Chapter 188: West

Atop a sand dune stood a tent.

From its peak rose a single purple horn.

It was a symbol of the Barbarian Royal Court's supreme authority, somewhat like the golden imperial standards of Qian. Such objects could only be used by a sovereign.

Their symbolic significance far outweighed any practical purpose.

Historically, the Royal Court had possessed three such tents.

Each one bore a purple horn.

The horns came from Pixiu.

In the past, two Emperors of the Ji Clan had personally led campaigns and died in battle.

Their Pixiu mounts were captured by the barbarians as well.

The beasts' horns were cut off and made into trophies.

The third horn had belonged to the mount of a Yan commander who died in battle.

Only Pi Beasts of truly noble bloodlines could grow such purple horns from their foreheads.

The barbarians regarded them as spoils of war.

Symbols of glory.

However, a century ago, when the barbarians launched their western expedition, one such tent was lost in the West.

Another was seized back by the first Marquis of Zhenbei not long after he began guarding the desert.

He had personally led his iron cavalry in pursuit of the Barbarian Royal Court and reclaimed it.

Which meant the Royal Court now possessed only one tent of this kind.

And that last tent had appeared here.

Outside stood a middle-aged man dressed in animal hides.

His hair was red.

His eyes carried an amber sheen.

Yet his features retained the swarthy, rugged character of the barbarians.

According to rumor, the Barbarian Royal Court's Right Guli King was of mixed blood.

His father had been a Roman.

His mother a barbarian slave.

As a boy, he returned to the barbarian tribes.

He rose step by step.

Eventually he became the Right Guli King.

He stood there gazing into the distance.

A formation of black-armored cavalry was approaching.

The black dragon banners of Yan fluttered above them.

Among the riders was a carriage.

A young man rode at the head of the formation.

He wore golden armor.

Heroic vigor radiated from him.

He looked like an immovable boulder.

When he reached the tent and saw the purple horn atop it anger flashed across his face.

The Right Guli King smiled faintly.

Perhaps because he had spent part of his childhood in Rome some traces of the West still remained in his bearing.

The two men looked at one another.

No sparks flew.

No invisible clash of aura.

One was steady and restrained.

The other domineering and openly forceful.

There was no simple question of victory or defeat only two very different kinds of presence.

The young man in golden armor urged his horse forward.

The Right Guli King lifted one hand and blocked his path.

"Move aside.

"This Prince intends to inspect the tent."

The Right Guli King answered in a deep voice, "First Prince.

"Among all beneath the Barbarian Royal Court, only one person may enter this tent.

"You may rest assured."

"Why should I trust you?"

A smile tugged at the Right Guli King's lips.

Under the sunlight his amber eyes looked even more uncanny.

"There is nothing here to trust or distrust.

"You brought only one hundred riders this time.

"Not one of the Commanders left behind came with you.

"If I truly intended to do something—

"I alone would be enough.

"I admit the First Prince possesses exceptional martial talent.

"At such a young age, you have already reached Fourth Grade as a Martial Artist.

"Given enough years, your achievements in martial cultivation will certainly be extraordinary.

"But at present—you are still not my opponent."

As he spoke the Right Guli King raised one hand and pointed toward the approaching carriage.

"The honored person inside that carriage is not worried.

"Why must the First Prince break the rules?"

A hoarse, aged voice came from inside the tent.

"Ji Clan brat, is it?

"Come inside.

"Let this Khan have a look at you."

The Right Guli King lowered his hand.

Ji Wujiang dismounted.

He walked to the entrance of the tent and cupped his fists.

"Ji Wujiang has come to pay respects to the Great Khan of the barbarians."

"Heh heh.

"Times really have changed.

"People of the Ji Clan have finally learned manners."

Ji Wujiang lifted the tent flap and entered.

Inside sat an old man in rich robes.

He was extremely old.

His body curled slightly where he sat cross-legged.

There was barely a trace of the majestic posture one might expect from a Barbarian King.

He looked almost no different from some wealthy old landowner on a Yan estate.

"What?

"Your Ji Clan is allowed to dress itself up to look civilized these days—while we barbarians are supposed to keep eating raw meat and drinking blood forever?"

Ji Wujiang stepped into the tent.

"Ji Clan boy.

"You've grown into a fine, imposing man.

"What a pity.

"The Ji Clan has not personally wandered through the desert for many years now.

"I nearly began thinking the descendants of Ji had all sunk into pleasure and forgotten how to swallow desert sand."

A century ago the Barbarian Royal Court had launched a western campaign and suffered catastrophic defeat.

Afterward, the first Marquis of Zhenbei was enfeoffed in Beifeng Commandery and began suppressing the desert.

For centuries, the barbarians had remained one of the greatest threats to the Great Yan.

From that point onward, they could advance no farther east.

