Futile Devices Scans

The two of them reorganized themselves and arrived at the south city gate under cover of night.

The south gate was one of the main battlefields between the Great Xuan army and the Xiao army. Everywhere bore the traces of slaughter left behind by war. Fallen stones, broken sabers, snapped arrows, and shattered armor littered the ground. Destroyed catapults, collapsed battering rams, burned giant crossbows, and other abandoned siege weapons were scattered everywhere as well.

A half-broken military banner fluttered alone amid the ruins, soaked through with bloodstains until its allegiance could no longer be identified.

The moat beneath the city walls had likewise been filled in by the Xiao army with stones, ladders, and all manner of debris. The moat lay directly outside the city walls; whenever the Xiao army came to collect corpses, the defenders atop the walls would rain arrows down upon them. As a result, naked Xiao corpses were strewn everywhere along the riverbank and over the filled moat. Some had already rotted down to white bone, while others were still swollen and gray, trembling as clustered vultures pecked at them.

The stench of rot assaulted the senses. Even holding one’s breath was useless; it seemed to seep into the lungs through the tiniest gaps in the nose and mouth. Sitting at the front and guiding the horse, Li Si frowned. He endured it for a while before finally retching dryly several times.

Zhang San’s right hand, which rested around Li Si’s waist, slid forward and patted his chest soothingly.

After being squeezed up against him for several days now, Li Si no longer blushed or burned at every close touch from him, though he still coughed awkwardly.

——

Outside the south gate stood a square outer barbican city, known among the people of Kuiyuan as “South Pass City.”

This South Pass City enclosed the drawbridge of the south gate. Its purpose was to shield both the bridge and the defending soldiers from enemy attacks whenever the drawbridge was lowered and troops needed to pass in and out of the city, allowing the defenders to retreat safely inside.

The two stopped outside South Pass City and barely found a place to stand among the burned siege ladders and piled-up Xiao corpses. After dismounting, they looked up—

Only to see several bows and crossbows aimed directly at them in perfect unison.

The south gate had endured days of fierce battle, and the Xiao army occasionally launched night raids as well, making the defenses even tighter than elsewhere. The archers had already fixed their eyes on the pair the moment they rode into view.

Seeing from afar that the two were not dressed like Xiao soldiers, a defending soldier atop the wall shouted, “Who goes there below the city?!”

This time, Zhang San knew full well that announcing himself as a Shengjie Army squad leader would be useless, so he nudged Li Si again. Li Si once more pulled out the all-powerful Imperial City Directorate token and waved it vigorously toward the wall.

A small bamboo basket tied to a rope was lowered from above to collect the token. Sure enough, not long afterward, a large rattan basket capable of carrying a person was lowered down.

Zhang San glanced back toward the direction of the Xiao camp to the south, worried that hidden Xiao night scouts might seize the chance to fire cold arrows while the basket hung in midair. He said to Li Si, “I’ll go up first.”

Li Si did not understand his careful reasoning and simply obeyed obediently. As he watched Zhang San step into the basket, he suddenly asked, “What about the horse?”

Zhang San discarded the long spear that would be inconvenient to carry and gripped the edge of the basket. “Let it go. If we leave it beneath the city walls and the Xiao attack tomorrow, wouldn’t we just be handing it over to them for free?”

Zhang San was pulled upward with the basket. Li Si removed the armor and bridle from the fine warhorse and reluctantly stroked its head. The horse snorted impatiently through its nose, yet still turned its head and nudged Li Si’s palm.

Li Si then took out the last remaining roasted flatbread from his clothes and fed it to the horse. “Go on.”

The horse chewed down the bread in several bites and gave a loud whinny, pawing the ground a few times without leaving.

Li Si raised the reins and pretended he was about to lash its rear hard. The horse darted deftly aside and angrily whinnied again. It ran several steps away, then turned its head to look back at Li Si. Li Si pretended he would strike again, and the horse let out another furious cry before finally bolting into the night at full speed without another backward glance.

