Volume One: The Southern Command Chapter Three: Setting Out

Wei Fufeng set out quietly, without bidding farewell to his family. He knew that seeking their permission would only end in his being forbidden to leave. Though his presence was insignificant, the elders would never tolerate his reckless actions.

He left behind a letter explaining his destination and drove an old, battered carriage out of Shangluo County, accompanied by Old Feng and the woman in the green robe.

The woman’s hair was disheveled, her clothes worn and faded, and she coughed frequently.

As they passed through the city gates, the guards gave only a cursory glance before letting them through. The woman’s cough was particularly alarming; people in Shangluo County now feared illness above all else, and next to that, the worry of finding food.

Once outside the city, Old Feng crawled out from beneath the carriage canopy and took a seat on the right side of the shaft.

Wei Fufeng lightly flicked his whip, urging the horse forward—a beast with a lame hind leg—northward along the Wuguan Road toward Chang'an.

In troubled times, horses were the rarest of commodities.

"Young master, if we head south along the Wuguan Road, we could reach Shangjin County and take a boat west along the Han River to Jinzhou (Ankang), then travel west from Jinzhou to Yangzhou and Hanzhong," Old Feng suggested.

"I know what you mean," Wei Fufeng replied with a smile. "Shangluo County sits at the junction of north and south; heading south would indeed lead us to Hanzhong. The problem is, I have no money to hire a boat, so we must take the longer land route."

Old Feng nodded. Wei Fufeng continued, "Besides, the stretch from Jinzhou to Hanzhong isn’t easy to traverse. The dangers along the way are unpredictable, while the land route to Hanzhong is the official road, with fewer bandits."

Old Feng nodded again. The Qinling Mountains, stretching from west to east, formed a natural boundary between north and south.

North of the Qinling lay the vast eight-hundred-li Wei River Plain, the heartland of the Tang Dynasty’s rule.

South of the Qinling, between the Qinling and Daba Mountains, were the Hanzhong Basin and the Ankang Basin.

The Hanzhong Basin housed Xingyuan Prefecture and Yangzhou, while the Ankang Basin was Jinzhou. Northeast of Jinzhou was Shangzhou, the homeland of Wei Fufeng.

The winding Han River, stretching thousands of li, flowed through Xingyuan Prefecture, Yangzhou, Jinzhou, and the Jingxiang region, finally merging with the Great River (Yangtze).

The Qinling's barrier had, since ancient times, necessitated many routes to traverse it.

Among these, Wuguan Road in Shangzhou was the main official road connecting north and south. South of the Qinling, and even south of the Yangtze, travel by land depended almost entirely on Wuguan Road.

Centered around Chang'an, the roads crossing the Qinling into Hanzhong were, from west to east: Chencang Road, Baoxie Road, Tangluo Road, Ziwu Road, Kugudao, and Wuguan Road.

Of these, Wuguan Road mainly led to the Nanyang Basin, the Jingxiang region, and areas south of the Yangtze.

During the Qin and Han periods, Liu Bang used Wuguan Road to be the first to attack and enter Guanzhong.

Kugudao was a direct mountain path from Chang'an to Jinzhou, difficult for carriages and horses.

Ziwu Road ran directly from Chang'an to Yangzhou, then west to Xingyuan Prefecture or east to Jinzhou.

When Liu Bang was forced by Xiang Yu to become King of Han, he used Ziwu Road to reach Hanzhong and establish his domain.

After consolidating his power, Liu Bang employed the strategy of "repairing the plank road openly while sneaking through Chencang," feigning activity on Ziwu Road to deceive the enemy, while his main force marched along Chencang Road to invade Guanzhong and seize the Wei River Plain, thus laying the foundation for the Han Dynasty.

So it was that travel proved arduous. Wei Fufeng drove his carriage along the jolting road, inevitably wearied by the journey.

Decades ago, Wuguan Road had undergone extensive repairs, but after years of war, it had become pitted and hard to traverse once more.

Wuguan Road was a vital artery for the imperial tribute of the Tang court, which depended on the sustenance of Jianghuai and the southeastern regions.

Since the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty’s rule had reached its zenith and begun to decline. Rebellions erupted ceaselessly; each major conflict severed the Grand Canal’s transport routes in the Central Plains.

Thus, Wuguan Road became an indispensable lifeline for tribute.

Imperial decrees and local tribute had to be sent via the Han River, passing through the Great River, then up its tributary, the Han River, to Shangjin County, and overland along Wuguan Road to Chang'an.

The lower reaches of the Han River, including Jinzhou, were historically known as Shangyong.

Shangyong was a region plagued by constant warfare; during the Warring States period, Qin and Chu vied for supremacy, and Wuguan was a strategic military bottleneck.

In the Three Kingdoms era, Guan Yu's defeat in the Shangyong region led to the weakening of Shu.

Throughout the journey, Wei Fufeng remained vigilant. Refugees crowded the roads, and from time to time, soldiers would question travelers.

Wei Fufeng revealed his family name; upon hearing it, the soldiers moved on, but many refugees were brutally robbed and beaten by the troops.

He could barely protect himself, so he dared not intervene.

He knew the soldiers spared him only because Han Jian, the military governor of Huashang, did not wish to antagonize the great families of Chang'an and thus restrained his troops from wanton actions.

