When Niu Jinda saw his precious grandchildren come out, he immediately went forward to greet them. Seeing Yun Ye’s face as black as the bottom of a pot, he comforted him, saying, “It doesn’t matter. Elder Yuan gives face to no one. Whether he reads fortunes depends entirely on his mood. When he’s in a good mood, he’ll read three in a day. When he’s in a bad mood, he won’t read a single one for over ten years. The children couldn’t get their turn today—it doesn’t matter. We’ll wait for another opportunity in the future.”

“He read them. He said the two children are blessed children and even gave each child a jade carving, but he didn’t say what will happen in the future.” Yun Ye listlessly told Old Niu the facts. Naturally, he didn’t mention the nonsense about Old Niu having his line cut off.

The old couple of the Niu family took out the two jade figurines from the children’s necks and examined them carefully. “At a glance, you can tell these are good things that bring blessings—treasures! You mustn’t lose them in the future. This is fate.”

Taking advantage of the two elders’ happiness, Yun Ye quietly slipped away. He never expected that he would end up covered in such fishy stench. The two children were blessed children—so what should he be? A big lucky charm?

Just now, he had carefully studied the words the old fellow had said and discovered they were all ambiguous nonsense. What does “already become a true dragon” mean? If you’re so capable, make a dragon coil around a pillar and let’s see.

What does “qilin” mean? And calling it an auspicious beast—there was a qilin before, and it was a pig in disguise. A flood dragon stirring water and raising waves? Dou Yanshan had killed a flood dragon, and the people of Yuezhou had killed countless ones. Many bags carried by Chang’an women were made of flood dragon skin—were they so rare? Dragon neck and phoenix shoulders? Li Ke’s neck wasn’t any longer than anyone else’s, and now it was even shorter.

When things couldn’t be predicted accurately, they were blamed on this old man. Empress Zhangsun originally had no serious illness—who knows why something went wrong? Perhaps the old fellow did it himself to make his prophecy come true.

Niu Jianhu was injured in the foot, not a vital area—why couldn’t she have children? After using this old man, then showing goodwill to this old man with an auspicious title? This was a trick Yuan Tiangang had long played to death—bringing it out now wasn’t embarrassing enough.

Yun Ye made the most malicious speculations in his heart. He was so angry he didn’t even ride in the carriage. The backache and leg pain from last night’s wildness also completely disappeared. Wang Cai clip-clopped along behind Yun Ye. It seemed embarrassed by the looks from passersby on the road and felt Yun Ye shouldn’t ignore it, so it rested its head beside Yun Ye’s shoulder, making it look to others as if Yun Ye were leading it.

After his anger had dissipated, he looked up and saw his own family’s memorial arch. He had walked quite a distance. Only then did his mind notice his body’s discomfort. The soles of his feet hurt terribly—needless to say, blisters had formed. His two legs felt like they were filled with lead. His knees went soft and he sat down on the ground. Liu Jinbao hurriedly helped the Marquis into the carriage.

When he returned home and lay in the hot water pool, he felt like he couldn’t move his hands or feet. The blisters on the soles of his feet weren’t water blisters but blood blisters. It looked like he wouldn’t be sleeping tonight—overexertion would make his body ache for several days.

Lying in bed, he had Xinyue read him military reports. The officers and soldiers of Longyou had already assembled. After ten days of rest and reorganization, they would depart for the Northern Court to replace those border troops who had already served for five years.

“Husband, this concubine cannot accompany you to the Northern Court—this is national law. But Na Rimu can go. She is just a concubine. Lingdang’s body is too weak. If she goes to the Northern Court, this concubine worries she won’t come back, so let Na Rimu accompany you to the Northern Court. She originally grew up in the north anyway—going there is no problem for her.”

Xinyue chattered on for a long time. When she lowered her head, she discovered that Yun Ye had already fallen asleep.

Many old commanders came to the house, pointing at maps to determine the march route. They had never been to the Northern Court—the farthest they had gone was to the Turks, Tuyuhun, and Xueyantuo territories.

“Departing from Chang’an, passing through Longyou and Dunhuang, going west out of Yangguan Pass, one can reach Shanshan, Qiemo, Khotan, Yarkand, and other Western Region states. Since Little Ye needs to be stationed in the Northern Court, the administrative seat must be in Tingzhou. I’ve heard that place can still be considered a treasure land with lush water and grass, but Tingzhou’s city walls are somewhat lacking. However, it doesn’t matter. Right now no one can match the Great Tang—enemies don’t dare act rashly. The first thing Little Ye must do upon arriving at the Northern Court is build a city. Only with high walls and deep moats can your safety be guaranteed.”

Yun Ye shook his head and said, “When your nephew goes to the Northern Court, he doesn’t plan to build a city. You only need to look at the troops your nephew has selected this time to understand—they’re all cavalry. The Northern Court is too vast. If I build a city in one place, your nephew will have to station all the troops in Tingzhou. This way, enemies need only bypass Tingzhou to enter as if into an uninhabited territory. Stationing troops this way has no meaning whatsoever.”

Qin Qiong was alarmed and said, “If you don’t build a city, how will you endure the long winter there? Don’t forget—you’re leading sons of Guanzhong, not the grassland cavalry commanded by those several non-Han generals. They can’t endure the severe cold. When His Majesty campaigned eastward in Goguryeo, many soldiers froze to death or were injured by frostbite. This method won’t work.”

