Volume 6, Chapter 40: Tears Turn to Blood

When the Duke returned south, he knew his fate was sealed, so he dismissed all his trusted deputies. Prime Minister Shang wished to put the troops at ease, thus implicated few of the deputies, decreeing that only the Duke’s oldest son, Yun, would be publicly executed. The Duke’s property would be confiscated as financial reparation, and his family was to be exiled to southern Fujian.

When the Duke was to die, snow whirled through the air, manifesting as the Duke’s lonely loyalty. Prime Minister Shang feared people would learn about it and ordered a large force to surround the Qiao Courtyard.

Loyalists to the Duke fought in, trying to rescue the Duke out. The Duke refused them and died with such loyalty, killed by the treacherous prime minister with poisoned wine. The Heavens and the Earth didn’t tolerate his sincerity.

Even though the Duke was dead, Prime Minister Shang was uneasy and ordered the mounted officers in red uniforms to also execute Yun in jail. When the envoy reached the royal prison, he saw the wardens and soldiers were dazed and confused, looking into the prison in surprise. Yun had disappeared.

The Duke’s beloved wife and youngest son, as well as their maids, menservants, and armed retainers totaling forty-six people, migrated south the next day.—Southern Chu Dynastic Records, Biography of the Duke of Loyal Courage

In the fourteenth year of Tongtai, the Duke of Loyal Courage ended his life in Jianye. When Adjunct Yang Xiu, overseeing military affairs in Huaidong, heard the terrible news, he erected wors.h.i.+p tents within the military camps.

When Zhe heard the news, he mourned inconsolably, saying, “It’s all my fault.” Then he put on white mourning robes and crossed the Huai River to pay his respects. All the generals knew he was the one who set in motion the death of the Duke of Loyal Courage and yearned to kill him. Zhe wished to pay his respects before dying, and the generals permitted it.

Zhe played the zither before the coffin, and all generals who heard the music sobbed, unable to lift their blades. Zhe thus returned to Chuzhou.—Southern Chu Dynastic Records, Biography of Jiang Suiyun

Long before Ding Ming and the others departed from the Qiao Courtyard, someone had covertly helped them escape the city. Once they were dozens of li away from the city, a line of figures appeared in the snowstorm—over a hundred cavalrymen guarding a horse-drawn carriage. The doughty and formidable hors.e.m.e.n were all wearing armor without symbols. The leader was a general in a dark-colored battle gown, and his face was masked by a dark veil. Seeing Ding Ming’s figure, his eyes first glowed with joy. But as he gazed around and didn’t see that familiar figure, the joy turned into despair.

Ding Ming trotted over and saluted the dark-robed general. He sorrowfully said, “Grand General refused to leave the city with us. I’m afraid he’s already…” Tears fell from his eyes before he finished.

The dark-robed general was silent. After a long while, he finally said, “I’ve always understood Grand General’s temperament, but I couldn’t help thinking about the what-if scenario. Events have transpired thus, and you all tried your hardest. I cannot be gone from the army for too long and must hurry back right now.”

Ding Ming bowed and said, “Brother s.h.i.+ has a n.o.ble sense of justice, which I admire. Huaixi is still reliant on brother’s defense, so please rush back, brother s.h.i.+. If we’re destined to meet in the future, I absolutely won’t decline. Even though Grand General martyred himself, Southern Chu’s lands cannot permit Yong ravages.”

“I’m profoundly grateful for brother Ding’s loyalty. I received great kindness from the Grand General, but I wasn’t able to save his life. I’m ashamed to the extreme. If I cannot defend Huaixi any longer, I’ll have no other way to atone than to die,” the dark-robed general said with a sigh.

Having said his piece, the dark-robed general bade farewell and left, the line of men spurring their horses in the snowstorm and riding off into the distance.

Ding Ming watched as the dark-robed general’s old and strong figure receded. Sadness welled up within him, because he’d been a longtime acquaintance of that man due to Lu Can. The two of them hit it off when they first met and became close friends because of it. At the beginning, he detested the man for his disloyalty and working only for his own status and rank to the point he even gave up his beloved daughter and son-in-law.

However, the man had dispatched a messenger asking him to get to Jianye to rescue Lu Can. He even did whatever it took to personally provide support. When Ding Ming got the message, he had been suspicious, but after meeting him outside Jianye, Ding Ming believed the man wasn’t faking it. Desertion was no petty crime. If Shang Weijun found out, the best outcome would be being stripped of his rank. However, the man didn’t care about any of it. Presumably, his disloyal actions were forced.

s.h.i.+ Guan gave free rein to his horse and galloped through the snow. At some point in time, tears had begun sliding down his cheeks. Even though he’d heartlessly abandoned his daughter in the past, he didn’t cry then. Before Lu Can had been summoned back to Jianye, Lu Yun and he knew the situation wasn’t good. The two men secretly discussed how to react to it.

Many years ago, s.h.i.+ Guan had worried about this scenario occurring and gave advice to Lu Can. At the time, Lu Can requested that he not disturb the military situation for personal friends.h.i.+ps no matter what changed. And Lu Yun was willing to die, unwilling to ruin his father’s reputation of loyalty. The two men’s intentions aligned, but they were most worried about s.h.i.+ Xiu.

Even if s.h.i.+ Guan could keep s.h.i.+ Xiu safe, she was also willing to die with how fiery she was. With no other choice, s.h.i.+ Guan discussed it with Lu Yun. s.h.i.+ Guan purposely forced s.h.i.+ Xiu to protect Lu Mei as they escaped, then had Lu Yun entrust his weak younger sister and unborn child to her. This way, s.h.i.+ Xiu would have to live and wouldn’t rashly die for her husband. This course of action would both preserve a bloodline of the Lu family and let s.h.i.+ Guan earn the trust of Shang Weijun.

Surprisingly, s.h.i.+ Xiu disappeared en route to Zhongli, her survival uncertain. s.h.i.+ Guan secretly ordered people to search for her but never spotted any traces of his daughter, making him anguished to no end.

At present, he disobeyed Lu Can’s wishes and teamed up with Ding Ming to try to rescue Lu Can out of danger, but they failed at the final hurdle. And when he thought about how his beloved son-in-law certainly couldn’t save his own life, s.h.i.+ Guan was terribly grief-stricken.

The group spurred their horses into a gallop, their line of sight blocked by the snowstorm. They had all heard the grievous news, and their emotions were swirling, inevitably dropping their guard a little. As s.h.i.+ Guan spurred his horse around a bend in the road, the road narrowed. The bodyguards ahead of him and behind him careened out of position, and the tight defensive cavalry formation exposed an opening.

Right at this moment, the snow that had piled into mounds abruptly burst out in every direction. A white figure flew through the air, the glint of steel flas.h.i.+ng in the figure’s hands. The harsh light spilling forth like a waterfall gleamed like the Milky Way in the sky. It was thrusting forcefully at the center of s.h.i.+ Guan’s back.

s.h.i.+ Guan gave a roar of anger and threw a fist out, the wind stirred up exploding into a thunderclap. The other individual powered through the blow, not even making a sound, and seized the opportunity to flit over the snow.

