Chapter 57: Mutual Wounds (Guaranteed Second Installment)

"Little Scholar, it is getting late. I must be going... Otherwise, Grandpa Ha will worry!"
Duoduo gently pulled her hand free from Zheng Yanqing's grasp.
She glanced at the sky and said softly, "Little Scholar, remember to come and visit me. Don't make me wait too long in Sichuan."
Zheng Yanqing nodded. "Then I'll walk you out."
"No need, I can go back by myself."
"If I don't walk you out, are you going to climb over the wall again?"
Zheng Yanqing said with a playful smile, causing Duoduo's face to flush red. The hour was already late, and Zheng Shi'an and the others had long since gone to sleep.
Yanqing and Duoduo walked along the veranda, passed through the central courtyard's corridor, and arrived right behind the front gate.
The guard on duty tonight was Dang Shixiong.
He cast a curious glance at the companion beside Zheng Yanqing, wondering to himself: Who is this young lady? When did she arrive at the estate, and why was I completely unaware of it? But the young master is truly formidable. On one hand, he has the exceptionally charming young lady of the Pei family, and this young lady is also as beautiful as a flower... Heh, I wonder how the young master will make his choice in the future?
Naturally, Zheng Yanqing was completely unaware of Dang Shixiong's internal musings as he stepped out of the Zheng estate's front gate with Duoduo.
He instructed Dang Shixiong to fetch two horses and personally helped Duoduo mount her horse.
"Little Scholar, you really don't need to see me off... From here to my lodging is not very far. I can make it back alone."
"How can that be? It's pitch black outside. How could I possibly have peace of mind if I didn't look after you?"
With that, Yanqing swung himself into the saddle, took the lantern from Dang Shixiong's hand, and said, "Alright, let's stop arguing. I'll escort you back."
Though Duoduo protested with her lips, her heart was filled with sweetness.
She stopped refusing and rode side by side with Zheng Yanqing, heading out of the ward.
Watching their departing backs, Dang Shixiong clicked his tongue and shook his head. "They say scholars are romantic. The young master is so young, yet he already possesses the demeanor of a renowned master of arts."
To straddle two boats at once—is that what made a renowned master?
Zheng Yanqing had no idea what Dang Shixiong was thinking, and even if he did, there was nothing he could do about it.
It was already past the hour of Zi (midnight). According to the rules, the gates of Huaiyin Ward should have been tightly shut by this time. After the hour of Xu (7 PM to 9 PM), the night curfew began. Aside from the three major marketplaces, the gates of all other wards were mostly bolted firmly shut.
However, closed as they were, if someone called at the gate, it would still be opened.
At least on the few occasions when Zheng Yanqing had returned late, a single shout would prompt the ward's night watchman to open the gates immediately.
With the ward gates tightly shut, Zheng Yanqing urged his horse forward. Just as he was about to call out, he saw the Bailiff of Huaiyin Ward leading a squad of soldiers to block his path.
Since the Daye era, Emperor Yang of Sui had maintained extremely strict control over household registrations.
He continued the household registration system established years ago by Gao Ying, and on that basis, instituted a grassroots management system divided into three tiers: the *bao*, the *li*, and the *dang*, based on the household unit. Five households formed a *bao*, headed by a *bao* leader; five *bao* formed a *li*, headed by a *li* bailiff; five *li* formed a *dang*, headed by a *dang* leader. These three tiers were mutually dependent and legally bound together. If one household broke the law, the *li* bailiff and *dang* leader would be implicated.
The bailiff of Huaiyin Ward was surnamed Wang, and speaking of him, he had deep historical ties with the Zheng family.
In his early years, he had been a dependent of the Zheng family. Later, because a family member rendered distinguished service, he was rewarded with farmland and appointed as a ward bailiff. This Bailiff Wang was also a distant relative of Wang Zheng and had maintained close interactions with Zheng Shi'an all along.
"Bailiff Wang!"
Zheng Yanqing looked at Bailiff Wang in surprise. "What brings you here..."
Bailiff Wang also recognized Zheng Yanqing on horseback. He gestured for the twenty soldiers behind him to lower their weapons, stepped forward, and cupped his fists in a respectful salute. "So it is the Young Master Zheng... It is so late, where are you headed? And this young lady is..."
