Chapter 53: Truly a Calamity
Wen Yu looked up, hesitantly accepting the item as she asked, "What is this?"
Xiao Li sat cross-legged opposite her and said, "An offering from Zhao Youcai."
Wen Yu unwrapped the silk handkerchief to find irregular fragments of gold and silver that appeared to have been pried from some object. She paused briefly, confusion flickering in her eyes.
Xiao Li explained, "They probably maintained this tradition from their bandit den days. I initially refused, but he nearly fell to his knees weeping. Seeing how terrified he was, I worried that further refusal might draw suspicion from others. Considering we'll need money for our journey ahead, I accepted it."
When they left Doctor Tao's residence, they had barely any copper coins left.
During their travels through wilderness, they survived by hunting game. Later, when they reached towns, he traded rabbit and marten pelts for silver to purchase necessities.
However, to intimidate Zhao Youcai and his gang, they had recently bought new outfits and writing materials, spending their remaining funds.
Hearing his explanation, Wen Yu smiled faintly with resignation. "That man is quite resourceful."
Dawn was breaking, the gray light outside visible through the tattered straw mat covering the doorway.
News of the food distribution must have spread completely among the refugees, as the noise outside grew increasingly loud, accompanied by footsteps of refugees gathering from other areas.
"No wonder the Prefect of Xinzhou has declared himself king—Pei Song is dead!"
"Even Tongcheng is here distributing food and recruiting soldiers! With the world in such chaos, stability won't return anytime soon. Since Tongcheng can provide us food, they must have ample supplies. We should join them to survive!"
Xiao Li listened to the refugees' discussions passing by. After the footsteps faded, he lifted the mat curtain, watching the hurried figures in the dim light through the gap. He asked Wen Yu, "If we actually recruit hundreds or thousands of soldiers here, what do you plan to do with them?"
Wen Yu's eyes reflected the dying firelight inside the shelter and the moonlight outside. "You reminded me—we should prepare a banner for Zhao Youcai."
Xiao Li turned to look at her.
Several days later, in Dingzhou.
Pei Song sat by the bed wearing only inner garments, the bandage on his shoulder faintly visible beneath his loosely fastened collar. His pale complexion from illness, combined with his intense dark eyes, made his ferocity more pronounced.
After reading the battle report from the south, his well-defined fingers clenched violently, crumpling the letter into waste paper.
He laughed in extreme anger. "Excellent! Truly excellent! Even Luodu and Fengyang have fallen beneath the iron hooves of my hundred-thousand-strong army. These southern rebels beyond the Wei River must not know how to write the character for death! How dare Tongcheng join this rebellion? Send word to Mengzhou—order Pei Yuan to bring me the magistrate of Tongcheng's head!"
The personal guard standing in the tent immediately went to deliver the message.
A staff general below cautiously said, "Commander, the battle situation in Dingzhou has reached a stalemate. The bitter cold has sickened many soldiers in the army, and morale is critically low. With numerous rebel factions south of the Wei River, there's no hope of procuring medicinal supplies. What should we do?"Pei Song hurled the crumpled battle report at the adjutant and coldly snapped, "What is there to panic about? In the past, you followed me north from Ezhou, breaking through Luodu and conquering Fengyang. Now, it's just a few rats stirring up trouble—what threat could they possibly pose?"
The paper ball struck the adjutant's helmet and fell to the ground.
The adjutant broke out in a cold sweat and hastily knelt. "Your Excellency, please calm your anger. This humble general is not boosting the enemy's morale. It is only because I have witnessed the soldiers' low spirits and the shortage of medicinal supplies in the army that I voiced my concerns."
Pei Song's face darkened with suppressed rage as he stared at the adjutant without a word.
The Chief Clerk, Gongsun Chou, interjected at the right moment, saying, "General Li, our lord's arrow wound and the poison have not yet healed. The military physician specifically warned against overexertion. Let us discuss this matter later. You may withdraw for now."
On the day of the assassination attempt, Pei Song had taken an arrow to protect Jiang Yichu. Unexpectedly, the arrow was tipped with poison, and it was only after extracting the toxin that Pei Song had been confined to bed for many days.
The adjutant finally realized the inappropriateness of his words at such a critical moment. Gongsun Chou's intervention was clearly meant to save him from further trouble. He quickly bowed to Pei Song and Gongsun Chou. "This humble general takes his leave."
After the adjutant exited the main tent, Gongsun Chou spoke again, "General Li is straightforward by nature and deeply cares for the soldiers under his command. That is why he made such an imprudent remark. I beg you, my lord, not to hold it against him."
Pei Song braced his large hands on his knees, his expression grim. "It is not his words that anger me, but the current situation, which resembles the time we were trapped in Yongcheng, as if we've stepped into a quagmire. Those schemers behind the scenes have plotted well!"
Gongsun Chou replied, "This matter is indeed suspicious. Although you were merely injured in an assassination attempt, rumors have spread that the Pei clan is without a leader. The southern prefectures, which you had just stabilized before the northern campaign, are now in chaos again. It is clear that someone is deliberately causing this."
