Yongning fifth year, late in the Twelfth month, the Juma City garrison evacuated overnight, and the Chienye army drove straight through, charging directly into Western Liang.

Yongning sixth year, First month, Western Liang put in the might of the entire nation to defend against the Chienye armored cavalry. Before the capital, Chingelchin, Qu Fongning impaled Li Daer’s last remaining eye with one shot, and the Western Liang army fell into chaos and dissolved in a frantic scatter.

The Second month, the nation of Western Liang collapsed.

~

The Obsidian City market stood desolate without its bygone bustle. Torn ropes and sere grass strewn across the ground, and a Persian merchant in a lantern sleeves silk gown was dragging along his skinny horse, crossing the street with the swaying dings and lings of bronze bells.

Austere sentries held the mouth of the street, with the Ghost Army standing at attention. The sky had just broken dawn. The Spring Sun battalion hadn’t slept all night and were all exhausted. At daybreak, they chased and annihilated another small platoon of residual Western Liang forces. After the cleanup, Uighshön was so tired, he flopped straight onto Gerrgu, Cher Bien’s rodent head sagged with every step, and Qu Fongning, having soiled blood congealed into a plated board on his clothes, was stumbling messily, and just about to walk into a rope trap before Gerrgu rushed to pull him a back.

He jolted, and his eyes opened a sliver more. “What time is it?” he asked.

A lanky and ugly middle-aged soldier, with two bulging eyes, lifted two fingers, shaded his eyes to the east, and replied, “Just after Mao Time¹.”

Qu Fongning had been dispatched for an entire night. His voice was hoarse, but he still commended, “Gedan, you really are a two-legged chimney shadow.”

Chimney shadow was the most commonly used method to observe time on the steppes. Gedan listened and brushed his chest with a fist-and-palm, saluting respectfully, “Honored to have Captain Qu’s praise.”

Qu Fongning spun around to pass the order: squadron to exchange shifts at mid-Mao Time. The exhausted soldiers learned they needed to carry on for another hour, and their drowsiness grew even heavier. Between the mists of his eyes, Uighshön gave himself two whacks on the lips, and had a sudden jolt. “Boss, oh no, my face has lost the senses!”

Qu Fongning flicked his mask. “Oh? Is it because your skin is too thick?”

The troopers laughed, finally regaining some energy. Suddenly, in came a round of shrill screams and hustle from the market. On watch, a group of Autumn Hunt soldiers with horsewhips in their hands was driving thirty or forty Western Liang maids, returning from outside the city proper. The foremost man swathed a maroon cloak, left and right, held two very young girls in each arm; it was Cher Vei.

The Spring Sun battalion saw them, and their hearts all brooded. “We’re here freezing to death. They are instead out there hunting for fun!”

Cher Vei watched the sentries by the street with some dismay. And checking again, the one before the squad was no other, but precisely the one who has been stealing his limelight, Qu Fongning, and he felt even more annoyed. As he passed the checkpoint, wittingly or unwittingly, he whipped a crackle and drove the horse hooves to stomp his head, barking in his mouth, “Out of the way, are you blind?”

Qu Fongning backed a step, but remained standing in silence. Cher Vei disdainfully reined in the horse’s head, muttered a “slave offspring,” and was going to leave.

Ghost Whisperer Amur’s ears stirred. He closed in to Qu Fongning, and poised a few hand signs. Qu Fongning lifted his head to regard Cher Vei, and opened his mouth, “Little General Cher, please hold on for a moment. Can you please let me take a look at the items behind your horse?”

“Ha!” Cher Vei snapped, wheeled around the horse, his face full of malice. “Who are you to inspect my things?”

“I am Chienye’s garrison commander in Obsidian City, currently on duty. I have no intention to offend; I am merely following formalities. I beg your pardon,” said Qu Fongning, calmly.

Cher Vei was furious and spat out a spittle. “What if I don’t pardon you?”

The spittle brushed past Qu Fongning’s bangs, leaving some spit on his head. Qu Fongning’s gaze remained as before. “Then I shall have to report to General Yujien, to say you’ve privately cached valuables for your own gains,” he pronounced quietly.

Cher Vei went livid, and raised the whip. “You!” he barked. He’d wanted to smash his skull with a single whip, but recalling he is Yujien Tianhung’s beloved subordinate, he reserved some dread and vexedly tore open the covers behind his horse. The east had yet to pale. They saw a swell of golden riches and jeweling splendor, white butter and hues of jades, full of luxury. The Spring Sun battalion soldiers all craned their necks to watch, apparent in their envy. Cher Bien immediately sobered up from the horse and swallowed many slobs of drool.

