Love in Red Dust - Chapter 89

Chapter 89

What was gold dust used for? Since ancient times, when emperors ordered high-ranking officials or consorts to take their own lives, they used wine mixed with gold dust. When added to wine along with a measured amount of lethal poison, the gold dust could paralyze the entire body, allowing the victim to die a less agonizing death. Dingyi could not fathom the reasoning behind this; was it simply because Hongce was the son of a Khalkha Imperial Noble Consort that he must be colluding with the Mongols? While he carried the blood of the Khalkha people in his veins, they conveniently forgot that his other half, just like their own, came from the founding Emperor of the Great Ying Dynasty.

To serve a monarch is like sleeping beside a tiger; this saying was indeed true. Once you reached a certain level of political stature, the Emperor would begin to set his sights on you. No matter how much effort you had expended for the court, if the Emperor could no longer tolerate you, there was no room for negotiation.

After sending off the Seventh Prince, she returned to the flower hall, her soul adrift. She sat there in a daze, unable to speak a word to anyone. Hailan was puzzled and asked her in a low voice what was wrong. Knitting her brows, Dingyi replied, "I am going to Khalkha. I will set out tomorrow morning."

Xiazhi was startled. "You’re going to Khalkha? It is an incredibly long and arduous journey, and the land is swarming with Tatars who kill every Central Plains person they see. Are you insane?"

At this point, she could no longer afford such considerations. If she were lucky enough to die by his side, even seeing him one last time would be enough. If it was destined that she would have no such fortune in this life, then leaving her corpse upon the Gobi Desert would settle all the sins and karma she had accumulated previously.

"Is something wrong with the Twelfth Master?" Hailan asked her. Xian'er struggled in his swaddling clothes and began to let out a soft, whimpering cry.

Dingyi glanced at the child. "The Twelfth Master... suffered a military defeat. There are those in the court slandering him, claiming he is colluding with the enemy. The Emperor has ordered the Thirteenth Prince to supervise the army; if the charges are verified, he will be... forced to take his own life."

Hailan let out a cry and murmured, "This world truly makes it impossible to survive. The two armies are in the middle of battle; for you to go alone is simply walking into the jaws of death, isn't it? You still have Xian'er. If something happens to you, what will become of the child?"

She was loath to leave him as well; he was the child she had brought into the world with every ounce of her strength, truly the apple of her eye. But what could she do? His father was in danger out there; useless as she might be, she still had a life to give. Even if it meant her own death, she had to save him.

She pressed down heavily on Hailan’s hand. "Sister-in-Law, please listen to me. If the Twelfth Master can return, I beg you to hand Xian'er to him and ask him to treat him well. If both of us perish there, the child will only be a burden to you by your side. I beg you to send him to the Langrun Garden; if the Dowager can find it in her heart to raise him for the Twelfth Master’s sake, that would be for the best. If not... then entrust him to Master! I am truly out of options..." She turned her head away to wipe her tears. "I have no family of my own to rely on; only Master can help me now."

Hailan wept along with her. "Rest assured, the child is not going anywhere. He will stay by my side, and I will take good care of him. But you must return. No matter how good others may be, they can never replace one's own parents. Do not let Xian'er follow in your footsteps."

Xiazhi stood to the side, his spirit brimming with heroic daring. "I will accompany you to Khalkha. It is better for two people to look out for one another; I cannot rest easy knowing you are on the road alone."

Dingyi shook her head. "That will not be necessary. I can move more nimbly alone, and an extra person would only be an impediment. Besides, it is not safe there; I cannot risk your life as well. My Xian'er is not only entrusted to my Sister-in-Law but also to you. Brother, the peace of this household depends on you."

Her mind was made up, and no one could shake her resolve. Having watched the most important people in her life die one after another, her own existence had become a form of torture. Therefore, if she were to die, she would die together with him. When the time came, she would act according to the situation; for someone who was prepared to cast aside even her own life, there was nothing that could not be achieved.

She packed her gear and prepared to depart, kissing Xian'er on the forehead before leaving. There were too many things in her heart she wanted to say, but looking at this child crying out for milk, nothing would come to her lips. She had wanted to watch him grow up, to see him build a family and a career, but she was a person destined to have shallow ties with her kin—first her parents and brothers, and now her husband and son.

