It was approaching the four week mark since they left the Hwa capital. With the route planned by Ru Fei and the speed of the Firebrands' elite steeds, they were already arriving at the gates of Muya—and the Jilin mountain range that marked the north border between the kingdoms of Feng and Gi.
Yuehwa raised her gaze towards the craggy snow-covered peaks in the distance, towering high amidst the swirling grey clouds. Monstrous was certainly the right word to use. The Jilin mountain range was such a good natural border between the two kingdoms precisely because of their treacherous nature. It was only humanly possible to cross from one side to the other through a handful of locations—yet Baixun was brazen enough to think of porting an entire army across. One had to give him credit for his audacity.
"The city gates are already open," Commander Ru Fei remarked. "The governor must know that we are arriving." He was riding alongside her on his black stallion, maroon cape billowing with the wind.
With their crimson armour, the Firebrands cut a ferocious sight—and wariness could be seen in the eyes of the Muya city guards as they approached.
Ru Fei threw a bronze pendant to the nearest guard, as if it was necessary to identify them as anything but the Hwa military, here to fulfil their part of the alliance. The guard took a brief glance at the engraving on the pendant, then stepped aside to let them pass.
Yuehwa and Ru Fei settled their men at the military barracks on the eastern side of the city before making their way to the governor's manor. Along the way, Yuehwa observed the dusty, cobbled streets of Muya, abnormally silent and deserted even though it was midday. There were no street vendors selling their wares, no children playing hide-and-seek behind the pillars, and even the crickets and birds seemed to have abandoned the place.
"The governor must have already evacuated most of the city," Ru Fei said.
It was the right thing to do, especially if they had little confidence in winning the fight against Gi.
They continued down the streets, listening to only the sounds of their horses' hooves pounding the gravel, until the governor's manor came into view. From the outset, it looked neither grand nor extravagant. The manor's external walls were made of bland, grey brick, and a set of simple red wooden doors stood as the entrance.
Inside was more of the same. It was a small three courtyard abode with barely any adornments. The most ornate object in the entire manor grounds was probably the carefully pruned bonsai tree that stood in central courtyard, its gnarled branches curving gracefully towards the darkened skies.
Yuehwa decided that she would like this governor of Muya.
They were brought into the front hall, where the governor usually received guests. But today, the owner of this manor was not alone. Yuehwa recognised the voice of the other man in the room before she even stepped in. She hesitated at the threshold and took a deep breath, then lifted her foot across the wooden doorsill.
The men who had been deep in discussion lifted their heads and turned towards the doorway.
"Yuehwa," Shoya murmured when he met her gaze, unable to disguise the surprise in his tone.
She didn't think she would ever get used to him without his mask, and now he looked entirely different from the White Scorpion she knew, decked in the silver armour of the Feng army. A stranger.
Striding in, she tipped her head in acknowledgement of the governor of Muya's stilted greeting. The latter also looked perplexed to see her, likely not having expected that the regent of Hwa would come to Muya personally.
"What is the situation?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "Commander Ru and I have only managed to bring five hundred men in advance, because the distance between Hwa and Muya is far too great for even our cavalry, but they are our best. If possible I would like to give them at least a day to rest and regroup, after which we can head into the mountains."
"Of course," the governor replied. "It is already far more than we expected. We are most grateful for your assistance, Your Highness. I will give instruction for some supplies to be sent to your men, but I seek your understanding that we do not have much in our stores. Much of our grain has already been distributed to the city's residents to help them tide over the journey to the neighbouring towns and we are still awaiting a shipment of military supplies from the capital."
He was named Wen Shu, a man in his early forties with a heavy build, deep set eyes and a low, resonant voice. His black robes were worn and frayed at the hem, and his shoes were stained with mud—very unlike the proud peacocks that typically strutted the royal courts. From the dark shadows beneath his eyes, it was evident that he had not slept well for many days, likely busy with settling his people and planning the defence of the city. The residents of Muya were fortunate, Yuehwa thought, that such a man was their governor. Anyone lesser might have already fled.
"The last report from our scouts that arrived this morning placed the Gi army at about two days away from the Jilin mountains. Assuming they make camp to rest before attempting the crossing, they could arrive at the city gates in a week, if faced with no resistance," Shoya said.
