Duan Wu decided to follow Yan Zijin, primarily because she saw Little Squirrel. But it wasn't just because the boy had been caught by human traffickers that she felt coerced by Yan Zijin. After what happened with Lala, Duan Wu had become more cautious around other children. Rather than thinking she wanted to rescue Little Squirrel from Yan Zijin's clutches, it was more that she first wanted to understand why Little Squirrel had appeared by the White Jade River.
Last night, in the company of Yuchi Wuyi, Duan Wu experienced too much. On the way back to the mansion, even as she seemed to be asleep, her mind couldn't rest. After feeling shock, pain, joy, and fear, her perception of Yuchi had shifted. Based on her limited life experience, she couldn't quite convince herself to trust him completely. An easy life, a refined gentleman, the grandeur of the White Jade Kingdom—all seemed within reach. But is happiness ever so easy to obtain? Can a lifetime of hardship be instantly erased by a single encounter? Undoubtedly, she had a keen eye for recognizing treasures. But considering Yuchi's wisdom, could he have been placing all his hopes on a distant young slave from the South Sea Bay before meeting her? Were the women locked behind iron gates also meant to be assistants in his White Jade Kingdom?
Having grown up in the cold environment of the Pearl Harvesting Office, Duan Wu had learned to manage without causing trouble, trying her best to fulfill her duties. If she were asked to hold a spittoon, she would love the spittoon. If she were asked to swat flies, she would cherish the flyswatter. When asked to calculate on an abacus, she would dream about it, not to mention the long days spent handling pearls in the trading house. Though she was now thousands of miles from Lianzhou, habits don't change overnight. Seeing how Yuchi interacted with Yan Zijin at the mansion gate, Duan Wu knew that if she stayed, Yuchi would have no choice but to clash with his old acquaintance Yan Zijin. Even if Yuchi were willing to break ties, considering Yan Zijin's connections, Yuchi might end up offending the Nomun Palace and the nobles in the capital. This was not what Duan Wu wanted.
She decided to travel with Yan Zijin to observe the situation and also to avoid indebting herself to Yuchi.
With these thoughts, Duan Wu exhaled deeply, no longer feeling foolish.
Little Squirrel’s face was pale. Duan Wu knelt down and patted his shoulder, "Hey, hold on! You don't want people saying that the poet's son has a weak spine, do you?"
Little Squirrel made a few grunts. Duan Wu, feeling the slow, steady rhythm of the camel bells, grew anxious. She lifted the curtain and shouted impatiently, "He’s going to die! Where’s the water?"
Yan Zijin swiftly came over. Duan Wu now realized that he possessed some martial skills—it was no wonder Yuchi mentioned his "improved skills." He had been able to follow Yuchi to the Jade River without being noticed and had taken Little Squirrel right from under Yuchi's nose in the chaos. He was almost a master.
There was no hint of satisfaction on Yan Zijin's face from having successfully coerced her; his eyes were no longer half-closed, giving off that "plague god" vibe.
He lightly leaped onto the carriage, gently flicking Duan Wu’s shoulder. The impact left her shoulder numb.
Yan Zijin quickly unwrapped the cloth around Little Squirrel’s hand. The child groaned in pain. Duan Wu frowned.
In the morning light, the wound on Little Squirrel's palm looked even more horrifying.
Yan Zijin placed his hand over Little Squirrel's wrist bone. "I knew something was wrong when I saw you appear at the cemetery of the dead in the desert in the middle of the night. Who sent you to trespass on forbidden ground? That so-called illustrious city lord has always loved using traps. Your hand was pierced by a 'Bone-Eating Nail'; it's probably crippled now! If you don’t tell the truth, I won’t save you. After all, a slave with a crippled hand can't be sold."
Little Squirrel trembled in pain, biting down on a lock of his red hair and answered:
"A thousand years ago, the Jade River existed, and everything belongs to the Creator. Everyone claims to be the master, but I don’t know what the forbidden ground is."
Yan Zijin opened his bloodied palm, and the boy let out a heart-wrenching scream, making Duan Wu’s breathing quicken.
"Speak! You keep mumbling about a brother. Who is your brother?" Yan Zijin pressed.
Little Squirrel, shaking like a fish stranded in a parched desert, struggled to respond:
"My parents loved me with ten measures of love, nine of which they bestowed upon me. The remaining one they took with them to heaven. I have no siblings…"
Yan Zijin was about to apply more force when Duan Wu suddenly grabbed his sleeve and shouted, "Stop torturing him! If he dies, I guarantee you'll lose two people."
