Bachitu adored these camels; good camels could fetch a price comparable to a horse. He wished he could take all of them, but after much persuasion, he reluctantly chose twenty of the more docile ones and selected a less temperamental male camel as the new lead camel. Li Weiying, seeing the pitiful little camel, persuaded him to include it in the group as well.
The goods were distributed to the camels, allowing the weary horses to rest. Everyone mounted their camels, but Huan She was greatly annoyed. Wild camels were thinner than domestic ones, and therefore the distance between their humps was narrower, making it impossible for two people to ride together. Even with his injuries and weakness, Huan She couldn't hope to ride alongside Li Weiying. He could only console himself that at least he had something to ride; if they had caught Arabic dromedary camels, he wouldn't have been able to ride at all. Fortunately, Li Weiying was concerned about Huan She's health and rode alongside him. When Huan She was in severe pain, he would lie on the camel's hump, tilting his head to look at her smiling face and listen to her gentle words, which felt like a warm breeze.
Besides the lack of water, fuel was also a problem. They had spent a lot of time cutting down dead poplar branches along the way. The camels brought them joy. It turned out that camel dung was particularly dry; after being patted and dried, it was perfect for burning, producing very little smoke. While Li Weiying was resting and warming herself against a camel, Huan She smiled and reached out his dark hand to wipe her eyelids. She jumped up in surprise, "What? You just patted dung on me? Take it away!" Huan She said solemnly, "Sit still, I'm doing this for your own good. Putting some camel dung around your eyelids will prevent the sunlight from reflecting off the sand and hurting your eyes. Look, your eyes are all red and swollen."
She asked skeptically, "Is it true?" Huan She replied, "Of course. Don't you think about where I've lived all these years? Guazhou in Longyou! I've seen countless camel caravans doing it this way. I even managed to steal some fresh camel droppings from young camels because I've practiced martial arts; they're not too smelly. Let the wind dry them, and they'll be even less smelly. Come on, sit down, let me put some on!" She sat down reluctantly, holding her breath and closing her eyes as Huan She applied the product to her face. He said, "Okay, that's enough. Don't waste it." He also applied some to his upper and lower eyelids.
After a while, Li Weiying opened her eyes, took a careful breath, and thought it didn't really smell bad. She looked at Huan She and whispered, "Huan Lang, I think you look like the Mo mentioned in ancient books, with those two dark circles under your eyes..." He laughed, "Hehe, not me, but us, you are too." She had never dared to look at the copper kettle, and hearing Huan She's words, she could imagine that she also looked strange. Just then, Alaya came over to greet them, sat down by the fire they had lit, took some soot, and smeared it on her eyelids. Li Weiying understood, feeling both ashamed and annoyed: "Huan She, you're lying to me again." Huan She smiled and lay back on the soft sand, watching her clench her fists but not dare to hit her, secretly chuckling to himself, "I know you're just being gentle and don't want to hit me."
Bright sun, yellow sand, white camels, withered grass, wisps of smoke, and beautiful women—Huan She drifted off to sleep amidst boundless joy.
After another day of trekking through the desert, they still couldn't find any snow or rivers. Huan She led his men along the dried-up riverbeds and along the withered branches of the poplar trees, searching and digging in the low-lying bends, but to no avail. Finally, they remembered to release a few camels; their keen sense of smell allowed them to detect water from afar. Following the camels, they indeed found a shallow spring, but it was bitter and salty, and only the wild camels could tolerate it; even the horses vomited after drinking it. After filtering the water repeatedly with gravel for half a day, they only managed to obtain a small jug of water. Although it still tasted bitter and salty, at least they had hope of surviving for another day.
The weather turned bad again. Huan She led the group for a long time, guided by the iron needle, but something felt off. Finally, they came across a dark red magnetite mountain, realizing that the iron needle's magnetism had been affected and they had taken a wrong turn. Huan She had no choice but to rely on his memory and intuition to lead everyone back the way they came. The group endured hunger and thirst for another day, constantly seeing the skeletons of men and horses along the way. Some of the more vulnerable Yanqi people cried out, "There really are demons! Demons of the desert!" Huan She immediately stopped these seductive words with a stern shout, threatening that anyone who dared to utter another word would be abandoned. Only then did the people quiet down.