"Oh, she is a distant relative of mine whose family has lived in Sichuan for generations. It's getting late, and I was worried it would be dangerous for her to return alone, so I wanted to escort her back to her inn."
Bailiff Wang glanced at the soldiers behind him. "Young Master Zheng, please wait a moment."
He hurried over to a man who looked like a military officer, leaned close, and whispered a few words into his ear. The officer's face initially darkened, but gradually, a trace of a smile appeared on his lips. He nodded gently and walked over with Bailiff Wang.
"Your humble subordinate Wang Hu, captain of the sixth squad, second platoon, thirty-third garrison under the Great General of the Right Xiaowei, pays his respects to Young Master Zheng, the Cavalry Commandant."
Under the Sui dynasty, the garrison militia system (*fubing* system) was practiced.
There were a total of six hundred and thirty-four garrisons nationwide, subordinate respectively to the Twelve Guards and the Crown Prince's Six Escorts.
A garrison was known as a *chongchong* garrison, subdivided into regiments, platoons, squads, and sections. Their officers bore the titles of Colonel, Platoon Commander, Squad Captain, and Section Leader.
Hearing Wang Hu's military rank, Zheng Yanqing couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart.
Why had the night watchmen been replaced by regular government soldiers tonight? For the longest time, the night guards in the wards were mostly able-bodied young men from the local wards. The sudden shift to patrolling by regular troops clearly indicated that an incident had occurred. How could Zheng Yanqing not be shocked?
The Right Xiaowei was under the command of Zhangsun Sheng.
Yet during his lessons at the Thunderbolt Hall at noon, Zhangsun Sheng had not mentioned any such matter.
Yanqing hurriedly dismounted and signaled for Duoduo to dismount as well.
"Captain Wang..."
"Hehe, Young Master Zheng, please don't stand on ceremony. Speaking of which, my grand-uncle is still recuperating at your estate, and I have yet to thank you in person."
"Your grand-uncle is... Grandpa Tiger?"
"Precisely."
After saying this, Wang Hu glanced at Duoduo standing nearby, then pulled Zheng Yanqing aside. "Young Master Zheng, you had best stay at home tonight and not go out. The Great General, Prefect Fang, and the Duke of Puyang have jointly signed a military order. Tonight, the gates of all wards are tightly shut, and no one is permitted to wander outside without authorization. All the night watchmen in the wards have now been replaced by garrison troops... If Bailiff Wang did not know you, your approach just now would likely have sparked a conflict. Please forgive me, Young Master."
Zhangsun Sheng, Fang Yanqian, and Yuwen Shu had jointly signed a military order?
This made Zheng Yanqing feel even more nervous inside.
"Then do you know why this is being done?"
"I heard... it seems rebel outlaws are on the loose. The Great General has ordered that anyone caught lingering in the wards after midnight is to be captured first and dealt with later.
Since you are the Great General's disciple, naturally there will be no problem.
However, military orders are like mountains, and as my duty requires, it is truly difficult for me to make an exception. If your friend were from Sichuan, it might still be manageable, but if she were from Xiangyang, she would likely be in trouble. In my humble opinion, you had better not go out; let this friend of yours spend the night at your estate. I estimate that after dawn, travel will resume and things will return to normal... Going out now is too dangerous."
Zheng Yanqing drew a sharp breath inwardly!
Putting on a forced smile, he cupped his fists and said, "If not for Brother Wang's warning, I would have nearly courted disaster. In that case, I will head back first."
With that, he offered his thanks once more, stuck the lantern onto the saddle, held the reins in one hand, and grabbed Duoduo firmly by the arm with the other. "Sister, there is a curfew in the city tonight. In my opinion, you had better stay the night at my home and leave tomorrow."
From the strength of Zheng Yanqing's grip, Duoduo already knew something was amiss.
She wanted to struggle, but meeting Zheng Yanqing's fierce tiger-like gaze, she immediately stopped resisting.
Silently following Zheng Yanqing back, he whispered under his breath, "Don't look back. We'll talk once we get home."
Dang Shixiong had just prepared to close the gate when he saw Zheng Yanqing and Duoduo returning.