Not long afterward, the rattan basket was lowered once more and pulled Li Si up onto the wall as well.

——

Kuiyuan’s city walls stood three zhang high and roughly one zhang thick. Atop the broad walls ran a spacious and level horse path, convenient both for messengers carrying orders and for cavalry rushing from other parts of the city to reinforce the defenses. The walls also held parapets and arrow towers that allowed defenders to conceal themselves while attacking. Besides the barbican outside the city gate, protruding horse-face walls were built every sixty paces along the wall as well.

Horse-face walls were shaped somewhat like the character “凸” and projected outward from the city wall, increasing defensive space and allowing defenders to strike enemies from protruding positions.

Zhang San had come up onto the wall first, and while waiting for Li Si, he carefully surveyed all these defensive fortifications. Everywhere on the walls were signs of destruction left behind by Xiao catapult bombardments, while the parapets bore hacking marks and heavy bloodstains from enemies who had once climbed the walls. Yet the defenders had repaired things in time. The defenses remained orderly and tightly arranged, and even the night patrol soldiers looked spirited rather than dispirited.

Only then did he finally relax, knowing that Chief Commander Wang had arranged the city defenses extremely well and that the siege had not yet reached the point of utter desperation.

After Li Si came up as well, the defenders confiscated his weapons too. The young officer leading them carefully inspected the Imperial City Directorate token and asked, “The two imperial envoys—what business brings you here?”

Not long ago, Zhang San had already witnessed Magistrate Zhang’s cold behavior and now felt both resentment and distrust toward him. Quietly stopping Li Si from mentioning the magistrate, he spoke first instead. “We carry a secret imperial decree from the Emperor and have come to deliver a message. We request an audience with your defending commander, Chief Commander Wang.”

Kuiyuan had two chief defenders, one civil and one military. The civil official was Zhang Xiao, Pacification Commissioner of Hedong Circuit and Magistrate of Kuiyuan. The military commander was Wang Qi, Deputy Regional Commander-in-Chief of Hedong. By convention, Great Xuan valued civil officials above military officers, and civil officials normally held authority. In rank as well, Zhang Xiao stood above Wang Qi. Yet Zhang San requested only to see Chief Commander Wang.

The young officer hesitated slightly when he noticed Zhang San did not mention Magistrate Zhang. However, the arrival of imperial envoys from the capital was too important to conceal from the highest-ranking officials. He immediately summoned two messengers and sent them off in different directions along the horse path.

Seeing the two messengers depart, Zhang San knew the officer still intended to summon Magistrate Zhang as well. But at least Chief Commander Wang would also be present, and with Wang there, Zhang San felt much more at ease.

The top of the wall was not suitable for meetings, so after reporting the matter, the young officer led the two of them through the barbican and down the wall passage toward the city interior. Zhang San followed behind while observing the defensive arrangements the entire way, memorizing them carefully. Li Si followed behind him; seeing Zhang San openly looking around everywhere, though he himself had no idea what Zhang San was observing, he copied him and looked around as well.

——

The night was pitch-black, with sparse torchlight beneath the walls. The young officer led them quite a long distance into the south gate military camp and into a courtyard built of brick and stone. Before they even entered the courtyard, someone suddenly came sprinting out from the dark lane outside!

Li Si was startled. Weaponless, he stepped forward immediately, using his own body to shield Zhang San’s injured left shoulder.

The newcomer was tall, not much shorter than Zhang San or Li Si, with broad, powerful shoulders and thick arms. With one great pounce and a bear hug, he swept both Zhang San and Li Si into his arms together and slammed a massive hand against Zhang San’s back!

It was practically a隔山打牛-style strike—so forceful it nearly smacked the breath out of Li Si, who was trapped in the middle.

Zhang San also shuddered from the impact, the movement tugging at his wound and forcing a pained grunt from him.

