The moon over Longxi had cleared, casting a faint, desolate glow over the rugged mountain passes and undulating peaks. Amid the white-stemmed tall grass, the sound of panting voices and the low whinnying of horses mingled with the steaming heat of sweat and the muffled sobs of an old woman.
Li Yuangui sat on a rock at the mouth of the valley, stewing in frustration.
Despite bearing the prestigious titles of Imperial Envoy and Imperial Younger Brother, it seemed no one in the entire Qinzhou region took him seriously. Every arrangement and plan had been fraught with obstacles and delays, always a step too late. The consequence was... over twenty riders now galloping desperately under the moonlight, hoping against hope to make up for lost time and secure the last pass, striving to avert disaster.
Zhang Shigui—praised in the capital for his steady and dutiful nature—had turned out to be laughably narrow-minded. After their brief meeting at the ruins of Chengji, both had returned to Qinzhou, but from then on, Deputy Commander Zhang, claiming to be too busy, refused to meet with Prince Wu again. Even when Li Yuangui sent messengers with reports or letters, there was no response. Was he afraid Li Yuangui would pester him for manpower?
Kang Su-mi, too, was preoccupied day and night with his own business. When Li Yuangui told him he had seen Sang Sai at the Chengji ruins, Kang seemed utterly indifferent. As for Li Yuangui’s request to "mobilize strong men from the merchant caravan to help intercept the prisoners," Kang initially refused outright, citing other pressing matters. But just as Li Yuangui was about to set off with his own guards and servants, Kang suddenly declared he would join the mission to earn merit... Was there no consistency in him?
The addition of seven or eight Hu merchants delayed their departure by a full hour. Then came Yang Xinzhi, whose sluggish, indecisive actions forced the twenty-odd men to wait outside Qinzhou for another hour.
All he had to do was lead a team to a nearby village and find a local guide—how hard could that be? Li Yuangui’s patience had worn so thin he was ready to spur his horse and leave, inwardly vowing to whip Yang Rou-ta soundly upon their return. Finally, the towering guard emerged from the village with their guide—a frail old woman, who explained that the village men had all fled at the sight of the soldiers.
Delay upon delay. By the time Li Yuangui and his small band of riders raced to the outskirts of the Chengji ruins, it was too late.
As they crested the final ridge, a chaotic battle unfolded before them: in the ink-black night, scattered torches flickered, illuminating cries of panic and billowing dust. Inside and outside the crumbling walls, the clang of weapons and the neighing of horses filled the air. It was clear—the hundred or so prisoners held within the ruins had broken free and were making for the herds of horses grazing by the riverbank, while the undermanned guard force struggled in vain to stop them.
Li Yuangui had anticipated this. Ever since learning that Zhang Shigui planned to escort both the prisoners and the tribute horses to Chang’an, unease had gnawed at him. The Tuyuhun people had roamed with their herds for generations; even their royal women, children, and infirm were skilled riders. Handing them a large herd of their own prized horses, with guards too few to restrain them—wasn’t that practically inviting them to "seize the horses and flee"?
If the prisoners themselves had been too demoralized by their defeat to consider escape, Sang Sai—that little monkey—had slipped in from the outside, roused his father and aunt, and orchestrated the breakout. With such planning and support, how could they fail?Zhang Shigui had ordered a herd of fine horses to be driven to the river bend at Xianqinchuan outside Chengji City two days prior, attracted by the lush grass and proximity to the prisoner camp. After fattening them up for a few days, they were scheduled to depart together tomorrow. Upon learning this, Li Yuangui surmised that the prisoners would riot tonight to seize the horses and escape.
He had originally intended to lead a fresh force of over twenty men to Chengji City before sunset to reinforce the guards in strict surveillance and suppression. However, they set out two hours late and only arrived in time to witness the chaotic melee between the prisoners and guards—a nighttime battle at that.
"Fourteenth Young Master, what should we do?" Yang Xinzhi fretted atop his horse, wringing his hands and stamping his feet. "Let's charge down and help them now!"
If only you'd hurried a bit more in the village outside the city earlier... Li Yuangui had no time to scold him. He merely raised his whip and barked, "Hold! Don't rush blindly! Can you even tell friend from foe in this mess?"
The prisoner camp guards were all sturdy young men in black military uniforms, easily distinguishable from the Tuyuhun captives during the day. But in the pitch-black night, amid a high-speed cavalry charge, who could tell them apart at a glance? Moreover, among those prisoners were several key enemy figures meant to be presented at the upcoming prisoner exhibition in Chang'an—they were best not killed unless absolutely necessary. If their twenty-some horsemen charged in recklessly, the resulting chaos and trampling would be tantamount to indiscriminate slaughter.
Kang Su-mi, also on horseback beside him, had no better ideas. Muttering curses like "turtle spawn," he lamented the fine horses now caught in the fray, grumbling, "The An family of Wuwei's fortune is going up in smoke—those who seize what isn't theirs will pay." Li Yuangui ignored him, pausing briefly in thought before decisively turning his horse and ordering the old woman guide Yang Xinzhi had found to "lead the way."
His decision to seek a guide when passing through the village outside the prefectural city was precisely to prepare for such a situation. On the way, he had only asked the old woman one question:
"The nearest nomadic tribe is the Bailan Qiang, right? How do we get to their pastures from Chengji?"
The elite cavalry of Longshang were renowned across the land, and horseback riding was second nature to the locals. Li Yuangui's group had brought spare horses, and after giving one to the old woman, they followed her along the mountain paths. The twenty-some riders soon diverted from Chengji's outskirts to this mountain pass. According to the old woman, nine out of ten times, the Bailan Qiang came down this very route during their autumn raids.
The terrain here was ideal for an ambush, perfectly positioned to choke off the Tuyuhun prisoners' escape route. Li Yuangui surveyed the area and signaled his men to dismount, take cover, and prepare their bows, arrows, rocks, and torches. Kang Su-mi made no move to contest his battlefield command—the old Hu merchant merely followed with a bemused smile, his rotund belly in tow, though his intentions remained unclear.
Once everything was settled, the old woman guide, seated close to Li Yuangui, began sobbing again. Yang Xinzhi whispered comforting words nearby: "You'll be home by tomorrow morning, we promised you a string of cash and won't go back on it—that'll buy plenty of grain and cloth, so your grandson won't go hungry." He added, "The Western Sea campaign is already over—your two sons will return soon, and the family will be reunited. What's there to cry about?" and "The Tuyuhun have been subdued—there won't be any more bandits burning and killing for decades. Just live in peace from now on." The old woman nodded silently but couldn't stifle her quiet weeping.
Li Yuangui, irritated by the noise, finally snapped with a glare: "Quiet! One more sound and I'll whip you!"The surrounding voices immediately fell silent. The old woman and Yang Xinzhi both quieted down, leaving only the howling night wind and the chirping of insects in the tall grass.
Li Yuangui felt a twinge of guilt and glanced sideways in their direction. In the moonlight, he saw Yang Xinzhi grinning soundlessly and giving him a thumbs-up in approval.
Such a burly man, yet his actions and words were as fussy as an old woman's—and he didn't even feel ashamed of it... Li Yuangui was inwardly cursing when he suddenly felt the ground tremble faintly beneath his feet. The trembling grew stronger after a moment.
The herd of fine horses, originally destined as tribute to the capital, was galloping toward them.
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