The silence of the Chángchuān (长川) Pass was heavy and spectral, broken only by the ghastly howl of the wind. Atop the stone watchtower, the Empire's ancient dragon-standard snapped violently in the gale.
The duty officer, shading his weary eyes, peered down the empty, winding road that vanished into the heart of the mountains.
Suddenly, the rhythmic thud of hooves on hard stone shattered the quiet. A rider appeared, clad in a thick layer of dust and sweat. He reined in his half-dead mount right before the outpost. The officer rushed towards him, his voice laced with anxiety.
"Well, What news?"
The man gasped,
"Officer... I have scoured the entire mountain pass... there is no sign of the Crown Prince and his retinue!"
The officer's face went pale. "Impossible," he whispered, a tremor in his voice.
"They were due here this morning."
Driven by a fury born of fear, he donned his helm, leapt into his saddle, and bellowed:
"I shall search the path inch by inch myself. If a single hair on the Prince's head is lost, we shall all be buried alive!"
With a sharp dig of his heels, he vanished into the dust of the road.
After covering a great distance, where the road bifurcated towards the forest, something caught his keen eye. He pulled the reins, bringing his horse to a halt. His gaze locked onto a tree trunk; a simple, unfamiliar arrow was embedded halfway into the wood. The officer dismounted, pulled the arrow out, and stared at it with suspicion.
"What happened here?"
As he twirled the arrow between his fingers, he noticed deep ruts on the ground—wheel marks that had abruptly veered off the main road towards the dark maw of the Mòguǐ (魔鬼) forest.
At that moment, the persistent, grating creak of wooden wheels drifted through the air. A rickety cart, groaning under a massive load of wheat, turned the corner. It was hitched to a weary donkey, led by a sun-scorched old man in a straw hat.
"Halt, old man!" the officer barked, raising his hand. The farmer pulled the reins in terror.
"Have you seen a nobleman and his escort in these parts lately?"
The old man removed his hat, clutching it with trembling hands.
"Aye... I saw them."
"When? Which way did they go?" the officer's eyes sharpened.
The farmer sighed with bitterness.
"It was two days ago. That wealthy, cunning rogue... he insisted on buying our old cart for 5,000 Wǔzhū (五銖) coins. In fact, we had two carts, as my son and I work together, so we thought ourselves lucky. We reckoned we could buy two brand new ones with that money, but today… we found the coins are all shams—mere iron! We lost our cart for nothing. If you find that swindler, I beg you, take our revenge."
Losing his patience, the officer roared,
"What are you prattling on about, old man? I am speaking of a high official and his soldiers, not some petty thief who nicked your worthless cart!"
The farmer paused to collect his thoughts.
"My apologies. So… I did not see them here. But perhaps my son can help. He passed this way yesterday."
"Where is your son?" the officer snapped.
The farmer pointed to a distant field.
"Over there. His name is Fù"
The officer vaulted into his saddle and galloped off. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long, eerie shadows. He found a young man in a simple white tunic, with a cloth tied around his forehead to keep the sweat at bay, as he laboured to load sacks of wheat onto a donkey.
"Are you Fù?" the officer demanded.
The youth stopped what he was doing and looked up :
"Yes... I am."
"I am looking for a nobleman heading towards Chángchuān. Have you seen them?"
The youth paused, as though replaying the scene in his mind, then said: "Aye; a wealthy man was here a few days ago, looking to buy a cart..."
"No… I heard that from your father!" the officer interrupted.
"I am looking for the nobleman and the armed guards with him!"
The youth said firmly,
"Yes, I saw both. Since they were together!"
The officer was stunned. "What are you saying? What do you mean 'together'?"
"The man who bought our cart was with that nobleman and his soldiers," he explained.
After a short pause, he went on: "They went towards the Mòguǐ forest at the crossroads. They had a massive chest with them, which they loaded onto our old cart."
A cold shiver ran down the officer's spine. "That cart-thief... had you seen him here before?"
"No…, He looked like a traveller, a stranger." He replied.
The officer stood frozen. Why would they abandon the safety of the main road for the heart of the cursed Mòguǐ forest? he mused to himself.
"Why did they not take the highway?" Officer asked.
The youth shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest."
Trembling at the grim reality he had uncovered, the officer muttered, "Damn it… I must go at once."
He wheeled his horse around and spurred it into a gallop. As he vanished into the encroaching blackness of the dusk, the youth's voice echoed behind him:
"Oi! When you find that rogue, get our cart back, will you!"