Chapter 9, Dare to Take on Heavy Responsibilities

Wei Ti expressed his understanding and, after a brief assessment of the individuals brought by Wang An, remarked: "They are all outstanding heroes. Although they have not yet mastered the art of battle formations, if the Tuhun army is properly trained and guided, they could become a formidable force akin to tigers and wolves"

Wei Ti saw him agree, his brows relaxed, and he smiled, saying: "You are a formidable opponent; if you accomplish this mission, the old military man will certainly recommend you for great use, how could I let you die?" He lowered his voice and said: "This time we are dispatched not only to connect with the immigrants from Shu, but also to establish contact with the ruler of the Southern Tang to jointly attack the Song Dynasty."

Wei Ti saw the surprised expressions on Wang Gui and Chen De's faces and could not help but smile with satisfaction: "You two need not be alarmed; this is the strategy of alliance that General Yang and I have devised. With my Northern Han's strong military, combined with the wealth of Jiangnan, we can jointly resist the powerful Song dynasty, ensuring the safety of our territory and the well-being of our people, and we will surely achieve a harmonious collaboration." He forced himself to maintain his composure, took out a wax seal from his hairpin, and solemnly handed it to Chen De, saying: "This is the national document that certifies your identity as an envoy. You must keep it safe. Upon arriving in the Southern Tang, you should directly visit the residence of Minister Xu Xian, and after presenting the national document, you may request Minister Xu to introduce you to the ruler of Jiangnan." Chen De, having short hair and no hairpin, could only temporarily tuck the wax seal into his bosom. Seeing this, Wei Ti frowned slightly, but since Wang Gui was unwilling to let him go as an envoy and there was no one else available, he had no choice but to patiently explain to Chen De all the important matters regarding the mission. Although diplomacy at this time was not as complicated as in modern times, it mainly revolved around maintaining national dignity and the sincerity and conditions of the alliance, and the explanations continued until late into the night.

The Song army easily captured Nanping, and therefore, in addition to maintaining strict surveillance over the waterways, they were not particularly harsh in their inquiries of the local populace. The four individuals managed to procure various items along the riverbank with little effort. Xiao Jiu took the initiative to negotiate and secured passage on a merchant ship heading to the Southern Tang to trade tea, and it seemed they were about to sail smoothly into Southern Tang territory.

Wei Di cast a deep glance at Wang Gui and said, "You are originally one of General Yang's subordinates. It is already commendable that you can serve with loyalty and dedication. To ask you to serve as my envoy again would be to impose an unreasonable burden on you." Wang Gui quickly cupped his hands and replied, "This subordinate does not dare to accept such an honor."

Wang An looked around and clasped his hands, saying: "How do you find these followers I have brought, Lord Wei?"

On the second day, Chen De, accompanied by Xin Gu, bid farewell to Wei Ti and set out together with a guide named Xiao Jiu, dispatched by Wang An, to head towards the Southern Tang.

Chen De's plan was already set in his mind, and he smiled, saying: "We are all strong young men; bringing along this half-grown boy and pretending to be servants with the maps will make us look even more like traveling merchants if we encounter a search by the Song army." As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shun became so excited that he started shouting, which startled Xiao Jiu, who hurriedly stepped forward to carefully wipe the bloodstain on his neck that had just been cut by Xin Gu. He then applied a generous amount of the medicinal powder he carried with him, mumbling, "If the cut were any deeper, it would leave a scar." Li Shun became so excited that he started shouting, which startled Xiao Jiu, who hurriedly stepped forward to carefully wipe the bloodstain on his neck that had just been cut by Xin Gu. He then applied a generous amount of the medicinal powder he carried with him, mumbling, "If the cut were any deeper, it would leave a scar."

Chen Debang said to Xingudao: "Wait a moment." He then asked Li Shun: "Who exactly instructed you to follow us? If you tell the truth, I will spare your life"

Wei Tielian quickly said: "Everyone, please rise. Zhang Qibo sacrificed himself for Changqing, so how can Changqing stand by and watch the suffering in Shu?" As he spoke, the wound was affected, and he couldn't help but furrow his brow again. Wang An hurriedly said: "General Wei, the arrow you were struck by just now was indeed perilous. Although it missed the vital area of the heart, it has already injured your lung. I fear it will take some time for you to recover before you can return to your duties."

