Nightfall

Alcohol and tobacco were good companions and so were men and women. Therefore, knife and arrow were naturally good companions too. Ning Que joyfully smiled at the heavy Talisman Arrow he was holding, and Sixth Brother walked out of the iron-forging house with a long bag in his hand. When opening the bag, he found three podaos in it.

These three knives were the ones that Ning Que sent to the Back Mountain the previous days. After re-hammered and forged by Sixth Brother, the knives were longer and slenderer than their former shapes, with the black long hilt even more firm. The dim blade reflected the morning light, occisionally revealing some simple and clear lines of talisman, which looked delicate yet enormously murdurous.

Second Brother said, “West-Hill Divine Palace has issued the edict, so there will be many young superiors from different countries sent to the Wilderness this year. I think the Judicial Department will assign persons too, so you probably will meet Prince Longqing again in the North of Yan Kingdom.”

The word “Prince Long Qing” made Ning Que tense in his mind, and subconsciously he felt a strong feeling to flee away. Although he won Prince Long Qing during that mountaineering, actually there was a big distance between the two in terms of the state of cultivation. If Prince Long Qing intended to take revenge of the previous two humiliations, he could definitely send Ning Que to hell.

“Tomorrow I won’t see you off, and I just remind you.”

Second Brother continued, “On the Wilderness, you are the representative of the students of the Academy, and Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of the Second floor. You are the disciple of the Headmaster of Academy. Therefore, no matter in what cases, you are not allowed to bring shame to the Academy. Revelation Institute of West-Hill, Sword Garret of South Jin Kingdom and White Tower Temple of Yuelun Kingdom, our Academy students have frequent contacts with guys from those places and have never been defeated in either playing chess or playing music. So you are not allowed to be defeated either.”

“No matter in what situation?”

“That’s right.”

“What if I couldn’t defeat my opponent?”

“At least you shouldn’t lose your face.”

Ning Que rubbed his head and asked in confusion, “Second Brother, how can I save my face if I am defeated?”

The tip of Second Brother’s brows slightly tilted and he scolded with dissatisfaction, “If you can’t win them, then strive to win. You shouldn’t give up if you really can’t win. Try all means to escape and fight with the opponent again after years of cultivation. How can you always be defeated?”

…

…

Following the emperor’s proposal, the practice region of the Academy students was arranged in the Wilderness in the North of Yan Kingdom which was in tension contemporarily, and tomorrow he had to start off. When Ning Que walked out of the dense mist in the Back Mountain of the Academy, he heard the enjoining from those Lecturers echoing in the surrounding study rooms of the pavement, and outside the warehouse, the stewards were constantly carrying supplies that would be needed during their journey, and the steward of the Military Ministry was counting the weapons that would be assigned.

Stepping out of the stone gate of the Academy, he found tens of steeds scattered on the green meadow under the morning light. Those steeds from stud-farm of the western city were quietly eating grass, some occasionally knocked into the flowering shrubs in the depth of the meadow, knocking down a ground of autumn petals.

Looking at those war-horses that were about to start their journey, Ning Que smiled and said sorry to Old Duan, the old carter who had waited for him for the whole night outside the Academy. Then he got on the carriage to come back to Chang’an City.

Just at the moment, something came to his mind. He jumped off the horse carriage with knitted brows and borrowed a firm bag back from the warehouse of the Academy, into which he inserted over ten heavy stones he had picked up along the road. Then he weighed the bag by hand and after confirming that it was heavy enough, he went to the edge of the meadow and holding the rail, whistled to the depth of the meadow.

The not-so-loud whistle made the scattered war-horses alert. They raised their head, among which a strongest yellow horse waved his head and pushed out its peers, galloping friskly and unrestrictedly towards him.

He fumbled the big yellow horse, and across the rail tied the bag to the knot beside the saddle.

The seemingly inconspicuous bag was actually quite heavy for the stones filling it. The big yellow horse slightly bent its front legs and then quickly stood up. There was only a small problem in the balance of its strong body, as well as its rapid gasp.

Ning Que untied the bag and shook his head at the big yellow horse, figuring that the iron bow and thirteen arrows as well as three Podaos were already heavy enough, which, if added by his own weight, would fail the horse. Even if it could bear the load, it still couldn’t last too long. What’s more, when they entered the Wilderness, they had to pursue and attack others, under which situation the horse couldn’t bear it long at all.

