The singing gradually lowered. Spring’s end nights still carried some chill. Songs always came to an end—what remained was only silence. The moonlight turned pale and ghastly. Shining on faces, everyone looked like ghosts. If the atmosphere wasn’t adjusted, the camp had the potential to develop into a ghostly realm.
Yun Ye cleared his throat: “Brothers, all come sit closer. In any case, no one wants to sleep. Since everyone feels bored, I have a story here to tell everyone. Do you want to hear it or not?”
Everyone chorused together obligingly. When an officer tells a story, whether it’s good or not doesn’t matter—flatter first, then talk. An official telling stories to soldiers was itself novel. These fellows had become shrewd from being soldiers.
Stories Yun Ye knew flashed rapidly through his mind. Fine, this one it is—Tang Xuanzang. This fellow probably hasn’t gone to India yet. The magnificent Journey to the West hasn’t even a shadow yet. The “Journey to the West” he’d read since childhood couldn’t let Wu Cheng’en monopolize the glory. If I bring it out now, who dares accuse me of plagiarism? Wu Cheng’en? His grandfather’s grandfather hasn’t even been born yet. It’s him then.
“Legend has it that after Pangu separated heaven and earth, the Three Sovereigns governed the world, the Five Emperors established ethics. The entire world was divided into: Eastern Divine Continent, Western Cattle-Gift Continent, Southern Viewing Continent, and Northern Kuru Continent. Legend says in Eastern Divine Continent there was a Country of Aolai, bordering the great sea. In the sea was an island, on the island was Flower-Fruit Mountain. This mountain was no ordinary place—it was the ancestral vein of the ten continents, the dragon origin of the four seas…”
Under the cold moonlight, the riverbank full of men had chests filled with anger. Such a peerless hero was heavily pressed under Five-Finger Mountain by cold worldly rules, with no road to heaven, no door to earth. Watching the cattle-herding boy at the mountain’s foot transform in a blink from a young child to a decrepit old man, he could only gaze at the hawk beyond the sky, longing to regain freedom. Cheng Chumo clenched his fists and fiercely pounded them into the sand, unable to dispel the oppression and indignation in his heart. “Why?” Cheng Chumo glared viciously at Yun Ye, as if he were the chief culprit who had pressed the Monkey King under the mountain.
“Power needs restraint. Unrestrained power is a double-edged sword—harming others, harming oneself. The Monkey King’s fate was already determined the moment he gained power. Brother Cheng, it’s just a story. Why take it seriously? Tonight the moon is bright and stars are few. You and I brothers might as well talk at length. Your younger brother has long been away from the mortal world and knows nothing of worldly human relationships and etiquette. I fear I have no foothold in the prosperous world. I still hope Brother Cheng will teach me.”
Yun Ye’s grinning, carefree appearance left Cheng Chumo’s chest full of rage with nowhere to vent. He fiercely waved his hand. In the blink of an eye he laughed again, feeling embarrassed by his loss of composure. Lying beside Yun Ye, he poked Yun Ye’s arm: “Tell another segment! Such a good story makes people’s hearts itch. How can we sleep without hearing it to the end? Ask the brothers if they still want to hear more!”
This fellow’s bewitching words had just fallen. The surrounding soldiers crowded forward with a rushing sound, their thieving eyes gleaming as they stared at Yun Ye. Being stared at by them gave him goosebumps all over. Helpless, in a low, soothing voice, that tragic monkey continued waiting helplessly for the monk who would come from Chang’an City.
Days passed one by one. The salt bags piled higher day by day. The after-dinner storytelling sessions grew longer and longer. Yun Ye’s Guanzhong dialect also became increasingly fluent.
Left Martial Guard Grand General Cheng Yaojin had been smiling so much these past days his mouth couldn’t close. His night-owl-like laughter constantly circled above the great camp. Especially after seeing off Zhangsun Wuji who had pacified Prince Changle You Liang, he laughed even more boldly. Five hundred jin of salt exchanged for fifty Western Region treasured horses from Zhangsun Wuji—what a deal! Especially snatching food from the Pixiu’s mouth—rare indeed, so rare!
Old Cheng contentedly patted his big belly. These past three months, poor Old Cheng had to gnaw on vinegar cloths every day. It made my teeth fall out. Thinking about it, a sour smell still turned up from my stomach. It wasn’t that I lacked that mouthful of salt to eat, but the entire army soaked vinegar cloths. Could I alone eat salt? What about military morale?
