Turkic people were more cold-resistant than Tang people—this was a misconception. Yun Ye discovered that cold resistance had nothing to do with physique, but was more manifest in people’s spirit. Turkic people would also freeze to death in such weather, but they appeared very indifferent. When they discovered dead companions in early morning, they would strip off their companions’ clothes and casually put them on themselves, then stack the frozen stiff corpses like bricks, waiting for someone to send them outside the camp.
Tang people were different. Once there were frozen companions, they would show sorrow on their faces. Some would even remove clothing from their own bodies to dress their dead companions. No one would strip companions’ clothes to wear themselves, nor would they casually throw corpses outside. They would either burn them to ashes with fire, or close companions would, in this cold weather, take tools themselves and desperately dig a large pit in the hard ground to bury their companions.
It was hard to say who was right or wrong—actually both made sense. Turkic people cared more about the living’s feelings, while Tang people cared more about the deceased’s dignity.
Cold was to be endured—this was Turkic experience. They wore tattered fur coats exposing skin and flesh, many people squeezed into a large pile. Strangely, the strongest were in the innermost position, the old and weak on the outside, children and women sandwiched in the middle. The best position was given to the strong, the next best position to children, while women and the old and weak would occasionally cry out in the cold snowy ground. Their faces showed no indignant expression, only a kind of numb resignation to fate.
This was related to their years of enduring cold. Only by preserving the strongest people would those who managed to survive the coming year have hope. This was animal instinct. He remembered hearing such a story: a herd of deer was surrounded by hunters at a mountain ravine edge. The cliff opposite was somewhat far from them. Even the strongest deer had no way to jump across. Just as they were about to be killed, suddenly those deer automatically paired up, cooperating in twos to jump toward the deep ravine, one high and one low. When the momentum was exhausted, the deer jumping higher would heavily step on the deer below, and it would fly up again, safely jumping to the opposite shore, while the deer below would heavily fall down the cliff. With this method, half the herd survived, the tribe’s genes were continued, and the hunters could only harvest some broken and tattered corpses.
This was Turkic reasoning. If it were Han people, they would only put the old and weak in the innermost position—the strongest would definitely be outside. Han people called Turkic behavior animal conduct. Perhaps Turkic people were also laughing at Han people’s pedantry.
Right and wrong were relative—there was no standard. Now He Shao insisted on arguing out a right and wrong. He was very dissatisfied with Yun Ye’s behavior of driving him out of the snow house, believing he was a patient still needing recuperation and couldn’t live in the cold tent.
Full of vigor with rosy face, whole body wrapped in thick furs, walking like a penguin—someone like this had the nerve to say he was a patient? Every night his snoring rose in waves, making Yun Ye clutch his pillow speechless until dawn.
“Hurry up and get lost! If you recuperate a few more days, I’ll be the one seriously ill. Don’t you know your snoring can shake heaven and earth? I haven’t slept well for four or five nights already. Can you pity me a bit?”
“Besides, you can make such a snow house yourself, can’t you? Today I’m not making anything delicious—we’ll just eat the cook’s ‘soup cakes.'”
He Shao was not a good roommate. When sleeping, snoring and teeth grinding were common occurrences. Living with him, Yun Ye felt he didn’t need to wait for others to harm him—he would expire on his own.
Li Jing had set out five days ago. No news had come from the front. Although Yun Ye was certain Li Jing would definitely return victorious, his heart was still anxious.
Such cold weather was completely unsuitable for large army deployment. Although the severe cold blocked Xie Li’s escape, it equally blocked the Tang army’s pursuit. Every Tang general knew Xie Li’s defeat and death were only a matter of time. His only way to live was to flee. On the grassland, if he were allowed to flee to the northern desert and depend on Xueyantuo and other tribes, it would be very difficult to pursue and annihilate him. The entire Great Tang’s military strategy would only be half complete.
A visitor came—this was a novelty in the camp. Looking at the fellow before him covered in jewels and jade, Yun Ye felt like being a bandit for once. Even the most luxurious jewels couldn’t block the foul smell all over his body. His thick beard was covered with ice and snow. Upon meeting, he put down the wooden box wrapped in yellow silk from his hands and immediately performed the prostration with five body parts touching the ground. Na Rimu curiously watched the usually noble great chieftain act like a docile lamb before Yun Ye. She pretended to wipe stains on Yun Ye’s cloak while pricking up her ears to eavesdrop.
Before he could react, a string of crimson agate beads hung around Na Rimu’s neck. Yun Ye was noncommittal. He was now just a homeless dog without the qualification to give himself gifts.
Kangsu Mi, Xie Li’s most trusted general—it was he who brought Empress Dowager Xiao and Crown Prince Yuande to the Tang army camp. What Great Tang soldiers despised most were those who betrayed their masters. Even though Kangsu Mi betrayed Great Tang’s enemy, Tang soldiers were long accustomed to making enemies submit with steel blades and disdained conspiracies and tricks, so toward Kangsu Mi, aside from contempt, no other expression could be found.
“Kangsu Mi, what reason brings you to find me, the most idle person in the military camp? I won’t see Empress Dowager Xiao, nor will I see any Crown Prince Yuande. You’ve spared no expense seeking an audience—you may have the wrong idea.” Yun Ye also had no good feelings toward Kangsu Mi. This was a despicable petty person—better to have less dealings.
