This mind is clear.

Jiang Heng had Zhao Chen's men lead the way, and he rode his Jiguang horse, setting off the next day. Because of Zhao Chen's men leading the way, he was able to speed along the main road without hindrance. Jiang Heng memorized many landmarks along the way, just in case. Several days later, he arrived at Zhao Chen's place. Someone was already waiting outside the door. Zhao Chen was standing in the hall. Upon seeing Jiang Heng, he arranged for him to stay again and await instructions. Zhao Chen felt pity upon seeing Jiang Heng. He knew what kind of person Jiang Zhong was, and he knew the hidden story behind it all. He understood Jiang Heng's difficulties, but due to his special status, he could only probe indirectly, letting Jiang Heng figure it out himself. Jiang Zhong is sometimes arrogant and willful, which offends many people. He was not afraid when he had a wife and only son. Now Zhao Chen is afraid that Jiang Heng will inherit this personality. He is even more afraid that Jiang Heng will act more recklessly because he has no ties. Therefore, he is determined to protect him secretly, but suppress him in public and protect him as much as possible.

These past few days, Jiang Heng has been unsettled. He himself has no worries, but he is concerned about the safety of the people of Banrihua and the Sadaoqi. However, there is nothing he can do right now, so he is determined to stay calm and study the classics to qualify for a government post. Of course, he cannot just stay by Zhao Chen's side as a strategist.

Having seized the opportunity, Jiang Heng entered the main hall and spoke frankly to Zhao Chen: "I have been pondering this deeply recently. If I could enter the court, I might be able to provide you with another ally. Currently, the various factions in the court are locked in a stalemate. Although you hold military power, you lack someone within the civil service system who can lend you support. If I could establish myself in the court, I could both relay information about the court's movements and use my position to mediate for you. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?" Jiang Heng paused for a moment and continued, "If you still have doubts, I can write a pledge, stating that I will never fail you in my life."

"Your qualifications are still shallow. Serve me for now, and once you've learned some real skills, it won't be too late for you to enter the court," Zhao Chen said dismissively. "Besides, you're not afraid of being beheaded, and you have no relatives or friends, so what use are written petitions?"

Jiang Heng hesitated and remained silent; his life was indeed less important than his lofty ideals.

"You just want a salary, right? I'll give you double what the court offers," Zhao Chen said, dissatisfied. Although he was confident that Jiang Heng wouldn't become Fu Qinxiang's new favorite, he wasn't sure if Jiang Heng could resist Fu Qinxiang's aphrodisiac. His repeated denials were actually an attempt to protect Jiang Heng.

"No, I had no such intention," Jiang Heng said calmly, knowing he would be misunderstood.

Zhao Chen smiled: "I've seen many scholars like you, outwardly appearing to uphold righteousness, but inwardly only concerned with their salaries." He lightly touched the brim of his hat. "Jiang Zhong regarded you as a precious jewel, and you've experienced wealth and honor firsthand. You must be more attached to it than most, more determined than others, right?" Zhao Chen had indeed seen many people flock to his residence claiming loyalty and righteousness for official titles. Initially, he valued them and agreed to recommend them. However, once these men entered the court, they all became Fu Qinxiang's male favorites, spending their days amidst piles of silver and discussing romance. Keep in mind, they were all talented scholars who had passed the imperial examinations. Later, Zhao Chen became furious, driving those seeking recommendations out of his residence and ordering that he would never entertain such people again, thus calming the storm. For a time, the news spread throughout Tiansong, causing a great uproar. Guests visiting his residence decreased significantly, and he was constantly mocked by Fu Qinxiang in court, which was truly unpleasant.

Jiang Heng was overwhelmed with emotion. Knowing he couldn't change his mind, he silently bowed and took his leave. The path was shaded by evergreen trees. They weren't truly "evergreen," but rather, old leaves fell and new leaves grew simultaneously, making them appear evergreen. Jiang Heng couldn't help but slow his pace, reverently gazing at the treetops, meeting the gaze of those leaves bathed in golden sunlight.

This heart is bright, what more can be said?

Looking at that retreating figure, Zhao Chen felt as if he were seeing an old friend, and murmured, "Jiang Zhong, you have a successor."

—————

Xiao Hanjin, after a few days of recuperation, was eager to set off. However, seeing the boy's extreme poverty, he thought that perhaps joining the Sa Taqi would provide better supplies. His medical skills would also offer the Sa Taqi more protection. But was this too selfish? If other armies were attacked, he might not be able to come to their aid. While Xiao Hanjin hesitated, the boy suddenly tugged at his sleeve. Under Xiao Hanjin's questioning gaze, he ran to a stack of papers, pulled out two sheets, and pieced them together. It read:

I'll go with you.

Xiao Han was greatly alarmed and asked without hesitation, "But how will your parents live in peace? How will the other armies be rescued?"

Tears finally welled up in the boy's eyes. He shook his head, stepped forward, grabbed Xiao Hanjin's clothes, and knelt down. His parents, who had already packed their bags, rushed over upon hearing the commotion. They comforted their child, speaking in the Xinjiang language, nodding repeatedly to Xiao Hanjin, and pointing in the direction of Ganjiang, meaning they wanted to return to Ganjiang. Xiao Hanjin had trained with the army since childhood. The soldiers were often taught that the Ganjiang people were masters of disguise and should be wary. Therefore, the army, including the Sa Ta cavalry, firmly believed that the Ganjiang were uncivilized barbarians. However, after these days of rest, Xiao Hanjin's previous understanding was completely overturned. He stood there, stunned, overwhelmed with mixed feelings. If Zhao Peiming were here, someone would surely make the decision, but now he was the only one to decide. He gritted his teeth, already considering giving up, but now that he had just received the news last night that everyone had arrived at Hengdao Mountain, and with the boy clinging on so tightly, he wavered.

