Main Text, Chapter Ninety-Two: A Contest of Wills, Part Twenty-Six

From the battlements of Cloud City, they gazed toward the far horizon, where bizarre bolts of lightning came crashing down and thunder rolled overhead like war drums pounding in every heart.

The rain came down in torrents, gradually pressing back the blaze that had once shot up to the sky, yet the flickering lightning still from time to time illuminated the walls and towers.

The ramparts of Cloud City were already packed with the Eagle Banner troops of the Hengan Commandery. Every man stood armored in his assigned place, solemnly awaiting the orders of the officers above them.

Autumn rain beat upon their varied armor, each piece bearing different traces of mending, and the chill it raised seemed to cut to the bone.

Liu Wuzhou and Yuan Junzhang stood side by side upon the walls, soaked to the marrow with cold rain like their soldiers below, watching the scene before them.

Behind them stood Yuchi Gong, head drooping in dejection.

Although they had secretly permitted the Thousand and More Yue people to swallow up other steppe tribes, and had chosen to look the other way at the Turks lurking behind them, that did not mean Liu Wuzhou and Yuan Junzhang were willing to let the situation around Cloud City spin out of control.

Because of one Xu Le, such a huge affair had been stirred up, and no one knew whether disorder might break out beyond Cloud City. This autumn fair had already been thrown into an inconstant fate by Xu Le.

So within and without Cloud City, twice in one day and night they had mobilized their forces, and thousands of Eagle Banner troops of Hengan either marched out or took the walls, armored and ready by dawn.

During this period, Liu Wuzhou and Yuan Junzhang had both wanted to let their men recover and rest, yet instead everything had grown even more tense than usual.

Rainwater ran down Yuan Junzhang's face, and at that moment he would have liked nothing better than to mix Xu Le into the rain and swallow him whole.

His own fourth younger brother had gone out at the head of several hundred armored cavalry of Hengan. If even then he could not take down Xu Le and kill him on the spot, then there would be no need to have spent so much effort grooming that younger brother at all. In any case, he was still young enough to uphold the Yuan family himself.

A guard standing nearby suddenly pointed toward the south. "The signal lamps have moved!"

Liu Wuzhou and Yuan Junzhang both looked sharply that way, and even Yuchi Gong, head still bowed behind them, hurriedly lifted his own.

Along the line of the southern hillfort defenses, within each camp, the signal lamps were dancing wildly, scattering rings of light through the rain.

After understanding the message conveyed by the lamps, Yuan Junzhang burst out cursing. "Damn it all, how did they end up fighting with the Thousand and More Yue people? What in the world has Yuan Si been doing?"

Liu Wuzhou's face, too, turned dark. The Nine Tribes were right beside the Hengan Commandery, and he had always preferred to win them over and soothe them. How had Yuan Junwei managed to lead a force out and start fighting with the Nine Tribes? If Wang Rengong learned of it, he would likely laugh until his teeth fell out.

While Yuan Junzhang was cursing, Liu Wuzhou, though outwardly forthright, was inwardly deeply scheming. He merely kept his face set in grim silence.

Yuchi Gong, however, looked eager to leap into action, his eyes bright with excitement. He had been stifled for far too long lately. A slaughter was breaking out before his very eyes. Though it was only the Nine Tribes, and not nearly as satisfying as fighting Turks, he still wished he could fly straight to the battlefield at once.

Yuan Junzhang turned back and gave the jubilant Yuchi Gong a cold look. "What are you so pleased about? Hurry and lead your armored cavalry out of the city to suppress the Nine Tribes' camp outside the walls and prevent any change in the situation!"

With the military order given, Yuchi Gong immediately became obedient. He cupped his fist and said, "Received!" Then he hurried down from the tower.

Yuan Junzhang then issued command after command in rapid succession. "Zhang Wuqian, Liu Gandang, bring more siege gear up to the walls! Chen Hengshan, Chao Youwei, lead your men to reinforce the outer fortifications and cover Cloud City! Diwu Liang, Xie Hunu, lead your units to patrol within the city. Enforce curfew across the whole city!"

The officers named by Yuan Junzhang all cupped their fists to receive their orders and flew off.

Yuan Junzhang then cupped his fist toward Liu Wuzhou. "I’ll go and bring Yuan Si back myself! If he has failed in his duty, he deserves punishment. And I must also see what exactly happened!"

Liu Wuzhou nodded silently. Yuan Junzhang gathered up the rain-soaked skirt of his battle robe and was about to leave.

A guard suddenly pointed down from the wall and shouted, "They’re back!"

In the flashes of lightning, more than ten riders were seen hurrying back. One could make out Yuan Junwei among them in the dim light, and Xu Le’s figure could also be seen in the group.

