Chapter Ten: Chief of Fire, Chang Shuxin

At the summit of the mountain, within the woods, all was silent.

The campfire kicked apart by Xu Le flickered here and there across the mountaintop, illuminating the faces of the Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture, Right Garrison of Great Sui, who lay or stood among the trees, their complexions pale as death.

Han Yue, broad and sturdy, stood solemnly at the center, and not one of these Eagle Warriors—men who had faced the Turkic soldiers in battle—dared step forward.

No one had expected that robbing a merchant caravan would result in kicking the iron plate!

The lands east of the river were known for their fierce folk and many bold youth, but their methods paled in comparison to those of the regular army. The Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture were famed for their prowess, holding their own even against the Turks.

Moreover, tonight they had attacked with the advantage of surprise, waiting until the merchant caravan was deep in sleep before creeping up. Should it have been a small squad of Turkic wolf riders here, they might have suffered defeat at the hands of the Eagle Warriors.

Yet this merchant caravan not only detected them early, but also possessed such a terrifying figure. Young in years, his iron token whirled with martial skill far beyond ordinary soldiers—so exceptional that even Liu Yingji of Heng'an Prefecture would have made much of him, assigning him at least the rank of squad leader in the Central Rampart Battalion.

What manner of merchant would have such a man among them!

The squad leader, chest aching with pain, turned over these thoughts and spoke again: "You are not Turkic scouts? We are acting under the orders of Liu Yingji and Captain Yuan, lying in wait in the mountains to ambush Turkic scouts... Who are you, truly?"

This squad leader was renowned for his cunning within Heng'an Prefecture. Such a mind, when faced with battle, always sought clever tricks for survival. Self-interest ran deep, and his respect for military discipline was only so-so. Though he belonged to Liu Wuzhou's veteran ranks, he'd never risen far, and now remained a mere squad leader.

His earlier shout had fortunately preserved his life; it seemed the Eagle Warrior identity had cowed the enemy. He quickly invented a plausible reason for their sudden attack, cold sweat trickling down his back as he tried to intimidate the iron-bearing killer before him.

His subordinates, birds of a feather, had flouted discipline together on countless occasions. As the squad leader shifted tack, all immediately caught on and chimed in:

"This fellow, if you are not a Turkic scout, just say so—why the sudden rush and violence?"

"If we hadn't been cautious and sensed something amiss, raising our hands when firing arrows, some of your men would have been wounded!"

"We mean well, yet you show no mercy! Now, with several injured, how will you account for this?"

Han Yue stood in the midst, iron token in hand, looking utterly bewildered.

---

In the heat of battle, Han Yue had been as fierce as a mad tiger, but now, faced with these soldier-ruffians pressing him, he was struck speechless. Those arrows had been aimed precisely at his iron token; had he not shielded himself well, he'd be lying here now—hardly suggesting any mercy.

Yet these men were Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture!

At that moment Xu Le's voice rang out, tinged with laughter: "Are you truly Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture? Lying in wait for Turkic scouts—why have you come south of Yunzhong? Aren't the Turks to the north?"

Han Yue turned to see Xu Le approaching, Song Bao following by his side, wielding a single-bladed halberd.

In the flickering firelight, Xu Le stood tall, his sword-like brows raised, a look half-smiling, half-serious.

The squad leader was stunned. His first thought: surely this must be a scion of some noble family! If not, how would he have such skilled guards?

His second thought followed swiftly: why would a nobleman travel such a perilous merchant route with goods in tow?

Could he be a member of Prefect Wang Renqiong’s family? Wang Renqiong had long coveted the Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture, his own Ma Yi soldiers continually moved northward, exerting pressure on Yunzhong. It was not impossible for Wang Renqiong’s kin to disguise themselves as merchants, probing the strengths and weaknesses around Yunzhong Prefecture!

The squad leader’s face shifted between pale and green, momentarily forgetting his chest pain. His thoughts spun: should he kneel and pledge loyalty, seeking a powerful patron and escaping poverty under Liu Wuzhou?

But then a darker idea surged: how could a noble scion be offended so lightly? Liu Yingji had been recalled to Ma Yi by imperial decree, yet Wang Renqiong forced him out. To these noble families, those of humble birth were as grass beneath their feet. If he let this go tonight, tomorrow these nobles would slaughter his brothers like chickens and dogs—or, if not by their own hands, report to Liu Yingji, who would hand him over to Wang Renqiong as a concession!

If they were merely merchants, he could not let the prize slip away—his brothers injured for nothing?

The squad leader stole a glance at Xu Le, who simply stood, waiting for his answer.

Beneath the starry moonlight, Xu Le appeared both refined and heroic, his figure slender yet upright, lacking Han Yue’s imposing bulk. His hands were empty; not a single weapon could be seen upon him.

If he could seize this nobleman, surely the iron-token killer would not dare act rashly. With a hostage in hand, the iron-bearing man could only surrender!

He subtly signaled his men, then bowed low, producing his badge and offering it with both hands: "Sir, please examine—we are indeed Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture, dispatched here to lie in wait by our superiors. Turkic wolf riders have been raiding Ma Yi not just a day or two. Last year's great battle saw Turkic scouts reach Shenwu itself!"

Xu Le smiled and took the badge, Song Bao craned his neck to look as well, but being illiterate, could make nothing of it.

---

Xu Le examined it: palm-sized, worn wood, evidently used for many years, with characters burned into its surface.

Right Garrison, Heng'an Eagle Warriors, Central Rampart Battalion, Second Brigade, Seventh Squad, Third Fire Team, Squad Leader Chang Shuxin, dark face, short beard, identity verified.

Xu Le smiled. "It does seem genuine."

Chang Shuxin slapped his thigh. "Of course it is!"

Hearing Xu Le affirm the badge's authenticity, Song Bao hurriedly interjected, "As long as it's real, that's good—it must have been a misunderstanding! The officer is right: last year the Turks invaded, their wolf riders reportedly reached north of the Sanggan River. The county was on alert, we were all summoned to guard the walls. To encounter you here while on patrol—since no one died, that's best!"

Cold sweat had not ceased running down Song Bao’s back. Han Yue’s skill had astonished him; this little guardian deity in Shenwu County had long concealed his true abilities!

And Xu Le, who could command Han Yue, he now regarded far more highly, marking him as someone not to be offended.

As for these Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture, Song Bao had no desire to provoke them further. He only wished, once dawn broke, to take his brothers and leave. No thought of rewards, nor of Xu Le’s fine horse—he wanted nothing more.

Knowing that Prefect Wang and Liu Yingji were now vying near Yunzhong, what business did he have meddling in their quarrels?

Song Bao helped smooth things over. Chang Shuxin seized the opportunity, signaling his brothers, and they all approached Xu Le with broad, ingratiating smiles.

Chang Shuxin’s smile nearly overflowed: "Since it’s all a misunderstanding, any injury to your people is my responsibility. I’ll accompany you to check for damages—even if we’re poor, we’ll compensate you to the best of our ability..."

Behind Xu Le, the farmhands and young knights also drifted over.

Having fought a baffling battle only to discover their opponents were Eagle Warriors of Heng'an Prefecture, everyone felt uneasy. Seeing Xu Le and Chang Shuxin laughing and chatting, all finally breathed a sigh of relief and lowered their weapons.

Tonight, Xu Le and Han Yue had preserved their lives; now, with a few words, Lord Le seemed to have pacified these Eagle Warriors. Perhaps tonight’s incident would end just like this.