Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 48: Side Story Su Xue
On the Baisha Embankment of Hangzhou's West Lake, willows shimmer in mist, and pedestrians weave through the water. Pleasure boats ply the shimmering golden surface of the lake.

In the shade of willows, Qi Kerang walked slowly, deducing military strategies and battle formations in his mind, but he was caught off guard and felt his left shoulder hit something head-on. He stumbled back several steps.

Looking towards me, I saw a pretty maid in green, holding an oil-paper umbrella. Beneath the umbrella was a fairy in white. The maid in green, with her bright eyes, red lips and white teeth, was already incredibly charming and pretty. But compared to the person under the umbrella, she was far superior.

Qi Kerang was momentarily dazed and stunned. But the pretty maid in green clothes had already started to scold him, "Where did this idiot come from? He's not looking at the road as he walks, and he's looking at my young lady so disrespectfully?"

The soft Wu dialect she spoke was extremely touching. Even though there was a hint of anger in her voice, there was also a lingering feeling that went straight to the heart.

But then the voice of the woman in white made Qi Kerang feel as if he were listening to heavenly music. Her black hair was like a waterfall, tied up with a golden ring. It was as pure and simple as the water of West Lake, and she was graceful and beautiful.

"Ah Qing, you shouldn't be rude to a scholar." The girl in white said, "This young man must be concentrating on studying and not paying attention to the road. That's not a problem."

The maidservant in green shouted, "Young lady, look at him, he's dressed in a brown robe and a small hat, and he smells like old medicine. He's clearly an apprentice at some pharmacy, not a scholar."

"Ah Qing, this is your fault. Who says that a pharmacy apprentice can't be a scholar?"

"Look at his face and you'll know his aspirations. This gentleman is a man of extraordinary bearing, definitely not frivolous or unruly. He's well-read and elegant, and his knowledge can be seen in his eyes."

"From your facial features and demeanor, I know you are no ordinary man. Even if you are temporarily trapped in shallow water, you will eventually transform into a dragon."

Qi Kerang felt his whole body melt when he heard her words, which were as sweet as silk and bamboo, and her words were so quiet and polite.

But the girl could tell at a glance that he was not an ordinary pharmacy apprentice, which surprised him even more.

"Thank you for your generosity, sister." Qi Kerang bowed and said, "I apologize for any offense I have caused you. I hope you will forgive me."

"I have something else to ask, could you please tell me your name?"

The maidservant in green immediately changed color: "My young lady has a kind heart and will not bother with you, a scoundrel. Why are you taking advantage of the situation?"

But the woman in white waved her hand, interrupting him. She seemed to have thought of something, her bright eyes narrowing like crescent moons as she chuckled softly. Her previously dignified, celestial demeanor instantly transformed into that of a sly, wily demon. "My name is Ah Xue, and I live in this West Lake. I'm a water snake that became a spirit. Look at me, my body is so soft it's as if I have no bones."

As she spoke, she raised her white wrist and twisted it gently a few times. It was indeed like a spring willow, so slender and delicate that it was unbelievable.

Qi Kerang couldn't help but laugh. Regardless of whether spirits existed in the world, even if they did, they wouldn't call themselves spirits the moment they met. So what the girl said must be a joke.

But she not only has such stunning beauty, but also speaks so humorously, which makes Qi Ke's heart moved.

At this moment, Ah Xue looked at him intently, "I've already introduced myself, but I haven't even asked about your family background yet."

The maidservant in green couldn't help but interrupt, "Young lady, is there any need to ask? This boy has the emblem of the Yonghe Hall in the east of the city on his clothes. He must be doing odd jobs there..."

Qi Kerang's mind raced. He had come back to visit his family, but his teacher had warned him not to reveal his real name to anyone, or he would suffer the consequences.

He was the only son of the Qi family, who ran Renjitang in the south of the city. Renjitang was the largest pharmacy in Hangzhou, with business covering the entire western Zhejiang region. However, when he was five years old, a strange person came to his door and said he needed to take him away. After more than ten years of cultivation, he was able to avoid his fate of premature death.

The Qi family dared not disobey, for this extraordinary man was no mere commoner, but a rising star in the Tang Dynasty's political arena. Though he held high office, he acted with the demeanor of a charismatic figure, a man universally recognized as a rare talent.

