knife

Chapter 2 Coming out of seclusion
A desolate and long horn sounded behind him. Zhang Ruo turned around and saw the black military flag of the Great Qin Dynasty fluttering in the wind atop the high city wall. Beneath the main flag, an armored general held a horn and was blowing it forcefully. The horn contained endless anger and injustice, which echoed between heaven and earth.

Zhang Ru clasped his hands and bowed deeply.

I urge you to drink another cup of wine, for beyond Yangguan Pass you will find no old friends.

However, the real crisis will only begin after one has overcome this hurdle.

This parting may be the last time we meet.

"Scholar, let's set off!" Wu De, the Dali Temple official escorting Zhang Ruo, walked up to Zhang Ruo, glanced at the general still on the city wall, then cupped his hands and said.

Although Zhang Ruo was the prisoner he was escorting, he was very polite to him.

"Once we're out of the pass, the road ahead will be much more difficult. There are still several hundred miles to go, and the journey will be anything but peaceful."

Zhang Ruo nodded. Once they left Yangguan Pass, the next area was technically still part of Qin territory, and Qin had a large number of troops stationed there. However, in reality, Qin could only control a few settlements and fortresses. Countless bandits, outlaws, and barbarian tribes were far more active on this land than Qin's army.

They come and go without a trace, and the government has no way to deal with them.

Even with vigorous suppression, it seems impossible to kill them all, just like spring chives, which sprout up again as soon as they are cut down.

Beyond the Great Wall lies a chaotic world.

The Qin Dynasty invested millions of taels of silver every year in the area outside the Great Wall, but it was like a stone thrown into water; after a few splashes, it made no further sound.

Beyond the Great Wall, it was like a giant bottomless pit; no matter how much money the Qin Dynasty poured into it, it seemed never to be filled. But they couldn't stop; if they did, trouble would ensue beyond the Great Wall.

For the Qin Dynasty, the area outside the pass was a place that was impossible to govern, yet impossible to abandon.

This vast area was also an important zone for the Qin Dynasty to defend against its sworn enemy, the Yuan Dynasty.

Without this buffer zone, the Northern Yuan could directly threaten Yangguan with their troops, which is unacceptable to the Qin Dynasty.

For over a century, the Qin Dynasty had sought to establish effective rule in this region, similar to its control over the interior, by registering households and implementing a county system. However, it had failed to achieve this, with each slight progress being thwarted by numerous rebellions, large and small. The most serious instance was when the Quanrong tribe in this region colluded with the Northern Yuan to launch a massive invasion. The 100,000 Qin troops stationed in the region suffered heavy losses before finally driving the Yuan army back.

At this point, the imperial court gave up any intention of registering the people here.

Let it be chaotic, as long as the Yuan army doesn't cross this area.

Of course, in the eyes of the imperial court, this place was a black hole for military spending, a place that was neither worthwhile nor irreplaceable, but in the eyes of others, it was their paradise and their treasure trove.

But Zhang Ruo, the Vice Minister of Revenue, suddenly challenged this enormous black hole that no one dared to touch.

He investigated decades of old cases, gathering countless pieces of solid evidence, and his investigation directly targeted some of the most important figures in the court, including members of the imperial family.

Amidst the uproar, Zhang Ruo suffered a crushing defeat.

The evidence that had been painstakingly uncovered was burned to ashes by the emperor's own order, and Zhang Ru was even exiled to serve in the army outside the Great Wall.

Zhang Ruo was launching an attack on the military group outside the pass, but the final result was that he was to be handed over to these people. The matter was just that absurd.

"As long as you can get to Linghu Ye, you might survive!" This was the only thing Zhang Ruo's teacher said to him before he left.

Linghu Ye, commander of 100,000 troops outside the pass. As long as he walked to his side alive, no matter how much trouble this man might cause him in the future, at the very least, he would never let himself die in front of him.

But could she even get close enough to him? Zhang Ruo felt it would be very difficult.

"You're not well-liked at the Dali Temple either, are you? Otherwise, this arduous task of escorting me wouldn't have fallen to you."

Hearing Zhang Ruo's words, Wu De almost burst into tears. Indeed.

He was just a chief criminal officer. He was just too serious about his work and not very sociable, so he was ostracized by those people. This escort mission, which covered thousands of miles, fell squarely on his shoulders.

Fortunately, there were only five hundred miles left. Once he could get this person to Zhenwu City safely, he would be free.

"Chief Inspector Wu, if anything happens on the way, don't worry about me, just run your own way!" Zhang Ruo smiled and cupped his hands in greeting. Having traveled all the way from Chang'an, Chief Inspector Wu had treated him quite well.