Yan Zijin shot her a cold glance. "Don’t pretend to be overflowing with kindness. You didn’t leave just to save his life. The dying are the best at playing the victim; he’s not the first one I’ve seen!"
He took out a piece of cake from his bag. "Make him sit up! Feed him this."
Duan Wu thought: Yan Zijin wouldn’t let Little Squirrel die so easily. So, she let the boy lean against her leg, broke the cake into pieces, and brought it to his mouth.
Little Squirrel suddenly became clear-headed, turning his head away and refusing the food. He said:
"Merchants are the worst of the worst, No one has a blacker heart than they. I’d rather be satisfied with a bone like a vulture, Than let bad men's food pollute my soul."
Without Yan Zijin’s intervention, Duan Wu also felt like punching the foolish boy. If he were in the Pearl Harvesting Office, he’d have been fed to the dogs by now.
Yan Zijin stared at Little Squirrel, a cold smile playing on his thin lips.
As he pulled out a thin knife, a small bottle, and a silk cloth from his bag, he said, "Yes, I am a bad person. I only want the living, not the dead!"
With that, the knife flashed, and he directly cut away the decayed flesh from the wound. Little Squirrel let out a blood-curdling scream.
Duan Wu held the struggling boy tightly. She didn’t think about much, just pressing her lips to his cold, sweat-soaked forehead, whispering, "Hold on, hold on."
Yan Zijin pinned Little Squirrel’s flailing legs with his knee and sarcastically remarked to Duan Wu, "Two good people, but a bit too foolish."
Duan Wu's eyes blazed with anger as she suddenly understood the hidden meaning in his words. Hastily, she slipped her fingertips into her mouth, her tongue going numb. Was it an anesthetic? She forced Little Squirrel to swallow the crumbled cake bit by bit. The boy slowly went limp. Yan Zijin quickly wrapped the injured hand with silk cloth. Duan Wu watched intently, thinking to herself: So, he had this skill all along. Back at the Broken Hope Pond...
Yan Zijin’s fingers moved swiftly as he wrapped the bandage, a look of disdain on his face. Without finishing the bandaging, he began to organize his backpack.
Duan Wu called out to him, with a playful smile, "Master? Your skills are quite something, but don’t let this servant catch you planting rotten peaches in spring."
Yan Zijin glanced at her, "Each piece of silk costs five hundred coins. He’s only worth one. Since it will need washing later, why waste more? Do you consider yourself a slave? I don’t have the fortune to enjoy such a luxury. Heading to Ye’erqiang, who knows if the sky will drop a few more of your old friends and relatives?"
Duan Wu bit her lip, not responding, and instead focused on securely tying the silk cloth.
The group had already left the oasis behind. The dawn light broke through, casting its glow on the jagged sandstone rocks standing on the Gobi Desert.
Just as Yan Zijin dismounted from the carriage, six horses came galloping from Hotan. Two of them passed by, while the other four riders dismounted upon seeing him.
He eyed them coldly, "What is it? Has Yuchi Wuyi changed his mind?"
"Reporting to you, sir: after your hurried departure from the city lord, he feared you might not have brought enough water for the journey. So he ordered us to deliver eight water bags to you. Additionally, the city lord mentioned that, despite any disagreements, your long-standing relationship would not be strained. He suggests you go ahead to Ye’erqiang City, and once he has finished his business, he will also head to Nomun Palace. He also sent a box of precious pearls, asking you to deliver it to the prince..."
A mist formed in Yan Zijin’s clear eyes as he considered this. "Were those two riders heading straight to Ye’erqiang City? It seems the city lord’s gift will arrive before mine. What else did he say?"
"Yes, sir. The city lord specifically requested that Miss Duan Wu, who is accompanying you, is a rare 'treasure-knowing girl' in the Western Regions. He earnestly asks that you allow her to escort the pearls. The city lord plans to meet you at the Chagatai Khan's tent in a few days to express his gratitude. The four of us know the way well and have some martial skills. The city lord fears the Kunlun bandits might harass you, so he instructed us to accompany you. We hope for your approval."
Duan Wu, inside the carriage, pricked up her ears, her eyes darting. She hadn’t expected Yuchi to entrust her with guarding that string of precious pearls. With Yuchi being so considerate, if Yan Zijin refused, he would appear stubbornly unreasonable. But what if Yuchi’s men saw Little Squirrel... What would happen?
Thinking of this, she quickly poked her head out, the curtain draped over her back, and cheerfully said, "Did the city lord praise me? I’m right here. Master, should we accept the box?"
