That night, the Central Plains people, who had been humiliated by all kinds of means as if cattles and horses, eventually returned to their homeland under the escort of the Black Iron Camp. There were still more than ten yards away from the Silk Road Pass, they had not passed through yet, but someone had taken the lead in kneeling down first, hitting the ground with his head and crying aloud. The cries echoed at the Silk Road entrance, the lone birds flying past could not bear to listen.

Gu Yun waved his hand and ordered the escort officers to stop and wait silently without urging them.

Among these prisoners, there was only one who did not cry. The man was about thirty years old, his appearance was gentle like a scholar. Leading a boy of about sixteen or seventeen years old, he came to Gu Yun and stood at a distance, separated by a group of soldiers.

A personal guard said in Gu Yun's ear, "Marshal, I heard on the way that it seems that this scholar was the one who gathered together the refugees that were captured by the people of the Western Regions, saving many, and also came up with schemes to reveal the whereabouts of those dog thieves, so that the Prince of Lou Lan could have a chance to attack."

Gu Yun was stunned at first. Before he could think about it, he saw the scholar kneeling down with the young man beside him.

Although Gu Yun had just finished playing hooligans, he dared not treat these people lightly. He hurriedly said, "Sir, there is no need to do so. Please get up quickly. What are you called?"

The scholar refused his support and murmured, "Marshal, my name is Bai, last name Chu, a poor scholar who is always failing examinations and has no good future. Because my parents died early and my family was poor, I had given up on it. Last year, I brought my younger brother to the Silk Road to write and calculate for people to make a living. Unexpectedly, Bai, though not talented, is also a learner of wise men. I know the teaching 'Do not bring humiliation to your ancestors nor to yourself, preserving your righteousness, manners, that is the way of a scholar'* but the situation forced us to fall into the enemy. In order to save my life, I have let myself be discriminated against by those dog thieves, imposing punishments…”

*A reference to Sima Qian, a famous historian who was punished through castration, and instead of committing suicide out of shame, wrote the "Records of the Grand Historian"

Gu Yun was shocked and did not know what to say for a moment. He stepped forward from the crowd and went up to the two brothers in person and said quietly, "We were late."