With grievances still unappeased, the sex wasn’t as lovely as previous. From beginning to finish, Qu Fongning assumed as a dead fish on the bed, bearing Yujien’s thrusts and plucks without a single humph. Yujien found him long without release, nudged his soft earlobe. “Don’t like this position? Come on, we’ll do one you like.” And he made him face the bed on his knees with his ass propped up. He himself spun off and held his waist, charging back in.

Qu Fongning couldn’t say how much he liked this position. But being tall, after Yujien landed on the ground, he needed to thrust his core upwards in order to fully take the matter into his ass. With the lift, the meaty veins along the shaft would precisely hit his critical spot along every pluck and thrusts. Such was irresistible. Having him charge a dozen times, though his heart was unwilling, he lost himself to the release. Despite his body floating in Celestia, the stuffiness in his heart remained undissipated. And ever since the two began their physical intimacy, this was the most unpleasant experience.

Yujien was rather tolerant towards his depressed resistance. After the first release, he saw him immediately laying on the inside, and did no more, but only took him into his arms. Qu Fongning writhed twice against him and said in a small voice, “I’m hot.” He soon recalled the last summer, when the two were in the heat of their love. Sometimes after he was discharged from the evening training, he’d dash in to roll into a ball with him even before he gets a bath. As Yujien carried him outside for the shower, not one spot on the pair of bodies was not covered in sweat. Thinking about it now, how could he have been so clingy with this man, what’d happened to his head?

Yujien chuckled. He didn’t expose his lie, only tightened his arm and closed his eyes.

Qu Fongning had pillowed his arm for more than a year. Now he felt very uncomfortable and tried his best to shift towards the outside. Yujien had a persistent flaming scent of armored blood rust on him, thick and scalding. He never felt it so much in the usual, but at this moment he didn’t want to smell him, and stubbornly twisted his head away.

After a while, Yujien opened his eyes with a sign. “Ningning, do you have to hold a grudge against me?” he said, looking at him.

Qu Fongning returned a glance to him and looked no more. Yujien kissed his lips. “Little monkey, see you tomorrow,” he said in a low voice.

The rims of Qu Fongning’s eyes warmed, but he grounded his jaws. He closed not his eyes for a single moment that entire night. As the sky brushed pale, he untangled his arm and headed out of the ger.

~

Yujien knew a thing or two about his temper, but didn’t imagine this incident would be so lingering and irreconcilable. As the Fifth month neared its end, Qu Fongning still departed early and returned late, putting his head down in hard training. And thus, his small team severed in discipline and freshened in style. Before Yujien, he completely transformed into another aspect, neither fawning and clingy, nor coquetting and flirty, and very little passion in the bed. There were moans and blushes, but hugs and embraces out of his own initiative came not a single time. He had a lively and active temperament. In the past, before going to bed and after awakening, he always prattled on and on with Yujien. Now it was not letting any gas, even with three strikes, as silent as a mute. Yujien didn’t coax, and entirely let him be. Qu Fongning sulked all the more and sank into a deeper silence with each passing day. One evening, Yujien was discussing the integration of remnant Western Liang people. The reporter was shallow in knowledge and spoke with volumes of errors. Yujien observed Qu Fongning listening with creased brows, and said with intention, “If Captain Qu has any suggestions, why don’t you let us have a hear?”

Qu Fongning had been sitting mutely by the curtain door for over an hour, and the stuffiness in his chest had reached its peak. On hearing this, his eyeballs twitched in suppression and he replied bitterly, “This subordinate dares not to speak.”

As “dares not” left his mouth, he suddenly couldn’t control himself, and hissed, “What is this subordinate’s role, how dare I embarrass myself in front of your honor? I fear speaking out of line and touch upon some army edict, and this time, be just beaten dead, once and for all.”

Yujien’s brows tightened. The surrounding air gradually darkened. His hand slowly clasped in lambskin parchment, and abruptly slammed it down at the feet of an incomer. The dull noise reverberated across the grand ger.

The incomer was merely a deputy captain, who never witnessed the lord commander aflare, was frighted red and green, and shiveringly shrunk back.

This was also the first time Qu Fongning saw him showing anger. His heart thundered in terror. He nearly wanted to run out of the ger, but he dared not shift his feet.

