from the distance. Recognizing it as Xie Changgeng, who had personally ridden deep into enemy territory the night before last to pursue the culprits, he was overjoyed. He came down from the watchtower and ran out to meet them.

Xie Changgeng rode at the vanguard, pushing his horse to a gallop. With soldiers dropping to their knees on both sides as he passed, he charged through the ranks and arrived at the valley mouth. He called out in a commanding voice: “Look carefully — are these not the men who attacked you the other night?”

Behind him, several of his mounted riders caught up and flung forward a dozen or so severed heads that had been hanging from the saddle straps.

At the far side of the valley entrance, the fire stones and arrows gradually ceased.

Bai Long stared at the mangled, blood-soaked heads on the ground, then raised his eyes. He watched Xie Changgeng reach into a saddlebag and hurl it out with a sweeping arm — it landed with a dull thud at his feet.

The bag fell open and spilled a heap of blood-stained human ears.

“Bai Long! The night your people were attacked, I personally led men into the northern territories and, at the side of Huimeng, caught up with the northern cavalry who had disguised themselves as my soldiers — three hundred men in all!”

Bai Long was shaken. His gaze swept again over the horribly twisted faces of the severed heads on the ground.

That night, a group of men dressed as Hexi soldiers had come. They had claimed to bear urgent military intelligence concerning northern tribal movements that posed a threat to the Ma River Valley. They said they had come on the Military Governor’s orders, and that the Military Governor himself would be arriving shortly, requesting the elder chieftain to meet with them without fail to discuss the matter.

His father had weighed it carefully and finally agreed — partly out of gratitude for how Xie Changgeng had treated them with courtesy before. He had personally come out to receive them. What he could not have foreseen was that the moment he appeared, the other party would suddenly turn on them and begin the slaughter without warning.

The attack came without the slightest forewarning. The people in the immediate vicinity suffered devastating casualties, and his father was struck by a poisoned arrow. After carrying out their mission, the assailants had fled swiftly.

Bai Long raised his eyes and looked at Xie Changgeng on horseback. The fury in him still had not abated.

“You have pressed us again and again to relocate, scheming at every turn! How do I know this is not yet another trick you have devised to deceive us? This is our ancestral land — our people have lived here for generations. Do you think it is yours to manipulate as you please? You sent birthday gifts to my father, making a pretense of goodwill, and when your objective was not achieved — is it so unlikely you bore a grudge and moved against my father? Now that the deed is done you claim no part in it, pushing all the blame away as if we are so easily fooled?”

“Do you think that by harming my father, I will submit to you? Even if I am ground to dust, I will have vengeance for my father and my slain kinsmen!”

The tribal warriors echoed him with a roar, and the sound shook the valley entrance.

Xie Changgeng ordered more men brought forward. Two of his riders shoved forward a pair of northern cavalry soldiers still wearing Hexi military uniforms.

Xie Changgeng said: “Their fellow captives gave confessions — these two are fluent in the Han language, and it was they who relayed the message to you that night in my name! You could not make out faces in the dark, but surely you can recognize a voice?”

The northern tribesmen were kicked to their knees, and with blades at their throats, they closed their eyes and said nothing.

Xie Changgeng’s expression darkened. He made a dismissive motion to his subordinates. Several men stepped forward, seized one of the northerners, and drew out a short blade. They cut off his ear, then gouged out his eye, then sliced off his nose.

With each swift stroke of the blade, the man was left a bloody, ghastly ruin in an instant, and let out a series of piercing, agonized screams.

These two men had steeled themselves from the start, deciding that rather than talk, they would accept death without a word and serve their royal court to the end. They had never imagined being treated in such a manner.

The face of the remaining man drained of all color. He watched the executioner release his unconscious companion and walk toward him with the blade. He lost his nerve entirely and confessed at the top of his voice.

Bai Long and those who had been present that night recognized the voice immediately, and a clamor broke out through their ranks.

Bai Long rushed forward in fury and drove his blade through the man.

Xie Changgeng dismounted and said: “The northern royal court has been pushing steadily southward, with clear designs on Hexi — their ambitions are plain for all to see. Months ago, their new chieftain took power and boasts of five hundred thousand iron-clad cavalry. Once they turn their full force southward, do you truly believe your people can stand apart from this, and defend the land your ancestors have held for generations through your own strength alone?”

Bai Long gripped his blood-covered blade and fixed his eyes on Xie Changgeng: “My father’s life is in danger! Were it not for your people harassing us again and again before this, he would not have let down his guard and been struck down by those killers! Even if you did not do this — you and the northern tribespeople are alike, neither of you means us any good! Our men can all take up arms and fight! If that day truly comes, rather than put our trust in you, we would sooner rely on ourselves and face them head on!”

He finished speaking, ordered the tribal warriors to pull back from the valley entrance, and turned and walked away.

Liu An and the others were furious. They stepped forward: “My lord, this Bai Long does not know what is good for him! Let us simply capture him and force them to cede the territory!”

Xie Changgeng watched Bai Long’s retreating figure in silence.

That night, he returned to Guzang.

For the past two days, word had been spreading through the city that northern tribespeople had come over the border to kill and burn, and that the local tribes were also on the verge of a violent uprising and would attack the city — the people were in a state of panic. Today, the authorities had posted notices clearing up the rumors, and the townsfolk had also seen the Military Governor himself ride back into the city with their own eyes. Only then did the mood gradually begin to settle.

The news had also reached the Military Governor’s residence over these past few days. His mother had been beside herself with worry, and had also been anxious about her son’s safety. Today, upon learning that the rumors were false and that her son had returned — and having already received word from a servant that he was safe — she finally set her heart at ease. She waited in her room for a moment, but seeing her son had not come to greet her, she could no longer contain herself, and had A’Mao help her as she made her way to the front hall. There she found her son’s handsome face drawn and sunken at the eyes. Her heart ached for him. She said Qi Lingfeng was in the middle of preparing food for him and told him to go eat something first.

Xie Changgeng said he had already eaten outside, that he still had matters to see to, and asked his mother to go back to her room and rest on her own.

His mother had no choice and went back to the rear quarters.

After she left, Xie Changgeng sat alone in the yamen for a long while, then summoned Liu Guan to hear his assessment of recent events.

Liu Guan said: “Driving out the tribespeople by force is technically possible, but it is the last resort — a measure of necessity when all else has failed. Though Bai Long is hot-headed and arrogant, and harbors a deep animosity toward you, my lord — the elder chieftain’s stance had already begun to show signs of softening. Unfortunately, the elder chieftain has now been gravely wounded and lies unconscious, his life in jeopardy. Since the Princess is also present, my lord — why not ask her to try? If she can save a man’s life and see this crisis through safely, the situation going forward, I would venture, would be very different indeed.”

He finished speaking and looked up at the Military Governor in his seat.

The candle on the desk flickered and leaped. He sat in silence, his gaze deep and still, and said nothing.

Liu Guan waited a moment, and at last heard him speak: “Go ahead with your suggestion — let us try. I am occupied and cannot be away. Go in my place — head to the pasture and find her.”

Liu Guan immediately rose from his seat.

“The matter is urgent. I will set out at once.”

Xie Changgeng gave a slight nod.

Liu Guan took his leave and was walking toward the doorway when he suddenly heard a voice from behind: “Wait.”

Liu Guan stopped and looked back.

The firelight cast two dark shadows beneath his eyes, and a layer of somber, unreadable feeling lay across his face.

“If she says she wants to see me first — bring her to me immediately. No delay.”

He held his gaze steady for a moment, then gave the instruction.