The snow had come again.
In scarcely an hour or two, it had piled thick and loose across the ground. Every step sank into it with a crisp crunch.
The battle was over, but the battlefield still had to be cleaned up.
Broken arrows and shattered pottery lay scattered everywhere, along with blood and corpses. It was enough to weigh heavily on anyone’s heart. The militia, together with the able-bodied men from the town, first carried the bodies lying across the ground onto flatbed carts, then found a patch of land outside the town and buried them.
No one could feel good about death. But in these chaotic times, everyone understood one simple truth: if the person lying dead on the ground was not someone else, then it would be oneself.
The wind howled and shrieked, while great flakes of snow blurred people’s vision until they could barely keep their eyes open. The cold made their teeth chatter. Thankfully, it was the winter months. Had this happened in summer, leaving corpses exposed outdoors would have made an outbreak of disease all but inevitable.
While the battlefield was being cleared, the town itself was no less busy. Every physician had been summoned to the training grounds, where three or four medical tents had just been erected to house the wounded soldiers.
Song Fengsui moved constantly between them. Most of the wounded had suffered arrow injuries. The iron arrowheads had sunk deep into their flesh, and every time one was pulled out, blood gushed forth in torrents.
The administrative office was also in complete disarray. Dozens of Chishan soldiers had been captured alive and were first being locked away in the cells. After that, they would have to determine what to do with them...
By nightfall, the lamps in Yan Town were still burning brightly.
But over in Chishan Town, no amount of falling snow could drive away the turmoil in people’s hearts.
News of the death of their commander had come back, and it was practically enough to blow the entire administrative office apart.
“How could the county have defeated them, only for them to fall at Yan Town’s hands...? How could this happen? This is no child’s game! Could the report be wrong?”
“The last time, they were defending. This time, they were attacking. How can the two be compared? If even this news could be mistaken, then Chishan truly would have lost a battle it was destined not to lose!”
“Even if it wasn’t the same situation, they had made every possible preparation before setting out. Nearly all the town’s elite forces were assembled! Lord Pei was a brave and capable fighter—how many people could possibly have been his match?”
“Brave and capable, unbeatable in battle... He lost his head today, and half the credit goes to flatterers like you who did nothing but sing his praises!”
“Li Xiao, what the hell do you mean by that? The town overseer is dead, and the Chishan Army is gone, yet you still have the nerve to make snide remarks! In my opinion, this defeat was all because you betrayed us and sold out the town, you damned dog!”
As he spoke, the two men lunged at each other and began grappling. Constable Zhao hurriedly pulled them apart.
“Is the situation not chaotic enough already? Must you start fighting among yourselves too?”
After dragging them apart, scolding them, and cursing them out, the two men finally released each other, red-faced and thick-necked. They retreated to opposite sides of the room, each wearing a dark expression.
Constable Zhao covered his eyes and let out a muffled sob.
“When they said they were going to fight this battle, I already felt uneasy. I kept thinking something was wrong, but the town overseer was determined, and no one could talk him out of it.
“But there’s no use saying anything now. What matters is what we do next. What is Chishan supposed to do...?”
Everyone fell silent. Their eyes could not help but turn toward Tax Official Liu, who had remained quiet from beginning to end. With Pei Shan dead, he was now the most senior official in town.
Tax Official Liu was in a terrible state himself, his thoughts churning like a pot of porridge boiling over.
When Pei Shan had been alive, that military man had always been domineering, keeping all authority firmly in his own hands and barely allowing Tax Official Liu any chance to speak.
From the very beginning, Liu had disliked Pei Shan’s policy of putting military strength above everything else. He had forcibly conscripted able-bodied men without regard for their wishes in order to expand the army, then recruited more soldiers without any restraint or forethought. The administrative office’s reserves of salt and grain could not possibly support so many men, so those military brutes had simply begun stripping supplies from the common people, leaving widespread resentment in their wake.
The soldiers they raised were lawless thugs, little better than bandits. Not only did they recklessly seize food and provisions from ordinary households, they also repeatedly committed acts of rape. When the people brought their complaints to the administrative office, Pei Shan took the soldiers’ side, making the town’s moral climate even worse.
Tax Official Liu had advised Pei Shan more than once that this could not continue. There was nothing wrong with valuing military strength in troubled times, but if even the most basic laws were abandoned, trouble would inevitably follow sooner or later.
Pei Shan had never listened to a single word. Instead, he thought Liu was meddling and giving orders where he had no right to, and he suppressed him more and more harshly.
After being bullied and humiliated again and again, Tax Official Liu found himself unable to speak up. Gradually, he stopped involving himself in affairs altogether. Every matter, great or small, was left to Pei Shan’s decision.
