Chapter Thirty-Three: Ten Thousand Riders Come from the River of Blood

The collapsed high platform had transformed into a colossal funeral pyre. Flames roared, casting a rolling heat wave that plunged all of Peshawar into a renewed, heavy silence.

A Great Swordsman had perished in this sea of fire. The brilliance of that sword light and the air of pride that had stood between heaven and earth seemed impossible to have been extinguished into eternity in a mere heartbeat.

"A thriving bonfire for a bountiful year! To offer a Great Swordsman as a sacrifice to the heavens, letting the glory shine upon all rivers and mountains! Who shall fear the coming year’s misfortunes!"

Suddenly, someone let out a shout.

Most of the officials from the Court of Imperial Stud and the Ministry of War present were those who had not fared well in Chang'an or other prefectures; otherwise, they would not have been assigned to such a grueling task. However, they were as shrewd as the two men from the Bureau of Historiography, and someone among them had a flash of wit. The man who had shouted covered his face and immediately squeezed into the crowd.

This had been a place for sacrificial rites, and the sudden death of a person here left many feeling deeply uneasy. The shout was meant to dispel the bad omen and ensure the subsequent proceedings would not be affected. Yet, no one knew if their superiors in Chang'an would approve or disapprove of such an outburst, so it was better not to court the limelight.

The other officials from the Court of Imperial Stud and the Ministry of War were also jolted into awareness. Those who knew of Feng Shuqing’s background felt a sense of melancholy. For the past twenty years, the Listening Tide Sword Academy, controlled by the Xie clan, had been utterly unremarkable. Who would have thought they had been cultivating a Great Swordsman like this?

"Should we restart the rituals?"

"Are you joking? Have you no sense of the situation!" A Ministry of War official barked at the person who had asked.

Even without that earlier shout, it would have been difficult to find enough timber in Peshawar to rebuild such a platform. While there was plenty of stone, wood had to be transported from outside.

The following proceedings continued, and the transfer of warhorses went surprisingly smoothly. The horses raised here this year were significantly sturdier than in previous years. The officials from the Court of Imperial Stud, who were sweating profusely as they inspected the steeds yet sighed in relief, occasionally caught Pei Yunqu’s eye, drawing a scornful sneer from her.

She didn't need to look to know there was nothing wrong with this year’s horses. Everyone knew the Emperor placed immense importance on the horse transfer here this year. While the local officials might not have understood the reason, unless they were foolish enough to want their heads chopped off, who would dare embezzle funds for raising horses in a year when the Emperor was watching? If they couldn't raise good horses in such a year, it would imply they were planning a rebellion.

Pei Yunqu had originally intended to do two things in Peshawar: first, to find some exotic curiosities in the local markets—it was said that many items from the Hu people were rarely seen in the shops of Chang'an. Second, to quietly investigate whether the frontier troops were becoming lax or in dire need of anything. The highest-ranking generals among the frontier troops were effectively half-members of the Pei family, and the family took special care of them and their subordinates.

However, after witnessing the duel between Yin Shiniang and Feng Shuqing last night, and seeing Gu Liubai and the Yin Mountain Swarm perform their "living person transformation" in broad daylight today, she suddenly lost interest in those tasks. Her mind was caught in a tangle over when she should go to see the Yin Mountain Swarm again.

Gu Liubai had not made any effort to hide his tracks; she could find him whenever she wanted. The issue was that she had told him she would visit when she was at leisure. If she were to go shortly after this spectacle, it would not seem to fit her status. Although she was indeed very free, she couldn't let it appear that way.

She hesitated for a long time before deciding to wait until after sunset. After all, that scoundrel had told her he would be staying for at least several more days.

"Either they can't get a travel permit at all, or they are just too short-sighted!"

Pei Yunqu did not know that Gu Liubai wanted to go to Chang'an. On the contrary, having Peng Qingshan mention the travel permit had been a test for Gu Liubai and his group. In her view, a desperate craving for a travel permit suggested they were definitely fugitives fleeing into the Great Tang, hoping to go far away. If they had no interest in the permit, it meant they still intended to wander outside the pass. If the latter were true, their horizons were too narrow, and the Xie clan would certainly not let them go.

Conversely, in the territory of the Great Tang, where multiple factions checked and balanced one another, these people would have an easier time surviving if they were under the protection of someone like her. The Great Tang’s control over the movement of people was extremely strict. To completely evade the eyes and ears of the Xie clan—even just to obtain a permit that allowed passage through a few nearby prefectures—she could not think of anyone else with such capability.

Travel permits had always been a measure of the governance of successive dynasties. The Great Tang’s permits were required to explicitly state household registration, as well as income and tax obligations. To obtain a permit that truly allowed for unobstructed passage required greasing the palms of many government offices. It was not an easy feat.

***

Before sunset, Peshawar had already descended into an atmosphere of revelry. The satisfaction of the officials from the Court of Imperial Stud and the Ministry of War signaled the satisfaction of the Great Tang’s Emperor. The officials might remain reserved, but the frontier people, who had gained tangible benefits and received their copper coins, had no concept of restraint.