"Run?" Wu De shook his head with a wry smile: "If I don't get you to Zhenwu City, I'll also lose my official position and my head."

He touched the sword at his waist and continued, "Scholar Zhang, our Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review is not just all talk. Besides, don't you have those two friends?"

Zhang Ruo followed Wu De's gaze and saw two men adjusting their saddles a few dozen paces away. One saddle had a knife stuck in its left side, and the other had a knife stuck in its right side.

The two men smiled and bowed slightly to Zhang Ruo.

“The two protectors of the Long Whale Gang, Yuan Rong and Yuan Tong, are extremely skilled. According to our Dali Temple's records, these two brothers have entered the Xuan Yuan Realm and are seventh-rank experts. What's even more remarkable is that one wields a sword in his left hand and the other in his right. When they join forces, they can form a sword formation that can even hold its own against an eighth-rank expert. With them escorting you all the way, who can possibly do anything to you?” Wu De said.

Do you know who wants my life?

“No matter who it is, they can’t possibly mobilize the army. Those bigwigs in the military wouldn’t be so shameless as to take action themselves!” Wu De lowered his voice.

"Never overestimate the character of those people; they're capable of any despicable act!" Zhang Ruo sighed. "If things don't go your way, then run away. It's better than dying in vain!"

Watching Zhang Ruo board the carriage, Wu De felt a sudden panic, and for a moment, he was at a loss. He could only grip the knife in his hand tightly.

The driver raised his long whip, cracking it in the air, and the two camel horses pulling the cart automatically stepped forward.

Inside the carriage, Zhang Ruo, who had been so spirited just moments before, suddenly collapsed, looking at a young woman sitting against the carriage wall opposite him with a face full of sorrow.

“Qingyun, why do you insist on coming with me? You can stay in Chang’an. Your father is there, and you have relatives and friends who can take care of you. Even just now, you agreed to leave with Uncle Ma.” Zhang Ruo closed her eyes slightly, but still couldn’t hold back the tears in her eyes. “Coming with me out of the pass, I’m afraid it’s a nine-out-of-ten chance of death.”

"Those relatives and friends in Chang'an are just so-so. When Father charged into battle, those people promised to support you, but what happened?" Zhang Qingyun slowly shook her head and said, "Father, even if I stayed in Chang'an, I'm afraid I wouldn't live long. When those people see me, they will remember the things they did to you. So, it's better if they don't see me. If I stay with you, at least our family can die together. If things are as you predict, then I will accompany you to find Mother!"

"But you're only sixteen!" Zhang Ruo said sadly.

"Although she's only sixteen, she's already witnessed these turbulent years!" Zhang Qingyun took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears on Zhang Ruo's face. "Father is a true man, how could he be so sentimental!"

“A ruthless man is not necessarily a hero, and a loving father is no less of a man.” Zhang Ruo took a breath: “What Father regrets most now is that he did not learn martial arts properly back then. Otherwise, with Father’s talent, why would he be worried about these cowardly cowards now!”

"Father, you've learned the great knowledge of governing the country and managing the world, so where would you find the time to learn martial arts?" Zhang Qingyun said with a smile. "You can't have your cake and eat it too. Besides, in my opinion, what you've learned is the great way, while martial arts is just a minor path."

Zhang Ruo sighed, "In this area beyond the pass, I'm afraid it's the underworld that's in charge, and force reigns supreme."

Lifting the curtain, the two looked outside. Under the gray sky, there was an endless expanse of withered yellow. An eagle soared through the sky, then suddenly shot down like an arrow. Just before it hit the ground, it abruptly pulled up, and beneath its iron claws, a gray-yellow rabbit futilely shook its head and kicked its legs.

Turning her gaze away, Zhang Qingyun exclaimed in surprise. Not far from the road, on a large tree with gnarled branches, a large cat was staring at them. Beneath the cat's claws was a large, bloody mass, and it was unclear what prey it had caught.

The big cat wasn't afraid of people. Its green eyes stared at them for a long time before it lowered its head, bit and tore off a large chunk of flesh, leaving a bloody mess.

Even though Zhang Qingyun was no ordinary person, he turned pale upon seeing this scene. The guards escorting the carriage were all constables from the Dali Temple in Chang'an, but they had rarely seen such a sight. One of them gave a soft shout, drew his bow and shot an arrow at the big cat with a whoosh. However, the arrow was too far away, and it fell limply when it hit the tree.

Startled, the big cat leaped down from the tree and vanished instantly into the withered yellow leaves.

Looking at the bloody flesh hanging upside down on the tree, Zhang Ruo sighed, "Qingyun, this is the land beyond the Great Wall, a place where the strong prey on the weak. Animals are like this, and so are humans."

(End of this chapter)