The air in the ger chilled eerily. It was clearly the Fifth month, the start of summer; but Qu Fongning only felt his single upper layer was too thin, and couldn’t help hugging his arms.

Half a moment later, Yujien finally opened his mouth with a mild tone. “You may go back.”

Qu Fongning felt as if been granted supreme amnesty and forthwith dashed out of the ger. As he got out of the doors exhaled a long breath and realized the wrongness: “I am the one who was beaten and wronged; what allows him to give me the face?”

~

And the two henceforth sank into a cold war. Whenever they met, they would not have a single word, and wouldn’t even exchange a glance. Qu Fongning held on to this spite. For the first few days, he raged a storm, and all he could think about was, “If he comes to find me, I will blast whatever I can get my hands on to his face! No matter what sweet things he might say… At worst, it would just end this route!” However, as the time passed, the perpetrator never came. He not only didn’t come, he didn’t give him a proper glance, and even their most ordinary interactions disappeared. Qu Fongning bluffed his pride for a few days, found Yujien having no sign of reconciliation, and couldn’t help a little panic. “The motherland is in danger. If the enemy leader comes to show goodwill, I might want to go along with the flow to forgive him. A little intolerance ruins a great scheme…” But the Sixth month had gone by a half, the envisioned goodwill never came.

Even Little Ting’yu heard about their estrangement, and teased him, “What’s up between you and General Yujien? Go do a nice make up. With him in a bad mood, even we need to suffer along in the national congress. He had frightened the new state secretary to tears twice in a row!”

Qu Fongning had his back against his wooden wheels, playing with the new ring-styled arbalest. Hearing him, he gave a wry laugh. “What have I got to quibble with him? Beaten me half dead, and threatened me not to mention it, else he’ll dump me beneath the Rolling Clouds Mountains. Pugh, dump me, dump me! I’m not scared!” And he aimed the arbalest towards the Sky Gale Peaks, hitting a vicious slam on the trigger. Him with the gnashing teeth, was probably taking that ill-mooded master as the live target.

“Fongning, when you talk about General Yujien, your tone drops many years younger than usual,” said Little Ting’yu, chuckling. He took over the arbalest from his hand, and as he gave a demonstration, said casually, “The general being strict with you as always, that can’t be helped. If it were me, I would never touch a finger of yours, nor be cross with you.”

Unintentional words stirred Qu Fongning’s heart, who brooded, “If I go over to the Western Army, I wouldn’t stir a hair or fiber of him again.” Unresolved, he went back, defeated.

~

That very day, the army ordered Li Ignis Division’s three thousand standing troops to strike camp and follow the lord commander to Yarrdu City. Yarrdu situated far in the eastern territories. Common wolves sightings granted its moniker “the City of Wolves.” In the previous eastward displacement, it acted as a temporary capital. In recent years, since Chienye’s booming rise and no more grazing migrations, the eastern territories gradually declined. So, for the younger people, more than half had never even heard of this legendary Wolfen City.

Yet, for the Ghost Army soldiers, this city had a great significance. Because the lord of the city was no other than their commander general, Yujien Tianhuang. It was his birthplace and the site of his first victory, and where his closest kins dwelled. This errand was not only easy and relaxing, it also wore the honor of the glamorous homecoming; truly a one-in-a-thousand sweet job. As the news went around, the Li Ignis Division immediately got many sidelong glances and earned no few eye rolls.

On departure on the second day, Yujien rode lightly in front, and the grand army trailed behind. The soldiers marched with joyous songs and laughs, their excitement flowing beyond the lyrics. The only unhappy person was Qu Fongning. But Gerrgu, Uighshön and the others all stayed behind in the City of Ghosts, and his unhappiness had no one to spill to.

That night, they camped by a clear stream. The soldiers all went to catch fish and stoke fires by the water, their laughter persistent. Qu Fongning sat alone far away in the darkness, watching Yujien speaking to others by the fires, feeling an unbidden aggrievance, but also couldn’t help being a little proud. “I’m not going to make up to you! You’re ignoring me, I’m going to ignore you too.”

