Chapter 243: Striving for Favor

The border region faces the vast desert, enduring the relentless erosion of wind and sand. Standing atop the city walls, one rarely glimpses the azure expanse of the sky. Within its boundaries, dwellings are low-slung, and gazing out across the surrounding countryside, all that meets the eye is a monochromatic hue of earthy yellow. The route is sparsely dotted with greenery; it takes miles of travel before encountering a few crooked, sickly trees struggling to survive. The scrub grass in the midst of the desolate Gobi stretches unevenly, resembling a dignified yet balding elder statesman well into his fifties.

Xiao Chiye's helmet was covered in dust. He removed it and stood with his back to the setting sun, gazing at the border fortress that seemed to float amidst the sand waves in the distance.

"Hyrigu truly said it; this place is impoverished." He leapt down from his horse, the trinkets around his neck jingling. He unscrewed his water skin, pouring the water over his face with eyes closed. "Scorpions would never venture this far," he remarked.

The borderlands lacked fertile fields, and the soil beneath his feet was too barren. In the scorching June heat, it already showed signs of cracking. Xiao Chiye shifted his military boots aside and watched as insects crawled between the crevices in the loam.

The grasslands east of Heaven Lock Pass, which Amur had struggled to obtain, were ravaged by sandstorms in the first year of Xiande, turning into barren land. As a result, the Qingzu Clan abandoned the area and retreated to the eastern borderlands. Hyrigu brushed back his disheveled hair. "The Marquis wants me to negotiate with the Youxiong Clan, but he hasn't given me any bait. This deal requires some wit, and I don't have it."

* * *

Hyrigu was not an honest man; he knew how to negotiate, just as he had with Yan Heru. That black scorpion understood the rules. Shen Zechuan hadn't offered him any explicit incentive, which meant that no matter how advantageous the deal, the rewards would ultimately be determined by Shen Zechuan. But Hyrigu wanted to negotiate with Xiao Chiye for better terms.

Xiao Chiye didn't look at Hyrigu as he said, "I hope you do."

Hyrigu scratched the back of his neck, a hint of embarrassment on his face. The water that had been poured over him had quickly evaporated, revealing his tanned skin in the sweltering heat. After screwing the waterskin shut, he continued, "I'll provide winter provisions for the Youxiong Clan. With enough food, they can stay in their territory."

"If that's all you can do," Xiao Chiye shifted his gaze to the frontier city's gate with the movement of the shadows, "then anyone could have brokered this deal."

Frustrated by continuous setbacks, Hyrigu rubbed his congested nose and said, "Fine. I'll give them a new option."

The gates of the frontier city were opening. Qi Zhuyin stood before the raised portcullis with a sword at her hip and her arms crossed. She had scouted the area the previous night and only returned at dusk, having slept for only two hours. She looked weary and was not as thrilled to see Xiao Chiye.

"Oh, look who's here," Qi Zhuyin remarked.

Xiao Chiye tossed his identity badge to Qi Zhuyin, who caught it without looking and passed it to Qi Wei carelessly before turning around to lead Xiao Chiye into the city.

"In the fourth year of Xiande, Lu Guangbai mentioned planting trees when I arrived," Xiao Chiye's heavy armor burned hot in the setting sun as he spoke. "How can the frontier still be so barren?"

"I wish he had such luck," Qi Zhuyin said, her neck sore from sleeping poorly. She tilted her head slightly and watched the lights flicker on in the marketplace. "In the sixth year of Xiande, there was a sandstorm, and he saved up to buy seedlings from Hezhou. He planted them along the border in the spring, but they didn't survive until the end of the month; they were trampled by cavalry."

"Was Hason stationed at Qingshu at that time?" Xiao Chiye climbed the steps and set his helmet aside, sitting down beside Qi Zhuyin to watch the iron riders enter the city.