Qu Fongning appeared stern. “Little General Cher, our army requires all valuables seizures to be turned in, and will be redistributed by Internal Affairs according to merits after the campaign.” He said. His gaze fell beyond his horse, the meaning clear without words.

“You all turn nothing in. Why bother with my fucking business?” Cher Vei snapped and lowered to grab his collars, gritting his teeth. “My Autumn Hunt army doesn’t have all these bloody rules of yours; I can do as I please, you understand?”

Qu Fongning was pulled to standing somewhat on his toes, but his tone persisted without the slightest change. “Your father gave the order tally to me. During the campaign, all of your honor’s troops must heed my command,” he said.

Cher Vei laughed at the zenith of his rage. “Now you’ve really got some of that dog barking with the owner’s swagger.” His voice dropped, showing a malicious smirk on his lips. “When you were that traitor, Qu Lyn’s male favorite, you had it nice and cozy? Qu Lyn really liked you, eh? Oh, right, did Little Ting’yu sleep with you too? How’s the cripple in bed? How did you serve…”

He hadn’t got to the best part, but he saw the pupils beneath Qu Fongning’s mask suddenly span huge. He yanked him off the horseback with one arm, and in a flash of chill, already pulled out the short sword looming in an icy mist, and thrusted to his back.

Cher Vei was caught off guard, falling into a solid face full of mud, and couldn’t even hold on the pretty girls in his arms. At once, he flared up to three heights and was about to open his mouth to bark. Turning for a look, he instead saw a tall, stocky “maid” with a blade hidden in their sleeve, no more than three zhang away from him, face contorted, and already dead on the ground. The Autumn Hunt troops all blanched of their colors, and scrambled before the horse to look. “Little, little general, this is… a man!” they yelped.

Qu Fongning’s bloody plate had already dried. And now, another shower of blood mist splattered on, even his neck became soaked with blood. He lifted his eyes back to Cher Vei. “Little General Cher, being in a dangerous territory, keep caution at all times,” he said calmly.

Cher Vei knew he saved his life, but given the situation, how could he thank him? He spitefully clambered up his steed, untied the items behind the horse and gave a heavy dunk to the ground, and drove his horse away in fury, not even bothering with the pretty girls on the ground.

The Autumn Hunt army also had no glamor on their faces and followed him away. Qu Fongning saw the girls embracing each other into a ball, frowned, and said, “You all go home.”

“No!” Uighshön and Cher Bien yelled in unison. “An assassin had just assumed as a woman. We can’t guarantee they haven’t got any Western Liang spies amongst them!” one said. “The sky cold and land frozen. They’ve also had a fright. Why don’t they have a cup of mare milk wine in the city before they go home!” said another.

Qu Fongning made no reply, but brandished the short sword for deliberate wipes on his fore thighs. His gaze landed on the two’s necks and moved down to between their legs. The two tittered and cringed a few words, and said meekly, “Go home, all go home.”

Qu Fongning returned the sword into the sheath, called forth a dozen fine horses, and ordered Gerrgu and the others to escort them out of the city. Uighshön and Cher Bien heaved long and short, expressing their ten thousand laments. Qu Fongning ignored them and bid people to collect the valuables on the ground. Amur suddenly tugged a corner of his clothes and made a few hand signs: “There is someone over there who has been stalking you for a long time.”

Qu Fongning followed his guide for a look. He saw the corner of a dark green cloak flash by the sides of the ruins, but did not see the person. When he was going for another look, the cloak had vanished, and the person was gone.

Bewildered, as soon as the shifts changed, he went forth to Yujien to report. Yujien listened to his description of the person’s dress, and sneered. “That is the Left Crown King of Fanshwar. He only just arrived here yesterday and had already notified me.” Qu Fongning was surprised. “Isn’t he one of Fanshwar’s diarchic kings? Is he coming to help Western Liang or help us?” Yujien listened to his childish tone and said, “Neither. He…is here to scout for beauties to expand his harem.” Qu Fongning voiced a long “Ohh—,” and said after some pondering; “no wonder. So he was gawking longingly at those girls, wanting to pick a couple of pretty ones home.” Yujien shook his head with a laugh. “No, he doesn’t like girls.”

