Chapter 93: First Meeting with Liu Yu, Part Two

As soon as Master Shouyin died, the battlefield seemed to freeze for an instant. Only Zhang Chi’s booming laughter rang out over the sea wind.

The Daoist alchemical tradition had long been deeply rooted in the Beifu Army, and these soldiers had always believed that it was precisely with the aid of Daoist arts from that sect that the Beifu Army had won victory after victory. Master Shouyin, in particular, was the very emblem of that tradition. And now that immortal-like figure had actually been slain by this man on a white horse.

It was simply unbelievable.

San Tong’s injuries were grievous. He had more breath going out than coming in, and no one knew whether he could survive. The woman beside him was in tears.

Before this, she had thought she had already lost the ability to cry. Ever since the fall of the state and the destruction of her home, when she fled to Jiangnan together with her mistress, she had not cried again, not even when her mistress died. Back then she was still only a child.

She had thought that perhaps from childhood she had become indifferent to life and death, no longer able to shed tears for either. She had not expected that today, once again, she would cry for San Tong.

Wiping away her tears, she rose to her feet. Only then did she hear Zhang Chi’s wild laughter. Picking up her twin blades from the ground once more, she turned back toward the remnants of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect behind her and shouted, “Brothers, how many noble families have we of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect devoured? The imperial army will never spare us. If we are captured, death is the only end. Better to fight with me to the death!”

Though the Five Pecks of Rice Sect was inferior to the Beifu Army in military discipline, its morale was still usable. In a battle with the sea at their backs, they had originally been pressed so hard by the Beifu Army that they could scarcely breathe. But ever since Zhang Chi appeared and charged their formation on a white horse, the pressure from the Beifu Army lessened considerably, giving them room to breathe.

A first assault must be driven with overwhelming force; momentum is like a tiger. When one is attacked, the opposite is true: if one can withstand a single assault, morale will inevitably soar. Now that their ritual leader had taken the lead in a desperate struggle, every last remnant of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect surged forward, eyes red with blood.

For they knew there was no way back. Behind them lay only the endless sea, and fear of death would end in death all the same. Better to die in battle and at least look like men.

In the blink of an eye, while the Beifu Army was still stunned by Master Shouyin’s death, the remnants of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect had already rushed in.

Zhang Chi killing Master Shouyin had taken only an instant. At that very moment, the general whose mount had been kicked down by Xue Bai had only just gotten to his feet.

“Why should General Liu be without a horse? Please, take mine.”

Another general dismounted of his own accord and offered his horse to him.

This man was only a junior officer in the Beifu Army. At first there had been infantrymen who risked their lives to save him, and now even a commander had given up his horse for him. It seemed this man enjoyed considerable prestige in the army.

General Liu did not stand on ceremony. He picked up his weapon, swung himself onto the horse, and roared hoarsely, “Why are you all standing there dumbly? The fame of our Beifu Army was won in battle, not by gawking!”

Those words finally roused the Beifu soldiers. Though Master Shouyin was dead, the battle still had to be fought. The Beifu Army’s resounding fame had never been gained solely by Daoist protection; it had been built with blades and spears, atop the bones of countless enemies.

In an instant the Beifu Army threw itself once more into slaughter with the rushing remnants of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect.

Killing erupted anew. Only then did Zhang Chi’s laughter stop. He glanced around at the men and horses locked in combat. Of course he knew that if it came to a fight to the death, these remnants of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect would never be the Beifu Army’s match. Besides, if the delay grew too long, no one knew whether San Tong’s grave wounds could still be treated.

Gao Yazhi was a man without firm views, and had already felt fear toward him. Moreover, the one person who most wanted Zhang Chi dead, Master Shouyin, was now gone. Gao Yazhi was probably terrified as well, so it would be wiser to make use of that.

Xue Bai was urged forward again, and with the long spear he killed two more generals. By then General Liu had already ridden back up before Zhang Chi, but this time he did not strike at once. He stopped two zhang away, clasped his fists, and bowed.

“This bow is to thank you for sparing my life just now. I, Liu Yu, will remember it.”

The general continued, “Though I am grateful to you, we are in the midst of war. I cannot afford any womanly softness. Please forgive me.”

His words carried some mettle, and his riding skill was excellent. What was most admirable was that, though only a junior officer, he was deeply esteemed in the Beifu Army. This man might well become a great figure in the future. Just as Zhang Chi had thought this, he was suddenly startled.

“Wait. What did you say your name was?”

Though the general was about to face Zhang Chi in a life-or-death clash, he did not hurry to answer. “This humble officer is Liu Yu of the Beifu Army.”

Liu Yu!

Zhang Chi did not know much about the history of this era, but he did understand the broad succession of dynasties. Could this be the man who later carved out an empire in the chaos of the age and became the founding ruler of the first Song of the Southern Dynasties, one of the states of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen?

After giving his name, Liu Yu was about to spur his horse forward, but Zhang Chi pointed at the infantryman who had just rushed to Liu Yu’s rescue and asked, “And who is he?”

That man was merely Liu Yu’s front-line soldier. Liu Yu thought Zhang Chi was only stalling for time, but since he had already shown courtesy before force, he still answered respectfully, “This is my mounted attendant, Tan Daoji.”

Just as suspected. Tan Daoji, the famous Northern Expedition general of history, who followed Liu Yu in campaigns east and west and earned illustrious meritorious deeds. Later he would become one of the founding heroes of Song, and still later he would lead northern expeditions against the Five Barbarian states, a general of all ages credited with the wisdom of the Thirty-Six Stratagems — Tan Daoji!

