Great Tang Idyll - Volume 4 Chapter 230:

The round moon rose, illuminating the night.
Those lying on their beds could not rest.
Their children were far away, fighting for the country,
while the window’s patterned paper cast shadows of trees.
At the third watch, Weak Water surged,
the sound of waves crashing against the shore.
By lamplight they studied the map as a faint breeze passed—
they would not return unless victorious.

At dusk, after learning that Tubo had mobilized a large force to encircle their son and daughter-in-law, the Zhang and Wang families again could not sleep. Lamps in one room after another lit up, went dark, lit again, then dimmed, as they tossed and turned restlessly.

“Husband, the Tubo iron cavalry have moved out. They swear to trap our son and daughter-in-law inside their territory. We don’t even know whether they’ve been found. Where have Xiaobao and Juanjuan gone?” Madam Wang Zhang looked at the shadows cast on the window and clutched Zhang Zhong’s arm anxiously.

Zhang Zhong rested one hand under his head, staring at the ceiling, thinking it over as he said:
“They must have gone into hiding—likely up the mountains. Anywhere else would already be surrounded. It’s fine. Xiaobao and Juanjuan are sharp. In a few more days they should be found. Young Master Song has already sent people. They’re likely almost at the pass now.”

“I hope this ends quickly. We’ll go to Luoyang and take a post there. It’s far from the border. We can’t let the children keep fighting wars. If that won’t do, then even a small post in the capital is fine—as long as it’s quiet.” Madam Wang Zhang rested her head on Zhang Zhong’s shoulder, thinking about the future.

“Alright, a small post. It’d be best to be a county magistrate. Anywhere around the capital is fine. Sleep.” Zhang Zhong soothed her and closed his eyes, wanting to sleep, though he knew in his heart that once Xiaobao and Juanjuan returned, it would be impossible for him to go to Luoyang or the capital and still be given a minor position.

“Xiaobao, help me think. Which route would allow the villagers here, the logistics personnel, and the wounded to get back to Pengzhou? Bringing them into a battle would guarantee defeat.”

In the village where they hid, Wang Juanjuan studied the map under the lamp, asking Xiaobao, who was temporarily serving as her recorder.

Xiaobao adjusted the wick of the oil lamp to brighten the room, shaking his head.

“No route works. Tubo cavalry will be patrolling nonstop. Fewer than a hundred might slip through. But a thousand villagers, nearly a thousand wounded, plus the two thousand who came with the logistics force… and on top of that, the huge amount of rice you want to bring back—over four thousand, nearly five thousand people moving together? Tubo would have to be blind not to notice. And the three thousand horses used for transport—you want to leave them behind. If you make them walk back, they won’t reach anywhere even in half a month.”

“Then we make an opportunity for them. Here, write this down.” After staring at the map for a while, Wang Juanjuan finally had an idea.

Under the night sky, the pale moonlight shone on the city wall at Pengzhou’s pass. Patrol soldiers watched the outside carefully through their thousand-li lenses. They had been given an important task: if they discovered Tang soldiers returning, they must report immediately to avoid delays.

At this moment, two people of similar height and build came up onto the wall, led by a captain. Their clothing was ordinary, but what they carried puzzled the soldiers: one had a large eagle perched on his shoulder pad; the other held two massive dogs.

Whether it was the eagle’s gaze or the dogs’ eyes, there was a coldness within them. Fortunately, they were well-trained—the eagle stayed still, and the dogs followed their master silently.

“Zhang Ying, Zhang Lang, this is as far as we can send you. Prepare the ropes.” The captain spoke to them, ordering men to lower a rope over the wall and to find baskets.

At that moment, Zhang Lang said: “No need for baskets. We can go down. Qian’en, Wan’en—go.”

The two large dogs obediently bit the rope, glanced at their master, and backed off the wall, lowering themselves step by step, hanging in midair.

To the soldiers’ astonishment, the two dogs were lowered down. 

Zhang Lang then climbed the rope, followed by Zhang Ying. The eagle on his shoulder spread its wings and flew on its own.

Once the two men and three animals vanished from sight, the soldiers looked at their captain. 

One soldier stepped forward and asked: “Captain… who are they?”

“They’re from the Yizhou Logistics Battalion. I heard they came via the Imperial Relay from the capital—urgent dispatch, eight hundred li in one day. As for their purpose—that’s not something you need to know.”

The captain spoke and left. 

