Fifty
After meditating and regulating his internal energy for about two hours in the old hunter's thatched hut, aided by the elixirs prepared by Xuan Yuan Tianyi, Zhan Zhao's internal strength recovered to about 50-60%, and the bleeding from the wound on his left arm stopped. Although not fully healed, it no longer affected his mobility. Concerned for Bai Yutang and the box of evidence, he dared not linger any longer.
"Old man, my injuries are much better now. May we set off now?" Zhan Zhao asked the old hunter.
The old hunter glanced at the sky; it was already afternoon. "Alright, while it's still early, I'll escort you. That path is difficult to walk on at night." He packed some dry food and water bags, and took a sturdy wooden stick to use as a walking stick and for self-defense, before leading Zhan Zhao out of the thatched hut.
Instead of taking the official road, the two ventured into the dense forest. The old hunter was indeed extremely familiar with the terrain, leading Zhan Zhao through seemingly pathless bushes and rugged rocks, the path hidden and difficult to discern.
The old hunter remained silent throughout the journey, only occasionally reminding Zhan Zhao to watch his step. Zhan Zhao also kept quiet, following closely behind the old man while remaining vigilant for any sounds around him. The forest was quiet, save for the chirping of birds and insects, and the rustling of fallen leaves underfoot.
After walking for about an hour, we crossed a mountain ridge and came to a deeper and narrower canyon. The canyon was shrouded in mist and the light was dim.
“Keep walking east along this valley for about thirty or forty li, and you’ll see the Blackwater River.” The old hunter stopped and pointed to the depths of the canyon. “There’s poisonous miasma in the valley. It’s a little better during the day, but it gets thicker at night, so you must not linger. There’s also a cliff in the valley, so you have to go around it. The path is slippery, so be careful. I’ll take you this far.”
"Thank you so much for saving my life and showing me the way, old man!" Zhan Zhao bowed deeply to the old hunter. If he hadn't met this old man, he probably wouldn't have been able to escape his pursuers so easily and find this way to survive.
The old hunter waved his hand: "Hurry up and be careful on your way." After saying that, he turned around and staggered back the way he came, soon disappearing into the forest.
Without further delay, Zhan Zhao took a deep breath and stepped into the hidden passage known as "Hidden Mist Gorge".
The vegetation inside the canyon was even denser, with towering ancient trees blocking out the sun. A damp, humid smell permeated the air, mixed with a faint, dizzying, and strange odor, which must have been the poisonous miasma the old hunter had mentioned. Zhan Zhao quickly circulated his inner energy, held his breath, and maintained his breathing with only a wisp of internal energy.
He quickened his pace, traversing the rugged, slippery valley floor. Beneath his feet lay a thick layer of fallen leaves and jagged rocks, sometimes requiring him to climb, sometimes to wade through icy streams. The environment was treacherous, but it was precisely because of this that it had escaped large-scale searches by the Liao soldiers.
Following the old hunter's directions, he proceeded cautiously and indeed encountered an almost vertical cliff in the middle of the canyon, blocking his path. He followed the advice and painstakingly detoured around it on a gentler slope, with loose rocks constantly tumbling down, making it extremely dangerous.
When he finally made it around the precipice unharmed and returned to the valley floor, it was already getting dark. The fog in the valley had indeed become thicker, and the poisonous miasma seemed to have intensified. Even with his internal energy to resist it, he felt a tightness in his chest and shortness of breath.
We must get out of the canyon as soon as possible!
Zhan Zhao mustered his strength and used his lightness skill to its fullest extent. In the increasingly dim light and thick fog, relying on his extraordinary eyesight and intuition, he sped eastward.
After traveling for about half an hour, they could faintly hear the sound of rushing water ahead, and the poisonous miasma in the air seemed to have thinned out a bit. Zhan Zhao's spirits lifted, and he quickened his pace.
Finally, before nightfall, he burst through the edge of Hidden Mist Gorge. A wide, rushing river stretched before him, its waters a somber, inky black in the twilight—the border river, the Blackwater River! On the opposite bank, the outlines of the Song Dynasty's rolling mountains were faintly visible!
We've arrived! We've finally arrived!
A surge of barely suppressed excitement welled up within Zhan Zhao. He quickly surveyed his surroundings; it was a secluded riverbank, littered with rocks, and devoid of any sign of human presence. According to his agreement with Bai Yutang, if they successfully escaped, they should have left markers at several pre-arranged hiding places along the Blackwater River to await their rendezvous.
He searched downstream along the riverbank, his sharp eyes scanning every rock or tree trunk that might have a mark.
After walking about a mile, beside a river bend overgrown with reeds, on a large blue stone half-submerged in water, he saw an extremely well-hidden carving—a simple rat-shaped pattern, the very mark left by Bai Yutang! Next to it was a fresh sword mark, pointing deep into the reeds.
Zhan Zhao was overjoyed and immediately pushed aside the dense reeds to walk deeper into the area.
