Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

On the 27th day of the 12th month of the 15th year of the Jiazhao reign, at the Hongde Gate in Shenjing (Beijing).

As the sun bursts forth from the east, the tall and majestic city gate is bathed in the fiery red dawn light.

The wide bluestone road at the city gate, after countless years of washing, has had its sharp edges worn smooth, reflecting the golden morning light.

Before dawn this morning, a large number of Imperial Guards were stationed near Hongde Gate to guard the intersection, clear the streets, and impose a curfew along the way.

Yesterday morning at court, the Ministry of Rites read out the edict of peace between the Great Zhou and the Mongol states, thus announcing it to the world.

Subsequently, a banquet was held at the Ziguang Pavilion in the Imperial City for the Mongol delegation, led by Grand Secretary Wang Shilun and Minister of War Gu Yankui, to celebrate the peace agreement reached between the two countries.

Today is the day the mission returns north. The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Rites, and the Court of State Ceremonial have each dispatched officials of the third rank and below to set up ceremonial guards and escort them out of the city in accordance with proper etiquette.

Because the Mongol delegation had a large number of people and carriages, and many officials from various government offices were also seeing them off, it would inevitably cause traffic congestion and even unexpected incidents.

The safe departure of the delegation from the capital was a matter of great importance to the dignity of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the court naturally dared not neglect it.

Yesterday, the palace issued an imperial edict ordering the Embroidered Uniform Guard to be on guard throughout the city, protecting the roads leading to Hongde Gate and ensuring the safe departure of the delegation and the officials seeing them off.

Wang Shilun and Gu Yankui, as the chief officials in charge of the peace negotiations with the Great Zhou, were not among the officials seeing them off.

The highest-ranking official among those seeing them off was Peng Runan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. Jia Cong, who was in charge of the peace negotiations between the two states, was also among the officials seeing them off.

As a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Works, he should not have been on the list of guests to see him off.

However, several ministers who were well aware of the inside story of the peace negotiations knew that Jia Cong had a special status and was related to the pacification of the Ordos region and border trade, so they naturally included him in the farewell party.

……

As the two caravans passed through Hongde Gate, Jia Cong, dressed in plain clothes, was riding alongside Noyan Taiji in the crowd.

The two men were the most distinguished in appearance among the peace officials of the two nations.

All of them rode on fine horses from Ferghana, and were equally dashing and handsome, making them stand out among the officials.

Even though Jia Cong held the position of peace negotiation clerk and did some cover-up, his close ties with the prince of the Ordos tribe were no secret in the official circles of the capital.

The resulting gossip and idle chatter in officialdom is nothing new.

However, the two chief officials in charge of the peace negotiations, Grand Secretary Wang Shilun and Minister of War Gu Yankui, both showed great favor to Jia Cong and frequently summoned him to the government office for discussions.

Such things naturally cannot be kept secret from others; those who have been in officialdom for a long time are rarely not discerning and perceptive.

Many people thus deduced some of the details: this young nobleman's friendship with the Mongol prince was mostly due to the court's need for some kind of peace negotiation.

Otherwise, the two officials in charge of the peace negotiations would not have turned a blind eye and continued to be close to and rely on Jia Cong, which was clearly an attitude of tacit approval.

……

As the procession left the city through Hongde Gate, the official road to the north stretched into the distance, seemingly without end. Wild grass grew lushly on both sides of the road, and the vast expanse of sky and earth exuded a sense of desolation.

Nuoyan rode beside Jia Cong, exchanging a few words with him from time to time, but her expression seemed somewhat downcast.

As the caravan was about to enter the main road, Nuoyan said, "Yuzhang, after today's parting, I don't know when we will meet again. Why don't we ride together for a while?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking. We're on the same page, so there's no need for formalities. Walking around like this is just too boring."

The two looked at the procession; everyone was walking steadily and slowly, with impeccable manners.

According to the rules of the Ministry of Rites of the Great Zhou Dynasty, when a delegation from a superior state leaves the capital, it must return five miles outside the city. All officials accompanying the delegation must ride horses and are not allowed to ride in carriages.

The fatigue of riding five miles was something that only officials from the Ministry of War and military backgrounds could handle with ease.

The civil officials in government offices such as the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies were mostly lazy and inactive; being able to ride a horse was considered quite good.

Making them ride five miles straight inevitably caused them to secretly complain endlessly.

Therefore, the officials who saw them off all walked very slowly, and the members of the Mongol delegation, all skilled riders, could only patiently slow down their horses.

