Chapter 37

Yuan Hong’s fate was uncertain; his heart was positioned somewhat atypically compared to a normal person’s, and the arrowhead had lodged perfectly between two ribs, not penetrating too deeply. When it hit the concave exit, although the injury was serious, it was far from life‑threatening. But he had already fainted from fright. The exit had been seized by the barbarian soldiers breaking through—he was like a sheep entering a wolf pack.

Two Pu soldiers casually caught the frail “corpse” and hoisted him over their heads to use as a shield against incoming arrows while charging out in battle.

Everyone assumed he was dead—after all, that short arrow was still stuck near his left chest, at the position of his heart. Yet, when the Pu soldiers had successfully broken through and were about to discard him, he suddenly snorted and stirred.

“Not dead yet?”

“Well, if he’s not dead, then so be it.” One of the Pu soldiers was about to move in for a finishing blow when, unexpectedly, Jia Han from not far away suddenly said, “Take him along.”

He squinted his eyes, recalling that this man was standing behind strategist Pingtao and was very well guarded—perhaps he might prove useful later.

“Give him some medicine—don’t let him die.”

This scene was witnessed by the man Han Xi had sent to determine whether Yuan Hong was alive or dead. The man dared not act on his own initiative; he kept following while leaving behind contact signals so that once his comrades noticed and came to reinforce him, he could report back for further orders.

When Wei Jing learned of this, he furrowed his brow and immediately sent men to follow the trail. However, he never expected that the first person to bring back the news would not be a scout from his own ranks but rather the leader of the Yi tribe—Meng Mo.

That very night, Meng Mo approached as an ally, introduced by Zhuang Yan.

After the two barbarians broke through, it was already dusk; in autumn, the jungle darkened early, so Wei Jing ordered his troops to set up camp at a chosen spot.

At the beginning of the Xu hour, while Zhuang Yan was relieving himself in a secluded spot outside the camp, he inadvertently looked up and noticed that a nearby thicket had suddenly moved ever so slightly without any wind. His heart skipped a beat immediately; before he could even react, a dark figure pounced from the cover of night and clamped a hand over his mouth.

That man was none other than Meng Mo. This daring leader of the Yi tribe had come alone. As agile as a monkey leaping through the jungle, he used the concealment of darkness to evade the nearby sentry posts successfully—both those in light and shadow—and draw near to the perimeter of the Pingtao camp. However, he could not proceed any further; he needed someone to make introductions, and as it happened, he recalled that Zhuang Yan was one of the attendants beside the Pingtao county magistrate.

“Reporting, my lord: the Yi chieftain Meng Mo has come over to defect. He says he has important news to convey to you.”

Still bearing the pallor of recent fright, Zhuang Yan did not dare waste a moment—he rushed straight to the master tent to request an audience.

“Oh? Bring the man in.” Wei Jing raised his eyebrows. Compared to this defecting Yi chieftain, he was far more interested in that so‑called “important news.”

……

In the darkness of night, an outsider was quietly led into the main tent. He was only about a head shorter than Wei Jing, wore a headscarf adorned with colorful feathers, and was dressed in a short, round-collared robe with vivid embroidery on a black background. With thick eyebrows and large eyes, he appeared to be just over thirty years of age.

Wei Jing recognized him immediately—he was one of the barbarian chieftains who had just clashed in battle earlier that day.

Taking his seat at the head of the tent, Wei Jing regarded him coolly and asked, “You wish to join me? How can I trust you, and why should I accept your defection?”

A very direct and pragmatic question, indeed. Mong Mo responded frankly in a loud voice, “I came into your camp alone; that alone should prove my sincerity.”

No mistake—he came here on his own. If Wei Jing were ever to change his mind, he could capture and execute him without hesitation—dying would be for nothing.

Meng Mo said, “I do not know what you intend to do, but I can cooperate fully. I only ask that if you plan to exterminate the barbarians, then please go after the Pu.”

Since yesterday, Meng Mo had maintained a cautious attitude, holding his forces back as much as possible and watching the events unfold with cold detachment.

During the afternoon breakout, unlike Jia Han—who reckoned his tribesmen to be valiant—and thus managed to escape successfully, Meng Mo believed that the young county magistrate had deliberately let their foes go.