Yuehwa knew that he was looking directly at her, but she averted her gaze towards the old map that had been laid out on the table instead. She was here to fight a war, not for a tearful reunion.
"Commander Ru suggests that the most likely mountain pass that Baixun will use is the Tangshan Pass," she said.
"That's not possible," Governor Wen interjected. "The Tangshan Pass is far too dangerous even for those who are accustomed to rocky terrain, what more an army of soldiers from another kingdom." He pointed at another section of the Jilin range. "We're anticipating the offensive to come from Hudeng instead. That is the most practical route for them to take, and we have word that they are indeed headed towards that direction."
Yuehwa glanced at Ru Fei, who subtly shook his head.
"If I were Prince Baixun, I would not take any chances. He has to cross the Jilin range in one try, otherwise the Gi army will lose their time advantage and may not be able to take down Muya before Hwa reinforcements arrive. While the Hudeng Pass is gentler, the fastest way across is still the Tangshan Pass. They could be intentionally misleading us by sending some men towards Hudeng," Ru Fei leaned over and whispered into her ear.
As the governor of Muya, Yuehwa had little doubt that Wen Shu was as familiar, if not more familiar, with the Jilin mountains that Ru Fei, but she knew Ru Fei well and trusted the latter's instincts. Surviving the tragic temple massacre had sharpened his mind into a cold blade, turning him into one of the Hwa army's best tacticians. Now, she turned to him for counsel.
Yuehwa nodded. "I am sure you have already put much thought into this," she said to Wen Shu, "but let's not leave stones unturned. I will send most of my Firebrands to support your men at the Hudeng Pass, but at the same time I will take a handful of them to the Tangshan Pass as a precaution."
"No, Yuehwa," Shoya said, speaking for the first time since this discussion began. "You can't do that. It's too risky. Let me deploy some men there instead. This is our battle, not yours. You can keep your Firebrands here at Muya, in case we fail to fend them off in the mountains."
She smiled in response, but still she didn't turn to look him in the eye. It was too difficult, looking at Shoya and seeing Hwang Minjun instead.
"If that is what you prefer, then I will respect that," she said.
"But Your Highness, this is not—"
Yuehwa held out her hand to silence Ru Fei's protests.
"The prince is right. This is Feng's battle, and our role here is only to provide reinforcements, not to take over direction. The decision is ultimately the prince and Governor Wen's to make." She turned to leave. "Come, Ru Fei. The Firebrands will await instruction at the barracks."
But if Shoya thought that she would sit quietly and wait within the city walls as well, then he was sorely mistaken.
#
Under the shelter of the night, while those who remained within the city of Muya slept fitfully in their beds in anticipation of the battle against the approaching Gi army, several shadows slipped out from the army barracks. They leapt silently over the city walls, making their way towards the tall mountains looming ominously in the distance.
"If we follow this small path northwards, we should reach the start of the Tangshan Pass within two hours," Ru Fei said, leading the way down a narrow dirt track that was hidden between a forest of towering pine trees.
Yuehwa nodded and followed behind her general, with Ember flying ahead to check the path.
She had only brought twenty of the Firebrands' best soldiers along with her on this mission, leaving the rest to defend the city together with Ru Fei's second-in-command. It would be enough, because the Firebrands had never been trained to win battles through sheer quantity. They were Hwa's most elite unit because they fought with their wit, felling enemies with minimal losses.
Thanks to Ru Fei's familiarity with the Jilin terrain, they arrived at the mouth of a narrow valley within less than the expected amount of time. An old wooden sign that had mould growing across its faded lettering had been nailed into the trunk of one of the trees, identifying this as their destination—the perilous Tangshan Pass. They were now deep within the mountains and there was an uneasy quiet that hung thick in the cold air. Yuehwa beckoned for her men to be silent, as she listened carefully to their surroundings. No birds, no squirrels, not even the tiniest chirp from a cricket. The only thing she could hear was the sound of rushing water from tributaries that flowed into the skinny river traversing this valley.
"I told you not to come," a voice echoed, and a shadowy figure emerged through the swirling fog.
"But you knew I still would," Yuehwa replied.
"Because the Phoenix always runs towards danger, not away from it."
There was a hint of reproach in Shoya's words, yet his tone was indulgent. The corners of Yuehwa's lips twitched as she resisted the urge to smile. She had wondered if she would see him here, and her heart still skipped a beat when his familiar silhouette emerged out of the darkness, dressed in the White Scorpion's white robes instead of Feng military armour.
