Volume 4, Chapter 30: Rebirth from Danger (2/2)

Qiu Yufei relaxed. Having returned to Northern Han, he could not help become melancholic even as his heart relaxed. He was somewhat embarra.s.sed by returning in failure . He was worried and could not help drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Unexpectedly, as his wine combined with his anxieties, his worries only increased. Quite drunk, Qiu Yufei was unwilling to hasten on with his journey. He ultimately rented the inn’s lone guest room. Walking in, he pulled a blanket over himself and went to sleep. Qiu Yufei finally woke from his sleep not knowing how long had pa.s.sed. He could not help blus.h.i.+ng with shame. Having spent years outside, when had he ever lost and indulged himself like this? Rising from bed, he took out a clean set of clothes from his traveling bag and changed into them. Who could have known that before he had arriving in the dining area, he would hear a shout of fright from outside?

Qiu Yufei trembled, looking out, glimpsing a plain-clothed young man collapse at the entrance. The proprietor walked over to check and said in panic, “He has almost stopped breathing. Don’t tell me that he is going to die here!”

Seeing this, Qiu Yufei strode over and said, “Let me take a look.” So speaking, he leaned over and stared inquiringly. After a short while, he frowned and replied, “This man is both ill and injured, likely from not eating and resting properly for several days. Shopkeeper, make some warm stew and feed it to him. For now, bring some spirits.”

The proprietor promptly poured a bowl of strong liquor and brought it over. Qiu Yufei took out a pill and helped the sick man swallow it. Afterwards, he helped the man up, helping him drink the liquor. It wasn’t long before the man’s breathing gradually deepened. Only then did Qiu Yufei relax. As his gaze fell upon the young man’s face, he suddenly stirred. This man seemed familiar. After thinking it over, Qiu Yufei suddenly remembered. Wasn’t this one of Jiang Zhe’s bodyguards who was prostrated, begging forgiveness on that day, the former Ghost Cavalry soldier, Ling Duan? This man had escaped a day earlier. Who would have thought that he would have only just arrived here?

Presumably, he had exhausted himself mentally and physically in order to escape from Zezhou. This man’s martial arts were weak. He must have suffered innumerable hards.h.i.+ps in his escape. Were it not for Qiu Yufei’s rescue, Ling Duan would likely have died here. Although Qiu Yufei did not have a deep impression of this youth, he sympathized with the young man because of the same suffering that they had undergone—both luckily escaping from Jiang Zhe’s hands without dying. As a result, Qiu Yufei could not help having a favorable impression, thinking, There is no harm for me to stay a few more days, bringing him back with me.

After bringing Ling Duan to the guest room, Qiu Yufei once again examined the young man’s wounds, making sure that they were not fatal. With this examination, Qiu Yufei was able to discover that this youth’s natural endowments were wondrous. Moreover, the martial arts that he practiced were an offshoot of the Devil Sect’s. Qiu Yufei could not help but be excited. When the Devil Sect accepted disciples, they paid particular attention to chance. As a result, Qiu Yufei began to feel closer to this youth, thinking, This child’s temperament is firm and persistent. It would be great if he is able to train in the martial arts of the Scorching Sun branch. Although I focus primarily on the martial arts of the Freezing Moon branch, senior apprentice brother does not have any satisfactory disciples. If I can recommend this youth to him, he will definitely be pleased. Thinking this, he could not allow this youth to remain in a coma, otherwise it would be of grave consequence to the young man’s cultivation.

When Ling Duan woke from his coma, he felt excruciating pain across his entire body. He could not help groaning. The days of flight had completely exhausted his mental and physical energy. When he had caught sight of the inn in the wilderness, Ling Duan felt as if all of his hard work had been worthwhile. Just as he stepped foot into the inn, he was no longer able to endure and had fainted to the ground.

At this moment, he could sense that he had been revived, causing him to be filled with ecstasy. Just as his body moved, an icy voice came from his side saying, “Do not be lazy. When you’ve gotten up, I will help you regulate your internal energy.”

Then a pill was shoved into Ling Duan’s mouth. The pill instantly dissolved into an agonizingly cold stream. Ling Duan was alarmed. However, at that moment, a hand had already touched his back. Ling Duan could feel his internal energy begin to circulate outside of his control. Steeling his heart, he ignored whether this individual was friendly or not, earnestly circulating his internal energy. At the beginning, the man allowed Ling Duan to circulate his energy. After several times, the man used his internal energy to force Ling Duan to change the circulation route taken by his internal energy. Ling Duan originally wanted to forcibly resist. However, he was shocked to discover that he could no longer control his energy. The new direction taken by his circulating internal energy was almost like the proper path. Ling Duan gradually sank into a state where he forgot himself. Not knowing how long had pa.s.sed, Ling Duan finally returned to his senses, feeling his internal energy flowing unimpeded to his limbs and bones. Ceasing his cultivation, he rose, seeing a man in plain clothes standing before and gazing out a window with his hands behind his back.

