Valley Outside the City

Li Yan had followed Strategist Ji to the main gate of the military training grounds. The moment they stepped out, Strategist Ji glanced at the crowd waiting in the distance and stopped at the gate. Li Yan followed him out as well and was about to tell his teacher that he would go inform Li Guoxin before leaving. Before he could speak, Strategist Ji turned to him with a smile. "Is there someone among those waiting who brought you here?"

Li Yan hurriedly replied, "Teacher, your insight is keen. An elder of mine brought this disciple here to enlist."

"Oh, then go tell him. After that, follow me away," Strategist Ji said.

"Yes, thank you, Teacher, for granting this." Li Yan was delighted. After bowing to Strategist Ji, he strode toward the crowd.

The several soldiers standing guard at the training grounds' gate had heard their conversation and already knew that this youngster had become Strategist Ji's disciple. They knew just how difficult it was for Strategist Ji to choose an apprentice, and they were immensely envious of Li Yan. One of them, who looked like a minor officer, stepped forward and cupped his hands in salute to Strategist Ji. "Congratulations, Strategist Ji. Your wish has finally been fulfilled." Strategist Ji nodded with a smile, then continued standing there with his hands clasped behind his back.

After offering his congratulations, the minor officer knowingly returned to his post. He thought that he ought to find an opportunity to get close to Strategist Ji's newly accepted disciple. With a teacher like Strategist Ji, the boy was certain to grow into a formidable figure in the future. If he built a good relationship with him now, would that not be a pillar to lean on within the army later? Yet he shook his head slightly. There were probably no few people thinking the same thing.

Leaving aside the minor officer's wild speculations, Li Yan had already hurried over to the waiting area. He knew he should not keep his teacher waiting long and had to make a long story short. Thus, he pulled Li Guoxin, who had come forward with a hopeful expression, to one side of the crowd and spoke to him in a low voice.

Li Guoxin had initially remained rather composed, but as he listened, his mouth slowly fell open. From time to time, "Heh, heh," sounds emerged from his throat, but he was already too stunned to speak.

By the time Li Yan finished, Li Guoxin was standing there dumbstruck. Li Yan had no choice but to call out to him several more times. Seeing that he merely answered with a dazed "Oh, oh," Li Yan knew that he was just as he himself had been earlier and could not help silently feeling ashamed.

Seeing that Uncle Guoxin would not recover anytime soon, Li Yan could only bow to him, then turn and hurry to the carriage to retrieve his bundle. He pivoted and headed swiftly back toward the military training grounds' gate.

When Li Yan came before his teacher, he bowed before Strategist Ji could speak. "This disciple has finished explaining matters to my clan uncle."

Strategist Ji smiled when he heard this. "Good. Then follow me back to my residence." He paused briefly, then continued, "I usually dislike being surrounded by attendants before and behind, so only the two of us will return together."

Li Yan found this somewhat strange. He had heard the village adults describe the grandeur and pomp with which officials traveled. Some particularly harsh officials even had the streets cleared and civilians driven away.

Yet he did not dwell on it. After all, he had never actually seen the spectacle of officials traveling with retainers and guards surrounding them.

After speaking, Strategist Ji flicked his wide sleeve and turned to proceed along the wall of the military training grounds. His sleeve fluttered at his side, while his feet carried him forward like flowing water.

Li Yan looked at his teacher's back and was truly bewildered now.

Walking? Walking with their legs? It was one thing to have no attendants or guards, but how could there not even be a carriage or horses? Li Yan gave a bitter smile. Why was this so different from what I heard in the village? It especially bore no resemblance to how the old scholar had described officials traveling. This was not the time for further thought, so he tightened his bundle over his shoulder and broke into a run after him.

Just after master and disciple left, the crowd in the waiting area erupted as though a pot had exploded. When Strategist Ji had stood at the gate earlier, quite a few people had recognized him. They saw Li Yan emerge together with him, watched Strategist Ji say something to Li Yan, and then watched Li Yan walk toward them.

Then Li Yan had pulled someone to one side of the crowd to speak with him, drawing the attention of many. Several curious people had quietly edged closer. Although Li Yan had spoken to Li Guoxin softly, it had not been a whisper directly into his ear, and those standing somewhat nearer could still catch fragments if they listened carefully.