The scenes of ancestral Ji Emperors personally leading campaigns into the desert again and again had nearly faded into ancient memory.

"I've always wanted to visit the desert.

"There simply was never any need."

"Now that truly sounds like something a Ji brat would say."

The Barbarian King showed no anger.

He pointed toward a bowl of mare's milk wine before him.

"Drink."

Ji Wujiang did not act precious.

He lifted the bowl and drained it in one swallow.

"How is it?" the Barbarian King asked.

"Absolutely awful."

"Hahahahahahaha!"

The Barbarian King burst into laughter.

Then said, "I have some wine from the Westerners here as well.

"In a few days, I'll have someone send you some.

"Wine is only interesting when shared."

"Then this junior thanks the Great Khan."

From the beginning, the old Barbarian King had behaved almost like an elder.

They might be enemies.

The atmosphere outside might be tense enough to draw blades.

Yet Ji Wujiang gradually let go of his earlier arrogance and began responding more like a junior.

"Truthfully, there is one thing I have feared for years.

"I feared that before I kicked my legs and died—

"I still would not live to see someone of the Ji Clan ride into the desert again."

There was meaning hidden inside the words.

The Li Clan had guarded the desert so securely that generations of Ji princes had never possessed any need to personally campaign there.

If a Ji Clan member were to appear in the desert again the most likely reason would be that the Li Clan could no longer control the situation.

Unfortunately for the Barbarian King that chance never seemed to come.

And that ambition seemed impossible to fulfill.

His ancestors had fought the Ji Clan here for centuries.

Yet by his own generation the Ji Clan could no longer even be bothered to come into the desert.

When he died and met his ancestors that truly would be difficult to explain.

"In the future, this junior can come visit often."

The old Barbarian King shook his head.

"You no longer intend to fight for the throne?"

The question was extraordinarily direct.

Ji Wujiang laughed.

"I don't have the brains for it."

"Since ancient times, plenty of brainless men have become kings and Emperors.

"Tell this Khan honestly.

"Do you want to become Emperor?"

Ji Wujiang did not hide it.

There was little reason to hide anything here.

Besides as an imperial prince, he understood his father's temperament clearly.

To a certain degree, his father truly was open-minded.

"I do."

That dragon throne who would not want to sit upon it?

But in this world wanting something did not mean the world was obliged to hand it to you.

"I hear the Crown Prince favored by the Yan Emperor is your second younger brother?"

"Yes."

"Aiya.

"Of course.

"The Second Prince's maternal uncle is the Marquis of Jingnan.

"His future father-in-law is the Marquis of Zhenbei.

"Between those two men—several hundred thousand iron cavalry stand behind him.

"If he doesn't sit on that throne, who will?

"You—well, your birth was simply too poor."

The First Prince of Yan had been born to a palace maid.

Ji Wujiang nodded with feeling.

"Indeed."

"Hehehehe...

"Hahahahahaha!"

The old Barbarian King pointed at Ji Wujiang.

"You bastard brat.

"I actually like your temperament.

"You lack family backing?

"This Khan can give you family backing."

Here, "family backing" naturally meant a wife's clan.

Whether in this era or later ages, a person's most direct family connections generally came from three lines.

The paternal clan.

The maternal clan.

And the wife's clan.

"Does the Great Khan intend to let me sit upon the throne of the Royal Court?"

"You brat.

"If I truly let you sit there—your father would absolutely agree.

"He would not hesitate even if he had to publicly sever all ties with you.

"But even if I gave you the seat—could a Yan man, a Ji Clan man, truly sit securely upon it?"

"This Khan has a young daughter.

"She is the pearl of the desert.

"If you want her—

"I can betroth her to you."

"And the dowry?"

"The Ji Clan truly remains shameless."

"If the Great Khan wants me to call you Father-in-law—there should at least be some gift for changing how I address you."

The old Barbarian King raised one finger.

"Ten thousand Royal Court cavalry."

"Too little."

"Where is your shame?"

"The Second Prince has the Marquis of Zhenbei and Marquis of Jingnan behind him.

"Together, that's several hundred thousand iron cavalry.

"And you're giving your son-in-law only ten thousand?

"How am I supposed to fight for the throne?"

A woman's voice came from outside the tent.

"Wujiang.

"Stop making things difficult for that old man.

"Everyone knows how many scraps are left in his household.

"You can dig as hard as you want and still won't scrape much out."

The voice belonged to the Old Madam.

Ji Wujiang immediately walked to the entrance and lifted the tent flap.

The Right Guli King, who had shown him no courtesy earlier, was now bowing respectfully toward the Old Madam.

The Li Clan had guarded the desert for a hundred years.

A hundred years was an extraordinarily long time.

Long enough that the barbarians now feared the Li Clan rather than the Ji Clan.

