Li’er was eager to return home. Passing through Nanzheng, he surprisingly didn’t stop. The great army marched majestically through the Bao-Xie Road. The Mountain-South-West Circuit had specially repaired the Bao-Xie Road for merchant travelers, but the entire route remained rugged and difficult to traverse. No one understood why Li’er was rushing back to Chang’an in such haste—they could only follow him, heads down, hurrying along the road.
Over these days, ministers continuously boarded the imperial carriage. After Li’er assigned them various matters, bearing imperial seals and leading attendants, they galloped away on swift horses, scattering like stars. This was a harbinger of major events. Yun Ye only hoped these matters had nothing to do with him. The atmosphere was ominous. Even the most optimistic Cheng Yaojin rarely smiled anymore, because one of the great officials, Liu Mei, had hurried back to Chang’an with his guards before sunrise today. Old Liu Mei was advanced in years and couldn’t endure the jolting of a warhorse. Without earth-shaking major events, Li’er wouldn’t torment an old minister like this.
Following the Bao River upstream, they soon arrived at Stone Gate. Stone Gate’s terrain was treacherous. The surging Bao River cascaded down, massive waves like a ferocious male lion crashing against the boulders blocking its advance in the river. Instantly, silver spray splashed forth, water droplets flew about, rain mist hung in the air, clouds and rosy vapors rose magnificently—a scene of myriad wonders. The water droplets that splashed into the air fell like snowflakes gently swaying and dancing.
On the giant rock to the right of the road, two characters in Cao Cao’s handwriting, “Rolling Snow,” were clearly visible. The pitch-black ink surface set off the two ghastly pale large characters. Listening to the mad roar of the Bao River beside his ears, Yun Ye actually felt as if those two large characters were about to devour someone.
Here the mountain path was narrow—not a good place to make camp. Ahead, one could only see the emerald green valley; behind, one could also only see the emerald green valley. If not for the sliver of gray-white sky overhead, this would almost be a green tomb.
The rain had been falling for seven days. From the beginning, it had been neither hurried nor slow, and even now it remained neither hurried nor slow. No matter how light the rain, after seven days it was sufficient to soak the mountain walls on both sides until they were soft. Yun Ye could even see several pine trees that had already tilted.
A mudslide was imminent. Yet Li’er ordered them to make camp on the spot. Yun Ye chose to pitch his family’s camp beneath those two characters “Rolling Snow,” because these two characters could still be seen in later generations, which meant this area wouldn’t have mudslides. Tang Dynasty people’s understanding of natural disasters was still at the most primitive stage. When mudslides occurred, they would only think this was the Mountain God’s anger—the ministers were no exception.
The Emperor’s orders were carried out without fail. The great army stationed itself on the narrow mountain road. Sentries were also concealed on the mountaintop. Yun Ye swore he wouldn’t be talkative again. He invited Li Tai, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Niu Jinda, and Li Ji to his home to eat lamb noodle slices. The firewood on the mountain had been thoroughly soaked by the light rain and couldn’t be lit at all. The Yun Family had their own kerosene and some coal, so they didn’t need to eat dry rations. The logistical support for a household of young and old couldn’t fall behind.
Holding the fragrant lamb noodle slices, he just couldn’t eat them. Looking back at his family’s tent, Xinyue was with Na Rimu and Lingdang caring for all the family’s young and old. Hypatia also came over holding the two children to mooch food and drink. Looking further ahead to the widest area, Li’er’s tent stood there. Deer-antler stakes could defend against cavalry charges, and crossbowmen could eliminate any invading enemy on the narrow road. On the mountaintop, the Xuanjia Army appeared faintly in the gray-white daylight—defenses were extremely tight. But damn it, would someone look at whether the mountain wall might collapse? The great army establishing camp with its back to the mountain and facing water was correct, but had no one ever considered whether the mountain was reliable?
Li Tai nudged Yun Ye and said, “What’s wrong? Can’t eat? You’ve been very preoccupied these past few days. But that’s natural—being with my Imperial Father, one can’t help but be preoccupied. Let me tell you, my Imperial Father wouldn’t let me tell you, fearing you’d get some strange ideas again. Seeing you’re so distressed, I’ll tell you quietly. Do you know what Liu Mei went to do? Do you know what those ministers accompanying the Emperor went to do?”
Yun Ye shook his head to indicate he didn’t know, looking at Li Tai with puzzlement, waiting for him to continue.
“Let me tell you, the Bai Qi Si has become the Commerce Inspection Bureau. My Imperial Father believes the Bai Qi Si now has excessive power. Sometimes they even do strange things behind the old man’s back. That chest of poison we brought from Lingnan wasn’t ordered by my Imperial Father. Eighteen people have already been beheaded, and now it seems beheading eighteen is far from enough. Since there’s no loyalty, the imperial family has no need to keep this dog—it wouldn’t be good if it accidentally bit back at its master. Those ministers are carrying my Imperial Father’s secret orders to investigate Bai Qi Si outposts everywhere. Let me tell you, each person holds a kill-without-mercy token. Liu Mei is responsible for purging the Bai Qi Si in Chang’an. For secrecy, they deliberately chose the Bao-Xie Road—this way they can effectively seal the information within the smallest circle.”
“You’re the head of Lingnan’s Bai Qi Si. By rights, I shouldn’t tell you, lest you make arrangements for any illegal matters beforehand and ruin my Imperial Father’s grand plan. I’m telling you because we’re brothers. Seeing you so restless, if you have any illegal matters, just push them onto me. Such a simple method—do I need to teach you? Tell me, what’s really going on? I’m very curious. The matters in Lingnan were handled by us two brothers—what else is there that I don’t know about?”