The man continued slapping him enthusiastically while shouting in delight, “Ah Xiao! You actually came back!”

Zhang San hissed, “Sss!”

Even Li Si could not help making a muffled sound. “Mm!” His back was pressed firmly against Zhang San’s warm chest, and the memory of being smacked senseless returned at once, leaving his head spinning.

The man hugged them fiercely one more time before finally letting them go. “From far away I thought it looked like you! I even thought I was mistaken! Why did you come back?”

Zhang San frowned and hissed softly, “Brother Xu, my shoulder’s injured…”

The man jumped in alarm. “Sorry, sorry! Come, come, get inside and rest first…” He grabbed hold of Zhang San and half-dragged him into the courtyard while ordering the young officer who had guided them there, “Quickly, light the lamps and set out seats! Ah Xiao, I just happened to be on night patrol in the south city, so I arrived first. My father is in the eastern district and will arrive later.”

Although this man was part of Kuiyuan’s defending army, he spoke flawless capital dialect. Curious, Li Si took several more looks at him. Once the candles inside were lit, he saw clearly that the man was around thirty years old, heavily built, with heroic features and thick black facial hair—a mighty general at a glance.

Inside the room stood only a square table and four square stools. The fierce warrior pressed Zhang San down onto one stool and immediately reached to yank open his robe. “Where are you hurt? Left shoulder?”

Zhang San did not avoid him and let him pull open half his chest. A broad expanse of solid chest muscle was revealed. Beside them, Li Si turned his eyes away… then after a while, quietly turned them back again.

The warrior carefully examined the wound at Zhang San’s shoulder and tested the movement of his arm several times, observing the muscles and bones before finally relaxing. “Good, no bones or tendons damaged! Once it’s treated, it’ll be fine! There are several excellent doctors in the city—we’ll summon them all for you after dawn!”

The warrior released him and stood up, only then noticing Li Si’s gaze—Li Si had been staring the whole time at the hand tugging open Zhang San’s clothes.

Puzzled, he asked, “And this little brother is?”

Zhang San introduced him. “Brother Xu, this is a young comrade I met along the road, Li Si. Si Si, this is Chief Commander Wang’s eldest son. He holds the rank of division commander—you can call him Brother Wang.”

Li Si obediently said, “Brother Wang.”

Wang Xu was straightforward by nature. He walked behind Li Si and gave him another heavy slap on the back, then squeezed his shoulders and arms hard as though gauging his combat ability. Immediately afterward he praised cheerfully, “A young hero indeed! Handsome and promising!” Then he sat down on the stool beside Li Si.

Li Si trembled from the slap and shuddered again from the rough squeezing. Wang Xu’s hands were even fiercer than Zhang San’s tiger paws! The two elder brothers, one like a bear and one like a tiger, sat on either side of him like great cleavers splitting mountains apart, making him seem even thinner and more helpless by comparison. Quietly, he lowered his eyelashes.

Seeing Li Si’s embarrassment, Zhang San stood and swapped places with him, sitting beside Wang Xu instead. “Brother Xu, how have things been in the city lately? How are you and the Chief Commander?”

Wang Xu sighed. “Holding the city—it’s always the same. If we can hold it, then everything’s fine. Father’s exhausted from these past days, but his spirits are still good. Enough about us! How did you end up back here? And how did you become an Imperial City Directorate envoy?”

“I’m not the envoy. The envoy is this little brother here,” Zhang San replied. “I left Grand Preceptor Tong’s army on my own and came back to Kuiyuan to defend the city alongside you.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Wang Xu’s eyes widened so far he could barely speak. “You… you… you deserted the army without authorization?!”

“Who deserted the army without authorization?” a booming voice rang out from outside.

Wang Xu immediately sprang to his feet. Zhang San also hurriedly pulled his robe closed and stood up at once. Li Si had no idea what was happening, but seeing the other two suddenly become serious and tense, he stood as well.

