Night fell, yet the soldiers who had been on the road all day could not rest. At most, they could take turns dismounting to stretch their legs, exchange a few idle words, and relieve their bowels.
Zhang Ji arrived under the escort of more than a dozen guards, a little earlier than the Central Plains men. He discovered that the meeting place was a tent by the roadside, surrounded by three rings of soldiers. Only the men on the outermost ring held torches, and they stood dozens of paces from the tent. Anyone trying to determine the tent's location from those lights would be sorely disappointed.
The entire Shule army had pitifully few torches, like a giant serpent coiled at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, revealing only half its head.
Zhang Ji turned and looked back. More than a dozen li away, the lights of the Golden Peng Army stretched out in a long line, like a procession carrying lanterns during a festival. They added a touch of festivity rather than inspiring fear.
The schoolteacher frowned and whispered several words to a guard. The guard nodded repeatedly, turned around, and headed toward the Golden Peng Army.
A Shule officer came forward to receive him. Zhang Ji left all his attendants outside and entered the tent alone, only to find that the Dragon King was absent. Waiting inside were Little Xu Yi and Chu Nanping.
"The Dragon King will be here soon," Little Xu Yi said listlessly.
Zhang Ji nodded as if he did not know him, thinking that the Dragon King truly was cautious. Afraid someone might assassinate him, he insisted on waiting until the guest had entered the tent before coming himself. It was no wonder he had been a killer.
This was an ordinary military tent. The