Now Qu Fongning was really surprised and made a good many sneezes. Yujien creased his brow and laughed. “Sneezing pup. Get away from the old boy!” He ordered him to take off the blood-soiled outer wraps and told him.

Fanshwar was a deviant tribe on the steppes. Between the greater six tribes, Chienye was friendly with Khilan and Shiran, and Bi’ro maintained correspondences with Za’yii, but Fanshwar remained neutral; they neither curried for favors nor openly offended anyone. And all the more unique was their diarchy, of twin kings co-ruling the sovereignty in peace for over ten years. The Left Crown King was born queer, of not being to cohabit with women in the same room, and would apparently faint and retch when he smelled women’s scent. His younger brother, the Right Crowne King, had originally been the son of a lowly concubine. He was close with the elder and thus received his support to share the rule. By this time, Fanshwar still held the Left Crown King in the highest esteem, but he had no heir nor descendants, and supposedly, after his demise, Fanshwar would fall into the Right Crowne King’s sole rule.

These sorts of palatial secrets sounded especially intriguing to Qu Fongning, who listened with much interest. As he heard Yujien regale to “no heir,” his heart felt as if pricked by a thin, sharp needle, and between now and then, he sensed an extremely dreadful matter.

Yujien watched him standing there dazed and spanked his bum. “Sleepy?”

Qu Fongning spun his heart around , but his face remained tired and could not bring up the energy. As he heard his question, he went along with the flow and yawned.

Yujien drew him in close, then frowned and pushed him away. “A full suit of bloody rust.”

Qu Fongning held back his little thoughts and appeared even more groggy. As he made a couple more yawns, his sleepiness really rushed up, and looked just about to fall asleep.

Yujien observed the Autumn Hunt order tally solidly strapped to his belt and teased him. “How are you getting on with Little Vei? Does he listen to you?”

Qu Fongning’s lids opened and closed half-way. He tried his might to wave his hand. “How can I manage him? Lucky to be alive from his stomp. I really want to batter him…”

“Good lad, dare to bluster fights in front of the old boy? I’ll snap your hands!” Finding him so sleepy with his head drooping, he took over a feather cape and draped it over him and urged him to go back to bed. Qu Fongning rubbed at his eyes, but didn’t want to go, nudging here and there before him. “General, can I sleep with you tonight?”

Yujien watched his eyes streaming in ripples, found him cute, and his eyes fell dark as well. He held his arm for a few strokes and let go somewhat regrettably. “There will be people coming from Gloam City tonight, and there will be no few matters to discuss for a couple of nights. I’ll cherish you back home, hmm?” Seeing him going instantly unhappy, he coaxed him in a husky voice, “Be good.”

Qu Fongning puffed his cheeks, whining, “Then you owe me a lot.” He pulled the mask from his forehead, and as it got to his lips, purposely slowed his motion. His raven black eyes tracing at him in his glance.

Yujien’s vision fell on his chapped lips. His throat rolled and said with some exasperation, “Ningning, Da-ge can’t resist after kissing you. When you get a fever later, you’ll be the one suffering.”

When Qu Fongning was especially tired, his ass would become particularly tender, and if cummed inside, he would for sure flare a fever on the next day. And remembering the sensations of raging fevers, he dared not to be bold, made a light humph, and went out with the clasped mask.

~

That night, the Fanshwar Left Crown King personally came to pay homage, hosting a grand banquet to feast the various Chienye commanders. After three rounds of drinks, the others all bid their thanks and farewells. The Left Crown King sent each away with courtesy, but turned around to smile at Yujien. “I’ve long heard the Ghost Sovereign can hold his liquor above the masses; may you share a drink with this humble king?”

Yujien smirked and raised his cup. “Why not?” he said and sent away the assembly of attendants and guards, clearing the seats beyond the two sitting opposite. “The Crown King may now take pleasure to your heart’s content,” he said at last.