The soldiers exchanged looks. Coming from the capital by relay meant these two were anything but simple—likely going to reinforce the force up front. Who knew what skills they carried?

“I say… could they be two more killers? Like those two Zhang family children? Word is that whole unit kept winning battle after battle under the command of two kids. Dammit, everyone from the Yizhou Logistics Battalion carries a strange edge about them.” A soldier murmured.

The others nodded. They too wanted to see what the returning troops would look like.

The soldiers did not know what the two men were capable of, but the officials of Pengzhou had already received accurate information: the two came from Sanshui County. They apparently were not originally surnamed Zhang, but after being taken in by the county, they changed their names to match the Zhang family, accompanying them all the way here.

They were sent across a thousand li—it clearly was not simple.

Once the two entered Tubo territory, they began sprinting, hoping to find a hiding place before dawn to avoid Tubo patrol cavalry.

After two hours of running, when day was just breaking, they reached a small hill. The forest on the hill was dense. They entered one after another and leaned against a large tree to rest.

“Brother, where do you think Young Master Xiaobao and Young Miss Juanjuan could be? If they’re far away, running all the way there will kill us.” Zhang Lang drank some water, then poured some into his palm for Qian’en and Wan’en to lap.

“No idea. Let Shuiyun look later. Young Master Song sent us here to help Young Master Xiaobao and Young Miss Juanjuan. No matter how far, we must go. Without the Zhang and Wang families, my brother and I wouldn’t be alive today, and our parents wouldn’t be living a good life. If we run into small Tubo cavalry groups, we kill them and take their horses. I just hope that when we reach them, Young Master Xiaobao and Young Miss Juanjuan are unhurt.” Zhang Ying tossed a piece of meat to the eagle Shuiyun and spoke firmly.

When the sky brightened more, Shuiyun spread its wings and ascended, becoming a small black speck. Zhang Ying, Zhang Lang, and the two dogs seized the chance to rest.

Tubo patrols traveled in groups of five, riding back and forth along possible Tang escape routes.

Jijide was the leader of one such five-man unit. Early that morning he set out, hoping to gain great merit by spotting Tang forces first, though he also feared stumbling into an ambush.

Of course, encountering villagers fleeing the turmoil would be best. Such people could be robbed for hides or a large piece of dried meat—small gains. If the fleeing villagers included women with some looks, that was even better.

As Jijide thought of grabbing a woman to enjoy, he pulled his clothing tighter. The morning cold was sharp, especially on horseback, the wind cutting through his chest like ice.

The four men behind him had similar expectations. A few days ago, they had encountered a fleeing family of four—not only did they rob three fine hides, but they also enjoyed the woman. The next day, when they encountered the family again, they used her once more, since they had not gotten far.

This time they hoped for more pretty women—enough to enjoy for three days before crossing the border and handing them over to other comrades.

As the five galloped, the small black speck in the sky fixed its gaze on them. When the five neared a hill a few li ahead, that black speck sped up, flew past them, and went forward.

“A big eagle. Shame it’s too high—we can’t shoot it. Those feathers would be worth a lot.” The five also noticed the eagle. Jijide sighed regretfully.

The others thought the same but knew they lacked the skill to shoot it. Finding women was more important.

After a few li, the five reached the hill. They dismounted and let the horses graze, then climbed upward—the view was better, and the wind weaker among the trees.

“Jijide, why don’t we gather some dry grass here and make a little den? When we find women, we bring them here.” One soldier suddenly had an idea.

The others’ eyes lit up. If they brought women here, they could enjoy them by day and tie them to trees at night—using them for days.

Jijide laughed: “Good idea. We’ll do that when we reach the top.”

With a goal in mind, the five climbed faster. Just as they relaxed upon reaching the summit, they had no idea what awaited them.

At that instant, when their minds eased, a shadow dropped from a tree behind them. A dull thud sounded—the last man’s neck was torn open by a beak, blood spraying as the eagle’s dive crushed him to the ground. He did not rise again.

The other four turned in shock. Two already had crossbow bolts embedded in their bodies. The remaining two saw only a huge shape before their throats heated and darkness swallowed them.

Zhang Ying and Zhang Lang walked over unhurriedly, inspected the five bodies, then headed toward the horses with their eagle and two dogs—who had just earned merit—while Shuiyun soared again.

The five men lying on the ground would never again seek women. By the time someone discovered them, they would already be nothing but rotting flesh.