"I've already sent some scouts down the pass but they've returned with nothing so far," Shoya said, glancing over Yuehwa's shoulder towards Ru Fei. "While I trust Commander Ru's sensibilities, there is a chance that his analysis might be incorrect."
Yuehwa shook her head. She turned and signalled to Ru Fei, who promptly led a small group of men to scale up the left side of the craggy valley wall. Here, thick vines crawled up the grey rock, weaving a grotesque tapestry that almost seemed alive. Like the tentacles of some monster lurking in the fog.
With axes in hand, the Firebrands began hacking away at the vines, felling those ghastly arms one by one. Although Ru Fei had already given her a brief of what to expect, a small gasp still escaped from Yuehwa's lips when she witnessed the shadowy mouth of a large cave appear behind the carpet of vines. Beside her, Shoya let out a thoughtful hum, watching quietly as the men continued their work.
Soon, they had exposed as many as five such cave entrances on both sides of the valley.
"Which ones?" Yuehwa asked Ru Fei, who had returned to her side.
The commander pointed towards two that were midway up the rocky walls, one on the left and one on the right. "Those two should connect to the other end of the Tangshan Pass," he said. "The others lead to other parts of the mountain."
"You're expecting Baixun to transport his army through these tunnels?" Shoya asked.
"These tunnels were hewn by miners and treasure hunters hundreds of years back but have long been abandoned," Yuehwa said. "There's a complex network of tunnels running through the entire mountain range that few people know about. Apparently the first king of Feng once used these same tunnels to hide his soldiers from the onslaught of the former kingdom of Wudi."
Wudi had once been a great empire stretching across the territories of what was now Feng, Hwa and Gi, but its last ruler had been a cruel tyrant. The people suffered tremendously under his reign, until eventually the empire was toppled by Hwang Nanzhe, the first king of Feng, who had only been a mountain bandit before he took up arms and became leader of the revolution.
Yuehwa noticed the slight tensing of Shoya's shoulders when she mentioned the first king—the legend whose soul supposedly resided within Shoya's body. They didn't seem to be able to run away from it, this thing called destiny.
"I have explored many of these tunnels and caves before. I've never managed to find the cavern that supposedly served as the hiding place for the first king of Feng's bandit army of ten thousand, but there are indeed several big cavities within these mountains that could easily hide a few thousand soldiers," Ru Fei added.
"Wen Shu never mentioned about these cave networks," Shoya said.
"Governor Wen may not even know that they exist. Hardly anyone does, except perhaps the few bandits who still frequent these mountains, and you would hardly expect them to expose their hiding places to the authorities," the commander replied. "My teachers..." There was a pause as Ru Fei steadied his own emotions. "My teachers kept detailed maps of these tunnel networks, drawn up over years of exploration by the monks who have called the Jilin peaks their home. It is a pity the Horanjit library has been razed to the ground and all this knowledge is lost forever."
Shoya placed his hand on the man's shoulder and gave him a consolatory pat. "Knowledge will not be lost as long as it still survives in the minds of some," he said. "The wealth of Horanjit lives on through you, Commander."
Using the jutting sections of the rock wall as footholds, Shoya leapt up to one of the tunnel entrances that Ru Fei had pointed out. Yuehwa gave instructions to her men to split themselves between the two tunnels and left Ember to keep watch on the outside, then she joined him up there, peering into the darkness.
She took one of the torches that was passed to her, holding it with an outstretched arm.
"Smells ten times worse than that undersea tunnel beneath the Dahai palace," she quipped. "What do you think we're going to find this time? Scorpions? Blood-sucking bats? Undead skeletons maybe—a bony version of those bronze guardsmen."
"I'm hoping just Baixun's army," Shoya replied.
"Optimistic, are we?"
He chuckled, then he took another torch and led the way in.
The illumination from the torch's flames revealed a narrow passageway that seemed to slope upwards. Unlike the Dahai tunnel whose walls were damp from the seawater leaking through the cracks, this one was perfectly dry, but the fog that covered much of the valley outside had also seeped its way in, swirling about them like an eerie mist.
Yuehwa touched one of the smoky tendrils, watching as it curled about the tips of her finger, leaving an icy sensation on her skin.
