Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The Northwest is not like the Jiangnan region; even with the Autumn Rain, it lacks a certain lingering charm, yet it carries a sense of desolation. Jinyang sits alone by the window, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes filled with uncertainty.
Her emotions are like the drifting raindrops, delicate and tangled. She is no longer the precious and pampered Dragon Maiden; having endured many hardships, she has already sensed the behind-the-scenes struggles and vaguely foreseen the impending storm in the court. However, she did not expect that fate would play tricks on her, making her the butterfly that stirs up the storm.
Li Wushuang may not appreciate Xu Zhen's temperament, but after the battle at Zhangye, she saw the wolf blood and fiery iron will within Xu Zhen. Hearing that Xu Zhen had volunteered to go to Ganzhou to face death, she couldn't help but curse inwardly. Seeing Jinyang becoming increasingly melancholic and depressed, she realized that this young girl might have developed feelings and felt pity for Xu Zhen's reckless nature.
Jinyang stared listlessly at the gate below for a while. After some time, a personal guard led someone in through the side door—wasn't it that reckless Xu Zhen?
Her eyes suddenly brightened as if regaining vitality. She hurriedly stood up to greet her but upon exiting her room, she saw Li Wushuang waiting in the hall. Flushing with embarrassment, she regained her noble demeanor but felt as if she had been caught red-handed like a thief. She hesitated for a few steps before quickening her pace, leaving Li Wushuang with no choice but to sigh helplessly.
Earlier, she had sent a guard to summon Xu Zhen, but this lazy girl had taken so long to arrive. When she finally did show up, Li Wushuang felt inexplicably annoyed. This feeling was truly perplexing yet impossible to ignore.
Li Wushuang stayed close by; Xu Zhen could not act without restraint in front of this young girl. She performed her greetings properly and dared not sit casually, only exchanging some polite words with Jinyang without being too forward. Jinyang attempted several times to dissuade Xu Zhen from going to Ganzhou but ultimately held back.
The two had no chance to share any intimate or comforting words; feeling uneasy, they fell silent. Xu Zhen soon took her leave with a few brief words, while Jinyang responded awkwardly, her mood as troubled as the rain outside.
After seeing her off at the door, Jinyang watched the distant figure fade away, a wave of reluctance and sadness surged within her chest, filling her eyes with tears. Her clear gaze became misty like the rainy day outside. Finally mustering her courage, she quickly chased after Xu Zhen and grasped her sleeve.
"Big liar... come back alive..." Her voice was barely above a whisper, tinged with shyness. Xu Zhen turned slightly and saw this young girl burying her head down, still softly repeating those words. A warmth spread through her heart; disregarding propriety, she reached out and gently patted Jinyang's head.
Jinyang closed her eyes lightly, immersed in the warmth of Xu Zhen's long and broad palm. The raindrops fell softly as if time had frozen; she thought about being brave for once—if this were a dream, she wished never to wake up.
However, that warmth soon left her hair and cheek without a word of farewell as that big liar walked into the curtain of rain.
Jinyang suddenly looked up, unsure if it was her vision blurring or if that person's figure was fading away. An impulse surged within her as she shouted towards the distant street: "Come back alive!"
That person seemed to sense something but did not turn back; instead, they waved goodbye nonchalantly with their back facing Jinyang. Once they turned around the corner of the street, however, they secretly wiped their face and muttered softly: "This annoying Autumn Rain!"
The injuries on his body had not yet healed. If it were not for Hou Bolu Duan Zan's secret instigation and Gao Zhensheng's coercion, how would the Xu Zhen willingly rush to the front lines again?
The Brothers calmed down and were reminded by Zhang Jiunian. They suddenly understood that they were disturbed by sorrow that night, growing increasingly resentful towards Gao Zhensheng and others, yet their loyalty to the Xu Zhen only deepened. They all knew that if they could not wholeheartedly follow the Xu Zhen, they would surely not survive this war.