Seeing Zhang Chi lost in thought, Liu Yu could not wait. This was the battlefield, after all. Since Liu Yu enjoyed great prestige in the Beifu Army and had not yet come forward to interrupt this exchange, no one else dared to. So Liu Yu said, “Forgive this humble officer’s unavoidable discourtesy in battle!”

With that, Liu Yu had already spurred his horse forward.

Liu Yu was renowned in the Beifu Army for his valor. Having been thrown down because of his mount just now, he naturally had to win back his reputation. The surrounding Beifu commanders all admired and respected him. Seeing him charge, they did not move to assist; instead, they formed a wide circle and cheered in unison. They believed Liu Yu’s fall from the horse had been nothing more than an accident. In all the realm today, apart from another great Beifu general, Liu Laozhi, who could truly stand as Liu Yu’s equal for three exchanges of blows?

Liu Yu knew that the horse beneath Zhang Chi was no ordinary mount. This time he dared not be careless. He urged his horse repeatedly, driving its speed to the limit, and charged straight at Zhang Chi with unstoppable momentum.

On the battlefield, if one fought, one must show no mercy. He aimed for a single decisive strike, thundering forward so that the white horse opposite would not have time to maneuver.

But he still underestimated Xue Bai.

Just as Liu Yu was about to reach Zhang Chi, Xue Bai suddenly raised its head and let out a long cry to the sky. A dragon’s roar pierced the heavens, and the warhorses across the battlefield actually began to recoil.

It was the same principle as the phoenix appears and all birds bow their heads.

Liu Yu’s mount was the closest to Xue Bai, and naturally the most frightened. It had been charging like thunder a moment before, but when Xue Bai’s dragon cry rang out, the black horse was so terrified that all four hooves came to an abrupt halt, its forelegs dropping to the ground.

The change came so suddenly that Liu Yu could not possibly have anticipated it. Because of the momentum, he was thrown headlong from the saddle and slammed to the ground.

All faces were stunned. Zhang Chi laughed wildly at the sky, no longer paying any attention to the fallen Liu Yu. Turning back, he pointed from afar toward Gao Yazhi behind the Beifu formation and shouted, “General Gao, why have you come to this island?”

Though Gao Yazhi stood behind the formation, he was not too far away. He heard Zhang Chi clearly, but he did not dare answer. Zhang Chi called out again, “If I am not mistaken, General, you came for the art of immortality, did you not?”

This was, of course, only Zhang Chi’s guess. But he had guessed correctly.

At present, the Beifu Army was commanded by Wang Gong, inspector of the two provinces of Qing and Xu. Wang Gong had previously raised troops in an attempt to seize Jiankang and had always been at odds with the imperial court. The more chaotic the Jin realm became, the better for him. How could he possibly help the court suppress rebels?

The Beifu Army, of course, did not know Zhang Chi’s movements, and this time it was even less likely that they had come for the heavenly secret. The only plausible explanation was that legendary art of immortality.

Earlier, before the Rain Pavilion in Shanyin, another Master Shouyin had risen in anger and demanded the art of immortality from Sun Tai. Although it was not known whether that Master Shouyin was the same one Zhang Chi had killed today, both were certainly from the Daoist alchemical tradition.

In truth, the sole purpose of Gao Yazhi’s expedition this time was to seize the art of immortality. Hearing Zhang Chi say this now, could it be that Zhang Chi knew where the art of immortality lay?

The more Gao Yazhi thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Otherwise, if Zhang Chi were truly the heavenly secret, why would he come to rescue the people of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect?

“Do you know where the art of immortality is?” Gao Yazhi asked loudly, though he still did not dare ride up to the front.

“I know a little,” Zhang Chi said with a smile from horseback. “The rest of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect have already gone into the sea. The men before you are only the rearguard, those abandoned behind. Think about it: how could such a secret as the art of immortality be known to them? Even if you captured every one of them and tortured them mercilessly, or killed them all outright, no one besides me would know a thing.”

After careful consideration, Gao Yazhi found Zhang Chi’s words had real merit. How could these low-ranking soldiers of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect know such a secret? Then Zhang Chi called out again, “General Gao, forgive my frankness, but even if you continue this battle, you may not win. When a man is driven into a dead end, the ferocity with which he fights back far exceeds your imagination. General, do not forget what happened when we struck in midstream on the banks of the Yangtze.”

What Zhang Chi said was, in truth, only a way of bargaining for himself. Back then, on the banks of the Yangtze, when Zhang Chi utterly defeated the Beifu Army, it was first because his troops were well trained, and second because Du Ximing was leading them. These could not be compared to the rabble before him now. Yet these words still caused Gao Yazhi’s heart to tremble.

That time, Zhang Chi had already frightened him badly.

“Besides, even if you win in the end, what use is it to kill all these lowest-ranking ghosts of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect? Not to boast, but with my fine steed here, it is indeed not easy to kill a general like you outright. But if you mean breaking through the encirclement and escaping, it is as easy as walking on flat ground.”

Gao Yazhi could not help believing this last statement. The divine grace of this white horse had left a deep impression on him; it seemed almost not of this world.

“So why not call off the fighting and spare these poor remnants of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect a way to live? I will tell you what I know. We can each take what we need without drawing a blade. What do you say?”

At last, Zhang Chi stated his purpose.