Ashes to Crown

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: City Gate

Zhang Gu handed over his duties but didn’t immediately set off for the Capital City.

This assignment had been draining, both physically and mentally, so they all needed to rest well before starting their journey.

They were already quite familiar with the County, so they mainly focused on showing the newcomer, Ah Jiu, around.

It happened to be market day. The County was teeming with people, its streets lined with goods. There were fresh fabrics and silk flowers from the distant Central Plains, exotic spices and furs from Western Liang, acrobats and performers, and even cockfighting and gambling. The main street was so packed you couldn’t move, and you’d work up a sweat just pushing your way through despite the winter cold.

But Zhang Gu and his men didn’t have to worry about that. The moment Ah Jiu reached the city gate and spotted the cockfighting gambling stall, he dove right in and refused to come out.

Inside, the young man was tossing down entire pouches of money. If he lost, he’d immediately throw down another. If he won, he’d just throw his winnings back in. This profligate display of a fool with too much money sent the gambling stall into a thunderous uproar, driving the other gamblers into a frenzy.

Zhang Gu and the other posthouse soldiers exchanged helpless glances.

”This kid just throws money around like it’s nothing,” Zhang Gu said. But they couldn’t just let him waste the whole day here. If they left him alone, he’d surely stay glued to this spot until it was time to leave.

He and two other posthouse soldiers dragged Ah Jiu out of the crowd.

Ah Jiu was very unhappy. ”Hey, I was just getting into it!”

”There’s more fun to be had,” Zhang Gu said, pulling him along.

Ah Jiu grumbled reluctantly, ”What could be more fun than this? In the Capital City or back home, gambling dens are hidden away in shady places like they’re run by thieves, and you have to sneak around just to play. It’s nothing like the Border County, where you can gamble openly in broad daylight. It’s so liberating! The Border County is a great place!”

Zhang Gu laughed and cursed, ”You’re always saying things that are asking for a beating. A place is great just because you can gamble freely? The Prefectural Governor would have you flogged fifty times for that.”

Ah Jiu refused to budge. As they were struggling, a voice called out from the crowd, ”Ah Jiu.”

’Someone here actually knows him?’ Zhang Gu and the others quickly looked over and saw the dense crowd outside the city gate parting to make way for a troop of soldiers on horseback.

Although social customs in the Border County were chaotic and disorderly, military regulations were strict. Civilians had to yield to troops on the move; otherwise, they could be trampled to death under hoof without consequence.

The scar on the leading general’s face was very conspicuous, causing the crowd to shy away even more.

”Vice General Zhong,” Zhang Gu said, quickly bowing.

Vice General Zhong leaped from his horse. ”I was wondering why I couldn’t find you at the barracks. So, you came to the city for a stroll.”

Zhang Gu said respectfully, ”Yes, we just came into town for a look around. Does Vice General Zhong have any orders for us?”

The other posthouse soldiers also bowed, but Ah Jiu just stared at the sky with his nose in the air, acting as if he didn’t know or want to see the man.

Vice General Zhong snorted inwardly. ’Who cares about seeing him, anyway?’ He didn’t bother saying anything more and turned to pull a string of cattail-leaf sandals from his saddle.

”These are a specialty of Luocheng. They’re perfect for us soldiers,” he said. ”The General had me bring them as a small token of appreciation.”

Ah Jiu let out a snort from behind them, but before he could say anything, two posthouse soldiers stomped on his feet. The words on the tip of his tongue turned into a yelp, ”You’re stepping on my foot!”

”It’s crowded here, don’t push and shove,” Zhang Gu said, glaring at them. He accepted the cattail-leaf sandals with both hands and said gratefully, ”Thank you, General Chu. These will be perfect for our return journey.”

Vice General Zhong didn’t care whether their gratitude was genuine or not. The matter was settled. ”I wish you a safe journey.”

He turned to mount his horse when the clatter of hooves announced another troop of soldiers galloping toward them. Upon seeing him, the leading general reined in his horse with a shout.

”Well, if it isn’t Vice General Zhong.”