The bodyguards to his rear roared angrily in consternation, and nearly all shot arrows at the same to take the a.s.sa.s.sin’s life. Right as the individual landed on the ground, person bounded into the distance, surprisingly quick. The dozens of arrows traveling as fast as lightning stuck deep into the ground behind the person. The second and third volleys chased after the figure, but they all missed by a hair’s breadth. In the blink of an eye, the figure disappeared without a trace.

Only at this point did s.h.i.+ Guan’s body slowly topple over. Two bodyguards who threw themselves off their saddles and rolled off their horses held him in a death grip. One of them reached out with a trembling hand to check on him. Sweat and tears streaming down his face, he couldn’t help but cry out in pain, “The general is dead! The general is dead!”

The soldiers felt like they were struck by lightning. The death of the general here couldn’t be justified to their comrades in the army, much less explained to the court. After all, s.h.i.+ Guan shouldn’t have even appeared outside Jianye. They gazed in the direction the a.s.sa.s.sin had fled with eyes filled with murderous intent. A captain of the bodyguards said, “Half of the men, send the general back to Shouchun and immediately send news to Adjunct Yang. Ask him to go to Huaixi to try to direct the overall situation. The other half of the men, follow me in pursuit of that a.s.sa.s.sin. We absolutely won’t return to Shouchun without getting revenge.”

All the bodyguards loudly agreed and rapidly divided into two groups. In addition, two people split off and galloped straight for Huaidong. In the blink of an eye, their pillar had collapsed, and they desperately wished they could’ve been the ones who died.

For the moment, s.h.i.+ Guan’s body silently lay in the lap of one of the bodyguards. The snow filling the air landed on his angry, surprised, and sorrowful face, as if mourning the abrupt death of this commanding general of the Huaixi army. It also seemed to be mourning Southern Chu’s loss of another important general.

After parting ways with Ding Ming and the others, the person Ding Ming believed to be the manager of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets didn’t exit the city. Instead, he returned to the secret residence of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets inside the city of Jianye. It was the abode of a rich merchant, the last and only secret base carved out for the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.

Walking into the building warm as spring, the white-clothed man sighed gently and shucked off his ragged clothes. After getting behind the folding screen, brand-new clothes that had been washed in scented water were waiting for him. The white-clothed man changed into gray embroidered robes and stepped out. His handsome and gloomy face carried a hint of fatigue. He reclined on a soft couch and picked up a random book of zither scores, slowly looking through it. However, his gaze was a little unfocused. It seemed that his attention wasn’t on the zither music.

This man was the supposed manager of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, a direct disciple of the Devil Sect, Qiu Yufei.

Weeks ago, he received a letter from Jiang Zhe, asking him to go to Jingxiang for a meeting. Qiu Yufei knew Jing Zhe had something to request of him. Although Qiu Yufei didn’t have to answer Jiang Zhe’s request for help, he wouldn’t decline it when he remembered their friends.h.i.+p. Moreover, he could pay his respects to Jing Wuji along the way. When he consulted Jing Wuji, he also preferred for Qiu Yufei to go to Jiangnan, so Qiu Yufei happily went.

After meeting up in Gucheng, Qiu Yufei finally learned Jiang Zhe actually wanted him to impersonate the manager of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. Things suddenly made sense to Qiu Yufei. He instantly understood how Jiang Zhe had seen through to his ident.i.ty and couldn’t help but be shocked by the might of Jiang Zhe’s concealed strength. To probe the depths of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, Qiu Yufei agreed to act as Jiang Zhe’s body double and hitman.

Unfortunately, however, he failed the first task Jiang Zhe set him to. Lu Can had heroically sacrificed himself, and he, a formidable disciple of the Devil Sect, had been put on the back foot before Lu Can. This made Qiu Yufei very despondent. And Qiu Yufei didn’t feel good about watching a famous general like Lu Can fall either. When he thought of the events he witnessed in Northern Han, he became ever more emotional.

Putting down the book of zither scores, he sighed softly in spite of himself. Jiang Zhe’s methods were rather insidious too. He didn’t know what Jiang Zhe did to make the people of Jiangnan’s wulin ma.s.sacre each other. Presumably, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets would add fuel to the fire from now on, increasing the chaos in Jiangnan.

An indeterminate amount of time later, Ling Duan burst in, joy all over his face. The moment he saw Qiu Yufei, he said, “Fourth young master, it was a success. Nearly all the experts have gone to the Qiao Courtyard. There’s almost n.o.body keeping watch inside the royal prison. We also used the ‘Pipe Dream’ drug. This type of incapacitating agent is truly powerful. The jailers and soldiers were clearly still conscious, but they were befuddled like they were sleepwalking.”

“Did Lu Yun make things difficult for you all? Did he also not want to leave the royal prison?” Qiu Yufei calmly asked.

Smiling widely, Ling Duan replied, “I forgot to ask him, and he was drugged anyway. Baiyi and I just carried him out.”

Qiu Yufei gave a wry smile. “I think you should tell Baiyi you drugged him to be done with it. It won’t be too late to hand him over to Suiyun and rescue him, lest quarrels arise.”

Ling Duan said in surprise, “Fourth young master truly has foresight. When I arrived, I heard Baiyi tell someone to grab the already prepared ‘Thousand Days of Intoxication’ liquor. It’s a fine wine that can make one sleep for three years. Presumably, Baiyi won’t let that child wake up and make trouble.” He paused, then asked with some doubt, “However, how did fourth young master know that child wouldn’t obey? Did you already have experience? Aiyah, did fourth young master not manage to rescue Lu Can? Didn’t fourth young master say that if he didn’t agree to just knock him out and get it over with?”

Qiu Yufei glared at Ling Duan and sneered, “Your martial arts aren’t bad now. If you saw your General Tan right now, would you have the courage to knock him unconscious to rescue him?”

Ling Duan shuddered. “How could I? General Tan’s set of eyes needs just sweep over me to make me feel cold from inside to out.”

Qiu Yufei couldn’t be bothered to keep on this topic. “Reportedly, spirits are afraid to approach loyal people. I’m just an ordinary man of jianghu and don’t have the strength of supernatural beings. General Lu maintained loyalty to the end, his sincerity esteemed by everyone in the world. Just, if Suiyun learns of this information, I’m afraid he’d mourn forlornly.”

Ling Duan saw how much Qiu Yufei was lamenting and laughed grimly in his head. Although a great deal of his hate for Jiang Zhe had vanished, it didn’t mean he’d forgiven that man for everything he’d done.

Qiu Yufei shot to his feet, perhaps feeling upset, and set down the book of zither scores. “I’m going out for a walk. Don’t make trouble out there.” He didn’t wait for Ling Duan to complain before walking out. It was deep into the night now, and it was snowing harder, but figures of royal guardsmen could be seen moving everywhere.