“Noble Marquis, Kangsu Mi has come regarding a great matter to inform you.” Kangsu Mi deliberately only said half his words, wanting to arouse Yun Ye’s curiosity.
“If you think you can tell me, speak. If you can’t tell me, hurry up and get lost. This marquis has no interest in going in circles with you.” Most annoying were such bastards who thought themselves cleverer than others, seeking advantages between the lines.
“Marquis, don’t be hasty. This matter is truly significant, so please give Kangsu Mi a bit of time to explain slowly.”
“A big matter? You should go find Li Jing or Zhang Gongjin. You definitely shouldn’t come find me. Big matter? What big matter do you still have? Before long, Xie Li himself or his head will appear in our Great Tang’s military merit registry. What else counts as a big matter?”
Kangsu Mi guiltily lowered his head, then suddenly raised it and said: “I don’t believe the Marquis doesn’t care about the Imperial Seal either?”
Having said this, this bastard’s face was full of gloating after dragging someone into the water. The Imperial Seal—this ghostly thing, as long as you were a minister, whoever touched it was unlucky. Even if you had no covetous intentions, in the Emperor’s eyes you would forever be suspicious. Things could go badly and your whole family’s lives would be finished. This fellow had tried to tell Li Jing some days ago, but before he could say this sentence, Li Jing had guards drive him out. Later he wanted to find Zhang Gongjin, but Old Zhang was slippery as a loach—where would he give him half a chance? Seeing that as time passed, his great merit had no one to report it, this made him very worried his painstaking efforts would come to nothing. Learning there was actually a noble marquis in the military camp, and most importantly this marquis was very young, he planned to scheme against this young marquis.
His idea was quite good, his thinking could be considered correct. Actually, in the military camp, the most suitable person to expose the Imperial Seal was Yun Ye. Because he was the person with the closest relationship to the imperial family. At this time, merit couldn’t be considered. The more world-renowned heroes who got involved with the seal, the faster they died—this was absolute truth. Conversely, the less heroic someone was, the less it mattered if they got involved with this thing. They might even receive a great reward. This was what Li Jing told Yun Ye before leaving. He very much hoped Yun Ye would take on this hot potato. Who knew Old He would fall ill and Yun Ye, busy caring for Old He, would forget about the Imperial Seal, not remembering it until today when Kangsu Mi came to his door.
“Old Hong, did you write it down? Your brother found you a smooth path straight to the clouds. According to our agreement, Kangsu Mi belongs to me, everything else belongs to you. No backing out.” Hearing Kangsu Mi’s words, Yun Ye showed no panic whatsoever, but instead shouted behind him.
Hong Cheng, face full of excitement, walked out from the curtain behind Yun Ye, mouth wickedly laughing as he said to Yun Ye: “Marquis, naturally. This subordinate only needs that Imperial Seal to present it to His Majesty. As for other things, the Marquis may dispose of them as he wishes.”
Although the plan was worked out with Li Jing, to be safer, Yun Ye also found Hong Cheng to be a witness. Yun Ye himself didn’t want to touch that unlucky thing either. Just seeing Kangsu Mi’s full body adornments from afar, Marquis Yun felt he couldn’t work for nothing, so he settled this spoils division plan with Hong Cheng.
“Marquis Yun, aren’t you worried about having your family exterminated? As long as this old man presents the seal to His Majesty, everyone connected with the seal—this old man wants them dead. This old man will report to the Great Tang Emperor that you plot treason.” Kangsu Mi sensed these two had ill intentions, so he loudly warned.
Yun Ye and Hong Cheng looked at each other, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter. Hong Cheng laughed until tears came out. After gasping for a long time, he said to Kangsu Mi: “His Majesty may worry I’m greedy for wealth, may worry I lust after women, but doesn’t worry I’ll rebel. When His Majesty was still a young master, I was His Majesty’s stable boy. You say—will His Majesty believe you or believe me? As for Marquis Yun, he fought with the Crown Prince without incident. You say your accusation against him—will it have any effect?” Having said this, the two laughed heartily again.
“As long as the seal reaches His Majesty’s hands, I think His Majesty probably has no interest in knowing whether there will be other treasures. Don’t you think so, Kangsu Mi?” Yun Ye had long fantasized about being a completely unscrupulous dandy, but never had the opportunity. This time he finally found a target that wouldn’t make him feel guilty—where was the reason not to try?
Kangsu Mi wanted to snatch the wooden box on the ground, but was kicked aside by Hong Cheng. He picked up the box himself, placed it respectfully on the table and opened it. A jade seal appeared before the two. Indeed missing a corner, repaired with gold—so this was the famous gold-inlaid jade? Yun Ye didn’t see anything good about it. The Heshi Bi was just so-so.
Hong Cheng pulled out a paper from his chest with an impression clearly on it. Hong Cheng held up the jade seal with both hands, slowly aligned it with the impression and pressed down. A perfect fit. Hong Cheng wiped the sweat from his forehead, put the seal back in the wooden box, tied it to his body with straps, only then stood up to go outside. He didn’t plan to stay even a moment longer.
The plump Kangsu Mi rushed forward to snatch it, but was heavily kicked in the face by Hong Cheng and crashed to the ground, making even Yun Ye’s face twitch.
“Does Marquis Yun blame me for beating him too hard?”
“I have no objection to you beating him. But can you let me unload my treasures from his body before you beat him?”