Chapter 108: The Lair of the Heavenly Wolf

After the banquet at the governor’s residence, the generals dispersed.

As Le Yi and Qin Cheng walked back, Le Yi asked, “You told the general everything?”

Qin Cheng knew he was asking about how to fund the iron cavalry. “I said what needed to be said. Naturally, I left out what should not be said.”

Le Yi nodded silently. What Qin Cheng considered unspeakable was, of course, the matter of the merchant association. What he had deemed necessary to say was nothing more than the plan to repay the Xiongnu in their own coin.

After they returned, Qin Cheng shut himself in his room and did not emerge for the entire day. Le Yi and Qin Yue naturally did not wish to disturb him. Qin Yue only knew that, as Commandant of the Gilded Cavalry, Qin Cheng must now be carrying an exceedingly heavy burden, with many matters requiring quiet thought. Le Yi, however, knew that what troubled Qin Cheng at this moment was most likely the merchant association.

Neither Le Yi nor Qin Yue could possibly have known what sort of struggle was taking place in Qin Cheng’s mind and spirit. He was a man who had crossed over from a later age, and the conflict within him was one they could never have imagined.

With Qin Cheng locked away in his room, only Qin Yue and Le Yi remained outside. Though both were somewhat worried about him, at least they now had some time alone together.

The following day, Qin Cheng and Le Yi found suitable courtyards in Qiansang City and each purchased one. Both residences were very close to Qin Yue’s home, making it convenient for them to visit and look after one another. Qin Cheng and Le Yi did not have much ready cash on hand, however, and half the expense of purchasing the courtyards came from Nangong Shang.

When his new residence was completed, Qin Cheng wrote a plaque for it in neat regular script. Unlike Le Yi’s vulgar to the extreme “Le Manor,” Qin Cheng’s temporary dwelling bore a name of considerable poetic resonance.

Heavenly Wolf Lodge.

Qin Cheng stood before his gate, gazing at the three words on the plaque, and remained silent for a long while.

“Looking northwest, I draw my bow against the Heavenly Wolf.”

Others might not understand the meaning of those words. Even those who did would probably say only that Qin Cheng harbored lofty ambitions to serve his country. Only Qin Cheng himself knew how complicated the emotions had been behind giving his residence such a name.

When he had first arrived in this era, perhaps he might have chosen those words in order to win fame and leave a favorable impression in Li Guang’s heart. But after experiencing so much in this age, Qin Cheng’s state of mind had gradually grown calmer. He was no longer as obsessed as before with doing everything possible merely to establish himself and climb higher.

An excessive hunger for fame and fortune often made a person lose himself. Qin Cheng thought this to himself.

So long as he could live comfortably in this era, and so long as he could still accomplish something worthwhile for it, Qin Cheng now felt that it was enough.

After being reborn once more, he had arrived in this age filled with hostility and resentment. Now, that bitterness seemed to be slowly fading.

He thought: Is life not simply a matter of experience? Why make it so exhausting for oneself, burdening one’s shoulders with so many chains?

…

Not long after Qin Cheng returned to the military camp, a sudden imperial edict from Emperor Wu arrived before him.

At this time, the court had not yet issued its decrees concerning the camp’s specific rewards, the assessment of merit, or the granting of titles. Judging by the calendar, it was indeed still somewhat early.

This edict from Emperor Wu concerned Qin Cheng alone, and its meaning was simple: Qin Cheng was to proceed to Chang’an at once.

Qin Cheng was the only one summoned. Even Li Guang was not ordered to accompany him.

When he received the edict, Qin Cheng laughed inwardly. So Emperor Wu was finally willing to summon him?

In truth, it made perfect sense. Qin Cheng’s previous achievements, including the slaying of the Xiongnu Left Gudu Marquis, were certainly considerable, but they were still nothing beyond the ordinary affairs of a frontier army. Although Emperor Wu intended to promote younger officers and forge a vigorous new army, after hearing Wei Qing’s report he had merely appointed Qin Cheng as Commandant of the Gilded Cavalry and let the matter rest. Ultimately, Qin Cheng’s standing had not yet been weighty enough to warrant a personal summons.

But this time, the unprecedented Han achievement of raiding deep into the desert was more than sufficient.

After all, the desert raid held tremendous significance for both the Han army of the present and the empire’s future strategy against the Xiongnu.

The edict had been sent by a six-hundred-li emergency relay, but according to its instructions, Qin Cheng need only set out the day after receiving it.