Night fell, and the moon rose. A faint white light appeared ahead, and everyone spurred their camels on to investigate. Finally, they could see what appeared to be a large frozen lake, shimmering silver in the cold moonlight. The group cheered and jumped off their camels, rushing towards the lake. Suddenly, Dereidew cried out in terror, "It's the Turkic captain! He's in the frozen lake!" Huan She also saw him and shouted, "Stop! Don't go!" But it was too late. Woriwu, who was running in the lead, had already stepped onto the frozen lake—actually a dried-up salt lake, with a seemingly hard, frozen salt crust on top, but a layer of thick, silty mud beneath. Woriwu immediately sank in, and Dereidew, rushing to pull him out, also sank in. Huan She and Li Weiying followed closely behind. Seeing them sinking, she cried out, "I'll get the felt!" Huan She replied, "Too late!" He immediately took off his sheepskin coat, spread it on the lake surface, and lay down on it. However, he was still a little short of reaching Dreidewo. Li Weiying quickly took off her own coat and threw it to Huan She, who then spread it in front of him and crawled over. He finally reached Dreidewo's hand and grabbed him tightly. Although they couldn't pull him out, they had at least slowed their descent in the salt marsh. Li Weiying and Luo Kebu brought over several camels, tied the reins together to extend them, and threw them to Huan She. Huan She pulled on Dreidewo with one hand and tied the rope around his waist with the other. Luo Kebu urged the camels on, and they finally slowly pulled the three of them out of the salt marsh.
The people on the lakeside looked at the three of them, then at the Turkic captain, whose body was submerged in the salt marsh from the chest down, his skin blackened with cold, and his eyes wide open in death. Their faces turned ashen, and Tuxizhuoer burst into tears. Huan She staggered to his feet and called out, "Wei Ying..." He saw that she, having removed her fur coat, already had lips that were blue with cold. He quickly held her stiff, cold body tightly, and Bachitu draped a felt blanket over them. She was frail and developed a high fever that night.
Struggling to keep going, Huan She rode on the camel, holding Li Weiying in his arms, his eyes filled with worry as he looked at her, who was delirious with a high fever. He hadn't had a drop of water for two days; the little water he had secretly saved earlier, just in case, had all been given to Li Weiying. Now, he could only lick his chapped, bleeding lips, his throat burning with thirst as if it were about to break.
At midday, the bright sun made the thirsty and exhausted group dizzy. Suddenly, they saw figures moving on the horizon ahead. They cried out excitedly, "Hey! Hey! Help!" The figures grew clearer, their faces indistinct, but they could tell they were dressed in Tang Dynasty attire, with the leader wearing a red official robe. The group urged their camels onward, but they still felt far away. Li Weiying was also jolted awake by the camels' frantic running. Her mind still hazy, she stared at the Tang figures ahead, murmuring, "Cao Ling…is that you?" Huan She was startled. Suddenly, she broke free from his embrace, fell off the camel, scrambled to her feet, and stumbled forward, calling out, "Cao Ling…Cao Ling…you've finally come to find me…"
Chapter Eight
Part Two: Beishan
8. 【Azure Blood】
Huan She also jumped off the camel, chasing after her while shouting, "It's a mirage... Wei Ying... It's a mirage..." She was weak and collapsed to the ground after running a short distance.
Although it was just a dream, mirages are often formed where moisture gathers. Huan She and his group finally found an underground spring by the sense of smell of their wild camels. After enduring eighteen days of hardship in the vast desert, when they saw villages and forests appear ahead, they couldn't believe their eyes. They stared blankly for a long time before someone whispered in a trembling voice, "Green...it's an oasis." After a moment of silence, they burst into enthusiastic cheers: "Oasis! Oasis! Oasis! Oasis...!!!" Huan She held the unconscious Li Weiying tightly and whispered, "Weiying, we've made it out of the desert."
