The White Rocks Labyrinth itself was already curious to the seven senses, the northwestern channel was all the more filled with hundreds and thousands of twists and turns. Qu Fongning led two hundred elites of the Spring Sun Battalion, surveying on the two wings. Lio Whu leisurely rode in the front, marching the troops with a swaying head and a serene air, looking ready to open his voice and sing a bewitching song of blessing of the true god anytime.
Scouts circled to report and was received with little excitement. His eyes continued sweeping here and there on Qu Fongning’s body and face, examining him from head to toe with a lasting brush of insightful grin on his lips.
Feeling exposed under his leer, Qu Fongning’s back chilled uncomfortably. It was like a living floral-wreathed snake, and himself a large, marked frog! In his entire life, he was only afraid of two men, one being his iron-nerved state censor father, and the second was the already dead Prince Sharraugh. Before the two, he always felt his insignificance and foolishness, with all tactics unfit for show. As Lio Whu was rapidly replacing their positions, his heart felt extremely resistant, and he clamped tight around Wind Chaser’s belly and gave some way to the side.
And Lio Whu insisted on soliciting him. Starting first on his mount and complimenting on to every single remarkable object across his body, every sentence right on point, not especially gringy and just enough to express his admiration. At the end, he uttered a great sign, saying the heroic sons of the steppes are so impressive, them old farts should’ve given up their positions long ago. And then expressed, on the day when Captain Qu ascend as the Commander General of the Ghost Army, his aged frame must go present gifts and convey his congratulations.
Earlier texts had implied Lio Whu started out as a royal reverend, someone who had chanted prayers before tens of thousands of people with ease; every one of his acts and gestures moved with a celestial grace, and his voice was all the more rich and beautiful and compelling to the heart. When an ordinary person hears this flattery from him, they have already floated beyond their understanding of the four directions. But Qu Fongning listened with a thumping heart, only feeling countless traps and designs behind every one of his words. He knew he had no knack for counter and outright conserved his weakness, and responded with a number of thin laughs and his two lips shut tight.
Lio Whu usually stirred with the winds, but at this moment he couldn’t seem to perceive another’s countenance; he not only did not shut up, he amusedly spurred his horse closer by. “Speaking of which, Captain Qu isn’t a Chienye native?”
Qu Fongning’s heart skipped a beat. He peered a glance at him from the shadow of his lashes. “No. This lowly officer was of Syrs tribe.”
“The Syrs tribe north of Little Sparrow Mountain? I’ve heard so much about it. The white sparrow nest of your honored tribe is known across the world. This honored one had been fortunate to have taste, the beauty of the flavor is unforgettable all this life,” exclaimed Lio Whu. And he exhaled a regrettable sign, bemoaning, “A pity there isn’t anymore!”
Here it comes, Qu Fongning hissed in his heart, adjusted his mind, and pressed his lips to a smile. “Your humor me, General Lio Whu. This lowly officer arrived by the Mei Waters very young; I had long taken Chienye as my homeland.”
“This humble one understands, of course. If not, how would General Yujien see you… as his own life, teaching every one of his masteries to you?” said Lio Whu with a smile, and wagging his eyes at him, said, “Getting involved with such a father, your life mustn’t be very easy, eh? I heard when you last saved his sworn brother’s son, he was triggered into a thunderous rage and nearly beat you dead.”
Qu Fongning hated these lips of his, silently shot him full of holes in his heart, but remained calm with his mouth, “General Yujien had told me, the noble man loves others with ethics, the base man loves others with morals. Without rules, how could you make a square or a circle?” This lowly officer had made a mistake, and naturally should be punished.”
Lio Whu gave two dry laughs. “Naturally, naturally. The depth of love is the deepness of responsibility!” he said, and suddenly burst into a laugh. “The Ghost Sovereign calls himself a noble man, this is an unprecedented marvel!”
