Chapter 545

Wen Boyuan kept a close watch on Hu Xiaotian's every move from behind; at this moment, Zhan Peng came over to inform them to make preparations, and Wen Boyuan said to Zhan Peng: "What did he say?"

Zhan Peng said: "He said a major sandstorm is coming, ordering everyone to dismount and proceed on foot."

Wen Boyuan gave a cold snort: "Playing mysterious, spreading rumors to confuse the masses." Although he said that, Wen Boyuan did not dare be careless; he issued orders for everyone to dismount and proceed on foot. The troops had just finished preparing when a strong wind swept up sand and dust, blowing straight into their faces. This sandstorm was completely different from the one they had encountered when they first entered Fenglin Gorge; the wind was excessively fierce, swaying people in the gale, and even these well-trained warriors felt their steps unsteady, their footing insecure, as if they might be blown away by the strong wind.

The sand and gravel on the ground were kicked up by the raging wind, slamming painfully into their bodies and faces; the warriors, leading their horses, struggled against the headwind, while sand and stones incessantly struck their armor, producing a continuous clinking sound, as if someone were densely beating drums and gongs.

Hu Xiaotian wore a mask, squinting his eyes, when it suddenly occurred to him how nice it would be to have a pair of wind goggles; he led Little Gray with one hand, while the other arm was stretched across his forehead, and he shouted to Liang Yinghao beside him: "The wind is too strong; we must find a place to shelter from the sand."

Liang Yinghao shook his head and replied loudly: "There is no sheltered spot around here; the terrain of Fenglin Gorge is unique, and the nearest place to take cover is still ahead… about ten li away…"

Hu Xiaotian pointed at the ground, thinking to himself: Isn't there an underground cave?

Liang Yinghao said: "People can hide inside, but livestock… can't squeeze in…" His voice was broken by the howling wind.

Hu Xiaotian could only point toward the distance, signaling to continue forward.

Under normal circumstances, walking ten li would be nothing for them, but now, advancing against the wind and sand, with many wounded in their ranks and having to guard numerous wagons and supplies, it was naturally a struggle to move forward.

Wen Boyuan, who usually loved cleanliness, was now covered in dust and grime, trudging awkwardly through Fenglin Gorge against the wind and sand; looking back, he saw many of his warriors turning their bodies sideways and retreating, adopting this posture to lessen the wind's effect. Though the posture was embarrassing, it was nonetheless a practical measure.

Dong Tieshan and two other warriors walked ahead of Wen Boyuan; normally they would not dare act this way, but today they made an exception, using this method to block some wind and sand for Wen Boyuan. Dong Tieshan turned around, walking backward, and shouted loudly to Wen Boyuan: "General, you had better get on the carriage to rest."

Wen Boyuan shook his head. After the ambush by the Hunshui bandits, they had lost many horses and carriages; aside from the Princess and Wu Jishan and a few others who still rode in carriages, the other vehicles were either loaded with dowry supplies or assigned to the severely wounded. This situation might not improve until they reached Qinglong Bay. Although Qinglong Bay was not far off, the raging sandstorm in Fenglin Gorge far exceeded his expectations; squinting his eyes ahead, he could no longer see the front of the column.

Dong Tieshan was choked by the wind and sand, coughing repeatedly. He leaned close to Wen Boyuan and said: "General, this seems suspicious."

Wen Boyuan asked: "Who is that burly, bearded giant guarding the Princess's carriage?"

Dong Tieshan looked toward the Princess's carriage ahead. He saw a stalwart figure standing there, never leaving the Princess's carriage side, and whispered: "I hear his surname is Zhou; he is a retainer of the Tang brothers."

Wen Boyuan shook his head. At first he had not paid attention to this person, but during yesterday's ambush, Zhou Mo single-handedly hauled the Princess's carriage out of the collapsed pit; this man is certainly no ordinary fellow—an ordinary lackey? Impossible. If he were a subordinate of the Tang brothers, why would he obey Hu Xiaotian's commands so readily? He must be a capable aide that Hu Xiaotian had arranged to be in the troupe beforehand.

Dong Tieshan asked: "General, do you suspect him?"

Wen Boyuan said: "For now, let's first leave Fenglin Gorge and talk later." Suddenly a shout came from the rear: Wu Jishan's carriage had accidentally fallen into a pit. Wen Boyuan waved his hand and led a few warriors over.

Wu Jishan even had a mask stuck on his face—naturally given to him by Eunuch Hu. Although just a minor detail, Wen Boyuan could still see it clearly, and he felt a surge of disgust: this old fogey now stands alongside Hu Xiaotian, truly blinding his dog's eyes. Despite his deep aversion to Wu Jishan, he still had to maintain appearances, so he had someone help push the carriage out.

Wu Jishan repeatedly thanked him, speaking through the mask in a muffled voice: "General Wen, this weather is truly… awful…"

Wen Boyuan said: "I just fear we might be following someone down the wrong road."

Wu Jishan laughed: "No, no, I have confidence in Sir Hu."

A faint cold smile appeared at the corner of Wen Boyuan's mouth.