“What is the enemy aiming for by surrounding us without completely annihilating us? If their designs are truly grand, does that mean that our own people must, like the Pu, fight to the death?”

The animosity between the Yi and Pingtao was far less intense than that with the Pu. They had agreed to combine forces solely because their interests had been trampled upon, and a sense of grievance had taken hold. Now, finding that the risk from the other side was even much greater, it was only natural for him to feel inclined to withdraw.

Meng Mo gazed upon Wei Jing, feeling extremely wary of the young man.

Yet, once aboard the enemy ship, it would be no easy matter to disembark. After weighing his options from every angle, he decided to defect to Wei Jing—more precisely, to cooperate with him. His intuition told him that the information he possessed was exactly what Wei Jing wanted.

“I am willing to swear a blood oath with you. From now on, my people will never come down from the mountains to raid merchant caravans, and we will live in peace with Pingtao! And if you further help me eliminate the Pu, then thereafter, I will be at your command!”

In the eyes of the southwestern tribal peoples, swearing a blood oath was an exceedingly sacred act—a bond once formed that could never be broken.

Wei Jing stood up and declared: “If the news you bring truly intrigues me, then accepting your defection is not out of the question.”

---

Later that evening, the defeated forces of the Pu and Yi tribes fled for dozens of li, leaving the enemy completely out of sight. Still shaken, they finally halted for a brief rest.

When they had set out, the combined force numbered over five thousand; now fewer than four thousand remained—a loss of one-third—with the majority being Pu.

Within the tribe, nearly half of the able-bodied men had suddenly been lost. Jia Han, his face twisted in a ferocious grimace, roared, “I will surely tear that man surnamed Yang to shreds! And those two bandits from Gaoling—Bao and Dong—they won’t escape either!”

His harsh words were easy to utter, yet putting them into practice was fraught with difficulties. In battle, victory was elusive; even the thought of descending from the mountains to raid was met with deep apprehension.

There simply weren’t enough tribesmen left to keep sacrificing.

Then, a man whose face was marked with colorful patterns spoke in a doleful tone, “Jia Han, I have a plan.”

The patterned man briefly glanced at Meng Mo and the others sitting not far away. Leaning close to Jia Han’s ear, he whispered his proposal in a low voice.

Jia Han’s eyes immediately flashed with an unusual brilliance. “Good! A good plan!”

He quickly turned around and ordered, “Go, go, fetch the shaman doctor to tend to that man—make sure he’s saved!”

That man, of course, is Yuan Hong, who is now unconscious.

Meng Mo, whose gaze was lowered in silence, let his eyes flash for a moment.

---

“I couldn’t catch their exact strategy because their conversation was very cryptic, but I heard that Jia Han was adamant. He declared he would kill two birds with one stone—ensuring that Bao Zhong, Dong Du, and Wu Sha would be left vulnerable and that you would end up locked up, lose your life, and have your entire family implicated.”

Meng Mo finished speaking straightforwardly and then added to Wei Jing with firm conviction: “This is undoubtedly true. You have slain so many Pu people that if Jia Han doesn’t avenge this, he won’t be able to hold his position as leader.”

“Furthermore, that man is also very fortunate. His heart is positioned differently from most, and the arrowhead is lodged between his two ribs. Although the injury appears severe, it isn’t really serious—at most, with ten to fifteen days of recuperation, he will fully recover.”

That man is indeed remarkably hardy. Wonder what Kou Xuan—who is now weeping over his brother-in-law’s so-called “sacrifice”—would think if he found out.

“Ensuring Bao Zhong, Dong Du, and Wu Sha in such a state? Have me thrown in prison?”

Yuan Hong was not dead and had fallen into the hands of the Pu, but Wei Jing didn’t pay much attention to it. Although he was a latent problem, he actually knew very little about him. He only knew that Wei Jing and the other had come from the riverbank—and they had merely been linked to the Yang Ze riverbank murder case.

On the way to Pingtao, thanks to Kou Xuan’s vigilant precautions, he hadn’t even realized that the wide-ranging search earlier was precisely targeting the Qian River ashore group. There was absolutely no chance that he would pose any threat; on the contrary, he might even play an unexpectedly beneficial role.

Wei Jing pursed his lips, and a flash of satisfaction gleamed in his dark eyes. Excellent—his intuition was that the key turning point for seizing Gaoling was about to appear.