Qu Fongning laughed along. “The three sayings of a noble man: The kind do not worry, the wise do not faze, the brave do not fear. General Yujien inhabits two of the three, humbly takes the rank of a noble man. It seems not too improper.”
Lio Whu narrowed his foxy eyes, piling even more smiles on his face. “Captain Qu is broad in knowledge and sharp of words, in no way inferior to the Lord Ghost Sovereign himself. I dare ask: Is Captain Qu’s exquisite Southern Arts also learned from thy father?”
Qu Fongning was born with a unique acuity to danger. Though this question was nothing out of the ordinary, he immediately sensed something amiss, and carefully responded with, “The Southern School is broad and profound, this lowly officer has learned nothing but a drop of an ocean. General Lio Whu you flatter me too much.”
Lio Whu swung the whip in his hand, his manner rather culturally. “Captain Qu is too humble. Speaking of the Southern School, this humble one naturally is nowhere as learned as Lord Ghost Sovereign. What he studies is the art of statecraft. This small oldie does nothing but occasionally entertains with some sensational stories. The Southerners put a great weight on heaven’s order, particular on loving fathers and filial sons. In the past dynasty, there was a father who was poor, without a means of livelihood, and lived by peddling peaches. In the end, there was only one peach left in his basket. When his son cried and screamed of hunger in his belly, he only took a light bite and gave the rest for his son to consume. And there was another father, who was a high statesman and was always busy. One day, when he was taking a midday nap with his son, the other hurried him for an outing while his son laid over his sleeve. His man had a sudden spark of wit and came up with an idea: he took a scissor cut, and sliced away his sleeve. Captain Qu, you see this man who would rather ruin a gown than wake his beloved son. Such tender love, shouldn’t all the fathers under the sky lament their ineptitude?”
Though Qu Fongning wasn’t very familiar with these two famous anecdotes, he vaguely sensed that they weren’t some harmonious loving tales, and thus produced a thin, cordial smile. “Although this lowly officer is shallow of learning, I recognize a few words, yet I have never heard of the stories General Lio Whu speaks of. I suppose, in this world, every father’s love for their son is distinct and incomparable in highs and lows. These two stories might be more well-known, but their sentiments might not be nobler than others.”
Lio Whu’s eyes, shining a sharp light, never left his face for an instant. As he listened, he lifted his head with an inscrutable smile. But his mouth opened again with an abrupt turn: “Captain Qu isn’t married yet? Do you have someone in mind? So young and full of honors, with your high stature, the heir of a city, the junior marshal of an army, wholly incomparable with the average man. Ordinary noble ladies wouldn’t even enter your eye, eh?”
This skill of rough dragging the talk was truly insurmountable. Qu Fongning inwardly rolled his eyes while mumbling some few vague words with his mouth, meaning to crack back at him for a bit. “I wonder if General Lio Whu has any suggestions?”
“You’re too kind.” Lio Whu brushed his beard and said with smiling eyes, “This humble one has four daughters. The eldest is married to Prince Keqinr of my humble country, the second and the third one are both married to the royal house. My youngest end daughter has just completed her flower-pinning ceremony, and is not yet engaged…”
Qu Fongning listened, so he is vouching for himself as a marriage broker! And nearly burst into laugh and tears, then the first thought that came into his head was, “Yujien Tianhung would never consent.” And then thought, all such was immensely ironic. Lio Whu had competed with Yujien for over ten years; whenever the mentions came up, it was all a tone of eagerly wanting to shatter their bones and peel their skins. At this moment, for this meaty flesh of Za’yii, they not only could march hand-in-hand, they could even speak of the marriage of their sons and daughters! At that moment, he stifled his cry and evaded, “I’m grateful for the general’s generous affections, this lowly officer is much overwhelmed. However, the great matter of marriage is no child’s play, all must come to General Yujien’s decision.”
“Don’t worry.” Lio Whu affectionately patted his shoulders. “I’m not like your lord Ghost Sovereign. I don’t regard old feuds with all that weight. Moreover, even if we have been enemies before, it doesn’t mean we can’t be friends in the future. Captain Qu, what do you say?’
