Love Lock

Chapter 264: Provocation? Or...?

As the two armies faced off, the soldiers of the defending garrison on the fortress of Yong'an City had already mounted their M16 rifles on the firing ports, the dark muzzles pointed outwards from the city.

The archers stood behind the higher battlements, arrows nocked, ready to unleash a volley of arrows at a single command.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and pine resin, mixed with the tense sweat of the soldiers.

Pingchuan stood at the highest point, clad in heavy armor, one hand on the hilt of his sword, the other holding a telescope that seemed out of place in this era.

Through the lens, the array of Turkic cavalry was clearly visible. Tens of thousands of iron cavalrymen were arrayed more than a mile outside the city, and the sunlight shone on their scimitars and bamboo armor, reflecting a cold glint.

"Marshal, should we order the firing?" the lieutenant asked, looking at the dark mass in the distance.

Pingchuan did not answer immediately; his gaze, through his binoculars, was fixed on the man waving a flag in front of the Turkic army.

He was a burly Turkic general, his animal-skin battle robe fluttering in the wind, a black flag embroidered with a wolf's head swaying from side to side in his hand.

"What are they shouting?" Hirakawa frowned, his voice low.

The lieutenant listened intently, then shook his head.

"It's too far away, I can't hear clearly. But judging from this situation, they're probably going to launch a full-scale attack on my Yong'an City."

The soldiers on the city wall held their breath, their fingers on the triggers and bowstrings, waiting for the enemy to come fully into range.

Despite the freezing weather, beads of sweat trickled down Pingchuan's temples, and he felt that his shirt inside his armor was already soaked through.

The Turks arrived suddenly, without any prior warning.

"Pass down the order," Hirakawa finally spoke, "No one is allowed to fire without my command."

"Marshal?" The lieutenant asked, somewhat puzzled. "The Turks clearly intend to..."

“Something’s not right.” Pingchuan interrupted him, then observed more closely. “They didn’t bring siege equipment, and cavalry isn’t suitable for sieges.”

Just then, a low horn sounded again from the Turkic army.

Through the telescope, Hirakawa saw the flag bearer suddenly raise the flag high and shout out a sentence.

Then, a shocking scene unfolded—tens of thousands of Turkic cavalrymen dismounted in unison and stood beside their horses.

"What are they doing?" Upon hearing the bugle call, the lieutenant's heart skipped a beat, and his hand reached for the pistol at his waist.

In the distance, the Turkic cavalrymen took some red and white items from behind their saddles and carefully placed them on the ground.

"Musketeers, prepare!" the lieutenant shouted, mistaking the enemy's intention to launch a charge.

"Shut up!" Hirakawa shouted sharply. "They are not attacking."

After the Turkic cavalrymen neatly arranged the items on the open ground, they returned to their warhorses, stood at attention, and then placed their right hands on their chests and bowed deeply in Turkic etiquette.

The scene of tens of thousands of people bowing at the same time was spectacular, and even from such a distance, one could feel the solemn and dignified atmosphere.

After the salute was completed, the cavalrymen remounted their horses.

The flag bearer waved the flag again, the horns sounded, and the entire Turkic army began to turn their horses and slowly turn around.

As shouts and cries could be faintly heard in the distance, tens of thousands of Turkic cavalrymen rode off in the direction they had come from.

"They're retreating?" The lieutenant's eyes widened in disbelief. "What... what's going on?"

Only when the Turkic army disappeared into the dust on the distant horizon did Pingchuan put down his binoculars, his brows furrowed.

"I don't know. But something unusual must be going on."

He turned to his deputy and said, "Order the entire army to remain on high alert and not to let their guard down. You will lead a light cavalry unit out of the city to scout. Remember, do not get too close, and retreat immediately if anything unusual is found."

"Yes, sir!" The lieutenant clasped his hands in acceptance, turned, and strode away.

On the city wall, the soldiers looked at each other, whispering about the strange scene. The musketeers remained in their firing positions, but their tense shoulders had relaxed slightly.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the city gate slowly opened, and the deputy general led a hundred light cavalrymen out at breakneck speed.

Pingchuan stood atop the city wall, watching them gradually approach the spot where the Turks had just formed their ranks. Even without binoculars, one could see something there reflecting an unusual light in the sunlight.

After a long while, the deputy general and his entourage returned.

However, the group had strange expressions, a mixture of confusion and unbelievable joy.

“Reporting to the Marshal,” the lieutenant knelt on one knee as he ascended the city wall, “the Turks left behind… sheep.”

"Sheep?" Hirakawa raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Marshal. There were 3,600 sheep in total. They were all slaughtered, skinned, and neatly arranged there, along with many dried herbs."

The lieutenant wiped the dust off his face. "Each sheep has a red and white cloth strip tied around its neck, like... some kind of ritual."

Pingchuan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly turned and walked towards the operations room inside the city tower. The deputy general hurriedly followed, and the other generals also gathered around.

