Chapter 174: She Still Had to Ask Wei Qishan for One...
Outside Weizhou City, heavy snow blotted out the sky.
Zheng Hu lifted the flap and entered the temporarily erected military tent. After pouring himself a bowl of hot water and gulping it down in a few swallows, he spoke with visible puffs of white breath: "We've been making a scene for half a day now, but aside from sending people to shout at us to go back where we came from, the Wei troops inside the city haven't brought any news about Second Brother's current situation. Military Advisor, what exactly did you and he secretly plan before he left?"
Zhang Huai replied: "Remain calm. Everything is proceeding according to plan. Although the Prefect's move is risky, the potential benefits are substantial."
Zheng Hu, being impatient by nature, immediately urged: "My dear Military Advisor, I've been shouting outside until my lips are nearly blistered. Without any news of Second Brother, I just can't feel at ease. Don't keep me in suspense."
Song Qin nearby also said: "Today is the Northern Wei young master's wedding. By acting like this, we've thoroughly offended the Marquis of Shuobian and his son. If the Prefect fails to take his leave this time, his days remaining in the Northern Border will likely become even more difficult."
Zhang Huai glanced at them both and said: "Since the Prefect intends to leave, he should either never have let the Marquis know his intentions, or having declared them, he must depart. Otherwise, no matter what means the Marquis uses to force the Prefect to stay now, what awaits him in the future will be endless suspicion, vigilance, and eventual reckoning. The Marquis's attitude toward this matter first became apparent after Colonel Lin's death when the Prefect requested to leave."
Zheng Hu said angrily: "If we'd known this earlier, we should have just left the Wei Camp back then! It would have saved Sister-in-law and Second Brother from becoming estranged and creating all these misunderstandings!"
Zhang Huai responded: "I advised the Prefect to stay at that time because I felt it wasn't yet the right moment. Although it was the Liang Camp's betrayal that drove the Prefect to join the Wei Camp, if he were to switch sides again merely because of Colonel Lin's death, he would ultimately be condemned by the world."
Zheng Hu, frustrated by this, retorted sarcastically: "So one or two human lives just don't count as lives, is that it!"
Zhang Huai said helplessly: "General Zheng, there's no need for anger. What I'm describing is merely how the world sees these matters."
Song Qin called out "Tiger," and Zheng Hu, suppressing his anger, finally fell silent.
Only then did Zhang Huai lower his eyelashes slightly and continue: "Such is the flawed nature of people. The Tongzhou soldiers whom the Prefect personally trained will follow him regardless of his decisions, that's true. But the other units of the righteous army, as long as the fire hasn't reached them directly, won't feel threatened themselves. That they can now unite with us is largely thanks to Wei Qishan's attempt to suppress the Prefect by deploying the righteous army to defend the Yanle Mountain front."
He added: "Overlords contending for the world, who cannot tolerate any defiance in nature, will eventually trip themselves up with this very trait."
Initially, Zhang Huai thought that after sending Wei Pingjin to apologize, Wei Qishan's decision to have Xiao Li lead troops to defend Yanle Mountain was meant to discipline Xiao Li and help Wei Pingjin save face.
But gradually he came to understand that the greater reason behind Wei Qishan's decision likely lay in Xiao Li's "defiance" of him.
To Wei Qishan, Xiao Li's request to leave probably felt like a threat.
He had made his son lower his head, but he also wanted Xiao Li to understand that he couldn't use resignation to pressure his lord again.Zheng Hu said urgently, "I know the righteous army is now united with us, but aside from that, after hearing so much from you, Military Advisor, I still don’t understand—what’s the benefit of Second Brother being detained by the Marquis of Shuobian?"
A faint smile played on Zhang Huai’s lips as he refilled Zheng Hu’s tea bowl. Pushing it toward him with his long fingers against the rim, he said, "Naturally, it’s to let everyone know that the fault for the Provincial Governor’s departure from Wei Camp lies with Wei Qishan."
Zheng Hu, who had just picked up the tea bowl, set it back down upon hearing this. Exchanging a glance with Song Qin, he pressed, "How so?"
Zhang Huai tapped the table lightly with his knuckles. "The Provincial Governor has now achieved illustrious military merits. Not only within the Northern Wei army, but even among the common folk of the Northern Border, his reputation is considerable. Such a meritorious official, attending a wedding banquet alone only to be detained—even if Wei Camp claims the Provincial Governor is at fault, even if they convict him as a spy for Liang Camp, who would believe it?"
Both Zheng Hu and Song Qin were taken aback. Song Qin frowned and said, "I’ve gathered some intelligence suggesting that the Marquis of Shuobian obtained a portrait of Princess Han Yang, and the Wei general who went to receive him that day personally identified…"
Zhang Huai’s smile deepened. "Has Liang Camp admitted it?"