——

A heavily built man dressed as a great general stepped into the courtyard. Though there was temporarily no battle underway, he was still fully armored, wearing plated armor and a helmet, a cloak draped over his shoulders and a longsword hanging at his waist. Several personal guards followed behind him, but he waved them back outside the courtyard and strode into the room alone, removing his helmet as he walked and revealing graying hair at his temples.

Both Wang Xu and Zhang San lowered their heads in salute. “Greetings, Chief Commander!” Li Si followed suit and bowed as well.

Chief Commander Wang was nearing sixty years of age. His face was weathered by hardship, and his temples were streaked white with age, yet his posture remained broad and upright, his bearing imposing without the slightest trace of frailty. He walked directly to the table and sat down, waving a hand. “Sit.”

Li Si was just about to sit as instructed when Chief Commander Wang suddenly roared, “Deserters stand!”

The shout startled Li Si so badly he immediately lifted himself back off the stool again, only for the still-standing Zhang San to shove him back down. “Why are you standing? He’s talking about me.”

“And you still know it’s you!” Chief Commander Wang thundered. “Great Xuan military law states that deserters are to be executed! You are a squad leader, born and raised in Kuiyuan. For the sake of protecting your homeland, you actually disobeyed Grand Preceptor Tong’s southward retreat order and abandoned the army without authorization, risking your life to return from the south?! Zhang San! Do you know your crime?!”

Listening to this speech, Li Si somehow felt it did not sound entirely like a scolding…

Yet Chief Commander Wang only grew angrier as he spoke. Drawing the treasured sword from his waist, he rose and made as if to strike. “This old man will personally execute you right now!”

Wang Xu and Zhang San both froze on the spot. Li Si thought the old commander truly intended to cut Zhang San down where he stood. He immediately reached for the hidden sleeve blade on his body, his rear lifting nervously from the stool again.

But Chief Commander Wang’s raised sword paused in midair. He glared at the three of them, subtly tilted his chin toward the courtyard outside, and flicked his graying beard meaningfully.

Zhang San reacted instantly. He threw himself to the ground in a tiger-like pounce and wailed, “Chief Commander! This subordinate knows his guilt! I ask only for death!”

Wang Xu dropped to his knees as well and cried out dramatically, “Father! Ah Xiao has served eight years in the army, fighting north and south and slaying countless enemies! He is absolutely not some cowardly deserter afraid of death! He had his reasons! Father, please judge wisely!”

Li Si stood off to the side. “……”

He looked at the two elder brothers howling and crying and guessed he ought to kneel too. His rear slid halfway off the stool, but he could not force out a single sob and had no idea what he was even supposed to shout. Zhang San secretly waved a hand behind his back, signaling that if he did not know how to act, he should stop meddling. So Li Si obediently sat back down again.

Chief Commander Wang declared sorrowfully, “Military law is iron law! How can personal favor override it?! This old man shall—”

“Brother Zheng Chen! Spare him beneath the sword!” came an alarmed cry from outside the courtyard.

Chief Commander Wang immediately lowered his sword.

A middle-aged man in the robes of a civil official hurried into the courtyard. He stepped forward quickly and helped Zhang San to his feet. “Please rise, brave young man. Xu’er, you rise as well.”

Wang Xu scrambled upright at once, fetched another stool from the side, and placed it at the highest seat to the left, inviting the civil official to sit. But the man did not sit immediately. Instead, he gripped the arm holding Chief Commander Wang’s sword and persuaded him, “Brother Zheng Chen, put the sword away. Sit, sit, sit. Why such fury? Zhang heard everything from outside the courtyard. This Young Officer Zhang traveled a thousand li northward to return to Kuiyuan—his heart is one of pure loyalty. How can he be treated as a deserter?”

Chief Commander Wang obediently sheathed the sword and even replied politely, “Magistrate, there is no need to hurry. This old man will obey orders. Please, take your seat first.”