"It was Hason," Qi Zhuyin replied without sitting down. Leaning against the door, she rested her chin in the glow of the sunset. "The letter you asked Zhao Hui to send has long since arrived. There will be a tough battle in June, but only if Hason really turns south to raid Duanzhou. If he doesn't come, Sand Second Battalion will have to bear the consequences of your troop deployment."

"Amur has joined forces with HuLu and is still persuading YouXiong to surrender. Hason is running low on food supplies," Xiao Chiye said. "He must seize grain from Duanzhou."

"You have a scorpion with you," Qi Zhuyin said. "What does Shen Zechuan intend to do?"

"Hasan is attacking Duanzhou, and the reinforcements will halt across the Chashiliao River at Gedale. Only the Youxiong Tribe can intercept me in the southeast," Xiao Chiye stretched his legs. "Lan Zhou wants to negotiate with the Youxiong."

"He'll need to show ample sincerity," Qi Zhuyin straightened up and pointed toward the distant snow-capped mountains in the south. "The Youxiong once had grazing lands in the south. Shen Zechuan's granaries won't satiate their hunger. You can't imagine how greedy they are."

Ever since Qi Shiyu, Qi Zhuyin, Qidong had attempted to negotiate with the Youxiong Tribe, hoping they would ally with Great Zhou like the Huiyan Tribe in the north. However, it was too difficult. The Youxiong were a powerful tribe, entirely different from the destitute Huiyan. They believed in the prowess of their curved swords and bear cavalry, which could seize better lands. Thus, they didn't care about Amur's promises.

"Lan Zhou is willing to give them the land of the HanShe Tribe," Xiao Chiye said. "They've been wandering ever since they left the Sky-Locking Pass. This is what they desire the most."

Qi Zhuyin crouched down and told Xiao Chiye, "Yes, you're indeed clever. The Youxiong do want territory, but are you the Great Khan of the desert? Shen Zechuan's tricks that work with the people of Zhongbo won't cut it here. Bears don't eat empty promises. In dealing with them, I can tell they're far more cunning than the HanShe."

* * *

Li Xiong caught a four-legged snake beneath the eaves. Kneeling on the smooth wooden planks, he held the snake by its tail and said to Ding Tao, "Roast it. It's delicious."

Ding Tao sat cross-legged, engrossed in writing and sketching. When he glanced at the snake, he said with disdain, "Ugh."

Li Xiong playfully swung the snake and commented, "This is a snake from Gedale."

Ding Tao hadn't heard Li Xiong mention Gedale or Lei Jingzhe in a long time. He set his book aside and looked at the four-legged snake. "Isn't this similar to the ones we have in Zizhou?"

Li Xiong sniffed the air. "Not quite. This one has a scent – the scent of the Great Desert, of golden sands!"

"It managed to escape from Gedale," Ding Tao mused, propping his chin up. "I suppose life there must be tough for it. It seems most comfortable here."

Li Xiong replied, "No, it likes to stay in…"

Fei Sheng called out to Ding Tao from the other side. The young man quickly got up, not waiting for Li Xiong to finish his sentence. As he rushed over, the candies in his lap spilled all over the ground.

"…Remain where you are," Li Xiong gazed at Ding Tao while gathering the candies, stuffing them all into his mouth. His words were muffled, "I also prefer staying in familiar places."

* * *

The current leader of the Youxiong Clan is named Da Lantai. He isn't a blood relative of Suoheba Beast but one of its personal guards. After Suoheba Beast fell in battle at Gedale, Da Lantai led the remaining elite members of the Youxiong Clan to retreat to the rear of the Qingzhu Clan, where they stayed for many years.

Da Lantai sat before his tent, extracting potatoes from the campfire, breaking them open, and consuming them alongside strips of sun-dried horseflesh. His thick beard made for a comical sight as he chewed, far from the imposing might of Su Heba Shou. Da Lantai was diminutive in stature, small to the point of being uncharacteristic for one hailing from the Bear Tribe.

