Chapter Thirty-Four: Qin Feng, With No Cloak

“What do you mean by that, General?” Zhang Xiao had already faintly guessed why Wang Jian had summoned him, but he still asked aloud.

“Heh heh. The reason I asked you here this time is, of course, to have you go and investigate the dwelling of that ancient cultivator. Naturally, if you come across anything worthwhile, just don’t forget to save a share for me, old brother. How about it?”

Wang Fen spoke with easy generosity, not demanding any reward from Zhang Xiao. Yet this advancing by retreating only made things difficult for Zhang Xiao. If they were to spell out the division of profits now, then even if Zhang Xiao would not renege later, he would naturally keep the very best for himself and toss the inferior items to Wang Fen. Wang Fen would have no grounds to complain. But since Wang Fen had put it this way, Zhang Xiao truly found it hard to shamelessly claim every treasure for himself.

After a moment of thought, Zhang Xiao smiled and said, “Very well. Since the Grand General is so magnanimous, I certainly won’t forget this favor of yours.”

Hearing that, Wang Fen was overjoyed. Though he did not know Zhang Xiao’s true strength, he had once heard the butcher Bai Qi praise Zhang Xiao’s abilities to the heavens, and now, with his father’s recommendation as well, Wang Fen felt sure Zhang Xiao would not disappoint him.

The two exchanged smiles. Then Wang Fen shouted outside, “Men, bring out my treasured Fire-Scorched Saber. Today I’ll drink my fill with my King of the Nation!”

“Fire-Scorched Saber!”

Zhang Xiao could tell from Wang Fen’s tone that he meant to drink heavily with him, yet he had never even heard of this Fire-Scorched Saber before. Seeing Zhang Xiao’s puzzled expression, Wang Fen laughed. “Hahaha, King of the Nation, if you do not mind, I’ll presume to call you my worthy younger brother.”

Zhang Xiao smiled. “Of course. Since Brother Wang is so kind, how could I refuse? Only, what exactly is this Fire-Scorched Saber? Please enlighten me.”

Though Zhang Xiao was not fond of political maneuvering, he was still quite pleased to befriend a grand general commanding a million troops.

“Oh, that is only natural. Younger brother, you have long lived within the passes, so it is understandable that you know little of what comes from beyond them. This Fire-Scorched Saber is a medicinal liquor brewed with herbs. Crimson Blood Ridge is lashed by cold winds all year round, and especially at night, those icy gusts cut to the bone. Even our soldiers can hardly endure it, so they must drink this specially prepared liquor. Its taste is not as refined as the fine wines within the passes, but it has a flavor of its own. You won’t find it elsewhere.”

Zhang Xiao only smiled at this and did not take it seriously. With his present status, he was entitled each month to ten jars of palace wine; besides, he was not one given to drink in excess. How could he be interested in the rough brew Wang Fen praised?

Yet his expression did not change, and Wang Fen could naturally not see through his thoughts. Unfortunately for Zhang Xiao, he had underestimated Wang Fen. Though Wang Fen appeared coarse and rugged, his mind was exceptionally fine. Even if Zhang Xiao kept his feelings hidden, how could a man like Wang Fen fail to guess what he was thinking? Still, Wang Fen was not angry in the least. On the contrary, he was delighted, laughing to himself: “Ha! You look down on it now, but once you’re hooked, you’ll be the one begging me for more.”

After that, Zhang Xiao and Wang Fen spoke at length about the kingdom across the border. From Wang Fen’s words, Zhang Xiao learned that although the frontier was tense, no great war had yet broken out. After all, both states had only recently been founded; for the moment, neither side could truly read the other’s strength, and neither dared make the first rash move.

Before long, a personal guard entered the tent and reported to Wang Fen that the banquet had been prepared. Wang Fen glanced at the dimming sky and laughed.

“Haha, younger brother, come. Since you are here today, let me show you the unique flavor of this borderland.”

Seeing the confident light in Wang Fen’s eyes, Zhang Xiao grew curious and followed him up to a beacon tower. On the tower stood a pavilion, where a table of wine and dishes had already been laid out. Though the fare was exquisite, it was all simple small dishes. Even though people could already forego food and drink after reaching the Golden Core stage, the pleasures of the palate were still beloved by many. Zhang Xiao had just taken his seat when a cold wind suddenly swept past. Even with his cultivation, he found the chill piercing.

He now found Wang Fen’s choice of venue rather vexing, but Wang Fen did not care. He picked up a clay jar from the table, ripped off the seal, and a fragrance of herbs mixed with wine spread out from within. Wang Fen lifted the jar and poured Zhang Xiao a large bowl. Looking at the fiery-red liquor in the bowl, Zhang Xiao did not quite know what to do. He had never seen such vividly red wine before, and had no idea how it would taste.

“Younger brother, I never let others drink this wine. Only because you came today did I make an exception and bring it out. Come now, do not stand on ceremony. This Fire-Scorched Saber is meant to be drunk in one gulp—that is when it truly becomes satisfying. Come, younger brother, let us empty a bowl together!”