In ancient Shu, transportation was inconvenient, and the primary means of communication with the outside world relied heavily on water transport. Li Bai's poem states: "In the morning, I bid farewell to Baidi amidst colorful clouds, and in a day, I return to Jiangling a thousand miles away. The cries of monkeys on both banks do not cease, and the light boat has already passed through ten thousand mountains." This captures the speed of boat travel. However, due to this reliance, the rulers of Shu throughout the ages have closely monitored waterborne shipping. As preparations for the campaign against the Southern Tang reached their final stages, the Song army tightly blockaded the Yangtze River, allowing only four people to drift downstream in a small boat between the segments patrolled by Song warships. Apart from being overly respectful towards Li Shun, Xiao Jiu was an exceptional boatman, and surprisingly, he always managed to hide the small boat ashore before Song warships appeared ahead. After the Song warships passed, he would set off again. This remarkable skill earned the admiration of Chen De and Xin Gu, with Xin Gu even cursing like a local, saying that this rascal had some ghostly talent, yet he had a rather lowly appearance. Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiu merely smiled faintly, continuing to treat the two with the same courtesy, and he remained respectful towards Li Shun as well.

The young boy was suddenly attacked, his face turned pale with fear, yet he stood firm, staring unblinkingly at Chen De, and said: "I want to go to the Southern Tang with you."

Chen De and Wang Gui exchanged glances for a long time, before Wang Gui finally clasped his hands and said: "General Wei, I, as a subordinate, have been ordered by Lord Yang to protect you. Although sending envoys is a significant matter, your safety is of utmost importance. I earnestly request that you allow me to remain by your side."

At a time when everyone was at a loss, Wang An stepped forward and, addressing the soldiers of the Northern Han, said: "Esteemed generals, I have accompanied my master in traveling around to provide medical treatment. May I take a look at Lord Wei's injuries?" The crowd promptly allowed him to come forward to administer treatment

Wei Ti exclaimed "Oh," and could only say, "Then I must trouble you, Little Qi." After some conversation among the group, fearing that the Song army would gather their forces and attack again, they fashioned a litter to carry Wei Ti. Led by the local villagers under Wang An's command, they took a shortcut through the mountains to a concealed mountain stronghold to hide.

Wei Tiqiao turned to Chen De and said: "Chen De, it turns out you are not one of the Tu Hun army either. I cannot ask you to take risks. It is a pity that Wen De has betrayed his lord and joined the Song. Although I have many skilled warriors under my command, I no longer have anyone with wisdom. I can only trouble you to run this errand for me. Are you willing to do so?"

Ah? Chen De could not help but be greatly astonished. As far as he knew, historically, Northern Han and Southern Tang, although both were mortal enemies of the Song Dynasty, had very little contact with each other. However, upon reflection, if the two regional lords could respond to each other, it would undoubtedly pose significant trouble for the Song state

These Song soldiers were also battle-hardened veterans. After suffering such a significant loss, they did not retreat. The few in front swung their blades recklessly at Wei Ti and others, disregarding their lives, while more than ten others quickly adjusted and reformed into a shoulder-to-shoulder advance, instantly surrounding the charging Wei Ti and his companions. This brutal melee lasted less than a breath's time, during which two more Song soldiers fell, and both Wei Ti and Wang Gui were struck. Xin Gu was slashed across the face by a Song soldier's blade, leaving him drenched in blood, while only Chen De remained unscathed, though he was overwhelmed by the relentless attacks from the surrounding Song soldiers.

After traveling in the mountains for three days, Xing Gu suddenly instructed Chen De and Xiao Jiu to hide. Although Chen De was puzzled, he trusted Xing Gu's instinct, which was as sharp as that of a wild beast. He then signaled Xiao Jiu to follow Xing Gu and hide by the roadside. Before long, a young man named Li Shun appeared on the path they had come from, panting heavily. Seeing that there was no one else behind him, Xing Gu immediately leaped out from the bushes, and the glinting steel knife was pressed against the young man's frail shoulder, leaving a cut that drew blood. At that moment, the guide named Xiao Jiu finally recognized the newcomer as Li Shun and shouted, "Please show mercy, Generals!" In a flurry, he tried to protect the young man, but was intimidated by Xing Gu's fierce gaze, resembling that of a wolf or tiger. He could only stand timidly to the side, fixated on the blade pressed against Li Shun's neck, his eyes seemingly wishing to tear Xing Gu apart.