Qiu Yufei was wearing finery and trekked slowly through the snow, taking care to avoid the guardsmen. It was easy as pie for him due to his martial arts. He’d seen all the chaos inside Jianye with his own eyes and couldn’t help marveling at Jiang Zhe’s designs. Although he wasn’t able to rescue Lu Can as he wished, the enmity between Ding Ming and company with Shang Weijun and the Fengyi Sect was impossible to resolve.

As night deepened, the snow let up, and silhouettes could be seen dozens of zhang away. Qiu Yufei was a little weary and was thinking about returning to sleep when he blinked and saw a graceful and lithe figure flit through the blowing snow in the night sky. Surprised, he quietly followed.

After traveling through nearly half of Jianye, he saw the figure melt into a brilliantly lit, gorgeous courtyard. Hearing songs and music coming from the courtyard and seeing the bustling activity and heavy traffic before the entrance, Qiu Yufei furrowed his brow. He could guess who the figure was. However, he didn’t need to do anything untoward. Right as he was about to turn around and leave, zither music drifted out of a building.

Qiu Yufei froze in place. Prost.i.tutes playing the zither to entertain guests was commonplace, but this music wasn’t typical at all. This was the piece “O, the Integrity of the Orchid,” a resentful and n.o.ble tune. Qiu Yufei listened closely. The zither player had a soft touch, turning the self-pity and fall into a dest.i.tute life in the piece into boat orchids blossoming in the wilderness. Whether the plucking methods or the mood, both led to the flawless interpretation of this piece.

Qiu Yufei loved music, and his eyes shone with an intrigued light as he listened. He cared not that this place was an important location for the enemy and walked toward the entrance of the Moonlight Pavilion as though he were a brothel customer.

Qiu Yufei, not needing to spend much time on persuasion due to his appearance and deep pockets, easily entered the chambers of Ling Yu of the Moonlight Pavilion. Just then, she was performing in the antechamber, required to entertain guests. Her tender expression, touchingly delicate features, and piteous bearing bedazzled people. They would never regret spending a huge amount of money and could only drink a cup of tea and speak a few words.

However, Qiu Yufei could perceive the indifference and fatigue hidden deep in Ling Yu’s eyes. This woman wasn’t as overbearing as the influential power she represented. Her playing was comforting. Perhaps she was also a white lotus growing in the mud.

With these thoughts in mind, Qiu Yufei wholly discarded the intelligence report on the woman he’d read before coming to Jianye. He said with a smile, “Lady Ling Yu can be said to be one of the best zither masters in the world. May this one listen to the miss play another piece?”

A hint of amazement flashed in Ling Yu’s eyes. Her face livened up almost immediately. She genuinely scrutinized Qiu Yufei and was touched. “Fourth young master has presumably heard everyone’s playing before. What flaws does this lowly woman have in her zither playing?”

When Qiu Yufei saw that Ling Yu opened with questions on music, he felt even more that the woman was exceptional. When it came to music, n.o.body in the world could beat him. Although Ling Yu’s zither playing was outstanding, there was still room for improvement in his opinion. At once, he took Ling Yu’s guqin and started playing “O, the Integrity of the Lotus,” the piece that had just been played.

When the zither sounded, Ling Yu’s spirits were lifted. She listened with rapt attention as the music changed, Qiu Yufei having already used pure energy to isolate the zither notes. n.o.body within the Moonlight Pavilion besides her could hear the music. After all, Qiu Yufei didn’t want to attract the Fengyi Sect’s attention.

By the time the piece ended, Ling Yu was ecstatic and took back the guqin and played the piece again. When Qiu Yufei saw how fascinated she was, he was delighted. He stood behind her and occasionally gave advice on her fingerings and techniques.

Once Ling Yu had a thorough understanding, it was nearly midnight. Normally, someone would have driven him away long ago, but Ling Yu hadn’t hinted at making him leave. And the entirety of the Fengyi Sect was rus.h.i.+ng about due to suffering grievous losses, so n.o.body came to disturb them. Qiu Yufei hadn’t needed to isolate the zither playing when Ling Yu started playing again, as only she was practicing the zither. If he had isolated the sound, however, it easily would’ve aroused suspicion.

Ling Yu hadn’t had enough of his teaching and was about to continue asking for advice when she suddenly saw Qiu Yufei wearing an ambiguous smile on his face. Only then did she realize she’d fully forgotten the man was her guest. Her fair-skinned face flushed red, and she elegantly bowed low, saying, “Ling Yu has slighted fourth young master. Young master has mastered music. Ling Yu truly wants to learn the zither from young master, but unfortunately, she has no free will. Will young master return tomorrow?”

Pa.s.sion blazed in Qiu Yufei’s eyes. Seeing Lady Ling Yu’s pure desire for instruction, he sighed lightly and said, “With the miss’s extraordinarily hard work, it’s no wonder she has such skill at the zither. However, this one is about to leave Jianye. It’s truly regrettable that I cannot explore the zither arts again with the miss.”

Ling Yu’s eyes glistened in response. She thought of how she was a lady of a literary family unable to stop the destruction of her family and was driven to prost.i.tution. In addition, she unfortunately became a disciple of the Fengyi Sect, and she didn’t even have the freedom to buy back her own freedom. She’d had a rough life.

She had no other likings besides music. Even though her master had taught her martial arts, she paid little attention to qinggong and swordsmans.h.i.+p, apart from practicing the internal style to enhance the power of her zither playing. If not for seeing that her talent, appearance, and skill at the zither were outstanding, her master likely wouldn’t have continued to keep her as a disciple.

At the beginning, she celebrated that she could break away from the misfortune that had stained her innocence. Now, she yearned to be a normal woman who could request to buy her freedom, leave with the fourth young master who was more skilled at the zither than her, and be able to learn and play the zither as she wished. Unable to stop the tears from falling, she pulled Qiu Yufei’s sleeve and choked up, unable to speak. After a long time, she finally said, “Since fourth young master must leave, let Ling Yu play young master another piece.”

Ling Yu wiped away her tears and plucked the zither strings again. This time, she played “High Mountains and Flowing Water.” This piece was originally about a cherished friends.h.i.+p, but when Ling Yu played it, it became rather plaintive and mournful, with the feeling that a close friend was leaving in a hurry and regretful she couldn’t go with him. Ling Yu was engrossed in playing the piece to the end. Once she finished, she raised her eyes and saw the handsome and skilled young gentleman was nowhere to be seen. He’d only left a jade pendant on the zither stand.

Ling Yu picked up the pendant. It was a beautiful block of translucent white jade that had been carved into the shape of a guqin. Heart aching, she pressed the jade pendant to her bosom and gently closed both eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.

