Chapter 201: Spirit Treasure

A light breeze passed through the river valley, stirring a great dark-red banner, its surface traced in gold thread with five large characters: "Eight Great Kings of the Western Camp." Around the valley, men shouted and horses neighed; countless figures drew water and watered horses down in the valley bed, while on the hillsides to either side, more people were felling trees and gathering firewood.

Xiao Wazi pulled a quilt from the carriage and tossed it into a nearby ruin. Only the mud-brick walls remained here, but it was still better than sleeping out in the open.

Outside the wall, several servants had just settled in. Though they could not sleep within the walls, having one side blocked from the wind was still good. Those who could arrive first were all the ones with better stamina, able to snatch the best spots, and generally they could also search for food nearby ahead of the others. Those with poorer stamina all lagged behind; by the time they arrived, food was very hard to find, and they could only eat the grain they carried on them — and that was often insufficient.

A group of the Child Army, stripped to the waist, had been splashing about in knee-deep river water for quite a while and finally caught a fish. Several of them shouted with delight in the river.

Xiao Wazi glanced at them indifferently, then walked toward the Official Road, intending to check on his own Team's servants on the mountain opposite, hoping they would cut more branches on the hill to build a canopy inside the walls in case it rained that night.

Several corpses lay by the roadside. This had once been a village, fairly close to the Official Road. It was not their first time passing through; the surrounding farmland lay largely abandoned.

This place was Lingbao County, at the junction of Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan provinces. To the west it bordered Tong Pass, to the east it bordered Lushi in Henan, and to the north it faced the Yellow River and the Shanxi border. The land within was crisscrossed with mountains and rivers, the terrain complex. The once world-famous Hangu Pass was located right here.

Xiao Wazi had been to this Lingbao place a few times before. All along the Official Road were ruined villages and vast stretches of abandoned fields, including the Upper Fields by the river — it was the same there, weeds growing in thick tangles, the tall cogongrass even reaching the height of a man.

The Western Camp had already been here for two months. Lingbao County's complex mountain region and marginal administrative position made it hard to draw the attention of government troops. For the Western Camp, it was a suitable place to hide, and they were familiar with this area.

This place was very close to Tong Pass, a vital route from Shaanxi into and out of Henan. Roving Bandits and government troops came and went repeatedly; none of them were good sorts. Production in this region could no longer be restored, and the residents had long since Scattered. The several corpses on the ground had been stripped of their Clothing and Belongings. Xiao Wazi gave them a cursory glance — they did not look like local Farmers, but were probably passing Hangshang.

It was now the ninth month. The autumn harvest was already over everywhere in the north, so the Western Camp was moving out of the mountain region and drawing near the Official Road again. Though young in age, Xiao Wazi was already quite experienced. Lingbao was a good Destination for hiding from government troops, but it was desolate and barren — there was nothing to loot. No one could last the winter here. Their return to the Official Road now meant they were very likely about to leave the vicinity of Shaanxi, most likely heading for the interior of Henan, because Henan had also finished its autumn harvest.

Autumn was Xiao Wazi's favorite time of year. On the road they could seize enough grain, and the wheat stalks and millet straw, reaped and dried everywhere, could also fatten the horses and put meat on their bones.

The entire autumn harvest would determine the quality of their life in winter. In the bitter cold of the north, surviving in the wild was extremely difficult. Neither government troops nor Roving Bandits wished to be active outdoors. It was best to stay in a stable winter camp to reduce heat loss; that way the odds of survival were much greater.

For Xiao Wazi, however, this was still an extravagant hope. For the ever-swelling horde of Roving Bandits, a fixed winter camp could only be a city at the prefecture or county level, and the imperial court punished the loss of a city severely. The local Military Defense and Pacification officials would all dispatch troops to try to retake it.

Because of this, in every winter these past few years, Xiao Wazi had still been migrating. From the northwest of the Ming Dynasty to the Central Plains, his footprints were everywhere.