The entire procession felt somewhat subdued, with many people feeling tired and bored.

Jia Cong and Noyan Taiji turned their horses around and left the ranks without making a sound; only a few people were truly paying attention.

……

However, Aletang of the Tuman tribe paid close attention to Noyan Taiji, but noticed that the two had quietly left the main group.

A trusted attendant said, "Lord Altan, Noyan Taiji and the Great Zhou Weiyuan Earl have been having very secret dealings lately."

The villain was very observant. The two often met secretly for drinks in the guild hall and had even gone hunting together outside the city, making their behavior quite suspicious.

The Ordos tribe has always been difficult to tame. Jirang harbors disloyalty towards the Great Khan, and Noyan maintains close ties with noble officials of the Great Zhou. Could he be plotting something else?

Ale Tang watched the two men ride away and said in a deep voice, "Although the Marquis of Weiyuan of the Great Zhou has a great reputation, he is too young and lacks the qualifications to be an official."

It's far from being able to influence the politics of the Great Zhou Dynasty. For Nuoyan to abandon high-ranking officials like Wang Shilun and Gu Yankui and instead bet on this young upstart seems rather frivolous.

He's still too young and naive; he oversimplifies things. Just keep a close eye on him daily, and he won't cause any major trouble.

……

As Jia Cong and Nuoyan slowly walked onto the side roads along the main road, where the road was empty and deserted, they spurred their horses on and quickly galloped away.

The leader of the entourage, Hu Ergan, had already led several elite soldiers, following them at a leisurely pace.

Both men were riding top-quality Ferghana horses, and in the blink of an eye, their speed had soared to an extremely high level.

Hooves thundered, the morning wind was biting, and the scenery on both sides of the road rushed past as if flying.

The thunderous sound of hooves gradually faded into indistinct intervals, giving Jia Cong an unusual sense of exhilaration as he rode his horse at full gallop.

Nuoyan beside him occasionally let out a clear laugh, as if the sadness of parting had slowly dissipated.

The two rode their horses for a long time, then rushed to the top of a slope by the roadside, where they dismounted to rest.

Although the hillside is gently undulating, the top is already quite high, and one can see the capital city in the distance.

The capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty was a vast and imposing city with eight gates and palaces arranged in orderly rows, its grandeur inspiring awe in all who beheld it.

It was still the second quarter of Chen Shi (7:45 AM), and the sun had not yet risen high.

In the streets and markets of the western part of the capital, many lights still shone faintly, like scattered stars.

……

Noyan Taiji stood atop the hill, gazing silently into the distance, his whip pointing towards the distant capital city.

He said, "The desert stretches as far as the eye can see. Galloping on horseback, the vastness of the world is exhilarating, but it is inevitably somewhat lonely."

The Central Plains are quite different. People live together, thousands of lights are on, smoke rises, the market is bustling, and the lights change at night, making it a place that people linger in.

When I was a child, my mother taught me to recognize Chinese characters, read Chinese books, talk about the climate of the Central Plains, and recall the scenery of Jiangnan.

At that time, I didn't quite understand why my mother, who was respected and lived a life of wealth and comfort in the Ordos tribe, would still be so attached to her homeland.

Now I understand why, having been here once, I'm somewhat reluctant to leave.

Noyan Taiji glanced at Jia Cong, his clear gaze softening slightly...

……

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The Ordos tribe and the Great Zhou have established trade along the Hetao border, which is a good start for both sides."

In the near future, as exchanges deepen, the people of the two states in the Hetao region will live in harmony and share peace.

At that time, travel between the border regions was convenient, and Noyan had ample time and opportunity to linger and travel in the Central Plains.

Nuoyan sighed, "I naturally hope that day will come, but exchanging goods and living in harmony with the Great Zhou cannot solve all the problems of the Ordos tribe."

The greatest threat to the Ordos tribe never came from the Central Plains, but from the Anda Khan of the Tuman tribe.

Although they were all three of the three major Mongol tribes with ten thousand households, the Tuman tribe's Anda Khan was different from others.

He was the most outstanding figure produced by the Golden Family after the Northern Yuan retreated to the grasslands.

This man was ambitious, cunning, and resourceful. He took it upon himself to restore the great achievements of his ancestors and prepared his troops for a southward campaign to graze his horses.

To accomplish this great undertaking, he must emulate his ancestors, unify the various Mongol tribes, eliminate any worries about the rear, and only then can he gather strength to march into the Central Plains.