They hadn't gone far when they saw a small, dry clearing in the reeds. Bai Yutang was sitting there, with the crucial wooden box beside him. He looked somewhat tired, his clothes were torn in several places, but he was in good spirits.
"Cat! You've finally arrived!" Upon seeing Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang immediately jumped up, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "Fifth Master, I thought you were kept as a guest by the Liao dogs!"
"I encountered some trouble on the way, but thanks to an old man's help," Zhan Zhao briefly recounted his experience of jumping over the ravine and encountering the hunter. He then asked with concern, "Brother Bai, did you have a safe journey? Is the box alright?"
"Don't worry, the box is intact." Bai Yutang patted the wooden box. "Fifth Master led those idiots around in the woods for a long time, almost got lost, and finally managed to shake them off and get here as planned. As for you, how's your injury?" He noticed the bandage on Zhan Zhao's arm and his slightly pale face.
"It's nothing, just a superficial injury." Zhan Zhao shook his head, his gaze falling on the wooden box. "Have you checked the contents?"
"Confirmed!" Bai Yutang said solemnly, "They're all genuine! The border map, the secret letter—every single one of them is enough to give that bastard Yelü Zongzhen a run for his money! This risk we took was definitely worth it!"
Zhan Zhao breathed a long sigh of relief, finally able to relax his tense nerves after many days. With this irrefutable evidence, not only was Yelü Zongzhen's crime of colluding with the remnants of Prince An's forces and intending to wreak havoc on the Song Dynasty confirmed, but it also allowed the Song Dynasty to gain an absolute advantage in the subsequent diplomatic and border confrontations.
"We must act swiftly and cross the river to return to Bianjing to report," Zhan Zhao said. Although they had reached the border, they were still on the Liao side and it was not safe.
"How do we cross? Swim across?" Bai Yutang frowned as he looked at the turbulent, dark river. "This Blackwater River is no joke. The current is swift, there are many hidden reefs, and the water is freezing cold."
Zhan Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "The caravan owner mentioned that there are occasional smuggling boats operating at night in this area. Perhaps we can wait and see, and if no boats come before dawn, we can try to swim across."
The two then hid in the reeds, taking turns resting and keeping watch, waiting for any boats that might appear.
As night deepened, the rushing sound of the Blackwater River was exceptionally clear in the stillness. On the opposite bank, towards the Song territory, scattered lights could occasionally be seen—the lights of border fortresses.
Around midnight, a very faint sound of water and oars came from downstream. Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang immediately became alert and stared intently in the direction.
A small, black-awning boat, barely big enough for three or four people, approached silently like a ghost, a dim, flickering lantern hanging at its bow. A boatman wearing a straw hat skillfully maneuvered the oars.
It's a smuggling ship!
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged a glance and quietly emerged from the reeds.
The boatman was clearly startled by the sudden appearance of the two men, almost crying out in surprise. Only after realizing they were two people, not government soldiers, did he breathe a sigh of relief and whisper, "Who goes there?"
"To cross the river," Zhan Zhao stepped forward, took out a few silver ingots, and said, "Please trouble the boatman to take us to the other side."
The boatman, using the dim light, sized up Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, then glanced at the silver ingots in their hands. A glint of greed flashed in his eyes, but he quickly asked warily, "You two don't seem like ordinary merchants... What brings you across the river at this hour?"
Bai Yutang said impatiently, "Stop talking so much nonsense! Isn't it enough to make money? Hurry up!"
The boatman hesitated for a moment, seemingly sensing that the two men were not to be trifled with, but finally nodded: "Come on aboard. But let me make this clear beforehand: if you encounter patrol boats on the river, you're on your own; I can't protect you."
"Don't worry, I won't implicate you," Zhan Zhao said, and together with Bai Yutang, they jumped onto the small boat.
The small boat was slightly drafted and rocked a bit. The boatman said nothing more, vigorously rowed the oars, and the small boat turned around and silently glided towards the dark riverbank on the opposite side.
The river was wide and the current was swift. The small boat bobbed in the waves, and the boatman skillfully avoided the undercurrents and reefs. Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang stood at the bow, watching the banks and the river surface warily.
Fortunately, the night seemed calm, and they did not encounter any Liao patrol boats. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the small boat finally made it safely to a deserted riverbank on the south side.
"We've arrived," the boatman whispered.
Zhan Zhao tossed the silver ingot to the boatman, and he and Bai Yutang leaped ashore with the wooden box.
The boatman took the silver and, without pausing for a moment, immediately turned the boat around and quickly disappeared into the vast night and the rolling waves of the Blackwater River.
Standing on the land of the Song Dynasty, Zhan Zhao felt an indescribable sense of peace. He glanced back at the land shrouded in darkness on the opposite bank of the Blackwater River. This trip to the Liao Kingdom had been a brush with death.
"Finally back!" Bai Yutang breathed a sigh of relief and stretched his limbs. "Cat, which way do we go next?"
