Chapter 62: The World of Savagery
Chapter 62: The World of Savagery
Zhou Yuji was very fast. In just two hours, he handled his family matters and returned to Xiaoling River Station. He and Yang Xin continued north to Zhongzuo Station, where they crossed the Daling River. They then traveled along the post road through Thirteen Mountain Station and Lüyang Station until they reached Guangning. By the time they covered over a hundred li and arrived at Guangning, it was already dark. The two stayed directly at a post station. The next morning, using Xiong Tingbi’s written order, they requisitioned eight horses. After stocking up on supplies for the journey, they continued their wild gallop northward.
One hour later, they reached Zhenyuan Pass.
That is modern-day Baichangmen north of Beizhen. This place was…
“The Liaodong Frontier Wall!”
Yang Xin said, looking at the four-meter-high rammed-earth Great Wall stretching before him.
This was the border of the Great Ming’s actual ruled territories in Liaodong. The stretching Great Wall extended northeast from Shanhai Pass through lofty mountains, guarding the strategic passage of Liaoxi. It turned east northwest of Yixian County, crossed the Yiwulu Mountains, and entered the Liao River Plain. Then it turned southeast, bending northeast again near the Sancha River at Niuzhuang. It continued until Zhenbei Pass north of Kaiyuan, then turned south, passed through Fushun Pass, traversed rugged mountains, and finally reached its terminus…
The Yalu River.
Tiger Mountain.
The entire Liaodong Frontier Wall resembled spread eagle wings. Together with countless forts along its length and the strongholds behind, it protected all of Liaodong.
Whether building walls for passive defense was the best method or not, this Liaodong Frontier Wall, considered a marvel, did protect over two hundred years of peace under its wings. Whatever happened outside the wall, peace was largely maintained inside. From then on, only the Ming Army from inside the wall went out to strike unsubmissive nomads. It became rare for nomads to raid Liaodong again. Even if they occasionally broke through the frontier wall, they couldn’t capture the sturdy cities behind. It was a pity that now it faced not nomads, but a hunting people from the forests—a people who, back then, were driven by nomads, had nowhere to turn, sought help from the Great Ming, and were graciously allowed by the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty to settle in the forests outside the Liaodong Frontier Wall.
“Let’s go!”
Yang Xin said with a sigh.
The two urged their horses forward and entered Zhenjing Fort. There, they showed Xiong Tingbi’s written order to the fort’s commander and then exited the pass.
Outside was a vast, endless grassland.
“Where is Chahua?”
Yang Xin asked.
“That’s hard to say. They drag large tents and wander everywhere, settling where water and grass are abundant. They have no fixed camp. But if you really want to meet him, it’s easy. This area is all Chahua’s people. As long as we meet herders and have them lead the way, it’ll work. I speak their language, so no worry about communication.”
Zhou Yuji said.
Yang Xin nodded. Then he urged his warhorse into a gallop across the great grassland. In only about half an hour, they encountered a household of herders. Dismounting under the latter’s wary gazes, Zhou Yuji stepped forward to talk to them. That man clearly looked unwilling to cooperate. Yang Xin casually tossed him a silver ingot. The man’s eyes immediately lit up. After bowing to Yang Xin in thanks, he generously mounted his horse to guide them, though before leaving, he glanced meaningfully at his woman…
“Be careful!”
Zhou Yuji said quietly.
Yang Xin turned to look behind. A half-grown boy was already mounting a horse.
“It’s fine. If things get big, it’ll be easier to see Chahua!”
He sneered.
The two of them were like two fat sheep already. Showing their money just made them prime targets. If they weren’t robbed, it wouldn’t be right. But the more like this, the better. He was actually worried this herder didn’t know Chahua’s current location!
Zhou Yuji said no more.
He wasn’t a timid person either.
Led by the herder, the two galloped across the open grassland. Soon they were blocked by a river. The herder said the water was too deep to cross; they needed to go upstream to find a shallow spot. Yang Xin and his companion raised no objection. The three followed the riverbank upstream. Not long after, dozens of riders suddenly surged from behind a nearby mound. At the same moment, the herder suddenly sped up. Yang Xin, prepared, whipped out a lasso and threw it, snaring the man. The gallop of the man’s horse and Yang Xin’s pull from behind made the man scream as he fell off his horse, hitting the grassland hard.
“You think you can run!”
Yang Xin walked over and sneered.
The man struggled to get up. By then, the dozens of riders were almost upon them. He immediately screamed and shouted. Behind Yang Xin, Zhou Yuji already raised his bow and aimed.
The other side also raised their bows.
Yang Xin kicked the herder unconscious, then suddenly urged his horse into a charge. Just over ten meters out, he was already standing on the horse’s back. A cavalryman opposite was about to shoot him when an arrow from Zhou Yuji behind arrived first, striking the cavalryman’s shoulder. At the same time, Yang Xin leaped forward, landing in front of the horses in an instant, then began running at full speed. His speed was no less than a galloping warhorse. In a flash, he crashed into those cavalrymen. One opposite panickedly raised his bow to aim, but the next moment Yang Xin was before his horse. Yang Xin roared like a wild beast, his right fist punching out almost right at the horse’s head. The fist, with a faint whistling sound, struck the horse’s head like a falling hammer.