However, she didn’t know that when Qiu Yufei was leaving, he thought to himself, I must stay for a few days just for Lady Ling Yu. Qiu Yufei had planned to return immediately to the Eastern Sea, but he decided in this moment to help Jiang Zhe finish his grand project of eradicating the Fengyi Sect. With his intelligence, Qiu Yufei could clearly see Ling Yu had been forced to remain in the Fengyi Sect. She had had no other choice.

***

I sat at the weiqi board looking at the board state differentiating White and Black. I indifferently asked, “s.h.i.+ Guan has already died? Who did it? Who’s taking over the Huaixi army?”

A chill ran through Huo Cong. Ever since his master had learned of Lu Can’s death, he’d always been this cool and composed, like the dead person was just a stranger he wasn’t friends with. He didn’t even show the barest hint of sadness. But for some reason, Huo Cong increasingly felt that something was odd. His master absolutely was not a cold-blooded man. Normally, he would never sit idle. Jiang Zhe’s current behavior made Huo Cong even more worried than if he’d bawled his eyes out.

Jiang Zhe’s gaze landed on him at this moment, urging him to answer. Looking into the deep and indifferent eyes, Huo Cong couldn’t help lowering his head and whispering, “Before events took place, Sir predicted s.h.i.+ Guan wasn’t a disloyal man, therefore ordered the Intelligence Management Section to pay attention to s.h.i.+ Guan’s whereabouts. However, the actor wasn’t a Great Yong a.s.sa.s.sin but was Yan Wushuang of the Fengyi Sect. The Intelligence Management Section used them to do their dirty work. The Fengyi Sect’s response was very quick as well.

“It still isn’t possible to determine if Yan Wushuang prepared an ambush or tracked Ding Ming and found s.h.i.+ Guan. However, Yan Wushuang violently a.s.sa.s.sinated s.h.i.+ Guan on his way back and took his life in one stroke. s.h.i.+ Guan’s bodyguards risked their lives in pursuit, and all forty were annihilated. Each one was cut down by Yan Wushuang. However, Yan Wushuang also suffered severe injuries. Ever since she returned to Jianye, she’s been bedridden.

“As for the new general in charge of the Huaixi army, it’s Cai Qun, the elder brother of the Queen of Southern Chu. The man is a relative of the King as well as trusted by Shang Weijun. Most important, he has close ties with the Fengyi Sect, and the man has slavered after Ji Xia’s best disciple, Ling Yu, for a long time. Reportedly, Ji Xia has promised that once Cai Qun is established in Huaixi, she’ll gift her disciple Ling Yu to Cai Qun as a concubine.”

“How skilled is this Cai Qun? Has he led troops into battle before?” I thoughtfully asked.

“Although Cai Qun hails from an aristocratic family, he can begrudgingly be regarded to be adept in both the brush and the sword,” Huo Cong answered. “The Cai family has truly produced several excellent sons. But that man is rather arrogant. When he served as a general in Yuhang, he performed above average and was quite competent. It’s just that he’s haughty by nature while also being dissolute. After Zhao Long a.s.sumed the throne, because he was the brother of the Queen, he was recalled to Jianye to serve as the deputy commander of the Royal Guard. As the commanding general of the Huaixi army, he’s competent as long as there are no major battles.”

I asked another question. “Shang Weijun didn’t seize this chance to purge the Huaixi army?”

“Shang Weijun presumably doesn’t understand events around the a.s.sa.s.sination of s.h.i.+ Guan. According to the information the Intelligence Management Section received, after s.h.i.+ Guan’s body was brought back to Huaixi by his bodyguards, Yang Xiu’s messenger arrived in Huaixi. Per Yang Xiu’s wishes, the Huaixi army reported to the Southern Chu court that s.h.i.+ Guan nominally died from a serious illness. Shang Weijun didn’t want to alarm the military and stir up trouble. For him, it was best that General s.h.i.+ died so as to prevent future trouble from being left behind,” Huo Cong replied.

I sighed. “That’s good. If General s.h.i.+ had died at the hands of a secret agent of the Intelligence Management Section, it wouldn’t be easy to explain things to Yun’er and his wife if I saw them in the future. But Yan Wushuang is as ruthless as expected. Excluding Wen Ziyan, she was the Fengyi Sect disciple most skilled at a.s.sa.s.sinations back then. Now, it looks like her martial arts have only improved. It’s fortunate she’s already seriously injured. This way, when we eradicate the Fengyi Sect, it’ll be much easier. By the way, what were the casualties in the battle at the Qiao Courtyard?”

Huo Cong sneaked a peek at Jiang Zhe, seeing that his master was still acting like nothing was wrong. However, Xiaoshunzi standing nearby wore a rare expression of solemnity. After some hesitation, he said, “The rescue of the Grand General from the Qiao Courtyard proceeded as Sir intended. Besides fourth young master, our people only helped from the shadows. Ding Ming and the others understood this, so we didn’t suffer any casualties. Shang Weijun’s confidant and top expert, Ou Yuanning, was hanged by fourth young master, and Xiao Lan and Xie Xiaotong of the Fengyi Sect died in battle. Over half of the swordsmen who fought in the battle were casualties. Shang Weijun’s forces also suffered heavy losses. And only thirty percent of the Wuyue experts Ding Ming brought along survived. Furthermore, senior apprentice brother Baiyi seized the opportunity to rescue Lu Yun. This time, all of Sir’s objectives were met.

“Afterwards, Shang Weijun raged endlessly. As expected, the Fengyi Sect took advantage of the situation to urge Shang Weijun to use the opportunity of Lady Lu and Lu Ting and company migrating south to deliberately put out rumors that they would kill the entire Lu family on the journey. They prepared to bait the people in jianghu sympathetic to the Lu family into a trap, then eliminate them all in one fell swoop. Senior apprentice brother Baiyi had wanted senior apprentice brother Yulun to offer advice to Shang Chengye, but senior apprentice brother Yulun refused.”

Jiang Zhe nodded and said, “Back then, I didn’t rescue all of the Lu family because, for one, there’s too many people, which makes it difficult to rescue them. Second, I feared Lady Lu would martyr herself like Lu Can, making our people sink into a quagmire. Third, I had determined the Fengyi Sect would act this way. This time, the Fengyi Sect lost three top experts in a row. It’s certainly cut to their heart. If they didn’t use this opportunity to weaken the wulin of Jiangnan, they wouldn’t be the Fengyi Sect. Before these events took place, I said we had to kill one or two Fengyi Sect experts. They performed beyond my expectations.

“Oh yeah, have them divulge this news to Wei Ying. Whether he continues to wallow in the mire with the Fengyi Sect or dances to a different tune and continues to be loyal to the Lu family, he cannot be left out of the loop.”

“Sir, this disciple doesn’t understand why we must oppose the Fengyi Sect at this time. The Fengyi Sect can do more harm than good. This disciple believes that if they’re allowed to do as they wish, they’ll be beneficial to our military’s southern campaign,” Huo Cong stated doubtfully.