In early October, dark clouds loomed overhead, the sky was low and autumn air was unpleasant. The Xu Zhen led six hundred light cavalry northward. After leaving Zhangye, she ordered the Brothers to don the military attire of the Tuguhun's Ah Chai, secretly reinforced with light leather armor underneath.
The Xu Zhen and the fourteen Brothers still wore Red Armor, along with Xue Dayi and Qin Guang, disguised as prisoners of war, escorted by heroes from the Yin Zong and Gao He Shu tribes, making their way towards Ganzhou City.
By noon, the dark clouds dispersed, sunlight shone brightly, humidity faded away, and a cool breeze blew gently. The scenery along the way was beautiful, showcasing both the northern landscapes and the fertile lands of Jiangnan, making one feel refreshed.
"People say one cannot see snow atop Qilian Mountains and mistakenly takes Ganzhou for Jiangnan; they do not deceive me!" The Xu Zhen sighed sincerely. Before her lay a vast plain; although it was nearly early winter, greenery was still visible. In the distance, a mountain range lay like a crouching dragon or a sleeping tiger, majestic and broad, expanding one's horizons.
Seeing that others had never witnessed such a magnificent sight, Xue Dayi pointed to the distant mountains with his whip and explained: "This is called Dragon Head Mountain. It is said that an ancient divine dragon once resided here and transformed. Stretching for hundreds of miles and covering a vast area, the mountain is rich in rare herbs and spiritual grasses, teeming with birds and beasts. To the south of the mountain lies a mineral vein abundant in mirabilite and silver; it is rumored there are Earth Immortal caves and blessed lands here—a truly extraordinary treasure mountain!"
The soldiers were amazed upon hearing this. They had been vigilant along the way for fear of encountering Barbarians; now they finally had a moment to relax and felt greatly relieved.
However, just as they began to ease their tension, Rouran scouts returned from ahead with reports of enemy activity—a small squad from the Tuguhun numbering about fifty men was spotted. They were holding prisoners and dragging several large carts filled with supplies, which seemed quite suspicious.
Upon hearing that Barbarians had appeared but only in a small group of fifty men, the Brothers' spirits ignited with vengeful fervor. Each one prepared their horses for battle, eager to wipe out this small squad!
The Xu Zhen furrowed her brow. She did not lament for those fifty Ah Chai; war was always brutal. In battle between two armies, even if soldiers were innocent, it was either you die or I die—not an empty debate but rather a bloody affair. Mercy towards enemies equated to cruelty towards oneself; she could no longer bear to watch her Brothers perish in vain.
Her concerns stemmed from fearing their disguise would be exposed. Moreover, even if they saved these prisoners, what would they do with them? If these prisoners fell back into enemy hands again, wouldn't their military secrets be completely revealed?
Having made up her mind, the Xu Zhen quickly instructed her Brothers to slow down and sent only one hundred men ahead to investigate. When they reached the scouts' hiding place, they saw a group of Ah Chai shouting in Turkic while occasionally whipping those prisoners. The carts they led left deep tracks in the ground, indicating they were heavily loaded.
Brothers were filled with rage, their eyes blazing with anger, while Xu Zhen remained as calm as a rock. He clenched his teeth, but inside he was unable to suppress the turmoil brewing within him.
He had intended to wait for the Ah Chai team to pass before ordering the Brothers to continue marching, but unexpectedly, the enemy forces ahead had stopped, seemingly taking a brief rest.
Among the prisoners were women, and the Ah Chai could no longer contain themselves. Seeing the team halt, they began to laugh wickedly, intent on committing unspeakable acts!
"Enough is enough! If we stand by and watch our compatriots suffer for the sake of strategy, what meaning is there in winning this battle?" Xu Zhen, who had no intention of killing, was thoroughly enraged by the actions of the Ah Chai. With a wave of his hand, over a hundred Brothers suddenly charged forward!
This small group of Ah Chai, unprepared and caught off guard, faced the furious Brothers of Xu Zhenbu. Dressed as Barbarians, they were completely unaware and even greeted them. The impact from Xu Zhen and his Brothers scattered their convoy, and another wave of attacks left only a few leaders lying half-dead on the ground, moaning in pain.