His identity as First Prince of Yan could not compare with the status of the present Madam of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

"Aunt."

Ji Wujiang took the initiative to support the Old Madam by the arm.

Inside the old Barbarian King, who had been curled lazily in place, shakily rose as well.

He coughed several times.

Then smiled.

"Greetings, Little Sister of the Li Clan."

The Old Madam smiled faintly and nodded.

"Greetings, old brother from the family across the way."

One was Great Khan of the Barbarian Royal Court.

A genuine Barbarian King.

The other was Madam of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

A woman whose stomp could make the entire northern frontier tremble.

Yet when the two greeted one another they sounded like old neighbors meeting in the street.

"Has my younger brother Li gone south to enjoy himself?

"Little Sister Li—surely you understand what men are like.

"He went out to enjoy himself and left you at home.

"That really wasn't proper.

"I've heard the women of Qian's Jiangnan are all living beauties.

"Who knows?

"Perhaps Younger Brother Li has already found some new favorite down there."

"Our household is poor.

"So poor we can barely keep the pot boiling.

"A man has to go out and sell some strength to earn spending money.

"Besides, our daughter will be marrying soon.

"We have to prepare a dowry.

"Wouldn't want our daughter suffering after she marries, would we?"

"Little Sister Li, now you're treating me like an outsider.

"Your precious daughter can be considered someone I watched grow up too.

"When she marries, naturally the Royal Court should contribute something to her dowry."

The methods of the Marquis of Zhenbei's daughter against the desert barbarians were nearly known throughout the world.

Everyone knew how the Shatuo tribe had been exterminated.

Everyone knew how the Left Guli King of the Royal Court had fallen.

Yet despite that the offer of a dowry was not empty politeness.

"No need to trouble yourself, old brother.

"Your own life isn't easy either."

"Aiya.

"It's only a small expression of goodwill."

"Heh.

"These are difficult years.

"Everyone is living tightly.

"If old brother truly means well, then stop thinking about coming to our house to beg for autumn grain.

"My Li Clan will already be perfectly satisfied."

"Now, that is not how one should speak."

The old Barbarian King's expression gradually became serious.

He continued, "In the early years, the barbarians certainly lived bitter lives.

"But at least during festivals we could still slaughter something and eat meat.

"Now look.

"Ever since your Li Clan arrived—we have spent nearly a hundred years living hard days.

"These days are truly difficult."

"Isn't that the truth?

"My Li Clan used to count as a wealthy household in Yinlang Commandery.

"Ever since we moved to the edge of the desert—we've eaten sand for a hundred years.

"And most days, even the men of the Li Clan can barely get meat."

"Exactly.

"So, Little Sister Li—a person only lives once.

"Why make life so hard on yourself?"

The Old Madam nodded.

"Truthfully—we've been old neighbors for so many years now.

"Surely some measure of affection should remain.

"I won't waste words saying nonsense about our two families joining hands to seek wealth and glory together.

"Since Little Sister Li invited me out for a conversation—

"I will give you that face."

The Old Madam spoke.

"No barbarian soldier may take a single step east."

The old Barbarian King slowly sat back down.

"When your Li Clan's three hundred thousand iron cavalry stood there—even if we wanted to come in, we couldn't.

"But now—if we want to enter—can you truly stop us?"

The territory once guarded by three hundred thousand Zhenbei Army troops across six garrisons now had fewer than one hundred thousand left.

The decline in control was enormous.

Preventing the barbarians from crossing the border truly would be difficult.

Worse this time, under the Royal Court's summons, the barbarians had more than the Royal Court's own hundred thousand cavalry.

Numerous tribes had answered the call.

Together, those tribes could gather more than two hundred thousand additional riders.

In the past, while three hundred thousand Zhenbei Army cavalry still remained in place, the barbarian tribes would never have dared assemble openly on this scale.

They knew perfectly well that even if both sides fielded three hundred thousand men their own army would still suffer a complete defeat.

But now, because hope had finally appeared many major tribes that had long ignored the Royal Court's orders had once again gathered beneath its banners.

The Old Madam spoke.

"This old woman came today because she wishes to discuss a transaction with the Great Khan."

"Madam Marquis.

"Please speak."

"So long as the barbarians do not cross the border this time—for the next ten years, the Marquis of Zhenbei's household and the Great Yan will not enter the desert again."

Large-scale battles between the two sides had already become rare over the last several decades.

But Zhenbei Army units still periodically entered the desert looking for people to fight.

Since the desert's living conditions were harsh they kindly helped reduce the population and ease the pressure.

A man like Li Fusheng in later generations, he could practically have served as director of a family-planning office.

The old Barbarian King waited for a while.

Then, as if only now realizing she had finished he laughed.

"That's all?"

For ten years—

I promise not to beat you first.

And this was supposed to count as a favor?