Song Qin faltered.
Zhang Huai continued, "Liang Camp has consistently maintained that Princess Han Yang never came to the Northern Border and only recently arrived at Purple Sun Pass with the army to personally oversee the front lines. Pei Song was widely mocked by scholars for claiming Princess Han Yang perished in the Northern Border. Now that Princess Han Yang has appeared at the front, if Wei Camp still insists they captured her, wouldn’t they be following in Pei Song’s footsteps?"
At this point, Zheng Hu finally broke into a grin, slapping the table enthusiastically. "So you’re saying Wei Camp can only detain Second Brother—they can’t formally convict him!"
Song Qin slightly furrowed his brow. "I’m just concerned that the Provincial Governor’s character is too upright. He might want to settle everything clearly with the Marquis of Shuobian and confess without hesitation."
Zhang Huai gave a slight smirk. "That’s of no consequence. When a charge is fabricated, any pretext will do, won’t it? What matters is whether that Princess Han Yang from Liang Camp acknowledges it."
After all, the only charge Wei Camp could pin on Xiao Li now was his concealment of Wen Yu’s identity.
But as long as Wen Yu refused to acknowledge it, if Wei Camp dared to harm Xiao Li, no matter how they justified it, it would be seen as persecuting a loyal and capable official.
When that happened, it would only disrupt the morale within Wei Camp and tarnish their reputation.
This subtle maneuver was akin to the one Wei Qishan had used when he ordered Xiao Li to lead the righteous army to defend the Yanle Mountain front line—a soft knife that inflicted damage without leaving a visible wound.
Their own people understood everything but couldn’t speak of it openly.
They had suffered covert losses at Yanle Mountain, losing so many brothers, yet they couldn’t openly blame Wei Qishan. After all, outsiders didn’t grasp the dangers of Yanle Mountain or the disparity in equipment between the Wolf Cavalry and their righteous army.
Wei Camp could simply claim they had given them a chance to earn merit, and if they lacked capability and turned to bite their commander, it would sweep everything under the rug, leaving Xiao Li with an indelible stain on his reputation.
This was also why Zhang Huai had agreed to Xiao Li’s decision to attend the wedding banquet in Weizhou upon learning of his intentions.
If Xiao Li were to leave, he couldn’t afford any blemishes on his record, as it would hinder his future establishment of an independent force.
After hearing all this, Zheng Hu happily picked up his tea bowl and drained it in one gulp, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Knowing Second Brother won’t come to harm in Wei Camp sets my mind at ease!"He stood up and walked out: "I'll continue taunting them at the gates!"
Song Qin watched his retreating figure and shook his head helplessly. Turning back to Zhang Huai, he voiced another concern: "What if the Marquis of Shuobian refuses to release him?"
Zhang Huai met Song Qin's gaze for a moment before smiling faintly. "Our governor is straightforward and noble in character. He only wishes to leave the Wei camp to establish his own enterprise, never intending to seize even a single soldier from them. But as his strategist, I must consider every possible path for him."
Song Qin vaguely grasped something but wasn't entirely clear. "What do you mean?"
Zhang Huai turned his eyes to the untouched cup of clear tea on his desk. "General Song, how many people in the Wei camp would truly follow their young lord after Wei Qishan is gone?"
Song Qin remained silent.
Zhang Huai said quietly, "The governor's current detention serves as a testing stone. At the very least, it allows us to see clearly who in the Wei camp remains fiercely loyal to the Wei family, who remains neutral, and who... might be willing to align with us."
"When avoidance becomes impossible, the cost of open conflict between armies would be too great. Persuading some Wei officials to help us rescue the governor is also an option. After all, the Marquis of Shuobian himself has now publicly announced the governor's formal departure from the Wei camp."
The issue isn't how many righteous army soldiers died at Yanle Mountain, but how Wei Qishan falsely accused a loyal minister on trumped-up charges.
The former - Wei Qishan would never leave evidence that could be used against him when making such decisions.
The latter - with Xiao Li's current military achievements at their peak, this is the perfect moment to ignite that fire.
Song Qin, thinking about how he had the righteous army taunt at the city gates today to demand their commander's release, suddenly had an epiphany: "You deliberately chose today, during the young lord of Wei's wedding when many guests are coming and going, to escalate this situation?"
Zhang Huai's gaze remained as calm as ever, but his voice sharpened: "I've said before - since the governor has made his intentions completely clear to the Marquis of Shuobian, he can no longer remain subordinate to the Wei family. He must either establish his own house or replace them entirely. So whether this offends the Marquis... is irrelevant."