Pei Song sneered, "If it's not Wei Qishan, then it's Han Yang—it must be one of those two. I had already suspected that Han Yang was the mastermind behind the disruption of grain and medicine prices south of the Wei River. The guard by her side happens to be named Xiao Li, and the sketch drawn by the Hawk Hound based on rough impressions does bear some resemblance to that Xiao Li from Yongzhou. The Zhou Family of Yongzhou and Han Yang are definitely involved!"
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "If you hadn't insisted on stopping me, Master, I would have flayed that Zhou family brat alive!"
Gongsun Chou sighed. "My lord, those who achieve great things must not let minor grievances disrupt major plans. Even if Zhou Sui deserves to die a thousand deaths, now is not the time to kill him. Remember, it was only after Yongzhou surrendered and you successfully captured the tough stronghold of Mengzhou that the southern situation stabilized. Now that the situation has been thrown into chaos again, even if you punish the Zhou family under the pretext of sheltering remnants of the former dynasty, it will only incite fear among the other surrendered prefectures!"
He tilted his head slightly, as if uncertain whether to continue, but ultimately added, "My lord, it is utterly unwise to risk your position for the sake of a woman. Although the former Liang court was plagued by deep-rooted problems, the men whose lives I urged you to spare could have served as pillars of strength. They may be stubborn, but as long as you continue to treat them with respect, even if they do not pledge allegiance, you would still earn a reputation for virtue, attracting other former Liang ministers to join and serve under you. Yet you have executed them all... This is cutting off a path to talent!"Gongsun Chou's eyes were already glistening with tears: "That woman Wen, née Jiang, is bringing calamity upon her lord! That my lord has fallen into this current stalemate is all because of that enchantress. If my lord would still heed this humble servant's advice, even if you cannot bear to kill that enchantress, at least send her back to the Star-Picking Tower!"
He bowed his head and remained kneeling, refusing to rise.
Pei Song stared coldly at the kneeling Gongsun Chou: "I executed those old fools because I never intended to accept their surrender. Courting those old relics would only attract former Liang officials who are mere opportunists. I spared their lives earlier only because you pleaded for them, but those stubborn old fools remained unyielding and even attempted to assassinate me. How could I not kill them? King Fuchai treated Fan Li with courtesy, but what was his ultimate fate?"
Hearing this, Gongsun Chou's eyes filled with sorrow. His lips moved as he prepared to continue his admonition.
But Pei Song shouted at him: "And Jiang is not 'that woman Wen'—she is a woman of the Pei family! I, Pei Xuan'an, am not so incompetent as to shift the blame for executing former dynasty officials onto a woman!"
Xuan'an was the courtesy name Gongsun Chou had given him.
Gongsun Chou remained prostrate on the ground, ultimately saying nothing more.
Seeing his mentor and father figure in such a state, Pei Song felt equally troubled. Wrapping himself in his outer robe and grabbing his cloak, he strode out of the main tent.
The personal guards stationed outside immediately bowed upon his emergence, addressing him: "My lord."
Pei Song closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the biting cold air outside the tent, then ordered his attendants: "Bring my horse!"
The guards, concerned about his wounds, initially thought to dissuade him. But seeing his exceptionally grim expression, they ultimately complied.
Pei Song rode his horse around the military camp twice. The cold pierced through his lungs, and the inexplicable rage that had been coursing through his limbs seemed to finally subside somewhat.
Riding until his wounds ached, he let himself fall from the saddle, landing supine in the snow two fingers deep. Gazing at the frosty, gray-white sky, he slowly retraced in his mind the predicament that had left him trapped between advance and retreat.
He was most adept at endurance, rarely experiencing such restless depression.
Since beginning his service under Grand Commandant Ao, he had always been the one setting the traps.
During those years, while Changlian Wang's faction and the Party of Ao fought tooth and nail, little did they know the true puppet master pulling the strings behind the scenes was him.
But ever since grain and medicine prices began rising south of the Wei River, another hand had appeared moving pieces on the Liang chessboard.
That person always made their move at the most critical moment, stirring up storms across the entire board.
He was eighty percent certain that the previous scheme had been Han Yang's doing.
He just didn't know whether she was involved in this current chaos—after all, turmoil in the south would benefit both her and Wei Qishan immensely, with no drawbacks.
If she was involved... someone who had just narrowly escaped death after being surrounded and attacked by his Hawk Hounds, accompanied only by a single guard, could still stir up such turmoil—she would truly be a calamity.
Pei Song grabbed a handful of snow, forcefully compacting it into an ice ball.
That Xiao surnamed guard she kept by her side must not be allowed to live either.
The guards, not seeing him return for a long time, came searching on horseback. Finding him lying in the snow, they dismounted and reported: "My lord, the Wei traitors are challenging us outside the city walls again!"
