Chapter Sixty-One: Chang'an (Double-Length Chapter)

“Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have successfully completed the Reputation Quest: ‘Renowned in One Region’!
Quest Reward: Skill [Speak of Cao Cao and He Appears*1].
Your reputation quest has been updated: Attain the title ‘Celebrity of the Realm.’
Quest Reward: Permanent Skill [Parting the Clouds to See the Sun].”

“So, even the system knows my trip to Chang’an is fraught with danger, and it’s arranged an escape skill for me in advance…” Zhang Yu was a bit speechless. Aside from the Brewing Technique, which had merged into one, this was the only skill in his repertoire that rivaled the legendary Earth Escape.

Zhang Yu opened the skill interface again and found the description for [Parting the Clouds to See the Sun] under the ‘Strategist Skills’ category: “There is a 50% chance to change the weather during battle to clear skies. The success rate of extreme weather abilities such as violent winds, torrential rain, and blizzards is reduced.”

“I have no idea what this is for. Am I supposed to become a strategist and lead troops into battle? What a joke.”

He shook his head. Now, Zhang Yu could only leave his fate to heaven, tidied up, and set off for Chang’an, reasoning that surely the system didn’t intend to doom him.

He’d often dreamed of visiting grand cities like Luoyang, Chang’an, Jianye, and Xuchang, but never imagined the opportunity would come so suddenly, catching him completely unprepared.

After bidding a heartfelt farewell to his parents and comforting Ying’er and Han Yan, Zhang Yu departed with his eighteen riders.

On the day of departure, the streets and alleys of Zhongshan were packed with family and well-wishers who had come to see him off. Everyone knew that although Yu Lang was summoned by the Emperor, the court was now in the grip of that villain Dong Zhuo, and loyal men were being persecuted one after another. All were anxious, secretly wishing Zhang Yu well.

Among the townsfolk, some offered provisions, others clothes they had sewn by hand, and even some young girls waved embroidered pouches and scented fans. Yet Zhang Yu, eager to make haste and depart quickly, could only politely decline their goodwill.

He also redeemed a plain river-and-mountain robe. The white cloak, adorned with ink-wash landscapes, was elegant and fresh, its fabric dust-repellent and light. The eighteen riders, shedding their unchanging “black pot” attire, donned fine armor and weapons, heading for Chang’an in their best form.

…

Ye City.

Yuan Shao sat atop the dais, his face dark as water.

“My lord, Gongsun Zan’s army is on the rise, capturing over ten of our cities in succession. Qinghe and Anping are on the verge of collapse, and his forces are advancing straight toward Julu Commandery…”

“That Gongsun Zan!” Yuan Shao hesitated, as if stirred by some words. “If he wants to fight, then let him fight! Am I, Yuan Shao, afraid of him?”

“My lord, you must not!” A scholar stepped forward to protest. Yuan Shao saw it was Ju Shou.

“And why not?”

“Gongsun Zan has just annihilated the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou, beheading countless foes. He comes bearing the momentum of victory, and to defeat him now would not be easy! Moreover, he claims his brother Gongsun Yue was slain by you, uniting his army in vengeance. ‘Mourning soldiers must win,’ it is said. Their numbers far exceed ours; to engage now would be unwise!”

“Hmm… Ju Shou’s words are reasonable. Perhaps I was too hasty—”

“My lord, though Ju Shou’s reasoning is sound, it risks boosting the enemy’s morale while diminishing our own. I see it differently!
Let’s disregard how formidable those Yellow Turbans truly were. Our Jizhou troops are far superior to mere bandits. Gongsun Zan’s men, long used to fighting rabble, may underestimate the true strength of our army and thus fall prey to arrogance. ‘Arrogant soldiers surely fail.’ Moreover, we fight at home, well-rested and prepared, ready to deal a crushing blow!”

Guo Tu, echoing Ju Shou’s rhetoric but with the opposite stance, left Yuan Shao even more conflicted. He found merit in both arguments and, after a long hesitation, finally said:

“For now, let’s follow Ju Shou’s advice. Send Gongsun Zan’s cousin, Gongsun Fan, to Bohai as Governor. Let’s try to stabilize Gongsun Zan and delay his army.”

“Yes!” The civil and military officials all saluted and accepted the order.

“By the way, is the Kingdom of Zhongshan safe?”

“My lord,” Feng Ji replied, “Gongsun Zan is heading for Ye City, moving southwest, so Zhongshan remains unaffected.”

“Good,” Yuan Shao breathed a sigh of relief, but Feng Ji continued: “However, a few days ago, a decree arrived from His Majesty in Chang’an. Because Zhang Yu from Zhongshan presented fine wine, he has been summoned to Chang’an for reward.”

Yuan Shao’s expression shifted, then he rose and addressed his retainers: “You may all withdraw. The days of peace in Jizhou will not last much longer.”

