Tantai Hu stood with his hand on his saber. After listening to the messenger finish speaking, he nodded and turned to enter the military tent. Inside the tent were several Dunzhou soldiers, all trusted subordinates of Tantai Hu, smoking a pipe.
“The Prefect has issued an order,” one of them asked, “why is the general unhappy?”
“Stop fucking smoking already, the air is filthy!” Tantai Hu said as he unfastened his saber. “The Prefect ordered me to transfer troops to the Beiyuan training grounds.”
The few soldiers, seeing Tantai Hu’s unpleasant expression, did not dare to joke and quickly put out the pipes. The young man who had spoken earlier had yellow, dry hair. His name was Liu Kong, recruited from Fanzhou. He was usually good at talking, so he had gained Tantai Hu’s favor and stayed by his side.
Liu Kong lifted the tent curtain to let the smoke out, then walked to Tantai Hu’s side and said with a grin, “Since the Prefect is willing to use the general, it means he didn’t take Wang Xian’s words to heart. He still trusts the general.”
“The Prefect naturally trusts me.” Tantai Hu placed his saber down with a “clang” onto the table.
“Then why is the general still upset?”
“The Prefect sent Yu Xiao Zai to supervise the army, and he is already on the way—he will arrive the day after tomorrow.” The scar on Tantai Hu’s face twitched uncomfortably. “Second Master never had this kind of rule.”
“The general is Second Master’s confidant,” Liu Kong restrained his grin, “it’s different now with the Prefect.”
Tantai Hu’s expression grew even more grave at these words. Ever since he was reprimanded by Xiao Chiye, he had gone to Danzhou to formally apologize to Shen Zechuan, and after returning to Dunzhou he still had to reimburse the official expenses to the yamen. If there was no war next spring, his soldiers would even have to help the Dunzhou yamen farm. That was not the issue. What he could not forget was that day—he always worried Shen Zechuan had become displeased with him and would no longer use him. Now that Shen Zechuan continued to use him, a supervisor had still been sent.
“General,” Liu Kong lowered his voice, “the Prefect excels at balancing power—that is the way of emperors. Lord Yu Xiao Zai is the Six Prefectures Censorate official. Coming here, his authority is high and he suppresses the general a bit. Just endure it for now. When Second Master returns, you will naturally have a place to argue.”
Tantai Hu became even more uneasy. “Second Master is now fully aligned with the Prefect. He will not listen to me. I’m just afraid I’ll make things worse.”
“You are confused, general,” Liu Kong advised. “The Prefect transferring you to Beiyuan training grounds is precisely to let you guard Cizhou. With your bravery, you will surely win great victories. Once you win battles, Second Master will be pleased. Then you can bring up removing the supervisor.”
Tantai Hu hesitated. “Second Master won’t return until next year.”
“Isn’t that perfect? The safety of the six prefectures rests on you—that is immense merit.” Liu Kong saw Tantai Hu’s expression ease slightly and continued, “Besides, you don’t need to truly fear Yu Xiao Zai. He is from the Censorate, a student of Cen Yu. Who knows if his loyalty to the Prefect is real? Though the general should not judge a gentleman with a petty mind, in wartime one must be cautious.”
“Cen… Jing…” Tantai Hu stammered.
That’s right—Yu Xiao Zai was Cen Yu’s student. Instead of returning to be an official in his own place, he stayed in Zhongbo. The Prefect trusted him so much—what if he was a spy from Que Du? Wouldn’t the Prefect be in danger?
“You are right,” Tantai Hu looked at the saber on the table. “Second Master entrusted the six prefectures to me. I must ensure the Prefect and Cizhou are safe. This battle can only be won, not lost. If Yu Jing behaves strangely later… I absolutely cannot tolerate him!”
Liu Kong lit Tantai Hu’s pipe and handed it over. “I will watch him for the general.”
Xiao Chiye lay on his back on the wasteland, listening to the waves of the Chashi River, counting the stars in the sky. After one round, they were Shen Lanzhou; after another round, still Shen Lanzhou.
Lu Guangbai added firewood to the bonfire and turned to look at the quiet left side. “You brought the warriors of the Huiyan tribe here. Do you want to talk with Amuer’s six tribes?”
“There’s nothing to talk about with Amuer,” Xiao Chiye glanced at him. “Now I, your Second Master, am unstoppable. If there is talk, he comes to me.”
“You’ve gotten more arrogant,” Lu Guangbai said.
“Any taller and I’d hit the sky,” Xiao Chiye stretched. “I’m already tall enough.”
Scout reports said the Diao Ying tribe near Gedale had also withdrawn. Amuer was concentrating forces deep in the desert.
Xiao Chiye said, “After Hashen died, the Hadesnake tribe is no longer what it was. Amuer wants to reassert dominance, so he must win a battle to show the other tribes. Everyone in the desert wants to be king.”
Lu Guangbai understood. “So you want to negotiate with other tribes through the Huiyan tribe and cut off Amuer’s support while he concentrates forces?”
“The Huiyan tribe has long benefited from trade,” Xiao Chiye said. “It is no longer a small tribe.”
They looked at the vast wilderness together. The Chashi River roared endlessly like the echo of ancient mountains.
“When this war ends,” Lu Guangbai said, “I’ll return to Qitong.”
“Used to desert sand already?” Xiao Chiye laughed.
“The sand of your Beili is mixed with mud,” Lu Guangbai replied.
They both laughed.
Lu Guangbai said, “When I was young, I admired your father. I wanted to go to Beili and become a Beili iron cavalry. But later my family died, and only I remained in the borderlands.”
“If it were me, I would’ve run long ago,” Xiao Chiye said.
“I really did want to run. Whenever Que Du didn’t send grain, I wanted to run. In Xian De year four, when we entered the capital and the emperor made me kneel, I thought I would become the next Shen Wei.” Lu Guangbai sighed. “Who knew I really ended up running.”
They spoke of how Que Du once sent rotten rice to the borderlands. Xiao Chiye frowned.
“Eunuch supervisors,” Lu Guangbai suddenly stood up. “Eunuch supervisors!”
Xue Xiuyi reclined in a grand chair, casually turning glass beads in his hand while others calculated accounts for him. A eunuch in cloth wrapped his head came forward, nervously requesting to send a message to the palace.
After hearing this, Xue Xiuyi’s expression changed. “You are also a eunuch?”
“…Yes.”
Then came the matter of entering the palace through inner warehouse channels, gifts, money, and arrangements.
Eventually, the eunuch revealed he was from the Inner Palace and had once served as a military supervisor eunuch.
Xue Xiuyi’s suspicion deepened but he still agreed to let him enter later with palace procurement.
Several days later, rain fell in Dunzhou. Tantai Hu waited at the gate.
Soon Yu Xiao Zai arrived by carriage. After greetings and discussion, Yu Xiao Zai tried to mediate between Tantai Hu and Wang Xian, advising restraint and unity for military grain matters.
Tantai Hu was still angry but gradually understood the political maneuvering behind it. Eventually, under persuasion, he agreed to write a letter of reconciliation.
Rain made the road slippery. Shen Zechuan was playing chess with Yao Wenyu but felt dizzy. He lifted the curtain for air.
Yao Wenyu said, “Yu Jing is suitable for supervision.”
Shen Zechuan replied faintly, “He is more flexible than others.”
After a pause, he said, “Clear water has no fish, but too muddy is also annoying.”