Since news of Pei Song's assassination attempt spread, Dingzhou had consistently avoided engagement.
The Wei army, garrisoned in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and having fought alongside foreign tribes for over a decade, was fierce and battle-hardened. Such severe cold was commonplace for them.
Moreover, Wei Qishan was a seasoned and cunning commander. Although Pei Song repeatedly employed unexpected tactics, he had gained little advantage and could only focus on maintaining stable defenses.However, with the chaos in the south, the precarious stalemate on the battlefield had already been broken.
Pei Song propped himself up on his knees and said, "Prepare for battle."
Before the next spring snow arrived, the final ownership of Dingzhou needed to be decided.
Xinzhou.
Perhaps due to that rainy night assassination attempt, Wen Yu had never quite liked rainy days since then.
But the spring rain had been drizzling for several days, and with the city lockdown caused by conscription, their journey was inevitably delayed.
The silver lining was that prefectures with their own military forces had sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain. Seeing the situation deteriorating, the Prefect of Xinzhou quickly annexed several nearby counties.
However, neighboring prefectures, fearing his growing power, soon joined forces to counterbalance Xinzhou's influence.
For the time being, the Prefect of Xinzhou would have no spare energy to set his sights on Pingzhou.
Wen Yu gazed through the carved wooden window of the inn at the raindrops beating against the banana leaves outside.
A soft sound came from the door as Xiao Li entered, damp with rain. Water dripped from the hem of his robe as he reported the news he had gathered: "Xinzhou authorities are searching for those involved in the cross-city conscription here. But Zhao Youcai is clever, and most of those recruited are refugees. They’ve hidden among the refugee crowds, and the authorities can’t catch them."
"However, some of his men tried to persuade bandits from other mountain strongholds to join, and those bandits leaked the news to the authorities. Right now, the Xinzhou government likely believes this conscription is retaliation by the Azure Cloud Stronghold rebels."
Wen Yu said, "It doesn’t matter. Even if the Prefect of Xinzhou sees through the conscription as a ruse, he’s already been restrained. Our goal has been achieved."
As she spoke, she stood up and fetched a clean cotton cloth, handing it to Xiao Li. Seeing him drenched from head to toe, much like the rainy night he had carried her through their escape, she frowned slightly. "You’re completely soaked? Change your clothes first. I’ll have the inn attendant bring up a bowl of ginger soup."
The authorities were hunting the leaders of the "cross-city" conscription. With the rumor of Pei Song’s death spreading and his Hawk Hounds not pursuing them here, the Xinzhou government no longer seemed concerned about Wen Yu’s presence.
The remnants of the Azure Cloud Stronghold brought by Zhao Youcai had seen their disguised appearances. To prevent any of them from betraying them for the hefty bounty offered by the Xinzhou authorities and identifying them, Wen Yu and Xiao Li had reverted to their original attire during the days the authorities blockaded major exits from Xinzhou for inspections. Posing as a married couple, they stayed at this inn, waiting for an opportunity to leave the city.
At night, Wen Yu slept on the bed while Xiao Li made do with a bedroll on the floor.
He stared blankly for a moment at the cloth Wen Yu handed him before accepting it with a light laugh. "I’m not that delicate."
Wen Yu simply looked at him and said, "Once Xinzhou reopens, I must set off for Pingzhou. If you fall ill, it will delay our journey."
With that, she turned to leave.
Xiao Li rubbed the cloth in his hand. A drop of water slid from his jaw to his neck, then followed the faintly visible firm lines of his collarbone, disappearing deeper into his robes. Suddenly, he asked, "That banner you gave Zhao Youcai for conscription—does the totem on it have some special significance?"
Wen Yu halted abruptly and turned back to face him. "Someone’s been asking about the totem on that banner?"
Xiao Li nodded. "I met Zhao Youcai today. He said that among the refugees these past couple of days, there have been several skilled martial artists secretly inquiring about that banner."
He could immediately pinpoint the issue with the totem mainly because it closely resembled the emblem Wen Yu used to embroider as her signature on handkerchiefs.Previously unaware of Wen Yu's identity, he hadn't given much thought to the emblem on the embroidered handkerchief.
But after Zhao Youcai and the others officially began recruiting soldiers among the refugees, Wen Yu had that emblem embroidered on their banner. Now, with someone secretly making inquiries, it all seemed far too coincidental.
Author's Note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solutions between 2024-01-14 23:57:02 and 2024-01-16 03:51:13~
Special thanks to: Mingyue Wuli Zhaoren for the hand grenade (1);
Thanks for the landmines: Fu Ruo (1);
Gratitude for nutrient solutions: Xiang Qingyue (16 bottles); Feixu (8 bottles); Nini (2 bottles); Jiji, .Jiujian, kfpy_L, Will Eat Bamboo Shoots in the Future, Please Have Some Lettuce, Fallen Petals, Suisui Hates Chattering (1 bottle each);
My sincere appreciation for your support - I'll keep working hard!
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