This small oasis, surrounded by sand, is a sparsely populated village. However, because it guards a vital passage between Gaochang and the vast desert, it has acquired a grand name – Dahai Village (Great Sea Village). The residents are mostly Han Chinese; however, the ancient Han beacon towers have been silently transformed by time into drying grounds for the villagers. After a brief rest here, the Yanqi merchants continued their journey southwest, returning to their hometown. Because Li Weiying was still ill, Huan She, along with her and Tuxizhuoer, stayed with a family in the village to recuperate. Before parting, the Yanqi people left them three horses and a pair of small white camels. Baqitu, Luokebu, Alaya, Delaidiwo, and Woliwu hugged Huan She tightly, urging him to visit them if he ever had the chance to go to Yanqi again. Huan She readily agreed. Having endured nearly a month of hardship together, their parting was inevitably accompanied by tears.
Li Weiying recovered quickly, but Huan She fell ill as well. He had already suffered torture, was wounded by a knife during his escape from prison, and was seriously injured multiple times on his journey west to Gaochang. Coupled with the treacherous roads, the long and arduous journey, the thirst and hunger, and the exhaustion, he had only managed to cross the desert by sheer willpower. Now that he was settled, all his hidden ailments flared up at once. He was in a coma with a high fever for four whole days before he finally regained consciousness, but he was still dizzy, and his whole body ached and he felt weak.
Uncle Zhao and Aunt Zhao, a couple in their fifties, were originally from Ganzhou, having moved here when their great-grandfathers were stationed on the border. This time, they took in Huan Li, not only firmly refusing to accept their jade and agate, but also showing deep affection for their homeland, treating them like their own children. Uncle Zhao's son, Zhao Jie, was a traveling merchant who frequently went to the capital of Gaochang to trade goods. This time, needing a helper, he took Tuxi Zhuoer with him. The boy initially refused to leave Huan She, but seeing his improvement and with Li Weiying taking care of him, he finally agreed to set off with the young man from the Zhao family.
Huan She lay in bed, covered with a thick quilt. He could faintly hear singing, but he didn't open his eyes—it was too tiring—so he listened quietly.
The long winter is gradually passing, but the snow on the northern mountains is still cold.
The house is made of yellow clay; charcoal is added slowly and gradually.
A cup of lightly brewed wine, freshly steamed millet.
Birds migrate to the forest, their wings fluttering as they cross the river.
The crescent moon hangs pale in the sky, just like my painted eyebrows.
Come back, come back, let's take a closer look.
It was Wei Ying; she had recently learned many folk songs. Huan She smiled gently, still enjoying the comfort and tranquility with his eyes closed. After a while, she stepped into the room, and the aroma of food immediately filled the air. Huan She forced his eyes open and smiled at her. She smiled back, helped him sit up, and fed him a little bit of pickled vegetables and minced meat, spoonful by spoonful, before helping him lie down and watching him close his eyes and fall asleep. In the days after Huan She regained consciousness, the two of them spoke very little. She quietly took care of him, changing his dressings and feeding him. He remained silent, obediently drinking his medicine when asked and sleeping when told to. Even when she asked Uncle Zhao to shave his messy beard while he slept, he lay still without making a sound.
At this moment, she sat quietly by the bedside as usual, gazing at him—thin, gaunt, sickly-looking, with sunken eyes and emaciated frame—and thought to herself, "Looking like this, no one would believe you were once so brave." Remembering how he had tricked her into smearing camel dung on his eyelids in the desert, leaving his eyes with dark circles, she couldn't help but think that he, sleeping peacefully, was like a docile, obedient great bream. Just then, Uncle Zhao called to her, "Young lady of the Li family, Master Tie is here."
After Huan She escaped from prison, the iron chains on his wrists were never removed. Because the shackles were pressed tightly against his skin, it was inconvenient to cut them with swords, lest he injure his muscles and bones. When the Zhao family changed his clothes and bandages, they were greatly surprised to see the wounds all over his body and the iron chains on his hands. Li Weiying only explained that Huan She had been captured by the Turks while saving others. Fortunately, his family members were illiterate and did not understand the meaning of the tattoos on Huan She's face, so they felt great sympathy for him. This time, when the Zhao family's young brother passed through the Tiandi Prefecture, which governed Dahai Village, on his way to the capital, he specially invited an ironsmith to help.
