Chapter 97: The First Trial of the Bull’s Blade
The southern Zhou region was still basking under a blazing sun. The morning air was slightly chilly, but a little movement soon brought warmth.
“Begin the drill!”
Fifty horsemen at the foot of the mountain spurred their steeds into a swift gallop.
“Archers!”
Lei Biao shouted fiercely.
Upon receiving news that Yang Xuan was appointed to serve in the northern borderlands, Yang Lue had dispatched Nan He to assist him. Lei Biao was his new deputy.
These young riders were skilled with bow and horse. Rows of them charged forward, slicing the stacks of hay into shreds with their horizontal blades.
Lei Biao turned around. “General.”
Yang Lue nodded. “Have the brothers train as well.”
More than twenty guards began their drills.
Lei Biao looked ahead with a hint of longing. “I wonder how Lord Yang is faring over there.”
“Chenzhou is a perilous place. The officials there are all disgruntled men. If things are mishandled, they will rise up en masse. But I am not worried about that.”
“Why not?”
Yang Lue said, “Lord Yang is destined for great things. For now, he must endure the hardships quietly. Once his great achievements are established, what grievances can’t be avenged? What concerns me are the barbarians.”
“Our brothers have gathered intelligence. The puppet emperor is becoming increasingly feeble-minded. He even allows the borderlands to recruit soldiers independently. Well, that’s tolerable. But he also decreed that taxes collected on the frontier must be sent all the way back to Chang’an and then redistributed, rather than being collected locally to support the troops.”
Lei Biao shook his head.
Yang Lue sneered coldly. “That puppet emperor, once ruthless and decisive in war, has become overly cruel and underhanded, lacking dignity and honor.”
Mention of the puppet emperor stirred a murderous intent in Yang Lue’s eyes. “Lord Yang has relocated. The hawks and falcons must find new routes. The brothers in charge will have to work harder and make multiple trips.”
Lei Biao nodded. “Understood.”
A rider came galloping from the village.
“General, the local authorities have come to collect taxes.”
Yang Lue smiled faintly, gazing northward. “Nan He, when will you arrive?”
...
Nan He was currently en route to the northern borderlands.
On the day the hawk messenger arrived from Chang’an, Yang Lue had ordered him to depart immediately to assist Lord Yang.
He had bypassed Chang’an and was heading toward Chenzhou.
After passing through several mountain passes, the terrain finally flattened out.
Leaves had begun to fall, drifting everywhere.
Yellow, red... a riot of colors.
Such a scene would surely inspire poets to craft melancholic verses, but Nan He’s thoughts turned to the clash of swords and horses.
The official roads flanked by farmland were now deserted, with only some stakes remaining. A few old oxen grazed leisurely, searching for food. A bird perched in the fields, slowly pacing and occasionally pecking at the ground.
In the distance, a faint mist blurred a village’s outline.
The sound of horses’ hooves clattered ahead.
Nan He raised his bamboo hat slightly.
His appearance was entirely unremarkable — the kind that would vanish unnoticed in a crowd.
Three riders emerged from the thin fog.
Upon seeing Nan He, one shouted, “Local patrol! Halt!”
The three riders, each armed with a horizontal blade, split and encircled him from both sides.
Nan He reined in, hands raised before him to show he meant no harm.
“Dismount!” the man opposite drew his sword and barked.
Nan He was puzzled. “I am merely a traveler. This is not a checkpoint.”
The man’s face darkened. “A villain recently escaped from here. We have orders to inspect all passing travelers. Dismount!”
Nan He smiled bitterly. “I am a stranger here...”
The three riders closed in slowly, their blades pointed at him.
Nan He dismounted.
The man on the left commanded, “Turn around.”
Nan He obeyed, facing left.
The man behind raised his sword. The one in the middle grinned smugly and reached to grab the reins of Nan He’s horse.
Clang!
A blade suddenly flashed from its sheath.
“Careful!”
“Despicable slave dog, he was prepared! Ah!”
“Spare me!”
“Please, I have an aged mother and young children at home. Have mercy...”
Three men lay sprawled on the ground; two were dead, the third had a gaping wound in his chest and abdomen exposing his entrails, still barely alive.
Nan He slowly sheathed his blade and looked down at the dying man. “Even if local authorities want to stop travelers for inspection, it would be led by petty officials. When did villagers start intercepting travelers? Only in times of chaos.”
The man gasped for breath.
Nan He raised his foot and pressed down on his throat, frowning. “I’ll have to find another route. What a bother!”
Several days later, Nan He arrived at a checkpoint.
Several soldiers were lounging about. One called out, “Dismount.”
Nan He obeyed, leading his horse forward.
“Pass,” a soldier said lazily, extending a hand.
If he had attacked, he could have wiped them out in three breaths... Nan He analyzed the situation instinctively, then produced his pass and handed it over.
The soldier glanced down. “Former military? Off to Chenzhou to enlist... brave man.”
The other soldiers, still lounging, looked at him with newfound respect.
The soldier returned the pass. “Chenzhou is a mess. Horse thieves and barbarians frequently raid. It’s easy to win merit, but be careful... Brother, safe travels.”
Nan He nodded, mounted, and looked at them closely. He cupped his hands respectfully. “In these times, every profession carries risks.”
...
At dawn, Yang Xuan climbed atop the city wall, facing the Second Sister Mountain to the right. A beacon tower stood there, manned by soldiers. This was how the city could respond promptly to horse thief attacks.
Yang Xuan stood on the ramparts. Beside him, Cao Ying said, “Lord Yang, shall we deal with Jiang Zhen? If you command, I can find a pretext to ensure he dies without a burial.”
The old fox stretched lazily. “How can you punish him if he commits no fault?”