"Wisdom that traverses the desert, you come on horseback to my tent, bearing the eagle's counsel," Da Lantai swallowed the scorching potato, gazing at Ba Yin by the fire. "Yet the eagle's request is excessively demanding."

"The leader of the bears beneath the snow-capped peak," Ba Yin sat cross-legged, paying respect to Da Lantai, "I bring the most sincere greetings from the eagle, and all requests are open to discussion. The eagle considers you friends."

Hason was the eagle of the Ferocious Serpent Tribe, having dispatched the sage Ba Yin long before Xiao Chiye's departure.

Da Lantai shared the other half of the potato with Ba Yin, saying, "The wolf cub from the North is young and strong. I've heard he's slain Huo Helu and Chi, and defeated the proud scorpion of the Eagle Clan at Tea Stone Pit. I'm too old now, unable to ride a horse as I once did. I fear I couldn't contend with such a youthful warrior."

Ba Yin received the potato with both hands, hesitating only for a fleeting moment before he said, "You're the bear of the 'Fierce Tiger' Suo Heba Clan, leading the Bear Clan to stand tall in the southeast of the desert, a power even the Viper Clan dare not provoke lightly. The eagle has unwavering faith in your strength. The young wolf from Libei is too inexperienced; he's nowhere near as terrifying as the Wolf King."

"If that is truly the case," Da Lantai stroked his beard, "then why hasn't the eagle that beheaded the wolf king slaughtered this wolf yet?"

Da Lantai was not lying; he was indeed old. His hair had yet to turn fully gray, but his hands were no longer capable of holding a blade for long. Although he lacked the sharpness of a Suoheba beast, he had led the Youxiong Clan through blizzards and maintained their dignity in the desert. He was not like Hu Helu; he was even more of a sage than Ba Yin.

"Thus is the reason the Eagle sent me to find you," Ba Yin said. "Our formidable cavalry has yet to break through the defenses of the Linbei Iron Riders. It's not that we lack strength, but we've run out of food. The Wolf King is dead, respected and wise Da Lantai. You have seen the future of the desert, and we are on the cusp of entering new lands where all clans will no longer go hungry. This is the wish of Daxueshan and the Sun, as well as the Eagle's. We need your guidance."

The scent of roasted potatoes filled the air from within the campfire. Da Lantai prodded them with a branch, unmoved by Ba Yin's respect. "Years ago, Gergenhaas of the Hulubu used dishonorable means to kill my sovereign in Gedale and presented the 'Tiger's' head to Amur. Amur did not refuse." He picked up another potato but didn't break it open. Instead, he rubbed away the dirt on its surface with his rough fingertips. "Amur is a greedy vulture. He is not our brother."

A warrior from the Youxiong Clan, sitting at the other end, stood up, signaling that the visit was over.

Ba Yin remained seated, facing Da Lantai. "Respected Da Lantai, those were mistakes from our past ignorance. Now, we share a common enemy..."

"Who was it that coerced this adversary into wakefulness?" Da Lantai's narrow eyes pierced Ba Yin. "A'muer aspires to conquer every corner bathed in sunlight, resorting to such base methods to force us from our homeland. You, you foolish and despicable youth, dare to call that murder a mere foolish mistake."

Ba Yin replied, "I apologize for my words, Da Lantai..."

The surrounding light was obscured by the 'bears' who stood around, their gazes upon Ba Yin like those of predators eyeing a gazelle.

"Hason should seek our aid by begging for our forgiveness," Da Lantai peeled a potato. "If Hason is willing to slay his own wife, making the Hu brute pay the price, we will consent to marching our troops to the borderlands on his behalf."

"No, please don't," Ba Yin was already pulled to his feet, raising his voice. "Gergenhaas is already dead, and Duo Erlan is an innocent maiden."

Da Lantai looked at Ba Yin, swallowing the potato whole.