As bonfires were lit one by one, the cold air was pushed away. Long-suppressed emotions were released, and before the lanterns on the city walls were lit, many drunkards were already dancing in circles, clapping their hands in the streets.

Pei Yunqu, who had suppressed her emotions for most of the day, finally couldn't resist heading out. She wore Hu-style clothing—men’s attire. However, the curves of her chest and her slender waist meant no one would mistake her for a handsome young gentleman.

Those guarding the granaries were of the same ilk as Xu Tuibei. There was no profit to be made, yet the responsibilities were heavy—even if mice ate too much grain, they would likely be whipped by their superiors. The only upside was that there was usually nothing to do.

When Pei Yunqu arrived, Xu Tuibei and a few frontier soldiers guarding the granary were roasting rat meat around a bonfire with Gu Liubai. As soon as Li Xizhi, who was clearing the way, appeared, the soldiers wisely withdrew, leaving only Gu Liubai and Xu Tuibei by the fire.

"Where is the Great Swordsman?" Pei Yunqu sat down unceremoniously on a stone block next to Gu Liubai. She still did not know Yin Shiniang’s real name, but in her view, there was only one true Great Swordsman in this city.

"The performance today took a lot out of her; she needs to rest," Gu Liubai said, his eyes sparkling with wisdom. In truth, Yin Shiniang was perfectly fine, but he felt it necessary to keep Pei Yunqu’s interest piqued. If a Great Swordsman could be seen whenever one pleased, she wouldn't be worth much.

"And what of that blood on her front and back? Was she really stabbed?"

"We just prepared two pig bladders filled with blood. It’s a pity about her clothes, though."

"You didn't plan this beforehand, yet she and Feng Shuqing performed so well."

"At their level, once their sword lights crossed, they knew exactly where the other’s blade would lead."

Pei Yunqu suddenly thought of a possibility and, frowning slightly, stared at Gu Liubai. "How is your swordsmanship?"

"I know the basics," Gu Liubai replied. "I studied for two or three years, but then the man who taught me died of illness, and I had nowhere else to learn."

Pei Yunqu had specifically looked into this gravedigger from Mingbai Slope, and she already knew that Guo Beixi had died there. Hearing Gu Liubai say this, she found it plausible; even if Guo Beixi was truly formidable, he would have needed enough time to polish a disciple. She herself had studied swordsmanship for nearly ten years, and she wasn't even as good as Li Xizhi and his lot—and those scoundrels weren't even fit to carry a Great Swordsman’s shoes. So, how much could this "Gu Fifteen" really amount to?

Her gaze shifted to Xu Tuibei, who was silently eating and drinking. Seeing that he showed no fear of her, Pei Yunqu let out a cold snort. "Starting a fire in the granary is punishable by military flogging."

Xu Tuibei chuckled. "I know."

Pei Yunqu was further displeased. "You know, and you still dare?"

Xu Tuibei said, "I am the one in charge of inspecting fires in the granary."

Pei Yunqu sneered, "A crime upon a crime. You’ll be whipped to death."

Xu Tuibei smiled. "No one is starting a fire on purpose; I simply saw these men diligently performing their duties, burning smoke at night to drive away the rats and eradicate the infestation."

Pei Yunqu felt her anger rising and was about to lash out, but Xu Tuibei used a small knife to pick up a piece of roasted rat meat and held it out to her. "Want some?"

Seeing the teasing look in Xu Tuibei’s eyes, she felt a sudden surge of defiance. *Do you think I don't dare eat it?* She sneered, took it, and began to chew.

Xu Tuibei shot a subtle glance at Gu Liubai, thinking, *He really is a good judge of character; this crazy girl is all about defiance.*

Pei Yunqu didn't act coy. To her, this rat meat was no different from rabbit meat, though the cooking skills of these men were truly nothing to brag about. After finishing the piece, she lost her appetite. She looked at Xu Tuibei and asked, "Xu Tuibei, are you really not interested in that female corpse?"

"?" Xu Tuibei was slightly bewildered by this.

Two officials from the Bureau of Historiography had been blocked outside the granary. Stargazing had not yet officially begun for the night, and they simply felt that when they weren't stargazing, it was safest to follow Pei Yunqu. Tonight, there were too many bonfires in Peshawar, illuminating the sky, so they would have to wait until later to get a clear view of the stars.

However, at that very moment, the expressions of the two officials changed in horror. They looked toward the western sky outside the city, where the horizon was a deep, blood-red!

Every star that had just appeared in that region looked as if it were being bathed in a river of blood. The warning bells on the western gate tower sounded first, followed by alarms from all the city walls. Cries of shock erupted!

"What is happening?"

As Pei Yunqu stood up in the granary, Li Xizhi had already appeared on a nearby arrow tower. He looked toward the west and saw countless flickering lights converging into a river, winding along the ground. The sky was being illuminated by the firelight below.

"An enemy attack?"

His entire body felt as if it had been plunged into an ice cellar. The firelight covered that stretch of land; there were far more than twenty thousand of them!

The ground soon began to vibrate, and even the arrow tower started to tremble.