She changed into men's attire, gritted her teeth, and mounted her horse. Hearing Xian'er begin to sob softly, she felt as though her heart were bleeding, but she could not delay any longer. Perhaps the Thirteenth Prince was already on his way; if she arrived any later and fell behind him, what use would it be to find the Twelfth Master!

She whipped the horse hard and turned its head, its hooves racing rapidly toward the city gates. Winter had left all things desolate, with light frost that would not thaw for days. After riding a distance, she looked back to see the city walls shimmering faintly in a pale hue before vanishing over the horizon.

From Beijing to Zhangjiakou, and then to Ulanqab, the shortest route to the border was to cross through the Sonid Right Banner to Zamyn-Uud. The Sonid Right Banner was an eroded plateau; upon entering, the terrain was still an expansive high plateau and rolling hills, but to reach the border between the two countries, one had to traverse the Hunshandake Sandy Land. That place was a desert with pockets of water and beautiful scenery, yet it suffered from massive temperature fluctuations between day and night; if you could not cross it in a single day, you were forced to spend the night there.

She dug a water hole to settle down. Ever since she could no longer find post houses to stay in, the items on Dingyi’s horse grew increasingly numerous until she could no longer carry them, forcing her to buy a camel. The camel could bear the heavy load, carrying thick felt mats and forage on its back, allowing her to rest on the spot whenever she grew tired.

She built a fire and roasted her dry rations, making do with cold water to wash them down. After eating, she leaned against the camel; its humps were warm and provided shelter from the wind. In her leisure time, she pulled out a small silk pouch and toyed with it in her hands. This contained the strands of baby hair that had fallen out on the day of Xian'er’s full-month celebration. She kept it on her person; whenever she missed the child, she would take it out to look at it, which offered a small comfort to her longing.

Passing through a small market, she bought a copper mirror, exquisite and lovely, only the size of a palm. She took it out and looked at it by the firelight. She was the type of person who didn't tan easily, but from the wind and sun, fine cracks had opened across her cheekbones, appearing crimson at first glance. She grabbed a jar of lard and smeared it haphazardly over her face; the stinging pain lessened slightly. She pulled the thick felt over her body and lay down in a heap, the wind whistling in her ears all night, with the howling of wolves echoing nearby and far away. She had been terrified at first, but later, overcome by exhaustion, she fell asleep. Waking up the next day safe and sound, she considered herself lucky.

As she packed up to head out, she noticed a pool of blood on the sandy ground while leading the horse. She was startled; in a place like this, whether it was a person or a beast, it was difficult to survive if one was injured. She rushed to check the horse and the camel, inspecting every inch of them, but they were perfectly fine, not even a patch of skin broken. Where did the blood come from? Though puzzled, the journey was paramount, and after securing the felt, she was on her way again.

After another day of traveling, she gradually approached Erenhot. Standing on the ridge looking out, she saw the frames erected by the garrison troops; just across from them was the land of Khalkha. She tightened her belt and led her horse and camel across.

To cross the border defense required travel documents. Thanks to the Seventh Prince’s help, they had been prepared that very day, so she did not seem panicked when the time came to use them.

The border guard gestured with his hand, looking her up and down. "Where are you from?"

She said, "I am from the capital, heading to Ulaanbaatar to rely on my relatives."

The leading lieutenant flipped through the documents and let out a scoff. "There is a war going on out there, and you claim you're relying on relatives? What kind of scheme is this! I suspect you are spinning a lie."

She was anxious, but she could not be rash or confrontational. She offered a flattering smile. "It is no lie; I truly am relying on relatives. As you can see, these travel papers were issued by the imperial court; a genuine document cannot be faked."

The lieutenant laughed heartily. "Who knows if you stole them? Perhaps you are trying to smuggle private goods and defect?" He pointed his whip at the horse and camel. "What kind of items are loaded on top? Two of you, go over and take a look."

A few soldiers began to rummage through her belongings. Dingyi realized then that it would not be so easy to leave; having documents alone was not enough. You had to pay the "road money," or they would simply plant false evidence on you, and throwing you into prison and convicting you would be the work of a single sentence.