“Uncle, this world is vast beyond imagination. Little Jie found those Loulan people in Loulan and inadvertently discovered a place very suitable for building a city. According to what he conveyed in his letter, there’s actually a warm lake there. In winter, the grass there is still green. According to his calculations, a city of ten li can be built. The Northern Court’s great army has only thirty-six thousand men. Adding auxiliary troops, the number won’t exceed one hundred thousand. Such a city is sufficient to accommodate them.”

“Most gratifying is that the place is very close to a major city like Dunhuang—only fifteen hundred li away, making it easy to receive supplies from within the country. When spring opens, your nephew will lead the great army patrolling the Northern Court. During severe cold, we’ll return to Loulan to rest and reorganize. The northern winter is long—a full five months. Therefore, such preparations are most appropriate and can also consolidate this new territory to the maximum extent.”

Yun Ye’s words caused the several old generals to fall into contemplation. Long years of trekking through the frontier wilderness required not only strong will and robust physique but also massive logistical support to accomplish. Yun Ye was being too idealistic.

Given that Yun Ye had provided everyone with too many surprises, Yuchi Gong asked, “Upon what do you rely in going there?”

No one laughed at Yuchi Gong’s scholarly phrasing. This was one of his few remaining hobbies. Ever since his son became a civil official and flourished in that capacity, Yuchi Gong had begun studying. He deliberately hired a teacher, led by example in studying with the teacher, and required all the other children and grandchildren in the household to study with him.

This matter, which seemed extremely laughable to others, was greatly encouraged by several old brothers, including Li Er who personally issued an edict of encouragement. This was someone with long-term vision. In the future, it would be extremely difficult to obtain merit through military service, but the succession of noble titles was merciless. With each generation, the title dropped one rank—this was a fixed rule. If you wanted descendants to have an enterprising spirit, you had to transfer to civil service. How could you transfer to civil service without learning?

Most of the Yuchi family descendants were rather dull-witted. Only a scattered few could enter the academy. A few people couldn’t support an entire clan, so Yuchi Gong’s way of speaking had become like this.

“Nothing else—only camel city and mares!” Yun Ye also answered concisely and to the point.

Ever since he had seen Yetuo’s camel city, he had fallen in love with it. It was simply a mobile city. Ten thousand camels could form an extremely vast city, and camels—the Western Regions had never lacked them. As long as you fed them one full meal, they could go for days without attention.

Wars on the grassland desert often came swift as raging fire and fierce as violent rain—coming fiercely and departing quickly. Therefore, having a huge camel city could withstand the enemy’s first wave of attack. Once you withstood the sudden strike, Yun Ye didn’t believe anyone could still block the sons of Guanzhong equipped with firearms.

As for mares, that was the old wisdom of Genghis Khan. Mare’s milk was actually the best food. Yun Ye borrowed it for use—presumably Temujin wouldn’t have any objections. Perhaps when the Great Tang swept through the grasslands, they had already eliminated Temujin’s ancestors. Whether such a person would appear in the future was questionable.

His task and purpose was to oversee those herdsmen departing the Great Tang, going to the distant west to seek a place for themselves. Su Dingfang had sufficient wisdom and martial prowess, but his position was too low. He didn’t have Yun Ye’s ability to make decisions at critical moments. This was also one of the reasons Yun Ye was going to the Northern Court.

After the old commanders understood the uses of these two things, they no longer brought up the matter of building a city. Instead, they concentrated on helping Yun Ye plan Northern Court affairs, deducing the various problems and changes they would encounter after going there.

Such meetings proceeded at the Yun household for a full six days. The Yun family’s accounting house recorded over two feet of thick documents—all of which Yun Ye needed to thoroughly digest and deeply comprehend on the road.

“When you leave, I won’t see you off. Having white-haired people see off black-haired people is inauspicious. Take care of yourself.” When Old Cheng left, he patted Yun Ye on the shoulder, mounted his horse, and rode away. The other old commanders were the same. They weren’t sentimental people to begin with—partings of life and death were everyday occurrences for them.

As the time of departure drew near, the Yun household became extraordinarily quiet. Yun Ye went to the military camp. This great commander couldn’t always stay at home—someone had to be in the commander’s tent.

Na Rimu’s carriage, provisions, and various supplies filled an entire convoy. When Na Rimu saw Xinyue preparing a carriage for her, she smiled and said it wasn’t necessary—she could ride a horse and could ride following her husband all the way to the edge of the sky.

Xinyue delivered a heavy slap across her face, saying viciously to Na Rimu who was covering her face, “You are not a shepherdess now. You are the Yun family’s secondary wife. If you dare lose face for the Yun family in the Northern Court, when you return home, see how I’ll deal with you. At that time, even husband won’t be able to save you.”

Na Rimu nodded habitually. She could see that this time Xinyue had truly become angry. Previously when Xinyue beat her, she never struck her face, always saying things about taking concubines for their beauty—if the face was ruined, taking this concubine would be in vain.

After Xinyue finished hitting her, she returned to her own room in a daze, buried her head in the bedding and cried bitterly. Moreover, she cried very sorrowfully. This time, she was truly jealous—jealous that Na Rimu could accompany her husband alone to the distant edge of the sky.

When the march drum sounded, it would be the end for the brokenhearted.