Chapter 307: One Step Not Allowed

Beacon Fires Amuse the Lords

As the morning bells and drums rang out, the main south gate of Dunhuang City slowly opened. People gathered both inside and outside the gate surged in and out. Though built upon desolate yellow sands, Dunhuang City was unique within a hundred-mile radius, a veritable oasis. With numerous merchants, the city saw frequent comings and goings, with no fewer than five or six thousand people passing through daily. Furthermore, outside the city lay Caiji Grottoes, a Buddhist holy site. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, the spectacle of devotees leaving the city to offer incense and pray was truly grand, a massive outpouring. Today happened to be the last fifteenth day at the tail end of late spring. Ordinarily, the main thoroughfare through the south gate would be teeming with people. However, today it was unusually sparse, with only a few hundred devout pilgrims, none of whom brought their families. Along both sides of the street, vendors who had risen early for profit hawked their wares from shoulder poles, selling scallion pancakes, pastries, and some crude incense and yellow paper.

Only one shop was open on the street, run by a middle-aged man notoriously bad at business. Given the location of his shop, selling incense offerings would have guaranteed immense profits. But he only sold wine, and at exorbitant prices, so business was dismal. He resorted to making a few pots of plain porridge each morning to sell to travelers. At that moment, his small shop held just one regular customer, a familiar face so regular the owner felt awkward charging him. Though the man was penniless and had no wife to manage the household, he kept himself neat and clean, possessing a certain refined, scholarly air. Everyone in Dunhuang City knew him; he wrote beautifully and was credited with many popular poems and eloquent verses. Years ago, a woman from a prominent Dunhuang family, named Yuwen, was foolish enough to elope with him, abandoning her arranged marriage. The Yuwen family, being the wealthiest in Dunhuang, was surprisingly magnanimous and did not pursue the matter. The stubborn, beautiful woman truly married this impoverished, outsider scholar. Her father, nearly consumed by rage, worried about his daughter's hardship and secretly provided her with a generous dowry. However, the man proved utterly incapable; though talented, he lacked the ambition for achievement and was stuck between aspirations and reality. A large tavern he once owned turned into a mere wine shop, eventually shrinking to a tiny wine stall. The woman grew disheartened and, to the satisfaction of onlookers, finally left him and remarried into the prestigious Duanmu family, a suitable match. The couple lived in harmony, much to everyone's delight. Even Young Master Duanmu, who now had the beautiful woman, came to the wine shop for a drink once, unaccompanied by servants or maids, displaying a refined elegance characteristic of a scholar. Reportedly, he only exchanged a few polite words, saying he had heard the wine shop owner's poetry before and greatly admired it. Later, when the woman occasionally came to Dunhuang City for incense offerings, she always arrived in a magnificent carriage drawn by four invaluable horses. Gossips never saw her lift the curtain to glance at the downtrodden man who was her former love, presumably because her heart was truly broken.

The man, who often cadged meals here, placed one foot on a chair, finished a bowl of porridge, and handed the bowl back. They say those who eat from others' generosity become soft-spoken, but this fellow brazenly lectured: “Xu Pu, I’m not criticizing you, but if you sold incense here, you’d have been rolling in money ages ago. Hey, when I go to burn incense and pray to Buddha, I could just grab a big handful myself. If the Bodhisattva sees my sincerity, I’m guaranteed to get what I wish for. And once I’m rich, won’t I be able to help you out?”

The serene-faced middle-aged man took the large white bowl, poured another serving of rice porridge for his sparse friend circle, and shook his head: “Three sticks of incense are enough. Respect the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha; it’s not about how much incense you burn.”

The unkempt man, taking the white bowl, glared: “You and your rigid principles! Your wife left you because of them! I mean, you had a foolish wife who didn’t care for cosmetics or delicacies, but was willing to suffer cold and sun with you, yet you didn’t appreciate her, didn’t try to improve yourself. It serves you right that people mock you and gossip behind your back!”