Having just settled down, Wei Ti summoned Wang Gui and Chen De to his side. After dismissing the others, he sighed to the two of them: "I was sent on a mission by the king, but unfortunately, I was harmed by treacherous individuals. My mission remains unfulfilled, and I have sustained serious injuries. Among those who came with me, I see that only the two of you possess both wisdom and courage. Therefore, I wish to send one of you to complete the remaining part of the mission. Who is willing to go?"

Cheng Fangwu observed the battle situation on the mountain, a hint of a smug smile appearing on his face. He turned to Song Wende and said, "Song Yuhou, it is said that the elite soldiers of Taiyuan are unmatched in the world. What do you think of the combat strength of my sons?"

Xiao Jiu knelt down on the ground and said: "I beg General Chen to allow me to escort Xiao Qi Bo back to the mountain stronghold, and then I will return to guide the general. In my next life, I will repay your great kindness with my utmost loyalty." Xin Gu had just put down his steel knife, and upon hearing these words, he furrowed his brow in anger and said: "We are in unfamiliar territory; how can we let you leave?" As he spoke, he shook the steel knife, making a clattering sound, which frightened Xiao Jiu into silence.

After traveling for half a day, the four of them arrived at a riverbank of the Chuanjiang, where they boarded a small boat that had been prepared in advance to drift downstream

Chen Dezhen was about to express his gratitude to Wang An when he suddenly heard Wang Gui shout, "General Wei, what happened to you?" He hurriedly rushed over with several soldiers, only to find Wei Ti had already collapsed on the ground, his left hand clutching his left side, where a half-broken arrow shaft was visibly embedded in his blood-soaked clothing. It turned out that Wei Ti had been shot earlier; he had resolved to fight to the death against the Song army and had managed to hold on. Now that the Song army had retreated, his injuries suddenly flared up.

Wei Di also said: "With the passing of Zhang Qibo, Xiao Qibo must have many important matters to attend to. If there is anything you need my assistance with from Beihan, please do not hesitate to let me know"

Chen De could not refuse, so he bowed and clasped his hands, saying: "Thank you, General Wei, for your trust; I shall not decline. " However, he then raised his head in confusion and said: "General Wei, our movements in Shu have already been exposed. Now, the Song army has laid a trap outside, waiting for us to show ourselves. If we rashly reach out to the righteous people, we might just fall into the Song army's scheme.

Upon hearing these words, the people of Shu all displayed expressions of joy. Wang An immediately led the crowd to bow down to the ground and said: "General Wei is a renowned general in the world. Please take the young men of Shu to the Northern Han to serve in the military. After some time, allow them to return to Shu to initiate a rebellion with the scholars. We, the common people of Bashu, are all grateful for the great kindness and virtue of the general." The people of Shu responded in unison: "We thank the general for his great kindness and virtue."

At that moment, a sudden uproar arose behind the Song army. Cheng Fangwu and Song Wende turned back to see a group of villagers, numbering over a thousand, charging forward with long-handled sickles, hoes, and wooden sticks, crashing into the rear ranks of the Song army and causing chaos. The Song army and the Northern Han forces were engaged in fierce combat, and they had not anticipated this sudden onslaught from the rear. Although the villagers did not inflict many casualties, the situation quickly descended into disorder. As the Song army retreated in a panic down the hillside, the villagers ceased their pursuit. Chen Decai recognized that it was Wang An leading the villagers to their rescue. The earlier fighting had left many villagers' hands, still gripping their farming tools, trembling slightly, while others, seemingly seeking vengeance, continued to slash at the corpses of the Song soldiers.