Now, the man had suddenly died just like that, and Tax Official Liu was caught completely off guard, still trapped in a daze of shock.
It was not that he had held Pei Shan’s abilities in especially high regard or believed that Pei Shan would win every battle he fought. Rather, no one had ever taken Yan Town seriously. It was merely a small settlement tucked away in the deep mountains—how much ability could it possibly have to resist?
Yet the outcome had delivered a resounding slap in the face to everyone who had underestimated that tiny town.
Tax Official Liu let out a long breath, his eyes dull as he slowly shook his head.
“With the situation as it is, Chishan is finished.”
“Everyone is saddened by the town overseer’s death. Tax Official Liu, you shouldn’t say such discouraging things.”
Tax Official Liu replied, “We already broke with the county before this. Who knows what they’ll do to us now? Most of the town’s elite forces have been lost, and we have neither salt nor grain. If I’m not allowed to speak of discouraging things, then tell me—how is the town supposed to protect itself from here on out?”
The people in the administrative office immediately fell into silence. Pei Shan had created one mess after another, and though his death had left him free of consequences, those who remained alive had no idea how to clean up the chaos he had left behind.
According to custom, some people in the administrative office ought to have secretly rejoiced at Pei Shan’s death, seeing it as a chance to take his place and seize power. But given the current circumstances, the troubles facing them far outweighed the appeal of that authority.
“Then... are we just going to sit here and wait to die?”
“Good heavens, have you all gone mute? Say something!”
The only response was a wave of stifled sobbing.
“What are you crying for? You’re grown men, for heaven’s sake. What kind of behavior is this...?”
Tax Official Liu pondered for a long while.
“There is only one thing we can do now.”
The following day, the heavy snowfall had nearly sealed off the official road. The world was a vast expanse of white, and the snow had completely covered the smoke of battle, making it seem as though nothing had ever happened.
If not for several figures making their way toward the town through the wind and snow, their steps somewhat unsteady.
The administrative office in Yan Town was in the middle of taking stock after the battle, calculating how many shells had been used and how many weapons had been seized, when a sentry suddenly hurried in with a report: people from Chishan Town had arrived.
At the news, everyone put down what they were doing and exchanged glances.
Duan Yan had finished his rounds at the administrative office and was preparing to return home. Song Fengsui had been busy until well past midnight, and was still asleep. Duan Yan wanted to go back and spend some time with him.
He had fought the battle himself. The people at the administrative office would handle the aftermath, and there was no need for him to spend more effort on it.
But when he heard that people from Chishan had come, he stopped.
Song Wushen said, “Let them in.”
No one at the administrative office objected. Sooner or later, there would have to be a result. It was better to learn the other side’s intentions sooner and spare themselves further trouble.
It wasn’t long before the people from Chishan arrived at the county office under close guard.
There were not many of them—only a handful of men who looked more like clerks than fighters. Duan Yan could have taken three of them with a single kick, so they were hardly capable of causing any trouble.
Five men had come. Leading them was Tax Official Liu, while the others were all figures with some standing in the county office.
Constable Zhao had originally been asked to come along as well. But remembering the attitude Duan Yan had shown toward him the last time he visited Chishan, they feared his presence might only stir up trouble, so he had stayed behind.
Still, Yanzhen had always judged matters rather than people. Whether Constable Zhao came or not made no difference.
The men were all respectful and deferential. Tax Official Liu said nothing at first, merely stepping forward to present a brocade box.
Qin Cheng instinctively glanced at Song Wushen to see what he thought. Only after Song Wushen gave a slight nod did Qin Cheng settle his nerves and open the box.
Inside were none other than the official seal, documents, and command token of the Chishan county office’s military overseer.
Everyone present was shrewd enough to understand immediately what Chishan meant by presenting these things.
“Until now, Pei Shan has been the one in charge of every matter, large or small, in the town. He was fond of throwing his weight around and fighting, and his ambitions were considerable. The county is surely aware of the trouble he caused over the past two years.
“Now that he has died because of those ambitions, there is no point in discussing whether he was good or evil. Those of us who are still alive must continue living. Several thousand ordinary citizens in Chishan cannot do without someone to take charge. We therefore present Chishan’s official seal and authority with both hands, and respectfully ask Yanzhen to lead Chishan through these troubled times.”
Surrendering to Yanzhen had been the result of nearly an entire night of discussion among the principal figures in Chishan’s county office.
At first, they had wanted to recommend Tax Official Liu to take over Pei Shan’s position. But Tax Official Liu had firmly refused. It was not false modesty or polite evasion. He knew very well that he was not suited to the role. If Chishan were truly to be built up under the chaos of these troubled times, he would only end up being suppressed by another Pei Shan, unable even to get a word in edgewise.