“Of course,” said Qu Fongning with a smile, and silently spat in his heart.
Lio Whu looked joyous beyond himself, and all the more put up the manner of the future-father-in-law. He took over his hand and intimately chatted much trivial chatter. And then took out a coral draw-string pouch with two pointy tips, said it was handmade from his daughter, which itself is a thought after object in Bi’ro and hard to obtain, and wished to give to Captain Qu today and hope he would not object the rough handiwork of a little girl. Qu Fongning laughed in his stomach, hurried his thanks, and took it into his bosom with high respect. Qu Fongning nipped the edge of the pouch and was reminded of Chao’yoonr’s musk-scented satchel, and had an internal sneer. “You two have quite the same way of caring for your sons and daughters.”
As they conversed, scouts came to report: a fork appeared ahead with two paths east and west. Broken spears, blood stains, hoofprints, and wheel tracks littered across the mouth of the fork. Qu Fongning hurried in to inspect, dismounted his steed and nipped the bloodied, dried soil, and scrutinized his gaze on the all surrounding White Rocks Cliffs, his brows faintly creased. “Has Captain Qu discovered any clues? Where way should we go?” Lio Whu inquired from his mount.
“May this lowly officer be as bold to borrow your honor’s map for a reference?” said Qu Fongning, frowning.
All against his regular excuses, Lio Whu pulled open the map with much alacrity and pointed to their current location. Qu Fongning saw the two paths clearly sketched out, the east path wide and interconnected to eight directions; the main path turning a semicircular curvature, going directly by where the Alliance Army stationed near the Three Winds Woods, the entire course totaling about forty li. The west passage was narrow without branches, tracing to a sunken valley seventeen, or eighteen li away, where the path ends. Qu Fongning studied carefully for a moment and pointed. “Why is it blank here, at the last li or two towards the end of the west passage?”
“The White Rocks Labrinth has its nine holes and seven pits. The plan was drawn in a haste, and yet to detail,” said Lio Whu, sighing.
Qu Fongning swept him with a skeptical glance and got up. “In this case, this lowly officer shall lead my troops to scout the western path. Would the general please cut through the eastern path to regroup with the larger army?”
“No, no.” Lio Whu waved quickly. “The situation with the western path is still unclear, how can I let Captain Qu take this risk? If this humble one is to return to camp alone, our Lord the Ghost Sovereign would peel this aged skin for sure. In my opinion, they dare not march towards the Tiger Mountain, and are probably turtling near the sunken valley. We best stay together for a look!!”
Qu Fongning eyed him once more. “This path is extremely narrow, fine for light riders to enter and out, but the larger army rashly marching in might have a danger of congesting the head and tail, and would not pull out in time. If General Lio Whu cannot put your heart at ease, please wait a moment here by the mouth of the trail,” he said.
Lio Whu tugged his hand and clasped it affectionately. “Take all care. As soon as you find enemy tracks, blare the horns for signal.”
The corner of his lips shifting, he politely relieved his hand. “The same to General Lio Whu.” He selected a hundred elites and swiftly rode away.
Lio Whu watched his silhouette disappeared between the White Rocks, lightly stroking the horsewhip, with an extremely peculiar smile appearing on his face.
One of his minor orderlies saw his expression, and seemed disquieted. “General, the Wind Chaser Thousand Slain is uncommonly clever, he seemed to already have suspicions just now. This plan might…” He saw the dark blade guard by Lio Whu’s side curtly shaking his head, and he pursed his lips.
“This plan doesn’t look very smart, yeah?” said Lio Whu, smiling, and turned to regard the road ahead, his smile thickening even more. “Your concern is not unfounded. But clever people often fall on the dumbest tricks.”
Beneath the setting sun, his gaze fell on a bloom of scarlet red, carmine cloud above the colony of White Rocks, his hands ever so gently brushing the mane of his steed.