Vice General Zhong looked over and saw a middle-aged general in a bright red cloak. The man had a pale face, a short beard, and a mocking smile as he looked down from his horse.

”Damn my luck,” Vice General Zhong muttered under his breath.

The condescending general probably didn’t hear it, but Zhang Gu and the others standing nearby did. Their eyes widened. This general clearly held a high rank, yet Vice General Zhong dared to be so disrespectful to his face—

The men quickly shuffled backward. ’When immortals fight, mortals should stay far away.’

After spitting out his curse, Vice General Zhong looked up, cupped his hands in a perfunctory salute, and said coldly, ”Zhou Sima.”

”Vice General Zhong, what a rare sight,” Zhou Sima sneered. ”We invite you men from Luocheng time and again, but you never show up.”

There were four Great Generals in Yunzhong County, each garrisoning a different location. Only Daqing Mountain Pass was guarded by General Wei, Chu Ling. In terms of troops, Chu Ling was their equal, but in terms of official rank, he was a level lower. Combined with many other factors, Chu Ling’s relationship with the four Great Generals had been complicated for years.

However, after many years of friction, they mostly kept up appearances. The exception was this Zhou Sima, a recent addition under the Mighty General. He was aggressive and showed Chu Ling no courtesy. Naturally, Chu Ling’s subordinates refused to take it lying down. The friction was constant, and they had nearly come to blows several times.

Now, with enemies meeting at the city gate, a verbal clash was inevitable.

Vice General Zhong gave a dry laugh. ”I’m ashamed. I can’t compare to Zhou Sima, who’s a regular in the County, getting scolded every other day. What brings you here this time? A mutiny in the barracks, or were your territories raided by bandits again?”

Zhou Sima’s expression immediately soured.

Vice General Zhong roared with laughter, pressing his advantage. ”Did I hit the mark? Zhou Sima, don’t take it too hard. We all understand. You’re from the Capital City, a man destined for great things. Coming to a small place like our Border County, you can’t really spread your wings. You should just go back sooner rather than later.”

”Insolent!” ”What nonsense are you spouting!”

Zhou Sima’s guards immediately barked rebukes. Not to be outdone, Vice General Zhong’s guards also stepped forward.

”What are you doing?” ”Can’t solve your own problems, so you want to solve us instead?”

The crowd in front of the gate instantly cleared another large space. Only Ah Jiu, his face alight with excitement, tried to get closer. Zhang Gu held him back firmly, leaving the boy to only shout an encouraging ”Fight!” from the back.

Fortunately, the City Gate Guards were very familiar with such scenes and quickly came out to intervene.

”Zhou Sima has arrived,” they shouted. ”Quickly, the Capital Commandant is waiting for you.”

A group of them inserted themselves between Vice General Zhong’s and Zhou Sima’s troops. A few junior officers even bowed to Vice General Zhong with wry smiles. ”Vice General Zhong, if you have something to say, please come inside and say it.”

Zhou Sima didn’t make things difficult for the City Gate Guards. He signaled for his guards to fall back into formation, then shot another glance at Vice General Zhong.

”That’s right, we do have bandits causing trouble in our territory. We can’t compare to General Chu,” he said coldly. ”General Chu is a saint in the eyes of bandits, a Daluo Immortal they worship. Your territory is naturally safe and sound.”

With that, he cracked his whip and rode into the city, his soldiers galloping past in a tight formation.

The scar on Vice General Zhong’s face twitched a few times. His expression shifted, and finally, he spat heavily on the ground.

The City Gate Guards breathed a sigh of relief and once again invited Vice General Zhong into the city.

Vice General Zhong said in a cold voice, ”I’m not entering the city. My business is done. I’m heading back now.”

The City Gate Guard didn’t dare ask any more questions and quickly excused himself. The flow of traffic in and out of the city gate returned to normal.

Ah Jiu slapped Zhang Gu on the shoulder and asked curiously, ”Did you hear that? What did he mean, saying General Chu is a Daluo Immortal in the eyes of bandits?”

