Chapter 19: Trampling Serpents and Consuming Venoms

"If you can eat your fill of meat, why would a dog eat dung?"

Chen Tu narrowed his eyes, peering at Gu Liubai’s verdant gaze with a sinister smile. "Brother Fifteen, do you even consider yourself a Tang man?"

"And what, in your opinion, defines a Tang man?" Gu Liubai offered a cold smile. "What do you think made the Great Tang what it is?"

Chen Tu’s smile vanished, a rare occurrence. He replied chillingly, "Obviously, it was carved out with swords and blades."

"It was thanks to this."

Gu Liubai tapped his temple. Before Chen Tu could flare up, he continued calmly, "The Emperor of the Great Tang said, 'Since ancient times, all have valued the Middle Kingdom and despised the barbarians, but I alone love them as one.' It is because he possessed such a mind that the Great Tang could embrace all things and command the dignity of a great power. Because of that mind, he earned the title of Heavenly Khan, shaking the four corners of the world with his might."

"Do you think he could have conquered such vast territories relying only on the men he brought when he first raised his banner?" Gu Liubai glanced at Chen Tu and added, "Many of those fighting for the Great Tang now are the very 'barbarians' you speak of. According to the Emperor's vision, as long as these Turks observe the rites and laws of our Great Tang, they, too, can be seen as its subjects. By putting them to use here, the Great Tang can extend its reach to places it never could before."

Chen Tu stared directly into Gu Liubai’s eyes. "So, that is truly what you think?"

Gu Liubai nodded. "Furthermore, a person must possess the most fundamental sense of right and wrong: I am good to those who are good to me. These Turks have shown me honor and loyalty, so I show them the same."

Chen Tu narrowed his eyes and laughed. He seemed convinced.

However, Gu Liubai knew that for a brief moment, if Chen Tu had perceived his actions as detrimental to the Great Tang—as setting up a formidable enemy—he might well have finished him off right there. The reckless second son of the Xie family of the Chen Commandery cared only for his own interests and those of his clan; he wouldn't have batted an eye if he hollowed out the Great Tang.

But men like Chen Tu were different.

They appeared like leopards of the Tianshan Mountains, feeding by their own prowess, fierce and untamable, yet they possessed a profound sense of territory. When faced with something that would truly cause grave harm to the Great Tang, they might well sacrifice everything. Chang'an, though so far away, seemed to be rooted in their very hearts. They would not be content to die under the schemes of some great figure, but they would willingly die for the Great Tang they envisioned.

...

After leaving the warehouse where Cui Yunshen and the others were keeping a low profile, Gu Liubai discussed Xie Wan’s schemes in detail with Liu Muyu. After settling his own plans, he returned to the Spring Breeze Pavilion before the arrival of the Turkic Black Cavalry.

As if timed precisely, the moment Gu Liubai sat by the window in the pavilion, Chen Tu saw the old man he called Uncle Gui bring over a steaming bowl of sliced noodle soup.

"Uncle Gui, I am leaving soon."

When Gu Liubai spoke to the old man with visible reluctance, Chen Tu suddenly caught a whiff of something dangerous emanating from him.

The old man seemed perfectly ordinary in both appearance and dress, but as he nodded, Chen Tu felt an extraordinary aura radiating from his body.

"Your mother left something for you, telling me to give it to you only when you departed." The old man nodded. As he spoke, his very features seemed to sharpen in Chen Tu’s eyes—a quality of stillness, an unspoken warning: *do not provoke me.*

"I suspected as much," Gu Liubai said.

"If you need our help, send someone with a message," the old man replied.

"I will. But there is one thing I would like to ask you, Uncle Gui."

The old man, who had already turned to retrieve the items, paused and turned back slowly. "What is it?"

"After our group parts ways with the Turks and heads into the interior, our movements will be unpredictable. A clan descendant at Heron Grass Post has arranged a sword duel. It is to take place within the next ten days, starting in five. He wants this duel to be witnessed by many. Where do you think he would choose to hold it?"

"Based on what you say, perhaps in Peshawar."

"Peshawar?"

"Yes, the Sacrifice Festival in Peshawar. Heron Grass Post is closer to the Jade Gate Pass, but no one watches sword duels there. And if it involves the Jade Gate Pass, even if you reached it, you would find it difficult to enter."

"I had forgotten about the Sacrifice Festival."

"This year is a grand sacrificial year in Peshawar, and the imperial court is finalizing the transfer of a large number of warhorses there. The Emperor likely places great importance on it."

"Indeed. Even if the Emperor doesn't, the horse trade alone will draw many officials. Places like Dragon Head Ridge and Bitter Sand Camp will be bustling with livestock and fur trading. It is a chaotic mix, making it easier to slip into the interior."

"Most importantly, it is indeed easier to acquire a legitimate identity there. However, you naturally know that you cannot obtain identity papers there, as it is surely part of someone’s plan."