She was a person who understood the ways of the world. From her sleeve pocket, she pulled out a bank note, pulled the lieutenant aside, and shoved it into his hand. "Please accept this, sir; it is not much—twenty taels—for you and the soldiers to drink tea and warm yourselves. I am a law-abiding citizen and do not know what 'defecting' means. My family members are all gone, and I only have a cousin doing business outside the pass, so I must rely on him to find a way to eat. You are a sharp judge of character; looking at me, even if I wanted to defect, no one would want me, right? Please take pity on me and let me pass."

The lieutenant looked it over; this boy was quite sensible. The income at the border was not high, and they relied on stripping oil from those entering and leaving. Twenty taels—it wasn't a large amount, but it wasn't a small one either, barely enough to fill the gaps in their teeth, but having something was better than having nothing. He readily gave the order. "It is not that we intentionally want to make things difficult; both armies are currently engaged in battle, and our superiors have ordered strict checks on all travelers. I ask for your understanding." As he said this, he tucked the bank note into his sleeve pocket and announced in a loud, clear voice, "There is nothing suspicious, so that is enough! Do you intend to rip the man's bedding apart? Stop it, stop it."

The two soldiers obediently returned. Dingyi looked back; her belongings were scattered in a mess, but luckily, she had nothing of great value. She cupped her hands toward the lieutenant. "My dear officer, I am quite timid and am terrified of the fighting ahead. Might I ask where the Great Army is currently located, so that I may avoid it while traveling?"

The lieutenant shook his head. "They have already entered the hinterlands of Khalkha. We are far away, and we only hear bits and pieces of news, so I cannot say for sure. A while back, they were reported to be in Delun, but I don't know if they have relocated since then. Once you cross Zamyn-Uud, you can ask the local people; those border residents speak the Han language and can give you an accurate idea. Beyond that, it will be impossible; it is all garbled Tatar speech that you won't understand a word of. If you are looking for people in that territory, it is a desperate hope."

She hesitated. It was true; the language barrier was a major trouble. Just as she was about to ask more about the front-line situation, a cavalry squad arrived with a flurry of motion. Leaning out to look, there were only three or five men, with a large cart and several dozen horses being driven behind them; it appeared they were horse traders shuttling goods between two points.

The lieutenant was certainly accustomed to benefiting from others and was quite familiar with these horse traders. When those men moved over two jars of wine and slipped him some silver, he was soon patting their shoulders and calling them brothers.

The soldiers by the wooden weapon rack returned her travel documents and sent her through the border. She did not leave, however. Pulling her linen cloth over her nose and mouth, she approached the lieutenant and said, "Sir Officer, these gentlemen are heading out of the pass—where are they going?"

The lieutenant, having just received twenty taels of silver from her, was exceptionally accommodating. The moment she opened her mouth, he knew what she meant. He said to the lead horse trader, "Old Huang, this little brother here wants to go to Ulaanbaatar. Take him along on your way; he doesn't know the Tatar language and is afraid of getting lost."

Those who roamed the world of the wandering rivers and lakes were all quite principled, and their speech was direct. "You dare to go beyond the pass without knowing the Tatar language? You can come along if you like, but the horse squad does not carry useless people. You must help with watering the horses and providing the fodder. Can you do that or not?"

Dingyi shouted that she could. "I know the rules, and I am very diligent."

"That’s good then." The man slapped her on the shoulder, nearly collapsing half her scapula. "Lead that skinny camel of yours and get on the road!"

Thus, she had temporary care, though she still had to be on her guard. A gang of full-grown men were certainly not cultured scholars like Hongce. She tried her best to appear crude; having grown up in the marketplace, she could mimic the unrefined mannerisms of characters like San Qingzi or Xiazhi quite well.

The horse squad headed due north. Once they crossed the Gobi Desert, the road became easier to traverse, but Khalkha in early spring was still bitterly cold; staying in the wilderness during this season would certainly mean freezing to death. Old Huang traveled this route frequently, and he knew exactly where the checkpoints were and when there were inns. After they settled down in a small town called Balang, the group sat in the main hall drinking and eating meat. The Mongolian people were a bold and heroic ethnic group. Watching the burly men with red faces all around her, each one speaking with a voice like a booming bell and moving with the vigor of a tiger, she could well imagine what kind of lightning-fast and resolute character the Seventh Prince’s Princess Xiaoman possessed.