Anda Khan had always coveted the Ordos tribe and the Yongshelun tribe, which were also three major tribes with ten thousand households each.

If these two tribes hadn't been quite powerful, each commanding tens of thousands of elite steppe soldiers and keeping each other in check, they would have been annexed by Anda Khan long ago.

In recent years, the Ordos tribe has been in a more precarious situation than the Yongxielun tribe.

……

Jia Cong had not paid much attention to the various Mongol tribes in the past, so he was naturally unaware of their backgrounds.

He said, "As far as I know, although the Tuman tribe is powerful, the three major tribes still join forces against external enemies and maintain their independent rule. What is the danger that Noyan mentioned?"

Noyan Taiji sighed, “Yuzhang, you do not know this, but I have two elder brothers from the same father, both of whom are famous warriors in the tribe.”

With their abilities, they could have inherited their fathers' businesses and strengthened the Ordos tribe.

Just a few years ago, they each perished for various reasons. Now, I am the only one left in my father's family, with only a few bloodlines, and I cannot support them all alone.

Father was already old, and because of the matter concerning his two elder brothers, he was filled with worry and indignation, and his health had deteriorated significantly in recent years.

The Ordos tribe is showing signs of weakness. In the past two years, the number of Tuman tribe troops entering the territory has gradually increased. It seems peaceful on the surface, but it harbors murderous intent.

Protecting the tens of thousands of households of my tribe and ensuring the continuation of the Ordos tribe's lineage is an inescapable responsibility. I am a descendant of my father, the Khan, and this duty is my bounden duty!

Upon hearing these words, Jia Cong felt somewhat silent. Noyan Taiji was about the same age as him, but he bore the heavy responsibility of inheriting the tribe's legacy and was far less carefree than he was.

……

Noyan Taiji said self-deprecatingly, "Even in the border region of the Ordos, where the two states live in harmony, I still have no time to get away."

My father is getting older, and he will need me to shoulder more responsibilities. It would be extremely difficult for me to travel and explore the Central Plains again, and to go hunting with Yuzhang on horseback.

Jia Cong sensed the bleakness in his words, and his mood involuntarily became somewhat heavy. The two remained silent.

After a while, Nuoyan looked up at the sky and said, "It's getting late, we've caught up with the main group."

We're probably five miles from the capital, so there's no need for us to rush back to the brigade and deal with those official formalities.

I quite like this place; I'll remember it. Let's say goodbye here, and I hope we'll have the chance to return and gaze upon the capital again someday!

After he finished speaking, he leaped onto his horse, holding the reins tightly, full of heroic spirit. His tall, magnificent yellow horse prancing its hooves and raising its head, eager to gallop forward. Noyan Taiji's eyes were clear and bright, and he smiled and said, "Yuzhang, do not forget our friendship. We will meet again someday."

With a bright smile, Jia Cong said, "Have a safe journey, and see you later."

Noyan Taiji glanced back at him again, spurred his horse, and galloped away in a cloud of dust.

Hu Ergan and the others who were waiting at the bottom of the slope quickly spurred their horses to follow closely behind.

Jia Cong stood on the slope and gazed into the distance until no one could be seen. A sense of loss welled up in his heart, a feeling he couldn't quite explain.

Although the two were not of the same ethnicity, there was a significant gap between their respective national positions. Even though they established a border trade agreement, it was only a matter of each side getting what they needed.

However, Noyan Taiji, whether in terms of his demeanor, speech, or temperament, possessed a Han Chinese style that made him quite likable.

Even if the Great Zhou and the remaining Mongol tribes did not engage in fierce battles, they were inevitably bound by checks and balances and mediation. Their countries and peoples were born to walk on parallel lines that could never intersect.

This farewell may be the last time we meet, and it would be a blessing if we could avoid facing each other on the battlefield in the future.

He stood atop the hill for a long time, his thoughts churning, until the sun rose higher and higher before riding back to the city alone.

……

When Noyan Taiji returned to the official road with Huergan and others, he looked into the distance and found that the road ahead was empty, with not a single carriage or horse in sight.

He was puzzled and said, "This place is five miles away from the capital. Even if the delegation's carriages and horses are fast, it's impossible for them to have disappeared without a trace."

At that moment, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from behind. Hu Ergan immediately ordered his men to draw their bows and be on guard. A dozen fast horses came galloping towards them.