Song Qin pondered and said, "After the governor eliminated that barbarian troop we'd been tracking for days, the barbarians seem to think we've deciphered their tactics and have been inactive recently. Though the Liang and Chen camps have breached Purple Sun Pass and the Wei camp appears eager to join the campaign against Pei Song, their troops haven't been deployed yet. Even if we want to win over some Wei officials to rescue him, now isn't the right time."
Zhang Huai smiled slightly: "That's why I've left room for negotiation with the Wei camp."
In the dungeon, three feet of daylight shone through the high wall.
Xiao Li gripped the rim of the wine jar, remaining silent for a long time before finally saying: "I am dull-witted, Lord Marquis. I failed to comprehend your previous warning, and I know not when the next one will come, nor how many of my soldiers' lives it will cost. I dare not gamble with their lives. I only wish to take my brothers and return to being carefree men."
Liao Jiang, hearing these words, knew the resentment in his heart remained unappeased.
As a fellow martial general who appreciated Xiao Li's talents, he spoke more bluntly: "Do you understand the saying 'Commoners commit no crime, but bearing jade becomes their crime'?"
Xiao Li didn't respond. After taking a swig of strong liquor, Liao Jiang continued: "Given your demonstrated mastery in military strategy, the Lord Marquis would never let you leave. You probably think there's no reason in this, right? But any ruler in his position would do the same."Xiao Li remained silent, but in the chilling stillness of the room, he suddenly thought of Wen Yu.
He wanted to ask, how could that be?
Wen Yu had always urged him to leave, time and again warning him that whatever path he took for his future, it should be for his own sake, not for hers.
Yet in the end, he said nothing. All his memories with her were his alone, and he had no desire to share them with anyone.
Seeing his silence, Liao Jiang assumed he had taken some of the advice to heart. He sighed and continued, "The people of the Northern Border and the soldiers in the army hold the Marquis in such high regard, which proves how much he cares for his subjects. But there are no saints or perfect men in this world—everyone makes mistakes. Before the previous Liang dynasty fell, how many corrupt officials were bred in the court, and how many loyal ministers and generals were wronged? Yet the upright officials still remained loyal, did they not? If every official resigned over a single misstep by their ruler, how could the world be governed? When the Marquis did not yet understand your temperament, he used that method to discipline you, leading to this misunderstanding. Now that he knows your character, how could he repeat the same mistake?"
Xiao Li replied, "I know you and others likely believe in the old saying, 'If the ruler demands the subject's death, the subject has no choice but to die.' But I, Xiao Li, come from humble origins and lack proper education. I have always believed in repaying kindness with kindness and vengeance with vengeance. The kindness the Marquis showed me, I believe I have repaid. With the matter of my former master now complicating things, even if I stayed, there would always be some discord between the Marquis and me, and cracks would inevitably widen over time. It's better for us to part ways now, while there is still some goodwill left between us."
Liao Jiang could only sigh again, recognizing that the young man before him had clawed his way up from the bottom. Though straightforward in temperament, he saw many things clearly.
He said, "I've said all I can to persuade you. Since your mind is made up, I won't say more. But your comrades from the camp are now gathered outside the city, hurling insults and demanding your return from the Marquis. Today also happens to be the Young Lord's wedding day—this is trampling the dignity of both the Marquis and the Young Lord. The Marquis is preparing to send troops into Anguan to attack Pei Song and cannot afford internal conflict at this time. That's why he is willing to give you a chance to apologize and has not ordered any real action against them. But if you refuse to yield and they continue causing trouble, undermining morale, the Marquis will have to take serious measures for the greater good. For their sake, at least send them a message and tell them to withdraw first."
Xiao Li frowned, as if surprised by his subordinates' radical actions.
He said, "Give me paper and brush. I'll write them a letter."
By evening, a personal letter from Xiao Li was finally delivered from Weizhou City.
After Zhang Huai, Song Qin, Zheng Hu, and other generals compared it in the tent and confirmed it was indeed Xiao Li's handwriting, Zhang Huai's refined features illuminated by the tent's firelight said, "We have received the letter confirming his safety. The army will retreat fifty li and set up camp again."
This was the negotiating room he left for the Wei camp.
A thousand li away, at Purple Sun Pass.
Wen Yu stood on the city tower, gazing at the northern mountain ranges, the fur collar at her neck slightly tousled by the cold wind.
An elderly man in a pine-and-crane patterned robe, his hair and beard streaked with white, ascended the steps behind her and remarked, "Your Highness seems to come here often these days."
Wen Yu turned to the newcomer, addressing him as "Grand Tutor." Her gaze returned to the mountain peaks dusted with thin snow as she said, "I am watching for the day we can retake Fengyang and Luodu and rescue my sister-in-law."
She also had a score to settle with Wei Qishan over someone!Recently, many rumors from the northern regions have also reached Purple Sun Pass.
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