No Feast Lasts Forever

"Ah?"

Jiang Qing froze for a moment, but obediently drew out the Bronze Saber she had tucked at her waist and rarely used anymore.

"This is the trophy you gave me—the trophy from our first time fighting side by side, when we broke out of the encirclement and killed the barbarian chieftain. You gave it to me, and I'll carry it with me until the day I either achieve fame and success or die in obscurity!"

Without even asking Jiang Qing, Sun Ji reached out and seized the Bronze Saber, then looked earnestly at Jian Shang.

After a pause, he did not wait for Jian Shang to respond.

He turned back, gazing reluctantly at each of the brothers he had grown up with...

Jiang Yao, who had always been their eldest brother, shouldering every burden like both father and mother...

Jiang Qing, whom he had adored since childhood, so sweet, obedient, and kind...

Gao Hong, who silently supported them like both mother and elder sister...

Gao Gong, who loved arguing with him and liked threatening him with his fists...

Yang Ning, a man of few words who quietly got things done...

Shi Ji, hardworking and honest, always rushing to do everything first...

The plump Shi Jin, lazy and food-loving, yet like a little ray of sunshine, who carefully planned every expense and had helped them survive countless hungry crises...

More than ten years of companionship flowed through Sun Ji's mind like a film...

"Brother Jiang, Ah Qing, Sister Hong, Little Gao, Little Yang, Little Jin, Little Ji..."

Finally, he looked at Jian Shang, Jiang Sheng, Ma Qiang, and the others.

"Shang—and all you good brothers who have fought shoulder to shoulder with me and shared life and death along the way—take care!"

After a pause, Sun Ji suddenly gathered his courage and shouted:

"Twenty years from now, whether dead or alive, we'll meet at Nine-Dragon Mountain!"

The moment he finished speaking, without waiting for anyone's response, he flipped off his horse and bolted toward the city gate with the Bronze Saber, never once looking back...

It was as though, if he slowed even a little, he would no longer have the heart to leave!

Behind his sprinting figure, a spray of crystalline droplets scattered and flew...

They seemed especially bright—lies, crystal-clear!

Quiet!

Silence!

The atmosphere froze solid!

Everyone stared fixedly at Sun Ji's fleeing back, their throats choked tight.

That figure racing away beneath the towering, majestic city walls that rose into the clouds...

The shadow stretched across the ground grew longer and longer, looking especially lonely, desolate, and bleak...

"Jian Shang!"

Suddenly, Jiang Yao felt something clog his chest and called out to Jian Shang.

Jian Shang's heart tightened, and he looked at Jiang Yao in surprise, worry, and urgency.

Sure enough, upon meeting Jian Shang's gaze, Jiang Yao did not dare meet it directly. He hurriedly looked away, instead fixing his eyes on the solitary Sun Ji ahead.

His voice hoarse, he continued, "He's my younger brother—my real younger brother. I can't let him go, much less let him venture out alone!"

"..."

Jian Shang's lips moved several times, but in the end, he could not say a word.

At last, he sighed and said, "Sigh... everyone has their own aspirations. Little Ji is right—no feast under heaven lasts forever. If we're brothers, we shouldn't force him to stay. You don't intend to imitate Little Ji and leave without taking anything, do you?"

As he spoke, he pulled out the money pouch from his robes and tossed it directly to Jiang Yao without even looking at it.

Forcing out a smile, he continued, "It's only a temporary parting, not cutting our robes and severing our bond. The road ahead is rough—take more travel money with you!"

Jiang Sheng, the Grand Commander beside Jian Shang, changed expression. His lips moved a few times, but ultimately he said nothing.

That was military funding!

Fortunately, they still had several carts of provisions, enough to sustain them for some time, as well as half a cart of ancient paintings, antiques, gold ornaments, and the like. Selling them off would bring in quite a bit of money too.

"Of course! It's only a temporary parting!"

Catching Jian Shang's money pouch, Jiang Yao laughed heartily. He took a gold coin from the pouch, then tossed the pouch back to Jian Shang.

Holding up the gold coin, which glittered brilliantly beneath the sunlight, he said, "If you don't run a household, you won't know how costly firewood, rice, oil, and salt are. Supporting an army is even harder. You need the money more than I do, and I'm sure Little Ji thinks the same way. One gold coin is enough!"

"Uh..."

Jian Shang was briefly stunned, but on second thought, it was true. For ordinary residents, one silver coin could feed someone for a month, while one gold coin was enough to live steadily for three to five years. It was neither too much nor too little.