Ling Duan stepped forward and kneeled, saying, “Disciple pays my respects to senior. Is senior an expert of the Devil Sect?”

The man did not turn around, only indifferently asking, “You know I am someone from the Devil Sect?”

Ling Duan cautiously answered, “Disciple once heard the general speak that our martial arts were pa.s.sed down by the Devil Sect. With senior’s familiarity with disciple’s cultivation techniques, disciple went out on a limb and guessed. If it was in error, I hope that senior will not blame me.”

The man smiled and replied, “As expected, you are surpa.s.singly intelligent. I am Qiu Yufei, a direct disciple of the Devil Sect Sovereign. I believe that you should remember who I am.” Finished speaking, the man turned around.

“Young master Gao!” exclaimed Ling Duan, dumbstruck. “You … how are you—?” Before he finished speaking, Ling Duan had already understood what was happening. Pleasantly surprised, he inquired, “Has senior successfully a.s.sa.s.sinated Jiang Zhe?”

Qiu Yufei sighed and responded, “Don’t bring up the subject. It was a fluke that I was able to return alive. It was also not easy for you to return to Northern Han. In the future, do you have any plans?”

Although he revealed a look of regret, Ling Duan still warily looked at Qiu Yufei, worried that his expression would be misconstrued as ridicule. Only after seeing no changes on Qiu Yufei’s face did he speak, “Disciple does not know. Originally, disciple should return to the army. However, there is a lump in my heart that is difficult to eliminate. This time, for General Tan’s army to be utterly annihilated, disciple suspects that there was someone from Northern Han adding fuel to the fire. As a result, disciple wishes to investigate this matter in secret. In addition, out of the ten thousand troops, disciple was the only one to return. As such, disciple is also worried that I will be suspected by others. Having experienced so many things, disciple does not want to die without rhyme or reason.” Reaching this point, his voice choked with emotions. Thinking of Li Hu’s death, he felt sorrow well up from his heart.

Qiu Yufei lightly patted Ling Duan’s shoulder. He understood clearly the apprehension in Ling Duan’s heart and also knew about the secret issues within the Northern Han army. However, Qiu Yufei had always been unusual amongst the disciples of the Devil Sect. Having learned the cultivation techniques of both the Scorching Sun and Freezing Moon branches, he was not fond of hand-to-hand combat nor crafty machinations. Aside from music, he did not have any other pleasures. As a result, due to his unwillingness to become excessively involved, he stated, “There is no need for you to worry. Come back with me to meet with my senior apprentice brother. If you have enough luck, you may be accepted as a disciple by my senior apprentice brother. Even if senior apprentice brother feels that your apt.i.tude is lacking, based upon my honor, it would be easy for you to become an honorary disciple. When the time comes, who would dare to charge you with any crimes?”

Ling Duan was overjoyed at the turn of events. Kowtowing again, he said, “Disciple bows in thanks to senior’s grace. If all this is possible, it will be disciple’s great fortune.”

Qiu Yufei smiled faintly and replied, “All right. Go eat some food. After resting for a day, you will set out with me tomorrow. There are some things that need to be discussed with General Long. I don’t know too much, but it feels like Great Yong is employing some conspiracy. Senior apprentice brother Xiao and others are more adept at these matters. I am disinclined to show any interest. Also, there is no need for you to call me senior. I am ranked fourth in the sect. You can call me fourth young master or Fourth Lord.”

Ling Duan felt himself grow cold. He knew that Xiao Tong was responsible for investigating military intelligence. In practice, he was also responsible for monitoring the officers and soldiers of the army. Usually, when Ling Duan saw Xiao Tong, he would keep his distance. Ling Duan could not help but feel fear at the thought of meeting with that man directly.

Qiu Yufei did not pay any attention to all this, his gaze returning to look out the window. He was also uneasy. Northern Han’s survival had a direct effect upon the Devil Sect’s reputation. Although he was unwilling to get involved in matters of state, how could he not feel worried about the fate of being destroyed?

The next day, Qiu Yufei led Ling Duan out of the mountains and sought out a sentry post. Borrowing horses, they rushed back to Qinzhou without stopping to rest. Two days later, the two of them had arrived twenty li from Qinzhou. Seeing Ling Duan’s fatigue, Qiu Yufei called to him to rest and have a meal at a roadhouse. Both of them had heavy loads on their minds. Although they ate slowly, they did not say a word.

