Nightfall

At this time, the City of Wei seemed to as peaceful as the past few years, but something always bothered Ma Shixiang.

Because of the continuous rain and the rough road, there were few trade caravans passing through the city, but he still had an odd feeling.

What worried him most was, according to the reports, the Horse Gangs who settled in Shubi Lake all year round disappeared without a trace. No one knew where they went.

When Ning Que was in the City of Wei, the Seven Stockaded Villages often cleaned up the Shubi Lake for the comfortable income. Nevertheless, the Horse Gangs would not leave the Shubi Lake.

The last time they all left the Shubi Lake was because Ning Que and Sangsang looked at this city from a far distance. Then why did they disappear this time?

Because of the rainstorm? Although the forest beside the Shubi Lake was subject to such a downpour, there were no signs of a possible landslide. The bold Horse Gangs had no reason to abandon their lair.

Ma Shixiang walked down from the low earth wall, waving his hand to the soldiers and street peddlers, heading to his rough military camp. Looking at the military brief report, he fell silent for a long time.

As time passed, a dusty commandant opened the curtain and came in.

Ma Shixiang asked, widening his eyes, “How is it going?”

The commandant shook his head and said, “The people in Kaiping told me that they had sent the message to the Northern Military Camp and the other six Stockaded Villages also found something weird, but they haven’t heard from the Northern Military Camp.”

“Part of the Northern Army has gone to the Eastern Wilderness with His Majesty and they are still stationed in Helan City. The imperial court was sending an army to Tuyang City…”

Looking at the report, Ma Shixiang deeply frowned and said, “The Great General is putting all the force in the east, and he may neglect the other reports.”

The commandant asked, ” What should we do?”

“I’m not worrying about this.”

He added, “As long as the main force of the Northern Army is transferred to the east, if the Golden Palace sends the army to the south, even if the Great General can react, he will have no force to stop it.”

The commandant’s face became extremely tense. He asked quivering, “Over these years, they only harassed us in the frontier. How dare they to go south with all their power?”

Ma Shixiang answered, “Since the Headmaster and the Emperor passed away, the court has been in trouble. Now, the Northeast Border Military suffered a heavy loss. The cavalry of the Golden Palace is like a ravenous wolf. When we were stronger than them, they would not take action; but when we become weaker, they will show their fangs.”

The commandant asked, “General, what should we do next?”

“We do nothing. Tell the cook to make me some endives. I am getting inflamed these days.”

Walking out of the camp, Ma Shixiang said, “Raise the alert level. There are a dozen firelocks in the warehouse. Take them out and watch out for open flames.”

At the dark moment before wind and rain, the supreme military officer of the City of Wei did his duties as usual, ordinarily and meticulously.

He would retire next year and return to his hometown to live with his family. He didn’t want a war to come as much as any other person, but he clearly knew that when war came, no one could escape.

Fortunately, he had experienced many wars and many deaths. Even though he had known this one would be different from the past, he still slept calmly and soundly.

In the early morning, Ma Shixiang was awake by the emergency alert. He washed his face, put on the armor, held his podao and bow, and went to the top of the wall under his soldiers’ guard.

The sun had left the ground and warmed the Wilderness. The dark clouds above the city finally dissipated. However, people in the City of Wei could not feel warm when they looked at what was in front of them.

Countless cavalry soldiers of the Golden Palace were standing outside the city walls like many dark wolves in the sunshine. They couldn’t even count their numbers.

Narrowing his eyes, Ma Shixiang looked at the king’s flag in the depth of the formation and burst into laughter. He said, “We are perfect on Chanyu’s route. Now, Old Wei must envy me.”

They all knew who Old Wei was. He was the chief military officer of Kaiping who had been the general’s lifelong opponent. The general often made fun of him in normal days.

If it were a normal day, they would banter with him, while no one was able to laugh today. They all looked terrible and their hands holding the podaos became colder and colder.

Ma Shixiang stopped laughing and said with awe, “Are the horses I asked you to prepare ready?”

An adjutant answered behind him, “Yes, they are ready.”

Ma Shixiang added, “Are they the best?”

“Yes.”

“With the best riders?”

“Yes!”

“One to Kaiping… Old Wei should be prepared. That will be enough.”

Ma Shixiang sternly said, “Four to the Northern Military Camp and the other four to Chang’an. Remember to change the horse and never stop. The whole nation of Tang needs your speed.”

The nine soldiers who were picked in advance answered him at the same time.

Looking at the people outside the City of Wei, Ma Shixiang wrily said, “Tell the people in Chang’an not to worry about Prince Long Qing and the enemy in the east. Our real enemy is coming.”

The nine soldiers left from the back of the City of Wei, with dozens of fine horses, and ran toward different directions.

Looking at the terrible-looking restaurant owner, the laundry aunt, and the small group of residents, Ma Shixiang said, “I’m sorry. I should protect you, but today I’m afraid I can’t. You can leave or hide in the cellars. Please trust me, Tang’s Army will come back one day.”

The adjutant asked, “General, the enemy is overly powerful. What should we do next?”

All the soldiers turned to Ma Shixiang.

His grizzled hair was blown gently by the morning breeze.

“Here is the gateway of Tang. We have to protect it.”

“Yes!”

The cavalry outside the City of Wei began to move.

The whole Wilderness started to shake.

The cob walls of the City of Wei ceaselessly vibrated, shaking dust off.

The dark grassland cavalry quickly submerged the City of Wei like tides.

In the autumn of the 18th year of Tianqi’s era, the Northeast Border Military of Tang was eliminated.

People in Chang’an were about to send the first part of the Northern Army to resist the Yan Army in Tuyang City, when the Golden Palace who had been peaceful for decades mustered all forces to the south. They invaded Tang territory.

The Seven Stockaded Villages fought back bravely, but the enemy was too strong to overcome. They were defeated one after another.

The grassland cavalry continued to move to the south and turned their swords to Chang’an.