Volume Two: No Way Forward Through Mountains and Rivers Chapter Two: The City Gate

The carriage seemed to sway gently through the entire night. The three young women had chattered away until nearly dawn before finally falling asleep. The carriage was rather spacious, so even with all four of them and various furnishings, it never felt crowded. Zhuo Hua rubbed the sleep from his eyes, reached out, and parted the curtain in the middle of the carriage to check on the three in the back. He saw Qin Ying lying in her soft silver fox fur cloak, resting her head on Su Xin’s hand.

Su Xin’s head leaned against Qin Ying, but her hips were arched back; upon closer look, Qin Ying’s hand was reaching toward Su Xin’s belly, as if trying to pinch the flesh there. Su Xin’s feet were tightly embraced by Zhuo Yun, who still wore a satisfied smile on her face.

Zhuo Hua shook his head, thinking that when Su Xin woke up, the three girls would no doubt start another squabble. It seemed wise to withdraw from the carriage for now.

He put on his cloak, lifted the thick curtain, and stooped to step outside. The sky was only faintly light, visibility limited, but at least the snow had stopped and the wind had died down. Old Yao, hearing the sound, turned and, by the orange glow of the lantern, recognized Zhuo Hua’s face. He turned back, saying, “My lord, you’re awake!”

Zhuo Hua grunted in response, then gestured to sit beside him. Old Yao shifted over to make room. As Zhuo Hua brushed the snow from the armrest, he asked, “Old Yao, where’s the driver who came with us?”

Old Yao, eyes fixed ahead as he fiddled with the reins, answered, “That lad couldn’t last the whole night. I sent him to the rear carriage to sleep once night fell.”

“The rear carriage?” Zhuo Hua glanced back suspiciously, but it was too dark to see clearly.

Old Yao explained, “I added a compartment behind this carriage for people to rest.”

“But wasn’t that the cart that used to carry fuel and supplies?” Zhuo Hua asked.

“Yes, my lord, but I moved that to the very back,” Old Yao replied calmly.

“You mean all three vehicles are linked together, pulled by these five horses?” Zhuo Hua asked incredulously.

“That’s right, my lord. But it’s not just five horses—it’s five horses and a bull,” Old Yao said with pride.

“Your big blue bull? It can run this fast on land?” Zhuo Hua craned his neck to see what was among the horses ahead.

“Of course! The Green Onion Bull flies swiftly through the sky and isn’t slow on land either!” Old Yao tugged at the reins again, chuckling.

“No wonder you’re called the Void’s best driver!” Zhuo Hua clapped his shoulder.

After a while, Old Yao said, “My lord, we’ll reach Changshan after dawn. There’s still time—perhaps you should rest a bit longer inside.”

Zhuo Hua thanked him for his hard work, then returned to the carriage.

Back inside, Zhuo Hua crawled into his sleeping bag, hands folded behind his head, staring wide awake at the ceiling. Questions circled in his mind, the same ones that had haunted him for months, but answers remained elusive. Why had Lanling come to steal the Xuanhuang Umbrella? What was the purpose of that Sun-worshipping cult? How had Lanling become entangled with them?

The only thing Zhuo Hua was sure of was this: with Lanling’s plans foiled, they would likely meet again soon. Her presence here as a spiritual projection meant she was far away in her true form; otherwise, why go to such trouble instead of leading her people in directly?

Turning restlessly in his sleeping bag, Zhuo Hua made enough noise to disturb the others. A voice drifted from beyond the curtain: “Zhuo Hua, you’re up early!”

“Yes, I woke and couldn’t fall back asleep, just thinking. By the way, Old Yao says we’ll reach Changshan soon,” he replied to Qin Ying.

He heard the soft rustle of someone crawling closer, and Qin Ying’s voice whispered through the curtain, “I’ll stay up too and chat with you.”

Zhuo Hua murmured assent. After a few moments’ silence, he asked, “Do you know who attacked you?”

Qin Ying replied calmly, “I’m waiting for you to tell me.”

Zhuo Hua coughed awkwardly. “It was Lanling.”

“I see,” Qin Ying said, unusually composed.

Zhuo Hua felt a trace of embarrassment but pressed on, fearing the silence would grow too heavy. “She used spiritual possession to control Tian Chong and tried to steal the Cloud-Anchor Umbrella.”

“I just want to know why she ambushed you,” Qin Ying’s tone turned cold.

“I think… it was to stop me from destroying the umbrella,” Zhuo Hua answered, a little uncertain, for even he wasn’t sure.

“I don’t care what her reason was—she attacked the lord of Zhuo Hua, and that makes her an enemy of the Palace in the Clouds. If she appears again, the palace will stop at nothing to destroy her and her followers.” Qin Ying grew more agitated, the last words spoken through clenched teeth.

Silence fell again.

It was Qin Ying who spoke first, unable to bear it. “You think she must have her reasons, don’t you?”

“I believe that as a celestial maiden of the Xuanhuang clan, she wouldn’t go against the heavenly order,” Zhuo Hua replied.

“Hmph!” Qin Ying snorted. “A celestial maiden wielding the dark tribe’s sorcery and dirty tricks.”

“Jingmuhan!” Zhuo Hua barked. “Don’t forget, you’re the mistress of Vermilion Bird Hall. Do you know the penalty for slandering one of the exalted?”

There was a rustle as Qin Ying retreated to her corner and began to sob quietly.