"I'm sure you all understand why Little Ji insisted on staying behind despite several rare opportunities. That's why I can't leave him alone. If you still regard me as your eldest brother, then don't follow me. Stay with Jian Shang—I believe he won't treat you poorly."

Jiang Yao was deeply reluctant and filled with emotion as he solemnly looked at Gao Gong, Gao Hong, and the others.

When he finished, he clasped his fists and struck his chest toward Jiang Sheng, Ma Qiang, and the others. "Brothers, take care!"

With that, he snapped the reins. Hooves flew as his horse charged toward Sun Ji, who was already several hundred meters away...

"Jian Shang!"

Jian Shang was watching Jiang Yao gradually disappear into the distance when a low, soft feminine voice sounded.

Jiang Qing rode closer, her tear-filled eyes fixed hazily on him. Jian Shang's heart trembled, and he hurriedly said, "Brother Jiang told you not to follow. The future is uncertain, and their most likely choice is to join the army. You're a girl—you shouldn't go with them!"

"Thank you. I'm very happy! But he's my brother, not my eldest brother!"

Jiang Qing smiled brightly as tears rolled down her smooth cheeks. She laughed through her tears, then paused and tore the embroidered pouch from her waist, its butterflies playing amid flowers, and tossed it to Jian Shang.

"Don't forget me!"

With that, she turned and gave Gao Hong, Yang Ning, and the others one long, deep look.

Then she pressed her beautiful legs against her horse's sides, snapped the reins, and galloped toward the distance...

"..."

Feeling the strange gazes of Jiang Sheng, Ma Qiang, Luo Sheng, Shi Jin, and the others, Jian Shang held the fragrant pouch, still warm with her body heat, and for a moment did not know what to say.

Gao Gong, Shi Ji, Yang Ning, and Shi Jin all stirred, but Jiang Yao's words echoed in their minds. Looking at Jian Shang, Jiang Sheng, and the two hundred Black Wolf Cavalry who had recently fought side by side and ridden across the land with them, they ultimately did not follow.

Only Gao Hong bit down hard on her cherry lips, tears blurring her eyes as she watched Jiang Yao recede until only his silhouette remained.

Her face held disappointment, pain, and relief all at once...

"So there truly was no place for me in his heart..."

"Move!"

Those determined to leave could not be kept, and life had to go on. Jian Shang quickly put away his melancholy, shook the reins, and shouted as he took the lead toward the city gate.

The others followed one after another, every man riding one horse while leading another. Their imposing procession drew astonished stares from many passersby.

Fortunately, Jian Shang had already put away the Heavenly Wolf Battle Banner. Otherwise, they would have attracted even greater shock.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

As the city gate came into view, a squad of one hundred halberdiers raised their weapons before the mighty gate, which was more than ten zhang wide and several zhang tall.

Their centurion drew the saber at his waist and shouted, though his gaze kept drifting toward those Northern Plains Biao.

Barbarians and Huaxia people were easy enough to distinguish. The centurion was merely carrying out routine procedure, though he was quite curious about such a formation!

"Neighhh..."

Jian Shang raised his spear, and every warhorse stopped at once, including the riderless horses merely being led along. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, displaying superb horsemanship that drew amazed praise.

"I am Jian Shang. We all come from Shizhuang and Lingping County. Admiring the Divine Marquis's great renown, we gathered a group of righteous volunteers to enlist and resist the Northern Di! These warhorses were taken from the barbarians we killed along the way."

The Black Wolf Cavalry came to a halt. Jian Shang gripped his spear and cupped his hands toward the centurion in greeting as he politely reported.

At present, Jian Shang and the Black Wolf Cavalry held no official posts and belonged to no faction. They were merely Jian Shang's private armed force, so they could only be considered righteous volunteers.

"So you are righteous volunteers defending against the barbarians. May I ask whether you intend to head directly to the military camp, or enter the city and choose a place to settle on your own?"

The centurion looked eagerly at the seven or eight carts behind the Black Wolf Cavalry. Still, a man able to serve as the centurion guarding the city gate had some discernment.

Though they were volunteers and their leader was an Otherworlder, the soldiers among them were clearly battle-hardened veterans and well-trained elite troops. The centurion did not dare use an excuse to make things difficult for them, merely following standard procedure in asking.

After all, a force like this could rise quickly after joining the army.

At the very least, judging by this formation, Jian Shang's rank after enlisting would not merely be that of a centurion. If he ended up becoming the centurion's direct superior, things would get very troublesome!