Han Xi and Chen Qi exchanged a glance, and their spirits were buoyed as well.

Wei Jing then asked, “Having lived among the Pu for so many years, in your view, what support does Jia Han have?”

“The Pu’s tribe excels in poison.”

Meng Mo thought for a moment and added, “The man offering the suggestion is an elder in the Pu tribe, and he is precisely in charge of their toxins.”

Just as Wei Jing had guessed—only, who knows what tricks the Pu might play with Yuan Hong?

“Very good.” He accepted the mutually kindred spirit with Meng Mo, sealed their alliance with a blood oath, and commanded that the matter must remain strictly confidential.

After ordering Zhuang Yan to send the men out quietly, Wei Jing immediately instructed Han Xi, “Deploy additional forces. Make sure you keep a close watch on the activities of both the Pu and Yi tribes—especially the Pu. Not a single detail may be overlooked.”

“Understood!” Han Xi set out on his assignment. Once Zhuang Yan had seen the men off and then returned, he asked anxiously, “My lord, how shall we guard against this?”

He believed that what Meng Mo had said was highly credible.

As a native of Pingtao, Zhuang Yan had a far more favorable view of the Yi than of the Pu. This clan—led by a chief suspected of having Han ancestry—although known for banditry on the roads, almost never killed; they sought only wealth, not lives.

For this reason, Wei Jing accepted Meng Mo’s proposal without any objection.

However, not knowing Wei Jing’s true purpose, Zhuang Yan felt as restless as an ant on a hot pan.

“Just keep a tight eye on the Pu; you can then adapt your tactics as needed. Wengui, try to remain calm.”

Wei Jing did not spend much time explaining further to Zhuang Yan. Changing the subject, he asked, “Wengui, do you have any men in Gaoling?”

“Yes.”

Gaoling, as the administrative seat of Anyang Commandery and home to a prominent merchant family with numerous caravans, would surely have established a base there. How could they possibly not set one up in Gao Ling?

Zhuang Yan was still anxious—he hadn’t even considered that there was the Qingzhai Guards—but when he saw Wei Jing’s calm expression, completely free of any tension or worry, he felt reassured. Hastily, he said, “All affairs in Gaoling will be handled by my younger brother, Zhuang Wei. He is a steady man and extremely trustworthy.”

Zhuang Yan pledged his support to Wei Jing; in fact, the entire Zhuang clan had thrown their lot in with him. If any orders were issued, they would do everything they could to carry them out.

“Very good.” Wei Jing replied, “I will send a few men ahead to Gaoling. You, in turn, send word to your younger brother so that he can coordinate our efforts.”

A turning point was imminent, and naturally, the Gaoling side needed to be prepared in advance. It would be ideal to have their own people stationed there.

“Issue the order: tomorrow at the fifth watch, withdraw the camp and leave the mountains at full speed to return to Pingtao.”

…

With the mission’s objective achieved, Wei Jing commanded that at first light tomorrow the camp be withdrawn and that they make a swift return. He was quite concerned about Shao Qing—wondering if she was all right and what exactly she might be up to at that moment.

What is Shao Qing doing? She’s still busy with her official duties.

On the sixteenth, the moonlight—tinged with a soft yellow glow yet very bright—filled the night. She pushed open the shutter window of the west wing study, lit a bright lamp under the moonlight, and sat at her desk writing with determined fervor. She had sent Chunxi away to rest; besides Wang Jing and the others who stood guard in silence, her company also included Kou Yue, who sat quietly in the corridor sewing clothes.

When Wei Jing first set out on his expedition, Shao Qing felt a bit uneasy. However, she soon composed herself—after all, he was none other than the renowned war god. There was no need for needless worry; she simply focused on her work.

For the past few evenings, she has been preparing the military budget for the Qingzhai Guards. When new personnel arrive, they must, of course, be properly accommodated. However, the Qingzhai Guards are unlike the county barracks—the latter is completely funded by public money, with every expense above board and free from worry, whereas the Qingzhai Guards do not enjoy that privilege.

Maintaining private soldiers is an extremely costly affair, but fortunately for Wei Jing in these times, commanding three thousand men is not an issue.