The Left Crown King laughed and lauded, “It’s great pleasure to talk with the Ghost Sovereign.” He clapped thrice, and behind him, jeweling muslin swayed with golden clinks, in padded a dozen beautiful boys. The first was naked beneath a sweep of cicada-winged red muslin, his pubic hairs in full display. The second was dressed properly on his upper body, but beneath his waist, several thin musk skin ropes tied his loins fast and tight, and the leather string almost choked into his backdoor, strangling several bruises on his snow-white buttocks. There was another extremely young boy, no more than ten, had two long droopy bunny ears beneath his actual ears, wore a dainty, cute rabbit skin coat and mohair shorts, his ass showing a bunny tail, and was barefoot save a red string. At the end of the string tie was a crimson dildo, but it was plunged in the ass of another black satin clad youth. The dozen boys each had their unique costumes, none of which were anything alike or of the same material. It was truly an astonishing scene. The Left Crown King snapped his finger, and the crowd of boys knelt in obedience, serving him attentively. Each and every one soft and alluring, fawning as servile catamites. “The Left Crown King is methodical in taming beauty, and has relished every carnal pleasure of the mortal realm, truly making one envious,” said Yujien.

The Left Crown King replied a few words of humility and bid them to clean up the dishes and seats. Soon, the room was empty save the two remaining stands facing one another. The Left Crown King looped in a beautiful youth to loving strokes, his triple-whites eyes instead regarded Yujien with grins. “Of all those under the heavens, there shouldn’t be a second man who can stay in this room with these babes of mine without a flicker of expression, apart from the Ghost Sovereign himself.”

“The beauties of the mortal realm need not to be divided by gender. The Crown King has his own pleasure paradise, why should he bother with other’s words?” said Yujien.

The Light Crown King roared many a laugh. “Good, Good! It looks like, amongst the six great tribes, the only character whom I can speak heart-to-heart to is My Lord the Ghost Sovereign.” The two conversed in harmony, the wine cleared as soon as it fell into the cups, and they only hated being acquainted so late in life. Soon, the Left Crown King’s tipsiness quickened. He pushed aside the alluring youth on his lap and squinted his eyes towards Yujien. “This humbled king has one favor to ask, yet I fear to touch upon the General’s heavenly wrath,” he said.

“The Crown King can speak without concern,” Yujien said mildly.

The Left Crown King didn’t hurry to speak. He watched the bunny-eared pretty boy fill his jade cup and then chuckled. “It is a little embarrassing to bring up. This morning, as this humble king passed by the sentry checkpoint by the city gates, I happened upon a young commander striking down an enemy, his stance stood handsome and fine within the rain of blood; the scene was truly unforgettable to this humble king. And since, this humble king had no desires for sustenance all day, with my mooning reveries driving me mad. If I can take a glimpse of his face, I am truly grateful with endless gratitude.”

Yujien’s glance refracted through the clear light from the cup, the corner of his lips brought on a brush of an unidentifiable smile. “I thought the Crown King was going to discuss this year’s Mingling reeds price with this humble one. So, it’s not a matter of national interest.” And he turned to the guard outside with a command, “Send for Captain Qu.”

The Left Crown King tittered. “Our spirits are so good today, let’s not mention these sort of dreary matters. If the General would not be stingy with the Silk Mother, we really have no need to watch those knick-knacks so closely.” He watched the doorway again and again, obviously itching to scratch his heartache.

Yujien watched him craning his neck in pursuit and sneered. “What if he was born ugly, what would the Crown King do?”

The Left Crown King sounded a tsk and said, swinging his head. “Impossible, impossible. This humble king has an ability, for any youth under the heavens, so long as I am to take a glance from the back, I would know whether he is beautiful or ugly,” he said dreamingly. “That young commander has got a handsome flank, his legs lean and long, his thighs tight and full, and bouncing with his walks; very much a supreme beauty under the first strike.”

Yujien smirked but said nothing. Soon, the curtains moved, and Qu Fongning came in frosty shaves of snow and strutted in like the fall and drop of a blade entering the sheath. On seeing the Left Crown King’s fiery glance leering at himself, and him surrounded by a dozen beautiful boys, with costumes so explicit and postures so lewd that was truly unheard of, he couldn’t help halting in place.

“Haven’t you greeted His Majesty the Crown King?” Yujien scolded.

Though wholly bewildered, Qu Fongning did not neglect his manners, made a salute, and voiced “Great King.” “No need for courtesies, no need for courtesies,” the Left Crown King replied repeatedly. And Half of his body had already reached out of the seat, almost going to hold him.

Qu Fongning was slightly surprised, darted him several glances, and finally returned to Yujien’s side, asking, “What is General calling me for?”

As soon as the Left Crown King heard him open his mouth, his vision spiraled into a deeper fog, and said, tittering, “Captain Qu’s barks sound as cold as icy frost, but his speech purrs so sweetly. Tehehe, another flavor, another flavor!”