“In the past, Southern Chu had Lu Can independently maintaining the overall situation, which meant the Fengyi Sect’s existence was the best aid for our military. Now that Lu Can has pa.s.sed away, Shang Weijun has seized authority. If he earns the a.s.sistance of the Fengyi Sect, he can control all the military officers and root out the dissidents,” I grimly said. “Although Lu Can has died, his prestige still remains. All the generals respect his loyalty and dare not rebel, which gives Shang Weijun the chance to smoothly take control. If the Fengyi Sect is destroyed, Shang Weijun’s power will be greatly lessened. He won’t be able to threaten the safety of the Southern Chu generals. Lu Can’s former subordinates as well as the other generals will each retain their strength for self-defense. In this fas.h.i.+on, our army can sweep through Jiangnan; thus, the Fengyi Sect should no longer exist on earth.

“Give orders to Chen Zhen to think of a way to make the internecine strife in the wulin of Jiangnan intensify, then team up with the Intelligence Management Section and exterminate the wulin. The Fengyi Sect especially cannot be let off. However, there’s no harm in leaving a way out for the jianghu forces that act loyally, lest the wulin of Jiangnan never recovers from the setback. This would go against my intent to preserve the spirit of Jiangnan. After all, there’s many talented individuals in the wild.

“Oh right, hasn’t the Bright Inspection Department stuck their nose into Jiangnan? Although acting in an enemy country is the purview of the Intelligence Management Section, don’t let Xiahou Yuanfeng off lightly. Drag him down as well. Since he dared lead the accusations against me, he shouldn’t think he can stand by with folded arms.”

Huo Cong repeatedly said yes, then asked, “Supervisor Dong sent a missive over, asking Sir for instructions on events in Huaixi and asking should the entire Lu family be taken back to Great Yong and settled there?”

I replied after some thought, “Huaixi still counts as safe. s.h.i.+ Yujin is about to give birth, so let her go into labor in Huaixi. Don’t tell her about world events for now. Have Dong Que properly take care of Lu Mei and her. Once our armies reach Huaixi, have Jing Chi deliver them here to me. Act according to the Lu family’s wishes on what to do. If Lady Lu insists on following royal orders to migrate south, have the Yue family settle them there. Otherwise, send them to Great Yong. There’s also Lu Feng. His current whereabouts are uncertain. He’s probably under Wei Ying’s protection. This matter cannot be eased off. He must be found. I’ve already killed Lu Can and absolutely can’t let any accidents occur to his family.”

Huo Cong was shocked. This was the first and only time his master had spoken of his feelings after hearing about the death of Lu Can. He sneaked a glance and saw Jiang Zhe’s expression was still as calm and apathetic, like he wasn’t the one who said the words. When Huo Cong saw he was speaking unfettered and was clear of mind, his stratagems as merciless as ever, Huo Cong should have rested a.s.sured, but a sudden upwelling of intense unease surged in Huo Cong.

Afterwards, he heard Jiang Zhe say in an a.s.sertive tone, “I heard Yang Xiu doesn’t fear the censure of the Southern Chu court and put up wors.h.i.+p tents for Lu Can in Guangling. Did that happen?”

Huo Cong was surprised. He was about to say no, but he felt Jiang Zhe’s bone-chilling gaze. Glancing at Xiaoshunzi’s wooden face, he finally responded in a helpless voice, “I heard it did happen. The Intelligence Management Section reported that the respective armies of Ba Prefecture, Jiangxia, Jiujiang, Shouchun, Guangling, and Yuhang all put up wors.h.i.+p tents. Not even the Southern Chu court was brave enough to formally block it. And the entirety of the Huaidong army wore white silk mourning robes. Every day, wails of sorrow fill the sky.”

“That’s good,” I said in relief. “If those people didn’t even have the courage to put up wors.h.i.+p tents, they would’ve wasted Lu Can’s loyalty and best intentions. Xiaoshunzi, I want to go to Guangling tomorrow to pay my respects to Can’er. What do you think?”

Huo Cong was astonished and quickly looked to Xiaoshunzi, hoping he would, like always, stop his master from doing something ill-advised. A conflicted look appeared in Xiaoshunzi’s eyes. Surprisingly, Xiaoshunzi eventually said, “Okay, I will protect young master when he goes to Guangling. I will ensure n.o.body will block Sir’s path.”

Hearing Xiaoshunzi’s willing reply, I gave a relieved smile. “That’s right. How can I not honor Can’er? It’s unfortunate his body is in Jianye. It would be great if I could see him.”

“Don’t worry, young master. Once we conquer Southern Chu, I’ll accompany young master to Jianye and construct a new tomb for the Grand General. Then, young master can pay his respects at Grand General’s coffin,” Xiaoshunzi said without any hesitation.

I grinned and nodded. “All right, you should make preparations. Huyan Shou will definitely want to come. Avoid bringing anyone else who isn’t necessary. By the way, I’m quite fond of Du Lingfeng, who’s with Pei Yun. If he’s interested, have him come along too.”

“Okay, I’ll prepare everything,” Xiaoshunzi a.s.sented. “Young master should get some rest. Tomorrow you’ll be making haste. Young master can’t be exhausted.”

I nodded and said, “Sure. I’ll go lie down.”

Xiaoshunzi carefully helped me over to the bed. I couldn’t help laughing under my breath at his fussing. It was like I was a porcelain doll, easy to shatter. I entered dreamland nearly the moment I lay on the bed. In my dreams, I seemed to see the features of Lu Can, which I hadn’t seen in a long time. My, why is this kid so impatient? Aren’t I going to pay my respects to you soon? You don’t have to visit my dreams this quickly. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your family.

I had no idea that after walking out of the bedroom, a pallid Huo Cong grabbed Xiaoshunzi and said, “There’s something wrong with Sir. Uncle Shun, you can’t go to Guangling. Sir’s scheme of sowing dissension can’t fool the Southern Chu people for this long. I fear Yang Xiu will sacrifice Sir to the spirit of General Lu.”

Rarely seen terror and grief appeared in Xiaoshunzi’s eyes. After a long while, he said, “If young master wishes to go, n.o.body can stop him. Come, let’s go see His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, and General Pei. When young master goes to Guangling, we must have General Pei’s army stand ready for battle at the Huai River. If something untoward should happen to the young master, General Pei will need to cross the Huai River and slaughter the Huaidong army to the last man to get revenge for the young master. However, even if young master dies in Guangling, it’s impossible to stop him from going this time. n.o.body can do so.

“Another thing. Remember, if you dare betray the young master, I’ll rip you to shreds, making you die without a place of burial.” Xiaoshunzi then put on a cruel and icy face, shaking off Huo Cong, and walking away.