When the cavalry charged closer, they realized that everyone looked familiar; they were all Noyan Taiji's personal guards and attendants.

The leader said, "Reporting to Taiji, the main entourage is five miles from the city. When the Great Zhou escorted the procession back to the city, Aletang ordered a change of route."

The mission's main entourage, including vehicles and supplies, continued along the reported route. Altan led key personnel from various departments to gather their flags and change course.

They planned to bypass Baotunli, travel swiftly along the Yaoshanyi and Hongshuji line, and finally rest temporarily in Donggang Town before setting off again at a later date.

Aletang knew that Taiji had left the main force and sent word that we were waiting along the way to escort Taiji northward along the new route.

Upon hearing this, Noyan Taiji frowned slightly, surprised. He took out a map from his saddle and carefully examined the route.

He asked, "The mission followed the route it took to come, heading north along the official road, exiting the pass at Xuanfu Town, and replenishing water and food along the way. This is the fastest and most convenient route."

Traveling along the route from Yaoshanyi to Hongshuji would be a long detour. What is the reason for this? Has Aletang provided an explanation?

The man said, "The Grand Chief of the delegation of Al-Taam gave the order, and no one dared to disobey it."

Yongxie Lunbu Gai'ertai had objections at first, but later somehow he also obeyed the orders.

Our people went to inquire about the reason, and Aleptang's confidants said that the reason for the change of route could only be informed to the tribal leaders, and that the Taiji needed to personally intervene.

Because the Taiji had left the main group, our men could only temporarily follow orders, so I led my entourage to wait for the Taiji along the way.

……

Noyan's expression turned serious upon hearing this. Since the delegation entered the capital to negotiate peace, the Tuman tribe's Altang had initially acted normally, but later exhibited many unusual behaviors.

Their insistence on increasing the trade volume in the peace agreement stalled the peace talks between the two states. Later, they changed their minds and quickly reached a peace agreement with an extremely low trade volume.

Even the hasty departure of the delegation from the capital to return north made him secretly suspicious.

Now, Aletang, on its journey north, has suddenly abandoned the fast and convenient official road and instead opted for a temporary long-distance route, once again surprising and astonishing people.

They even left behind a large entourage of carriages and supplies, continuing along the reported route, their intention to deceive others was already quite obvious.

Noyan was almost certain that this series of suspicious actions must be hiding something big.

Even if he hadn't left the group, he absolutely couldn't have stopped Aletang from changing his return journey.

The Tuman tribe was powerful and took the lead in this peace agreement between the two states. All matters concerning the peace agreement were firmly controlled by Altan.

Yongxie Lunbu's Gai Ertai was highly experienced and more renowned than himself, yet in the end he still obeyed the order to change course...

Noyan stepped forward and said, "Now that things have come to this, the Zhou people will inevitably notice the envoy's carriages and supplies parading along the official road sooner or later."

We can only travel along the Yaoshanyi and Hongshuji route. We need to hurry before dawn, rest for the night, and we should be able to bypass Baotunli by noon tomorrow.

The head retainer said, "Taiji, I heard from Altan and Gertai that they will not stay overnight and will travel through the night."

We'll be leaving Yongzhou by noon tomorrow; we've already passed Baotunli.

Noyan Taiji's expression changed, and he said, "He's in such a hurry to return north..."

……

Xuanfu Town, southeast of Donggang Town.

This place is close to the nine border towns and three towns, located in the middle of Xuanfu Town, Datong Town and Ji Town, about 150 li away from all three towns.

The town is located near the northern border, and every winter is long and bitterly cold. For the past ten days, it has been snowing heavily without stopping.

The weather was even more intense than in previous years.

In any small town near an official road, merchants from both the north and south would gather to sell local products and goods, facilitate the flow of money, and make profits.

With Lunar New Year's Eve approaching, even if there are huge profits to be made from selling goods at the end of the year, most merchants who travel from afar will usually return to their hometowns for the New Year.

But this year is different in Donggang Town. With only a few days left before the end of the year, the number of merchants in the town has increased rather than decreased.

In recent days, caravans heading south have been entering the town every day, and the once quiet inns are now almost all fully booked.

As a result, the restaurants and eateries in the town also prospered, with caravan managers often leading their staff to buy large quantities of food.

Besides the booming business of inns and restaurants in the town, the Sun family charcoal shop in the north of town, which opened not long ago, is also thriving with people coming and going.

