The Lament of Autumn

Plum Blossoms Adorned in Icy Attire, Spring’s Message Amidst the Snow

Amidst the chaotic era of warlord conflicts, the two major rival factions in the country—the Jinling Central Government of Jiangnan and the Xiao Clan Warlords of Jiangbei—had been locked in a stalemate for years. Since the Jiangbei Grand Marshal Xiao had fought his way from beyond the Pass into the Central Plains, renowned for his ferocity and tactical prowess, and with his eldest son, Xiao Beichen, employing cunning and unpredictable strategies in warfare, the Jinling Government had never gained the upper hand. The only recourse was to divide control with the Jiangbei Xiao Clan along the Xi River. However, in the battle that spring, Jiang Songren, the Xiao Army’s corps commander, unexpectedly defected to the Yu Army during the heat of combat. This turn of events reversed the Yu Army’s impending defeat into a miraculous victory, snatching life from the jaws of death. They managed to trap the Xiao Army’s young marshal, Xiao Beichen, along with an entire brigade at Xiangping Pass, and completely annihilated the Xiao Family Army’s first and second echelons, totaling over ten thousand troops. The Jiangnan Jinling Government finally breathed a sigh of triumph. The Yu family’s Fifth Master, a scion of nobility, turned the tides, making a name for himself in a single battle. From then on, he commanded troops and governed with authority, his prestige resonating across the land.

This northern campaign, which raged for over half a year, saw the Yu Family Army seize control of the main railway arteries, turning the areas north of the Xi River into a haze of smoke and filling the ravines with corpses. Naturally, this shocked both domestic and international observers and drew intense scrutiny. Consequently, Mr. Terry’s secretary from the United States, Shen Yanqing, stepped forward, shuttling between the north and south to vigorously promote peace negotiations.

One morning, inside the Yu Army’s Military Headquarters command post, half of the wall was covered with strategic maps marked with Military Strength Insignias. A delightful pot of Jade Begonia sat by the window, its blossoms exuding a fresh fragrance. Wang Ji, the secretary-general of the confidential office, stood opposite the desk, reading aloud a letter Shen Yanqing had specifically written to Yu Changxuan.

To the Esteemed Chairman Yu:

In the Battle of Xiangping Pass, the name of the Fifth Master has resounded across the land. Yet, for one general to achieve glory, tens of thousands of bones must wither. Witnessing the devastation of the people, the exhaustion of their resources, and the squandering of soldiers’ lives—at a time when foreign invaders, the covetous Japanese, eye our great rivers and mountains, leaving them vulnerable to dismemberment by outsiders—what benefit is there in fratricidal civil war between the north and south, even if one achieves the highest merit?

...

I, Shen, have sincere advice to offer. Although the Yu Army currently holds the upper hand, there are “Three Reasons Not to Annihilate” the Xiao Army!

First Reason Not to Annihilate: The ferocity of the Young Marshal Xiao’s military strategies is well-known to all. If he resolves to fight to the death, ensuring mutual destruction, the Yu Army will gain no advantage whatsoever. Instead, its strength will be severely depleted. If the Yu Army is reduced by more than half, what will the Jinling Yu family rely on to compete with the three major families?

Second Reason Not to Annihilate: Although Jiang Songren has defected to the Yu Army, his true intentions are difficult to discern. Jiang was the mentor who taught the Young Marshal Xiao, and Xiao has always treated him with deep respect. Whether his surrender is genuine is something even the Chairman in Jinling would not dare to take lightly. Now, with Jiang’s forces stationed outside Xiangping Pass, if he recalls past affections during the decisive battle and turns his spear against you, alas! Xiangping Pass would become the graveyard of the Yu Army.

Third Reason Not to Annihilate: Both sons of the Yu family have previously fallen at the hands of the Japanese army. The enmity between the Yu Army and the Japanese is irreconcilable. However, the Mou, Tao, and Chu families in Jinling are pro-Japanese factions and have long been wary of the Yu Army. The current division between north and south, with the Yu Army and Xiao Army in a balance of power, is the only reason the Mou, Tao, and Chu families dare not act rashly. In this battle, the Fifth Master enjoyed the favor of timing, terrain, and popular support—all elements aligning perfectly. Allow me to speak plainly: it was largely due to fortune. But if, carried away by youthful impetuosity, you annihilate the Xiao Army in one stroke, I fear that the day of your triumphant return may well be the day the three Jinling magnates join forces to destroy the Yu family!