He hurried forward to ask what was wrong, only to have Zheng Yanqing toss the horse reins to him and pull Duoduo hurriedly into the estate.
"They went out for a stroll, so why are they in such a rush to come back?"
He scratched his head, slightly puzzled about what game Zheng Yanqing was playing; he had looked almost impatiently eager.
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At Tianjin Bridge, the sounds of battle echoed continuously.
Squads and columns of soldiers poured in from all directions, numbering as many as several thousand.
Some wielded infantry spears and long lances, while others held bows and sabers. They surrounded Husky three layers deep, sealing off all avenues of escape.
Dozens of soldiers charged forward with spears. Husky let out a furious roar and lunged forward with his saber.
His saber technique was extremely simple: thrusting and parrying. The four-foot-long heavy horizontal saber, even though specially crafted, weighed no more than thirty to forty catties. In contrast, the infantry spears opposing him were each heavier than his saber. Yet whenever saber and spear collided, it was invariably the infantry spears that were deflected away. One soldier after another was sent flying by Husky's strikes, and every single soldier killed in the onslaught inevitably crashed into four or five other troops, breaking their bones and snapping their tendons. Wielding a single saber, he completely dominated the upper hand. Despite the endless sea of soldiers, Husky showed no fear at all. His roars rang out unceasingly, his saber flashing as he beat the imperial troops into a continuous retreat.
On the distant Duanmen city wall, Fang Yanqian and Yuwen Shu both wore expressions of deep shock.
"Twenty years have passed, yet Hade's martial arts have grown even more terrifying."
Yuwen Shu recognized Husky and couldn't help letting out an exclamation of awe.
Fang Yanqian also furrowed his brow tightly and said softly, "My Lord, this Husky is truly worthy of being the number one martial artist of Chang'an back in the day."
Yuwen Shu remained silent, quietly observing the battle at the head of Tianjin Bridge.
Husky charged back and forth, losing count of how many men he had killed. Each time he forced the imperial troops back, he would leap into the air, attempting to escape via the upper route. Yet among the imperial troops, there seemed to be an expert archer. Every time Husky leaped up, a single arrow would shoot out, forcefully driving him down from mid-air and plunging him back into bitter combat.
"Zhangsun Jisheng, do you have the guts to fight me one-on-one!"
Husky's hair stood on end, his entire body bathed in blood as he shouted sternly, "Hiding in the shadows and shooting covert arrows is not the act of a hero!"
"Chief Hu, this subordinate is acting under imperial decree to slay rebels today, not engaging in a contest of pride.
I know your martial arts are formidable, and twenty years ago in Chang'an, you enjoyed the reputation of the supreme martial artist. In single combat, this subordinate must willingly bow in defeat."
"Despicable!"
Husky let out a furious roar, snatched an infantry saber from a soldier, and swept it around in a full circle, killing several soldiers on the spot.
Seeing this, Zhangsun Sheng couldn't help frowning secretly.
Husky had clearly reached the pinnacle of mastery, his strength seemingly inexhaustible. If the fight continued like this, the casualties would undoubtedly be disastrous.
"General Mai, I must ask you to lead your men to entangle this fiend while I provide cover from the side."
"It should have been done this way long ago!"
Behind Zhangsun Sheng, a fierce general shouted harshly, "Lads, step aside and let me take this fiend's head!"
With that, he strode forward like flying, his horizontal saber trailing a brilliant blade-aura as it whistled down toward Husky. Husky countered with a backhanded, slanted slash, deflecting Mai Tiebang's unstoppable blow, and twisted his body to throw a ferocious punch straight at Mai Tiebang's chest.
Mai Tiebang knew nothing of Husky's terrifying strength. He sneered coldly, flipped his saber, and thrust horizontally forward.
With a muffled thud, Mai Tiebang's arm went numb, the web of his hand bursting open and bleeding profusely, almost causing him to lose his grip on his weapon. Husky's fist, however, remained completely unharmed. Husky smiled grimly, stepped forward, and thrust with his blade.
At the same time, a sound like a thunderclap echoed through the air.
An arrow appeared as if out of thin air, shooting straight toward Husky. Husky had no choice but to abandon Mai Tiebang, spinning around to slash his blade directly against the incoming arrow. The arrow exploded, deflecting Husky's long saber and forcing him to take two steps back.