When Qu Fongning spoke to Yujien, he did have a special sort of coquetry; that was developed through days and years of habit. Finding an obese old man commenting his voice over on one side, he felt a little cross. However, he was the sovereign of a nation, so Qu Fongning had to suppress the ire in his heart, and shot a glower at Yujien through the mask.

Yujien watched him with a thin smile, and his lips said, “He had been spoiled, would the Crown King please excuse him.” He extended for a tug and coiled Qu Fongning onto his lap.

Qu Fongning was startled and, without thinking, started to struggle. Whenever he attended a banquet with Yujien, he had always stood behind him and never dared to extend a step beyond his station. In the heat of liquor and warm ears, they would at most pass sentiments with their glances, and whisper a few words of love by their ears. On occasions of irrepressible emotions, they would sneak kissing embraces away from prying eyes. And their most brazen venture was no more than him falling into Yujien arms, feigning inebriety, and the two would do some unspeakable things beneath the veil of the black cloak. Thie kind of flagrant intimacy was unprecedented, and he instantly panicked.

Yujien’s arm clamped like steel, holding him immobile. “Don’t move,” he mouthed at him, held up his upper body to rest against his chest, and his left arm locked on his waistline, making him sit between his legs. For the past two winters by the fire, the two had always nestled together like this, whenever their glances touched, they would always have many kisses. Though Qu Fongning knew it was very wrong, as soon as he fell into his arms, he naturally gained an intimate manner, and his flank softened as well.

“General, this is…?” said the Left Crown King, squinting his eyes, scrutinizing the two.

“The Crown King doesn’t know. This child is the worst in temper. If he doesn’t wish it, he won’t agree to anything,” said Yujien, and he dropped his voice towards Qu Fongning. “Ningning, His Majesty the Crown King wants to see your face.”

Qu Fongning listened to his amorous tone, his heart shook, he voiced a humph, and turned his face in, hiding inside his chest.

Yujien’s eyes belied a laugh, his palm slid down and caught his thighs, and his voice filled with persuasion, “Drop the mask?”

Qu Fongning writhed, and the lines of the military breeches pulled even tighter, further tracing out the outline of his figure. The Left Crown King’s eyeballs ogled straight at his waist and thighs, his throat rolling, and he only returned to his senses after some time. “So, the General… is also one in the path. This humble king is clearly blind, daring to pry on the General’s paramour. I am utterly ashamed to a thousand deaths,” he said, muted.

“Why would the Crown King say such things? This is my son,” Yujien said with a laugh, and unraveled Qu Fongning’s belt and top altogether, revealing the inner blood-soaked underlayer.

Qu Fongning understood not his meaning, but obediently opened his arms, darted a peer to the nearly drooling Left Crown King, and mouthed at him: “What are you doing?”

“Cherishing you,” Yujien answered soundlessly. His outer clothes loosened, Qu Fongning’s vivid youthful air instantly sprawled out. The combination of the metallic blood and alcoholic vapor promptly engorged the veins. The Left Crown King’s nose tip shook. His triple-whites eyes transfixed on Qu Fongning’s tantalizingly semi-visible collarbones and chest, watching Yujien’s wide palm probing under his clothes for caresses, stirring places to visible reactions, and he glopped down another mouthful of drool. “It couldn’t be the one who reaps lives like grass, he who divided Khilan into three, the one people call ‘Wind Chaser Thousand Slain’?”

“Precisely,” replied Yujien. He enveloped him in, the lips beneath the silver mask almost touching Qu Fongning’s mask. “How many now?”

Qu Fongning made a neat pluck, and six golden skulls swung to the small of his back, knocking a chime of dull clacks.

The Left Crown King grated two dry laughs, haphazardly downed a cup, his eyes closely followed Qu Fongning’s every movement, and the sounds from his throat croaked extremely dry: “Holding this Thousand Slain in your arms, I wonder what kind of soul searing sensation that is. That year, the Ghost Sovereign’s grand marriage received the most beautiful woman of the steppes. Now playing the pipa on the other side, he’s changed to a one in ten thousandth handsome youth. You’ve taken all the beauty under the heaven!”

Yujien favored him with a hollow chuckle. “The Crown King lives with slender swallows and lush butters, is surrounded by clouds of beauties, and is coming here to have a run with I, this poor widower.” And he leisurely pulled Qu Fongning’s breeches down to a side, sitting him face-to-face on his lap.

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