Volume One: A Vast Land

Chapter One: With a Smile, I Step Out the Door, and a Thousand Miles of Falling Petals in the Wind

A few cumulus clouds drifted across the azure sky. The sun was scorching, making the scalp burn, and the sound of cicadas was much hoarser than in early summer.

Up ahead was the Emerald Cloud Corridor.

Brian Carter walked forward, looking up.

A narrow path, only wide enough for one person, wound its way forward—fields on one side, earth on the other—leading to an official road shaded by ancient cypress trees that had stood for a thousand years.

The cypresses were ancient, the road was old. They would not become history only after many years; even in this era, they were already over a thousand years old.

This road was called Jinyang Road, built during the Yu Dynasty to connect Yizhou to the Guanzhong Plain. The ancients had a habit of planting trees along the roadside, to mark the direction of the main road—when people saw trees on both sides, they would not lose their way. It was also from the Yu Dynasty that the government began planting cypresses along Jinyang Road. At its peak, there were hundreds of thousands of cypresses, and from afar, it looked like a long corridor shrouded in emerald clouds.

Thus, it was also called the Emerald Cloud Corridor.

A few more steps brought him closer, and the view became clearer.

It was the turn of summer and autumn. The ancient cypresses showed a unique grayish-blue hue. Untouched for a thousand years, their branches grew freely, wild and interlaced. The lush leaves were so dense that even sunlight could barely filter through, casting dappled shadows on the road, flickering between light and dark.

Below was a road paved with stone slabs, uneven, each slab at a different height, laid loosely with frequent gaps and hollows.

Brian Carter stopped and looked back.

After walking for half a day, the familiar mountain and the familiar temple were long out of sight.

Brian Carter continued to gaze, his expression calm.

Yesterday he had spoken with his master. This morning, he packed his belongings, bid farewell to his master and the old myna at the temple, traveled light, and after walking forty li in half a day, finally arrived at this famous road.

But where should he go now?

His master hadn’t told him, and he didn’t know either.

"......"

After a long while, Brian Carter finally withdrew his gaze.

He continued forward.

After only a few steps, he set foot on the Emerald Cloud Corridor. The ground beneath his feet quickly became hard, and most of the scorching sunlight was blocked.

Brian Carter no longer looked back, walking forward with determination and steadiness, always paying attention to the scenery along the roadside.

In this era, this road was as important as a modern highway, connecting Yizhou and the Guanzhong Plain. There were even horse-blocking walls, similar to modern highway guardrails, though a thousand years of wind and frost had left them somewhat dilapidated.

Even so, it remained a major thoroughfare of the time.

Brian Carter carefully felt the ancient road, taking in the real scene of the Emerald Cloud Corridor in this era.

Sometimes, the jingling of mule bells could be heard as caravans passed by, light and shadow mingling beneath the cypresses, both sides sizing each other up. Sometimes, the sound of hooves approached from afar, carrying a rhythm unique to this era, as government couriers whipped their horses and sped past.

Occasionally, he would encounter porters.

These were the only people Brian Carter could catch up with and overtake.

The porters of Yizhou were often small and thin, skin and bones, their bodies dark, carrying loads that even strong men would struggle with, leaning on bamboo or wooden staffs, heads down, silently pressing forward with all their strength, having no energy left to care about anything around them.

Fortunately, the ancient cypresses provided shade.

No one dared to cut these ancient trees.

Since the previous dynasty, the court had officially legislated to protect the ancient cypresses, forbidding both military and civilians from cutting them. When a prefect left office, he had to hand over the cypresses to his successor.

It was said that in these perilous mountains, along the Emerald Cloud Corridor built in the Yu Dynasty, among the lush ancient cypresses, there were often trees so old they had become spirits. Some merchants traveling at night even claimed to have heard the ancient trees beside them speak.

Isn’t that so—

These trees had provided shade and shelter for over twelve hundred years. How many people had passed by them? Perhaps after hearing so much, they had learned to speak as well.

Brian Carter truly wished he could hear them speak to him.

Unfortunately, he did not.

This solitary journey was destined to be silent.

He walked on for who knows how long, counting four earthen watchtowers by the roadside, which meant he had covered another twenty li. Looking for the sun through the gaps in the cypress branches, he could see it had clearly shifted westward.

Brian Carter was feeling a bit tired.

He saw an ancient cypress ahead, so large it would take several people to encircle it. The curve of its trunk was just right for leaning against, and the ground beneath was clean, likely a common resting spot.

Brian Carter was not particular—he walked over and sat down.

He ate a flatbread and drank some water.

At first, his mind was still occupied with thoughts. People kept passing by, and he would look up to meet the faces of this era, always feeling a strange sense of encounter. When he felt sleepy, Brian Carter had no intention of fighting it. He hugged his bundle, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

The sound of cicadas did not disturb, but only lulled him to sleep.