"Ah!"
"Oh! We're finally here!"
"Such a formidable pass, truly impassable for apes and unreachable by birds!"
"Bookworm, spewing idioms again?"
"Be quiet, someone's coming up to the gate!"
Ji Duoer and the Yan army escorted Zhou Fugui, Xu Mancang, Xue Wentai, and five hundred other convicts. After a grueling three-month journey, they finally reached their destination: the Great Yan Kingdom's foremost northern military stronghold, its primary formidable pass, and its first gateway, Xue Lincheng.
Xue Lincheng was less a city and more a fortified pass, and not just one at that. Xue Lincheng comprised three passes and numerous small forts.
The pass on the left was named "Guigu Pass," guarding Xue Lincheng's left flank. The pass on the right was named "Qilin Pass," guarding Xue Lincheng's right flank. The central pass was the main one, named "Xue Lincheng."
The three passes served as mutual strongholds, like the throat above the esophagus, controlling the vital passage between north and south. Surrounding it were ice mountains, layer upon layer of peaks, resembling a sea of jagged mountains stretching endlessly.
Xue Lincheng was flanked by sheer ice peaks, like swords of ice piercing the sky. Below these peaks lay an abyss thousands of feet deep. To cross Xue Lincheng from the sides would require being a bird, and as Li Qing said, even apes could not climb it, nor birds fly over it.
In addition to these natural defenses, there were densely packed beacon towers and other military facilities.
The majestic Xue Lincheng, just by hearing its name, seemed to conjure a chilling aura that swept over one.
Xue Lincheng's terrain was steep, truly a point where one man could hold the pass against ten thousand, and its fierce aura was like blood-stained frontier fortresses where weapons clashed and spears sank, and ancient castles held sorrow under the moonlit mountains.
"Woooo... Woooo... Woooo..."
Just as Zhou Fugui and the others were marveling at the arduous path of the magnificent pass, a deep horn sound emanated from the towering city walls. The successive calls of the horn, low and far-reaching, echoed over Xue Lincheng, adding to its frigid atmosphere.
Ice pillars clung to the towering city walls, making them slippery and impossible to climb. Through the gaps between the ice pillars, one could glimpse the gray-black stone of Xue Lincheng's walls.
Then, the heavy city gates creaked open with a heart-shaking groan. Over a hundred cavalrymen emerged slowly from the gates, riding towards Ji Duoer and Zhou Fugui.
The hundred-plus Xue Lincheng cavalrymen were all clad in iron armor, with heavy swords on their backs, short swords at their left waists, and crossbows at their right. Their ferocious iron masks obscured their faces, revealing only a pair of chilling eyes.
Zhou Fugui and the others felt a palpable sense of killing intent wash over them.
"Your subordinate, Ji Duoer, has been ordered to escort five hundred-plus convicts here!" Ji Duoer rode forward and announced loudly, "Five hundred and eighty-three convicts. Fifty-two died from illness, twenty-three from accidents, and one hundred and twenty-one were injured or sick."
"You've worked hard!" a cavalry general said gruffly, pointing towards the city gate.
Zhou Fugui and the other convicts, escorted by the Xue Lincheng cavalry, walked into the pass. The ground near the gate was paved with basalt, which was exceptionally slippery during rain and snow.
Large swathes of snowflakes fell from the sky onto the towering city walls, drifting and scattering into every corner of Xue Lincheng. Above the gatehouse, a massive Flying Bear flag fluttered in the biting wind. Beneath the flag, several Xue Lincheng soldiers stood guard with their halberds, silently observing the hundreds of ragged convicts entering the city.
Beneath a tall watchtower in Xue Lincheng lay several wide streets, densely packed with houses of various sizes, including official residences, barracks, and ordinary homes. There were even many shops, taverns, and brothels.
Xue Lincheng was a key border point of the Great Yan Kingdom, situated in the extremely cold, harsh north, a strategic crossroads. While surrounded by potential threats, Xue Lincheng was also a hub for trade between Yan and the northern tribes.
As the saying goes, all the world bustles for profit; all the world scrambles for gain. For a ten percent profit, one dares to put their head on their belt. Thus, many Han and Hu merchants frequented Xue Lincheng, setting up stalls and shops, inns, and even over a thousand workshops. There were even temples, schools, and memorial archways, making it a place of bustling markets and prosperous commerce.
"Clop, clop, clop."
"Halt!"
A burly Xue Lincheng general rode up to Zhou Fugui and the convicts, raising his hand to stop them with a loud command. The convicts froze in an open space beneath the watchtower.
The heavy snow continued to fall, soon covering their feet.
"Stand here until dawn!" the burly general ordered coldly after surveying the convicts.
What? The convicts were aghast, staring at the general, bewildered by his cruel and heartless command.
In the midst of winter, the weather was exceptionally cold, and the temperature dropped drastically at night. Zhou Fugui and the convicts were exhausted and hungry. Spending a night in this icy wasteland would surely lead to injury, if not death.
This command was essentially pushing Zhou Fugui and the five hundred-plus convicts to their deaths.
The convicts began to whisper amongst themselves. The burly general remained silent, watching them coldly.