As a solider for a long time at the frontier fortress of the City of Wei, he was clearer than other students in the Academy about the importance of the ride in the Wilderness. Since he had entered the world of cultivation, he was even more aware that except those Grand Cultivators in Knowing Destiny State, one had to rely on horses to keep the required speed.

After pondering it over for a short time, he suddenly thought of the scene he experienced last year. So he threw the stones out of the bag and jumped into the meadow to find the steward of the stud-farm of the Military Ministry. He took out his waist tag joker of Imperial Center Administration and whispered something to him.

After returning to Chang’an City, he didn’t go back to Lin 47th Street immediately, instead, he went to the Taoist Temple of South School under the foot of the imperial palace. As a disciple, he had to report to his master before his travel faraway. What was more, his master might give him some other gifts.

Master Yan Se knew earlier than Ning Que that he would be sent to the Wilderness. After days of consideration, he felt the Emperor’s arrangement of this disciple was actually of some benefit. So his enragement gradually disappeared.

Unlike Second Brother, he didn’t warn Ning Que again and again that he shouldn’t bring shame to his sect, but seriously said, “The barbarians in the grassland are not scareful, however, those Desolate Men back to the South and their companions are most dangerous. Generally speaking, few will dare to do harm to you in this world because of your relation with Headmaster of Academy, the Emperor and me. But remember, after all it isn’t the Tang Empire.”

“Master, please feel relieved.” Ning Que laughed and said.

To the people of Central Plains, the remote Wilderness often stood for mystery and danger. However, as for Ning Que who took chopping Horse Gangs in the Wilderness as his part-time job after he left Min Mountain, he was most familiar with the Wilderness. No matter what strong enemies he might encounter there, he believed at least he could save his life.

Without this confidence, he would never accept the requirement of the imperial court.

At the thought of those powerful ones such as the Papal Cavalrymen sent by the Divine Hall and the Judicial Department hidden in the dark this time, Master Yan Se’s disordered brows slightly knitted. He severely looked at Ning Que and said, “Those enemies you encountered in the Wilderness previously are mostly ordinary men. Even the most cruel Horse Gang can’t frighten you. But remember, this time the enemies you may confront are probably cultivators, or even remaining forces of Devil’s Doctrine hidden in the Desolate Man. Anyway, be careful.”

Ning Que withdrew his smile and earnestly replied, “I see.”

And then Master Yan Se finished his last lecture before autumn, during which he explained the essence of Talisman Taoism-subtleties of characters. After the lecture, he handed a silk bag to Ning Que, explaining that there were some tricks in the silk bag, which he could open at critical moments.

The black horse carriage was slowly driving ahead along the straight street. With the quivering of the gaps between the stone slates under the wheels, Ning Que couldn’t help smiling at the silk bag in his hand. As was expected, he got a farewell gift.

He couldn’t figure out what was in the silk bag. Thinking of some famous episodes in stories and novels, he didn’t intend to open it in case that it would lose its effect. If so, would he return to the Taoism Temple of South School to beg for a new one from Master Yan Se barefacedly? Ok, he would probably did that for his character, but it would be too troublesome.

It was already dark at nightfall when he returned to Old Brush Pen Shop. The setting sun gleamed from the other side of Lin 47th Street and exactly flushed half of the street. He greeted Boss Wu of the neighbouring antique store, glanced at the empty gray wall behind him and entered his shop.

The rice was steamed in the pot, producing white mist which slowly coiled up along the tree in the courtyard and drifted to the aglow sky. Then it vanished in the sky before it drifted even higher, leaving no trace.

Sangsang raised her face to see the mist disappearing in the sky, narrowing her willow-leaf-like eyes charmingly.

Looking at the small figure against the tree, Ning Que said, “I’m back.”

Sangsang turned back and glanced at him, answering, “Young master, you are back.”

The dreary and dull dialogue was repeated again. During the years, when Ning Que returned to their little yard in the City of Wei, he used to have such a dialogue with this little girl in the yard or the house, and there was no exception in the Lin 47th Street of Chang’an City. The only difference was, the word “young master” was added in between this time.

The farewell dinner was not creative either. Although the bowl of amber-colored chicken soup indicated something solemn, it had nothing new worth mentioning.