Seeing that the battle was resolved in an instant, the Brothers, feeling unsatisfied, noticed that some prisoners were trying to escape amidst the chaos and quickly recaptured them.
Without needing instruction from Xu Zhen, Gao He Shu and Yin Zong interrogated the few remaining leaders. It turned out that this group was actually logistical soldiers from Tuguhun Wang, imitating the Murong Clan to raid and plunder.
To execute their deceptive plan, they intended to impersonate remnants of the Murong Clan, fearing detection. Now disguised as a raiding party from the Ashina tribe made it even more convincing.
After being recaptured, the prisoners huddled together, mistaking Xu Zhen and his companions for infighting Ah Chai. It was said that tribes on the grasslands would turn against each other over a single sheep. Now that their forces had besieged Ganzhou for so long with dwindling supplies, conflicts among tribal soldiers were common. Given that Xu Zhen's team had changed their appearance, it was no wonder these prisoners were so terrified.
Initially intending to release these prisoners, Xu Zhen reconsidered to avoid raising suspicion. As he scanned the crowd, he noticed a middle-aged man among them who appeared calm and composed. He was quietly observing the Brothers of Xu Zhenbu, his eyes gleaming with intelligence.
Dismounting, Xu Zhen used his blade to lift the cover off a cart. Inside lay a layer of moisture-proof bulrush matting. Lifting it further revealed a layer of dry grass, all meticulously packed and protected. This surprised Xu Zhen, filling him with curiosity.
As he peeled back the layers like an onion, he discovered that what lay within was reddish-brown gravel—Cinnabar!
Startled, Xu Zhen ordered the Brothers to open all three or four carts completely. To his astonishment, they were filled entirely with alchemical materials such as Glauber's salt, cinnabar, gypsum, and sulfur!
Seeing this situation, Xu Zhen no longer held back. With a clear objective, she walked up to the middle-aged man and drew her sword, demanding, "Who are you?"
The middle-aged man slightly raised his head. His crown had long been lost, leaving only a casual hairstyle, and his three long whiskers gave him an air of elegance. Upon hearing Xu Zhen speak in Tang Language, he became even more certain of his suspicions, believing that Xu Zhen's followers were nothing but soft-hearted traitors who had allied with the Barbarians and were beneath his contempt to answer.
Zhou Cang could not stand the arrogance of the literati. Seeing the man remain silent, he quickly stepped forward to capture him, spitting as he cursed, "You dog slave! How dare you not answer my Lord's question? Do you believe I won't chop you into pieces?"
The middle-aged man merely sneered, while a young man beside him was filled with righteous indignation. He charged into Zhou Cang's arms and shouted, "What a bunch of shameless traitors! You have allied with the Barbarians and lost your moral compass, yet you still mistreat your fellow countrymen. We would rather die than give you even a single word!"
Zhou Cang saw that this young man was thin and frail yet was bold enough to confront him. He simply knocked him down to the ground, feeling both amused and exasperated.
Zhang Jiunian had already deduced the situation from the items on the carriage. Seeing Xu Zhen smile at the corner of her mouth, he became more certain of his guess and quietly asked, "My Lord, do you recognize this person?"
Xu Zhen smiled slightly and replied, "I do not know this person, but I am aware of the mastermind behind him!"
The middle-aged man felt a chill run through him upon seeing Xu Zhen smile, as if his secret had been exposed. Just as he was about to fabricate some excuse, he heard the sound of hooves thundering. Over four hundred Brothers from Brave Warriors Camp arrived behind Xu Zhen, all dressed in Barbarian attire and wielding curved blades.
Xue Dayi and Qin Guang led the group. The former saw the middle-aged man and hurriedly dismounted from his horse, approaching with respect and asking in surprise, "Is this not Li Langjun from the Grand Historian Bureau?"
Comment 0 Comment Count