At that moment, the carriage halted, and Old Yao knocked on the side, calling, “My lord! We’ve reached Changshan City.”

At his words, the others in the carriage began to stir. After a brief flurry of activity, Zhuo Hua and Old Yao arrived at the city gate, followed by three still-drowsy women with disheveled hair and ornaments. Behind them was the driver named Phantom Slave, who had come with them from Northern Yan and was now struggling to control the extra-long carriage Old Yao had refitted.

It was still early—not yet time for the gates to open. A crowd had already gathered, waiting to enter, and though the townsfolk were curious about their group, they all kept a wide berth from the imposing carriage and horses.

Zhuo Yun pouted unhappily. Su Xin teased her, “What’s wrong, Little Fish? Are you sulking because you didn’t sleep well?” and reached out to muss her untidy hair.

Zhuo Yun turned her head, dodging Su Xin’s hand. “That’s not it. I’m just upset that after coming all this way, the people here don’t seem to like us.”

Qin Ying stood silent and cold, her eyes still red. When Zhuo Hua approached, she looked away.

Zhuo Hua moved closer to Zhuo Yun and, pointing to the large yellow flag on the carriage, smiled. “They’re not avoiding us—they’re wary of that flag.”

Just then, Old Yao joined them and asked with mock seriousness, “Oh? What’s so special about that flag?”

Both Little Fish and Su Xin watched Zhuo Hua, waiting for his answer, while Qin Ying continued to observe silently.

Zhuo Hua cleared his throat. “That flag’s design is unique to the Tian clan, and yellow is reserved for the clan chief. Our carriage, with four wheels, five steeds—this is the privilege of a regional lord. Since Tian Chong is now chief of both the Lan and Tian clans, the common folk keep their distance out of respect, not hostility.”

A prolonged “Ohhh…” and earnest nods from the two women suggested they understood.

At that moment, a side gate on the distant city wall creaked open. A small cavalry unit charged forth, raising dust, and quickly arrived before them.

The leading junior officer dismounted, clasped his fists, and knelt on one knee, announcing loudly, “Forgive us for not greeting such honored guests sooner. General Li, commander of the city patrol, has sent this junior to welcome your arrival.”

The young officer was shrewd—not knowing who the leader was, he addressed the group as a whole, avoiding offense.

Zhuo Hua stepped forward and said, “Rise.”

The officer did not move.

Zhuo Hua realized he would not stand until identities were made clear. So he said, “We are envoys of Tian Chong, ruler of Yan, here on official business. You may rise, General.”

The officer sprang up, turned aside, and saluted Zhuo Hua. “Honored envoy, please follow me into the city,” he said, gesturing courteously.

Zhuo Hua smiled, “The gates will open soon enough. We won’t break protocol—let us enter with the townsfolk.”

The officer hesitated, then replied with bright eyes, “The envoy is gracious and approachable—Xiao admires you. I’ll report to General Li at once.”

With that, he mounted up and led the troop back into the city.

After the time it takes to drink two or three cups of tea, the great bell atop the gate tower began tolling, and the massive gates opened with a groan. The murmuring crowd surged with excitement, but entered in an orderly fashion. After a while, as the crowd thinned, Old Yao drew near and asked softly, “My lord, shall we enter?” Zhuo Hua nodded, calling the others aboard. Old Yao and the driver unhitched the three-carriage ensemble and restored each to its proper form. The convoy moved slowly toward the gate.

Just inside, the procession halted. The officer named Xiao called out, “By order of the Lord of Changshan, all vehicles and persons must be inspected before entering.”

A sycophantic older voice at his side interjected, “A clan chief’s carriage need not be inspected.”

“General Li, it’s my duty to protect the people with these checks,” Xiao replied respectfully, but with unwavering firmness. “Please forgive me, General.”

“You impudent fool! Do you think a mere patrol officer has the right to inspect the carriages of two great clan chiefs? You’re courting death! Guards, seize him!” General Li shouted.

Zhuo Hua lifted the curtain and dismounted, calling, “Hold!”

All eyes turned to him.

He stopped before the portly, bearded general, whose armor hung loosely over his ample belly, and saluted. “I am the chief’s envoy, on a mission to inspect the kingdoms. This young officer is only fulfilling his duty—General Li, I ask you to show clemency.”

General Li’s face split into a greasy smile as he bowed repeatedly. “Honored envoy, forgive this stubborn youth. He’s blinded by rules, unable to adapt, and has disturbed your journey. I’ll have him detained at once to spare you further offense.”

The oily smile on his plump face filled Zhuo Hua with disgust. He retorted, “I am sent by the clan chief to seek out loyal and capable servants of the realm. I happen to admire such conscientious officials. The gate inspection is the last line of defense. If everyone were as negligent as you, Changshan’s reputation for being unconquerable for a thousand years would be lost.”

General Li’s face paled, but he maintained his sycophantic expression. “You speak truly, honored envoy. Officer Xiao is a true pillar of the kingdom!” He turned and berated the two soldiers holding Xiao. “What are you waiting for? Release Officer Xiao! Can’t you see what’s going on?”

The two soldiers reluctantly let go, casting contemptuous glances at General Li.

Officer Xiao flexed his wrists, gathered a few subordinates, and strode toward the convoy. As he passed Zhuo Hua, he bowed deeply, leaving the embarrassed General Li to stew in silence.