The Sorceress' Revolt
Author: Toriumi Jinzō
Translator: Ainikki the Archivist
Ko Biji's Story
Part Seven: The Pewter Staff
Under the aegis of the warm spring sunshine, a cavalry unit of the Imperial Guard headed northeast along the Jingxi Road. They were escorting two dazzling carriages, likely for noble courtiers traveling to the capital. The Imperial Guard was an elite military force under the direct command of the Privy Council, which was directly commanded by the Emperor. At the time of Emperor Taizu (reigned 960-976 CE), there were 193,000 members of the Imperial Guard. Less than a hundred years later, in the present, there were more than 500,000 Imperial Guardsmen. The general army numbered an additional 800,000 men, so in total, the Imperial Army totaled over 1,300,000 men. This was an enormous force, and China’s neighbors took note of it. The Khitan Empire increased its military recruiting efforts, as did the Tangut people. There was a constant threat to the Khitan Empire and Tangut lands of a Chinese invasion.
The huge cost of raising troops and military expenses largely fell on the shoulders of the peasants and farmers. Half of the Imperial Guard was responsible for defending against foreign enemies on the border, while the other half was responsible for guarding the Imperial Palace and the capital, Bianliang. This cavalry unit was a special guard unit within the Imperial Palace guards. An honor guard from the general army lined up on the road to see them off. Imperial officers whispered to one another as certain people passed by.
“He seems to be a guest of the Privy Council,” one officer whispered.
“Hm, yes. Or maybe a guest of the Prime Minister?”
Either way, there appeared to be a guest affiliated with high-ranked imperial officials traveling with the army. The true identity of this guest was concealed by a lavishly appointed carriage, so the imperial officers couldn’t see inside. They guessed that the person in the carriage was important because carriages were expensive, but they didn’t know who was sitting inside.
There were, in fact, two people sitting in the carriage. One was Ko Biji, and the other was the sorcerer who had taken her, unconscious, from the estate on the eastern side of Mt. Hua. The guards were correct in their supposition that the sorcerer had a powerful imperial backer. The sorcerer’s name was Chō Ran, and he had escaped the burning estate and fled to the same farming town where Tanshi had stopped during his own escape—the farming town in Hubei Province where Tanshi had prayed for the recovery of a sick child.
After inhaling poison gas during the fire, Ko Biji lost consciousness and was in critical condition. She regained consciousness and, although she was still somewhat ill, her life was saved thanks to Chō Ran’s careful nursing.
After tending to Ko Biji’s health, Chō Ran used his powerful connections to secure guards for Ko Biji and himself. That was why they were now traveling with the Imperial Army.
***
When Ko Biji regained consciousness, the first thing she remembered was what Sei Koko had told her.
“Ko Biji, I’m saying this for your own good. Give up on Tanshi. Your fate is sealed. Do not waste your short life.” It was a horrible thing to say, but Ko Biji now thought that her mother had told the truth. She was sick now. She might die, and soon.
But Chō Ran had rescued her, and she was still alive. Perhaps she had already died and reincarnated as herself? None of her memories were missing. “If this is reincarnation… okay. I’ll live a long life from here on out.” She had to find Tanshi. All she’d ever wanted was for them to be happy together.
Ko Biji couldn’t decide whether or not Chō Ran was a friend or an enemy. There was no doubt that he had saved her life. He would not reveal the reason for his rescue, but it was true that he had protected her from pursuers from the Imperial Army and privately hired government soldiers. With Tanshi’s whereabouts unknown, Ko Biji had no choice but to rely on Chō Ran.
When her health had improved considerably, she wanted to go to Yunmeng Mountain to meet up with Tanshi, but she was heavily guarded and wasn’t able to slip past all the people watching her. If she’d managed to sneak past Chō Ran and the rest of her guard detail as they passed near the mountain, she would have met Tanshi on Yunmeng Mountain. Tanshi had recently traversed the same mountain trail as her, so the fact that they couldn’t meet was nothing short of unfortunate.
Ko Biji tried to argue her case to Chō Ran, but he didn’t allow her to visit the mountain.
“I’ll find Tanshi another time,” Chō Ran said. “It’s not necessary to find him now.” He gave Ko Biji a cynical smile. “Indeed, I don’t need to find him. All I need to do is wait for him to find you.”
“Tanshi is coming to find me?”
Chō Ran’s smile flashed off. “Never mind that. What we need to do now is hide.” He removed his cloth mask, revealing a stern face with lines etched in stone. It would not be surprising for Chō Ran, a man in his prime, to make a move on a young woman like Ko Biji, and she was especially on guard against him after she first regained consciousness. But Chō Ran never showed any interest in her as a woman, and she relaxed more around him over time. When they stopped to sleep, he slept near her without touching her, as a guard. This, more than anything else he’d done, convinced Ko Biji that he was an ally and not an enemy.
Once, Chō Ran asked Ko Biji about Ryū Gen.
Ko Biji had heard about Ryū Gen from Tanshi, but she’d never met him in person. “We’re not acquainted, but I know he’s a salt smuggler,” she said.
“Do you know what Tanshi thinks of Ryū Gen?”
“I know that Tanshi respects him.”
“I see. I’ve heard he is a man of great character.”
“Yes. Tanshi told me that they are sworn brothers.”
Chō Ran considered for a long moment. “So, sworn brothers, hm?”
After that, he never asked about Tanshi or Ryū Gen again.
About three months after this conversation, the Imperial Guard special cavalry unit arrived to pick them up, and Ko Biji and Chō Ran left Hubei Province. The cavalry unit headed northeast along the Jinxi Road. It was clear they were going to Bianliang, the nation’s capital city. Bianliang was a melting pot of races, a place where diverse people gathered from all over the world.
On the way, Ko Biji learned of their destination and believed that she would meet Tanshi there.
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