Road dust rose beneath the hooves of the guards' horses. The sun shone directly overhead. Crown Prince Huìwén (惠文) and General Shénwǔ (神武) rode in silence; ahead of the rest and side-by-side, mounted on sturdy warhorses.
Suddenly, the stillness of the road was shattered by a distant clamour. Thick dust billowed from a bend in the road. A two-horse cart was galloping towards them at breakneck speed. Behind it, a wooden carriage was also speeding along, its curtains swaying violently. A middle-aged man inside the carriage, pale-faced with terror in his eyes, stared out through the curtains at what lay behind him—as if death were but a few paces away.
Three riders clad in black, their hair gathered atop their heads and bound tightly with cloth, galloped in pursuit with bared blades. Yet, it was the third among them who held a short, black bow; with uncanny prowess, even as his horse tore through the road at breakneck speed, he loosed an arrow from the string.
The arrow sliced through the air with a savage whistle, thudding squarely into the wooden corner of the carriage. The man within, seized by terror, shouted at the coachman :
"Damn... Faster! Drive on!"
Without a moment's pause, the archer loosed a second; but this time, the iron tip was aimed true at the Crown Prince himself. He, however, perceived the lethal glint of the arrowhead in a mere heartbeat; he lunged aside, and the arrow hissed past him by a hair's breadth.
With a thunderous shout, the guard officer commanded a halt:
"Defensive formation! Protect the Prince!"
The skirmish was lightning-fast. The men in black fought with uncanny skill; however, the steel of the Crown Prince's guards was more ruthless. After a brief and bloody struggle, the last of the black-clad men tumbled from his horse, staining the road's dust crimson.
The Crown Prince dismounted. The middle-aged man, struggling to hide the trembling of his hands, stepped out of the carriage and asked:
"To which great man do I have the honour of speaking, who has ransomed this humble servant's life?"
The officer stepped forward:
"Bow. This is Prince Huìwén."
The man immediately performed a formal and deep bow. The Crown Prince, with a piercing gaze that sought to draw the truth from behind the man's tremors, asked:
"Who are you, and what are you doing on this remote road?"
— "I am Lord Chén (陈). Responsible for transporting the taxes of Luoyang (洛阳) to the capital. At the Chángchuān (长川) pass, we were ambushed by bandits who blocked the path... my soldiers... they were killed, and we fled down the slope."
The Crown Prince turned to the officer. His tone grew cold and biting:
"Was that region not cleared before our passage?"
The officer bowed his head anxiously:
"I assure you it was, Your Highness. I know not what this man says!"
Chén asked politely: "Are you also bound for the capital?"
The Crown Prince faced the Lord once more: "Quite so."
Chén pointed to a chest on the cart and said: "I must deliver this to the capital. Might you show us a safe route?"
The Crown Prince remarked:
"You have only a coachman and a carter with you; no guards. This journey is perilous."
The carter, a simple man who was visibly terrified, gestured towards the Crown Prince and said:
"Master, perhaps we could travel with them?"
The Lord struck the man's chest firmly with his hand, pushing him back, and snapped:
"Insolent! How dare you!"
Then, turning to the Crown Prince:
"Your Highness, I apologise for the rudeness of this commoner."
The Crown Prince paused to reflect. He looked at the lone men and the chest, then shifted his gaze toward Shénwǔ. He read the Prince's mind. The veteran General, who until that moment had watched like a stone statue, stepped forward. The sheer weight of his presence forced the Lord back.
Shénwǔ spoke in a deep, commanding voice: "Show me your papers... and your special token."
The Lord hurriedly pulled out scrolls and his bronze token. Shénwǔ examined them with obsessive care, while still casting a side-glance at the condition of the cart's wheels. He then pointed to the chest:
"Open the chest. I must see the contents."
The Lord replied: "Your Excellency, there is nothing in this chest but coin."
Shénwǔ narrowed his eyes and barked:
"I said open it at once!"
The lock of the chest was broken. The glint of gold and silver coins under the sunlight was dazzling. Shénwǔ thrust his sword into the coins to discover what lay beneath. It was still coin, and nothing else suspicious.
The Crown Prince, who had approached, gave Shénwǔ a nod of approval:
"Very well, Lord. Come with us. My guard shall ensure your safety."
Lord Chén bowed deeply again: "This is a great kindness, Your Highness."
The officer said cautiously:
"The Chángchuān pass is no longer safe. If bandits are still lying in wait there, the main road is a trap; furthermore, their skill... was unusual. What shall we do?"
The Crown Prince asked:
"What is your opinion, General?"
Shénwǔ stared at the horizon:
"The only alternative route is the Mòguǐ (魔鬼) forest. It is longer and ostensibly safer than the main road; but only as long as we have the sun."
The Crown Prince nodded:
"General, I am at ease regarding the palace's security, and arriving a little late will not cause a disaster. We shall go through the forest."
The officer said:
"Your Highness, I am not entirely optimistic about crossing Mòguǐ. This path has not been used for years, and I fear that..."
Shénwǔ interrupted him, addressing the Crown Prince:
"I agree with the officer. Allow him to take a vanguard to the Chángchuān pass to re-examine the area and, if necessary, clear it."
The Crown Prince replied:
"There is no need. We would only be wasting time. If we cross the forest before dark, no trouble shall arise."
"Very well," the officer said, "as you command."
He then issued the orders:
"Guards, surround the Prince and the travellers on all four sides! Leave no opening for infiltration!"
As Shénwǔ mounted his horse, he told the guards:
"We must reach the forest entrance more quickly. The scent of these bandits' blood may draw the rest of them after us."
They set off, heading towards the dense blackness of the trees, moving further and further away.