Even Hu Xiaotian, who led the way at the front of the column, was battered by the wind and sand to the point of misery; after uttering only a few words, he had already gulped a mouthful of yellow dust. He took out his waterskin, rinsed his mouth with clean water, when a hand reached out from beside him—belonging to a grimy-faced warrior. Ordinary soldiers would hardly dare such boldness, yet despite the pervasive dust, Hu Xiaotian recognized from the man's icy stare that this warrior must be Xumi Tian in disguise.

Xumi Tian took the waterskin, rinsed his mouth, then drank two gulps of water.

Hu Xiaotian secretly chuckled, wondering if this woman would become addicted to drinking his saliva; recalling the mysterious relationship between Xumi Tian and himself, he felt a faint stir of excitement in his heart.

When Xumi Tian handed the waterskin to Hu Xiaotian, he sent a mental transmission: "There is an ambush ahead."

Hu Xiaotian started at the words: "Haven't we already subdued the Hunshui gang? How could there still be an ambush? Could it be that the bandits, having ostensibly complied but secretly defied, gained freedom and then, unwilling to relinquish their thieving ways, made a comeback?" Over the past two days, Hu Xiaotian's mental transmission technique had become quite proficient; he whispered lowly: "The Hunshui gang?"

Xumi Tian shook his head: "Better safe than sorry!"

Hu Xiaotian hastily called Liang Yinghao to a halt and ordered Zhan Peng to relay the command: everyone should stop moving forward.

Liang Yinghao, quite puzzled, approached Hu Xiaotian and exclaimed in astonishment: "Sir Hu, just a li ahead lies Huishawan, where we could take shelter from the sand; why… are you stopping here?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I suddenly changed my mind, deciding to detour around Huishawan. Are there any other exits?"

Liang Yinghao replied: "There is another route, but detouring around Huishawan would add roughly five li of unnecessary travel, and the road is rugged; moreover, one must pass through Fengyan Gorge, which is the windiest spot." Being alert, he had already guessed something from Hu Xiaotian's sudden proposal to change course, and he whispered: "Sir, do you suspect me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "It's not that I suspect you; I just have an ominous premonition that Huishawan may harbor an ambush."

Liang Yinghao said: "If you feel it's inappropriate, Sir, we can simply choose another road."

At this moment Wen Boyuan also walked over; hearing that Hu Xiaotian wanted to change the route again, he flared up: "Hu Xiaotian, Huishawan is right ahead—we could temporarily take shelter from the sand there, yet you suddenly alter the course, forsaking the near for the far—what is your motive?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "My intuition has always been reliable; Huishawan might have an ambush."

Wen Boyuan snorted derisively: "A mere hunch? Don't voice such baseless speculation, lest you become a laughingstock."

Hu Xiaotian said: "If you insist on taking this road, I won't stop you; anyway, the Princess will surely follow me." He couldn't be bothered to argue with Wen Boyuan, so he directly invoked the Princess's name.

Wen Boyuan said: "Going to Huishawan is fine; I think the problem lies with you." He hadn't finished speaking when a sudden eagle cry rang out from the sky; the fierce wind and sand could not drown out that mournful cry. Several people simultaneously turned their gazes to the dust-filled sky above, where they faintly discerned a white shadow flitting through the sand.

Wen Boyuan's pupils contracted sharply; he swiftly took down his long bow from behind, nocked an arrow, drew the bow to a full moon, the arrowhead glinting with a deep metallic coldness—whoosh! The arrowhead tore through the murky air, emitting a sharp whine, and shot straight toward that white light in the sky.

Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the arrow's flight; yet this arrow obviously missed its mark—the white light flashed, the arrow fell short, then plummeted from the sky, its tip now pointing toward the crowd.

A cry rose from the crowd as people scrambled sideways, fearing injury from the falling arrow. Just as the arrow seemed about to strike, a swish! sounded—a black arrow shot straight for the shaft of the airborne arrow; the tips of the two arrows collided, metal clanging and sending sparks flying; both arrows then veered away from the crowd, wobbling off to one side and slanting into the yellow earth.

Wen Boyuan's face turned grim; his gaze shifted to where the arrow had been fired from—the one who had just shot to relieve the crowd's predicament was indeed Zhan Peng.

In fact, Zhan Peng had not been showing off his archery; he merely feared that Wen Boyuan's arrow would fall and injure someone.

Hu Xiaotian shouted: "Everyone, follow my command—leave this place at once and hurry toward Fengyan Gorge!"

Liang Yinghao helplessly shook his head; Hu Xiaotian was forsaking the near for the far, and he could only comply.

Although Wen Boyuan was reluctant in his heart to obey Hu Xiaotian's orders, Princess Anping stood on Hu Xiaotian's side, just as he himself had said: wherever the Princess goes, he must follow.

The group struggled against the wind and sand for an hour before finally reaching Fengyan Gorge; passing through, the wind and sand grew even stronger, the sole consolation being that they had encountered no enemy obstruction along the way. Fengyan Gorge is a wind tunnel about one li long; after the squad carefully made their way through, night had already fallen.

Strangely, as soon as they emerged from Fengyan Gorge, the wind died down and the ground began to show patches of withered yellow grass. Although night had fallen, Hu Xiaotian still dared not stop to camp; after asking Liang Yinghao, he learned that exiting Fenglin Gorge from here would take another hour or so. He and Wu Jishan briefly consulted, then decided to press on through the night, and they would speak of leaving Fenglin Gorge only after they had done so.

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