The rabbit, roasted until it looked like charcoal, had a rather unpleasant taste, but it did fill the empty stomachs of the Emperor and Empress and replenish their energy to continue their journey.
The journey continued for the next few days.
They bid farewell to the smooth official road and traveled on the bumpy ancient road covered in yellow sand. By day, the sun blazed overhead and yellow sand filled the sky; by night, the wind was biting cold and the stars shone like the Big Dipper.
Emperor Xiao Che, who had always been pampered, was forced to grow up rapidly in this intense "transformation".
He learned how to filter relatively clean drinking water from a water bladder full of sand, how to identify directions, and even, under Lin Wanwan's "guidance," successfully set up a simple trap to catch an unlucky gerbil for dinner.
Although he still shakes the blankets eight times in disgust before going to bed at night, at least he no longer makes a fuss about seeing a spider.
His skin, roughened by the wind and sand, had taken on a healthy bronze hue; his eyes, once radiating courtly elegance, had become deeper and more resolute. The simple cotton clothes he wore no longer seemed out of place, but rather exuded the air of a seasoned traveler.
Seeing the changes in him, Lin Wanwan felt both heartache and relief.
She knew that this arduous journey was transforming him from a lofty symbol into a real man with flesh and blood, capable of feeling human suffering.
Finally, after several days of enduring wind and rain, their carriage drove out of the boundless Gobi Desert.
At the horizon's edge, a magnificent city, like a primordial beast crouching between heaven and earth, suddenly appeared in their sight.
"We've arrived!" The driver's voice carried a hint of relieved excitement. "Sir, Zhenbeiguan is just ahead!"
Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan both perked up at the same time and lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.
Even from a great distance, they could still feel the overwhelming aura of iron-bloodedness and grim determination emanating from that border town, so different from the water towns of Jiangnan!
The walls of Zhenbeiguan were much taller and thicker than those of the capital. The walls were built of huge, dark blue stone blocks, covered with marks of chisels and dried, dark bloodstains, as if silently telling the story of countless fierce battles.
On the city wall, banners fluttered in the wind, and every ten steps, a fully armed soldier stood like a javelin, his eyes sharp as an eagle, vigilantly scanning everyone below the city.
This is the northern gateway of the Great Liang Dynasty, the first and most solid barrier against foreign enemies.
The carriage slowly approached the city gate, and the queue waiting to enter the city stretched for more than a mile. In the queue were weary merchants, ragged refugees, and wandering travelers carrying their belongings; all sorts of people had gathered here.
But no matter who you are, here you must put aside all your temper and arrogance, and obediently accept the almost harsh interrogation.
"All of you, stand in line! One at a time!"
A burly officer stood at the city gate, brandishing a leather whip and shouting orders.
"Bring out your waist tag and travel permit!"
His voice was rough and full of impatience.
A young merchant who looked like he was visiting the border for the first time seemed to be a beat slow in his movements because of nervousness, and the officer's whip lashed out without mercy.
"Smack!"
With a sharp crack, a bloody gash appeared on the merchant's back.
"Stop dawdling! Do you want to die?" the officer cursed.
The young businessman grimaced in pain, but dared not utter a single complaint. He could only bow and scrape, quickly handing over his travel permit.
Xiao Che watched this scene from inside the car, his brows furrowing deeply.
He knew that border military law was strict, but treating unarmed civilians like this was far too brutal.
The procession moved forward slowly, the atmosphere so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
Finally, it was Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan's turn.
They disembarked from the carriage and, as per regulations, underwent an inspection.
A lean, sharp-eyed soldier stopped them.
The soldier's gaze, like a knife, scraped back and forth across the two men several times.
He first glanced at their dilapidated carriage and the honest-looking coachman, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
Then, his gaze fell on Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan.
Their clothes were dirty and tattered after days of travel, their hair was disheveled, and their faces were covered with the marks left by the wind and sand. They looked no different from the refugees fleeing the war.
However, the soldier frowned.
Because he keenly sensed that something was off about these two people.
The man before me, though dressed in disheveled clothes, stood as upright as a pine tree, and his deep eyes exuded an innate, unassailable authority. Even though he tried to restrain himself, the air of someone long accustomed to a position of power could not be completely concealed.
The woman beside him, though weathered, still possessed skin that revealed its inherent smoothness and fairness. More importantly, her eyes were remarkably calm and composed. Faced with the grim scene and the menacing soldiers, there was not a trace of fear or panic in her eyes.
These two...
These are definitely not ordinary refugees!
"What are you doing?" The soldier's voice was full of vigilance, and his hand had unconsciously gone to the hilt of the knife at his waist.
Xiao Che remained unfazed and answered them with neither servility nor arrogance, following the pre-prepared script:
"We are two traveling merchants from the capital, passing through this area, and intend to go to the area outside the Great Wall to do some fur trade."
"Trading merchants?" The soldier sneered, pointing to their empty wagons. "Where are your goods?"
"The goods were robbed by bandits on the way," Xiao Che lied without batting an eye. "Fortunately, a passing caravan rescued us, saving our lives."
This explanation is quite reasonable.
The soldiers' suspicions lessened slightly, but they remained vigilant.
"Travel permit! Hand it over!" He stretched out his hand, his tone still forceful.
Xiao Che took out two travel permits from his pocket.
This was a fake travel permit for an ordinary merchant, which he had his secret guards make. The seals and handwriting on it were so realistic that they could easily pass for the real thing.
He calmly handed over the way permit.
The soldier took the travel permit, first carefully checked the official seal on it, and after confirming that it was correct, he looked up and repeatedly compared the portrait on the travel permit with Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan in front of him.
Although the portrait was drawn roughly, the facial features were captured accurately.
The soldier's brow furrowed at times, then relaxed. He felt something was amiss, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
A restless commotion arose from the back of the line, but it quickly subsided under the fierce gaze of another soldier.
Lin Wanwan's heart also tightened slightly.
She knew that the soldiers of Zhenbeiguan were far more difficult to deal with than the yamen runners of Jiangnan Prefecture. They had been fighting with foreign enemies for many years and had sharp eyes; if she was not careful, she might give herself away.
Just then, the soldier checking the travel permit seemed to have finally made up his mind.
He suddenly raised his head, his sharp gaze fixed on Xiao Che!
Sudden!
He shouted sternly:
"The travel permit is fake!"
Before he could finish speaking, he slammed the road sign in his hand to the ground with a loud "smack"!
"These two are spies!"
He suddenly drew the sword from his waist, the tip pointing directly at Xiao Che's throat!
"Men! Seize him!"
"Swish, swish, swish!"
The dozen or so soldiers around them reacted instantly, drawing their spears and swords and quickly surrounding Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan in the center!
The cold blade gleamed with a chilling light in the sunlight!
The atmosphere instantly became tense, as if swords were about to be drawn!
The people in line gasped in surprise and quickly stepped back, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
The honest-looking driver was so frightened that his face turned pale, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.
Only Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan remained standing in place, their expressions unchanged.
Looking at the knife tip so close to him, Xiao Che saw no fear in his eyes. Instead, a barely perceptible hint of...appreciation flashed across them.
Such keen intuition.
A very decisive judgment.
They truly are elite guards protecting the nation's borders.
However, praise aside, the play must continue.
He slowly raised his hands, a perfectly timed, helpless yet bitter smile appearing on his face.
He knew that their incognito visit had just begun when they encountered a problem, not too big, not too small...
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