An Important Clue

Wei Li Na weighed the heavy money bag in her palm, she bounced the pouch up and down and the eyes of Saint Tami followed the money bag's every movement.

Looking over at the two young disciples, still not yet awake on the ground. "If we hurry, we can catch up with those men, before they reach Gaochang, or meet them at Gaochang market itself. Then buy the children back from those bandits. How much does one child cost?"

Saint Tami gulped, his adam's apple bobbed conspicuously, "Around two teals silver for a small child."

"Saint Tami, I have a plan. Leave it to this little one. Saint Tami only needs to haggle for a good price when we get to the Gaochang marketplace."

The two disciples wake up confused. Wei Li Na reassures them and urges them to eat breakfast with Saint Tami. She then moves away from the group, with her back turned, she empties the money bag. There are 10 pieces of silver, and 2 pieces of gold, in the shape of small hats. Should that be enough? Wei Li Na is completely ignorant to the currency of this time.

She shakes the money bag, there still seems to be something solid stuck inside. Digging her fingers deep into the bottom of the small money bag, she feels a round object hidden in the lining. The bag has a secret pocket. Her nibble fingers fishes out the round object, its cool and smooth to the touch. It's a coin shaped, carved jade pendant, on its surface is the image of a crane flying out of a lotus flower.

Wei Li Na feels her scalp turn numb. Her fingers tremble slightly. She digs into her clothing, and pulls out a string, at the end of it is another jade pendant with an identical carving of flying crane, lotus flower. Wei Li Na's breathing hitches. How can there be another one like it in this world?

This emblem is unique to the Wei Clan, given to family members who go on a journey. It's an amulet for good luck and safe travel. And like the migrating crane, for safe return to the nest. Wei Li Na received her own crane pendant from her parents before she left for her posting at the edge of the galaxy. Of course her own pendant was not hand carved or as genuine as this one she found in the ancient money bag. Her own pendant was created by a 3D printer, it's a copy of the original.

In the space age, the design is unique to the Wei Clan but also symbolic only within the clan. To outsiders, it's just an ordinary good luck charm. Wei Li Na turned the money bag inside out, searching for more clues. Embroidered in the lining is the name "Wang Lei." She inspects the inside hem of the chang pao she uses as a sleeping mat, under the collar is the same name "Wang Lei".

So brother handsome has a name.

Is this person the ancestor uncle she has been looking for? But his name is Wang and not Wei. The name in the genealogy records was clearly Wei. He could be, or not be. It does not matter, this is the best clue she has at the moment.

Wei Li Na sits in a daze, a creepy smile edges her lips. She has a plan. It is time to meet with this person, surnamed Wang once again. Whatever his connection to the ancestors of Wei, she will find out. She unknots the string around her neck, and adds Wang Lei's pendant next to her own, then tucks the two jade charms back into her clothes.

With a huge, sunny smile on her face she returns to the weary group of travellers who are cleaning after breakfast. "Saint Tami, this one does not have enough silver to buy all the children back. Saint Tami has to work hard to put on a good show," Wei Li Na offers Saint Tami the yellow chang pao and the jade belt, indicating that he needs to look the part of a strong player to get a good price.

Saint Tami, too eagerly grabs on to the jade belt. He shakes the yellow chang pao, brushing off the grass and dirt. Wei Li Na had not been careful as the previous owner of these clothes. They've been slept on and dragged through the dirt many times. But Saint Tami, with a bit of wet cloth, manages to make the chang pao reasonably presentable.

They return to the road, and walk towards the direction of Gaochang. Saint Tami is in jovial spirits, his voice is loud and congenial, chatting with the two young disciples. Wei Lina pulls back and walks a few steps behind, observing them chat.

"I've heard so many good things about this Imperial Army. The general is accomplished and civilized, the soldiers treated very humanely. Not like the livestock conditions of the followers of the Celestial Turks," Saint Tami was an animated storyteller, his bright mood was contagious. The two disciples could not help but be seduced by his words.

Their eyes full of curiosity, the young disciples were one step closer to joining the Imperial Army themselves!

"Surely, with your young and strong bodies, the two of you, and you too Young Li Na, will be a welcome help to the Imperial Army," Saint Tami looked back at Wei Li Na, doing his best to include her in the conversation.

The two disciples were unconsciously nodding their heads. Feeling that their futures were bright, and this venture far from their master was fruitful indeed.

In a short few hours, they had reached the edge of the encampment of the Imperial Army. Wei Li Na was surprised how quickly this army had assembled here. Literally, overnight. What discipline!

The road was barred, but they managed to gain entrance with a few smooth words from Saint Tami. The guards looked at each other, a little confused but they let the small group enter. Saint Tami really knows how to talk, in addition to his new clothes and the jade belt that gave him some image of authority. The guards had no defence to turn him down at all!

It was still more than a kilometer distance to the gate of Gaochang City. Wei Li Na was looking left and right it made her head dizzy. The organization of this military camp was truly amazing! She thought an ancient time army would be barbaric and backwards. The kind that uses women and children as human shields, isn't that what the history books say?

But now that she sees it with her own two eyes, aside from the ancient costumes, everything else looked vaguely of a modern military camp. From the uniform tents, the grid arrangement of the encampment, sanitation, watch towers, soldiers moving in orderly marching formation. It was like she was back at the military academy, and this was one of the school's annual outdoor war games. To her embarrassment, she had really underestimated the ancient people!

Wei Li Na's reverie broke when they finally reached the city walls, reality was like a slap to the face. She still had to admit this was ancient times, hanging along the city walls were headless bodies, and body-less heads. Sign boards mercilessly nailed on the bodies, with labels like "criminal", "rapist", "treason", "deserter", "rebel" and other crimes. The stench of the dead bodies was thick, even from afar. Dare to break the law, and this is what will happen to you!

Saint Tami shivered at the sight of the warning. He led the group through the city gates, with just a glance, the guards at the gate did not give them any trouble. Saint Tami seemed to know where he was going. He didn't have to look around, like the country bumpkin children following behind him. He brought them to the main road, then entered a narrow alley, that led to the back of a shop.

Wei Li Na spied some familiar carriages and carts parked to the side. The same those men used, when they kidnapped the children. And Saint Tami brought them here without hesitation, her suspicious were fully confirmed. No more need to hold back then.