They heard the horse scream and its forelegs buckle, throwing the rider on its back forward…
The other cavalrymen reined in their horses in terror.
Yang Xin stood there, motionless, watching them. The fallen horse nearby whimpered, blood soon flowing from its nose.
Zhou Yuji angrily asked in Mongolian.
“You injured our man first!”
The leading cavalryman blustered in Chinese.
His gaze swept over Yang Xin. The latter tilted his head, looking at him, flexing the fist that just killed a horse. The man immediately flinched, avoiding his gaze. Clearly, Yang Xin’s strike had severely impacted his mind. After all, a person who could kill a horse with one punch was completely beyond his understanding of humanity. The cavalrymen behind him, though aiming their bows, clearly also had fear in their eyes. These guys were actually quite superstitious. They probably followed the Yellow Sect then; the Mongolian tribes in this area all followed the Yellow Sect. Later, Ligdan Khan was deserted by his followers precisely because he converted to the Red Sect.
At that time, Ligdan Khan was already ready to march.
And theoretically, Chahua also paid him homage, but it was just a formality. Not to mention the Inner Khalkha Five Tribes; even the Chahar Eight Tribes might not truly obey him.
“Why did we injure him? Don’t you know yourselves? We are envoys sent by the new Great Ming Liaodong Military Commissioner, Xiong Tingbi. We are under orders to meet your leader. Do you still want to rob and kill? Why talk nonsense now? Hurry up and lead the way!”
Zhou Yuji angrily rebuked.
That man’s face darkened, and he said no more. By then, their several wounded had been helped up. The arrow wound in the arm wasn’t serious, the one kicked unconscious by Yang Xin had woken up, and the one thrown from the horse had landed quite hard, but it wasn’t fatal. The leader waved his hand, signaling others to care for the wounded. Then he beckoned to Zhou Yuji, indicating to follow him. Zhou Yuji brought Yang Xin’s horse over. Yang Xin took the reins and mounted.
“Brother Yang, you’re truly like Xiang Yu reborn!”
Zhou Yuji said, horrified, looking at the horse on the ground that had barely any breath left.
“I wouldn’t dare claim Xiang Yu, maybe just Li Cunxiao!”
Yang Xin said without modesty.
The two followed that man in a wild gallop. After another hour or so, the number of herders ahead gradually increased. However, these herders didn’t seem to live well either. They were called a horse-riding people, but in reality, they couldn’t even achieve one horse per person. Oxen outnumbered horses, and sheep were the most numerous. But per household, herders only had a few dozen animals, far from modern herder households with hundreds or thousands. This was their main food source. Moreover, livestock wasn’t like grain. Even with many animals, disease could wipe them all out. Without large numbers, this amount of livestock meant they often went hungry.
They continued forward. Soon, a cluster of tents appeared on a high ridge.
“That’s Chahua’s great tent!”
Zhou Yuji pointed at a huge tent surrounded by other tents.
The guide then signaled them to stop and went forward himself. At the same time, a group of cavalry approached. The guide said something to their leader. The latter turned to report to Chahua. The remaining cavalry quickly surrounded Yang Xin and his companion, who watched them calmly. A few minutes later, the man returned from Chahua’s great tent, accompanied by someone who looked important. The cavalry quickly opened a path. The guide led them forward. The guide first bowed and greeted that person.
“Nangnuke, Chahua’s youngest son. The Inner Khalkha Five Tribes were actually formed when Chahua’s father, Hulaha Chi, divided his tribe into five parts, one for each of his five sons. But these sons and their descendants kept dividing. It’s called five tribes, but in detail, there are dozens of Noyans. Chahua himself plus his nine sons make ten branches. Additionally, Ebugedeyi, Zaisai, these are the powerful ones. But they are all Chahua’s grandnephews. Of the five brothers, only Chahua lived till then. His second brother, Subahai, was shot dead by Li Chengliang. The Noyans of the five tribes were either his sons and grandsons or his nephews and grandnephews. The ones raiding Tieling were led by Zaisai, plus his uncle Nuantu and over a dozen other Noyans. The latter had deep hatred for Wild Boar Skin. His son married that old woman from the Yehe Tribe, the one originally promised to Wild Boar Skin.”
Zhou Yuji said quietly.
Then Nangnuke walked over, looking at them and shouting sharply.
“He wants us to kneel and bow!”
Zhou Yuji said.
Yang Xin smiled faintly. He reached and drew his saber from his horse.
Soldiers beside Nangnuke shouted angrily, drawing their sabers and aiming them.
Yang Xin looked at them as if seeing nothing. Then he gripped the blade with both hands, maintaining that expression as he looked at Nangnuke. The latter also looked at him, but soon Nangnuke’s gaze turned shocked, because the saber in Yang Xin’s hands had bent to its limit. Everyone’s eyes also fixed on the bending saber. But in Yang Xin’s hands, it continued to bend. Then, accompanied by the soldiers’ cries of surprise, a crisp snap suddenly rang out. A fragment shot out and hit the ground at Nangnuke’s feet…
“If he can find someone to do this, then I’ll kneel to him!”
Yang Xin threw the other two broken pieces on the ground, clapped his hands, and said.
Zhou Yuji hurriedly translated.
Nangnuke stared intently at Yang Xin. The surroundings fell silent…
“Please!”
He suddenly said in Chinese.