"Fine archery! Is this the thunderbolt arrow of the Thunderbolt Hall?"
"I must ask Chief Hu for your instruction..."
After speaking, Zhangsun Sheng took a deep breath, drew his bow and fitted an arrow. He fired a rapid succession of shots with seeming casualness, yet the arrows flew consecutively, their shrill whistles endless.
Husky was forced to block frantically while simultaneously guarding against attacks from other soldiers.
Just then, a roar like a tiger shook the air: "Get out of my way, all of you! Let this general execute this fiend!"
A magnificent red horse surged forward from the crowd. The horse was like a horned dragon, the rider like a fierce tiger. Wielding a gilded phoenix-wing trident, the newcomer whipped the weapon through the air and reached Husky in the blink of an eye. Without a word, he brought the trident down with the force of an avalanche, smashing fiercely toward him.
The gilded phoenix-wing trident whistled through the air with crushing, earth-shattering momentum.
Husky had no time to dodge and met it with his saber. With a loud *clang*, Husky staggered back several steps, opened his mouth, and vomited a mouthful of fresh blood. The charging horse of the newcomer also retreated repeatedly. The general on horseback stood nine feet tall, with a face as handsome as jade and a broad, sturdy frame. Clad in a dragon-scale treasured armor, his hands gripping his weapon trembled uncontrollably.
"The Heavenly Bao General?"
"He truly is the number one martial artist of Chang'an—truly formidable."
The general on horseback shouted sternly, "What a pity! With such brilliant martial prowess, instead of thinking of serving the country, you conspire in treason.
Yuwen Chengdu is here today under imperial decree to slay rebels... Husky, take another trident from me!"
The sweat-drenched steed beneath him let out a long neigh as Yuwen Chengdu spurred his horse to charge at Husky once more.
Simultaneously, Mai Tiebang lunged forward with his saber, leaving Husky no room to dodge and forcing him into a direct, head-on collision with Yuwen Chengdu once again. His horizontal saber snapped in half, but the impact deflected Yuwen Chengdu's gilded phoenix-wing trident. Husky roared furiously, unleashing a series of kicks to beat Mai Tiebang back, before spinning and leaping into the air, lunging straight at Yuwen Chengdu.
Bare-handed... wasn't that courting death?
As Yuwen Chengdu felt a surge of surprise in his heart, Mai Tiebang shouted, "Chengdu, be careful! This fellow's fists are sharper than sabers."
Swift as thought, Husky had already reached Yuwen Chengdu.
Knowing he likely could not escape this time, and since escape was impossible, he resolved to fight to the death and drag Yuwen Chengdu down to the grave with him. Gathering his *qi* into his *dantian*, he threw a punch. Yuwen Chengdu wielded a long weapon and could not parry in time. Pulling on the reins, his sweat-drenched steed let out a long, shrill neigh, rearing up on its front hooves to squarely block Husky's punch.
The treasured horse let out a miserable shriek as blood sprayed everywhere.
Husky's fist, like a sharp blade, sank straight into the horse's chest.
Bathed in blood, Husky let out a mighty roar and forcefully ripped out a steaming, blood-drenched horse heart. The warhorse collapsed heavily to the ground, pinning Yuwen Chengdu's body beneath it. Husky sprang forward to attack Yuwen Chengdu again, but Zhangsun Sheng's sharp arrows were already upon him.
Thirteen arrows fired in rapid succession, every single one fierce and treacherous.
Growing careless, Husky was pierced through the thigh by an arrow, his leg turning to jelly as he nearly fell.
At that moment, another commanding general spurred his horse forward with leveled spear from the crowd. Husky hurriedly rolled on the ground to evade the general's fatal thrust. Just as he tried to stand up, Mai Tiebang lunged from behind and brought his saber down hard on Husky's shoulder.
Blood gushed forth, but Husky seemed completely unaware of it. Pivoting on his good right leg, he smashed a punch directly into Mai Tiebang's shoulder.
The force of this blow caused Mai Tiebang to cry out, drop his saber, and retreat.
After firing thirteen consecutive arrows, Zhangsun Sheng gathered the breath in his *dantian* and drew his bow once more.
