Chapter 58: Huo Sheng'er

"So it is Young Lord Zhang Erlang in person. I have given much offense today, and I am willing to pay a ransom!"

Perhaps sensing that his life was safe for the moment, Pugu Cheng, the Dieluo Tagan behind the Chen family armored soldiers, finally recovered his wits. He cupped his hands toward Zhang Zhao from within the crowd and shouted, in perfectly authentic Dunhuang accent.

By now the fighting had basically stopped everywhere. Fan Shun and Fan Quan had already led men to seize the high walls on both sides and had this group locked down. A single order from Zhang Zhao and they could strike. Though casualties would be unavoidable, defeat for Pugu Jun and the others was already certain.

"A thousand strings of cash! I am willing to pay a thousand strings, plus three hundred bolts of Gaochang white cotton cloth!" Seeing that he might be killed at any moment, Pugu Jun cared for nothing else and hurriedly shouted out.

A thousand strings — that was no small sum! One had to remember that when Zhang Zhao left, Cao Yijin, using the pretext of atoning for what he had done to Zhang Chengfeng back then, had given Zhang Zhao only three thousand taels of silver ingots, roughly a little over three thousand strings.

Gaochang white cotton cloth was even finer stuff — warm, soft, and sturdy, with a single bolt worth close to two strings.

That made for an income of fifteen or sixteen hundred strings at once. Yan Jin, Ma Yaozi, and the others around him all showed satisfied expressions, waiting only for Zhang Zhao to agree.

And for Pugu Jun in the crowd, fifteen or sixteen hundred strings was worth paying. The Chen family's few dozen well-trained armored soldiers alone could not be measured in money. These were chaotic times; nothing was more valuable than brave men who could take the field and kill the enemy.

After thinking it over briefly, Zhang Zhao agreed. His original intent had been, first, to test his troops; second, he had no choice but to replenish fresh water at Puchang Sea; and finally, he had come with the thought of grabbing a windfall.

As for the north-south struggle between the Gaochang Uyghurs and the Guiyi Army over the Silk Road, he could not manage it, nor could he resolve it.

"Good! I agree to the price. Dieluo Tagan, you are worth that much. But who can guarantee that once I release you, I will still get the money?"

One had to know that a single string of Tang-dynasty Kaiyuan Tongbao coins weighed about six jin and four liang. A thousand strings was sixty-four hundred jin — over three tons.

Pugu Cheng could not possibly have brought that much money to Puchang Sea, and Zhang Zhao was even less likely to wait here. Never mind how it would be transported to Khotan — who knew whether what came later would be money and white cotton cloth, or the great army of the Gaochang Uyghurs?

"Words alone are no proof; there must be a guarantor!" Guarantors were very common in this era. In an age without checks or remittances, many things depended on trust.

Zhang Zhao's eyes rolled, and he suddenly thought of a vicious little scheme. He pointed at Chen Huiyao and shouted.

"Since Brother Chen is so loyal in protecting his master, I shall give you face. If Brother Chen can stand guarantor for this ransom, our two parties may immediately clasp hands and make peace."

A thousand strings and three hundred bolts of white cotton cloth — Zhang Zhao believed that even if Pugu Cheng across from him was of the Gaochang Uyghur royal clan, that was still no small fortune.

Right now, to save his life, he would naturally agree a thousand times over. But later, once the threat to his life was gone, whether he would still be willing to pay so much was another matter.

That was why Zhang Zhao wanted Chen Huiyao as guarantor. If Pugu Cheng kept his word, then Zhang Zhao would make a great haul.

But if Pugu Cheng felt the sting and was unwilling to pay, or unwilling to pay so much, then it would inevitably drag Chen Huiyao into trouble.

And what would the relationship between those two be like afterward? A rift would be inevitable, surely!

When he returned from Khotan in the future, perhaps he really could spirit the Chen family away from Yizhou, and might even find a way to seize Yizhou itself.

Chen Huiyao understood a little of Zhang Zhao's thinking, but he had no good choice either. He could only turn his head and glance at Pugu Cheng.

At this moment Pugu Cheng naturally had no thought of begrudging his wealth. The man himself was about to be gone; how could he have time to think of anything else? He hurriedly sent Chen Huiyao an earnest look.

"It is only fifteen or sixteen hundred strings. I can afford it!" Pugu Cheng shouted.

"Very well then! I, Chen Huiyao, here thank the Young Lord for his benevolence. The ransom wealth will certainly be delivered into the Young Lord's hands!"

Zhang Zhao was satisfied. He beckoned, and the wounded Wu Yuan'er's elder brother, Wu Da'er, stepped forward.