Yan Zijin nodded, and the box was handed to Duan Wu.
A gust of wind came, making her cough as she rubbed her nose, "Ugh! This cursed sandstorm!" She pulled herself back into the carriage and tied the curtain securely.
Opening the box, the pearls shimmered, with a small, thumb-sized jade Buddha nestled among the necklace. Its adorable, chubby face made Duan Wu smile.
Was this Yuchi's protective charm for her? He had truly thought of everything. With this charm, she felt reassured about the journey to Ye’erqiang. She clutched the little Buddha, pulled out a few strands of hair, and strung it around her neck. The cool jade pressed against her chest, and Yuchi Wuyi’s smile seemed close in her mind.
Once the matter with Little Squirrel was resolved and Yan Zijin’s threat was lifted, she would honor her promise and help Yuchi Wuyi as much as she could. There probably wouldn’t be any more old friends or relatives along the way. But as a girl born under the calamus, she believed she could tame demons and conquer evil.
Perhaps out of concern for the hidden Little Squirrel in the carriage, Yan Zijin kept the four guards at the front of the convoy.
Duan Wu remained inside the carriage, occasionally peeking out to see only the blazing sun and desolate desert. The steady breathing of Little Squirrel filled the carriage with the soothing scent of medicinal herbs. Gradually, she felt at ease. Someone tossed a small water jug and a few pouches into the carriage. She managed to get them to Little Squirrel. It was easy to give him water, but he couldn’t eat. Remembering the half-pack of walnuts and pine nuts, she dug them out and fed him bit by bit, not eating a single one herself. It was a gift from Little Squirrel when they first met. It wasn’t about re-gifting but returning what was his. She yawned and dozed off on the journey. She wrapped the pearl box in a piece of cloth, sometimes using it as a pillow, sometimes as a footrest.
When they reached a barren hillside, the group shouted, "We’ve arrived at the Agate Beach!"
There was a burst of excitement as everyone, both man and beast, relieved their fatigue. They all scattered across the fine sand, searching for agate stones in the fading sunset. Duan Wu, now fully rested, was in high spirits. Not daring to stray far from the carriage, she scooped up handfuls of sand here and there. The shallow beach, devoid of any vegetation, surprisingly held a good amount of agate. But from Duan Wu’s discerning eye, none of them were of great quality. They were only worth playing with, not much value. She picked out two colors she liked.
Yan Zijin sat upright on his horse, not stopping them. He pointed to a distant sky filled with vultures, saying loudly, "A few of you, go check it out."
The men returned shortly, stumbling and shouting, "Master! It’s bad, the bandits are nearby! Those bodies have been picked clean by vultures, but they’re still warm!"
The news snapped everyone out of their joy, throwing the group into a panic.
Duan Wu felt a chill run down her spine. The Kunlun bandits... they could appear in such a place...
Yan Zijin tightened his reins, calmly commanding, "Don’t panic! I’ve traveled this road many times; we will be safe. Since the bandits just raided Agate Beach, they won’t be back anytime soon. No fires, no fooling around, stay alert. We must reach the Kunlun Pass by tonight."
He urged his horse to the front and led the way.
Duan Wu climbed back into the carriage, finding Little Squirrel awake and looking at her.
"You’re awake? Does it still hurt?"
Little Squirrel shook his head and asked, "Bandits?"
"Those wretched villains," Duan Wu replied, sitting on the box. "Merchants are bad—they want money but not lives—but bandits are worse. They want money and lives."
Little Squirrel's eyelashes fluttered. "There are many treasures on Agate Beach, but my heart desires only the chicken heart red one."
Duan Wu just so happened to have such a stone. Generously, she handed it to him, then stared at him intently. "Hey, how exactly did you end up at the Yulong Kashi River?"
Clutching the agate, Little Squirrel replied, "Even if the Devil himself stepped on my head, I wouldn't reveal the truth."
Duan Wu snorted. Little Squirrel turned his back to her, and after a while, he said softly, "Sister, I'm sorry."
Duan Wu let out a small laugh, thinking to herself: You may not reveal the truth, but if you can get away with it, that’s what really matters! I doubt it’s possible, though.
As Yan Zijin insisted, the carriage jolted through the night. At dawn, they reached the mouth of Kunlun Mountain. What had been sweltering heat turned suddenly cold. Duan Wu, unaccustomed to the cold, could only bear it in silence. The caravan pressed onward along the official road without rest, until late at night, when the carriage stopped in a pine forest.
