Chapter 120: The Road of Exile

Xu Wei, under escort, stepped onto the road of exile to the frontier.

His hands and feet were tightly bound by heavy, icy shackles that dug deep into his flesh; each step caused immense pain, draining all his strength.

The escorts, all cold‑hearted, showed cruelty and contempt in their eyes, as if Xu Wei were a worthless ant they could bully at will.

The chief guard, Wang Da, had a face full of flesh, a fierce look, and the corner of his mouth always bore a cruel smile.

He tormented Xu Wei excessively, seeming to take pleasure in abusing him.

Not long after departure, the scorching sun hung high, its fierce rays pouring down unhindered, baking the ground to sizzling heat; kicked‑up dust filled the air, recklessly invading Xu Wei's nose and mouth, almost choking him.

Xu Wei's lips were cracked like a dry riverbed, bloody streaks shocking to see; his throat was parched as if it would ignite at any moment, and he begged the guards in a weak voice:

"Sirs, please, give me some water—I'm dying of thirst…"

Wang Da spat contemptuously and snarled: "Hmph, you criminal still want water? Speak again and I'll make breathing hard for you!"

The other guards jeered on the side, watching Xu Wei's suffering without a shred of pity.

After walking a stretch, Xu Wei, weak from exhaustion, slowed his steps and staggered, nearly falling.

Seeing this, Wang Da exploded with rage, rushed forward, and kicked Xu Wei in the waist, shouting: "You lazy bones, what are you pretending? If you don't want to walk, crawl for me!"

The kick sent Xu Wei sprawling; the rough ground scraped his wounds, blood instantly seeping out and staining his ragged clothes red.

He struggled to rise, but Wang Da stepped on his back, leaving him unable to move.

Wang Da, pressing down, yelled: "Let you slack off, play dead—today I'll give you a proper lesson!"

Xu Wei turned pale, cold sweat pouring, and let out painful groans.

Night fell, temperature plunged, and the wild wind howled across the wilderness like countless sharp blades, slicing Xu Wei's face and body.

His thin, tattered robe could not fend off the bone‑chilling cold; he could only curl up on the icy, hard ground, his body trembling nonstop.

Seeing Xu Wei's state, Wang Da felt no sympathy at all—instead, malicious intent arose.

He picked up a branch from the side, lashed Xu Wei with it, and said: "Cold? I'll loosen your muscles and warm you up!"

The branch struck Xu Wei, making a sharp crack, and bloody streaks rose on his skin.

Xu Wei curled up in pain, afraid to make a loud sound lest it provoke harsher punishment.

During a rest on the march, the guards sat together, eating fragrant rations and drinking sweet wine, while Xu Wei could only watch, his stomach growling with hunger.

He summoned courage again and begged the guards: "Sirs, give me something to eat—I haven't eaten in days…"

Wang Da picked up a ration, waved it in front of Xu Wei, then suddenly threw it on the ground and crushed it under his foot, mocking: "Want food? Then eat off the ground!"

The other guards joined in loud laughter; Xu Wei's eyes filled with despair and anger, but he could do nothing.

On this long, painful road of exile, Xu Wei daily endured the guards' various abuses and torments.

Old wounds unhealed and new ones added, he became utterly frail, as if a gentle breeze could topple him.

Thus, Xu Wei trudged forward amid endless suffering.

After an unknown number of days and nights, he finally reached that desolate frontier land.

Here yellow sand filled the sky, winds howled, and as far as the eye could see, aside from endless desert and a few sparse tufts of dry grass, there was hardly any sign of life.

Living conditions in the exile place were extreme; Xu Wei was assigned an extraordinarily heavy labor task—building the city wall.

Each day, before dawn, while the world lay in darkness, Xu Wei had to rise and labor under the overseer's merciless whip, forcing his exhausted body to work.

He had to lug stones so heavy they defied imagination, each seeming to weigh a thousand jin, threatening to break his waist.

His hands, worn day after day, were raw and bloody, covered in thick calluses and deep, shallow wounds.

At night he and other exiles crammed into a narrow, dark, damp hut; a nauseating smell filled the hut. His wounds and mosquito bites kept him from sleep, making each night agonizingly long.

In this hell‑harsh environment, Xu Wei met others equally unfortunate.

Among them were scholars exiled for offending the powerful, once learned and ambitious, now only able to silently endure hardship in this barren land;

There were merchants framed on false charges, who once dominated the market but lost everything;

And there were civilians who lost their homes to war, displaced and wandering, who finally arrived at this painful place.

Just as Xu Wei was on the verge of death, fate's gears turned strangely.

Having just pacified the former Xiongnu lands, Wei Xiang, on his way back to the court to report, happened to pass by here.

Wei Xiang had always been honest and clean‑handed, caring for the people; full of integrity, he had done many practical deeds for the court and the populace.

Upon seeing Xu Wei's miserable state, a strong surge of compassion welled up in his heart.

He immediately halted his entourage and hurried to Xu Wei's side.

All over Xu Wei were wounds, his clothes in tatters, his breath faint, his life hanging by a thread.

Wei Xiang's brows knit, his eyes flashing anger and reluctance; he turned to the trembling guards and overseers and demanded sternly: "What is this? Why has this person been tortured into such a state?"

Those guards and overseers, used to throwing their weight around, turned pale and weak‑kneed before the court minister Wei Xiang, daring not to hide a thing, and told the whole story of Xu Wei's ordeal.

After hearing this, Wei Xiang was furious, sensing foul play.

An ordinary exile receiving such inhuman treatment surely hides a shameful secret behind it.

He bent down, gently patted Xu Wei's cheek, trying to rouse him.

In his stupor Xu Wei felt a hint of warmth and hope; he slowly opened his eyes, saw Wei Xiang's concerned gaze, and an inexplicable feeling welled up in his heart.

With his last strength he stammered: "Sir…… I…… I was framed……"

Wei Xiang nodded gently and soothed: "Don't speak now; just rest."

Afterwards, Wei Xiang ordered the accompanying military doctor to give Xu Wei emergency treatment.

Under the doctor's careful care, Xu Wei gradually regained some vitality.

He felt deep gratitude toward Wei Xiang and also saw a glimmer of hope.

Wei Xiang decided to take Xu Wei back to Chang'an and investigate the matter personally.