Suddenly, the sound of hoofbeats and rolling wheels thumped from outside. While Qiu Yufei was not in the mood to pay any attention, Ling Duan could tell that they were the sounds of an elite cavalry unit pa.s.sing through. He could not help walking out the door of the inn to take a look. In the distance, he saw a unit of cavalry escorting a prisoner’s cart. Within stood a refined looking middle-aged man with plucked eyebrows and wide eyes. Although the middle-aged man was in fetters, his bearing was calm and completely without fear. When Ling Duan saw him, he was greatly shocked. Hurrying back inside the shop, he asked Qiu Yufei, “Fourth Lord, why is General Duan being transported as a prisoner?”

Qiu Yufei frowned. In puzzlement, he asked, “General Duan? Are you referring to the same General Duan that I know of?”

Ling Duan nodded his head and answered, “Right, General Duan Wudi. Could it be that he has violated military regulations? Otherwise, why would be a prisoner? I could see that the one escorting General Duan was General s.h.i.+ Ying’s deputy, s.h.i.+ Jun. Fourth Lord, General Duan has always been respected and loved by the soldiers, conducting himself with caution and rigor. How would he violate military regulations? Besides, even if General Duan committed a crime, General Long would definitely not disgrace and humiliate him like this!”

Qiu Yufei also felt doubt rise from inside. However, according to the regulations of the Devil Sect and without a military position, he could not directly get involved in military matters. However, with the misgivings within difficult to dispel, he thought, I should be able to ask privately.… Reaching this conclusion, Qiu Yufei walked out of the inn. Just then, the unit of cavalry had already come close by. Qiu Yufei blocked their path, coldly questioning, “Who is your commander? Come out to speak.”

The hors.e.m.e.n all reined in their horses, protecting the prisoner cart in the middle. A general with sideburns rode out. After considering Qiu Yufei, he could not recall this individual’s ident.i.ty. Thus, he shouted, “Pretty boy, where did you pop up from to have the impertinence to block my execution of military duties? Why haven’t you gotten out of the way yet? If you don’t, this lord general will charge you with the crime of trying to break the prisoner out.”

His complexion becoming chilly, Qiu Yufei’s body moved. The general saw stars, as his face was slapped twice. Flying into a rage out of humiliation, he commanded, “Brothers! Get him! Chop him to pieces!”

Bloodl.u.s.t appearing in his eyes, Qiu Yufei callously asked in a rhetorical manner, “Do you truly dare to act?”

The general broke out into laughter, replying, “I, s.h.i.+ Jun, always keep my word. Since I don’t recognize you and you dare to block the path, you are most likely an acquaintance of Duan Wudi. If you try to break him out, it’d be wonderful, properly proving Duan Wudi’s guilt.”

Qiu Yufei’s expression became increasingly frosty. It would be trivial for him to kill a few soldiers. Just as he was about to act, the middle-aged man in the prisoner’s cart suddenly spoke up, “s.h.i.+ Jun, stop! Why haven’t you taken a close look at who is standing before you? Fourth young master, this general is bound and cannot pay my respects. Young master, please forgive me.”

Qiu Yufei gazed at the middle-aged man, indifferently stating, “General Duan, in the two years since our last meeting, you have become quite thin.”

The middle-aged man smiled wryly and voiced, “Fourth young master, this general has exhausted my thoughts and ingenuity every day, how can I not become thinner? Now that this general has committed an offense punishable by death, would the young master please plead my case before the Grand General? Wudi couldn’t be thankful enough if you did so.”

Qiu Yufei had spent several days in Zezhou. Having seen the calm and confident display of the Yong army, their triumphant and invincible spirit, he felt that although the Northern Han army was not weaker, it was lacking in spirit and instead full of grief and indignation. He didn’t expect that, just as he returned to Qinzhou, one of the few capable generals in the Northern Han army would suffer such a twist of fate. Within the flood of hot fury was a bit of discouragement. Under the dim light, he felt an ominous premonition appear suddenly in his mind. Could it be that the situation was truly irretrievable?

Footnotes:

<ol><li>吴下阿蒙, wuxia’a’meng – idiom, Lü Meng (吕蒙) was an illiterate soldier who studied diligently to become a top strategist of the state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms Period; fig. someone diligently self-improving</li><li>曲意逢迎, quyifengying – idiom, lit. use every means to fawn over someone; fig. act submissively in order to ingratiate yourself</li><li>不明不白, b.u.mingbubai – idiom, lit. without rhyme or reason</li></ol>