When the ironsmith entered the room, Uncle Zhao and Aunt Zhao carried Huan She, still covered by his blanket, off the bed and placed him on a straw mat on the ground. Li Weiying took his right hand out from under the blanket and laid it flat on the ground, saying softly, "Huan Lang, the ironsmith is here to remove your chains. Bear with it." Huan She mumbled a response, still half asleep. The ironsmith swung his sledgehammer and chisel down, the tremendous vibration and the pain of the iron chains tearing apart his skin causing Huan She to scream in agony, followed by a low, suppressed gasp. Before the chains on his left hand could be removed, he fainted.
Huan She was carried back to the bed, his wrists bandaged and wrapped. The wounds from the biting of the shackles and the constant friction during their desperate fights were so deep that some were almost to the bone. It was truly unbelievable how he had endured it. The blacksmith packed up his tools to leave, taking the two broken pieces of chain with him. Li Weiying saw that Huan She's blood was still dripping from the chain, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Uncle, don't take the chain." The blacksmith said, "Does the young lady want to turn scrap iron into steel?" Li Weiying stared blankly at the chain, then suddenly said, "Uncle, could you melt it down and recast it into a thin chain?" She took out a jade pendant from her bosom to show him. "It's thin, worthy of this jade." The jade pendant had originally been tied with a dark green silk ribbon, which Li Weiying had taken off to tie Huan She's hair. Since she couldn't hang it anymore, she had kept it in her bosom. The blacksmith examined the jade pendant: "Such an exquisite jade pendant, and you're making an iron chain for it... My wife is really strange... Hehe, the money spent on reforging it is probably enough to buy another piece of jade."
Li Weiying gave him a few agates, saying, "Uncle, please do your best." Looking at the unconscious Huan She, she said, "These shackles have his blood on them… Chang Hong's blood… I can't bear to part with them." The story she told was widely known among the blacksmiths, and the blacksmith immediately showed her respect and readily agreed. Two days later, the blacksmith indeed brought her the fine chain he had made. She found a silk cord, threaded a jade pendant onto it, tied it to the chain, and hung it around her neck. The cold iron chain suddenly pressed against her warm skin, making her shiver and let out a soft cry. Huan She stirred, and she quickly knelt beside his bed. Seeing that he was still unconscious, she felt relieved.
Why the snow mountain
Became thin
He put his heart
Entrusted to the spring breeze
Stop and go
Transform into the one beside you
Small River
A shallow, clear stream flows gently past the village, bringing news of the melting snow and ice of the distant northern mountains. Spring comes earlier in Gaochang than elsewhere; fruit trees are budding and sprouting new leaves, and pear tree branches are dotted with tiny, snow-white flower buds.
Huan She, wrapped in heavy clothes with his hands tucked into his sleeves and a blanket draped over him, sat on a rope chair outside, the soft afternoon sun of early spring warming him. His wounds were slowly healing, but his strength remained insufficient. Sometimes, he would slowly shuffle around, leaning against the wall, only to find several badly injured bones throbbing with pain. He also seemed to have developed a sensitivity to cold, making him particularly yearn for the warmth of the sun. Gaochang was a good place; it rarely rained, making it easy to catch the sunlight, and he often drifted off to sleep in the sun.
Not far away, Li Weiying teased the little white camel for a while, then walked to a pear tree, climbed a branch, and smelled the faint fragrance of the new green leaves.
Huan She gazed at her intently, but the dry, cold early spring air made his lungs and throat itch uncontrollably. He couldn't bear to spoil this beautiful scene, so he suppressed his gasps, trying to cover his mouth, though soft coughs still escaped his fingers. She glanced at him, then turned and left, returning a moment later with a bowl of decoction made from dried, seedless white grapes, which she fed to him. Huan She was still regretting not being able to watch her graceful movements as before, and couldn't help but sigh softly. Li Weiying asked, "What's wrong?" Huan She smiled, "Uh… I just feel it's a waste to use this excellent grape decoction; it would be so much better to use it to brew wine." She smiled, "If you're not coughing or in pain, I'll allow you a little bit."