Qi Kerang had been studying under his master for exactly ten years when, with his master's permission, he returned home for a three-month visit. His parents, however, hadn't given up on his wish for him to inherit the family business, so they assigned him to work as a waiter at Yonghetang, owned by a close friend of his father, to learn medicine. But his parents were ordinary people, and how could they have known that their master was not only a master of both civil and military skills, but also possessed a mastery of Qi Huang that surpassed countless renowned practitioners?
After a moment of contemplation, he finally gave his prepared pseudonym: "Ms. Ah Qing is right. My surname is Xi, and my given name is Xuan Zan. I am just a small apprentice in Yonghe Hall."

A gentleman can be deceived by tricks, but telling lies to such a beautiful girl in white still made Qi Ke feel uncomfortable and stuffy in his chest, and his face felt slightly hot.

"I see."

Axue smiled sweetly, as if hundreds of flowers were blooming, and the sun in the sky seemed to have lost its brilliance.

Her sleeves flew up like smoke and snow, and her slender hands turned into lightning in an instant, grabbing Qi Kerang's wrist, but bursting out with tremendous force, twisting his palm towards the back of his hand.

There was a pain on his wrist, as if he had been stung by a viper. Qi Kerang instinctively used his forearm to push away Axue's hand, then curled his palm into a claw and grabbed towards her clothes, trying to counterattack her.

He never expected that the other party would directly meet his claws with her jade palms. With a light flick of her delicate fingers, she instantly neutralized the power of his claws that could penetrate gold and split stone. In an instant, the two of them became interlocked.

Axue no longer used force, but simply circled his palm with a light and soft force, making him unable to move.

"Young Master is not a good boy. How can an ordinary pharmacy apprentice have such skills?"

As they spoke, her eyes met his. On the Baidi Causeway, willows swayed gently, a gentle breeze rustling. In this position, there was a subtle ambiguity in the air.

Qi Kerang's fair complexion flushed instantly, and he felt an inexplicable shock. The delicate smoothness of the beautiful woman's hand made his palms and fingers feel incredibly comfortable. The touch instantly permeated his entire body, and every one of his 36,000 pores felt as if they had eaten ginseng fruit, and every one of them felt comfortable.

He relied on his youth to call a young woman he had just met "sister," which was actually quite reckless. But when the other party turned the tables and took the initiative, he was panicked, embarrassed, and his heart was pounding.

"Madam Axue, you are even more powerful...very powerful." Qi Kerang struggled slightly and gasped.

He had been diligently studying and practicing martial arts since the age of five, following his master, a peerless figure. Ah Xue, who looked only two or three years older than him, possessed a martial arts skill that surpassed his own, though he was unknown where he came from.

"I'm a water snake transformed into a spirit. Isn't it natural that I'm proficient in the art of binding?" Ah Xue's clear, watery eyes surveyed him, a faint, playful smile playing on her lips. Her temperament was naturally elegant, but now her gaze held a peerless charm.

Qi Kerang's chest skipped a beat, and an indescribable power made him tremble.

Axue loosened her hand, and when the slippery feeling suddenly disappeared, Qi Kerang felt a sudden sense of loss in his heart.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. Since you won't tell me your true origins, there must be something you're hiding. Why should I force you?"

She smiled softly, her beauty surpassing the world's dust. "I have something else to do today, so I won't bother you. If you think we're destined to be together, please come to the White Sand Causeway more often. It won't be hard to see me."

After saying that, she waved her hand and disappeared with the pretty maid named Ah Qing, accompanied by gusts of fragrant wind, leaving the young man still turning his head to look at the beautiful woman's slender and graceful back.

……

Qi Kerang never imagined that the departure of a god-like figure like his teacher would be so sudden.

When confusion like darkness swallowed him, an old friend came to visit him.

That was one of his senior brothers, who was later given the surname Li by the Heavenly Family, but at that time his senior brother still had the surname Zhuxie.

My senior brother is not Han Chinese, but he is the son of a famous general. His tribe is very powerful, so there is no need to worry about his future.

At that time, snow was falling heavily outside, but inside the house a small red clay stove was burning, warming new wine. However, the bright firelight could not melt the natural frost on my senior brother's face.

His rough hands were crossed to support his chin, and above his chin was his senior brother's usually stern face. But his eyes, however, were rarely filled with a hint of warmth.

"Junior brother, do you have any plans for the future?"

