When Yun Ye got up in the morning, he had to change his undergarments once again. However, he now had no mind to consider who exactly had been tumbling in the clouds and overturning the rain with him in last night’s dream. In any case, he couldn’t see the face clearly. How strange—why is it that in our dreams we can never see others’ faces clearly, yet we know who that person is?
Chai Shao was about to begin his operation. He had waited a full month without receiving any military report from Li Jing, but had received news that Su Dingfang had stationed troops at Eyang Ridge. Li Jing’s surprise attack on Xiangcheng was a certainty. As the Grand Commander of the Longxiang Route Army, he had autonomy and could launch attacks on the enemy at any time and place, as long as he wished. But this was precisely what Chai Shao could not tolerate. He had repeatedly petitioned Li Jing for battle, hoping to launch an attack on Xiangcheng from Shuofang. Li Jing’s answer was always to hold fast at Shuofang.
Shuofang was a sharp knife that Great Tang had thrust into the heart of the Eastern Turks and could not be lost. Yun Ye also understood Li Jing’s double-insurance approach of maintaining a stable battle line to secure future momentum while seeking a surprise breakthrough.
Unfortunately, Chai Shao didn’t see it this way. He always believed that Li Jing simply wanted his fifty thousand troops to idle away in Shuofang waiting for death. Otherwise, why would Li Ji dispatch troops from Yunzhong? He must be planning to cut off Xie Li’s rear route. Even Li Daozong and Wang Xiaojie were constantly active—only Shuofang was required to remain immobile.
In the blink of an eye, November arrived. The atmosphere in Shuofang City grew increasingly tense. Warhorses began receiving concentrated feed, soldiers were ordered not to leave camp without permission, and veterans began sharpening their weapons and organizing their armor, using this method to dispel their inner tension.
The daily advance speed of cavalry was similar to that of post-World War German armored columns—both about one hundred sixty li. Of course, this was the movement speed of Mongol iron cavalry. The Shuofang army advancing through heavy snow would be thanking heaven if they managed eighty li per day. The two places were six hundred li apart, requiring ten days of travel. Unlike Su Dingfang, who was at Eyang Ridge and only needed four days to reach Xiangcheng—or three days if the force was small—he had geographical advantage.
Chai Shao was determined to launch a surprise attack on Xiangcheng. On November fourth, the weather was clear, the temperature at least fifteen degrees below zero, no wind. Three thousand elite cavalry were already prepared. Chai Shao left Niu Jinda to guard Shuofang while he personally led the troops to capture Xie Li alive.
Yun Ye didn’t care whether Xie Li died or not, nor did he care whether Chai Shao died. What was heart-wrenching was that he had taken Cheng Chumo with him. Yun Ye divided half of his cotton socks and gloves to give to Cheng Chumo, and also gave him a small flask of strong liquor and a small packet of Yunnan White Medicine. With countless warnings and repeated instructions, he cautioned him that the Cheng family didn’t need him to risk his life desperately—they only needed him to return safely. Seeing Cheng Chumo’s impatient expression, he grabbed his personal guard Cheng Dong and threatened him, telling him to protect Cheng Chumo’s safe return even at the cost of his own life. If he himself died in battle, both the Cheng and Yun families would owe him a debt of gratitude. In the future, his children would absolutely rise smoothly through the ranks, and his family would prosper. As long as the Cheng and Yun families existed for even one day, they would continue repaying this debt of gratitude.
Cheng Dong’s eyes reddened. He now wished he could die in battle immediately. Having received Yun Ye’s promise on behalf of both the Cheng and Yun families, his own insignificant life was already of no consequence. Beating his chest, he swore he would definitely protect the young master’s safe return and told Yun Ye to rest assured.
There was no grand oath-taking ceremony, only Chai Shao’s single word: “Depart.” Three thousand light cavalry drilled out through the city gate, along with one hundred sleds carrying the army’s provisions for ten days. Watching them leave, Yun Ye’s heart sank continuously, not knowing how many of these three thousand sons of Guanzhong would return safely.
Standing atop the city wall watching their figures disappear below the horizon, Yun Ye suddenly wanted to cry. This was the famous Battle of the Eastern Turks in history. The history books only recorded Li Jing breaking Xiangcheng on a snowy night, never recording exactly how many people lost their lives in this war that had excited the Han people for thousands of years. Glory was always stained with blood. It always had been.
Xue Wanche’s second echelon would depart three days later as reinforcement. Yun Ye rejected Sun Simiao’s suggestion to go, preparing to go see for himself. Finding he couldn’t persuade him, Old Sun went to find Old Niu, but unexpectedly Old Niu actually insisted that Yun Ye go.
“He is a Marquis. Going to the battlefield is inevitable sooner or later. The earlier he sees the battlefield, the earlier he benefits. Old Sun, we cannot protect him for his entire life. In the future, our several families will still depend on him for support. The situations he faces in the future will be far more complex than now. He is a clever child who knows about choices and trade-offs.”
Old Sun said nothing more, only sighing deeply before returning to his own room to continue researching medicinal combinations. During this period, he had been so busy he had almost forgotten about this matter.
In Yun Ye’s view, ancient warfare was a difficult waiting process. Three days passed with no news from Chai Shao, but Li Jing’s reproachful document had already arrived, strictly ordering Niu Jinda to maintain city defenses without attacking, and forbidding any troop movements—not even a single soldier. In other words, Xue Wanche couldn’t go. Chai Shao had been completely abandoned.