Yet at that very moment, a violent fit of coughing caused him to lose his breath, and he spat a mouthful of bright red blood.
*Damn it, this chronic ailment had to flare up right now!*
Zhangsun Sheng suffered from an asthma-like chronic illness and could not overexert himself. The very reason he had stayed behind to guard Luoyang this time was precisely because of this affliction.
However, the battle had reached its white-hot climax, and Zhangsun Sheng had to straighten his body once more, take a deep breath, and loose another volley of arrows. In the battlefield below, Husky was also suffering wound after wound. Having lost his horse, Yuwen Chengdu wielded his gilded phoenix-wing trident with even more ferocious momentum. Mai Tiebang, though his shoulder had been shattered, still commanded the soldiers to swarm forward.
Most terrifying of all were two other mounted generals.
Yu Zhongwen and Tuwan Xu—one wielding a long spear, the other a pair of steel whips—tangled relentlessly with Husky, making it hard for him to parry. Growing careless for a split second, Husky's left leg was swept by the gilded phoenix-wing trident. With Yuwen Chengdu's god-like strength, the blow shattered half of Husky's leg, sending it flying off. As Husky let out a shriek of agony, Zhangsun Sheng's volley of arrows arrived. *Thud, thud, thud!* Husky's body was pierced by multiple arrows in succession, and Tuwan Xu seized the opportunity to charge forward, striking him across the shoulder with a steel whip.
His body was penetrated by numerous spears...
Blood foamed in Husky's mouth, yet he still stood on one leg at the head of Tianjin Bridge.
Past the hour of Zi, Mai Tiebang and Zhangsun Sheng, supported by their personal guards, walked out before the crowd.
Zhangsun Sheng coughed violently and incessantly, every fit tearing at his lungs with agonizing pain.
"Collect his remains properly."
Yuwen Chengdu suddenly spoke up, "A hero like this does not deserve to be denied an intact corpse... Grandfather, what do you think?"
The Duke of Puyang, Yuwen Shu, and Fang Yanqian also stepped forward, escorted by soldiers.
The tragic and fierce slaughter on Tianjin Bridge had completely exceeded the expectations of both men. Mai Tiebang's arm was crippled, Zhangsun Sheng's chronic illness had relapsed, and Yuwen Chengdu's sweat-drenched steed had been killed in battle. Alongside them, nearly two hundred elite guards had lost their lives.
And all of this was just to kill a single man?
Yuwen Shu couldn't help smiling bitterly inwardly, stepping forward to ask softly, "Great General, what are your thoughts?"
Mai Tiebang, his shoulder shattered and supported by others, gritted his teeth in pain.
"The Heavenly Bao General speaks correctly. This is a true hero."
Zhangsun Sheng covered his mouth, coughing up traces of blood continuously, but he also expressed agreement with Yuwen Chengdu's view: "Though Master Hade was a remnant of the previous dynasty, his loyalty is truly worthy of our respect. Such a hero should be granted an intact burial."
Yu Zhongwen and Tuwan Xu likewise wore expressions of deep respect.
"Since that is the case, let it be done according to the generals' wishes."
Fang Yanqian stepped forward, and seeing Zhangsun Sheng's sallow complexion, couldn't help feeling a wave of worry: "Great General, are you alright?"
"This is the first time in my life I have encountered someone so fiercely ferocious... This fellow is simply a monster.
I am fine, merely a relapse of an old illness. I will be fine once I go back and rest. Prefect Fang need not worry; you still have important duties to handle. Now that Husky is dead, the remnants of the Great Zhou surely lack the strength to resist. The most urgent task is to locate the bloodline of the Prince of Zhao.
After dawn, we must also pacify the citizens of Luoyang... I leave these matters to the Duke of Puyang and the Prefect."
"His Majesty will arrive in Luoyang in three days. I ask that the generals rest well."
Zhangsun Sheng and the others returned to their homes under the protection of the garrison guards.
Yuwen Chengdu remained behind to oversee the aftermath. Looking at the corpses strewn across the ground, both Fang Yanqian and Yuwen Shu revealed expressions of helpless resignation.
Yet beneath that resignation, a sense of relief—as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted—surged within them.