"Arrangements? What arrangements can there be for a drug dealer's son like me? Nothing more than returning home to practice medicine and inherit the family business..."

"Kerang, this is not what you really think."

"Brother, you also know that in today's world, whether in civil or military affairs, there is no place for the son of a medicine shop owner to succeed."

"Then—" Senior Brother's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery: "Why don't you venture out into the world of eagles, cunning rabbits, and bright camels in the desolate sands? From what you say, it seems as if the teacher has achieved immortal fame by sitting at home."

"Brother, you mean..." Qi Kerang seemed to understand.

My senior nodded, as if touched. "That's where my family came from. I'm sure you're aware that Tubo, after being an enemy of the Tang Dynasty for over a hundred years, has collapsed internally. A great hero named Zhang Yichao has risen up in rebellion and is recovering the territory lost to the empire since the An-Shi Rebellion."

"Are you asking me to go to Lord Yichao?"

"His Majesty Wuzong has passed away. The current sage dislikes the teacher, so he doesn't trust you. But by comparison, the court is even less trusting those Hexi elders who don't cost the country a single piece of iron, a bundle of grass, or a bushel of grain, because they have lived under enemy rule for a hundred years."

"If a Central Plains person were to cross Xiaoguan Pass and achieve remarkable feats among the Guiyi Army on behalf of the imperial court, it would provide the imperial court with an excuse to split up the Guiyi Army. I needn't even mention this person's future prospects."

"But..." Qi Kerang asked, "Lord Yichao is also an extremely intelligent person. How could he not think of such a truth?"

"Hehehe, my foolish junior brother..."

The senior brother narrowed his eyes, exhaled a long breath, and pushed his chin with his palm: "Because like the teacher, Lord Yichao is also a hero. And this world will only make heroes bleed and cry."

After they finished speaking, the two looked at each other silently for a long time.

……

When his senior brother left, Qi Kerang decided to go see someone he cared about.

They had been through a lot since their first meeting, and their relationship had become quite unusual.

But when he saw her standing in the yard, waiting for his arrival like a sculpture in the drifting snow, Qi Kerang still felt as if his heart was blocked for a moment, and he had thousands of words but couldn't say them.

She gently brushed away the accumulated snow powder on her head and came towards me like a fairy figure.

"Ash."

Zekerang called out softly.

"You are so cautious now, it seems like time has gone back many years." Axue smiled softly. Although her icy skin was set against the backdrop of the snow, it still looked as white as the most exquisite Xingzhou porcelain.

Qi Kerang scratched his hair a little awkwardly and paused, but the uncontrollable emotions in his heart finally made the words flow out from his lips.

"I'm younger than you, indecisive, and obsessed with fame and fortune. After knowing each other for so many years, you should know that I have a lot of bad habits. Looking back on the past, I really don't feel qualified to say these words. It seems like I'm using our friendship to threaten you..."

Ah Xue's eyes widened instantly, and she covered her slightly open mouth with her bare hands, waiting for the other party's next words.

"I'm about to go to Xiliang, the battlefield where the Guiyi Army and the Tibetans have been fighting for years. It's ridiculous that I'm so greedy. But this should make me a man worthy of you. Ah Xue, will you allow me to make an advance promise and marry me and become my wife, Qi Kerang? I think Xiliang has magnificent scenery and is actually a great place to hold a wedding."

Qi Kerang then saw Ah Xue walk back into the house without a word. At that moment, his heart sank. But soon, she returned to the courtyard, clutching a black lacquer, jade-footed, paulownia zither. She gracefully sat on the mat, her bare hands stroking the instrument. The sound flowed like flowing water, yet it carried a resounding, heroic spirit.

"You should wield your sword and slay the enemies everywhere, while I will play the zither and follow you wherever you go."

Axue's eyes were fixed on Qi Kerang's face, as clear as when they first met.

……

Xiliang, Shanzhou City.

This was once a fortified city with a moat, a drawbridge, a city gate, and numerous barriers; a city wall, a moon city, and a pass city, all with fortifications; city towers, arrow towers, watchtowers, and battlements surrounding them.

However, after several battles with the Tibetans, the city had long been in ruins. Even after Qi Kerang's countless efforts to repair it, due to the short time available, it was only barely usable.