Yun Ye’s mood immediately improved. He quickly finished the large bowl of noodles, patted his belly, and said to Li Tai, “The Bai Qi Si has nothing to do with me. I just used their channels, didn’t use their people. What trouble could there be? What I’m worried about is that the cliff beside us is about to collapse.”
“Going to collapse? How do you know?” The bowl in Li Tai’s hand dropped to the ground as he asked Yun Ye foolishly.
Yun Ye put down his rice bowl and grabbed a handful of rock debris from the nearby cliff wall, saying to Li Tai, “This kind of weathered rock is actually the most dangerous. I also saw that the trees on the cliff aren’t right. We should urge His Majesty to leave quickly. Every moment we stay here my calves cramp up—it’s too dangerous.”
After Li Tai had a guard climb up the cliff to look, he dragged Yun Ye and climbed onto the imperial carriage. Li’er was eating under Empress Zhangsun’s service. Nothing lavish—just a large bowl of noodles, not even as good as Yun Ye’s lamb noodle slices.
“Why the panic? Don’t you know proper etiquette?” Li’er set down his bowl and chopsticks, unhappy.
“Your Majesty, we should quickly leave this gorge. Staying in the mountains during rain is not a good thing.” Yun Ye didn’t dare mention mudslides, only saying this place was very dangerous.
“Imperial Father, we should go to an open area to make camp. Your son also feels this place is unsuitable. Just now, your son sent guards to examine the cliff wall and discovered there are already cracks up there.” Li Tai urged anxiously, his two ears standing up like a donkey’s.
Li’er was stunned for a moment and said, “There’s no heavy rain, just light rain. Could there still be a collapse?”
“Your Majesty, whether it’s heavy or light rain, as long as there’s enough moisture stored in the earth, mudslides will occur. The Bao-Xie Road is not a place suitable for lingering. We must pass through this narrow area overnight.” Though speaking to Li’er, Yun Ye was looking at Empress Zhangsun.
This couple was impossible. Anyone else hearing this news would at least be nervous. Li’er and Empress Zhangsun didn’t seem nervous at all. Li’er picked up his rice bowl again, and Empress Zhangsun continued busily serving dishes to the Emperor, treating Yun Ye as if he were singing.
Duan Hong entered dripping wet and reported, “Your Majesty, this servant just inspected the cliff wall. Indeed, as Prince Wei said, fissures have already appeared, and some trees have shifted position. This place truly isn’t suitable for lingering.”
“Order the great army to search and advance, without stopping all night, until we reach open ground before reporting!” Li’er inappropriately belched, looked disdainfully at Li Tai and Yun Ye who were anxiously spinning in circles, and finally issued the order.
Li Tai received the order and urged the vanguard like a madman. Yun Ye went nowhere else—he stayed guarding his family and children, his two eyes wide as bronze bells watching the mountain wall. Walking at night was troublesome. Some cart wheels would get stuck in rock crevices and break. No matter what was loaded inside, Li Tai would order soldiers to push that cart into the Bao River.
Stumbling along all night, quite a few people were injured by falling rocks from the mountaintop. That there were no fatalities was already a great fortune in misfortune. When daylight brightened, the annoying light rain was still falling and showed a trend of intensifying. A swift horse rushed over from ahead, loudly reporting that a large-scale mudslide had occurred ahead—half the mountain had collapsed, already damming up the Bao River. Only then did Yun Ye discover that the roaring Bao River at the foot of the cliff had quietly stopped flowing.
This was major trouble. Once a barrier lake formed, everyone would have to turn back. Li’er still behaved neither hastily nor slowly, as if he didn’t care at all, still ordering them to advance according to the original route. The way ahead was blocked—how could they pass? Yun Ye very much wanted to ask what scheme Li’er had in mind. Li’er didn’t even look at him and just entered the imperial carriage, continuing forward.
Men and horses exhausted, resting in the mud. Among the Yun Family’s dependents, except for the women and children, everyone else followed behind the carts on foot. Fortunately, the Yun Family’s horses were all Dian horses with amazing endurance. Otherwise, they would collapse to the ground like the imperial family’s tall horses and be pushed down the cliff. Yun Ye’s cloak was covered with mud spatters. He patrolled back and forth around his family’s procession. When Yun Shou saw his father working hard and was about to get down from the cart, Yun Ye pushed him back in with one hand. At this time, he couldn’t be allowed to add to the confusion.
Another cart sank into the mud. No matter how the servants drove the horses, it was futile. Seeing this, Bear Man threw off his cloak and, with a great roar, physically lifted the cart out. To allow the carts behind to pass smoothly, Gou Zi placed stones in the mud pit, his whole person plastered like a mud monkey.
“Three hours from now, my carriage will pass through the Bao-Xie Road and turn onto the Jin-Niu Road. Those who are late will be executed!” Li’er’s order carried over from afar. Yun Ye looked uncomprehendingly at two bloody heads beside the road, not understanding why Li’er would do this. Why kill people? The bodies were right there, still wearing their official robes.
“Remove armor!” Yun Ye loudly ordered his family’s retainers. The cowhide armor worn in autumn had swollen from being soaked in rainwater and was extremely cumbersome. They must proceed with full effort. Once Li’er entered commander mode, he killed without batting an eye. The two who had just died were both mid-level officials like provincial governors and army supervisors.