Huo Cong felt fear rising from the pit of his stomach. He suddenly understood everything, understanding why Xiaoshunzi didn’t care for his master’s safety and agreed to place him in a dangerous position. But after he understood, the immense pressure on him nearly made him unable to breathe or think. Xiaoshunzi’s threat further let him know that no matter what, his master wouldn’t harm him without good cause. Because for his master, if he harmed his beloved disciple, it was as agonizing as harming himself.

Unable to stem the flood of tears, Huo Cong moved his feet with difficulty. Walking up to Jiang Zhe’s bedroom, he fell to his knees. Jiang Zhe’s even breathing came from inside the room, showing he was sleeping deeply. However, Huo Cong became even sadder. In the blink of an eye, he was choked with sobs.

***

On the southern bank of the Huai River stood a sea of white mourning robes. After learning of the death of Lu Can, Yang Xiu obeyed Lu Can’s last will and could no longer restrain his heartfelt grief, not to mention the whole army crying out in lamentation. He ignored Shang Weijun’s suspicions and erected wors.h.i.+p tents in Guangling. The law couldn’t punish everyone, so Shang Weijun couldn’t use this as an excuse to make things difficult for the Huaidong army.

The troops of the army were all swaddled in white mourning garb, black armbands wrapped around one arm. Each person was torn up by grief. All of a sudden, scouts reported back that the Yong army was concentrating on the northern bank of the Huai River. Before the city of Sizhou, they were sharpening their blades for battle, seemingly seizing this opportunity to attack. Yang Xiu was infuriated. Attacking during the mourning period was a dishonorable act since time immemorial. The soldiers were likewise enraged, shaking their fists and shouting, wanting to engage the Yong army in b.l.o.o.d.y battle.

To everyone’s surprise, the Yong army dispatched an envoy across the river to pa.s.s along a message. Great Yong’s Marquis of Chu of the third rank, Jiang Zhe, wished to go to Guangling to pay his respects. The generals looked at each other in dismay. Although they couldn’t see through Great Yong’s scheme of sowing dissension, Lu Can was sentenced to death by suicide because of allegedly colluding with Great Yong and intending to declare independence. Jiang Zhe was the true ringleader of the Grand General’s death. At once, the troops burst into anger, all saying they should kill Jiang Zhe atop the altar as a sacrifice to Lu Can’s martyred spirit.

The troops might be satisfied with vengeance, but Yang Xiu couldn’t make a rash decision. If Jiang Zhe were truly coming to honor the deceased, he couldn’t kill a Great Yong emissary paying his respects whether on the grounds of emotion or logic. If he allowed Jiang Zhe to travel freely, however, the army’s hatred would probably get concentrated on him. There were already grumblings in the army simply because he didn’t revolt and rescue the Grand General.

He was originally from the Kingdom of Shu. If not for Lu Can’s support, he wouldn’t have even gotten a foothold in the military. He was able to command the Huaidong army in the present mostly due to Lu Can’s prestige and his own years of experience. If he damaged morale, he probably couldn’t control the Huaidong army even without Shang Weijun acting against him.

Moreover, Great Yong kept troops on the northern bank of the Huai River, the reason for which was self-evident. If Jiang Zhe perished in Guangling, the Yong army would cross the river and engage in battle. The present wasn’t a good time to wage a large battle with Great Yong. Therefore, Yang Xiu, turning these thoughts over in his mind, declined Jiang Zhe’s request to come over and pay his respects.

However, the young envoy said with a solemn face, “Adjunct Yang, although our two countries are enemies, loyal officials and patriots are respected by all. Additionally, Grand General Lu and the Marquis of Chu had been friends from a young age and were master and disciple, close as brothers. Although they sadly parted ways in middle age, each serving their own master to the extent they’ll meet in death, private affairs don’t damage public affairs. Please, General, don’t deny the Marquis of Chu’s sincerity. Presumably, if Grand General knew about this in the underworld, he’d be happy to see My Lord Marquis personally going to honor the deceased. The death of a person is like a candle being snuffed out. Presumably, Grand General doesn’t hold a grudge against his past revered teacher.”

Yang Xiu repeatedly thought about it and finally sighed, “As Marquis Jiang feels this way, if I stand firm, everyone in the world will think us Southern Chu troops are narrow-minded. But this one might as well speak frankly. If Marquis Jiang comes alone, I can’t be certain of the consequences. However, I’ll definitely try my best to stop the Huaidong troops from seeking revenge.”

The young envoy said with dignity, “All levels of our Great Yong society believe the Southern Chu troops won’t take their anger out on My Lord Marquis. If an accident occurs, it likely won’t have anything to do with General. It’s just that His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince of our Great Yong, is in the Chuzhou Barracks. His Imperial Highness has ordered that if misfortune befalls the Marquis, Huaidong will be awash in blood to justify events to His Imperial Majesty. Please bear this in mind, Adjunct Yang. Don’t think our army won’t dole out punishment without prior warning once weapons are drawn.”

A harsh light glinted in Yang Xiu’s eyes. He grimly said, “Is the envoy threatening Yang Xiu?”

“Even if this one didn’t make it clear, can General not think of why our army has sallied troops out of Sizhou? Our Great Yong has always conducted affairs honorably and openly, therefore, His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, ordered this one to p.r.o.nounce this matter to the adjunct daren. There’s no threatening intent. The clash between our two countries is never-ending. Even if we don’t fight today, we’ll fight in the future. His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, doesn’t believe that positioning troops on the Huai River can threaten General,” the young envoy calmly said.

A look of surprise appeared in Yang Xiu’s eyes, and he said, “Good for the Crown Prince of Great Yong. I’ve always heard His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, of your distinguished country has had a reputation for virtue and piety since childhood. I didn’t expect he’d be just as resolute and unwavering when it came to action. All right, I’ll quietly wait for the Marquis of Chu to come and honor the deceased. However, I cannot guarantee his safety.”

The envoy didn’t look annoyed. He merely saluted and was about to excuse himself when Yang Xiu stopped him. He focused his gaze for a moment on the young envoy who looked quite normal and asked, “I still haven’t asked for the honorable envoy’s personal name. What is it?”

The impa.s.sive expression remained on the envoy’s face. “This one is Huo Cong.”

Yang Xiu’s gaze hardened. Eventually, he said, “So it was you. All right, see him out.”

Once Huo Cong left the encampment, Wei Ying walked out of the command tent. Although only a few months had pa.s.sed, Wei Ying looked much more haggard, especially after Lu Can’s death. Within a matter of days, gray hair even sprouted on his temples. It made Wei Ying, who’d been particularly good at keeping himself healthy, look much older. With a gloomy gaze, he said, “Adjunct Yang, do you want to avenge Grand General?”

Yang Xiu knew what he meant and briefly replied, “Even if a man of character wants to get revenge, one cannot use this method.”

“Do you believe that man is truly coming to pay his respects?” Wei Ying sneered. “I’m afraid that the moment he departs is the moment Shang Weijun will act. Aren’t you scared that Shang Weijun will use this as an excuse to make things difficult for you?”