Li Jing might be an invincible, undefeated commander, but interpersonal relations were his weakness. This order was militarily wise but politically absolutely foolish. If Chai Shao’s three thousand troops suffered casualties at Xiangcheng, even if he slaughtered everyone in the Eastern Turks, it wouldn’t compensate for the crime of losing Chai Shao. What awaited him would be punishment more terrible than defeat—skilled at strategizing for the nation but poor at protecting himself.
His life was a glorious one, but also a difficult one. In his later years, he was confined to his residence for a full decade without stepping out, surrounded by betrayal and conspiracy. Yun Ye refused to get too close to him—it would bring disaster upon himself. Such a pure military man was destined for a tortuous fate.
Old Niu sighed endlessly, Xue Wanche erupted in fury, yet a single military order left them unable to move a step. Chai Shao could claim to have acted first and reported later—at worst it was the crime of unauthorized deployment. With Chai Shao’s big head, wearing such a hat was nothing. But if Old Niu and Old Xue deployed troops now, Li Jing could execute them without consequence. Disobeying military orders was a great taboo in the army.
On the sixth day since Chai Shao’s departure, Yun Ye decided to take action. Although very unwise, he still wanted to do this. The militia troops couldn’t mobilize, but his auxiliary troops would have no problem. Moreover, he was a medical officer who had come to prevent plague, not part of the combat sequence—meaning Li Jing had no authority over him.
Xu Jingzong, supported by his servant, walked out and looked at Yun Ye as if looking at a fool. As one of the Eighteen Scholars of the Prince of Qin’s residence, how could he not see the situation clearly?
“Where does Marquis Yun wish to go?”
“Nothing much—just going to see Xiangcheng.”
“Marquis Yun’s strengths lie not in battle but in the rear. Why abandon your strengths for your weaknesses?”
“My brother is at Xiangcheng. Before him lies a fortified city, behind him no reinforcements. This Marquis intends to be his reinforcement and incidentally bring them some provisions.”
“General Niu should not allow you to do this. Moreover, when things are destined to happen, they will happen. Standing in front of them is merely like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.” Xu Jingzong might be very unaccustomed to playing the good person—even when advising others, he considered gains and losses.
“No matter. I only hope this mantis’s body is hard enough to slow the wheels even slightly.”
“This action is rather foolish, but quite touching.” His words were full of mockery.
“You don’t understand. Sometimes people cannot be measured by gains and losses. I dare bet that you’ll definitely live a miserable life, utterly boring throughout.”
Old Zhuang led over a warhorse, helped Yun Ye mount, then fastened his cloak for him. The other guards also mounted their horses, about to depart.
Xu Jingzong grabbed Yun Ye’s horse’s bit and asked seriously: “Marquis Yun, will you truly not reconsider? Without you in this world, I would find it much less interesting.”
“We are two different kinds of people. You just slowly rot away in your schemes and conspiracies.” Having said this, he pushed Xu Jingzong aside and rode off.
At the city gate, two hundred forty-seven men escorted two hundred sleds preparing to depart. They had already changed into new armor, and the weapons in their hands had been replaced with standard military issue—strong bows and hard crossbows, nothing lacking. Yun Ye actually saw Gongshu Jia mixed in among the crowd, with a horse-drawn cart behind him covered with oilcloth, contents unknown.
“Master Gongshu, this journey of mine is fraught with danger. Why would your Gongshu family wade into these muddy waters?”
“Because your foolish action this time has allowed my Gongshu family to see hope for the family’s revitalization, so we must accompany you on this journey.”
“Why? Knowing that my action is unwise, you should be staying far away. Climbing up the pole at this time is not what clever people do.” Being called a fool again, Yun Ye was somewhat unhappy.
“I’ve seen plenty of clever people. My Gongshu family has suffered too much at the hands of clever people, so this time we’re picking someone a bit more foolish to see if it brings good fortune.”
“Just don’t regret it. We only have three hundred people, and we’re about to step into the vast grasslands full of barbarians. You’re on your own. Oh, and if you die in battle, that academy welfare we agreed on won’t concern you anymore.” Yun Ye’s heart was pleased, and these words spilled out.
“Take care of yourself. My Gongshu family has endured for thousands of years, not in vain. We still have some methods for preserving life. You’d better return alive, or your family will suffer a great loss.”
He patted the sled with full confidence—who knew where his confidence came from. But since this was the Gongshu family, whatever was under that oilcloth shouldn’t be simple.
The city gate opened. Old Zhuang was first to ride out, followed closely by the Yun family guards. Several hundred pack horses started simultaneously, also presenting somewhat the bearing of a great army on campaign.
Old Niu stood on the city tower, his hand gripping the parapet trembling slightly, forcibly enduring without saying a word. Everything that needed to be said had been said last night to no avail. When this young man’s temper flared, he wouldn’t listen to any words. So be it—just let him be willful this once. Having such a nephew, Old Niu felt that even if his family followed this youngster to eat grass roots in the future, there probably wouldn’t be much complaint. At one moment he felt proud of Yun Ye, at the next he worried for him.
Yun Ye couldn’t sense this. He felt a rush of exhilaration like a great general on campaign, his cloak snapping loudly in the cold wind. He wanted to cheer, yet also wanted to cry bitterly. How wonderfully mysterious human circumstances could be!