After Shen Fa left, Yang Ge busied himself again.
First, he scrubbed every piece of furniture, every door, and every window twice, whether they were dusty or not.
As soon as he put down the rag, he picked up a broom and swept from the inside out, washing every patch of floor.
Wagging his tail, Little Yellow was chased from the inner room into the courtyard, then from the courtyard back into the room. In the end, even he failed to escape Yang Ge's clutches: Yang Ge held him down in the little pool and washed him clean from head to paw.
When the setting sun filled the courtyard...
Man and dog sat side by side on the stone steps outside the house, one toweling his dripping long hair, the other licking his half-dry fur. The scene was indescribably neat and harmonious.
"What lovely weather!"
Yang Ge gazed at the deep blue sky, where stars were beginning to glimmer, then wrapped an arm around Little Yellow's neck and gently rocked his head. "Isn't it?"
Little Yellow gently wagged his tail and licked Yang Ge's cheek with his warm tongue, keeping him silent company.
A little dog might not be able to speak, but a little dog understood everything.
The heaviness and unease in Yang Ge's heart finally eased a little...
Yet peaceful moments never lasted. Just as the setting sun sank below the wall, Little Yellow suddenly raised his head, pricked up his ears, and stared solemnly at the courtyard gate.
Sure enough, a few seconds later, someone knocked.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The sound was soft, the rhythm unhurried.
But at the sound of the knocking, Yang Ge's heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
Before Little Yellow could bark, Yang Ge held his muzzle shut and gently patted his soft head in reassurance, then rose and walked toward the gate.
"Creak."
Opening the courtyard gate, Yang Ge saw a sturdy young man standing outside, dressed in ordinary hemp clothes, with an honest-looking face.
Before Yang Ge could ask anything, the visitor cupped his hands in salute and said quietly, "Your subordinate, Fang Ke. I've been ordered to guide you, sir."
The visitor was courteous, and Yang Ge returned his salute just as politely. "You're too kind. I'm hardly a 'sir'... Are we leaving now? Could you give me a moment to get ready?"
"Sir, time waits for no one," Fang Ke replied. "You must leave immediately!"
With time pressing, Yang Ge did not dwell on how Fang Ke addressed him. He merely looked at the man's empty hands and asked, "Are we going just like this?"
"For this operation, I'll serve as your assistant, sir," Fang Ke said. "Whatever weapons or equipment you need, just tell me. I'll have them ready as quickly as possible!"
"I see..."
Yang Ge thought for a few moments, then asked earnestly, "Do you have lime?"
Fang Ke briefly looked stunned, but quickly answered with a perfectly straight face. "Of course we have lime. But we have something back at headquarters that works even better. I guarantee it won't disappoint you, sir!"
Yang Ge readily accepted the suggestion. "Then let's use what you recommend. Get me an axe as well. It needs to be heavy enough to use as a hammer, with a head broad enough to use as a shield."
Fang Ke was more knowledgeable than Yang Ge. "Would that be a broad battle-axe, sir? Do you usually use a long haft or a short one?"
Yang Ge considered it. "A short one."
Fang Ke cupped his hands. "Please come with me, sir. I'll have my comrades deliver the weapons and equipment to the ambush site."
"Let me lock the gate first," Yang Ge said.
The last glow of sunset gradually faded.
Yang Ge followed Fang Ke swiftly through several secluded alleys, climbed out of the city using a rope, then sprinted northeast. Before long, he heard running water.
"The Bian River?"
Yang Ge looked toward the sound of the water and asked in surprise, "Didn't you say they were Tartar spies? Why would they be heading south?"
The Bian River was a man-made canal, with many treacherous stretches and rapids where the current was far too fierce. Wind in the sails and the strength of oars alone could not carry boats upstream through those rapids; large teams of trackers had to help haul them along.
And under normal seasonal conditions, no trackers hauled boats at night.
Thus, ordinarily, the only boats on the Bian River at night traveled downstream, never upstream.
Fang Ke cupped his hands. "Sir, my orders were to guide you to the designated ambush site. I don't know any of the other details."
Yang Ge stared steadily at him, pondering inwardly. If someone as important as Shen Fa wanted to screw me over, he could toss out any bullshit excuse and throw me in prison. Would he need to make it this complicated?