As his thoughts wandered, suddenly, beyond the flaming smokes, Yujien seemed to have lifted his head towards him. He was startled to hurry his head down, his heart pounding to noise, anxious to let him notice. After a bit, he surreptitiously peered over. Yujien had already gone into the ger.

He let out a breath, but also felt some inexplicable disappointment. He sat quietly for a while, and fell asleep between the verdant pasture and the harmony of the bugs.

Mist came thick in the Sixth month. As he woke on the next morning, it felt wet and damp beneath his body, almost as if he had slept in a puddle of water. But his body was warm. He went for a touch, and felt something heavy covering him. It had blanketed him good and tight, but with his clumsy grabs and tussles, a sharp object slid across his face, scraping a particular pain.

Ouched, he creased his brows and sat up, and looked at the blanketing matter. Then his body at once stiffened, and his nostrils prickled.

It was a broad pitch-black military coat, with the one and only five Nvquay emblems insignia on the shoulder in the entire army.

He sniffed twice and said bitterly, “Didn’t even take off the insignias, nearly killed me!” He hugged the coat for another moment, lost, before fixing his clothes and joining the roll call.

And the journey proceeded in silence. By the end of the Sixth month, the grand army arrived at Yarrdu City. The city elders came to greet them thirty li away from the city proper, having prepared fine wine and juicy beef to feast the army. Qu Fongning ate and drank his fill, but found Wind Chaser lazy and listless. He thus grabbed the reins, walking into the market to buy soybean meal.

The market bustled busily. No matter nomads, hunters, or small-time peddlers, all the faces had a savage toughness, and their belts all carried round moon-shaped sabers, as if they could wrestle with a wolf anytime, barehanded. Many sold the wolfen three-pieces, wolf fang necklaces, wolf claw bracelets, wolf pelts and blankets, and all the possibilities. Qu Fongning took a wolf fur hat for a try, was so warm to sprout a full head of sweat, and hurried to yank it off.

The soy meal peddler was also very enthusiastic; though he only got the business for one cake, he still generously used oiled paper to wrap it up for him. A girl in wolfskin slippers tagged behind, pulling Wind Chaser’s mane with no small strength, wrenching off quite a few strands with one tug. Qu Fongning found her small head of hair thin and scanty, and teased, “You got no hair yourself so you want to haul other people’s?”

The little girl’s heartfelt trouble was exposed aloud. She angrily raised her head and saw that his hair was also raven black and bright, and grew even angrier. Her hand quivered and stole another last-ditch yank.

Qu Fongning straightened his face. “I’m going to be cross.”

The corners of his eyes commanded power, and his angry look could be said to be exceptionally intimidating. The little girl was frightened back, and lost the grip on the spoils in her hands, which lightly drifted away to the thatch hovels.

Qu Fongning laughed at her. Then the corners of his eyes glimpsed a familiar figure watching him from the city gates.

His back warmed. He purposely turned away, refusing to connect with Yujien’s gaze front-on.

The little girl saw that high robbery had failed, and immediately changed to another tactic, wiggling with coquetry. “Big brother, Shalina,” she said, and pointed at herself; “wants horsie. Big brother give horsie.”

Qu Fongning was laughing, falling front and back in his heart, but didn’t show a bit on his face. “Not big brother. Call uncle!”

“Uncle! Horsie!” The little girl immediately changed her call. As she yelled, her black fingers already stretched upon Wind Chaser’s ass.

Qu Fongning, eyes fast and hands quick, caught the little chubby hand with one grab. He laughed. “Uncle’ll give you something fun.” He took down a round red hat hanging on the stand and put it on her head, and snapped a furry tuft of wolf’s tail to pluck on the rim of the hat.

The tail was really too big and it wouldn’t stand up. It instantly drooped down, turning into a long gray braid. The little girl touched it, felt her satisfaction, and dashed off in hops and leaps.

Qu Fongning sent her away with his gaze and peered at the city gates in the interlude, and affectedly taking out the soybean meal, started feeding his horsie.

