The two carriages of Prince Zhongshan entered the capital, heading separately to the Grand Tutor's residence and the Heir Apparent's courier station, yet they drew little attention.
The Grand Tutor's residence saw a constant stream of gift-bearing carriages and horses, a sight so commonplace that neither officials nor commoners found it remarkable—even from Prince Zhongshan. After all, Deng Yi's close ties with the prince were widely known. Despite Prince Zhongshan's grave errors, he had not only escaped punishment but was even granted the title "King Who Pacifies the Country"—all thanks to the Grand Tutor's influence. Thus, it was only natural and reasonable for the King to send gifts to the Grand Tutor.
As for the Crown Prince of Zhongshan, the public paid him no mind either. The memory of his military advance on the capital had already faded, and even the conflicts in the border commanderies were slipping from public consciousness.
That is, until troops and horses suddenly galloped through the streets, jolting the citizens from their leisurely strolls or daily labors.
"Whose troops are these?"
"It’s the Capital Garrison!"
"They’re heading for the Ministry of War—"
"No, wait! They’re going straight to the Imperial City! This must be urgent news!"
"Has something happened in the border commanderies?"
"I came from outside the city and heard word from the Capital Garrison—they’re saying a fight broke out!"
"Has Prince Zhongshan attacked again?"
Long-dormant memories resurfaced, stirring unrest in the capital. Crowds swarmed government offices demanding answers, forcing the Five Cities Garrison to patrol the streets, offering explanations and reassurances.
"No enemy troops have arrived."
"Do not gather or spread rumors."
"This is a military matter within the Capital Garrison—they’re merely conducting training exercises."
But these words failed to calm the public, instead fueling more speculation.
"Impossible! What kind of training sends couriers running as if their backsides are on fire?"
"I heard from a merchant who saw Capital Garrison soldiers covered in blood—it was terrifying!"
Tension gripped the capital.
Officials, too, wore faces as dark as cast-iron pots, rushing into the Ministry of War with hurried steps.
"What exactly is going on?" "News of their arrival hasn’t even reached us, yet word of a fight has already panicked the city!"
"Was it poor hospitality on your part?"
The officials at the Ministry of War stiffened at the accusation.
"Sir, we truly spared no effort in hosting them," one official explained. "We lined up to welcome them miles out, cleaned the camp until it sparkled, prepared feasts of beef, mutton, and wine, and even provided premium fodder for their horses."
Senior officials frowned deeply. "Was it disrespectful language? Are our soldiers resentful of the Border Army’s achievements?"
They knew the temperament of the Capital Garrison troops—handpicked from the elite Southern and Northern Armies, stationed at the emperor’s feet, they came from proud backgrounds and were notoriously unruly.
The Ministry of War officials denied it again. "How could we dare show disrespect? Our Capital Garrison holds the Border Army warriors in the highest esteem."
Amid the clamor, a voice chimed in belatedly: "...Even if the Border Army challenged us to a contest, we’d still show them courtesy."
The room fell silent, all eyes turning toward the speaker—a tall imperial guard whose ruddy face flushed deeper under their gaze. He stammered, tongue-tied.
"So," a senior official thundered, eyebrows raised, "it was a provocation that led to a fight!"
The guard reddened further and shouted, "It wasn’t us who provoked them—they started it!"
...
...
The camp assigned to the Border Army was a lavish, four-courtyard estate adorned with carved beams and painted pillars.
In the heart of spring, the compound was lush with shade, fragrant blossoms, and birdsong.
To Xie Yanlai, the scene felt both familiar and foreign—familiar, as it reminded him of the mansions of the Xie family’s young masters; foreign, because he had long since ceased to dwell in such surroundings.Xie Yanlai lay on his back by the window on the arhat bed, legs crossed and arms pillowing his head. The side table was laden with dried fruits, candied preserves, a fruit platter, and tea—unfortunately, there were no beautiful maids to peel the fruits and feed him, forcing him to reach out and serve himself.
Xie Yanlai was too lazy to lift a hand.
Suddenly, a clamor erupted—shouting, cursing, and the sound of doors being slammed. The serene ambiance of birdsong and floral fragrance vanished instantly, the gauze window rattling violently as if swept by the fierce spring winds of the northwest.
The scene felt familiar to him; it was just like the Border Army camps—noisy and chaotic.
Xie Yanlai rolled over, rhythmically tapping his fingers against his body as if composing music to accompany the commotion outside.
The noise grew louder, now mingled with the thuds of physical clashes.
Lying on the bed, Xie Yanlai seemed on the verge of being lulled to sleep by the sounds, until footsteps approached and someone burst through the door.
"They're fighting again outside," said the military officer who entered, his expression weary. "You should go take a look."
Xie Yanlai remained facing inward, unmoving. If not for his fingers still tapping on his leg, one might have thought he was truly asleep.
He lazily replied, "What's there to see now? I'll go watch when they lose—and then I'll make them regret it."
The officer felt he understood Xie Yanlai's meaning—that everyone must win—but also found it perplexing. Of course, winning was what made a fight worth watching, yet in this situation, it wasn't about spectacle at all.
The officer urged anxiously, "They can't keep fighting! This is the capital, the Capital Garrison."
"The Capital Garrison is still a military camp," Xie Yanlai said. "Soldiers fight—if there's an external enemy, they fight them; if not, they fight among themselves. There's always fighting."
The officer gazed at the young commander lying on the bed, feeling both familiarity and strangeness. The roguishness was familiar, but the laziness was not. Captain Xie had always been roguish in the Border Army, but that roguishness inspired fervor and seemed unstoppable. Now, however, his roguishness appeared indifferent, uninterested in anything, as if nothing concerned him.
He didn't care how the Border Army and Capital Garrison had started fighting, nor how the brawl unfolded.
"Captain!" the officer shouted. "We came to the capital to report on our duties, not to brawl!"
The clamor outside surged in: "You show off against Western Liang in the border commandery, and we respect you as heroes! But bullying us? What kind of heroes are you?"
The officer stamped his foot. "Look at this! We're all soldiers, all defending Great Xia! What's the point of drawing lines between us?"
Xie Yanlai sat up, pushing the plate of dried fruits toward the officer. With earnest gravity, he said, "Brother Niu, don't worry. Even if we draw lines, we can still defend Great Xia. Besides, the fight has already started—words are useless now. Let them fight to their hearts' content."
Officer Niu exclaimed in frustration, "You're the commanding officer! If you tell them to stop, how could it be useless? What's going on with you, Captain Xie? Back in the Border Army, even when you weren't in command, you often took charge of battles and declared you had the final say."
Xie Yanlai smiled faintly. "Because this is the capital."
The officer didn't quite understand. What did the capital have to do with it? With no other commanding officers present now, you're the one in charge! Just suppress the turmoil or whatever.
Before he could ask, angry shouts erupted outside.
"Cease fighting immediately!" "Anyone who continues will be confined and face military discipline!"
Like thunderclaps exploding one after another, the uproar outside was shattered, yet the thunderous commands did not cease."Are you men from the Border Army?"
"Were you fighting the Western Liang people in the Border Army? Or were you fighting your own people?"
"Are you here to boast about your valor in the war against Western Liang? Or are you here to throw your weight around?"
"Or perhaps you're here to vent your grievances?"
Xie Yanlai had been listening to the previous remarks while casually cracking and eating dried fruits, but upon hearing this last sentence, he threw the dried fruits back into the plate and stood up.
"The air in the capital is just too pungent," he said, striding out.
The military officer hadn't yet processed this—what kind of air? What could make this unshakable young man finally move?
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