"I know that."

"Be careful. Even if you and your group hide like loaches in the mud, this person will find a way to flush you out and drive you to that place."

"Then I shall have to find a way to set up my own arrangements in Peshawar. At the very least, with the officials from the Court of Imperial Stud and the Ministry of War present, he won't be able to stir up too much trouble."

Listening to a conversation so brief yet dense with information, Chen Tu realized once more that the people at Mingbai Slope were not to be trifled with. Thinking of Liang Fengning and Guo Beixi of the Canglang Sword Sect who had perished here, he felt all the more that Mingbai Slope was a bizarre, eerie breeding ground for monsters—or else it could not have produced a freak like Gu Liubai.

The two hundred Black Cavalry of the Turks had blocked Mingbai Slope for nearly two hours before leaving with five captives.

Once the Turks were gone, the caravan led by He Fenglin departed immediately. However, the other caravans dared not move until they received confirmation from Gu Liubai that the Turks would no longer harass anyone leaving the area. Only then did the remaining caravans resume their business.

Though they had been caught in the middle of events they didn't understand, they had suffered little actual loss. Soon, almost every caravan sent gifts; even the poorest horse gangs brought dried meat cured until it was hard as stone. Chen Tu watched them and knew they were regretting not having curried favor with Gu Liubai sooner.

"It is not easy to reach your level in a hellhole like this. If you stayed here, every caravan passing through would likely worship you. Without your promise, they probably wouldn't sleep soundly on this trade route. If you could guarantee their safety, they might even build a temple for you. Why leave?"

He picked up a jade-colored glass cup, holding it against the midday sun, squinting as he looked at it. "Look at this glass cup they sent. Such a merchant house would likely not be so generous even when seeking favors in Chang'an."

"The wolves beneath the Kunlun Mountains must eat sheep, and the golden eagles of the Tianshan Mountains must eat rabbits. This is a law that even the Eternal Heaven cannot change. How could I possibly guarantee the safety of every fat sheep and rabbit on this road?"

"Then when exactly are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow after sunrise. By then, the snow will be frozen solid, making travel easier and leaving fewer tracks."

"Aren't you already planning to play along with their schemes, walking straight into their trap? Why worry about leaving tracks?"

"One cannot assume that because one has calculated the path, the opponent is to be underestimated. This person is playing a grand game; he is likely to test us repeatedly."

Chen Tu sighed. He used to believe that the smarter one was, the better—that a sharp mind made finding solutions easy. But after truly knowing Gu Liubai, he began to feel that being too smart was not a blessing. Always knowing the potential dangers was like having a sharp blade perpetually pressed against one's neck, with the constant feeling that one’s head could be severed at any moment.

He remained silent for a while before making up his mind. Looking at Gu Liubai, he said, "I really cannot say whether being in the same boat as a man like you is a blessing or a curse. But since you kept your word and protected us from the Turks, and since you’ve let us know that the Xie clan descendant at Heron Grass Post is targeting Yin Shiniang, the 'Yin Mountain Swarm' will also keep our word. We will share our bottom line with you."

Gu Liubai frowned deeply. "My situation is precarious."

Chen Tu narrowed his eyes. "What does Brother Fifteen mean?"

"Given your style, Brother Chen, now that I know some of your secrets, if I do something that displeases you in the future, you would certainly silence me, wouldn't you?" Gu Liubai smiled slightly.

Chen Tu’s laugh was stiff. "Not necessarily."

"Fine characters!"

With a cry of admiration, the middle-aged man who had appeared on the western mountain path earlier walked into the Spring Breeze Pavilion. The white-haired and white-bearded Old Man Hu followed him inside.

The snow on the outer wall of the Spring Breeze Pavilion had peeled away, revealing a line of characters that Gu Liubai had not been bluffing about: *Laughing at the Spring Breeze by the Wine Vat.*

They were indeed fine characters, powerful and vigorous; the ink seemed to have seeped into the rock as if it were paper. Many passing merchants must have recognized the quality, for it had clearly been brushed with a layer of transparent oil, making it glisten under the sunlight.

The middle-aged man carried a long sword with a snow-white hilt. He looked scholarly, yet his manner was bold and unconstrained. He adjusted his sword, sat down beside Chen Tu, and laughed as he looked at Gu Liubai. "There is a line that precedes this one: *The Hu girl is as beautiful as a flower.* I suspect the person who wrote this was talking about your mother, but perhaps he heard how formidable she was and only dared to write this line."

Gu Liubai did not answer. He turned his head and looked at Chen Tu with disdain. "It must have been you who asked him to inquire about my mother, right?"

Before Chen Tu could speak, the middle-aged swordsman laughed heartily. "Do not blame him, Brother Fifteen. We were merely curious what kind of woman could raise someone as formidable as you in a place like this."