928 In The Human World Ii (1/2)

It was already late spring in the Central Plains. In the north, it was no longer chilly and even became sweltering hot. The weather had become unpredictable these years, the same as Haotian's mood.

Together with the heat came the drought. On the borders of the Wilderness there had always been little rain. Now it became even more dusty. The gra.s.s grew perversely on the gra.s.sland but it didn't look good in the dust.

It was even more dusty in the City of Wei. The northwest winds had left obvious traces on the clay walls. Dusts were carried everywhere. If it was in the past, the dust-covered old soldiers would have been cursing on top of their shabby barracks. General Ma would have been sighing over his dusty liquor in the bowl he was holding.

It was still dusty, but these people were nowhere to be seen. Damages of the war from two years ago could still be seen around the corners of the walls. Winds could cut the walls but they could never erase the black blood stains. The leaning well with bitter well water had been filled with sand. The shabby barracks had already collapsed. The small city was abandoned. They could see no one in the city.

On the contrary, outside the City of Wei there were plenty of people. Dozens of yurts stood steadily in the sandstorm. The savages enjoyed living in the wild. Praying and chanting could be heard from time to time.

Standing under the blazing sun and in the piercing winds, Ning Que became even paler. He stared at the dead city where it used to be his home in profound silence. No one could tell what he was thinking about.

Sangsang seemed more cheerful than before. She sat by the window in the carriage and looked at the yurts. She listened to the hearty and pure chantings and felt extremely calm.

Taoism had striven for the years and finally converted the most powerful clan in the Wilderness, the Golden Tribe. They were Haotian's followers now.

They wors.h.i.+ped Tengri, namely Haotian, and therefore Sangsang.

The winds gradually disappeared outside the City of Wei. A piece of cloud covered the blazing sun and brought refres.h.i.+ng breezes from deep in the Wilderness. The savages came out of their yurts and indulged themselves in the rarely pleasant weather. They smiled with joy. An elderly even kneeled to kiss the ground in grat.i.tude of Haotian's bestowal.

Ning Que turned to Sangsang and asked, ”Did you send the cloud?”

Sangsang did not answer. She lifted the blue curtain and stepped out of the carriage. She walked across the yurts and enjoyed the wors.h.i.+p from the savages. Her eyebrows unfolded and the flowers on her blue dress bloomed.

After leaving the Divine Halls, they had been to the Great River, Lanke Temple, South Jin Kingdom and the Tang Empire. She never felt like being in her own kingdom until now.

The sun gradually set but it did not take away the heat. More savages came out of their yurts. The women started preparing their dinners while the men piled up firewoods and set up for a party in the night. It was a very lively scene.

No one could see him and Sangsang.

The savages around the yurts suddenly went into a hail. Ning Que turned and found a group of black horses coming from the south of the City of Wei, driven by dozens of cavalrymen of the Golden Tribe.

Upon seeing this he felt even more complicated.

Those were no wild horses. They were the best warhorses the Tang Empire had raised in the Xiangwan Plain.

The Tang Empire went short of warhorses and could no long find enough supply. According to the West Hill's plan, the Tang Empire would ran out of warhorses in three years. Even if they could launch another war, the Tang Empire was doomed to be defeated.

In another word, since the moment the Tang Empire ceded Xiangwan Plain, there was no chance for the empire to reclaim its former glory.

There were about a thousand horses coming. It was the last bunch of trophies they acquired. The savages were definitely excited. The circle of firewood was instantly enlarged. They killed more lambs. Some high-ranked people sent their slaves to get numerous bottles of fine wine and collected another round of hail.

The night fell. The campfire was set and everyone came out from their yurts. They circled by the campfire and started feasting and drinking. After getting a bit drunk, they started wrestling. Young boys and girls pa.s.sionately danced in pairs.

Ning Que stood outside the crowd and calmly looked at them. In fact, he had tried really hard not to look at the destroyed and abandoned City of Wei.

The more cheerfully the savages celebrated, the more miserable the dusty city looked. The happier the savages were, the sadder the dusty city seemed. The more vigorous their campfire turned, the more outrageous the dusty city became.

The big black horse sensed his fury and lowered his head gently. Sangsang finished her cruise and came back by the carriage. She asked, ”Are you enraged?”

Ning Que answered calmly, ”Yes. I am enraged.”

Sangsang kept asking, ”Why?”

Ning Que did not look at her and said, ”This is a human emotion. It has nothing to do with you.”

Sangsang continued, ”I am not a human being but I can a.n.a.lyze.”

Ning Que said, ”You will never understand.”

Sangsang said, ”You can explain it to me.”

Ning Que said, ”I am definitely enraged because of these savages, but I am even more enraged due to your indifference. It makes me sad and even start to doubt myself.”

Sangsang asked, ”Why should I be enraged as well?”

Ning Que turned to her and said with a cold voice after a long pause, ”You used to live here.”

Sangsang remained unchanged and said, ”I used to live in many places.”

Ning Que looked into her eyes and continued, ”The people in the City of Wei.. they used to treasure you so much.”