“—Don’t disappoint me, Qu Lyn.”
~
Shortly, noises of battle came from the end of the sunken valley, the gold horns howled mournfully, listlessly drawing ten long blares in the twilight, and faded back to silence. Lio Whu, eyes faintly shut, swung his head with the music of war, as if listening to a celestial song. After he learned the Alliance Army had defeated the Imperial Army in the Three Winds Woods, he finally started onto the eastern path, languidly going to regroup. As soon as he saw Yujien, he instantly put up an outraged manner, informing on Captain Qu’s refusal to listen to advice and insistence on scouting the western path, their parting ways and still haven’t returned until now. Then conveyed of his intense worry, was just waiting to enter the valley for support, but three thousand enemy troops struck from the eastern path. And he had to struggle on in his crumbling flesh, repeatedly ringing the golden horns to send out the emergency message, calling for help to Captain Qu inside the valley but received no response. In his desperation, he withdrew towards the Three Winds Woods. Their current plan ought to deploy Alliance troops forthwith to the rescue. His laden heart wishes to take the command in this decrepit frame and go without tire, without regard to deaths and casualties, and bring back Captain Qu as his chief cause.
Yujien, his armor unrelieved, his lance standing on the earth, languidly leaned against the tiger skinned commander’s seat, listening to his excited and grave recount, and only nodded. “Got it.”
A light fleeted across Lio Whu’s slender eyes, as if trying to pry his expression. “… Captain Qu acting on his own course and now being in the midst of uncertainty, is also because this humble one hasn’t put in full effort to dissuade him. I hope the general, for the safety of the soldiers, immediately sends out men for the rescue.”
“So General Lio Whu puts such high esteem in one of my centurion commanders, how dare I accept such honor?” said Yujien with a nonchalant chuckle. He shifted aside, his smile intensifying. “Captain Qu, should you come out to say your thanks?”
The clacking of armor, Qu Fongning really walked out from behind the broad back chair, bowing. “This lowly officer hereby thank Geneal Lio Whu for your concern.”
Lio Whu’s expressions abruptly changed and recovered at once. “So… Captain Qu had already returned to camp before this humble one and didn’t bother to send a message, really causing other’s worries,” he said, laughing dryly.
“After this lowly officer separated with General Lio Whu, I trailed after the wheel tracks without discovering enemy traces. At the end of the sunken valley, I saw a very narrow path going towards the southeast, and remembering the incompleteness of the general’s map, I ventured forth to survey. Also, thanks to luck, the path was smooth all the way to the camp. When I heard of the general’s impending return, I was collecting my thoughts for the report. This is also this lowly officer’s negligence, and I beg for the general’s heavy punishment,” said Qu Fongning, politely.
Lio Whu quickly expressed he had spoken too heavily, while his eyes fixed intently on those beneath the mask. “Captain Qu ventured into risk alone. Remarkable bravery, haha, remarkable bravery. Yet… there was not a shadow to be seen in both paths. Could there be any other secrets with these northwest corridors?”
“Being in a place of dishonor, naturally, there would be more secrets than others. General Lio Whu need not to be too worried.” Qu Fongning met his gaze with a small smile.
“Captain Qu and his steed’s complete safety is better than anything. This humble one’s bitter wait is not in vain.” Lio Why also tugged his facial muscles, the smile not reaching his eyes.
Qu Fongning sided his head and smiled. “Having your honor sitting on the outer ring, this lowly officer was naturally reassured. With the general’s righteous cause, if this lowly officer was to come to danger, you would endeavor every effort to rescue, unlike those scoundrels who would drop rocks when others are down, listening to the blare of the horn and do absolutely nothing.”
These words were almost laying it out plainly. However thick Lio Whu’s skin was, he couldn’t help looking a little awkward. He let out two coughs and hastily bid his goodbyes.