There was no need to bring his personal guard. Qin Cheng summoned Qin Qingzhi, took two guards with him, and hurried toward Chang’an. He entrusted the affairs of the cavalry division to Liu Mu, who had previously been deputy commandant in name only. With Li Guang holding the camp and Ji Zhu and the others assisting him, Qin Cheng had nothing to worry about.

When Li Guang saw Qin Cheng off at the camp, he patted him on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

“I knew from the beginning that you were no creature of a shallow pond. One day, you were bound to render extraordinary service to the Han. Now that His Majesty has summoned you, you must conduct yourself well. This is not only for the sake of displaying your talents in the future and serving His Majesty faithfully; you must also avoid bringing disgrace upon the camp of Shanggu Commandery. Your journey today represents the entire Shanggu army!”

“Rest assured, General. I shall do everything in my power.”

Qin Cheng clasped his fist toward Li Guang and gave him a solemn, perfectly executed military salute. Then he mounted his horse and rode away with Qin Qingzhi and the others.

Qin Cheng did not look back, but in his heart he silently said: General, thank you.

Born into the Han in this life, Qin Cheng would never have achieved what he had without the good fortune of serving under Li Guang and earning his recognition and guidance. Without Li Guang’s wholehearted support, what good would Qin Cheng’s unparalleled talent have done him? If he had been met with jealousy and obstruction, let alone becoming a mere squad leader, Qin Cheng might already have met a violent death.

To the worthy men of the world, no favor was greater than being recognized by one who understood their worth; no bond was deeper than one for which men would willingly die together.

As for Li Guang, he had chosen to support and cultivate Qin Cheng because he had recognized the makings of a great general in him. His purpose was simple as well: to create another great commander for the Han, so that the Xiongnu might be destroyed and the frontier menace eliminated as soon as possible.

The morning sun was red as blood, and the annals of history sang like a hymn.

This was an age of heroes.

…

Looking-North Pavilion was not merely a pavilion. In truth, it was not even a proper pavilion; more accurately, it was a roadside wine stall.

It stood beside the official road from Shanggu to Zhu Commandery. Travelers who departed Qiansang City in the morning usually reached the commandery seat around noon. After half a day on the road, most were happy to rest their feet there, eat a few simple dishes, drink several bowls of wine or tea, and then continue on their way.

The proprietor of Looking-North Pavilion, Bai Dabei, was a middle-aged man of around forty. His family had never possessed much money, yet he himself was remarkably well-fed and plump. In his early years, he had borrowed money from relatives and friends to open the wine stall there. At the time, his neighbors had mocked him as a fool. Opening a wine stall in such a desolate place, they said, was nothing but an invitation to ruin.

The events of the following years had delivered a powerful slap to those who had laughed at him. Bai Dabei could not claim to be worth tens of thousands in gold, but he had at least become the wealthiest man in the entire village.

It was nearly noon that day when Bai Dabei finally set up his stall. He had no choice. The northern wind was biting, and the cold was severe; if he opened too early, no one would come. After half a day of work, he and two young helpers finished assembling the stall. Bai Dabei carried out the brazier, lit the fire inside, and called the other workers over to warm themselves.

“It’s truly cold today,” one of the helpers exclaimed as he held his hands over the flames. “The wind isn’t even strong, yet it freezes straight through you. What strange weather!”

Bai Dabei tightened his padded coat and smiled. “It’s only cold before the sun comes out. Once it rises, it’ll warm up. Dogsheng, when your hands are warm, go heat the wine. I reckon customers will be here soon.”

“Right away!”

Dogsheng answered, waved his hands over the flames a few times, then rose to warm the wine.

Just then, the sun poked its head out from behind the clouds.

Before long, a hurried clatter of hooves came from the official road. Hearing it, Bai Dabei stood up and laughed.

“Excellent! Customers are coming. Everyone, get ready!”

With a broad smile on his face, he walked outside the stall.

Two riders came galloping from the distance. In a moment, they had dismounted before the stall. They were two handsome young men, both fair-faced and bright-toothed, dressed in well-fitted brocade that outlined their pleasing figures.

Bai Dabei narrowed his eyes slightly. After seeing so many people over the years, he had developed a certain sharpness of vision. Though the two before him were dressed as men, they were almost certainly women. Yet the long, rectangular objects wrapped in silk cloth that they carried made his smile somewhat more cautious.

There were plenty of wandering swordsmen in the world these days. Such people often had poor tempers. Though they all claimed to champion the weak and punish the strong, no one could say what might happen if they were angered. Bai Dabei could tell that the objects in their hands were actually swords or other weapons. How could he afford to be careless?