’What else could it mean? He’s just bringing up that old business about Chu Ling secretly releasing bandits back in the day.’ Zhang Gu slapped his hand away and snapped, ”Don’t be a busybody!”

Just then, Vice General Zhong turned around, his expression dark as he glanced at them. Zhang Gu and the others quickly forced a smile. ”Vice General Zhong, please don’t let us keep you.”

Vice General Zhong didn’t speak and turned to leave. But Ah Jiu squeezed forward, seemingly trying to curry favor by handing him the reins. As he got close, he whispered, ”Someone across the way is watching you.”

Vice General Zhong froze. He didn’t turn his head immediately, but cast a sideways glance across the street. The crowd over there was a sea of people of all sorts, and quite a few were looking in their direction.

His expression was grim, and he didn’t look pleased by Ah Jiu’s warning.

”Plenty of people watch me,” he said, snatching the reins from Ah Jiu’s hand and vaulting onto his horse. ”You think I’m afraid of them staring?”

He turned his horse, cracked his whip, and the crowd scrambled to clear a path, watching the troop of soldiers gallop away.

Ah Jiu watched their retreating figures, pursed his lips, and scoffed, ”You can tell he’s not very popular.”

Zhang Gu scolded him, ”Keep your mouth shut. It’s none of our business.”

Ah Jiu laughed. ”I know it’s not our business. I’m just watching the show. The more exciting, the better.”

Zhang Gu shoved the pair of cattail-leaf sandals into his hands. ”Take your ’thank you’ gift and shut up.”

’A ”thank-you gift,” huh.’ Ah Jiu dangled the sandals and snorted. ’Cattail-leaf sandals. What’s the hidden meaning here? A lecture on being tough as weeds?’

’Honestly, they should stop worrying about others. It looks like that father-daughter pair has offended plenty of people. They should just worry about themselves!’

He slung the sandals over his shoulder, and a sideways glance caught a seventeen or eighteen-year-old peddler shouldering a pole of pinwheels in the crowd. The peddler turned and headed out of the city gate—

’None of my business.’

Ah Jiu threw his arms over the shoulders of two posthouse soldiers and asked with a lively expression, ”What else is there to do in the city? Is there any cockfighting, dog fighting, or cricket fighting?”

”Just behave yourself,” Zhang Gu grumbled. ”If you gamble yourself away, we’re not buying you back.”

Joking and laughing, the group blended into the crowd and headed into the city.

The market inside the city was bustling, but the roadside outside the gates was far from deserted. Tea sheds, food stalls, and livestock sellers crowded the path, along with a chaotic jumble of parked carts and horses.

The pinwheel peddler walked without stopping until he reached a carriage parked at the very end of the line.

”I’m dying of thirst,” he said, looking at a girl sitting on the carriage shaft, swinging her legs and weaving a grasshopper out of a dry stalk. ”Xiao Man, quick, give me some water.”

The girl called Xiao Man didn’t even raise her eyelids. ”Don’t have any.”

The peddler got angry, but before he could say anything, a hand emerged from the carriage, holding out a waterskin.

”Here, drink,” a soft female voice said.

The peddler quickly reached for it, but Xiao Man had already taken it.

”Auntie,” she complained. ”Why are you bothering with him? Third Brother is always like this. Ask him to do one little thing, and he starts ordering people around.”

The hand withdrew. From behind the curtain, the gentle voice replied, ”As it should be.”

Xiao Man pouted, shoved the waterskin at the peddler, and asked with a glare, ”How did it go?”

The peddler first took a gulp of water and wiped his mouth.

”I saw Vice General Zhong,” he said in a low voice. ”But Miss Ah Zhao wasn’t with him.”

Xiao Man stopped weaving her grasshopper. ”This is the County’s annual grand market. She’s come every year before this.”

A silence fell from behind the carriage curtain.

The silence seemed to quiet the surroundings as well.

Xiao Man said no more, and the peddler stopped his GULP GULP GULP drinking, both of them looking at the curtain.

After a moment, the woman’s voice came from behind the curtain. ”Let’s go back.”