Only, with the war ongoing, the town no longer possessed its former bustle; instead, the foreign merchants were even more active. For instance, the horse traders—during wartime, this was a profitable trade. Horses were the foundation of the grassland people; they could go without wine, but they could not go without horses.

Amidst the clamor, a group of people entered. Although they wore long robes and waist sashes, their movements were different from the Mongols—more restrained and capable. Dingyi lifted her bowl and looked over the top rim. Those people sat down at a table without a sound, placing their swords on their right-hand sides. The leader removed his cloak, revealing the handsome face beneath the sable scarf. With a single glance from his eyes, Dingyi knew that he was the Thirteenth Prince.

Had they arrived so quickly? Her heart began to drum. What now? The horse squad’s pace was slow, and they had been overtaken by them. Mixing in among them would likely not be easy; these men were well-trained and did not require anyone to care for horses or provide fodder. The only option was to follow them, and she would have to be incredibly careful—if she were caught, there was a ten-to-one chance she would not survive.

The next day, she thanked Old Huang, and they parted ways. She had learned the direction of Choir and set out one step ahead, needing to arrive before the Thirteenth Prince. All along the way, she racked her brain for a way to have them take her along, but after thinking it over, she realized it was impossible. She decided to let fate take its course—she smeared her face with dirt, drove away the camel and the horse, and crouched down on the road they were bound to travel. Seeing them approach in the distance, she cast aside all shame and laid herself out in the middle of the road, limbs sprawled. She had placed a massive bet this time; the success or failure of her entire mission rested on this single gamble.

Just as expected, she heard the long cries of horses being reined in. Someone said, "Reporting to Master, there is someone collapsed ahead; I do not know if he is dead or alive."

She kept her eyes tightly shut, holding her breath to listen. The Thirteenth Prince spoke lightly, "Go over and look; if he is dead, drag him to the side."

Two men answered with a respectful "Zhu," dismounted to observe, reached for her wrist to feel for a pulse, and reported, "He is still warm; he has not yet breathed his last."

Dingyi cursed under her breath—You’re the one who hasn't breathed his last! Then she heard the Thirteenth Prince say, "Pour him a drink of wine to warm his body; once he wakes up, let him go."

The fiery "Burning Knife" liquor entered her mouth, stinging her eyes until they filled with tears. After tossing and turning for a moment, she "slowly regained consciousness," let out an "ah," and asked, "Where am I?"

"It’s a Han person!" Meeting a fellow countryman in the lands beyond the pass always earned one a measure of courtesy. The guards reported this, and the man reined in his horse, looking down from his high perch. "What happened? Can you stand or not?"

Dingyi performed a perfect spring-up, bowing and kowtowing repeatedly. "I am deeply grateful for your life-saving grace, Your Highness. If it weren't for meeting you all, I would already be dead by now."

The Thirteenth Prince tilted his body slightly, having someone help her up. "In such freezing weather, why were you lying on the road?"

She massaged the back of her neck with a mournful face. "I came to rely on my relatives, but I could not find them. On the way, I was beaten unconscious by someone who hijacked my horse and camel. In this place, with no village in front and no store behind, I do not know a word of Mongolian. I did not know what to do next."

The Thirteenth Prince gave her a suspicious glance. "Bodun, give him a horse."

She waved her hands repeatedly. "I do not want your horse. I am a stranger here and have no way to return to the Great Ying. I beg you, sir, be kind and save a person to the end; I am willing to lead your horse and serve as your long-term attendant. Please, take me with you."

The Thirteenth Prince was wrapped up very tightly, his warm hat pulled down very low, and the sable collar of his fox-fur coat masked most of his face, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed. He pondered for a moment before saying, "Logically speaking, your origins are unknown, and I should not take you along. But considering that you are a subject of the Great Ying, I fear you will not survive if I leave you here, so I will show mercy once. Remember: do not ask what you should not ask, and do not look at what you should not look at. Stay obediently where you are. Bodun, I entrust him to you; keep a close eye on him. If you discover any impropriety, execute him without question."

Bodun responded with a "Zhu," and the large contingent of men set out once more. Dingyi’s heart burst with joy; she quickly scrambled onto the horse and whipped it to catch up.