The man pulled up a stool, sat by the doorway, and gazed at the somewhat quiet street, a frown creasing his brow. Behind him, the sturdy man continued to chatter: “If it weren’t for the life-saving medicine you gave my father back then, I wouldn’t willingly put up with being scorned alongside you. Since you know some medicine, why not even be a quack doctor, putting up a sign that says ‘healing the world’? Doctors are scarce in Dunhuang, and plenty of people would be happy to be tricked, as long as you don’t kill anyone. Hey, I’m talking to you, Xu Pu! At least grunt or hum a response. Fine, there’s no talking to you, you silent block of wood. I’m off. Those wild ducks I hunted, you deal with them.”

Fair-weather friends usually avoid old wounds and insults, preferring to add icing to the cake rather than offer help in times of need. This shows that the man was either thoughtless or truly considered the shabby wine shop owner a friend. The middle-aged man suddenly asked, “Why are so few people leaving the city for incense offerings today?”

The hunter, just about to stand up, rolled his eyes: “They say you scholars like to ignore worldly affairs and only read ancient texts. But you, you don't even read, and you don't listen to what's happening outside. Let me tell you, things are restless over at the Giant Immortal Palace today. It’s a fact even a three-year-old knows: the old city lord passed away and ascended to immortality after his battle with the great devil Luoyang. Now it’s clearly a rebellion. Probably only that young girl is unaware. There’s news that the five hundred Imperial Guards under the Mao family outside the city are about to storm in, head straight for the Purple Gold Palace, and drag that young girl off the dragon throne. I reckon this is likely to succeed. A twenty-something girl as Dunhuang’s city lord? It’s an embarrassment to even say it.”

The man asked, “Aren’t there five hundred Imperial Guard cavalry stationed outside the palace within the city?”

The hunter was reluctant to answer such a naive question, but he just couldn't hold his tongue, so he said: “Do you think the Mao, Duanmu, and Yuwen families are fools? Anyone with half a brain knows those guys have definitely bribed officials with money and women. Many of those five hundred cavalry inside are surely no longer loyal to the palace. Add to that these five hundred cavalry outside charging into the city all at once, even a commoner like me knows they can’t be stopped. But this is all a game for the big shots. If anyone dies, it’ll be those born rich; it has nothing to do with us. Just keep your distance and watch the show. When the sky changes, we’ll still eat and drink as usual. You’ll see, it won’t be long before the Imperial Guards rush into the city.”

The middle-aged man fell into thought, preparing to close his shop. The hunter stepped out, a look of satisfaction on his face: “Xu Pu, you finally have some sense this time, knowing to close up and watch the show.”

The man smiled, saying nothing. Only when the hunter had gone far did he softly say, “Join the fun.”

Soon after, he saw the hunter, along with many pilgrims, scrambling back in a hurry. Only then did he close the last wooden door panel. The hunter, breathless, rushed in and said urgently: “Why haven’t you hidden yet? Quick, quick, get inside, let me hide! Damn it, some young fellow with a donkey-kicked brain is blocking the city gate, looks like he’s trying to fight five hundred cavalry head-on. He’s mad, completely mad!”

The man asked, “How many people?”

The hunter cursed, “That fellow’s looking for death! Just one!”

The man, who had already taken a step forward, thought for a moment, then pressed, “With a saber or a sword?”

The hunter, slipping quickly into the wine shop, said exasperatedly: “Why meddle in such useless affairs? Just now I heard someone say it’s a scholar carrying a book-satchel, and he uses a sword. I reckon he’s just an ignorant, useless pretty boy, brain-dead from too much studying! Xu Pu, aren’t you going to get in here?”

Some pilgrims, slower than the hunter and living farther from the city gate, seeing that the wine shop hadn't fully closed, came to hide there. A few bolder ones told the owner not to close the door, but were immediately cursed by the more timid ones, who feared being implicated and facing retribution from the powerful families in power.