Originally Cao Yijin had planned to send his younger brother Wu Yuan'er as envoy to Gaochang. Now it was still unknown whether Wu Yuan'er could keep his life, so the only option was to send Wu Da'er, and along the way have him bring back the sixteen hundred strings belonging to Zhang Zhao.

Although Wu Da'er was an envoy of the Guiyi Army, over these days — especially after Zhang Zhao saved his younger brother Wu Yuan'er's life — Wu Da'er had come to hold Zhang Zhao in great reverence. He placed his hands together and bowed to Zhang Zhao with a respectful call.

"I leave my brother in the Young Lord's care. On this journey to Gaochang, I shall not fail in my mission!"

Outside the ancient city of Loulan, the expanse of Puchang Sea had shrunk to roughly the size of the artificial lake Zhang Zhao had once seen in a luxury villa complex in a later age. The water did not look very healthy either; the lake water was astringent with a faint salty taste. No wonder no one could live here.

After the great battle of the previous night, of the two hundred-odd men the Dieluo Tagan Pugu Cheng had brought, over thirty had died in battle. The rest had all been taken back by Pugu Cheng. But apart from the Chen family armored soldiers, their clothing, armor, and weapons had all become Zhang Zhao's spoils of war.

Zhang Zhao's side had casualties too. Four seriously wounded plus Wu Yuan'er — five men in all — had not yet left danger, and thirty or forty men had light wounds of varying degrees. So Zhang Zhao could only take the risk of resting here for one day.

As for prisoners, there were twenty-some remaining Canwei women, and forty-some men of Mahashede and Aruoduo had also been disarmed and put under guard.

At this moment several campfires had been lit. The remaining Canwei women were slaughtering sheep and steaming millet to prepare the midday meal.

"Young Lord! Young Lord, come quickly! Huo Sheng'er is not going to make it!" Just as Zhang Zhao was washing the blood from his body, Ma Yaozi came running over, shouting frantically.

Hearing this news, Zhang Zhao did not bother to finish washing. He hurried toward the temporary "hospital" he had set up.

Huo Sheng'er was a crafty old soldier in his twenties. He had no surname and did not know who his parents were. Back then he had been found outside the military camp by a squad of Shouchang garrison soldiers, and so he got the nickname Huo Sheng'er — meaning he was the shared child of that whole squad.

By the time Zhang Zhao went in, Huo Sheng'er had miraculously sat up and was even asking Yan Jin beside him for a roasted lamb rib. His face was flushed with an unhealthy ruddy sheen.

Zhang Zhao was not gladdened. Instead his face darkened. This was the last flicker of life before death!

"Colonel, you've come! Look, my wound is nothing. I can still follow the Colonel and Young Lord to kill the enemy!"

Huo Sheng'er pointed at a large bloody, mangled area between his chest and belly, and looked at Zhang Zhao beseechingly, though his voice was somewhat weak, and there was a hint of fear that Zhang Zhao might abandon him.

Zhang Zhao walked over gently and laid a piece of hemp cloth over Huo Sheng'er's chest and belly, covering the wound.

"I have seen it! Your wound will heal soon. I will wait for you — wait for you to go to Khotan with me, and then I will find you a Hu maiden for a wife!"

Huo Sheng'er quickly grasped Zhang Zhao's hand in return, his expression even more joyful. "I knew it — the Colonel and Young Lord is a good officer, but..."

Before he finished speaking, Huo Sheng'er suddenly slumped backward, and his face began to turn white at a rapid pace.

"But... I... I still haven't found my father and mother, and I don't even know what my surname is. If I marry a Hu maiden and have a son, what surname would he take? He can't take... take the surname Huo, can he!"

Zhang Zhao gently leaned over and tightly gripped Huo Sheng'er's hand, an indescribable ache in his heart.

"Then, brother, why not take my surname! My family comes from Nanyang, and we are a distinguished clan too!"

When Huo Sheng'er heard Zhang Zhao say this, he suddenly rallied considerably, his eyes opening wide.

"Truly? A servant like me is also worthy of the surname Zhang?"

"You are! Huo means brightness! Why not be called Zhang Zhao! Not only may you take the surname Zhang, the Young Lord will also find you an orphaned child in Dunhuang and have him adopted as your heir, to carry on your line. For your merit in this great battle, you are awarded three strings of cash and three recorded kills. All of this will be passed on to your son."

"The Young Lord is benevolent! Huo Sheng... Brother Zhang Zhao, rest at ease!" Yan Jin, right beside Zhang Zhao, was also quite moved and knelt on one knee as he spoke.

"Good! Good... ex... cellent!" Huo Sheng'er seemed to want to struggle to his feet to thank Zhang Zhao, but after straining to shift himself once, he fell straight back, his head lolled to one side, and he made no further sound.

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