The rapid growth of the Guiyi Army had already severely irritated the Tibetans, who were already locked in internal strife. Not only the remnants of the Tibetans in the Helong region, but even the monasteries on the snowy plains, locked in conflict with the Suobi region, had mobilized their forces, amassing a force said to number as many as 200,000, and marched mightily upon the crumbling Shanzhou City.

The Tibetans were devout believers in Buddhism. Their army was filled with gleaming bald heads and fluttering robes, and the occasional chanting of Buddha's name resonated throughout the heavens and earth.

At this time, General Zhang Yichao's main force was far away in Shazhou at the northern end of the Hexi Corridor, and the ones defending Shanzhou City were only a few thousand hastily gathered volunteers from various Han and Hu ethnic groups.

For Qi Kerang at that time, it was common to go into battle with wounds wrapped and climb the city walls by drinking blood.

But before that day, even such a cruel battlefield was not a nightmare. Instead, it had a certain tenderness in the sea of ​​blood.

Axue, pampered from childhood, married him in the desolate and remote land of Xiliang. After their marriage, she not only had to cook for him but also inspire his soldiers and win their hearts. Even in times of crisis, she had to don her armor and fight in person.

But day after day, she just smiled faintly and never complained. She said that being with the one she loved was the greatest happiness given by God.

The resounding Buddhist chants spurred the enemy onward like a torrent, charging towards the city walls. Huge boulders were thrown into the moat and piled beneath the city walls, forming a stone mound reaching the waist of the wall. The cannon fodder infantrymen from the "ordinary" class, inspired by religion and fearless of death, bravely sacrificed themselves to erect ladders on the battlements.

The heavily armored warriors of the Katsura class removed their armor, leaving only their lamellar helmets, revealing only their eye sockets, and blaring trumpets as they climbed the city walls. Their helmets were also stuffed with thick silk linings to effectively absorb the impact of falling rocks.

Even if they did not master the complex siege equipment construction techniques of the Central Plains, and could only climb the city walls like ants, the vastness of the enemy still made people feel despair from the bottom of their hearts.

"All troops on the city walls, alert! The Tibetan bandits are climbing the city walls!"

From the watchtowers, drums roared and sentries called out. From the ruined arrow towers, crossbows fired, piercing the enemy troops desperately trying to climb the city walls.

Qi Kerang no longer remembers all the details of the battle that day.

He only remembered the sounds of killing in the air, the blood flowing all over the ground, and the corpses lying all over the place, indistinguishable from friend or foe.

He also remembered a middle-aged Rinpoche with a pale complexion, holding a Xianglin Dharma Wheel in his arm. This man chanted Buddhist mantras with murderous intent, and was obviously a high-ranking figure in the Tibetan army.

The soldiers defending the city fell like grass under the wielding of the Dharma Wheel, and the Tibetans cheered wildly, their morale soaring. The Han army began to retreat, and was about to abandon this part of the city wall and let the fierce enemy enter the city.

The terrified Qi Kerang immediately rushed over, took the lead to fill the gap, and ordered the soldiers to fight back, but he himself was surrounded.

The huge Falun, spinning like a windmill, shone brilliantly and rushed towards him like a tide. The continuous pressure made it impossible for him to breathe.

When the pressure became as heavy as Mount Tai, his vision began to go dark, and suddenly all the strength seemed to be drained from his body.

He hadn't slept for three days and three nights. Tired and weak, he suddenly felt that everything was meaningless.

Maybe coming to Xiliang was a mistake.

His body's instinct to survive was still struggling, but his mind was exhausted and unable to fight anymore.

The moment when his consciousness was about to sink into the bottomless abyss.

A white fairy figure came dancing like flying flowers chasing the moon.

Axue was wearing shiny silver armor and a silver mouse skin cloak. In the chaos of the battle, some bloodstains were inevitably found on his armor.

"Even in a desperate situation where death is inevitable, Axue will not let her husband die before her."

She said calmly, without a trace of confusion in her words.

It takes time to organize the defeated soldiers to counterattack.

Therefore, she and Qi Kerang had to face the siege and suppression of the enemy troops like a tide, and not just the brave middle-aged monk.

Axue obviously knew that Qi Kerang was extremely tired and had several wounds on his body, so she leaned forward to protect him several times during the fierce battle.

When the huge Falun slammed into the equally shining silver breastplate, time froze in an instant.