~

As dusk fell, Qu Fongning just finished a shower, and felt all refreshed. He returned to the battalion for a look to see not a single soul. Upon inquires he found out that Yujien had already gone to see his tribesmen, and especially allowed his followers to free activity within the city. That night, brothels in the Yarrdu City packed with guests, who emptied the fine wines. Qu Fongning naturally wouldn’t fool around with them. He iced himself a skin of green plum wine, and wearing only a thin honey mesh white upper with a strap of shorts, dashed out on barefoot. He listened to distant pasture songs by the azure clouds colored city walls and nimbly climbed up the barbican base with his hands and feet.

This city barbican was only two-men-high, a perfect height to evade the summer heat. The zoning was also unique: the seven or eight latitudinal axis and a dozen longitudinal axis divided the entire city into many very irregular smaller pieces, each called Ba; and paved roads connected between the Bas, in which erected yurts of five colors. The booming areas had songs and lights, with artisans plucking Qomuz¹; and in quiet areas, flags fluttered gently above the yurts and lambs slept docilely in the folds. The distant song sounded clearer, seemed to be singing praises of a hero:

From the grey wolf-encircled Urni heights

Comes the King Yarrdu of golden lights

Flesh of the sun, radiating far and infinite

Twin eyes of stars, shining wide at night

Waves of peacocks, five colours bright

Visage of reserved wisdom, peerless handsome might!

…

After which came many verses of a flowery lover; whether it was really a hero’s hymn or love song, it was hard to tell.

On top of the city barbican, set outposts connected together by very narrow catwalks, allowing only one man to pass between. The catwalks weren’t clean; they were filled with various small objects swept over by winds. Qu Fongning walked around on the battlements, observing the little market beneath his feet, and didn’t realize he had wandered far. As he walked to a turning point, he saw a shiny lost object and picked it up for a look. It was a bronze horse stirrup with a corner missing. He stretched out his finger, flicking a clink. “Who hurled this up? Got some impressive arm strength!” he thought.

Then came a sudden “Kong, Kong,” clank beneath the battlements. Someone knocked twice. And a low, somewhat husky voice rang up beneath his feet:

“… What are you looking at?”

His heart halted to a palsy, nearly ceased thumping. His throat gulped before he stiffly turned around.

Yujien’s tall figure was standing on the ground less than three zhang away from him. His mask removed, his deep-set eyes smiling, watching him tenderly.

He scratched his cheek. “No looking at anything,” he said, a little coy. He then gave the stirrup a wild swing. “I found this.”

Yujien saw clearly what that was, for a moment didn’t understand him, but answered a “Mn.”

A brief silence fell between the two. Qu Fongning sheepishly returned the stirrup back to its original place and discreetly wiped his hand on the hem of his trousers.

Yujien took all his little moves into his eyes. “Not looking anymore? Then come down,” he said, back a great step, and opened his arms.

Qu Fongning deliberated momentarily on top of the battlements and moved his body to a crenel of the parapet.

“Come. I’ll catch you,” said Yujien, watching him.

Qu Fongning let down his two legs, pushed his arms against the parapet, and like a flying bird returning to the forest, at once landed in his arms. He circled his arms around his broad shoulders, drinking the intense scent of his flesh, an aching pang charged the outlines of his eyes.

Yujien hugged his taut flank tight on one arm and looped around the bend of his knees with the other. Finding him barefoot, he asked, “Where did the shoes go?”

“Didn’t wear any,” Qu Fongning said in a tiny voice.

“I’ll take you back,” said Yujien.

Qu Fongning rested against his steel-wing like collarbones, bobbing up and down in his arms, and the rims of his eyes reddened even more. As they walked out a fair distance, he finally whispered, “… Thanks for your clothes.”

Yujien glanced at him. “Don’t sleep outside anymore.”

The corners of Qu Fongning’s eyes warmed. He clasped around his neck, eyeing his newly grown stubbles rendered iron-green under the moonlight.

Yujien lowered his head and connected with his gaze, stopping his steps.

Before them stood a thick, heavy wall of distant ages, on which threads of moss layered like spider silk. An ancient stone horse stood on the rectangular block behind them. And the dewy, cool evening air breezed by from places no one could see.

“Still cross?” enquired Yujien.

Qu Fongning shook his head.

“No backing out this time,” Yujien said in a husky voice, lowered his head, and gave him a scalding deep kiss.

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