Chapter 89: Night Intrusion
Xiao Li led a team of light cavalry, galloping back to the camp through the rainy night. Rainwater streamed from their soaked cloaks and robe hems, while hooves splashed puddles during their swift ride, resembling a pack of wolves returning from a hunt.
The young officer accompanying him shouted to the guard at the sentry gate as soon as they passed: "West Second Camp returns from bandit suppression! Captured over three hundred bandits, seized more than four hundred weapons, and two hundred iron arrows!"
The guard hastily fetched brush and ink, recording something in the ledger he carried.
This commotion drew curious looks from other soldiers in the camp. Watching West Second Camp's cavalry ride past, their eyes revealed unmistakable envy as they whispered among themselves: "How many bandit suppression missions has West Second Camp undertaken this month? They must have cleared out all the bandit dens outside Pingzhou and Tao County!"
"More than that! I heard from West Second Camp folks days ago that they've pushed their suppression operations all the way to the borders of Xinzhou and Yizhou!"
"Those youngsters in West Second Camp really thrive under General Xiao's command. Just these few suppression missions alone must have earned them plenty of military merits!"
Xiao Li went straight back to West Second Camp. The more than three hundred captured bandits would be assigned to labor details by his accompanying officers. Dismounting, he tossed the reins to a soldier who came forward to greet him at the tent, just as Tan Yi approached: "Finally waited for your return!"
Xiao Li felt somewhat surprised. Tan Yi coming to find him at this hour—having likely heard of his return—meant there must be important business requiring his attention in the deep night.
With the heavy rain outside, he invited Tan Yi into the tent. Removing his most waterlogged cloak and handing it to his aide, he poured tea for Tan Yi at the table: "The rainy night made for difficult travel. The return journey slowed with the captive bandits. Has something happened in the army?"
Tan Yi sighed: "These days you've been leading West Second Camp troops to various bandit dens, gone for three to five days at a time. Catching you isn't easy. I'm here on General Fan's orders to inform you—stay properly in the military camp for the next few days. No more bandit suppression missions."
Xiao Li pushed the poured tea toward Tan Yi and looked up: "Why?"
Tan Yi explained: "The Princess's coronation ceremony is in three days. If you disappear into another bandit den, General Fan will have my hide."
Xiao Li frowned: "What coronation ceremony?"
Having spent the better part of the month suppressing bandits in the mountains, he knew little about Pingzhou's administrative affairs.
Tan Yi clarified: "Southern Chen has already signed an alliance treaty with us. Once their grain supplies pass through the border in coming days, the Princess will depart for Southern Chen. Li Yao and Lord Chen are temporarily appointed to manage affairs within the pass. Following Li Yao's suggestion, since our Great Liang and Southern Chen have established their alliance, we should create more momentum to attract more former Great Liang officials or righteous armies to pledge allegiance. The best method, of course, is to posthumously honor the Prince and Crown Prince. When the Princess soon marries into Southern Chen as a Great Liang princess, she'll hold greater dignity."
Xiao Li grew unusually silent from the moment Tan Yi mentioned the signed alliance with Southern Chen. After Tan Yi finished speaking, he replied in his usual tone: "I understand. Thank you for making the trip, Brother Tan."
Tan Yi didn't notice his subtle unease. Seeing his clothes beneath the armor were thoroughly soaked and needed changing soon, he stood up: "Message delivered. I won't linger further."Xiao Li rose to escort him out of the tent. Before leaving, Tan Yi seemed intent on currying favor, lowering his voice to say, "General Fan has noted all your achievements in suppressing the bandits!"
While others remained unaware of the developments, as Fan Yuan's deputy, Tan Yi naturally had access to more information than most. Chen Wei had wanted to recruit Xiao Li as a son-in-law but was politely declined. Though Chen Wei hadn't voiced any objections, many who knew of the matter privately considered Xiao Li ungrateful and wondered whether Chen Wei would harbor resentment later.
Although Xiao Li was directly under the command of the Princess, after her departure for Southern Chen, the primary decision-making power in Pingzhou and Tao County still lay with Chen Wei and Li Yao. If Chen Wei so desired, he could create numerous subtle obstacles for Xiao Li.
Fan Yuan was Chen Wei's most trusted subordinate, and his attitude largely reflected Chen Wei's stance.
Xiao Li understood the implication in Tan Yi's words and nodded, offering a quiet word of thanks.
After Tan Yi left, Xiao Li returned to his tent but made no move to change out of his soaked clothes. Instead, he sat listlessly at the table, propping himself up with his hands, staring at the Southern Border map already densely marked with annotations, lost in thought.