As he spoke, Wang Fen raised his own large bowl toward Zhang Xiao. Seeing this, Zhang Xiao could only smile wryly. Since Wang Fen had said as much, he naturally could not refuse him. It was not that Zhang Xiao feared Wang Fen, but rather that he respected the face of Wang Fen and the countless border soldiers who stood watch in this bitterly cold land. Otherwise, with Zhang Xiao’s strength, the word fear simply was not in his vocabulary.

He lifted the bowl and clinked it against Wang Fen’s, then drained the Fire-Scorched Saber in one long swallow.

The instant the liquor went down, before Zhang Xiao had even sat back down, his expression changed dramatically. It felt as though a mass of fire had suddenly kindled in his dantian, fierce and scorching, and in the blink of an eye it rushed through his internal organs, limbs, and meridians. A surge of heat shot straight to the crown of his head, making his face feel as though it were burning. His whole body seemed to bristle with boundless strength, desperate for release.

At that moment, gusts of cold wind swept past, yet Zhang Xiao no longer felt them cutting to the bone. On the contrary, they seemed strangely refreshing. Fire-Scorched Saber—truly, it was like a blade of flame, rough and fierce. And for some reason, Zhang Xiao found himself liking this flavor very much. Perhaps this was the liquor a man should drink. Compared with those palace wines, Zhang Xiao suddenly felt that the wines he had always drunk were fit for women.

He grabbed the jar on the table, poured himself another full bowl, and laughed aloud, “Fine wine! Such a fierce wine!”

“Hahaha! Younger brother, with such excellent liquor, how can there be no song to stir the heart? There are no dancing girls in my camp, so let the soldiers offer us a song instead.”

As he spoke, Wang Fen strode to a great drum nearby and struck it hard.

Boom!

The drumbeat rang out from the beacon tower, deep and long, carrying for miles. Then—

Boom!

Another drum sounded, though this one was not struck by Wang Fen but from another beacon tower. Then the sounds of drums rose one after another from the remaining towers.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The vast, rolling thunder of drums swept across Crimson Blood Ridge.

Great wind! Great wind! Great wind!

The million soldiers standing upon the city walls sang in unison with the drumbeats:

Who says we have no armor?
We share the same cloak.
The king raises his army;
We mend our spears and lances.
We mend our spears and lances;
Together we face the same foe!
Great wind! Great wind!

The voices of the million soldiers seemed to shake heaven and earth. On the bleak and chilling Crimson Blood Ridge, a blazing war spirit was kindled, along with a profound camaraderie that made Zhang Xiao’s blood boil as well.

Wang Fen held the drumsticks and hammered the war drum beneath him with all his strength.

Who says we have no armor?
We share the same raiment.
The king raises his army;
We ready our spears and halberds.
Together we rise as one!

The song was not beautiful, yet it stirred the heart beyond words. How could Zhang Xiao remain seated any longer? He seized the jar in his hands and drank deeply.

Feeling the fiery, violent strength of the liquor as it burned down his throat, Zhang Xiao stood upon the beacon tower and sang at the top of his lungs with Wang Fen:

Who says we have no armor?
We share the same robes.
The king raises his army;
We forge our blades and arms.
Together we march as one!

“What a soul-shaking song. What a soul-shaking battle spirit. No wonder the Qin once swept through the Six Kingdoms and founded the greatest empire in the world. If only I had possessed such an army back then, how glorious that would have been.”

At that moment, on a hill at the far side of Crimson Blood Ridge, a slender young man with keen, alert eyes listened to the waves of song drifting from afar. His face showed astonishment, but deeper still was an unhidden envy.

The soldiers around him, hearing his words, could not help but lower their eyes in shame. Even the proudest of their generals, when faced with the song and battle will rising from Crimson Blood Ridge, could only stand to the side with an embarrassed look. Some of the troops even shed tears upon hearing it. Though all of them were soldiers, they could never do what those old Qin warriors across the way had done: dye their robes in blood and live and die together.

Against such an enemy, they could only feel fear, shame, respect, and, more than anything, envy.

After a long while, although the song had faded, it still echoed within the hearts of those soldiers. The battle spirit coming from the opposite side, that fearless determination to die without regret, had branded itself deep within them like an iron seal.

The young man standing motionless upon the hill remained there like a statue, his gaze fixed on Crimson Blood Ridge. The generals around him wanted to speak and persuade him, but they did not know what to say.

At that moment, a monk in plain robes stepped forward and spoke. Hearing the words from the national preceptor behind him—“Honored Ashoka, it is late. Please return and rest early. Tomorrow you are to visit the great and virtuous elder monk”—anyone who heard this would surely cry out in surprise. For this young man, who seemed to be no more than twenty-five, was in fact the famed Ashoka, emperor of the Peacock Buddhist Kingdom.

After hearing the national preceptor’s words, Ashoka’s expression shifted. He turned to the generals behind him and said, “One day, I will conquer this wondrous land. For now, begin preparing for that day. The time may be long, perhaps very long.”

At his words, the assembled generals knelt before Ashoka in excitement, their hearts surging as well. As Ashoka descended the hill, he looked back once toward Crimson Blood Ridge and thought to himself, “Perhaps one day, I too will be conquered by him.”

Please collect, please upvote, please support! Great wind! Great wind! Roar! By the way, fellow readers, you can listen to the song Qin Wind Without Clothes; it is very stirring and beautiful.