Once they realized that he genuinely had no intention of taking the position, they had no choice but to make other arrangements.
Since none of their own people could hold the fort, they had to find someone to rely on. There were only two possible choices: the county seat or Yanzhen.
Tax Official Liu immediately suggested Yanzhen.
“A support needs to be sturdy enough to lean on. Yanzhen is merely a tiny place, not even as prosperous as Chishan, and its supplies are scarce. How could it possibly support us?”
The others were all strongly opposed.
But Tax Official Liu’s gaze was sharp.
“If the county seat truly had the ability, would it have let us be beaten like drowned rats? Even if we handed over all our iron and grain to curry favor with them, once trouble came to Chishan, do you really think the county would be willing to send troops to help?
“Yanzhen may be small, but if it had no ability, how could it have developed weapons that powerful? With limited manpower and a shortage of weapons, it still managed to rout Chishan’s elite forces and kill the arrogant Pei Shan. Which side is better and which is worse—is that really so difficult to distinguish?”
Tax Official Liu’s forceful argument left the others speechless.
In truth, if they calmly thought it through, Yanzhen was so close to Chishan that, should it decide to seize the town, Chishan would be doomed before they could even reach the county seat to ask for help.
They did not have many choices.
And the matter had to be settled quickly. If someone else came first and offered a voluntary surrender, the outcome would be entirely different.
Yanzhen had not expected Chishan to come so soon. They had only just endured a fierce battle, and everyone was exhausted. They were still clearing the battlefield, with countless matters demanding their attention, and had not yet had time to discuss what should happen next.
They had been even less prepared for Chishan to come and submit.
“So… are we accepting them or refusing them?”
Tax Officer Qin knew how to handle appearances. He did not immediately respond to Chishan’s request, instead politely sending the delegation away and asking them to wait while Yanzhen discussed the matter.
Once the men had left, everyone tacitly gathered together to deliberate.
If this had been an unequivocally good opportunity, there would have been no need to keep Chishan waiting; they would have accepted at once. Conversely, if it had been unquestionably bad, they would have driven the delegation away without giving them room to say more.
The trouble was that it was a mixture of advantages and disadvantages, making it impossible to reach a decision immediately.
In terms of benefits, once Yanzhen occupied Chishan, weapons and manpower would no longer be major problems.
With the mines under their control, they could improve their weapons and upgrade the destructive power of their cannon shells. They would no longer have to make do with stones and bamboo splinters inside their shells because of the shortage of iron. They could use iron weapons directly, such as grappling claws and darts.
Chishan’s location was also better than Yanzhen’s, with more convenient communications. It was like having a second pair of eyes, allowing them to observe developments that had previously been beyond Yanzhen’s reach and gather information about the county seat, the prefectural city, and even the world beyond.
Without a doubt, this was a rare opportunity to strengthen themselves. Yanzhen would no longer possess only the means to defend itself; it would finally have the resources to attack as well.
It was not that they had ambitions of claiming kingship or domination. But having no ambitions and having no ability were two entirely different things.
Without ambition, they could enjoy a measure of peace and suffer fewer sacrifices. Without ability, however, they would be nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered by anyone who wished to plunder or fight them.
The benefits were too numerous to calculate one by one. But the difficulties and troubles that accompanied them could not be ignored either.
Once Yanzhen took over Chishan, it would be openly opposing the county seat. From then on, there would be no way to maintain even the appearance of peace.
Second, Chishan had a great many households and commoners, and every person had a mouth to feed. How were they supposed to provide salt and grain for them all? Grain could at least be managed somehow. Yanzhen was not short of food, so they could temporarily redistribute their supplies and endure the strain. As long as the people did not abandon their land and migrate, they could plant crops again and produce more.
But salt, which they could not produce themselves, was the truly difficult problem.
The salt Yanzhen had stored was originally enough for three or four years of use within the town. But if Chishan were added to their burden, their reserves would become tight. They might barely last two years. The exact duration would depend on how much salt Chishan still had in its possession.
After several rounds of discussion without a conclusion, Tax Officer Qin finally said, “How about this? I’ll find my brother-in-law and see whether he has any ideas about obtaining salt.”
“That would be excellent. Bring him here and ask him.”
They immediately sent for Brother Bai. He had previously been in the salt trade, and when he came to seek refuge with Qin Cheng, he had brought several cartloads of salt with him.
“Given the current situation, obtaining salt within Qianzhou is practically impossible. Every faction will be holding salt tightly in its own hands, unwilling to let any flow elsewhere.