Cao Ying replied calmly, “Many faults are not his own doing.”
When seeking to impose guilt, one never lacks a pretext.
“That treacherous villain!” Zhuque muttered.
Yang Xuan shook his head. “Leave him be.”
“Leave him?” Cao Ying was taken aback.
“If we get rid of Jiang Zhen, another Ma Zhen will appear. Better to keep him.” Yang Xuan considered the undercover agent.
He turned and said, “Use his schemes against him.”
“An undercover agent? Ha ha ha! I just want to be a good man,” Zhuque laughed wildly.
Later, back at the county office:
“We pay respects to the magistrate.”
Three clerks bowed.
Yang Xuan nodded, looking at Jiang Zhen. “You must feel unsettled in this new place. If you encounter difficulties, speak up. I will handle them appropriately.”
Jiang Zhen was startled, then bowed. “Thank you, Magistrate.”
Back in the guard room, Jiang Zhen smiled, somewhat proud.
Wailing horns sounded bleakly.
Yang Xuan dashed out. Qian Mo was already on duty. “Magistrate, the beacon tower is signaling.”
Yang Xuan looked up and saw smoke rising from the Second Sister Mountain.
The beacon system: smoke by day, fire by night.
“Send the Death Squad to the ramparts,” Yang Xuan ordered.
“Yes!” Qian Mo responded, then grimly told his men, “Those despicable slave dogs are vicious scoundrels. Does the magistrate think a little training will turn them into docile lambs?”
“Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!”
The steady sound of footsteps came from behind.
Without turning, Qian Mo instructed, “Protect the magistrate carefully. Do not let him risk himself this time, or we will lose all dignity as warriors.”
His subordinate smiled wryly. “But the magistrate is quite skilled.”
Seemingly even more so than I... Qian Mo was speechless. After a pause, he said, “You...”
Pitter-patter! The footsteps quickened, coming alongside.
Qian Mo slowly turned.
Rows of prisoners bearing long spears and horizontal blades at their waists marched in orderly formation.
Pitter-patter!
The prisoners jogged past Qian Mo without diverting their gaze.
His cheeks twitched. “Are these the prisoners?”
His men were stunned too. “Why do they seem so imposing?”
“Quick!” shouted Diao She from behind.
Villagers had all stepped outside their homes, watching the five hundred prisoners march by.
“Woof! Woof!...” A dog barked wildly but upon seeing the formation, let out a mournful howl.
Yang Xuan and the others had reached the ramparts. Hearing the footsteps, they turned to look.
Pitter-patter!
The five hundred prisoners arrived beneath the walls.
Diao She raised his battle axe. “Reporting to the magistrate: the Death Squad has assembled. Awaiting your orders.”
Yang Xuan nodded. “Up to the ramparts.”
Diao She called out loudly, “To the ramparts!”
Cao Ying watched the prisoners ascend in orderly ranks, momentarily lost in thought. “I feel... a solemn aura.”
The old fox sniffed. “No, it’s reverence.”
Old Wang muttered, “No, it’s just meat.”
Smack!
The old fox slapped him. “Stop being so crude. Protect Lord Yang later.”
Old Wang nodded and returned the slap.
Bang!
The old fox’s face paled as he bent over coughing violently.
Old Wang looked at his hand. “I didn’t hold back.”
Smoke still rose from the Second Sister Mountain.
In the distance, many dark figures flickered.
Deng Hu’s body moved rhythmically atop his horse. He looked back at the more than four hundred horsemen behind him, feeling triumphant.
He turned again to glance at Zhuang Sheng, his eyes darkening.
“Stop!”
At a hundred paces from Taiping City, Deng Hu ordered a halt.
Someone approached from the left — no need to see to know it was Zhuang Sheng.
A cold voice said, “After our last defeat, the brothers’ spirits scattered. Fortunately, we’ve gathered some of the disorganized horse thieves. Brother, do you have confidence in today’s battle?”
Deng Hu narrowed his eyes. “Of course.”
This battle was not his decision alone; Zhuang Sheng had also insisted on revenge. Yet now, Zhuang Sheng made it seem as if it were Deng Hu’s sole idea.
If they won, Zhuang Sheng could loudly claim he was right to seek revenge.
If they lost, he could say Deng Hu acted rashly.
A schemer!
Deng Hu pointed at the city wall. “Send one man to say Yeye wants to meet the young county magistrate.”
Zhuang Sheng smiled. “He surely won’t leave the city.”
Deng Hu said coldly, “I want him to be afraid to leave.”
Zhuang Sheng was taken aback. Someone said, “If the city’s morale falls, brother, you’ve made a good move.”
A rider stepped forward, shouting, “My brother requests the magistrate to leave the city for a meeting.”
On the ramparts, Qian Mo sneered. “He’s dreaming!”
Zhen Siwen cursed, “Despicable slave dogs, such lowly horse thieves only deserve to be scolded by Yeye!”
Silence fell like death.
Zhen Siwen looked around slowly.
Cao Ying looked on with satisfaction.
Hu Zhang bowed respectfully.
Jiang Zhen glanced at him anxiously.
Well then...
Just as Zhen Siwen was about to speak, Yang Xuan came over and patted his shoulder. “You have courage. Since that’s the case, go meet the bandit chief and test his intentions. Remember, don’t stray far from the city.”
Zhen Siwen: “...”
His legs felt weak.
Yet he still replied calmly, “Understood.”
Turning away, he took a deep breath and whispered, “Siwen, you can do this. You must!”
At the city gate, he rubbed his face, trembling slightly.
The gate opened.
Zhen Siwen rode out.
On the ramparts, Yang Xuan raised his hand. “Archers.”