After helping the boy onto his horse, Xiao Han, still worried about the elderly couple, planned to escort them to Honglan Road before reuniting with the others. However, just as they left the thatched hut, the two hunched old men suddenly straightened up, moving like young men, and walked towards Honglan without looking back. Xiao Han was stunned, and then heard the boy on horseback let out a triumphant laugh. It seemed this Xinjiang man truly possessed extraordinary skills, Xiao Han thought, becoming even more wary.

When Xiaohan arrived at Hengdao Mountain, the group had already set up camp. The leader was Zhao Peiming, who was currently observing the surroundings from a large rock. It seemed he had escaped safely and reunited with the others after receiving the letter. Xiaohan was overjoyed, completely forgetting that he had brought the boy with him. Only after running over did he realize his mistake from the strange looks he received from those around him. After some explanation, the soldiers were indeed abuzz with discussion.

“Brother Xiao! This man must not be kept alive! He is a barbarian, and he will certainly not be of one mind with us from the Central Plains!” Zhou Ze said, bowing. Xiao Hanjin looked at the boy's right eye in surprise, speechless for a moment. “That’s right, Brother Xiao! This man can’t even speak Chinese, keeping him around is useless.” Someone else chimed in. “Where should we throw him, and let him wait to die?” Xiao Hanjin replied, frowning.

The crowd gasped, but their expressions were skeptical, and they began whispering amongst themselves.

"Xiao Hanjin, come here," Zhao Peiming said. Everyone fell silent instantly, wanting to hear what Zhao Peiming had to say. Xiao Hanjin put down his sword, took off his armor, and turned to signal the boy to follow him.

"I ask you, when and why did you save this boy?" Zhao Peiming asked. "Reporting to the Governor, this man saved my life near the Fengyue Pavilion after we were separated, and he has also saved a large number of soldiers!" Xiao Han knelt down on the ground. "I beg the Governor to spare his life. He can be kept as a surgeon, which would be of great use. I am willing to reduce my daily food allowance by half to provide for him. If he harbors any disloyalty, I am willing to accept the consequences!"

“Get up, we haven’t finished asking questions yet,” Zhao Peiming said. Military rules were of utmost importance; breaking even the slightest rule was treason, so Xiao Hanjin dared not rise. Suddenly, the boy seemed to mimic him, kneeling down with a thud. Xiao Hanjin was naturally unsurprised, but this left the surrounding onlookers speechless—how could barbarians understand Han etiquette? Everyone was somewhat incredulous.

"Ethnic differences exist, how can you prove he has no ulterior motives?" Zhao Peiming asked without changing his expression. Xiao Han turned to the side, grabbed the boy's wrist, and lifted it up, making the scar on the boy's wrist clearly visible. The boy, with his amber eyes, looked around curiously and innocently, even frowning to show that his wrist was hurt. Seeing his appearance, everyone felt sorry for him and could no longer contain themselves, beginning to discuss whether the boy was loyal.

“Governor, please look. This is the scar left by this person when he used his own flesh and blood as a medicinal ingredient to brew medicine for me. It is clear that this person must have been very kind to me!” Xiao Han’s voice trembled. He could not believe that the Ganjiang people, who were always treacherous and cunning, could be so sincere.

"Hmm, it seems this man's gratitude is indeed evident," Zhao Peiming remarked thoughtfully. He leaped down from the rock and helped Xiao Hanjin to his feet. As a child, when he learned of the treacherous nature of the Jiang people, Zhao Peiming had never believed it, insisting on witnessing it firsthand, even for which he had been punished with a beating, yet he still remained skeptical. Now, however, his suspicions had been proven true. A commander helping a soldier was a great honor in the army, signifying not only acceptance of the man's respect but also approval, even praise. Seeing that Zhao Peiming had agreed, the others dared not object further and dispersed to repair their weapons.

“Three months to teach him to speak Mandarin and to adapt to local customs,” Zhao Peiming’s voice drifted back as he walked away. “The army doesn’t use his flesh and blood for medicine, so you must remember to keep him safe.”

Xiao Han was overjoyed. The implication was that they could live together from now on, essentially sharing meals and lodging. He quickly helped the boy up, smiling, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Listen to me, name him Ganlin." The boy understood the gist of it, but couldn't express it, so he nodded solemnly and said, "Ganlin." Everyone turned around in surprise, amused by the child's innocent "dialect." Xiao Han was delighted and continued to teach him to pronounce the name correctly. "If there is a great drought, may you be my sweet rain." Xiao Han thought to himself that he had been playful as a child and remembered very few books, yet he could still recall some origin for the name Ganlin, remembering that the phrase seemed to come from a famous passage. He instantly felt more confident.

The group gradually grew accustomed to the presence of Ganlin, teaching him a few words of Chinese whenever they had a spare moment during practice, and their fatigue miraculously disappeared. Deep down, they didn't believe it—humans are inherently unpredictable; whether foreign or domestic, people's desire for peace and aversion to war is universal. Having such a bright and skilled child warmed their hearts, and with Ganlin's help, many difficult-to-treat illnesses were quickly cured. The group admired the boy even more, and some even considered it an auspicious sign for the Satar Cavalry.

Occasionally, Zhao Peiming would suffer from insomnia at night and look towards Hengdao Mountain. They were currently camped at the foot of the mountain, and the once straight ridge, resembling the back of a knife, now stood erect like the taut spine of a wild beast, sending chills down one's spine. But Zhao Peiming was not afraid; his eyes darkened, but a new light had already been ignited within him.