"Find the nearest post station, change horses, and then travel day and night back to Bianjing!" Zhan Zhao said without hesitation. With the evidence in hand, it must be presented to the Emperor immediately.
Having determined their direction, the two hurried towards the nearest border town. Unbeknownst to them, shortly after they crossed the Blackwater River, a large contingent of pursuers from the Wei Prince's palace arrived at the riverbank, gazing helplessly at the surging waters. Almost simultaneously, a fast horse from Nanjing, Liao, carrying an urgent secret report, traveled day and night to deliver it to Yelü Zongzhen, who was still within Song territory.
Several days later, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, weary from their journey, finally arrived in Bianjing City. Without alerting anyone, they entered the city directly through the secret channels of the Imperial City Guard and headed straight for Kaifeng Prefecture.
Bao Zheng had already received the secret report and was anxiously waiting in his study. When he saw Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang return safely, and especially when he saw the intact wooden box, even the usually composed Bao Qingtian couldn't help but show his excitement.
"Guard Zhan, Young Hero Bai, you've worked hard!" Bao Zheng personally stepped forward to help the two men who were bowing.
"I have fulfilled my mission!" Zhan Zhao presented the wooden box. "My lord, the irrefutable evidence of the Liao King Yelü Zongzhen's collusion with the remnants of the Prince of An's forces, and his treacherous intentions, is contained within this box!"
Bao Zheng opened the wooden box and carefully examined the border map and secret letter inside. The more he read, the more solemn his expression became. Finally, he slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "What a Yelü Zongzhen! What a remnant of the Prince of An! His wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious! I will go to the palace to see the Emperor immediately!"
He looked at Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, his eyes full of praise and satisfaction: "You two have made an unparalleled contribution this time! Please rest well in the manor first, and I will report to the Emperor before rewarding you!"
"This is our duty," Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang said in unison.
Bao Zheng said no more, ordered his men to make proper arrangements for Zhan and Bai, and then took the wooden box and went to the palace that very night to request an audience.
Almost simultaneously with Bao Zheng's entry into the palace, Yelü Zongzhen, residing in the embassy in Bianjing, received a message by carrier pigeon from Nanjing. When he saw the words "Goods have been robbed, Han Zhao is suspected of being Zhan Zhao, and the evidence may have fallen into Song's hands," his face instantly turned ashen, and he crushed the teacup in his hand with a "crack!"
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Yelü Zongzhen roared in a low voice, veins bulging on his forehead. He had calculated everything, but he hadn't anticipated that Zhan Zhao would dare to infiltrate Liao territory, much less that he would locate the goods so precisely and successfully steal them! Now that the irrefutable evidence was in the hands of the Song Emperor, all his previous schemes and assertive stances had instantly become a joke! Not only would the interests of the border markets be in jeopardy, but he himself might also be detained or even punished by the Song Emperor on this pretext!
“Your Highness, the only option now is…” Xiao Talan, pale-faced, gestured for him to leave quickly.
Yelü Zongzhen's eyes were sinister; he was well aware of the danger he was in. Staying in Bianjing would be like being a turtle in a jar. He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.
"Pass down the order! Everyone prepare immediately. Tonight at midnight, leave the palace in batches and meet at Shili Slope, south of the city! Remember, be quick and discreet!" Yelü Zongzhen ordered through gritted teeth. He had to escape Bianjing before the Song Emperor could use the evidence to launch his attack! As long as he returned to Liao, his status and influence would still leave him room to maneuver.
As night deepened, a silent contest quietly unfolded within the city of Bianjing. On one side was Bao Zheng, armed with irrefutable evidence, poised to deliver a fatal blow; on the other was Yelü Zongzhen, sensing the impending danger and preparing for a hasty escape.
Zhan Zhao returned to his duty room in Kaifeng Prefecture. Although physically and mentally exhausted, he was in a state of high spirits. He washed away the dust of his journey, changed back into his familiar red official robes, and looked at his thin but determined face in the mirror, feeling as if he had been transported to another world.
This trip to the Liao Kingdom not only yielded crucial evidence but also allowed him to personally experience the tense situation on the border and the Liao Kingdom's wolfish ambitions. He knew that bringing back the evidence was not the end, but the beginning of an even greater storm.
He touched the brocade pouch containing the "Heart-Connecting Gu" still nestled close to his body. He recalled the calm yet worried look in Xuan Yuan Tianyi's eyes before his departure, and a warm feeling and longing welled up in his heart.
It's time to go home and visit.
He asked Bao Zheng for leave and left Kaifeng Prefecture, heading towards Xiaoyou Villa. The city of Bianjing remained prosperous and peaceful under the night sky, but he knew that behind this peace lay the silent protection and sacrifice of countless people.
And he, Zhan Zhao, was willing to continue being the guardian of this peace, no matter how many hardships and dangers lay ahead. Little did he know, at this moment, that Yelü Zongzhen, this trapped beast, was preparing for his final struggle.
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