“Honored guests, come in and warm yourselves by the fire. The wind is strong outside. What would you like to eat?” Bai Dabei said with a smile as he ushered them inside.

“Bring us several of your best small dishes, with little meat if possible. And a pot of wine,” said the more cheerful-looking of the two women as they followed Bai Dabei in and took their seats. She held her reddened hands over the brazier.

“Of course, of course. It will be ready at once. Please wait a moment.”

Bai Dabei bowed and answered agreeably. As he turned away, he could not help sighing inwardly. These two ladies were remarkably beautiful. They looked this good even in men’s clothing; he could scarcely imagine how many men they would have bewitched in women’s dress.

At that thought, Bai Dabei shook his head. Then he remembered his own wife, whose looks were ordinary but whose disposition was exceptionally kind, and a smile involuntarily touched the corners of his mouth.

Before long, the small dishes were served. Bai Dabei personally brought the wine to the two women and said with a smile, “Please enjoy your meal,” before retreating.

Just then, another burst of hoofbeats sounded along the official road. This time, the noise was even louder than that made by the two women. Bai Dabei knew that a substantial party was coming and immediately went out to greet them.

Four riders were approaching. At first glance, Bai Dabei praised them inwardly.

What splendid horses!

All four men wore brocade garments, though their clothing was otherwise unremarkable. But the moment Bai Dabei saw the gleaming long sabers at their waists, he understood. These men were soldiers.

Sure enough, when Bai Dabei came out to meet them, one of the two leading riders respectfully asked the other, “General, shall we stop here for a rest?”

General?

At that form of address, Bai Dabei’s slightly plump body trembled, and his spirits instantly rose several notches. It was not for any other reason than the fact that the general before him was truly very young.

A man promoted to general at such a young age generally possessed an extraordinary family background. And young heirs from powerful aristocratic families were often unbearably arrogant. Bai Dabei knew that if he mishandled such a grand person, the entire stall might be torn apart, and he would have nowhere to seek justice.

“We have been hurrying along for half a day,” the young general said after dismounting. “It is rare to find an establishment like this on the road. Let us rest here for a while, eat a hot meal, and then continue.”

He even clasped his fist toward Bai Dabei.

“Proprietor, please prepare several small dishes and warm a pot of wine for us. If you have feed for the horses, that would be even better. We will settle the bill before we leave.”

When Bai Dabei saw the young general salute him, he was both astonished and flattered. At the same time, he secretly rejoiced at having encountered a reasonable customer. He hurriedly ushered the four men inside and found them seats.

“We do have some, we do. They are only rough village fodder, though, and I’m afraid they may not suit the general’s horses…”

Warhorses in the army were normally held to very high standards when it came to fodder, and Bai Dabei knew a little about that. Hence his warning.

“It does not matter. Feed them whatever you have,” the young general said with a wave of his hand.

“Very well. I’ll see to it at once.”

Bai Dabei led the young general into the stall.

The four men were Qin Cheng and his companions.

“You two, hand the horses over to the helpers and come in with me. There is no need for so many formalities among us. Once we have eaten, we can continue on our way.”

When Qin Cheng saw one of the workers approaching, he spoke to the two personal guards behind him.

The two guards had served with Qin Cheng for a long time and knew that he was not one to put on airs. They readily agreed.

Before long, the four men were seated around a table. One of the guards noticed the brazier inside the stall and moved it closer to Qin Cheng so that he could warm himself.

Qin Cheng smiled, but before he could say anything, an irritated voice came from the neighboring table.

“What are you doing? You moved the brazier away. What are we supposed to warm ourselves with now?”

Qin Cheng turned toward the voice and saw the two women who had entered earlier. Having been born in a later age, Qin Cheng had seen plenty of women disguising themselves as men. Moreover, the two women before him had made little effort to conceal their identities. He recognized them at a glance.

And they were both beauties.

Indeed, they were two extraordinarily similar-looking beauties.

When Qin Cheng realized this, he could not help taking a second look. A pair of sisters like these, practically twins, would have been considered absolute treasures in either his former age or this one.

“You already spent plenty of time warming yourselves,” the guard said when he heard the other woman’s hostile tone. His own voice hardened. “What harm is there in moving it over so that we can warm ourselves too? Why are you shouting? Does the brazier belong to you?”

“What an arrogant tone!” the woman replied coldly, a trace of anger entering her voice. “What if I refuse? What will you do then?”

As if that were not enough, she added indignantly, “Do not think that being a soldier makes you so important! If you have the courage, go kill some Xiongnu. Why show off in front of us?”