Unruffled, Yang Xiu said, “Not even when armies do battle can envoys be executed, let alone an envoy who comes to pay his respects. I’ll justify it thusly to the court. Our court has always valued etiquette. I presume Prime Minister Shang won’t be able to use this as an excuse. Brother Wei, I’m grateful for your regard for the Grand General, but I can’t allow you to act this time.”

Wei Ying could hear the implications to Yang Xiu’s words, suspecting him of wanting to avenge his personal vendetta. In fact, although he may not have seized any opportunities to get revenge, he truly wanted to get revenge on Jiang Zhe for framing Lu Can. However, as he gazed at Yang Xiu’s indifferent complexion, he didn’t make any further remarks. He turned around and sadly left the tent, thinking, The only person in the world who was willing to believe in me was Grand General. Now that he’s dead, the Southern Chu military is no longer a place for me to stay long term.

Wei Ying hadn’t walked far from the encampment when Li Ming hurried over, eyes full of incredulity. Wei Ying saw the strange expression he wore and was about to ask about it, but Li Ming had already reached his side. He whispered a few words to Wei Ying, and disbelief also shone in Wei Ying’s eyes. When Li Ming saw the sight, he whispered again, “Cui Xiang has intelligence that the Sect Master has agreed to move against the Lu family and has sent letters requesting the heads return. The Sect Master has promised to let bygones be bygones.”

Wei Ying’s eyes turned somber. After a long while, he said, “We’ll return after I meet Jiang Zhe.” Then he snorted, “How could I miss this show of crocodile tears?”

The next day, the Great Yong carriage going to honor Lu Can crossed the Huai River. A procession of people all wearing white mourning clothing arrived at the Guangling Barracks under the hostile eyes of the Southern Chu soldiers.

I sat in the carriage, quietly considering the worries on my mind. This time, other than Xiaoshunzi and Huyan Shou accompanying me, every single member of the Stalwart Tiger Guard came along. I didn’t want to bring them at first. This many expert warriors was a provocation, after all. Unfortunately, they said something about if they didn’t protect me, they would be disobeying the emperor’s will, so I had no choice but to allow it.

In addition to this, Huo Cong and Du Lingfeng were also accompanying me. It was fine that Huo Cong asked for himself to be sent on the diplomatic mission yesterday, and it was fine that he wanted to come with me on this trip. If that kid wasn’t scared of death, he could follow me as he wished. As for Du Lingfeng, I truly felt that his extreme discomfort before me was very interesting. I’d simply brought it up at the beginning and didn’t actually plan on bringing him along. I didn’t expect that kid to grit his teeth and come. When I thought about it, I found it funny.

However, I don’t know how Xiaoshunzi persuaded Li Jun and Pei Yun to let me go. I had been worried Xiaoshunzi would have to carry me to Guangling.

The carriage came to a stop. From outside, Xiaoshunzi beckoned for me to step out. I stretched. This journey had truly run me ragged. The roads weren’t easy to travel, as the successive years of campaigning had destroyed the roads. Once Huaidong was captured, the roads ought to be repaired.

Stepping out of the carriage, I felt the sunlight was a little intense. I couldn’t help but squint a little and saw before my eyes an expanse of white mourning robes. Whether the snowdrifts on the ground or the weapons in the hands of the Southern Chu troops, they all reflected the light brightly. I could hardly open my eyes.

Huo Cong was already standing next to me and pulled on my sleeve. He stepped forward and introduced, “Sir, this is Adjunct Yang, Yang daren.”

I looked at Yang Xiu. I still remembered him. I also stepped forward and saluted, saying, “Adjunct Yang, it’s been many years since last we met. You still carry yourself with the same elegance as then. I wonder, do you still remember Jiang Zhe?”

Yang Xiu stared at Jiang Zhe for a long time. The last time they met, Jiang Zhe had just recovered from a serious injury and looked wan and sallow with no l.u.s.ter. In truth, he hadn’t seen anything astonis.h.i.+ng about that man. Now that Yang Xiu met him for the first time in over a decade, he thought the man looked contented with serene eyes and graying hair and h.o.a.ry temples. The pa.s.sage of time had made Jiang Zhe look even more dignified, but his features were rather more easygoing. Yang Xiu was confused by the fact Jiang Zhe’s face contained nary a trace of sadness. In Yang Xiu’s opinion, the man’s face should have been sorrowful whether he was genuine or insincere.

After a moment of hesitation, Yang Xiu sensed the discontented restlessness of the generals behind him. He coldly said, “The Marquis of Chu has come to pay his respects, but know that all ranks of my army loathe sire. Sire has come but may not be able to leave!”

Hearing the threat implied in his words, anger appeared on the faces of Huyan Shou, Du Lingfeng, and all of the Stalwart Tiger Guard. Huyan Shou even took a step forward and said, “If you want to take My Lord’s life, you first have to see if we agree.”

Huo Cong, though, was silent. Worry simply crept into his eyes. Meanwhile, Xiaoshunzi’s face was frosty. Even the Southern Chu troops filled with fury could sense the air cooling a few degrees. Before respects could be paid, the situation froze before the barracks.

Yang Xiu gazed at Jiang Zhe, wanting to see how he would handle this situation. If he could thwart the Marquis of Chu of the third rank of Great Yong here, it would boost morale the most. However, not killing him also made sense.

I tightly knitted my brows together in frustration. What was wrong with these people? Why were they making a fuss here and wasting my time? Thinking of how Can’er had been waiting for me for a long time already, I coldly said, “Even if you wish to act, you must wait for me to finish paying my respects.” Then I ignored the crowds and walked into the wors.h.i.+p tent.

Yang Xiu was stunned and furtively gave a hand signal. The two lines of soldiers wearing white clothes and white armor standing before the wors.h.i.+p tent shouted in unison, “The Marquis of Chu enters the tent to pay his respects to the Grand General!” Then they simultaneously unsheathed their blades from their scabbards, each soldier crossing his blade with his partner’s and holding them high above their heads. In front of the tent, they formed the saber arch meant for welcoming guests.

The dazzling two-handed broadswords reflected the sunlight and snow, and the white silk ta.s.sel attached to the hilt danced in the wind. The eyes of each soldier shone with killing intent.

I watched the Southern Chu troops who’d been blocking my path finally make way and smiled in satisfaction. As I walked toward the wors.h.i.+p tent, the snow-white silk ta.s.sels before my eyes kept brus.h.i.+ng against my face. Annoyed, I furrowed my brow, too lazy to push aside the ta.s.sels, and walked into the tent without waiting for permission.

As I entered the wors.h.i.+p tent white as snow, I instantly saw the coffin containing Lu Can’s clothes and hat and the memorial tablet placed on top. I felt all my strength crumble away. Walking up to the coffin, my legs were already turning to jelly. Ignoring any etiquette rituals, I sat down with my arms around my knees on the prayer mat used to kowtow on in front of the coffin.