Inside the operations room, the sand table model of Yong'an City was surrounded by small flags representing the Turkic army. Pingchuan stared at the sand table, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop.

"Marshal, this must be a trick by the Turks!" An old general with a full beard slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "They want us to lower our guard so they can launch a night attack on the city!"

“It doesn’t seem like it.” Pingchuan shook his head. “If it were a night raid, why make such a big fuss? And why leave behind 3,600 sheep and herbs?”

"What's the meaning of these sheep? And why are they tied with red and white strips of cloth?" the lieutenant asked, puzzled. "Is it a provocation? Or... a gift? Could it be poisoned?"

Pingchuan walked to the window and looked north: "I heard the prince say that in the tradition of the Turks, giving a slaughtered animal as a gift is one of the highest forms of etiquette, something like 'the gift of blood sheep.' It is usually a sign of sincerity towards distinguished guests."

An uproar erupted in the operations room.

"That's impossible!" the veteran general retorted. "The Turks are wolves in sheep's clothing, and they have been fighting against our Great Jing for decades. How could they treat us like honored guests?"

Pingchuan turned to face his generals: "You're right, we need to be even more cautious. Pass down the order to increase night patrols, but for now, do not provoke any enemies."

The lieutenant hesitated for a moment: "Then... what about those sheep? If we distribute them to the people, what if they're poisonous..."

“Bring them back first, then we’ll make a decision,” Pingchuan said decisively. “I must report this to the Prince.”

"Yes!"

The lieutenant accepted the order and led several thousand soldiers back with the sheep and herbs.

The sheep had all been skinned, each with a red and white striped cloth tied around its neck, looking rather eerie. Looking at the small mountain of mutton piled up in the camp, the soldiers all wore solemn expressions, and no one dared to touch it. Even the soldiers who helped move the sheep had tattered cloths wrapped around their hands, avoiding direct contact with the sheep.

The setting sun made the red and white strips of cloth even more dazzling, and the air was filled with a strange smell of blood mixed with herbs.

Pingchuan crouched down and used the tip of his knife to pry open a strip of cloth. Inside the cloth strip, twisted runes were embroidered with black thread, and dark red debris clung to the stitches.

Pingchuan frowned, the sweat that had just seeped from his forehead due to nervousness now turning into a layer of frost.

The soldiers behind them pulled back three carts, all filled with bulging sacks, with dried herbs peeking out from the sack openings.

While unloading and moving herbs, soldiers discovered a letter hidden under a sack.

The soldier stopped what he was doing and shouted, "Marshal, there's a letter here!"

Pingchuan, who was stroking his chin and studying the mutton, quickly turned around and walked over upon hearing this.

Pingchuan took the letter and saw that it was addressed to the Princess Consort of Cangzhou.

"Is this for the princess?"

Pingchuan muttered to himself, then quickly picked up the walkie-talkie to report to Zhao Zun, who was far away in Tuomugou, Qingshui County.

"Communication station, communication station. Report to the Prince immediately. The Turkic army came with great force, but did not attack Yong'an City. Instead, they left three thousand slaughtered sheep and three cartloads of herbs a mile away before returning to the Turkic grasslands."

Pingchuan's report was relayed to Zhao Zun and Han Lei station by station via walkie-talkie.

Zhao Zun and Han Lei, who were anxiously waiting for news inside the Tomugou fortress, couldn't help but exchange a glance when they heard Pingchuan's report.

What's happening here?
Xiao Zhengfei and the others in the Bastion Council Hall looked at each other in bewilderment.

A voice came through the walkie-talkie, "Those sheep all have red and white strips of cloth tied around their necks, with runes on them... Wait! There's also a letter for the Queen. Marshal Hirakawa asked if we should send someone to deliver it to the Queen?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zun turned to Han Lei and asked for her opinion.

Han Lei thought for a moment and said, "There's no need to make a trip, let's just read it directly!"

"Your Highness, Your Highness." After a while, a voice came through the walkie-talkie again. "The letter is from Princess Yujia of the Turks. Princess Yujia said that the Emperor trusts you and has provided us with provisions to relieve our urgent needs. The Turks will certainly keep their promise and follow the rules to trade with the Great Jing on the border. However, I suddenly feel that the grasslands are bitterly cold and I have no decent gifts to give back to Your Highness. I only have some sheep raised by myself and some herbs dried in the summer. I hope Your Highness will accept them with a smile."

After hearing the contents of the letter, Han Lei bit her lip, feeling a mix of emotions, but also a sense of relief.

Fortunately, the Turks knew how to reciprocate with gratitude; otherwise, if her decision had attracted the wolves of the Turks, she wouldn't know how to face the people of Cangzhou and Dajing.

“This…” Xiao Zhengfei scratched his short hair under his helmet and said in a gruff voice, “When did the Turks become so polite?”

Zhao Zun pondered for a moment, then looked up and surveyed the crowd, his tone filled with a sense of relief.