Seeing the fabric shop's display case right next to the charcoal shop inevitably evoked envy, so I often strolled over to the charcoal shop next door and chatted with the owner.

……

After dealing with a group of customers that day, the charcoal shop owner came over to chat.

He laughed and said, "Boss Sun's charcoal business is really booming. In previous years, business would slow down as New Year's Eve approached."

This is common sense in the city; as the year draws to a close, everyone with a family is rushing home for the New Year.

It's only locals like me, and unmarried people like Manager Sun, who stay in the shop and endure the hardship.

The situation in the town this year is quite different from previous years; it has become even more prosperous, which is rather strange.

These southward-bound caravans, so engrossed in making money, truly neglected their families.

Although Mr. Sun was also a shopkeeper, he was a diligent man. He wore a coarse cotton-padded jacket, his hands covered with black charcoal ash, and he carried baskets and picked up charcoal by himself.

He laughed and said, "Who says otherwise? Putting aside other businesses, I know the charcoal business best."

The locals cut their own firewood and make charcoal in the large forests north of the town, so why would they buy charcoal from a charcoal shop? That would be a waste of money.

The charcoal in my shop can only be sold to the Zhenbei Army Camp and those soldiers who transport grain; that's how I barely make a living.

"I've been really lucky lately. Local families in town are all buying charcoal from my shop, and business has really picked up."

……

The cloth shop owner looked at him strangely and said, "Mr. Sun's business is booming, but does he not know why it is booming?"

Mr. Sun's expression shifted slightly, and he said, "Manager Chen knows perfectly well that I'm an outsider who spends all my time in the shop."

"Besides you, I don't know anyone else in town. How would I know anything? My shop is doing great business, what else could I possibly be talking about?"

The cloth shop owner said, "Manager Sun is unfamiliar with this place and doesn't see you leave the shop every day. It's not surprising that you don't know what's been happening in town lately."

You should know that the north of the town is a large forest, which is connected to towering mountains. Since ancient times, there have been no roads, no vehicles or horses, and it is rarely visited by people.

The poor families in the town cut firewood and burned charcoal in the forest to sell to the wealthy families in the town for heating, and this had been the case for many years.

When you first started your firewood and charcoal shop in town, I was really worried for you. I wondered how you could possibly make it work.

I didn't expect you to be so clever, thinking of doing business with soldiers in the barracks. It's a really good idea.

Even so, it's absolutely impossible to do business with local families.

But recently, a series of misfortunes have occurred in the town. Seven or eight days ago, four people from several poor families who went into the forest to cut firewood all disappeared without a trace.

Some people, refusing to believe in such superstitions, still went into the forest to chop firewood, and they all never returned.

Later, the local village chief, not believing in superstition, hired five or six able-bodied men at a high price, armed them with knives, guns, bows, and crossbows, and sent them into the forest to search for the people, but none of them returned.

Some say that with ten consecutive days of heavy snow, the forests have been sealed off, and most woodcutters have fallen into snowdrifts and frozen to death, so their bodies cannot be found.

Some people say that in winter, when there is no food in the forest, wild animals go mad with hunger and will pounce on any living creature they encounter, devouring these people alive.

In short, there are all sorts of rumors. More than ten people have already died, and their fates are unknown. Who in the town would dare to go into the forest to cut firewood?

The county government office is fifteen li away from here. It's almost New Year's Eve, and the officials are unwilling to come. They'll probably have to wait until after the New Year.

In winter, the charcoal fire and the rice in the bowl are equally important.

The charcoal in your shop costs money, but people will still buy it even if it's expensive, which is better than losing their lives chopping firewood.

……

Manager Sun looked enlightened and said, "So that's how it is. No wonder business has been booming these past few days."

The fabric shop owner said, "It's strange, I remember seven or eight days ago, you and a group of your men went into the forest and cut down several cartloads of timber."

You all came and went unharmed; looking back, you're really lucky. I always said you, Boss Sun, are blessed people.”

Upon hearing this, Boss Sun was slightly taken aback, then laughed and said, "According to you, I really had a close call that time."

Luckily, the shop had some stock. I bought what I needed and then closed for the New Year. I dared not go into the woods to chop firewood in the dead of winter; my life was more important.

As the two were chatting, they saw a large procession of carriages and horses approaching from the south-facing road of the town.

There were thirty large carts in a row, escorted by cavalry and infantry, and led by a man who looked like an officer.

Upon recognizing the officer, Boss Sun's heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively lowered his head... (End of Chapter)