Early summer in the northwest remained as desolate as ever.

The sky was vast and blue, the sunlight pouring down unobstructed, slowly stewing the grand land below.

Hooves thundered, raising clouds of dust as a group of a dozen or so hurried along the road, their faces anxious.

“Maoge, where are we now?”

“My lord, we are not far from Hongnong.”

“Excellent!” The scholar on horseback sighed, exhaustion from the long journey etched into his features. “Once we pass Hongnong, we can go north along the river to reach Hebei. Then that villain Dong can never—”

“Halt! Who goes there, racing so recklessly!”

They had just rounded a bend when they saw a grand carriage with a blue canopy, reserved for princes and royals, heading toward them. Surrounded by dozens of ironclad Liangzhou soldiers, it was clearly someone important.

“Damn, we’ve run straight into the enemy! Maoge, let’s run!”

“Humph, trying to flee? Archers, loose!”

A volley of arrows rained down, blossoming into blood-red flowers on the earth.

“Fight them!” the scholar called, rallying the five or six who remained. The leading general spun his spear with a flourish—it was as if he wielded not a weapon, but a ribbon of silk.

The spear danced lightly, its tip flickering, and neither the scholar nor his guards could withstand a single exchange before they all lay on the ground.

“Zhang Xiu!”

The carriage curtain lifted, revealing a delicate, fair face, though the voice was proud and piercing.

“You’ve killed again! Every time, you resort to killing at the slightest provocation—can’t you ask questions first? What if you kill someone innocent?”

“My lady,” Zhang Xiu replied with a smile, “these men came from Chang’an in a panic—they must have angered the Grand Preceptor and are fleeing. There’s no innocence here.”

“Ah, why can’t people just behave and live in peace?” The young woman was about to draw the curtain when a shout came from behind—

“Heroes ahead, wait! Fellow traveler, please stop!”

She glanced back, and Zhang Xiu and his men turned their mounts, shifting into a defensive formation.

“Riding with such ease—either from the northwest or Hebei.”

“That white horse is extraordinary, a rare steed worth a fortune. These are surely men of wealth and power.”

Zhang Xiu narrowed his eyes, assessing the newcomers, and relaxed his guard slightly.

As they drew closer, Zhang Xiu counted: twenty men in all.

The leader, dressed in white and riding a white horse, wore a silver mask, exuding a carefree, unrestrained air. Beside him were two others—one with a sword at his waist, the other with a spear on his back. Especially the swordsman—even with Zhang Xiu’s skill, he could not gauge the man’s depth.

Just these two alone told Zhang Xiu that this group was not at all like the rabble from before.

Behind them, the seventeen wore light armor that still gleamed through the dust, all skilled fighters following the white-robed leader toward him.

“I am Zhang Yu of Zhongshan. May I ask, General, how far are we from Chang’an?”

“Zhang Yu of Zhongshan? The one who created the three famous wines, Zhang Dukang?”

“...I dare not claim so. You may call me Yu Lang—”

“Heh, you’ve given yourself quite the name. A grown man calling himself ‘Jade’—aren’t you ashamed? I’d like to see what you look like.”

With that, the girl pulled the curtain aside and poked out her head. “Why the mask? A true man has nothing to hide!”

“Miss, please show some respect to my young master,” Han Long urged his horse forward.

“You’re just a lowly guard! How dare you speak to my lady so rudely?” Zhang Xiu glared and rebuked him, while the Liangzhou soldiers drew their weapons. “Zhang Yu, is this how you act as host?”

Zhang Yu chuckled. “First, I’m not his master—I’m his elder brother, his friend. Second—”

Zhang Yu’s smile froze, turning to a chill as deep as ancient ice: “And who are you, daring to shout at my guard? Do you not value your life?”

“You—” Zhang Xiu was stunned, as were the Liangzhou soldiers and the girl in the carriage.

“Han Long, teach him a lesson. Just don’t kill him.”

Zhang Xiu recovered quickly and was about to give the order to kill, but Zhang Yu spoke first: “Brothers, forward! Make a name for yourselves—punish evil, uphold justice, let it be today!”

The Eighteen Riders of Yanmen, joined by Zhang Yu’s new recruit Han Meng, were all men who could fight ten to one. Like a pack of wolves or tigers, they tore through the elite Liangzhou soldiers as if slicing melons and chopping vegetables.

Cao Xing, not far off, nocked an arrow and shot a meteor bolt straight at Zhang Xiu’s spear shaft. Seizing the moment, Han Long knocked the spear from Zhang Xiu’s grip.

The Gun King of the North, without his weapon, was like a toothless tiger, swiftly beaten back by Han Long’s assault.

“Miss, don’t be afraid. I’m just teaching this general how to speak properly. Weren’t you curious about my looks? Here, have a look.”

Zhang Yu forced a smile and removed his mask.