“When the hares are gone, the hounds are stewed; when the birds are gone, the bows are stored away.” Who does not know this? Who is unaware of it? The stakes involved are clear to the Fifth Master. If you heed my advice and pursue peace negotiations between the north and south, then peace will reign under heaven, and the hearts of the people will turn to you. The Fifth Master’s achievements will be remembered for generations to come.

...

These words from the depths of my heart are entirely selfless, offered with utmost sincerity. I respectfully wish you safety and peace.After reading through this series of letters, the wording was extremely sincere and every sentence hit the mark regarding the stakes. Yu Changxuan stood facing the window, the insignia on his iron-gray military uniform collar stiff and glaringly bright. He took out a slender foreign matchstick, lightly struck it against the phosphorous surface, and with a "hiss," a cluster of faint blue flame rose from between his fingers. Gazing at the flame, he smiled and said, "Uncle Gu, what do you think?"

Gu Yigang, a senior advisor of the Yu Army, was smoking, his shrewd and calculating face obscured by the smoke. "This Shen Yanqing is truly extraordinary. The three matters the Chairman has been worrying about day and night have all been accurately pointed out by him." He paused, glanced at Yu Changxuan's ramrod-straight back, and added with a smile, "The Commander is now wise and decisive, unlike before. The Chairman said that whether to fight or not depends on your decision."

Yu Changxuan lowered his eyes slightly. "The reason I won this battle is entirely due to the support of my father and all you uncles. But having finally cornered Xiao Beichen at Xiangping Pass, if we let him go now, given his cunning and resourcefulness, I'm afraid we may never have another chance to capture him!"

As he pondered, the flame continued to burn, eventually reaching Yu Changxuan's fingers. Frowning, he thrust the flaming matchstick into the flowerpot soil. With a sizzle, only a faint white smoke silently seeped out from the cracks in the soil.

Gu Yigang spoke slowly, "The Chairman has underestimated the strength of the Mou and Tao families. One misstep has allowed these two major families to grow too powerful. I fear the Yu Army's greatest adversary is no longer the Xiao family north of the river. Commander, if I may speak frankly, external enemies can be resisted, but internal strife is hard to guard against."

Understanding the implication in Gu Yigang's words, Yu Changxuan finally turned around, discarded the box of foreign matches, and said with a faint smile, "Forget it. Uncle Gu understands best—the timing isn't right yet, and further advancement would be futile for the Yu Army. I think we might as well do this small favor."

Gu Yigang smiled, "Let's proceed as the Commander suggests." With the decision made, Yu Changxuan was about to call the secretary-general to draft a telegram when someone knocked on the office door. Feng Tianjun, standing nearby, went to open it. Adjutant Wu Zuoxiao entered with Feng Tianjun, holding a letter. He stood at attention and reported, "Commander, Director Gu will arrive tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Yu Changxuan's expression stiffened slightly. He took the letter from Wu Zuoxiao, opened it, and read it slowly.

The farther north they traveled, the colder it became.

The train rumbled along, the lamp in the first-class compartment burning through the night. By early morning, a light snow had fallen outside the window, making the weather even colder. Inside the compartment, however, it remained warm. A nurse had just given Ye Pingjun an injection when someone slid open the compartment door. The nurse turned around, "Director Gu."

Gu Ruitong walked over and looked at Ye Pingjun lying on the bed. Seeing that she was still asleep and her complexion remained poor, he turned to the nurse and asked, "We'll have to take a car ride after getting off the train. Will she be able to handle it in her condition?" The nurse replied, "She just had an injection. It should be fine." Gu Ruitong nodded, and the nurse left with her medicine tray.It was already early morning, with a faint light gradually breaking through the sky like a pale cyan gold-flecked paper. The endless plain scenery flashed rapidly past the train window. Ye Pingjun slept in a daze, while Gu Ruitong pulled over a chair and sat beside her. He watched her quietly, a trace of pity unconsciously surfacing in his eyes. This woman, after handling her mother’s funeral affairs, had finally exhausted herself, like a withered flower that could no longer hold itself up and collapsed.

She lay there weakly, her hair slightly disheveled and clinging to her temples. Gu Ruitong slowly reached out his hand, wanting to smooth the stray strands at her temples, but just as his fingers were about to touch her skin, his hand paused mid-air. Watching her sleeping face, he slowly curled his fingers and withdrew his hand.

A voice came from outside the door, "Director Gu, the train is arriving at the station."