The night sky was dazzling, with dark streams flowing below and birds chirping softly. Duan Wu, hugging her shoulders, stepped out of the carriage and rubbed her hands together.
She was startled to realize that most of the group had continued along the main road and had already gone far ahead. When she asked the driver, she learned that this place was called "Eagle’s Mouth," a treacherous terrain with several hidden ancient paths through the sheepfolds in addition to the official road.
To be cautious, Yan Zijin had split the group in two. The main group, guarding the valuable goods, had gone ahead to the Ye’erqiang post station along the official road. Yan Zijin had stayed behind with a smaller group to rest and planned to take a shortcut to Ye’erqiang at dawn to rendezvous with the others.
Tonight, those who stayed behind were mainly the tired and the sick, including the children in the carriage. Duan Wu thought: The bandits are likely after the goods, so Yan Zijin’s decision seems reasonable. However, with the treasure pearls in the carriage, how could this be considered traveling light? It was unclear whether Yan Zijin was overconfident or had another motive. Fortunately, the four guards from Yuchi’s household had also been sent ahead, allowing Little Squirrel to finally step out for some fresh air.
She helped Little Squirrel out of the carriage, but the driver warned, "Master told you to keep a close eye on him."
"I know! If Master is so worried, why doesn't he come to watch him himself? Wouldn’t that be better?" Duan Wu retorted.
Little Squirrel blushed, sidling up to a tree. Duan Wu knew he needed some privacy, so she turned her head, looking around.
Eagle’s Mouth was a narrow pass between two mountains, with steep cliffs and hanging vines. Though treacherous, it was more interesting than the desert.
When she looked back, Little Squirrel had straightened up but looked uneasy. Duan Wu noticed him glancing repeatedly at a pine tree, which made her curious.
The night was deep, and she couldn’t make anything out clearly. With the driver nearby, she couldn’t investigate further. Little Squirrel climbed back into the carriage and immediately fell asleep.
The mountain morning was cold and damp. As they prepared to depart, Duan Wu lay at the back of the carriage, studying those pine trees. As the carriage moved farther, the forest brightened.
Finally, she spotted a flame-shaped mark on one of the pine trees. Could it have been... Little Squirrel’s handiwork?
She turned her eyes and whispered in Little Squirrel’s ear as he slept, "Hey, your flame mark has been discovered!"
Little Squirrel sat up suddenly, his face full of fear. Duan Wu pressed him down, laughing. "Looks like I hit the mark. What are you up to? You asked me for an agate stone just to carve it into tree bark? What are you trying to do? If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll go straight to Yan Zijin."
Little Squirrel grabbed her, his eyes filled with desperation.
Then he suddenly let her go, speaking slowly and deliberately, "I never betray kindness. You may not believe me, and you can sell me out if you wish."
Duan Wu felt a stir in her heart. Little Squirrel’s expression was familiar to her. Betraying kindness was shameful; she was only testing him. Between Yan Zijin and Little Squirrel, she wouldn’t choose to trust the former.
She lowered her voice in warning, "Don’t try any more tricks. It’s shameful to betray others, but isn’t it just as wrong to hide things from a friend?"
A servant passed by and asked through the carriage curtain, "Duan Wu, Master wants to know what you two are arguing about."
Duan Wu poked her head out with a fierce expression, "Huh? We’re just bickering like siblings, what’s it to you?"
The man jumped, startled, but still climbed into the carriage and, with a few clicks, locked a fine chain around Little Squirrel’s legs.
He said to Duan Wu, "Master’s afraid he won’t behave. You take this and change his bandages tonight."
Loose stones clattered down the narrow mountain path. Duan Wu grabbed the bottle of medicine, nearly hitting her head.
Yan Zijin, taking a risky route, had chosen a narrow path. Since it was the Eagle’s Mouth, they were bound to encounter trouble. First, a donkey lost its footing and fell off the cliff, then a man got hit by a falling rock. The carriage, weighed down, was hard to maneuver, so Duan Wu got out.
Worried about the string of pearls, she thought it over and decided to hide the pearls in her sleeve while Little Squirrel slept, leaving the ornate box empty beneath the seat.
The night grew darker, the moonlight serene, as Yan Zijin led the group to a spacious cave in the mountainside. The Kunlun Mountains had many caves of various sizes, some ancient, others naturally formed. The air was filled with echoes of voices, all men except for Duan Wu.
She changed Little Squirrel’s bandages, noticing how the silk cloth was soaked in thick blood. The driver, watching, clicked his tongue.
Duan Wu thought: It really does need washing. She looked around, but Yan Zijin seemed to be absent.