He thought it unlikely that Shen Fa was using him as a blade, but still decided to stay on guard. Unless he had absolutely no choice, he would not deal anyone a killing blow. "All right... Where's the stuff I asked for?"
Fang Ke extended a hand in invitation. "Please follow me, sir."
Puzzled, Yang Ge followed him at a brisk pace into the woods beside the river.
They had not gone far into the woods when Fang Ke leaped onto an oddly shaped rock, then jumped down holding a square wooden box in both hands. He landed with a dull thud.
"Take a look, sir!"
Fang Ke opened the wooden box in front of Yang Ge.
By the bright moonlight, Yang Ge immediately saw the rust-speckled, ornamented axe lying inside, its head broader than a washbasin.
Should I praise you for your prompt support, or complain that you couldn't even be bothered to put on an act?
He could guarantee that, after meeting Fang Ke, he had only delayed for the brief moment it took to go inside and fetch the gate lock-two or three minutes at most!
Yet in that two- or three-minute interval, Fang Ke had not only relayed his equipment requirements to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but the Guard had also set out after them and delivered everything to the designated spot ahead of them...
Since he was already here, Yang Ge could not be bothered to complain further about Shen Fa taking off his trousers just to fart. He silently stepped forward, picked up the short-hafted axe, and hefted it.
"Does the weapon suit you, sir?" Fang Ke asked.
Yang Ge casually swung the axe, his movements light and effortless, as though what he held was not a heavy battle-axe but a weightless stalk of foxtail grass. "It'll do!"
Listening to the frightening succession of deep whooshes as the axe tore through the air, Fang Ke began to question his understanding of the world. He picked up the slip of paper listing the weapon's specifications and glanced at it. By the bright moonlight, he could just make out such phrases as "wrought-iron battle-axe" and "weight: sixty-two jin."
"Gulp."
Fang Ke swallowed, then quietly edged two steps backward, trying to put a little more distance between himself and the swinging battle-axe.
Only after Yang Ge stopped swinging the great axe did Fang Ke pick up the four remaining egg-shaped black pellets in the box and show them to him. "Take a look, sir. These are called 'Ghostly Walls.' They're made from gunpowder mixed with eye-stinging powder, nose-irritating powder, itching powder, and other substances. To use one, simply channel a little inner force into it from your palm while gripping it, then throw it. In the flick of a finger, it'll let out a tremendous bang. Used properly, it can turn an enemy into a pig that can't see, hear, or smell, and itches unbearably all over!"
Yang Ge set down the great axe and curiously accepted the black pellets Fang Ke offered, gently holding one between his fingertips to examine it. "What's its effective range?"
"Sir, its effective range is five feet," Fang Ke replied. "But you must remember never to use one against a Qi Sea expert. The slightest mistake could turn it back on you!"
"A Qi Sea expert?"
If Yang Ge remembered correctly, Qi Sea experts were those who had cultivated internal qi. Shen Fa also seemed to have mentioned in passing that internal qi could be projected outside the body.
He imagined using a Ghostly Wall against a Qi Sea expert, only for the enemy to strike from a distance with one palm and blow all the eye-stinging, nose-irritating, and itching powder straight back into his face. He immediately shuddered.
He was just about to return the Ghostly Walls in his hands to Fang Ke when a harsh chorus of "caw, caw, caw" suddenly came from the distant woods. Hearing it, Fang Ke turned and drew a gleaming Ox-Tail Saber from somewhere. "Sir, our guests have arrived!"
After a moment's thought, Yang Ge tucked the Ghostly Walls at his waist after all, picked up the great axe, and darted after Fang Ke toward the Bian River.
Before long, three or four small cargo boats appeared upstream on the Bian River.
Strings of lanterns hung along both sides of these cargo boats, serving as lights and marking their outlines. A hundred or so lanterns drifted downstream, illuminating the pitch-black river.
Amid the swaying halos of light, merchant flags bearing the character "Xie" snapped in the wind.
A dark cloud drifted over, obscuring the moonlight.
I've been away these past few days, and after getting home today, I'm still a little out of it. I spent the whole afternoon writing, but the inspiration just wasn't flowing. Please let me take one more day off. Starting tomorrow, I'll definitely update consistently...
Before you continue