My own boy had good fortune—picked up a fourteen-year-old kid and the big matter was handled. No roots, no background. The teacher who taught him skills died. Just this one lone sprout. Good! Once His Majesty’s imperial edict from the capital arrives, this kid’s official position must be nailed down and tied to Old Cheng’s war chariot. My own boy also had eyes growing on his forehead. If he caught his eye, it definitely wouldn’t be too bad. A person who without a second thought handed over a priceless secret recipe—how bad could his character be? Daring to stake his head as a wager for a soldier he’d known less than a day—if I don’t quickly get this kid into the Left Martial Guard, then Old Cheng’s head was kicked by a donkey.
Only hard on my boy—every time he helps he gets a beating. Never mind that. The two boys spend time together long enough, this matter will definitely be over. Covered all over with strange and odd things. Not one ordinary item brought out. This kid’s origins probably aren’t small either. An ordinary family’s half-grown boy—being able to stand when seeing the great army would already be good, much less arguing his case forcefully. Mm, once this kid gathers a hundred thousand jin of salt, must call him over to see. Old Cheng can’t stand those sour scholars who only know “The Master said” and poetry. A fellow like this who’s literate and can also solve big matters—that’s treasure among treasures.
Xu Maogong that fellow—no, now called Li Ji—was this kind of talent full of schemes who could do everything. After many years as brothers, whether he had real ability was seen long ago. The little fellow my son picked up won’t be simple either. First tie him down with a seventh-rank campaign secretary position. After meeting him, as long as he has real ability—the Left Martial Guard is so large, isn’t there enough room to let loose?
Every ten days Cheng Chumo delivered salt to the great camp, ten thousand jin each time. This was already the sixth trip. Four more trips would complete the task Father assigned. Thinking that the court only ordered collection of one hundred thousand jin, and by the end of the seventh month the salt field must be handed over to local authorities, his heart ached repeatedly. Just entering the commander’s tent, he saw Father sitting alone behind the desk, his fingers drumming the desk loudly. Not knowing what he was thinking about, he quickly clasped his hands and announced: “School Commandant Cheng Chumo pays respects to the Commander. This ten-day period’s ten thousand jin of salt has been delivered in full. Now preparing to return to the salt field. Does the Commander have any instructions?”
In the military camp there were no father-son relationships, only Grand General and School Commandant.
Old Cheng looked up at his son, always feeling something wasn’t right. Hmm? His normally greasy, disheveled son had actually become clean and neat. His features were also more pleasing to the eye than usual. No lice crawling out from his hair either. Vitality radiating from his very bones. After all, he was his own seed. Spirited!
Seeing Father staring at him without speaking, Cheng Chumo quickly took out an oil-paper package from his bosom and stepped forward to give it to his father.
Cheng Yaojin opened the paper package puzzled, only to see inside wrapped a large flatbread, baked a glossy yellow. Emitting waves of wheat’s pure fragrance. Seeing this, Old Cheng felt a wave of comfort in his heart. The boy knew to show filial piety to his father. He picked up the flatbread and took a big bite. The flatbread tasted very good—crispy and fragrant. Different from the flatbreads usually eaten.
Seeing Father eat the flatbread, Cheng Chumo poured a cup of tea and respectfully offered it to Old Cheng. After Old Cheng finished eating the flatbread and drank two mouthfuls of tea, he opened his mouth to speak: “Father, how was this flatbread?”
Old Cheng casually said: “Not bad. The cooks in the great camp should be dragged away to feed the dogs. This flatbread was made by young Yun? It’s not that Father is criticizing you, but with the effort to make food, gathering two more jin of salt would be proper business. Looking at it, the time limit set by the court is about to arrive. Now for every jin less gathered, our Left Martial Guard has one jin less salt benefit. What are you doing these showy tricks for? I’m your father—do you need to pay tribute or something?”
Cheng Chumo quickly explained: “Father, this is military rations specially made by Brother Yun. When our great army campaigns outside, when pressed for time, there’s no time to eat. We gnaw two bites of flatbread. These flatbreads are cold and hard. Many soldiers eating them get bloated stomachs and severe abdominal pain. Losing military strength before battle is truly unwise. So Brother Yun specially made this kind of flatbread. When pressed, eat two bites then drink a mouthful of water, and it can stave off hunger. It’s the best military rations. Moreover, this kind of flatbread can remain unspoiled for a month even in the seventh month weather.”
“What? A month without spoiling? Really?”
“It truly is so. Your child specially tested it. Placed in a cloth bag for a month without spoiling, and without any off odor.”
“Young Yun will dedicate this method to the court? Without any demands?”
“Father, Brother Yun is your child’s brother. This flatbread was only made when your child mentioned Father’s gastrointestinal disease. He also said: Everyone in the military camp, big and small, except for being good at fighting, are all idiots. Clearly knowing military rations have problems, yet not knowing to change them—deserving to suffer for so long.”
Cheng Yaojin made no sound, lowered his head in thought. In a moment he had made a decision: “Transmit my general’s order—command Yun Ye to come speedily to the great camp to see me.”