For a moment even the old Barbarian King felt an indescribable mixture of emotions.

"Not satisfied?" the Old Madam asked.

"It isn't a question of satisfaction.

"The price is simply far too low.

"Great Yan is not even giving up anything.

"This Khan could not possibly explain such a bargain to his people."

The Old Madam nodded.

"The Marquis's household has never been especially skilled at doing business."

"I can tell."

"We're better at letting blades speak."

"Right now—if we're comparing blades—you cannot beat this Khan."

The Old Madam's expression became solemn.

"If the barbarians cross the border—my remaining one hundred thousand Zhenbei Army will enter the desert in full force.

"We will strike directly at the Barbarian Royal Court!"

The old Barbarian King's eyes suddenly narrowed.

I can abandon my home.

I can abandon my stronghold.

I can let the barbarians burn, kill, and plunder inside my territory.

But I will still destroy your Royal Court!

The Old Madam continued, "One hundred thousand Zhenbei Army.

"We swear not to return until the Royal Court is destroyed!"

The desert was not entirely sand.

Many oases were scattered throughout it.

Barbarian tribes certainly could migrate.

But their migrations followed climate and pasture.

They had patterns of their own.

Even if the Royal Court kept running kept retreating and refused battle entirely the losses a tribe suffered while constantly being driven away could still be terrifying.

In later history, both Emperor Wu of Han and the Yongle Emperor of Ming launched repeated expeditions like this in their later years.

The number of heads taken did not always look impressive.

But the losses suffered by tribes during flight remained immense.

More importantly the old Barbarian King understood something clearly.

The other tribes, especially the largest ones, would be perfectly happy to watch the Royal Court and Yan fight until both sides were destroyed.

If everyone marched east together, they would obey his commands.

But if Yan cavalry entered the desert and attacked only the Royal Court as long as Yan did not strike their own tribes those tribes would stand aside and watch.

The old Barbarian King rubbed between his brows.

"Your Li Clan—is threatening this Khan?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps this Khan can learn from you as well.

"To tell the truth—

"I've already lived a great many years.

"I've lived enough.

"Tell me.

"Could this Khan not also sacrifice himself and exchange that sacrifice for a broader sky for the barbarians?"

The Old Madam turned toward Ji Wujiang.

"Bring out His Majesty's secret decree.

"Present it to the old Great Khan."

Ji Wujiang nodded.

He took a sealed imperial decree from inside his robes and handed it over.

The old Barbarian King weighed the decree in one hand.

Then slowly opened it.

It was extremely short.

Only a few lines.

Written personally by the Yan Emperor.

But after reading those few lines the old Barbarian King's entire body suddenly trembled.

He looked up sharply at the Old Madam.

"Your Li Clan—no..."

Then, he turned toward the First Prince.

"Those surnamed Ji truly are all lunatics.

"Every last one of you—lunatics!"

After saying that the old Barbarian King clenched the decree tightly in his fist.

Then snarled, "This Khan will wait.

"Wait and watch.

"Wait and see how you Yan people destroy yourselves!

"Even if the barbarians do nothing—this Khan still refuses to believe Heaven's Mandate belongs to the Great Yan!"

People became angry when they were afraid.

People lost propriety when they were thrown into panic.

The negotiation ended in this fashion.

The Old Madam entered her carriage.

At that moment, First Prince Ji Wujiang followed her inside.

"Aunt."

The Old Madam showed no surprise.

In fact, as the Emperor's firstborn child, the First Prince had lived for a period inside the Marquis of Zhenbei's residence when he was very young.

The Old Madam herself had cared for him.

It had almost become a tradition between the imperial house and the Li Clan.

Just as the late Emperor had once allowed the current Emperor and Li Liangting to grow up together.

"You want to know what your father wrote in the secret decree?"

"Yes."

"This old woman never read it."

"But I believe Aunt can certainly guess what Father wrote."

The First Prince understood that the Old Madam was no ordinary woman.

He even knew that years earlier, both his father and the Marquis of Zhenbei had once regarded her as the woman they loved.

One could even say if the Old Madam had wished it she could have been the present Empress.

Mother of the realm.

Although between being Madam of the Marquis of Zhenbei and being Empress perhaps the difference was not especially large.

"This old woman will make a guess for you."

"Many thanks for clearing my confusion, Aunt."

The First Prince assumed an attentive expression.

The Old Madam smiled faintly.

Then, imitating the Yan Emperor's tone, she said, "If the barbarians cross the border while Great Yan is fighting a national war—then I will cede half of Great Yan's territory to Qian and Jin and sue for peace.

"Then I will mobilize every soldier in the realm and send them into the desert.

"We will fight the barbarians until one side is utterly destroyed!

"The Ji Clan may perish.

"Great Yan may fall.

"But the barbarians—must never advance east!"

(End of Chapter)