"Since the Turks know how to be grateful, then trade after the spring harvest is feasible. But if they take the grain and then harbor rebellious intentions..." His voice suddenly turned cold, like a knife being drawn, "then I will lead my troops to flatten the grasslands and ensure that the Turks will never be able to rise again!"

“Yes! I doubt they would dare,” the King of Jingzhou chimed in, looking indignant.

Just then, a voice came through the walkie-talkie again. "Your Highness, Your Highness. Marshal Pingchuan is asking what to do with those sheep. The soldiers are all afraid they might be poisoned."

Charcoal Head exclaimed in astonishment, "No way? Didn't Princess Yujia's letter just say it was a special gift for the Queen Consort? How could it be poisoned?"

Xiao Zhengfei nudged him with his elbow, telling him to shut up.

“Pingchuan did the right thing. It’s a pity to lose more than three thousand sheep. If we’re going to eat them, we can’t be careless.” Zhao Zun pondered for a moment, then looked at Han Lei. “Girl, do you have any way to tell if those sheep are poisonous?”

“Yes, I can teach them how to identify drugs remotely,” Han Lei said, handing Xiao Zhengfei the walkie-talkie.

Pressing the call button, Han Lei began remotely instructing Pingchuan and the others on how to operate the system...

The north wind swirled fine sand, which pattered against the city walls, making a rustling sound.

Pingchuan stood on the cement training ground in the military camp, a thin layer of frost condensing on his armor.

Three thousand six hundred slaughtered sheep were neatly stacked on a wooden rack. He looked at the red and white strips of cloth, which seemed particularly glaring.

"Report—the silver needle poison test is complete, no abnormalities found!" A soldier knelt on one knee, his voice trembling slightly in the cold air.

Pingchuan rubbed the walkie-talkie in his hand; the metal casing was icy cold.

"We also need to test it with vinegar and wood ash water," he commanded in a deep voice. "The princess said this is called the acid-base reaction method. If the mutton is contaminated with sulfur-containing or heavy metal toxins, it may produce bubbles, discoloration, or an off-odor. If there is arsenic (arsenic trioxide), it will release a garlic-like smell when it comes into contact with acid."

"Yes!"

The guards received the order and went to prepare vinegar and wood ash to continue testing for poison.

Pingchuan turned to look at the distant residential area where smoke was rising from chimneys—more than three thousand sheep! If the people had meat to eat for the winter…

A voice came from the other end of the walkie-talkie, "Marshal Pingchuan, the princess asked if the throat and internal organs have been tested with silver needles? The princess said the internal organs must also be examined."

Pingchuan watched the busy soldiers beside him, their movements as they inspected the mutton carrying the vigilance honed from years of fighting.

"Reply to Her Highness the Princess that you have checked it three times according to the method she taught you."

The voice on the walkie-talkie spoke faster: "The Empress uses boiled vinegar to smoke mutton; if there's arsenic in it, yellow smoke will appear. Or... find some rats and feed them pieces of meat that have been cut off."

“Alright! I’ll send someone to catch the rats right away.” Pingchuan nodded.

"Report! The test on the wood ash water is complete, and there was no color change!" A hint of joy finally appeared in the soldier's voice as he reported.

"Hmm!" A slight smile appeared on Pingchuan's solemn face. "Have someone catch more rats, and feed them a little meat from each sheep. See what happens?"

“Marshal, you are wise,” the guard hesitated. “Even if these sheep are not poisonous, the way they were slaughtered is… and those strips of cloth are too strange.”

Pingchuan shared the same sentiment, and he picked up the walkie-talkie to relay the guard's words to Han Lei verbatim.

Han Lei quickly replied over the walkie-talkie, saying that it was the first time she had encountered such a situation and she needed to search online for information.

In the snowstorm, the soldiers inspecting the mutton stood in a circle. Someone brought over a caged rabbit and carefully fed it pieces of meat. Pingchuan saw the gray rabbit twitch its nose and start gnawing on it without any warning.

"Found it!" The voice on the walkie-talkie suddenly became clear, conveying the results of Han Lei's search.

"The princess said that red and white ribbons symbolize the harmony of heaven and earth in Turkic culture and are the highest level of hospitality. As for slaughtering... the temperature on the grassland is below zero now. If we send an envoy to herd the sheep, it will take four or five days, and the live sheep will freeze to death on the way! Transporting by light cavalry is much faster than driving herds. They want to keep the mutton fresh, and after the sheepskin is removed, they can use it to keep warm through the winter."

The words on the walkie-talkie made everyone suddenly realize what was going on.

Hirakawa was stunned!
He looked towards the pass, where neatly stacked mutton shimmered with a faint pink hue against the snow, and red and white ribbons danced in the wind. Suddenly, they no longer seemed like a provocation, but rather... a clumsy gesture of goodwill.

Ten years of war flashed before his eyes: the blood-stained grasslands, the burning tents, and the fire in the eyes of the Turks who would rather die than surrender.