Three hundred paces outside the city, the five hundred Imperial Guard cavalry halted abruptly after the leading Mao family woman stopped. A valiant woman in her thirties, clad in silver armor and wielding a white spear, rode a charcoal-black 'Coal Dragon' steed. The Mao family was powerful and deeply entrenched, an old guard that had stood firm since Dunhuang City’s founding, never losing ground in the contests of various forces. A significant reason was the Mao family’s firm control over these five hundred elite cavalrymen. Mao family descendants had always been martial and courageous. However, the prodigy of this generation was a woman named Mao Rou. Dunhuang City had produced three extraordinary women. The first, of course, was the city lord, revered as ‘Two Kings’. One was that foolish woman from the Yuwen family who disdained wealth for poetry and books, and, as the saying goes, ‘married a chicken and followed a chicken,’ marrying a wine seller. And then there was Mao Rou, who now commanded five hundred armored cavalry by force. The Imperial Guards inside the city were light cavalry, but in recent years, the five hundred cavalry outside the city had been replaced with heavily armored iron cavalry. Charging down Dunhuang City’s wide main roads, as long as they didn’t enter the Giant Immortal Palace, they could easily crush the five hundred light cavalry within the city.

Mao Rou had always looked down on that bossy little girl. Relying on kinship with the city lord, what was she but a girl with a larger bosom, a slender waist, and rounder buttocks? Did that qualify her for power? She had already arranged with some sons of allied families that after their success, this pitiful little vixen would be handed over to them for their amusement, to be shared among them. Even if her soft body was ruined from their repeated use, Mao Rou would only laugh heartily, wishing she could watch gleefully from the bedside, and find satisfaction in personally slicing off those breasts that had been an eyesore for so many years. After halting her horse, Mao Rou stared intensely at the young scholar guarding the city gate. He was handsome, exactly to her taste. But with important matters at hand, she couldn't indulge her desires. She waved her hand and ordered a burly cavalry general behind her: “Go kill him! Let him be our sacrifice to the banner.”

Behind Mao Rou, an Imperial Guard captain grinned menacingly as he raised his spear and charged forward. Iron Cavalry, meaning heavily armored horses and riders, tore through all defenses with their tremendous charge. The Imperial Guard captain reveled in the thrill of such charges; it felt similar to intimidating young maidens in bed. His mistress, Mao Rou, was a woman who commanded the respect of all the heavy cavalry under her command. She was formidable both in leading troops and in killing. The captain’s greatest lifelong desire was to one day climb onto her and charge. General Mao had a saying praised by all military families in Dunhuang City: ‘The soldiers this grand-aunt trains, with a spear between their legs and a spear in their hands, are a hundred times stronger than the five hundred weakling Imperial Guards within the city!’ The Imperial Guard captain adjusted his breathing with the rise and fall of his horse, gripping his iron spear tightly. He did not underestimate his opponent; anyone daring to stand alone at the city gate to seek death surely possessed some skill. After all, Dunhuang City was a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers resided. Great achievements awaited him, and he couldn’t afford to stumble in a ditch.

Xu Fengnian took off his book-satchel and placed it at his feet. He did not draw his Spring and Autumn Sword. Facing the armored cavalryman, he advanced instead of retreating, striding forward. Mao Rou and the five hundred cavalry were all somewhat surprised. After their initial astonishment, some of the iron cavalry burst into laughter. Did he know how much strength it took to stop a charging heavy cavalryman? Moreover, this Imperial Guard captain was no mere scarecrow; his spear skills were exceptional, ranking among the top five fighters in the Imperial Guard!

When the Imperial Guard captain was fifty paces from the scholar, his spirit and energy had nearly reached their peak. Ten paces later, in the blink of an eye, he ferociously thrust his spear. Xu Fengnian turned his head, bent his arm to deflect the iron spear, and struck the neck of the charging warhorse with his palm. Both horse and rider were flung back five or six zhang, the horse dying instantly and the rider on the verge of death. Circling the iron spear around his body, Xu Fengnian continued to glide forward. As he passed the struggling heavy cavalry captain, he thrust the spear, piercing his skull and pinning him to the ground.

