Days in the earthen cell passed like years. Only two meals of thin bean paste and murky well water were provided daily, barely sustaining life. The guards changed shifts, but the wariness in their eyes never diminished. Qin Yuan and the others attempted communication a few times, but the language barrier was immense. The guards spoke a thick frontier accent rapidly; apart from shouts of reprimand, Qin Yuan and Su Wan could only understand two or three words out of ten. Chen Feng and the others might as well have been hearing celestial script.
However, imprisonment brought an unexpected "convenience"—they became the least noticeable presence in the encampment (besides being guarded), allowing them to closely "observe" Huo Xiao and his army's daily life.
Huo Xiao rose before dawn daily to inspect the camp, check defenses, and visit the wounded. Through the small window, Qin Yuan often saw him frowning deeply on the earth wall, gazing northwest—towards Oirat territory. His tall silhouette seemed exceptionally lonely and heavy in the dawn or dusk light.
Deputy General Shen Yan was one of the busiest men in the camp. He handled supplies, documents, communication with the rear, constantly moving between barracks, command post, and the pitifully stocked storehouse. His face always wore a gentle, almost scholarly expression, and he spoke quite kindly to the soldiers. But Qin Yuan keenly noticed that when Huo Xiao was absent, Shen Yan's eyes became deep and complex, especially when dealing with the eunuch sent by Supervisor Liu from the capital—Eunuch Wang.
This Eunuch Wang was young but acted pompous, wearing a gloomy face all day, hiding in his relatively clean room, rarely seen. But every time he appeared, it was surely to convey "superior's will" or "urge for bandit suppression" to Huo Xiao.
One afternoon, as the five were drowsy, a deliberately hushed yet sharp, excited argument came from near the command post. It seemed to be between Huo Xiao and Shen Yan.
"...Deputy Shen! How much longer does the General need to endure?!" Huo Xiao's voice, suppressing rage, came through. "That eunuch dog Liu Jin withholds supplies, allows merchant convoys to smuggle supplies to the enemy! Impeachment memorials against this General probably already pile high on His Majesty's desk! Now Oirat raiders grow bolder daily, repeatedly harassing our border people! Yet Eunuch Wang treats a chicken feather as a warrant, pressing for attack daily! No provisions, no reinforcements, no decent equipment! What are the brothers supposed to use to fight? Their lives?!"
"General, please calm your anger!" Shen Yan's voice was placating, with a hint of barely perceptible urgency. "This humble official deeply knows the General's suffering! But Supervisor Liu is powerful, deeply rooted at court. Eunuch Wang, though minor, is Supervisor Liu's eyes and ears. Confronting them now would only give them handles, make the General's situation worse! This humble official suggests we still play along, while also... finding a way to gather some supplies, even if a drop in the bucket, to shut Eunuch Wang's mouth, give him reason to report back to Supervisor Liu, temporarily easing the pressure..."
"Gather? How?" Huo Xiao's voice was full of weariness and sarcasm. "Ask this barren desert for grain? Or beg merchants who shut their gates tight, scared of the Oirat? Deputy Shen, you wouldn't have this General let the troops plunder the border people, would you? Such things, Huo Xiao would rather die than do!"
"General, your words are too severe!" Shen Yan hurriedly said. "How would this humble official dare think that! Only... perhaps... find another channel. For example... trade with those tribes surviving in the cracks?"
"Tribes?" Huo Xiao fell silent, seemingly thinking.
"Yes," Shen Yan's voice dropped lower. "This humble official heard the chieftain's daughter of the Yarkand tribe, A Yi Sha, has been lingering near the 'Crescent Moon Spring' oasis a hundred li away lately. This woman has considerable nerve. Her tribe is small, but knows the desert paths well, might have some stored grain, medicine... If we could trade with salt, iron, or... some captured Oirat goods..."
"A Yi Sha?" Huo Xiao's tone was strange, seemingly not unfamiliar with the name, even carrying a complex emotion. "She... is she trustworthy? Different race, their hearts are surely different. Besides, the situation is delicate now. If Eunuch Wang finds out this General is dealing with foreign tribes, it would be a disaster!"
"Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures!" Shen Yan persuaded. "This matter can be arranged secretly, only sending absolutely trusted aides to make contact. If successful, it solves the immediate crisis; if not, we can plead ignorance. Better than sitting idle, watching the officers and men starve, be nibbled away by the Oirat! General, think thrice!"
The command post fell into a long silence. Huo Xiao was clearly in intense internal struggle. Finally, a heavy sigh came:
"...This matter, let this General think on it further. Must... must be cautious!"
Footsteps sounded; Shen Yan seemed to have left the command post.
Inside the cell, Qin Yuan and Su Wan exchanged stunned looks. A Yi Sha! This name hadn't appeared on the tomb's epitaph or murals, but it clicked into the puzzle of Huo Xiao's predicament like a key gear.
"A Yi Sha... Yarkand tribe woman... trade..." Su Wan repeated softly. "Shen Yan is advising Huo Xiao to secretly trade for supplies with foreign tribes. It's risky, but seems the only way out now. Huo Xiao is hesitant. He fears a trap, and being caught by that Eunuch Wang."
"Shen Yan..." Qin Yuan's eyes were sharp. "He acts like a loyal strategist, exhausting himself to find a way out for his commander. But don't you think... he's too 'enthusiastic'? Especially in pushing such a high-risk thing? And he seems to know this A Yi Sha well?"
"You mean..." Su Wan's heart chilled. "Shen Yan might have his own agenda? Or... he himself is part of some trap?"
"Don't know." Qin Yuan shook his head. "But intuition tells me this man is not simple. He's like water, seemingly soft, but possibly hiding whirlpools."
Just then, the chatter of the guard soldiers outside the cell drifted in again, this time with a gossipy tone:
"Hey, hear? Deputy General Shen seems to have sent someone privately to the Crescent Moon Spring area..."
"Really? For what? To find that... A Yi Sha?"
"Shh! Quiet! You want to die? But... heh, I heard Old Li from the supply camp mention something. Said years ago, when General Huo first came to guard the border, he saved some tribal girl being chased by bandits. Name was A Yi Sha... Tsk tsk, hero saves beauty! Later, that girl even sent the General a small dagger inlaid with gems! Pity later..."
The soldier's voice dropped even lower, the rest inaudible.
Qin Yuan and Su Wan were shocked again. Hero saves beauty? Old affection? This layer made Shen Yan's proposed trade even more complicated! Huo Xiao's hesitation probably wasn't just due to political risk and tribal allegiance, but also deeper personal emotional entanglements?
"Not a word on the epitaph..." Su Wan murmured. "A deliberate omission? Or was this past an unspeakable pain or... taboo for Huo Xiao?"
The mist of history seemed to thicken. Confined to this tiny space, they felt like they were sitting in the front row of a stage, watching a grand drama slowly unfold, woven with loyalty and betrayal, ideals and conspiracy, iron blood and tender emotion.