She told the driver and then left the cave. With such a treacherous location, no one worried about her trying to escape.
Following the sound of water, Duan Wu made her way down a small path. As she washed the silk cloth, she happened to spot Yan Zijin.
He was moving gracefully, holding that pot of red orchids, walking along an ancient, narrow path ten or so feet above the trail, inching forward cautiously.
What... What is he doing? Duan Wu was utterly shocked. Could he be planning to abandon everyone and go off on his own?
Her lingering doubts about Yan Zijin over the past days pushed her to follow along the edge of the cliff. From below, she could watch Yan Zijin without being seen.
Although summer was nearing its end, the valleys of Kunlun Mountain were still lush with wildflowers, and ancient trees towered above.
Before she knew it, Duan Wu had followed Yan Zijin to the base of a vast cliff.
Yan Zijin, holding the red orchid, stood alone on the steep precipice.
Duan Wu’s neck was aching from craning up to watch him. Across the valley, there was a large rock that offered a better view. She turned her head and neck, stepped over some deadwood, and was just about to climb the rock when her feet got entangled in a mass of ancient vines. She struggled to free herself, and as she did, the pearls slipped from her sleeve and fell onto the mossy ground.
At that moment, Yan Zijin, from atop the cliff, let out a piercing cry: "Sister Lan!" The sound of the echo reverberated off the mountain.
Duan Wu broke out in a cold sweat. Could Yan Zijin be about to throw himself off the cliff for a woman?
In the cold moonlight, Yan Zijin’s figure seemed frail, like a delicate porcelain statue that could shatter with a touch. His hands were empty, and the red orchid was nowhere to be seen.
So, all this time, he had been carrying the red orchid to throw it off the cliff—for a woman named Lan, who must have loved orchids dearly. Could she be a spirit, a ghost of the past? Duan Wu wondered: People are so different from one another. Even under such harsh conditions, Yan Zijin still indulged in memories of lost love. Meanwhile, she was trapped, struggling for survival. She reached out for the pearls, but her efforts were in vain.
Should she call out to Yan Zijin? Would he even hear her? And if he did, would he kill her to keep his secret?
Her thoughts raced as she saw Yan Zijin begin to turn back. She couldn’t help but cry out, “Help!”
The sound was muffled, lost in the howling mountain wind. Duan Wu’s heart sank: This time, she really owed Yan Zijin! But she didn’t want to die...
Suddenly, the ancient vines at her feet loosened. Four or five masked riders appeared on the mountainside.
They stood still, all seemingly looking in her direction. For some reason, Duan Wu was reminded of the mirage she had seen earlier, a group of shadowy figures.
Who were these people? Could there be mirages in the mountains too? She was stunned, her legs numb, unable to move.
She pounded the ground, reaching for the pearls with her fingertips. But before she could grasp them, a hand reached out and picked them up first.
The pearls blended with the pearlescent skin, making it hard to tell where one ended and the other began.
Duan Wu looked up to see a black-robed, masked man standing before her. Over his shoulder, he carried a bow adorned with simple mountain flowers.
He was like a mirage himself, as if he belonged to the Kunlun Mountains with the crescent moon and falling snow. Or if he were to sail the seas, he would be at one with the clear sky and water.
His forehead was smooth, and his black, tousled hair glimmered with a golden hue in the sunlight, blowing gently in the wind. His straight, high-bridged nose was unlike any she had seen among the people of the Central Plains. Until this night, Duan Wu had only seen such a nose in an angel mosaic brought from Constantinople by fervent devotees. His eyes were even more unlike those of the Central Plains—deep, clear blue, as transparent as the heavens.
Duan Wu was breathless, her gaze falling on the necklace. The man, with impeccable manners, gave a slight bow and returned the pearls to her hand.
A magnificent black horse appeared behind the masked man. Before Duan Wu could catch her breath, the man had effortlessly lifted her onto the horse with one arm.
His hands were elegant, yet his strength was astonishing. As Duan Wu glanced down, a thought flashed through her mind.
His waist was slim, and a silver-sheathed scimitar hung at his side. He mounted the horse with a motion as swift as lightning.
His arm encircled Duan Wu, the calluses on his hand brushing against her arm. His chest pressed against her back, warming her against the mountain chill.
The other riders silently surrounded him. With a squeeze of his legs, the horses moved forward, as silent as ghosts.
Duan Wu held her breath, the answer forming in her mind: Are they bandits?
Yes, he and the others—they must be the bandits of the Kunlun Mountains!
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