Mao Rou frowned. She raised her hand and drew a semi-circle; the cavalry arranged themselves in six layers, spreading out rapidly like a fan. Another eighty accompanying archers and crossbowmen were positioned in front. The formation was skillful, moving under Mao Rou’s command as if an extension of her own arm. Whether in single combat or mass charge, they were far superior to the five hundred Imperial Guards within the city, whose archery and horsemanship had deliberately been neglected. At one hundred and twenty paces, Mao Rou coldly commanded, “Shoot.”

A rain of arrows assailed him. Xu Fengnian rolled his body, swinging the iron spear in a full circle, deflecting arrows like water. After blocking a volley, he hurled the spear. Though it only resembled a Thunder Spear of the Dan-Boer-Huihui, its momentum was like a thunderclap. Mao Rou, at the front of the formation, her expression dramatically changed. Leaning back tightly against her horse, the spear swept past, piercing two iron cavalrymen behind her, armor and all, causing them to fall from their horses. Mao Rou no longer hoped the archers and crossbowmen could stop him; she led the charge herself. Despite three casualties, the six-layered fan-shaped cavalry formation remained perfectly disciplined, demonstrating the Mao family’s strict military governance. The thunder of hooves resonated.

Xu Fengnian squinted at the valiant female general, a slight smirk on his lips. He subtly altered his trajectory and charged directly at her. Mao Rou was not quick to strike with her spear. When she saw the young swordsman approaching and easily dodging two iron spear thrusts, she seized an opening and delivered a supplementary thrust directly at his chest. The spearhead seemed to thrust straight, simple and unextraordinary, but in an instant, it vibrated violently, its edge unparalleled. This was the Mao family’s famous 'Falling Spear' technique, which had disarmed countless unsuspecting enemies in battle.

“Dismount!”

Xu Fengnian flicked his left hand, deflecting the spear. He stepped forward a few paces, then flipped, landing as if seated intimately opposite Mao Rou, who had lost her iron spear. Just as he was about to smash her chest with a palm, she drew a saber and slashed at him. Xu Fengnian caught it between two fingers; his fingertips vibrated violently, a trace of blood appearing from the friction. Mao Rou seized the chance to abandon the saber, slapped the horse’s back with one hand, and flew sideways, catching her iron spear. She then crashed into a cavalryman, throwing him off his horse, swapped mounts, and evaded into the formation, no longer giving Xu Fengnian a chance for a direct confrontation. A dozen spears thrust at him. Xu Fengnian sank his body, breaking the Coal Dragon horse’s spine. The horse neighed in agony, collapsing to the ground. Xu Fengnian pushed one cavalryman away with a hand, slammed another away with a shoulder, and perfectly seized the rain of spears, his movements entirely unimpeded.

Mao Rou, who had reined in her horse fifty paces away, her face grim, roared, “Form up!”

Xu Fengnian swept backward, sending a cavalryman who had attacked from behind flying. Tapping his toes on the ground, he gracefully retreated, pulling out of the rapidly forming encirclement. He exhaled a long breath and drew his Spring and Autumn Sword. Gripping the sword in his right hand, its tip pointed directly at the five hundred cavalry. With his left hand, he raised two fingers together.

Kai Shu.

Mao Rou was furious. She gave a muffled command: “Kill!”

In her eyes, there was one man, one sword. Before him, five hundred cavalry; behind him, the city gate. Xu Fengnian stood unmoving like a mountain. Even if Luoyang, the foremost figure of the demonic path, were to arrive, Dunhuang City would only be one against one.

Before practicing martial arts, Xu Fengnian had many beautiful fantasies about the jianghu world. But after truly obsessing over martial arts, he never thought of becoming a great hero. However, since his woman was behind him, let alone five hundred cavalry, even five thousand, he would stand here.

I will guard the city gate until my death.I will ensure you cannot take a single step inside!