Iantu would not let him off easily, immediately followed up with open mockery and subtle barbs, shooting veiled accusations, and took full advantages of his eloquence. Qu Fongning watched from the distance Lio Whu putting on his elegance, sweeping his sleeves, and awkwardly rushing away, and couldn’t help laughing out loud.
Yujien followed his gaze to watch and smirked. “You had it with the Old Fox this time.”
Qu Fongning recovered his gaze, the amusement dispersed from his face. “General, it was really as you have suspected. He is secretly colluding with the Za’yii Imperial Army, planning to put out us and the Royal Prince’s two forces simultaneously. I feigned a call and learned with a single test. But I just don’t understand. Why is he scheming so intently to put me dead?”
“He found us close, wants to disrupt my focus. If it was a proper fight, would he win? But our Captain Qu sees as clear as light and saw through his little trick at once,” he sneered, fell back on the chair and took his hand. “You said there wasn’t any ambush in the valley. That is unexpected. Perhaps Daishüban still has some misgivings about this man, and doesn’t want to trust him fully.”
Qu Fongning, lashes low-bowed, whispered, “Who would trust a fox completely?”
~
Ever since their disastrous defeat in the Three Winds Woods, the Za’yii Imperial Army bottled up a belly full of rancor and charged all in for a counter. As the Alliance Army passed the Shen Sign, their advance noticeably slowed. Between the signs of Yu and Mo, the flames flared unceasingly day and night, nearly impossible to move a single pace. There was even a team of gliding imperial troops, numbering less than a thousand, who wore eagle feathered cloaks, and haunted like shadows. Attacking without pattern, they thrice struck the battalion camps, and thrice escaped unscathed, stirring the courage of the soldiers, and starting rumors of divine guidance. At the end of the Seventh Month, at the battle of the Urla River, One of Lio Whu’s three Achs, Buhasch led eight thousand men and horses and chased until the Urla riverbanks. It was at the height of the steppes rain season, the Urla River rumbled in waves and cut off their paths. Buhasch bellowed a laugh to the heavens, rose his whip to a point, and shouted, “Let’s see how you will put your wings and fly away today!” And under a roar of command from the young gliding troops leader, the orderlies rose uniformly on their steeds, splayed their cloaks and grew out two wings, like a flock of gray eagle-fish, and glided smoothly across the river surface and landed steadily on the opposite side, disappearing between the rushes.
It was the first time the Alliance Army witnessed such a spectacle, and all couldn’t help their mouths agape. When Yujien was inquired upon, it was only understood as a nascent invention, and not yet standardized across the Za’yii military. The leader of the gliding troops, Yan Feiyu, was affiliated with the First Imperial Army, and was well versed in engineering, with this cloak being his original invention.
Qu Fongning studied the leader, slender of frame and not very tall, but movements clean and deft, never dragging sludge, and long roused a spirit of competition. As he listened to the last sentence, his drive to kill rose at once. “This person cannot be left alive,” he thought. As the thought surfaced, a long dormant string seemed to have been aggressively plucked, and between now and then, he was suddenly reminded of the first time he met Herr Gen.
He never understood before; He-dage was such a refined person, who also admired him so much at the time, why did he have to tangle so relentlessly, risking it all to remove him? Now he finally understood.
Yujien saw him staring out into space and poked his forehead with the whip. “Why, worried they have beaten you?”
Qu Fongning recovered his focus and shook his head. “I was thinking, between him and Little General, who is better.” He looked towards the wild geese leaping above the water surface, muttering, “Been away for so long, I really miss him.”
Yujien heard the genuine sentiments of his words, smiled gently, and poked his cheek once more. “Then take this Commander Yan back quickly, and let him and your good friend contest their art.”
“They might not want to come back with me,” thought Qu Fongning. When he turned around, he saw Badama in his sienna crown and black gown, standing before the White Rocks Army towards the direction of the disappearing flying troops, lost in thought.
“Does he also want to grow a pair of wings and fly to his wife’s side?” he imagined.