A bright fountain of blood gushed out from Ah Xue's lips, and the sound of broken ribs broke Qi Kerang's heart at that moment.

The monk's domineering wheel technique had the power to penetrate directly into the armor.

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah……"

Qi Kerang let out a heart-wrenching scream, his face suddenly becoming as hideous as a demon, and his vision was instantly painted with a deep blood-red color.

The blue light of the Sword of Stopping Death surged, and the sword intent burst out, slashing left and right, with a chopping sound like chopping melons and vegetables, broken limbs and heads separated from the body flew all over the sky, filling the entire space.

For the only time, Zeke Jean felt himself transformed into a wolf.

Having lost his partner and companion, he was all alone and howling on the snowy plains, with only the bloodthirsty lone wolf in his eyes!
The determination to kill replaced his reason, and when he regained consciousness, there was no enemy left on the city wall, only the corpses of Tibetan soldiers on the ground.

But the culprit was not among them.

Qi Kerang glanced at the rebel soldiers rushing over with a cold gaze, and said nothing amid the pleas of apology.

He jumped down from the top of the city wall with his sword in hand.

The bodyguards hurriedly followed.

When Qi Kerang came back, he was holding a bald head in his hand. His palm had scratched the scalp, penetrated the flesh, and dug hard into the cracks in the skull.

"Axue, I'm sorry."

Qi Kerang placed his head on the paving tiles in front of his beloved wife and said tearfully, "Your skills are even better than mine. If you weren't weak after giving birth, how could you..."

He slapped himself several times. "I, Qi Kerang, am a coward who relies on women for protection! I shouldn't have come to Xiliang, and I'm not worthy of confessing my feelings to you! It's all because of my obsession with fame that I've caused you trouble..."

"Is it just for fame?"

Axue tried to open and close her lips and spoke slowly.

"Only by stopping the Tibetans can we protect more people. Qi Lang, you once wanted to inherit the family business and become a doctor, but the duties of doctors and military commanders are both to protect."

"You did what you wanted to do, and everything I did was from the heart. So, even if Ah Xue died, why should I regret it? What regrets do I have in this life?"

Qi Kerang pinched her white wrist and burst into tears.

"No matter what happens, don't hurt yourself. Even in another world, I will still feel sorry for you..."

With her last bit of strength, she leaned against Qi Kerang's arms and kissed him lightly on the face. The blood on her lips immediately left several blood marks on her face, as bright as a rose.

The clouds in the sky grew darker and darker. Suddenly, heavy snow began to fall from the sky, as if to cover up all the bloodshed and slaughter in the world...

A few days later, Zhang Yichao, the governor of the Guiyi Army, arrived with a large army and rescued the imperiled Shanzhou City. Qi Kerang led the vanguard and fought fiercely, defeating the 200,000-strong Tibetan enemy force, leaving the fields filled with blood and rivers flowing.

The army pursued the victory and recaptured the cities and fortresses in the Qinghai Lake area.

When he used the offensive and defensive weapon techniques taught by his teacher and took advantage of the heavy snow to break through the Stone Fortress City, a dangerous pass where the Tang and Tubo had fought for decades and where thousands of people had died, he was faced with thousands of surrendered soldiers, the elderly, the weak, women and children in the city who were trembling in fear and begging for mercy.

Qi Kerang hesitated for only a moment before waving his hand and uttering a single word with absolute determination: "Kill."

This was the only time in his life that he massacred a city and killed prisoners.

Then, he left the camp alone, holding his newborn daughter, and walked alone at the foot of the Qilian Mountains.

The heavy snow that had continued for days seemed to have stopped as it had come. The winter snow had just cleared, and sunlight streamed through the clouds, coating the towering mountains in a golden veil.

Later, he returned to the Central Plains and served in the Shen Ce Army. He made several contributions and was finally favored by the emperor and appointed as the governor of Taining Army.

This is exactly the fame he has always dreamed of.

He garrisoned Shanzhou alone on horseback, and marched westward to Shibao to obtain the purple robe.

He got the purple robe he had always dreamed of, but the price was losing his beloved forever.

If he could choose, high official positions, generous salaries, and the establishment of a government office would not be as good as that person's brilliant smile.

But everything—

Can not go back.

　After thinking about it, I decided to release this spin-off before Ah Qing appears, so that the relevance will be stronger.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)