As the two were chatting and laughing, Zhao Jie and Tuxizhuoer returned from their trade. They were overjoyed to see that Huan She was much better. The Zhao couple killed a chicken and cooked soup, and everyone enjoyed a delicious meal. Tuxizhuoer, still young at heart, was thrilled to have gone to a big city for the first time and even received wages. He recounted his experiences traveling with the Zhao family's young master to the capital of Gaochang. He had learned quite a bit of Chinese, and although his pronunciation wasn't perfect, everyone understood the general meaning. With Zhao Jie's explanations, even Huan She and Li Weiying couldn't help but feel a longing for the bustling capital.
Zhao Jie added, "I've heard that the capital was built in imitation of Chang'an and Luoyang, so it's naturally beautiful." Huan She, having been stationed on the border for many years and not having seen much of the world, said to Zhao Jie, "Why don't you invite us to go with you next time and broaden our horizons?" Zhao Jie replied, "Oh dear, unfortunately, I'm going to Yiwu with another merchant caravan next time. Brother Huan, you'll have to wait a little longer." The Zhao couple comforted him, "Your injury hasn't healed yet, so just rest and recover first."
When Tuxizhuoer heard that they were going somewhere else, he was so happy that he asked Zhao Jie, "When are you going?" Zhao Jie said, "Tomorrow." Li Weiying said, "So soon?" He said, "Yes, my dear wife, you don't know the weather in Gaochang. It's unbearably hot. This trip to Yiwu to buy goods involves a lot of things. It will take two or three months to go back and forth. If we don't finish before summer arrives, we'll have to endure the scorching sun and heat, which can be deadly." He said jokingly, "Besides, to get to Yiwu, we have to pass through Chishi Mountain. That mountain gets so hot in the summer that it's like it's on fire. Even the trees on the mountain will be scorched." Li Weiying said, "Is it that hot?" Zhao Jie said, "Yes, if someone went there, what do you think would happen?" Li Weiying said, "Oh, that would be really terrible." Aunt Zhao said, "Child, he's just teasing you. There isn't a single tree on Chishi Mountain. The whole mountain is just reddish-brown rocks. When the sun shines on it, it looks like it's on fire."
Huan She and Li Weiying were both startled upon hearing this and exchanged a glance. Huan She asked, "Is Chishi Mountain also called Tianci Mountain?" Aunt Zhao replied, "Tianci Mountain... I don't know. Perhaps the Turks have a different name for it, but the Han people call it Chishi Mountain." Huan She looked at Li Weiying, who forced a smile but didn't answer, continuing to eat.
The next morning, Zhao's son set off with Tuxizhuoer. Life continued as before. Li Weiying took care of Huan She's injuries and changed his dressings. Every afternoon, he would sit on the rope chair outside to bask in the sun, and she would still play with the camels. Huan She mentioned Chishi Mountain several times, but she seemed not to hear him, or she would hurriedly leave to brew him medicine.
It was late at night, and Huan She still hadn't fallen asleep. He watched as the thin moonlight shone through the window and into the room. His heart was filled with her lonely figure. Since he couldn't sleep anyway, he simply put on his sheepskin coat and went outside. He saw her standing outside, gazing blankly at the cold, crescent moon.
Huan She tossed aside his fur coat, grabbed a pear branch used for kindling firewood from the corner of the wall, and wielded it as a sword, beginning to wield it. She watched quietly as he danced, turning the moonlight into fragmented shadows. Accompanied by the sharp wind of his sword, he recited: "The breeze dances in my sleeves, the sword's energy echoes the moon's hook. Hearing your longing thoughts, I feel a sorrow that surpasses even the northern mountains."
