Unintended Immortality

Chapter 259: The Military Camp of Yanzhou

On the other side of the Snowy Plains, there were also temples built. Here, the land finally had some undulation.

The hills, standing tens or even a hundred zhang tall, had gentle, rolling curves. With early spring approaching in March, they were already covered in lush green grass. Even on the steepest slopes, horses could likely trot up at an angle without difficulty.

The temples were built atop these hills.

After more than a decade of He Plains being frozen in ice, the snow had melted, revealing the old official road once more.

The Daoist, the jujube-red horse, and the calico cat followed the official road of He Plains leading toward Yanzhou, continuing on until they reached the base of the hills, where they could see the original boundary marker between Hezhou and Yanzhou. However, looking further ahead, they found that the road, unused for over ten years, was now completely covered in grass, making it nearly impossible to discern.

Song You led the jujube-red horse onward. The cat carefully stepped through the grass, occasionally pausing and glancing around, seemingly distracted by some faint sound or movement.

Yet, the general direction of the original road could still be faintly traced.

Because hills stretched continuously on both sides, there was only this single passage in the middle. Naturally, the road wouldn’t detour unnecessarily over the hills; it simply followed the natural path through the valley.

It took them a full day to exit He Plains. Then, half a day later, they arrived at a checkpoint.

The checkpoint was built against the mountains, guarded by elite soldiers. The garrison here watched both the northern and southern directions, and in times like these, neither side could afford to lower their guard.

From the city walls, the soldiers spotted a lone figure on horseback approaching from the direction of He Plains. They were both vigilant and shocked, with crossbows already drawn and ready. Upon closer inspection, they hurriedly went to report to the captain.

The captain, seeing the situation, immediately called for the commanding general.

By the time the general arrived, the Daoist had already reached the foot of the checkpoint.

Looking down, the general finally noticed that it wasn’t just a lone rider and horse—there was also a small calico cat at his feet. The cat was so small that it had been hidden in the tall grass and couldn’t be seen from a distance.

The general did not immediately signal his men to relax their guard. After a moment of thought, he shouted down, “Who is it?”

Song You raised his head to meet the general’s gaze, lifted his hand in a respectful salute, and replied honestly, “I am Song You, a wandering Daoist. I come from Hezhou and am heading to Yanzhou. I have my ordination certificate and a letter of recommendation from the governor of Pu Commandery as proof.”

“Which Daoist temple do you belong to?”

“From Lingquan County, Yizhou.”

The general couldn’t help but glance around, exchanging looks with his officers before continuing his questions. “Hezhou is separated from here by He Plains, which had long been occupied by demons. How did you manage to cross?”

“The great demon of He Plains has been subdued.”

“The demon has truly been eliminated?”

“The Snowy Plains have melted. Don’t you know?”

“...” The general’s eyes flickered with realization. “Before Hezhou, where did you come from, sir?”@@@@

“To answer your question, I came from Changjing.”

“From Elm Street?”

“Willow Street.”

“It is indeed you, Mr. Song!”

The general shouted an order and waved his hand. One of his men immediately called out to open the gates.

The general then addressed Song You below, “Mr. Song, please don’t take offense. Demons and ghosts are deceitful, often skilled in trickery. Though we had heard of your possible arrival and knew that the ice and snow of He Plains had melted, we still feared that some demons might not have been fully eradicated, attempting to escape using cunning tactics. We had to exercise extra caution!” R̃aNỗΒÊS

“Of course, I understand,” Song You replied.

“General, you may not know that this is no ordinary cat. She is Lady Calico, originally the Cat God of Yizhou, possessing great spiritual and divine powers. I’ve relied on her a great deal throughout my journey,” Song You explained.

“Oh? So it’s the revered Lady Calico!” Both the general and the junior officers were astonished. “Can Lady Calico understand human speech?”

“Of course she can.”

The general stationed here had undoubtedly encountered his fair share of demons, monsters and ghosts. Unlike the people from the south, Song You felt there was no need to hide anything from him.

“In that case, it was improper of me not to provide a separate table for Lady Calico!” the general exclaimed.

“That won’t be necessary. Lady Calico prefers to stay with me,” Song You replied, glancing down at the cat.

The cat placed one paw on Song You’s leg, staring intently up at the general who had been speaking.

After a moment, Song You asked, “How far is it from here to the northern border? What kind of land lies beyond?”

“We are only about six or seven hundred li from the border,” General Pu explained. “To the north lies a vast grassland called Duoda. Most of it has been designated as an official grazing pasture for breeding horses for the army, though there are also nomadic herders living there. If you stick to the main road, you shouldn’t encounter any issues.”

“But in spring, the wild grass grows thick and sometimes even we struggle to find the path. If you venture deeper into the plains and encounter herders, don’t be alarmed. Most likely, they’ll want to invite you into their tents for a drink,” the general said, laughing heartily, his bold spirit shining through.

He added, “Yanzhou was part of the Central Plains as early as the Yu Dynasty. The herders are a mix of northerners and people from the Central Plains. Even if there’s a language barrier, it won’t matter—they’ll likely talk your ear off whether you understand or not. They’re just happy to have company.”

“The people here are quite hospitable,” Song You noted.

“Indeed!” General Pu nodded with pride, then paused for a moment before adding, “However, if you accidentally wander into the official grazing pastures, that horse of yours... Well, I’ll write you a letter before you leave. With it, no one will dare trouble you.”

“Many thanks for that,” Song You replied.

“You’ve come at just the right time, Master,” chimed in a junior officer from below. “Next month, on the eighth day, is the Duoda Horse Racing Festival. People from all across the grasslands will gather—it’s a lively event.

“The folks on the grasslands have a different temperament from those in the south; they are skilled in singing and dancing. Anyone traveling from the south would be astonished if they witnessed the festivities at the Horse Racing Festival.”

“Are they still holding the festival this year?” Song You asked.

“Of course,” the junior officer replied. “Demons are demons, and war is a man-made disaster, but the Horse Racing Festival is a grand occasion. As long as the Eighteen Tribes of the northern frontiers haven’t invaded, the festival will be held without fail.”

“Then I must go and see it for myself.”

“If you’d like to attend, we can send someone to guide you there,” General Pu offered.

“That won’t be necessary,” Song You said with a smile. “I’d rather go with the flow. I plan to wander the grasslands and take in the unique scenery that we don’t get to see in the south.”

“Haha, as you wish, sir.” The general laughed.

With drinks in hand, the conversation continued, turning once again to the topic of the Snowy Plains.

Song You, however, was reluctant to boast and only gave a brief account of the events, touching on the key points without going into too much detail. He figured that in a few days, the checkpoint would likely send scouts to verify everything for themselves.

They spoke of the plague in Gui Commandery, of Doctor Cai’s selfless efforts, and of the brave heroes from the Changqiang Sect—all stories that left everyone feeling deeply moved.

The conditions at the camp weren’t ideal, and there weren’t any professional performers. However, a deputy general skillfully played a bronze pipa and sang bold, rousing lyrics with a hoarse, gravelly voice. It was like the sunset on the grasslands, casting its glow over the winding streams.

One of the junior officers, drunk with wine, shouted enthusiastically and even drew his sword to perform a dance. Though his swordsmanship couldn’t compare to Shu Yifan’s, he was still a skilled martial artist. If he hadn’t joined the army, he might have earned a notable reputation in the jianghu. His display drew rounds of applause and cheers.

Song You and Lady Calico enjoyed the feast at the military camp and stayed for the night. The next morning, General Pu presented him with some rations for the journey, and they parted ways.

Ahead lay Yanzhou, and the road was clear once more.