The girl’s daze turned into fascination.

“Tell me, who is this general?”

“He is Zhang Xiu, the general assigned to escort me to Chang’an.”

Zhang Xiu? The Gun King of the North, Zhang Xiu?

Zhang Yu glanced back at Zhang Xiu, who was being pounded by Han Long, and frowned. “And you? If he’s your escort, you must be someone important.”

“My name is Dong Bai.”

Dong Bai!?

Zhang Yu’s heart skipped. Before he could react, Zhang Xiu, still struggling under Han Long, roared, “Zhang Yu, you’re courting death! This is the Grand Preceptor’s granddaughter, Lady of Weiyang! Offend her, and your whole family will be ground to dust—”

Good heavens, looks like I’ll have to use my charm now.

“Miss Dong,” Zhang Yu smiled, about to speak, but instinctively began to sing, “You’re beautiful when you frown… like the clear water under Anhe Bridge…”

“Hmm… thank you. Is Anhe Bridge from your hometown? By the way, could you ask them to stop fighting?”

Dong Bai came to her senses. She wasn’t much concerned about her escorts, but seeing her own people beaten stirred her conscience.

“How odd, though. I’m not angry at all. It feels natural for him to come and beat my people,” she mused, confused.

“Miss, these men were assigned to escort you to Chang’an, but as we’ve just bested them, it proves we are stronger. Is it not safer for us to accompany you on to Chang’an?” Zhang Yu argued persuasively.

“My lady! These men are strangers. They’ve killed my soldiers. When my army arrives, they will be doomed! You mustn’t be deceived!”

There’s more army coming?

“Han Long, gag him!”

“Yes, young master!” Han Long responded, scooping up a handful of dirt and stuffing it into Zhang Xiu’s mouth. The two scuffled again.

“Miss, I am not a stranger. I have been personally summoned by His Majesty and the Grand Preceptor for a reward. As you saw, it was General Zhang Xiu who forced our hand—we had no choice but to retaliate. For your safety, we will continue to escort you to Chang’an. I hope you can forgive us and accept my apologies.”

“Very well, those men were bullies anyway. I could see that long ago. It’s a pleasure to travel with you and these brave men today.”

Despite the situation favoring Zhang Yu, his heart chilled at the sight of the smiling girl. These soldiers had risked their lives for her, yet now, with most dead and Zhang Xiu beaten, she felt nothing, instead placing her trust in this outsider. How could anyone be convinced by such a person?

But now, the most important thing was to reach Chang’an quickly.

He settled Dong Bai in the carriage, chased off the surviving Liangzhou soldiers with the Eighteen Riders, and had several men bind the furious Zhang Xiu and toss him into the carriage as well. Then, they set off once more.

After a long trek, the city of Chang’an finally appeared before them.

There was no “lone smoke rising straight over the desert,” but the great sun hung round over the long river!

A mighty, majestic aura surged forth, carrying centuries of heritage and an overwhelming grandeur that brought tears to Zhang Yu’s eyes.

The mottled, towering city walls bore the mark of age and dignity. After all these years of wind and rain, the city still stood proud.

The city towers reached for the heavens; the walls stretched to the horizon—a true bulwark of a city!

In his life, and even his past one, Zhang Yu had never seen such magnificent ancient architecture. His excitement was plain to see.

And this was only Han Dynasty Chang’an. The Great Xing City of the Sui and the later Chang’an of the Tang would be twice as large and even more spectacular—how grand must that have been?

No wonder it could embody the spirit of embracing all under heaven and draw the tribute of myriad nations!

Dong Bai had long since drawn aside the curtain. Zhang Xiu, having rinsed his mouth and washed his face from a canteen, was still surrounded by the group. His weapons were held by Xiahou Lan, lest he try anything against Zhang Yu.

Seeing Zhang Yu lost in awe, Zhang Xiu snorted disdainfully; Dong Bai felt a surge of superiority, thinking Zhang Yu was just another country bumpkin overawed by the capital.

But they didn’t understand: to Zhang Yu—for any modern person—Chang’an was not just a city. It was a faith, a totem, an immortal glory.

Chang’an had three gates on each of its four sides. Before them, the city gate stood wide open, named Ba City Gate, the southern gate of the eastern wall.

Outside, on either side, stood officials in ceremonial dress, and at the center was a man surrounded by attendants.

He was tall and burly, with a broad face and thick brows, streaks of white hair at his temples—a general’s bearing, though he sported a paunch.

He wore a purple-brown brocade robe, a belt inlaid with gold and jade, and his beard bristled like steel pins on his chin and cheeks. His presence was so imposing that none dared meet his eyes.

“Grandfather!” Dong Bai called from the carriage.

“So this is the Demon King, Dong Zhuo,” Zhang Yu took a deep breath, dismounted, and led the group toward the city gate.