He recited the poem offhand, just as he finished a sword routine. He paused, then looked at her and said, "Wei Ying, let's go to Red Stone Mountain." She remained silent, her lips pursed. Huan She tossed down a pear branch, picked up a fur coat from the ground, and wrapped it around her. "We've traveled thousands of miles to get here, isn't it to find the flammable stone at Heavenly Gift Mountain? Why don't you want to go now?" She trembled and said, "I...I don't know why we have to go. What use is that damn spirit stone?" He was silent for a moment, then said, "Please ask the gods to grant your wish. What you've been thinking about day and night...isn't it to see Cao Ling again?"
Li Weiying looked at Huan She in surprise: "You...how could you know..." Huan She smiled bitterly: "You dream of him, you talk about him, and you take out your jade flute to play with it from time to time. How could I not see such a big 'Cao' character?" Li Weiying's secret was exposed, and she turned to run away, but Huan She grabbed her and said: "Let's find a spirit stone and ask the gods to let Cao Ling come to see you." Li Weiying choked and said: "What good would it do to see him? He doesn't want me anymore." Huan She said gently: "Then ask the gods to make him want you." Li Weiying cried: "He is already someone else's husband, he will never want me again." Huan She was stunned, not expecting this problem to be so difficult to solve. After thinking for a moment, he said: "The gods have a way to make him divorce, to get a divorce...uh...go back to the past...go back to the time before he was married, when you were so beautiful and so intelligent, what reason would he have not to marry you?"
Li Weiying looked up at Huan She: "But I'm afraid that I won't find any spirit stones if I go to Chishi Mountain... If I don't go, I'll still have a glimmer of hope. But if I go and still can't find any..." Huan She said: "There is hope only if you go. How will you know it won't work if you don't try?" Seeing her eyes light up, he continued: "Aunt Zhao said that Chishi Mountain is full of stones. There are so many opportunities. If we search carefully, we will eventually find them."
She smiled with relief: "But you're still not feeling well." Huan She felt slightly comforted to hear her concern for his injury: "I'm much better. Weren't you practicing your swordplay just now? We'll set off for Chishi Mountain tomorrow." Li Weiying said: "Since you know it's Chishi Mountain, there's no need to rush. You can rest for a few more days and make some preparations for going up the mountain." Huan She said: "Alright. It's too cold here, you should go back and rest early." He saw her into the house, then turned to go back to his own room. The door creaked open again, and she leaned out and softly called: "Huan Lang." Huan She turned around, and she seemed a little hesitant: "Thank you." Huan She smiled and shook his head, then rushed into his own room, buried himself in the thick quilt, and coughed violently, coughing as if his heart was breaking.
After resting for five days, the two inquired with Uncle Zhao and Aunt Zhao about the way to Chishi Mountain. The mountain wasn't far, about fifty li north of Dahai Village. They packed their belongings and set off for Chishi Mountain at the crack of dawn. When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, they saw a continuous reddish-brown stone mountain. Under the sunlight, clouds and smoke rose from the foot of the mountain, making the whole mountain look like it was on fire. It was only early spring, and Huan She tried to climb it for a while but found the heat scorching. This proved that Zhao Jie's statement that Chishi Mountain was impossible to cross in the summer was not unfounded. Li Weiying saw that Chishi Mountain was not too steep, so she followed him up. She had only climbed a few steps when she fell. Fortunately, Huan She was quick-witted and grabbed her. It turned out that there was a layer of sand on the mountain, which was loose and soft due to the lack of moisture, making it slippery.
Huan She said, "Go back down the mountain, I'll go up alone." Li Weiying said, "I'll go up with you." Huan She said, "The sand and gravel are too slippery. It's already like this going up the mountain, it'll be even more dangerous going down. You don't have any martial arts background, your steps are unsteady, I'm afraid even if you make it up, you won't be able to come down." Li Weiying said, "But I'm also worried about you going up alone." Huan She smiled and said, "This mountain isn't very high, I'll go up quickly and come down in a little while." He carefully led her down the mountain again, saying, "Wait for me a moment." He turned around and started going up the mountain again. Li Weiying saw his figure getting higher and higher and smaller, and several times he seemed to fall, and her heart clenched tightly. Finally, his figure disappeared on the mountaintop. Li Weiying waited anxiously at the foot of the mountain, until the midday sun was very bright, but he still didn't come down.