Several hundred of the most elite armored cavalry of Hengan had been sent out to hunt down and kill this one man, and yet in the end Xu Le still returned to Cloud City alive and kicking!

Was this fellow impossible to kill?

On Xu Le’s horse, another man lay slung crosswise, rocking slightly with the gallop. No one knew how Xu Le had managed to capture yet another person.

Yuan Junzhang waved his hand in exasperation. "Someone go stop them at the foot of the wall. Bind Yuan Si and hold him for punishment. As for Xu Le, kill him on the spot!"

The guards were about to obey when Liu Wuzhou spoke heavily, "Let them in. Once they are inside Cloud City, can this Xu Le still fly up to the heavens? I, for one, want to see exactly what happened. Do the soldiers and officers of Hengan no longer heed even my orders?"

At that, Yuan Junzhang fell silent in frustration. He fixed a hard stare upon Xu Le and the others. In truth, he too was curious: after Yuan Junwei had left the city and encountered Xu Le, what on earth had happened?

Xu Le and his group crossed the sheep and horse barriers and the moat, entering directly into Cloud City.

Inside the city, beneath the walls, along the patrol posts and on the rampways, Hengan Eagle Banner troops were packed shoulder to shoulder. Rainwater poured over their helmets, raising layer upon layer of white mist.

Under their gaze, Xu Le strode upward with head high, while Yuan Junwei followed behind with a face as dark as iron. Luo Dun walked next, with two Eagle Banner soldiers specifically supporting him.

The other Eagle Banner soldiers supported Zhang Wansui and blocked the sight of the rest as they escorted him with Xu Le up the walls.

The rain came down like a river. By now, Xu Le was already cold, weary, and hungry. Yet this great performance had finally reached its closing scene, and here and now Xu Le actually straightened his back even more, standing in the rain like a keen and formidable sword.

Just as they were about to reach the ramparts, Xu Le raised his head and met Liu Wuzhou’s eyes waiting on the wall.

Liu Wuzhou’s expression was deep and unreadable. Xu Le smiled faintly.

And up on the wall, seeing Xu Le’s brows sharpened by the rain and still carrying such force, Liu Wuzhou actually felt a slight sting in his own eyes.

As everyone escorted Xu Le up, Yuan Junwei faced his elder brother’s near-flaming gaze and kept his head lowered, not daring to make a sound.

Xu Le stepped forward and bowed to Liu Wuzhou. "The Thousand and More Yue people oppressed the other eight tribes, imprisoned the noble chieftains of their clans, absorbed their followers, and prepared to seek refuge with the Turks. My family has old ties with Luo Dun, chief of the Lianghaitte tribe, so I risked my life and went deep into the Thousand and More Yue camp to rescue Chief Luo Dun."

Liu Wuzhou looked past Xu Le and saw Luo Dun, supported by the Eagle Banner soldiers. He nodded and bowed to Luo Dun. "Elder chief, you have suffered. Since the matter of the Nine Tribes has occurred so close to Cloud City, I will certainly investigate it thoroughly. As for how it should be handled, we shall discuss that later."

Luo Dun smiled, pressed a hand to his chest, and returned the bow without saying much.

He really was old, and he could no longer manage the affairs of the Lianghaitte tribe. Xu Le, grandson of Old Xu Gan, had shown such promise—could he perhaps be entrusted with this burden? If not, he would simply go to Shenwu County and make a scene with Old Xu Gan there!

Xu Le turned slightly again, and several Eagle Banner soldiers pushed forward a man with his head bowed and his eyes shut.

Xu Le’s clear voice rang out. "In the Thousand and More Yue camp, I also discovered a Turk noble of the Chibi tribe, as well as this Lord Wang’s general, Zhang Wansui, discussing some matter. As I broke out, I captured General Zhang as a report for Lord Liu. How he should be dealt with, I ask Lord Liu to decide. I have caused trouble in Cloud City many times and know my offenses are grave; I beg Lord Liu to punish me."

Seeing the man pushed forward by the Eagle Banner soldiers, Liu Wuzhou paid no attention to what Xu Le had said. He strode up to the bowed, eyes-closed Zhang Wansui, grabbed his face and lifted it, examining him closely. Then, all at once, he slapped Zhang Wansui hard across the face.

"Old Zhang, old Zhang, how could you collude with the Turks! How many men from Mayi have died at Turkish hands? Can your conscience truly rest easy after doing this?"

Zhang Wansui’s cheek immediately swelled red and purple, yet he still kept his eyes tightly shut.

Liu Wuzhou turned to Xu Le. After a moment of silence, he spoke with finality. "Young Master Le, you have merit and no fault. Hengan Commandery will remember this great kindness of yours!"