“If we want to consider the salt trade, we can only turn our eyes toward Shu. But Yanzhen is remote, and with every region under blockade, getting in touch with people will be difficult, while transporting the salt here will be another challenge. Only if our territory expands and our information network broadens will our chances improve.”
Brother Bai’s meaning was easy enough to understand: if they wanted to acquire salt again, incorporating Chishan would actually give them greater hope. Although Chishan was not extremely far from Yanzhen, its terrain was relatively flatter, and its official roads were far more accessible than Yanzhen’s.
Information could leave more easily, and goods could enter more easily as well.
“The entire Kang County area is remote. Between Yanzhen and Chishan, it’s only a matter of choosing the taller of two short men.”
Brother Bai sighed and added, “But the town is short of salt. Wherever I can be of use, I will do everything in my power to find a way to obtain some.”
This war had left everyone trembling with fear. Even in remote mountain villages, ambitious men from all sides had emerged to fight for power. As for the prefectural city, with so many people gathered there, no one knew what kind of chaos it had descended into.
Fortunately, they had come here to take refuge. Rock Town was blessed with no shortage of capable people, and everyone stood united, shoulder to shoulder, carrying them through one difficulty after another.
Brother Bai had been deeply moved by this. He understood that in times like these, only by working together could they secure even a measure of peace. He was more than willing to do his part for everyone.
After Brother Bai had spoken, everyone already had some idea in mind. They discussed the matter for a while longer, until Song Wushen made the final decision with a firm strike of his fist on the table.
“For the sake of the future, then we’ll take over Red Mountain!”
Everyone’s expression was solemn, though there was also more or less a look of satisfaction at the decision they had reached through discussion.
Although taking over Red Mountain would bring no shortage of difficulties, it would also bring them even greater hope.
The several of them exchanged glances. After working together for the past two years, they had developed complete faith in one another. They believed that, joining hands, they could overcome whatever trials lay ahead!
The north wind howled, and the icicles beneath the eaves had frozen into long, sharp spikes.
Song Fengsui was wrapped in a small blanket, keeping watch over a cup of hot tea by the window. Steam drifted upward, carrying the fragrance of wintersweet tea and reddening the tip of his already slightly flushed nose.
He had only just climbed out of bed not long ago, and his hair was still a little disheveled. He did not feel like washing or combing it, so he simply stared blankly at the snowflakes drifting outside and the icicles that even the wind could not blow down.
He had worked far too late the night before and was utterly exhausted. After finally managing to fall asleep, he had dreamed repeatedly—strange, bizarre dreams—and his sleep had been far from restful.
It was only when someone lightly knocked twice on the window and a familiar figure appeared outside that he came fully back to his senses. His eyes brightened a little.
“An Ge'er told me you went to the government office and would be back after a short while. Why did it take you so long? Did something happen?”
Duan Yan climbed into the room and removed his outer coat. “Something major happened. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been delayed for so long.”
He had seen how poorly Song Fengsui had slept the night before and had intended to return early so he could accompany him for a while longer. Who could have expected people from Red Mountain to arrive? By the time everything had been settled, it was already past noon when he finally made it back.
Song Fengsui hurriedly set down the tea in his hands. The blanket wrapped around him slipped slightly. “What happened?”
Duan Yan walked over, picked up the blanket, and wrapped it securely around him again. Then, taking both the blanket and Song Fengsui into his arms, he carried him over.
“People from Red Mountain came to pledge their allegiance. After discussing it, we’ve decided that from now on, Rock Town will directly administer two towns.”
Duan Yan said it simply, but Song Fengsui’s eyes widened in surprise. He had not expected events to develop this way. Yet after thinking it over, he felt that everything seemed to have been within the realm of possibility after all.
He pushed open the blanket and burrowed into Duan Yan’s embrace. “Pei Shan’s original plan was for the two towns to merge under a single ruler. In the end, it did happen—but the one in charge wasn’t him.”
Duan Yan said, “If he hadn’t let his ambitions get the better of him, the two towns might have remained at peace with each other. In this remote corner of the world, perhaps they could have stumbled along until peace returned to the land. Fewer people would have died for the time being, and he wouldn’t have met such an end.”
How could he ever have wanted to kill Pei Shan? But if Pei Shan had not died first, then given the circumstances of the battle between the two armies yesterday, even more people would have lost their lives.
Who would have thought that Pei Shan’s death, through a twist of fate, would end up pushing Rock Town onto a path they had never planned to take from the beginning?
Duan Yan could not say what he truly felt about it. But as he looked at the person in his arms, he knew with absolute certainty that no matter what kind of road lay ahead, his heart would never waver.