"Why is this so?" Zhou Fugui finally asked the burly general.
"Orders are to be followed, prohibitions are to be observed. General Zhou, you are a military man yourself, why do you ask?" the burly general replied coldly.
It seemed Xue Lincheng already knew their situation before they arrived.
Zhou Fugui was momentarily speechless. After a moment's thought, he continued, "The law shows no mercy, but there can also be leniency outside the law. We have traveled thousands of miles, enduring hunger and cold..."
"Survival of the fittest! Those who cannot endure this slight cold are unworthy of my Flying Bear Army," a senile voice called out from the watchtower before Zhou Fugui could finish.
Everyone looked up. Atop the watchtower, an old general had appeared. His beard and hair were entirely white, and he appeared to be at least sixty years old.
Despite his age, the old general was remarkably robust, with a broad back and strong shoulders. He wore a black helmet and a black lamellar armor protecting his chest and back, connected at the shoulders by a red cord, and a black cloak with wide sleeves.
The old general had a majestic appearance, with a broad nose, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a full, snow-white beard.
"Greetings, Grand Governor Huyun!" all the Xue Lincheng generals and soldiers bowed together.
The old general was the commander of the Xue Lincheng border forces, the Duke of Ningshuo, the Left General, and the governor of the three passes: Guigu Pass, Qilin Pass, and Xue Lincheng, Huyun Sheng.
Huyun Sheng was a Xiongnu, but he had pledged allegiance to Yan for many years.
"Those unwilling to endure the severe cold are not forbidden..." Huyun Sheng then said to Zhou Fugui and the others, "Those who cannot endure it may step forward, but from this day forth, you will forever be relegated to the miscellaneous border troops."
The so-called miscellaneous troops were slaves, or even lower in status than slaves, destined for eternal servitude.
Those who served in the regular border army not only received the treatment of regular soldiers but also had opportunities for commendation and reward, and of course, their personal freedom.
After speaking, Huyun Sheng fell silent, watching the five hundred-plus convicts coldly.
After a long pause, dozens of people hesitantly stepped out from the crowd, standing in the biting wind.
In such frigid weather, spending a night outside was deadly. Compared to losing their lives, some people preferred to become slaves.
"Anyone else?" Huyun Sheng asked.
Those who remained motionless did not reply, merely looking at Huyun Sheng.
Those who remained, including Zhou Fugui, were not unafraid of the severe cold. Compared to the cold, they feared even more a life with no hope of improvement, a life spent far from home with no chance of reuniting with their families, Zhou Fugui included.
Zhou Fugui had not only his mother, sister-in-law, and younger sister at home but also two women patiently waiting for him. Therefore, no matter how difficult, Zhou Fugui had to persevere.
"You will go outside the city now. You may return at Mao Shi tomorrow," Huyun Sheng's gaze fell upon Zhou Fugui, and he waved his hand coldly, giving the order.
Outside the city? In the wilderness? Those who had not left the crowd were stunned, some even terrified. Spending the night outside the city walls offered at least some shelter from the wind and blizzards. But in the wilderness, they would be directly exposed to the storm, and there might be unknown beasts, significantly reducing their chances of survival.
"Grand Governor!" Zhou Fugui, standing amidst the crowd, winked at Huyun Sheng and asked, "May we be allowed to build a shelter from the wind?"
Why did Zhou Fugui wink? The reason was that the Grand Governor was a Xiongnu named Huyun, and Zhou Fugui's mother's maiden name was also Huyun. Did Zhou Fugui have some relation to Huyun Sheng?
At least they were of the same clan, Zhou Fugui thought to himself. If they were of the same clan, or if he had some relation, things might be easier. If he could clarify this, perhaps he could receive some assistance.
However, Zhou Fugui's plans completely fell through. Huyun Sheng, besides feeling a bit puzzled, completely ignored Zhou Fugui's winking and replied indifferently, "Granted! Once outside the city, everything is up to you to decide. However, this Grand Governor will provide no building materials."
"Can we make a fire?" This man is absolutely cold-blooded and heartless, Zhou Fugui cursed inwardly and then asked again.
"Granted! This Grand Governor will also provide no fire-starting materials," Huyun Sheng replied.
Huyun Sheng was too lazy to answer. He had said everything was up to them to decide, yet Zhou Fugui was still so long-winded.
"Can you give us some wine, meat, quilts, or other food and warmth supplies?" Zhou Fugui asked again.
"No!" Huyun Sheng replied, his face darkening. He waved his hand and ordered, "This Grand Governor will provide nothing. Leave the city now."
At this point, not only Huyun Sheng was annoyed, but even the Xue Lincheng officers secretly found it amusing. The famous General Zhou Fugui was such a long-winded and tactless person...
Thus, the convicts who had just entered Xue Lincheng were driven out. Whether they could return to Xue Lincheng depended on their skills and fortune.
"Deputy General Ji Duoer, please come upstairs to speak," Huyun Sheng said to Ji Duoer, watching Zhou Fugui and the others' retreating backs.
Ji Duoer was overjoyed. Taking two quick steps, he went up to the watchtower.