Edward Carter let out a long yawn, as if all the fatigue from the past month suddenly seeped out from his bones. Lying on a thick blanket by the fire, listening to two women chattering and laughing as they altered his clothes, a long-lost sense of security filled his whole body. Leaning against Buddy, he drifted into a deep sleep.

　　He woke up out of habit just as the sun was about to rise. Last night's deep sleep had completely swept away his exhaustion. Stretching lazily, he heard his joints crackling—seems like he could still grow taller. Otherwise, being only 1.6 meters tall would drive Edward Carter to despair.

　　David Bolton seemed not to have slept all night, standing by the roadside like a stone, staring toward Lanzhou. The two women were cooking porridge. When they saw Edward Carter wake up, stretching in his loincloth, they covered their mouths and giggled. Only then did Edward Carter realize he was exposed, hurriedly covering himself and laughing awkwardly.

　　The older woman walked over with a few pieces of clothing, smiling. “Still shy? My first child, if he had grown up, would be even bigger than you, young master. Try on these clothes. If they don’t fit, I’ll alter them again.”

　　“Thank you, sisters, for your hard work.”

　　“What’s there to thank? Women are useless, can only sew and mend. This is our duty.”

　　Edward Carter wrestled with the pile of clothes. He recognized the pants, but what was this whole piece? Why was there a skirt? Where were the buttons? There were cloth ties everywhere—was he supposed to put on socks first? This pile of clothes was the famous Tang-style attire, with the clothes fastening from left to right, a feature of Han civilization. Like just now, Edward Carter had fastened them from right to left, which was purely a barbarian’s mark—hair loose, left lapel.

　　Seeing all this, Edward Carter couldn’t help but laugh out loud. In later generations, all 1.3 billion people of the Republic were uncivilized savages. If, in the early Tang Dynasty, you caught a masterless savage—an outsider—congratulations, he was your private property, no different from catching a wild boar.

　　“Look at you, living in comfort, can’t even dress yourself. You’ve enjoyed so much it’s become a sin.” David Bolton, that bastard, probably had a grudge against the rich. Seeing the two women dressing Edward Carter, he was quite displeased with this lazybones who didn’t know the first thing about work.

　　The two women pushed David Bolton aside, looked Edward Carter up and down, and clapped their hands in delight. “Wow, what a handsome young man! I wonder how the children of rich families are all so good-looking?”

　　Edward Carter thought, how should I know? Of all the people I’ve met in the Tang, the thirty-something are all right here.

　　At that moment, a whistle sounded, and a sentry shouted hoarsely, “Cavalry approaching, about twenty riders!” No sooner had he finished than the thunderous sound of hooves erupted.

　　David Bolton leapt down from a dead tree by the road, grabbed Edward Carter, and tossed him to the two women, shouting, “Form up!”

　　About thirty men quickly used the grain carts as cover, spearmen in front, swordsmen behind. David Bolton stood in the middle of the formation, with two other men outside the circle. More than a dozen arrows were already stuck in the ground before them, ready for attack. The two women dragged Edward Carter into the woods. David Bolton turned and shouted, “Hide well, don’t come out. Even if we all die, you’re not to come out.”

　　“Brothers, no more words. If they’re Qiang, hold them off as long as you can. Keeping Eddie safe is what matters. We’re all waiting for him to make salt. Forget the grain carts—hold out until the captain arrives, and we win.”

　　Hearing this, blood rushed to Edward Carter’s head. He grabbed a shovel and tried to charge out, but the two women pinned him behind a tree, refusing to let him go. Dust billowed on the road, and only vague shadows could be seen rushing in like a gale. Was this the power of cavalry? Edward Carter’s heart pounded wildly, his ears filled with nothing but the thunder of hooves. His hand gripping the shovel was slick with sweat.

　　At the bend in the road, a chestnut horse shot out like lightning. On its back, a burly man in full armor charged straight at the formation, reined in his horse, which neighed loudly, its front hooves pawing the air before coming to a sudden halt. A loud shout rang out: “Where is David Bolton?”

　　“It’s the captain!” The women let go of him. Edward Carter shook his arms—probably bruised, they hurt badly. The tension in his chest released, and he collapsed to the ground, watching the two women hurriedly put shoes on his feet. Edward Carter blushed furiously—how embarrassing, he’d even lost his shoes. A surge of anger at the captain filled his chest—did you have to make such a scene?

　　Coming out of the woods, he saw David Bolton fawningly whispering explanations to the captain, even pointing at him in a most sleazy manner.

　　Straightening his clothes, Edward Carter felt he was being very refined as he cupped his hands to the captain. “Commoner Edward Carter greets the captain.”

　　The captain stared at him intently, making Edward Carter feel uncomfortable all over. He wondered if he’d put his clothes on wrong and hesitated about asking someone to check—after all, things had been rushed. But then the captain rudely pointed at him and asked David Bolton, “This is the expert you spoke of?”

　　David Bolton nodded frantically. The captain’s face darkened in fury. He kicked David Bolton to the ground, his fists like a tiger descending the mountain, his feet like a dragon stirring the sea. As David Bolton wailed and begged for mercy, the captain beat and cursed him: “You dog! So many things no one can solve, and you bring me a child to fool me? I’d rather beat you to death than punish you for false military reports.”

Section Six Charles Brooks