The servants on the hillside were coming down the mountain in succession. Xiao Wazi was searching for the people from his own Team when he heard the sound of hoofbeats behind him. Xiao Wazi turned his head to look. Several Horse Soldiers in red rode past at a gallop. Xiao Wazi stepped back and let them pass before him.

With a "Whoa—", the lead Horse Soldier suddenly halted. The several Horse Soldiers behind him reined in and turned with practiced skill.

They stopped before the several corpses by the roadside. The clothes of those corpses had all already been stripped away. After picking over them for a moment, the men drew their Short Blades, stabbed them into the bellies, and then pulled downward, slicing them open.

Each of the several Horse Soldiers worked over a corpse. The sword edges cut through skin and flesh, producing dull, squelching sounds. A small amount of blackened blood flowed out from within; they had clearly been dead for quite some time.

Then they scooped out the intestines and organs from inside, piling up a great red-and-black heap beside them. Viscous black fluid dripped continuously, and a stench of decay filled the surrounding air.

Only after they had hollowed out the bellies of those corpses into empty cavities did the several Horse Soldiers take dried grass and beans, place them inside those cavities, and then lead their horses over.

The people nearby, accustomed to such sights, all kept their distance. A few of the Child Army were still watching with keen interest from the side.

Xiao Wazi turned his head and looked at the old man behind him. "Grandpa, should our mule eat from the Blood Trough?"

The old man raised his aged face. Beside him was a sturdy mule. The old man, his face full of worry, glanced over there, then shook his head and said, "Mules don't eat that. This old man has fed livestock for decades, and I've never heard of anyone feeding them that to make them run better."

Xiao Wazi said expressionlessly, "They all say that once a horse or mule eats from the Blood Trough, it will become as fierce as a tiger or wolf."

"Then wouldn't it just eat its rider?" The old man sighed in a low voice. "A mule is a mule. No matter what it eats, it won't turn into a tiger or wolf. That old Team Leader three months ago — he fed his horse from the Blood Trough every day, and in the end, I never saw it turn into a tiger or wolf. Didn't the government troops still cut off its head?"

Xiao Wazi lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said no more. A saying had always circulated among the Roving Bandit horde: if you hollowed out a man's belly and used it as a trough to feed a horse, after the horse ate, its strength would greatly increase and its Nature would become fierce and savage. The government troops' horses would flee at the sight of it, and then they would not have to fear the government troops' pursuit.

This old man was the very one who had first carried him in an ox cart. He had looked after Xiao Wazi for two or three months, traveling from Nanzhili to Shaanxi, until Xiao Wazi recovered. Afterward, Xiao Wazi had asked the Post Commander for the old man, and the old man had followed him ever since.

The previous ox cart had been too slow. During their movement through Shaanxi, the Border Army led by Hong Chengchou had pressed them hard, and the ox cart was quickly lost. It was only two months ago that they had seized this mule cart, and the old man was still the one driving it.

This mule cart was the treasure of the two of them. The old man had raised livestock all his life and was quite experienced with horses and mules. In a short time, he had cared for that gray mule until it was fat and strong. With this Carriage, they could carry more supplies, and their odds of survival were somewhat greater — they were nearly approaching the middle class among the Roving Bandits. Of course, compared to those Horse Soldiers, there was still a gap, and they were even less comparable to the Old Camp. Those people in the Old Camp could each have three or four horses and mules. On ordinary days during marches, they rode mules to conserve the horses' strength, only using the horses at critical moments.

"Once we reach Henan, I'm determined to seize a few horses."

The old man lowered his head and inspected the mule's hooves, replying as he did so, "Every time a city is breached, the Various Families all rush to seize horses and mules first. Only those who enter the city first can grab them. Don't go risking your life for it."

Xiao Wazi tilted his head and looked at the old man. "Life isn't worth much anyway."

The old man sighed. "This old man's life isn't worth much, but you're still a young lad. You should always think about the days ahead…"

Xiao Wazi suddenly interrupted, "Grandpa, keep a good eye on your mule."

The old man started, then turned his head to look. He saw a Horse Soldier walking in their direction, his eyes fixed intently on that gray mule.