The county magistrate has the authority to manage the county’s finances and reports to the higher prefectural authorities once a year, giving him considerable leeway. Moreover, after Shao Qing assumed her duties at the yamen, she discovered that the county military camp had a serious problem inflating its military expenses; the expenditures recorded in the books were nearly twice the actual amounts.

The county barracks were being expanded, and the budget on the books doubled outright. After a careful calculation, Shao Qing discovered that she no longer needed to keep shifting funds around—she could simply slash the inflated portion of the military expenditure, which would more than sufficiently cover the expenses for maintaining the Qingzhai Guards.

This saved her a tremendous amount of effort.

Shao Qing, ever cautious (she never handled this kind of work in the front office), managed to settle it after several busy evenings. She put down her pen, handed the newly established ledger to Wang Jing, and the task was complete.

“Madam, have you finished your work?”

Seeing Shao Qing stand up and stretch, Kou Yue hurried over; after exchanging a few words, she frowned and said, “Alas, I wonder where Yuan Lang and the others have gotten to?”

That was Kou Yue’s main motive—she sought someone to confide her concerns. The madams from the Zhang and Chen families got along well enough, but they weren’t truly close; there were things one simply couldn’t discuss with one’s sister-in-law. Without a doubt, the best choice was Shao Qing, with whom she had always been on good terms.

Shao Qing paused for a moment. “I don’t know—maybe they’ll be back soon.”

The mountain paths were difficult to traverse, and the military reports took a bit longer to arrive; however, the latest news stated that signs of the two barbarian groups merging their forces had been spotted yesterday. If everything goes swiftly, the battle could be resolved today.

This campaign was not aimed at wiping out the two barbarian tribes, and it remains unclear whether their objectives have been achieved as expected.

However, Yuan Hong might not return in full.

Kou Xuan had been waiting for a long time, and his preparations were definitely more than sufficient.

But when she looked at Kou Yue—with a face full of worry yet tinged with hope—she found himself at a loss for words and could only comfort her by saying, “Get some rest early; perhaps by tomorrow, they will return victorious.”

Sigh. Shao Qing knew that Kou Yue was exceedingly pure and naive, yet how could one explain it? Truly knowing a person like her reveals what a rarity she is. Although she herself may not possess everything, if the circumstances allow it, Shao Qing would be delighted to see her continue in that manner.

Alas…

Shao Qing sighed, “Aren’t you supposed to go to the shop tomorrow? Hurry back and rest.”

After Kou Yue and Wang Mi carefully carried out their needlework, and once things had settled down, Kou Yue opened a clothing shop in Pingtao. Although there was a manager stationed to run the store, being new to the business, both Wang Mi and Kou Yue observed every detail—especially Kou Yue, who went there almost every day.

After listening to Kou Yue share some heartfelt thoughts, Shao Qing urged her to go back to sleep. With the conversation constantly circling around Yuan Hong, it was hard to find the right words—offering congratulatory wishes seemed inappropriate, and comforting her in advance was simply out of the question.

“Then I’m off!” Kou Yue, grinning broadly, picked up her basket without waiting for anyone to see her off and waved happily as she walked away.

Shao Qing smiled and glanced at Wang Jing and a few others; since Wang Jing was also aware of the situation, his expression was equally complicated.

Sigh, whatever.

Even if she wanted to intervene, she wasn’t quite sure how; although Yuan Hong appeared somewhat blameless, he was indeed a latent threat. While Kou Xuan might be a bit ruthless, he didn’t act without a clear purpose. Shao Qing was no saint—Yuan Hong had already betrayed her and Wei Jing once before. Although the timely rescue prevented any serious damage, it clearly showed that his soft spine and cowardice would inevitably lead him to betray them again when the opportunity arose.

Thus, she had never voiced any objection to Kou Xuan’s methods.

As for Kou Yue, time heals all wounds. She was a genuinely good girl, and Kou Xuan would surely find her a suitable match.

Deciding not to overthink the matter, Shao Qing returned to her room to rest.

After washing up and changing, she got into bed and snuggled under the covers. With Wei Jing away these past few days, she was the sole occupant of the large bed—the feeling of having it all to herself was truly wonderful.

The thought made Shao Qing chuckle a little. She shook her head and decided, “Forget it; I’ll just sleep.”