Only then did the two senior officials finally sit down properly and begin speaking in earnest.

——

The newcomer wore purple official robes. He was none other than Zhang Xiao, the Magistrate of Kuiyuan who had previously refused to open the city gates.

As magistrate, he had governed Kuiyuan for several years. By nature he was cautious and meticulous. Though he had once acted according to Grand Preceptor Tong’s wishes, he was neither greedy nor tyrannical, and his governance had been fair enough to earn the people’s approval. After Grand Preceptor Tong fled south, the imperial court appointed him Pacification Commissioner of Hedong Circuit, allowing him to take over Grand Preceptor Tong’s nominal post. Though a Pacification Commissioner ought properly be addressed as “Commander,” everyone still habitually referred to him respectfully as “Magistrate” or “Prefectural Lord.”

Magistrate Zhang was in his forties, with refined scholar-like features, thin cheeks, and long flowing whiskers—the very image of a literary official. Yet unlike the vigorous Wang father and son, who were fellow defenders of Kuiyuan, his eyes were dark with exhaustion, his appearance weary and dusty from hardship.

Zhang San still harbored resentment toward him. After sneaking a single glance his way, he deliberately looked elsewhere, afraid his emotions might leak through his eyes. Then he turned to glance at Li Si.

Li Si had risen to his feet and stood there expressionless and silent. Though his face revealed nothing, his black eyes stared fixedly at Magistrate Zhang, carrying the wary hostility of a small beast hiding in the forest.

Without a sound, Zhang San shifted half a step sideways, using his own body to block Li Si from view. Secretly gripping Li Si’s wrist, he signaled him to restrain himself slightly lest Magistrate Zhang notice anything amiss.

The two senior officials sat in the seats of honor while the younger men all remained standing to answer questions. No sooner had Magistrate Zhang sat down than he immediately inquired about the Imperial City Directorate envoy.

Zhang San once more nudged Li Si forward. Li Si briefly introduced himself, then removed the wax pill and presented it to Magistrate Zhang.

Lowering his head and eyes, Li Si said respectfully, “Prefectural Lord, this was entrusted to me by the dying Commander of the Imperial City Directorate. He said it was a secret imperial decree that only Prefectural Lord could decipher.”

Magistrate Zhang knelt to receive the decree, then returned to the table and melted open the wax pill over the candle flame. From within he withdrew a tightly rolled strip of silk inscribed with complex coded symbols. It was indeed a secret order.

Magistrate Zhang called out, “Someone!”

A personal servant hurried in from outside the courtyard. Magistrate Zhang whispered several instructions into his ear, directing him to fetch the matching cipher manual from the prefectural residence. Then he turned back to Li Si. “Little Envoy, you have traveled far and suffered much. Rest tonight at the city posthouse. Once this prefect has examined the secret decree, I shall give you a reply tomorrow.”

After speaking to Li Si, Magistrate Zhang looked toward Zhang San again and praised him. “Young Officer Zhang is both loyal and courageous. This prefect admires him greatly. As for the matter of desertion, there is no need to mention it again in the future. I now serve as Pacification Commissioner of Hedong Circuit. I can simply issue a transfer order stating that you were reassigned here before the Shengjie Army marched south.”

Keeping his head lowered, Zhang San did not mention a single word about the conversation they had already exchanged earlier beneath the west gate. He bowed and said, “Many thanks, Prefectural Lord. This subordinate is endlessly grateful.”

Magistrate Zhang replied, “Young Officer Zhang has traveled a thousand li northward, and both men and horses are exhausted. Go rest together now. Someone, escort the two of them to the posthouse.”

Wang Xu immediately volunteered, “Prefectural Lord, this subordinate can escort them there.”

“Very well. Many thanks, Xu’er.” Magistrate Zhang nodded. “Brother Zheng Chen, I must trouble you to remain a while longer.”

Zhang San and Li Si bowed respectfully to the two senior officials before following Wang Xu out together.

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