Li Guoxin's astonished, vacant expression in particular made even those who had initially thought nothing of it want to know the reason.

It was only some time after Li Yan turned and left that Li Guoxin recovered his senses. So that man was Strategist Ji. But was what Li Yan said true? What in the world was all this? Li Yan became Strategist Ji's disciple and somehow landed the post of Deputy Commandant of Defense? Heavens, was this real?

Li Guoxin was not someone who had never seen the world. He knew a little about the posts in this military camp. He remembered that this position seemed to be Lower Eighth Rank, something no newly enlisted man could obtain.

Even battle-hardened soldiers found promotion difficult without several great merits to their names.

Li Guoxin's heart was in turmoil, rising and falling like seven buckets and eight pails. For a while, he did not know what he ought to do. Slowly, after suppressing his shock, his heart began to calm.

Yet one question remained in his mind. Why had Strategist Ji taken a liking to Li Yan? Li Yan had grown up in the village, practically under Li Guoxin's eyes. Li Guoxin had never seen anything especially outstanding about him.

Li Yan's greatest trait was merely that he possessed more calmness and composure than others his age, but that should not have been enough to catch Strategist Ji's eye.

Just as Li Guoxin was secretly pondering this, those who had overheard part of the conversation were also shocked and began sharing their guesses with the people beside them. Once Strategist Ji had left, the crowd exploded.

Many found it impossible to believe. How could someone who had only just come to enlist suddenly latch onto Strategist Ji's enormous thigh? It was simply too inconceivable.

Quite a few people directly surrounded Li Guoxin and questioned him. Li Guoxin's head swelled as large as a bushel. After hurriedly giving a few replies, he squeezed out of the crowd, unhitched the carriage, and sped away as though flying.

He needed to find an inn, settle down, and digest this news. At dawn tomorrow, he would hurry back and tell Li Yan's parents—no, the entire village, young and old alike. This boy had risen to the heavens in a single step.

As for those who remained, once the reliability of the news was confirmed, many began entertaining their own thoughts. Should they also seek some connections and investigate the matter more thoroughly? Perhaps their own family members and relatives might also have a chance to cling to that thigh?

For a time, everyone there harbored their own schemes and went off to ponder them.

Li Yan followed Strategist Ji to the inner side of the North City Gate. Strategist Ji's footsteps made no sound. He seemed to be strolling leisurely through a courtyard, yet he moved extremely quickly.

Fortunately, Li Yan had followed the village adults into the mountains to hunt since childhood, so he could still keep up. Though he was not using his full strength, he needed seven or eight parts of it just to follow. Seeing that his teacher appeared to exert no effort at all, Li Yan felt even more anticipation for his future life.

As the North City Gate came into sight, Li Yan could not help being startled. Could the strategist's residence be near the gate? But he immediately realized that he had guessed wrong, for his teacher showed no intention of stopping or turning.

When the two reached the city gate, seven or eight soldiers led by someone who looked like a squad leader were inspecting passing travelers. Li Yan looked over and saw that they were not Liu Chengyong's group of soldiers. They had presumably changed shifts and returned.

When the apparent squad leader saw Strategist Ji approach, he hurriedly cupped his hands in salute. Strategist Ji gave a slight nod and passed directly alongside the line being inspected for departure from the city. Li Yan followed closely behind.

After Strategist Ji and Li Yan left through the North Gate, the apparent squad leader looked at Li Yan's retreating figure and muttered to himself, "Strange. This man looks utterly unfamiliar, and he is not one of Lord Ji's guards. Who is he, to be able to follow Lord Ji at his side like this?"

After leaving the city with Strategist Ji, Li Yan was already confused. Outside the city, only a broad road stretched northward, with rolling mountain ranges on both sides, their depths unknown.

Could his teacher's residence be in a town dozens of li away? He had heard that troops were stationed there as well, but that would be far too distant. Traveling back and forth every day without a carriage or horse would be exceedingly difficult.

Although several dozen li were no hardship for him, constantly doing so would surely become tedious.

Strategist Ji did not speak along the way, as though he were thinking about something. He simply walked ahead at an unhurried pace. Li Yan could only follow close behind, letting his thoughts run wild as he walked.