Since there was nothing new, Ning Que went to the bed and began to sleep after washing his feet and turning off the light.

He didn’t order anything to the little girl lying on the opposite side of the bed. Although this would be the first time for him to part from Sangsang for such a long time, he believed that the little girl could take good care of herself, because during the years, it was her who were looking after both of them. So she might lead a more carefree life without her fastidious and troublesome young master.

It was late summer in Chang’an City. The night was not that annoyingly hot and the chirping of cicadas was vanishing. The starlight shone on the tranquil leaves and reflected into the house through the window, painting the wall and the bed into their favorite silver.

A burst of rustling was heard, and then Sangsang climbed from the opposite side towards him in her thin clothes, leaving irregular tracks on the silver quilt with her thin knees before she lay in the arms of Ning Que.

Ning Que opened his eyes and said, “I’ve told you many times, you’re a big girl now.”

Sangsang answered with “Hum” then nestled against him, laying her head against his chest, after which she refused to move again .

This night before his departure was the same as those nights in the past years. No difference was found.

…

…

The morning before his departure had nothing special either. Ning Que had a bowl of hot and sour noodle slice soup bought by Sangsang, brushed his teeth with the tooth set handed over by Sangsang, washed his face with the towel twisted dry by Sangsang and wore his autumn uniform of the Academy under the service of Sangsang. After all those were ready, he lifted his heavy luggage, pushed the door open and walked out.

Under the bright morning light, he waved goodbye to the little girl at the door of their store and then slowly moved away with the horse carriage.

The black horse carriage stopped at the edge of the vast meadow at the gate of the Academy and then returned by the way they came. Today, Old Duan, the carter, needn’t wait for Ning Que to go back to the city, because Ning Que wouldn’t go back this time.

The meadow had already been surrounded by hubbub of voice, where excited and nervous Academy students were saying goodbye to their parents. Parents seemed to have countless words to say and numerous articles to add to the luggage they had gotten prepared for their children. However, the young students’ mind had already drifted to the remote north, as if they had seen their promising prospect to make a big achievement.

Of course, not all the students were excitedly waiting for their on-coming journey, and one exception was Chu Youxian, who were surrounded by his wealthy father in the Eastern City together with his father’s concubines in the far distance and whose face was filled with complaint and terror.

Ning Que smiled to his direction and then turned to Situ Yilan by his side, who looked bright and brave with her magenta archery robe, curiously asking, “It’s so strange that nobody come to see you off.”

Situ Yilan answered with a smile, “The so-called practice is actually an expedition. Father just encouraged me to fight bravely against enemies and didn’t plan to see me off. Anyway, nobody see you off either.”

Ning Que shook his head and said, “I have no parents or relatives, who come to see me off.”

Seeing the two people walking out of the Academy, Situ Yilan said, “It seems there are persons coming to see you off.”

The two walked out of the Academy were Yu Lian, Third Sister and Chen Pipi. Those students and their parents on the meadow knew the status of the two from the instructors, so they hastened to give way to them politely.

A burst of autumn breeze softly fumbled the hair on the forehead of the lady, making it difficult to find out the real age of this petite-figured woman and bestowing the charming female professor an even younger look.

After Ning Que entered the Second floor of the Academy, he seldom had the chance to talk privately with Third Sister, so he felt surprised when finding that she came to see him off, saying, “Many thanks, Senior Sister.”

Yu Lian handed over a small article to him and smilingly said, “I have nothing special to give you but just a few words. Remember, no matter in what situation, if you follow your own heart, you can easily go through it.”

“Thanks for your suggestion, Senior Sister.”

Ning Que turned to Chen Pipi. Looking at this friend who had given him enormous help in his course of cultivation, he asked smilingly after a moment of silence, “What do you plan to give me?”

A gust of morning wind visited the meadow and blew out crinkles on Chen Pipi’s face, who then earnestly replied, “I come to see… off.”

Ning Que shook his head with sighs and said, “You are more shameless now.”

Chen Pipi sighed, “Learn from you.”

Ning Que smilingly retorted, “Learn from each other.”

Chen Pipi laughed too, and then seriously asked, “Anything I can do for you?”

Ning Que intended to say he had arranged all the things, but on the second thought, he said, “You know.”