I stared at the memorial tablet for a long time, then recited:

“I remember we greeted each other with a smile,Friends reunited, we talked late into the night about military strategy.Treating each other with kindness deeper than flesh and blood,Not taunting your private tutor, though lonely.Helpless to stop the frost from ravaging the courtyard orchids,I live abroad, restrained by Imperial favor from floating in the breeze.Oh, how lives diverge in the North and the South,You must leave for the Xiang River, and I for Chang’an.”

I finished singing the poem but didn’t feel it sufficient. Readily, I recited again:

“Dust of twenty years of campaign feels like a dream,Still with the lofty ambition of regaining the Central Plains.Talent in military and literature unmatched,Deeds so extraordinary they become criminal.Alas, falling out and becoming enemies,Friends.h.i.+p broken, separating in middle age.You go to the underworld without any hate,But who can I tell, crying to the Heavens unabated?”

After I finished reciting the two poems, I felt much more carefree. I felt like I saw Lu Can’s smiling face before my eyes and thought of Qiu Yufei’s and Yulun’s letters. He still wanted to thank me when on the verge of death. We had severed our friends.h.i.+p long ago, and even though I clearly knew he wouldn’t rashly let me go if he could kill me, I knew he hadn’t ever forgotten about our past friends.h.i.+p. It was just that personal friends.h.i.+p was no match for the enmity of the two nations, leading to the present conclusion.

Not long after, my gaze fell on the guqin in Huo Cong’s arms. I beckoned, and Huo Cong handed the zither over. I sat cross-legged, then lightly plucked the zither strings. I thought of the time I spent in Jiangxia in my youth. Thinking back on it now, it was the happiest I had ever been in my life. Notes from the zither sounded as I was distracted, thinking only of those peaceful and pleasant days.

I remembered how I lived and slept together with Lu Can, how he practiced archery on the drill grounds and forced me to sweat in the scorching sun with him, how I forged his a.s.signments for him to present, how we slipped out to go on spring trips but got caught by Marquis Lu red-handed and the embarra.s.sment we felt. As the memories rolled by, a smile tugged at my lips, the zither music becoming brisker and more vivacious.

Yang Xiu stood outside the wors.h.i.+p tent. With a dignified expression, he gazed at the weak figure in the rear of the nearly transparent white tent reflecting the sunlight. He’d exhibited the saber arch of welcoming guests to try to destroy Jiang Zhe’s courage, but the frail scholar surprisingly entered the wors.h.i.+p tent without batting an eye. Many times, the steel sabers above his head motioned downwards as he walked between them, but he didn’t even notice. In that moment, Yang Xiu truly believed the rumor that the man had heavenly courage.

When Yang Xiu heard that man loudly intone the two eulogies, he was certain the man was making a false display of friends.h.i.+p, but he also heard the heartbreak. He thought of the Grand General’s brilliant achievements in war and his sincerity, yet he died in an internal power struggle instead of in battle. He wasn’t even able to give his life on the battlefield. Yang Xiu was anguished.

But when the zither played, Yang Xiu’s expression changed greatly. Not a note of sadness could be heard in the music, full of joy instead. The previously hostile troops were infuriated at the beginning, to say nothing of Yang Xiu, who had a good ear for music. But after only a moment’s listen, their murderous intent gradually vanished. Spontaneously, everyone recalled the friends they made in their youth and thought of the friends.h.i.+ps engraved on their minds that had no stakes.

The zither music became more peaceful and happier, but at some point in time, Yang Xiu’s cheeks had become soaked, and he felt like his body had sunk into a dream he didn’t want to wake from. When Yang Xiu returned to his senses, sobbing sounded all around him. The zither music was clearly jubilant to the extreme, but n.o.body could prevent grief from rising in them. In this moment, Yang Xiu truly believed Jiang Zhe had genuinely and sincerely come to pay his respects.

When the zither playing stopped, Jiang Zhe still looked indifferent as he walked out of the wors.h.i.+p tent. He gave a hasty salute, then strode away with his head in the air. At this time, n.o.body in the Huaidong army wanted to hinder him. They had already forgotten his current status, simply remembering he was the Grand General’s best friend in their youth; that was all.

Xiaoshunzi and company guarded Jiang Zhe’s carriage. It nearly didn’t stop as it crossed the Huai River. Many people wouldn’t have believed they could return this easily. When they saw the banners of the Yong army, even the Stalwart Tiger Guardsmen who weren’t afraid of death couldn’t help cheering in low voices. Only Xiaoshunzi, Huyan Shou, and Huo Cong were anxiety-ridden, taking note of Jiang Zhe’s complexion every so often.

I watched Li Jun spur his horse over to welcome us back. I couldn’t understand why, but I felt like my heart had broken. I pulled on Xiaoshunzi and asked with difficulty, “Xiaoshunzi, Lu Can, is he dead?”

Xiaoshunzi disregarded the astonished gazes of everyone looking over. Determination appearing in his eyes, he callously replied, “Yes, Lu Can is dead.”

I felt the world darken around me. Although news of Lu Can’s death had reached my ear for the past several days, it hadn’t touched my heart. Only now did I come to understand that Lu Can had truly died and died to my hand. Heartrending pain attacked me from nowhere. I tasted something sweet in my throat, and blood splattered onto Xiaoshunzi’s sleeve. The bright blood on white clothes was quite eye-catching.

I raised my head to catch sight of Xiaoshunzi’s fearful gaze. My vision dimmed, and I fell forward. I felt someone hold me up and yell into my ear. But I didn’t want to listen to anything, simply allowing tears to roll down. My consciousness also slipped into darkness.

Amid everyone’s cries of surprise, Li Jun charged over to Jiang Zhe’s side. He saw that Jiang Zhe had already fallen unconscious, his pale face without a trace of color, but tears were streaming out of his tightly closed eyes. Shockingly, the tears were a light red color. Li Jun shouted in surprise, “What happened to Sir?”

Xiaoshunzi, whose face had been gloomy for the past several days, gave a long exhale and declared, “All right, it’s okay, he’s finally cried. Now we can rest easy. Your Imperial Highness, immediately send young master back to Chuzhou and summon military doctors to treat him.” Yet fear lingered in him. He remembered how Jiang Zhe had been uncharacteristically calm after hearing the terrible news and worried Jiang Zhe was grieving too much. Although Jiang Zhe seemed to regain his faculties afterwards, Xiaoshunzi perceived anomalies through tiny hints. For the sake of letting Jiang Zhe clear his grief, he disregarded everything and indulged Jiang Zhe in going to Guangling to pay respects.

Jiang Zhe had finally sobered up. Even if he was hurt by this, it was okay.

Huo Cong stood dumbstruck. Seeing Xiaoshunzi’s relieved expression, both joy and grief hit him at the same time. Tears and mucus started flowing unbidden, and he quickly and wildly wiped them away with the sleeves of his robes. He followed in the footsteps of the group as they rushed to Chuzhou.