"What's your plan of action if and when we find Gi soldiers in these tunnels?" Shoya asked.
"Bold of you to assume I have a plan."
Shoya stopped, turning to face her. He arched his eyebrow and waited.
Yuehwa gave him a crooked smile, then she walked over to one of her men and pulled something out of the canvas sack that he was carrying. She tossed the stick-like object over to Shoya.
"Careful, don't want to blow us to pieces by accident," she said.
Shoya raised the stick to his nose and gave it a sniff. "Gunpowder," he said. "You want to bury them here."
"No," Yuehwa scowled, "I only intend to block the passageway to stop them from getting through to the Feng side of the border. Do I seem like that sort of a bloodthirsty monster to you?"
"You could have just blocked the entrance to the tunnels. Why bother coming in here?"
"You tell him," Yuehwa said, gesturing to Ru Fei. It annoyed her how Shoya was acting like a know-it-all again, as if he was doubting her intelligence.
The commander stepped forward. "There is another reason why I think that Prince Baixun will choose to take the Tangshan Pass," he said. "Legend has it that the first king of Feng buried a vast amount of treasure within these caves, and that the Jilin mountains holds a great fortune, even greater than what fills the coffers of the richest kingdom of Jin. Military campaigns are extremely expensive and it would not hurt Gi to have more gold at its disposal."
"It is only a legend. A story built on rumours," Shoya said, almost a little too dismissively. "If it is true that there is a treasure trove hidden here, surely it would have been discovered by now. Did you not say that bandits used to frequent these tunnels?"
"Yes, but there is no smoke without fire. The full extent of these tunnel networks have yet to be uncovered. Even in the maps that I found in the Horanjit library, there were... gaps. Missing sections that looked as if they were intentionally erased."
Shoya ran his fingers along the cold surface of the rock wall, brows knitted tightly in deep thought. He turned and flicked his gaze towards Yuehwa.
"What?" she demanded.
"This is the real reason why you're here?"
She smirked. "Remember you said that the Phoenix runs towards danger? Wrong. The Phoenix only runs towards two things—gold and good food," she announced, proudly stalking ahead. There was no shame in admitting that.
When Ru Fei first told her of the legend of Hwang Nanzhe's hidden treasure and the maps of Horanjit Temple, her instincts told her that this was more than some made-up tale by market storytellers. She didn't know how Baixun had learnt of the treasure or the tunnels, but it made more sense that he would risk the lives of so many men if this was what was at stake. As for her, she found herself inexplicably drawn to the story, of a king who had risen from the rabble to eventually start a glorious new era in the history of these lands—and of his queen, Wan Jue, the equally extraordinary woman who had fought beside him.
She recalled the stone sarcophagus still sitting within Feng's astrology building, surrounded by the watchful glow of the golden chrysanthemums.
Did she walk through this same tunnel once upon a time?
Yuehwa paused, closing her eyes to take in the stillness around her. Save for the soft footsteps of the men following behind, there was nothing but the cold. They had already been walking for some time and were probably somewhere deep within the mountain itself. Here, death seemed to cling onto the air and the walls in the form of tiny ice crystals that hurt the lungs when you breathed.
She imagined Hwang Nanzhe and Wan Jue, along with their band of determined compatriots, desperately fleeing down this same path, wondering if what lay ahead for them was a worse fate than the soldiers chasing them from behind. They would not have known then that they would eventually triumph. It seemed hard to imagine victory while trapped in a place as desolate as this.
"Wait," Shoya said, grabbing her by the arm to stop her from continuing forward. He moved his index finger to his lips to hush everyone.
They listened.
"Footsteps," Yuehwa said, hearing the soft, dull plodding that seemed to come from afar. She turned to Ru Fei. "Could they be our other men?"
The commander shook his head. "That tunnel shouldn't join up with this particular network. If there are others in the tunnel, then it's either bandits or Gi soldiers."
Before they even had time to figure anything out, a loud rumble ripped through the entire mountain and the ground beneath their feet shook violently. They had a brief moment to catch their breaths, and then ominous vibrations began to rack the walls. One crack appeared. And then another. Soon, a web of fractures spread across the stone surface.
"Looks like we're not the only ones here with gunpowder," Shoya murmured.
"Well damn. I guess we're going to have to run," Yuehwa replied with a shrug.