The old man hurriedly grabbed the rope of the gray mule beside him. The Horse Soldier had already reached them. The man was tall and burly as an ox. With a false smile, he reached out a hand to grab the old man, shouting from his Mouth, "Lend me that mule, your master here has a use for it."

The old man retreated in alarm. Without a word, Xiao Wazi stepped in front of the old man, blocking the way.

The Horse Soldier stopped in his tracks and looked at Xiao Wazi with some surprise. Xiao Wazi's face remained impassive, but he showed not the slightest intention of backing down. Seeing this, the few Child Army members who had been watching the excitement rushed over and stood behind Xiao Wazi.

The Horse Soldier withdrew his hand and looked sideways at Xiao Wazi for a moment. "Are you from the Child Army?"

Xiao Wazi replied indifferently, "Are you a servant?"

The Horse Soldier's face changed color. He glared fiercely at Xiao Wazi. "Your master asks you a question, and you dare not answer? Do you have a death wish?"

"You are not my Long Family. This young master does not wish to answer you."

With a ringing Shua—, the Horse Soldier had drawn his Waist Saber into his hand. The surrounding servants all scattered to avoid him. The several Child Army members shouted and ran back into the ruin to dig out their weapons, then swiftly ran back and confronted the Horse Soldier.

The other several Horse Soldiers who were still tending to the horses gathered around, one after another drawing their Swords and cursing. On the Child Army's side, a few more gathered. Though they were lean and wiry in build, their manner was even more aggressive than those Horse Soldiers.

The scene was at daggers drawn. The lead Horse Soldier had no intention of backing down. He stared at Xiao Wazi before him. "This mule — your master here has taken a liking to it. I'll trade you two servants for it."

Xiao Wazi remained expressionless. He slowly drew his own Waist Saber. "Trade me your life for it."

The servants watching from the surrounding area, hearing these words, slowly retreated further outward. Within the Roving Bandit community, seizure and robbery existed at all times. The focus was on horses, mules, and grain — both were key to preserving one's life and often led to fights. Judging by the situation today, a bloody struggle was inevitable.

The muscles on the Horse Soldier's face twitched. The hand gripping his sword squeezed until the knuckles turned white. The group of Child Army members opposite numbered over a dozen, several times their own number. Though their weapons were a bit shabby, they could still kill. They seemed quite eager to try, looking ready to fight to the death. The Horse Soldier felt they would be troublesome to deal with, yet he could not afford to lose face. He was riding a tiger and finding it hard to dismount.

The several Horse Soldiers exchanged glances. The scene was on the verge of exploding.

Just at that moment, a sudden clamor arose in the distance. The nearby servants shouted loudly with delight.

Xiao Wazi stepped back and looked over. He saw a Red Banner approaching from the West Side. Beneath the banner was an unending stream of Horse Soldiers, who did not stop until they reached the barracks of the Eight Great Kings' master.

Xiao Wazi could not read, but he had seen that Red Banner many times before. It was the banner of Gao Chuangwang. Just as he had thought, the Eight Great Kings' master was waiting to Assembly with Gao Chuangwang.

The Horse Soldier gritted his teeth, raised the Waist Saber in his hand and jabbed it twice in Xiao Wazi's direction, then led the several Horse Soldiers away.

The group of Child Army members jeered and cursed behind them. Xiao Wazi waved his hand at them, signaling them not to provoke further, and only then returned his Waist Saber to its scabbard.

The old man led the mule over and said worriedly, "The one leading them was from the Old Camp. You, child — it would have been fine to just give him the mule."

Xiao Wazi shook his head. "The mule is valuable. I won't give it to him."

The old man was about to persuade him further when a burst of cheering came from the direction of the Eight Great Kings' great banner. Two more horse teams had arrived. Their banners were unfamiliar; it was unknown which family they belonged to.

"Grandpa, feed the mule some more beans. We'll be traveling a long road in these next Two Days."

The old man responded with an "Ai," and asked, "Henan or Huguang?"

"Anything edible will do." The corner of Xiao Wazi's mouth twitched. "Best if we can get to Tongcheng."