Wang An immediately ordered someone to clean the area around Wei Te's wound with salt water. He then heated a small knife over the fire and first extracted the arrowhead buried under the rib with a swift motion, which fell to the ground with a thud. After that, he cleaned Wei Te's wound with salt water once more, finally wiping the sweat from his brow with a sense of relief. Throughout the entire process, Wei Te furrowed his brows and did not utter a word. Wang An could not help but sigh, saying, "The courage of Guan Gong in scraping bones to cure poison is nothing compared to this; General Wei truly is a divine general."

Xingu saw him being so cautious and said, "A man born in chaotic times, what does it matter if he has a few scars?" Xiao Jiu, seeing his arrogance, did not dare to directly refute him and could only mutter, "Young Master Qi has a noble status, how can we compare?" Upon hearing this, Xingu became even angrier and grumbled, "Even if he is the emperor, I have once taken his head; how is this brat any more noble?" He said this quite loudly. Although it was a time of chaos, the common people had long held a deep-rooted reverence for the emperor. Seeing Xingu's anger and his willingness to insult the emperor, Xiao Jiu chose to remain silent, focusing instead on packing Li Shun's clothes and belongings, stuffing a considerable amount of fine provisions into his bag. Observing Xiao Jiu's affection for Li Shun, which seemed even greater than that for his own son, Chen De couldn't help but shiver, recalling some middle-aged uncles from his past life who had a penchant for young boys.

Wei Ti smiled faintly and said, "What is the worth of mere brute strength? If it were not for the miraculous medical skills of Xiao Qibo, this old soldier's life would have already come to an end." Everyone burst into laughter. It was only then that Wang An explained that after he had sent the group of scholars onto the boat, he discovered a Song army pursuing them along the river, and immediately brought nearly a thousand followers to assist. When the matter of Zhang Alang's murder was mentioned, everyone sighed in lament. Wang Gui, filled with hatred, said, "It is only a matter of time before we settle accounts with this group of scoundrels."

With the foresight of Xiao Jiu, despite encountering numerous patrol warships of the Song army along the way, the four of them managed to reach the waters of Nanping in just four days. The Yangtze River, after winding through the mountains, finally surged forward with great force. Jiangling is the location of the Song army's naval camp, and the patrol boats coming and going are numerous. As the mountains on both banks gradually flattened and the river widened, it became increasingly difficult for a small boat to remain hidden. The four of them decided to disembark at a rocky beach not far from Jiangling Prefecture. Originally, Xiao Jiu only needed to escort Chen De and Xin Gu to this point before turning back, but with the addition of Li Shun, he had to ask the hidden followers in Jiangling to send a message back to Shu, while he continued to accompany Chen De to the Southern Tang. The water network in the south of the Yangtze is intricate, and given Xiao Jiu's demonstrated skills on the water, Chen De and Xin Gu were pleased to travel with him.

After disembarking, we traveled downstream for less than a day and arrived at the outskirts of Jiangling City. From a distance, we could see a large fleet of Song army warships anchored on the dark water, their masts densely packed like a forest. A multitude of porters hurriedly moved about the dock, loading and unloading goods. A little further from the dock, before entering the city, there were numerous guesthouses and taverns built along the riverbank, where local townsfolk carried burdens between the inns and restaurants, calling out their wares. Many vendors, resembling modern-day Venetians, sold various aquatic products and local goods from small boats along the river. Walking along the riverbank, filled with the smell of fish, Chen De felt as if he had returned to a bustling market of a past life, only the throngs of people before him were all dressed in ancient attire.

It turns out that Li Shun was raised by his master, Zhang Alang, as a closed-door disciple since childhood. Now that his master has passed away, although many followers, from Wang An to Zhang Alang, treat him well, no one restrains him anymore. He always feels a sense of emptiness in his heart, with the youthful disposition that makes him yearn to see the world beyond the vast green mountains of Shu. Thus, he wishes to accompany Chen De and the other three to the Southern Tang to take a look. As long as he travels with them for a few more days before revealing himself, they will no longer be able to send him back.

Chen De looked at him and recalled the time when he secretly enlisted in the army without informing his parents. He glanced at Xing Gu and then at Xiao Jiu, sighed, and said: "This little rascal has been following us for more than two days. What do you both think we should do about it?"