Xiangping Pass was currently occupied by the Ninth Army of the Yu Army, with sentry posts densely stationed and strict security along the way. Inside the compartment, a nurse had already dressed Ye Pingjun in a plain cloud-patterned velvet cloak, complete with the hood. Seeing that Ye Pingjun was still unconscious and her high fever had not subsided, Gu Ruitong lowered his head and called out softly, "Miss Ye." She barely managed to open her eyes, her breath scorching hot. She parted her lips but could not speak. Gu Ruitong whispered, "Miss Ye, I must trouble you for a moment."

He bent down, lifted her horizontally into his arms, and carried her off the train, followed naturally by the guards. On both sides of the railway stood soldiers armed with loaded guns. Due to the wartime emergency, even the guard captain stood alert with a machine gun. As soon as Gu Ruitong stepped off the train, he heard "Salute!" The guards on both sides of the railway stood in strict formation, presenting their rifles in salute. A bulletproof car was already waiting there. A guard opened the rear door, and Gu Ruitong carefully placed Ye Pingjun inside before getting in himself. The bulletproof car then drove off, heading straight for the military headquarters at Xiangping Pass.

Ye Pingjun, having received an injection on the train, was now feeling the effects of the medicine and regained some awareness. She felt as though she was lying in a car and slowly opened her eyes to see the window covered with a layer of glistening frost patterns, one after another. The car was moving swiftly, and her mind was in chaos. She had been drifting in and out of consciousness throughout the journey, and now, finally somewhat awake, she felt an involuntary sense of panic. With great effort, she asked, "Where... are we going?"

Gu Ruitong, sitting in the opposite seat, heard her voice and replied softly, "Miss Ye, I am taking you to see Fifth Master."

Pingjun’s eyes filled with tears, and she choked out, "He..."

Gu Ruitong said slowly, "Fifth Master has never forgotten you, Miss Ye. If not for being tied up by the war, he would have gone to find you long ago. Now that Fifth Master knows of your grief over losing your mother, he ordered me to bring you here, no matter what."

Ye Pingjun’s body trembled slightly. She raised her eyes to look at Gu Ruitong, tears streaming down her face. She had always assumed his resentment toward her, thinking he would never forgive her. But when Gu Ruitong spoke of him, her heart still raced wildly. Struggling to sit up, she found herself breathless.

Not long after the car started moving, the driver said, "Director Gu, there’s a checkpoint ahead."Gu Ruitong turned his head to look ahead and said, "Stop the car." The vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. Seeing that Ye Pingjun had already woken up, Gu Ruitong said, "Miss Ye, can you walk?" Ye Pingjun nodded with difficulty. Gu Ruitong smiled faintly and said, "Good, Fifth Master has come to pick you up."

The sky had already brightened, and a thin layer of snow covered the ground. Tall trees lined both sides of the road, their branches bare. A cold wind whispered through the air. Adjutant Wu Zuoxiao and Feng Tianjun stood dutifully at the checkpoint with a large contingent of heavily armed Yu Army Guards. Yu Changxuan, draped in a spacious military overcoat, stood in the middle of the road, watching the armored car gradually come to a stop.

He saw Gu Ruitong helping her out of the car. Her steps were so unsteady she could barely stand. The biting wind swept through, tousling her loose hair. Her slender frame, clad in a plain cloak, resembled a withered leaf drifting in the wind. He never expected that upon seeing her again, she would appear so heartbreakingly fragile. His breath quickened uncontrollably. The profound longing he had fiercely suppressed in his heart surged into turbulent emotions, overwhelming him the moment he laid eyes on her. His entire heart felt as though it would leap out of his chest.

She was here!

Yu Changxuan hurried toward Ye Pingjun. She stood unsteadily, the wind whipping the hair at her temples into disarray. Gazing at the figure rushing toward her across the snow, her chest felt enveloped in warmth, and hot tears welled in her eyes. Yu Changxuan reached her in an instant. Without a word, he pulled her into his embrace, his broad military overcoat swiftly enveloping her frail body. She was in his arms, surrounded by his warmth. Trembling uncontrollably, her tears fell freely. Her lips quivered, but no words came out. He said, "I know everything."

Her tears flowed even more fiercely. The grief of losing her mother, which had tormented her, surged back anew. Her legs gave way, and she slumped weakly. Wrapping her entirely in his overcoat, he held her tightly, comforting her like a distressed child, and said firmly, "Pingjun, you don’t need to go anywhere. Stay with me."

Her entire body felt limp. Slowly, she closed her eyes and lowered her head, tears falling one by one onto his chest. The howling wind whistled past her ears, rustling the withered grass peeking through the snow, swaying and drifting aimlessly. The vast landscape was a blanket of white, desolate and cold. Yet, in his embrace, she found warmth. He alone was her refuge.