About two li after leaving the city, Strategist Ji suddenly shifted his steps and headed left, toward the western mountain range. Li Yan looked closely and saw that a mountain path extended into the western mountains here.

They had traveled this main road when entering the city that day. There were countless little paths leading into the mountains like this along the roadside, so he had paid it no particular attention. Yet now they had turned into one.

The western range extended far deeper than the eastern mountains. The eastern mountains ran for roughly several hundred li, beyond which lay the flat terrain of the Central Plains, where one could gallop freely on horseback.

But no one knew how far the mountains stretched westward. The people here only knew that one could travel roughly four or five hundred li westward. Beyond that lay places where countless unknown demon beasts roamed.

Of those who entered, nine out of ten died. Even supreme martial experts of the jianghu dared not venture too deeply.

It was said that Marshal Hong had once led his experts roughly four hundred li into the mountains. They encountered many unknown venomous insects and savage beasts. Though he decisively withdrew, more than half his men were killed or injured.

His own face had been struck by the tail of a ferocious beast, leaving behind a hideous scar. Had he dodged even a little more slowly, that beast's tail would have pierced through his temple and entered his brain. He would have had no fate but to die miserably on the spot.

Strategist Ji led Li Yan up the small path, ascending the stone steps. They walked amid towering trees, with thick shrubs growing beneath them.

It was already the hour of You. Days were still somewhat long in early autumn, and though the sun had already sunk beyond the western hills, the sky remained bright.

Yet beneath layers upon layers of lush green leaves crowning the giant trees, the light had already dimmed somewhat. From time to time, the forest echoed with the crisp cries of weary birds returning to their nests, ringing through the tall and empty woods.

After ascending for about one li and climbing the final few stone steps, the view suddenly opened up. A vast clearing appeared before them, roughly a hundred zhang across in every direction.

The clearing was encircled layer upon layer by towering trees. Only opposite the stone steps they had climbed was there a passage wide enough for two or three people.

It was difficult to find such a large stretch of level ground in the mountains. This place must have been deliberately cleared and leveled. On either side of the exit of the descending stone stairway stood a row of tall bluestone houses, each row containing roughly four or five rooms.

They stood in a straight line. Though simple, they were clean and orderly. The broad central grounds were also neatly paved with crushed bluestone. Sandbags hung in several places, and there were sand pits and the like, all arranged in perfect order.

When Li Yan stepped onto the level ground, he saw eight soldiers standing in two rows with halberds in hand, vigilantly staring toward the stairway entrance. Upon seeing Strategist Ji, they saluted in unison, then straightened and stood on either side again.

They merely glanced at Li Yan a few times and did not question him.

Strategist Ji gave them a slight nod and walked directly inward. After only a few steps, however, he stopped and turned to one of them. "Oh, go call everyone else out. I have something to say."

"Yes." One of the soldiers answered, then strode to the center of the clearing and shouted, "My lord has returned! Everyone, come out!"

Before long, more than a dozen people emerged one after another from the bluestone houses on both sides and gathered in the center of the grounds.

Ever since reaching the platform, Li Yan had remained behind his teacher. Earlier, aside from the eight soldiers at the stone stairway entrance, he had seen many people coming and going around the bluestone houses on both sides.

Thin blue smoke curled up from the roofs of two buildings, and waves of fragrance drifted over. But the light was already dim, and the lamps shining from the rooms were not enough for him to make out things clearly from afar.

Once everyone was assembled, Strategist Ji came to the center of the grounds as well. He turned and beckoned to Li Yan, who walked over.

Only when Li Yan reached the front of these people did he discover that, aside from the eight soldiers from before, there were another twelve soldiers wearing the same standard military uniforms. Besides them, there were actually three middle-aged women.

The three middle-aged women and the two soldiers standing near the middle of the formation looked at Li Yan with curiosity. The others stood there expressionlessly.

"This is my newly accepted disciple, Li Yan. He will live here from now on," Strategist Ji said, pointing at Li Yan.

Then he said to Li Yan, "This is where I live. Those twenty soldiers were dispatched by the marshal to be responsible for vigilance and defense. The remaining women handle our meals and wash our clothes."

Li Yan looked at them, but he was somewhat surprised to find that several of them were looking at him with strangely peculiar gazes. This left him rather bewildered.