“Know what?”

“I have a little handmaiden.”

…

…

As a young soldier from a border town, he first defeated Mr. Xie in climbing up the library, and then kept silent when neglected by the Academy, who later neglected the Academy. During the mountaineering, he beat Prince Long Qing and finally became the only one entering the Second floor in this grade. This time he would lead all his classmates to the Wilderness in the North of Yan Kingdom to practice. Undoubtedly now Ning Que had become a legend in the eyes of ordinary students in the Academy.

His dialogue with Situ Yilan had already attracted quite a lot of eyesights, then more focuses were rested on him following professor Yu Lian and Chen Pipi, which was a complicated mixture of respect, admire, or jealousy yet no hint of hate because they didn’t dare to.

When Ning Que lifted up the pile of heavy-loaded luggage from his feet to the direction of the meadow, the decade of eyesight focusing silently on him revealed emotions of shock and doubt. What kind of horse could bear so much luggage which seemed to be extremely heavy? What made him to walk to the meadow?

Three podaos, separated iron bow and thirteen Talisman Arrow in the quiver, his familiar boxwood bow and ordinary arrows, all these were necessities on the journey, which even further included a folded small tent and the big black umbrella tightly wrapped in coarse cloth.

The luggage was gotten well prepared by Sangsang last night which couldn’t be condensed to be smaller. However, there were so many things packed in it that it looked as magnificent as a small hill.

Ning Que walked to the rail of the meadow with his heavy luggage and raised his eyes to search for his target.

On the other side of the rail, those military horses left out by the other Academy students were silently eating grass or taking rest with their heads lowered on the meadow, hard to see whether they were discouraged or not. Yet on the more vast grass faraway, a black figure was running back and forth, making thunder of gallops like a black lightning.

Only when the black figure slowed down did he find out it was an extremely strong black steed. It constantly chased, bit at or knocked into the peers aside, frightening others escape to other directions. However, it had no plan to give up and neighed proudly at times, making it all the more arrogant and mean.

Ning Que smiled at the big black horse and inserted his figure in between his lips to make a whistle.

The whistling curled up above the meadow.

The big black horse which was unbridledly and proudly bullying its peers suddenly stiffened at the whistle and couldn’t move an inch as if its four hoofs were nailed into the soft meadow. It looked like a wooden horse painted into black leaving only a pair of dark eyeballs quickly turning around. One could obviously see the fear in its eyes.

It difficultly turned the frozen neck back to the figure against the rail in the far distance, finally relating the worst memory in its mind to the guy.

Then another whistling was heard, as if it was urging the horse.

The big black horse difficultly raised its hoofs and galloped to the rail with its head painfully lowered. Each step ahead was so reluctant and unwilling, behaving like a female star who was about to marry to a notorious wealthy family and unsure about her future.

It slowly paced to the rail and looked at Ning Que on the other side of the rail, slightly waving the head and meanwhile ridiculously turned up its thick lips as if it was playing up to Ning Que to show its absolute obedience.

It had been over one year since the Academy entry exam, yet the big black horse was still as bad-tempered as before. However, in face of Ning Que, it still had no courage to show its bad temper.

Yet when seeing the hill-sized luggage at the foot of Ning Que, it neighed out of terror and prepared to turn back to flee away regardless of its instinctive terror.

Ning Que stared at it and said, “Just as usual.”

The big black horse stopped.

Ning Que continued, “If you don’t listen to me, I will kill you.”

The big black horse turned back discouragedly.

Then Ning Que hanged his hill-sized luggage on its saddle.

…

…

At the turn of summer and autumn in the fourteenth year of Tianqi era, the Academy initiated the practice of this grade.

The leader of the group was the one that was even not seen by the Headmaster and Eldest Brother and could be called as the weakest disciple of Second floor of the Academy.

In the backyard of the Old Brush Pen Shop, Sangsang stared blankly at the chuckling old hen, thinking to herself, “I should have killed you yesterday to let you eat more. What if he felt hungry on the road?”

On the suburban road of Chang’an City, Ning Que looked at the picturesque folk houses along the road, figuring it was not known for many days he couldn’t drink the chicken soup cooked by her. Then he began to miss her soon after he left the city.

The empire in the morning was covered by faint light.

The gallops of horse, and the quivering of indigo robes