After three days of relatively smooth travel, they crossed the Qinling segment at Zhongnan Mountain, passed through Lantian Pass, and entered Lantian County under the jurisdiction of Jingzhao Prefecture.

To save his meager funds, Wei Fufeng did not rest in the county town but continued to sleep outdoors.

At dawn, after a meal of dry provisions, the three set out westward, heading straight for Ziwu Road, south of Chang'an. The carriage moved slowly; they ate and slept in the open, and before long arrived at Ziwu Town.

Wei Fufeng sought out locals, spending a few coins to inquire about the road, learning that Ziwu Road was under military control and passage required hefty tolls.

However, Ziwu Road had recently been repaired by the governor of Shannan West Circuit, allowing narrow carriages to pass.

The journey to Xichuan and Chengdu was long, and Wei Fufeng’s funds barely stretched to food; unable to afford Ziwu Road, the three continued westward toward the entrance to Baoxie Road at Mei County.

Along the way, Old Feng occasionally recounted geographical and historical tales, and they trudged on, dusty and weary, into Fengxiang Prefecture.

Fengxiang Prefecture lay west of Jingzhao and was a Tang stronghold against the Tibetans, guarded by the governor of Fengxiang.

Despite the hardship, Wei Fufeng was seized by nostalgia and wished to visit his birthplace, Fufeng County.

Old Feng did not object. The woman in the green robe had remained silent and taciturn throughout; when Wei Fufeng asked, she merely nodded.

And so, Wei Fufeng set off for Fufeng County in high spirits.

Fufeng County lay by the banks of the Wei River. The scenery there was only vaguely remembered by Wei Fufeng, but what stood out most in his memory was a temple called Famen Temple.

As a child, Wei Fufeng had often been taken to Famen Temple to pray. The solemn devotion of his family left a mark on his soul, making him hesitant to act out, so the memory endured.

Famen Temple was two hundred li from Chang'an. The Buddhist temple was founded in the eleventh year of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han, its pagoda built to house the Buddha’s relics.

The Tang imperial family revered Buddhism, granting Famen Temple great honor, making it a royal monastery.

In the fifth year of Emperor Gaozong’s reign, the Buddha’s bone was brought to the Eastern Capital, Luoyang, and worshipped for three years. In the second year of Longshuo, it was returned to Famen Temple, and monks Hui Gong and Yi Fang were commissioned to rebuild the pagoda.

Emperor Gaozong once donated five thousand strings of coins and five thousand bolts of silk to the temple, prompting the royal family and ministers to follow suit with generous offerings.

Later Tang emperors—Wu Zetian, Zhongzong, Suzong, Dezong, Xianzong, Yizong, and Xizong—also brought and worshipped the Buddha’s finger relic.

Each procession was grand and caused a sensation throughout the empire; the emperor himself would bow in reverence, his devotion to Buddhism reaching its peak.

When Wei Fufeng and his companions arrived at Famen Temple, all his enthusiasm vanished: fatigue weighed on him, and everywhere he looked, the landscape was bleak and suffering.

Moreover, they were stopped and questioned by soldiers over a dozen times. Faced with the fierce, intimidating troops of the regional governors, Wei Fufeng was terrified, regretting his decision to come.

His interest gone, Wei Fufeng gazed from afar at the Famen Temple pagoda, unwilling to go further.

In these chaotic times, travel held no joy for him. Were it not for his lineage as a member of the Chang'an Wei clan, he would surely have been stripped bare or even killed along the way.

"Why don’t you go in, young master?" Old Feng asked.

"Destitute and downtrodden, I cannot even offer incense," Wei Fufeng replied with self-mockery.

"Buddhism is compassionate; all beings are equal. Sincerity is what matters. Since you have come, you should at least pay your respects," Old Feng urged.

Wei Fufeng shook his head. "The temple is a deity for the wealthy; it is futile for the poor to pray. Perhaps one day, I will return."

Old Feng said no more, silently gazing at the towering pagoda.

After a moment, Wei Fufeng chuckled, "Old Feng, do you believe in Buddhism?"

"I can’t say that I do or don’t. I am a soldier, but I still yearn for the Tang Dynasty’s golden age," Old Feng replied calmly.

Wei Fufeng was momentarily stunned, then nodded. Old Feng added, "For a cripple, believing in Buddhism might bring a better afterlife. Please wait for me, young master."

Wei Fufeng watched as Old Feng hobbled away on his crutch, hesitating but not moving.

The woman in the green robe spoke from inside the carriage, "You should go too, pray for peace."

"Trusting in Buddhism for peace is not as good as trusting in myself—or in your protection, sister," Wei Fufeng replied gently.

"Don’t talk nonsense. I am a nun and cannot enter the temple. You have come a long way; you shouldn’t stop now," she said softly.

"I shall wait until I am wealthy before praying. To ask now would only meet with indifference from the Buddha," Wei Fufeng answered offhandedly.

"Nonsense. The gods are above; you should mind your words," she reproached, though her tone was gentle.

Wei Fufeng smiled, warmed within.

Through this long, arduous journey, battered by dust and danger, the woman in the green robe had kept her promise, never abandoning him. For that, he felt a deep, enduring gratitude.