Zhao Youcai, who had become Xiao Li's personal guard, entered with a basin of hot water and immediately noticed the puddle forming on the ground from Xiao Li's drenched robes. "Good heavens, General! Your clothes are soaked through! Why haven't you changed?" he exclaimed.
Xiao Li, focused intently on the map as if reaching a crucial point in his deliberations, said curtly, "Quiet."
Zhao Youcai immediately swallowed his stream of chatter.
His appointment as Xiao Li's personal guard was largely due to his glib tongue, cleverness in gathering information, and keen sense of discretion. Even during their journey to Pingzhou, he had found ways to ingratiate himself with Xiao Li. Xiao Li indeed needed someone well-informed and capable of handling various trivial matters, so he kept Zhao Youcai by his side.
Seeing that Xiao Li was clearly studying military defenses, Zhao Youcai dared not disturb him further. The densely inked markings on the map made his head spin at a glance—only Xiao Li could decipher them.
Fearing Xiao Li might catch a chill, Zhao Youcai fetched a brazier to dry his clothes and then stood guard like a sentinel.
After what felt like an eternity, just as Zhao Youcai was beginning to doze off on his feet, he heard movement from Xiao Li's direction.
He opened his eyes to see Xiao Li already rolling up the map and storing it in a waterproof tube. Xiao Li swiftly removed his Arm Wraps and turned to say, "Fetch me a robe."
Zhao Youcai hurriedly retrieved one of Xiao Li's usual archer-sleeved tunics and handed it over, puzzled. "It's so late. Are you going out?"
Xiao Li removed his armor, donned the tunic, and ignoring his still-dripping hair, slung the map tube over his shoulder and lifted the tent flap to leave, tossing back only, "I'll return by tomorrow morning at the latest. If anyone asks for me in the meantime, handle it."
Since Tan Yi had visited not long ago, Zhao Youcai assumed Xiao Li was attending to urgent military affairs and didn't dare probe further, quickly assenting.
The night rain roared outside. Wen Yu finished reading the long scroll in her hands, returned it to the bookshelf, and then extinguished the candle illuminating that corner of the bookcase. She stepped toward the wedding gown she had yet to try on.The wedding gown, meticulously embroidered over several months by dozens of skilled needlewomen from the Pingzhou official workshop, was undeniably exquisite. The intricate patterns woven into the fabric shimmered like rippling waves under candlelight, while the phoenix and luan birds, embroidered with gold threads finer than hair strands, appeared to soar and cry out. Beyond its splendor, the gown exuded an overwhelming aura of majesty and elegance, almost suffocating in its grandeur.
Much like the grand wedding she was about to enter—beneath the surface of pomp and ceremony lay a ruthless contest of power and ambition.
Wen Yu gently ran her fingers over the cloud brocade fabric. For some reason, the memory of her elder brother and sister-in-law’s wedding suddenly surfaced in her mind.
She had been only twelve at the time. She remembered the entire mansion adorned with lanterns, red silk draping everywhere. Her mother had arranged for new clothes to be tailored in advance for the servants. The mingled sounds of laughter and conversation from the bustling guests and the firecrackers outside the walls created a festive atmosphere that now felt like a distant dream.
During the ceremony, when the couple bowed to heaven and earth, the crowd teased the newlyweds playfully. Her brother, usually composed and gentle, flushed from the tips of his ears down to his neck. As her sister-in-law bowed, a gust of wind lifted the corner of her red veil, revealing a blushing, smiling face beneath. Their father and mother, seated as honored elders, watched with graying hair and smiling eyes.
That was what a real wedding should be, wasn’t it?
The person waiting at the other end of the red silk was one’s beloved. The hall was filled with esteemed guests, and all family members were present.
Wen Yu lowered her gaze, quietly standing still for a moment while twisting the sleeve of the wedding dress between her fingers. Then she removed the magnificent gown and went to the inner room to change into it.
The dress, tailored to her measurements by Madam Chen, fit her perfectly.
After changing, Wen Yu sat before the dressing table. Even though the bronze mirror cast a yellowish tint and the candlelight in the evening deepened the gloom, the woman reflected in the mirror remained stunningly beautiful. Yet her eyes were too cold and calm, unlike those of a typical bride. Her lips also seemed too pale against the vibrant colors of the wedding attire.
Wen Yu picked up a tinted rouge paper from her cosmetic case and pressed it lightly to her lips.
A flash of lightning lit up the carved gauze window, casting an eerie whiteness, followed by a thunderclap that seemed to split the sky. At that very moment, the firmly shut door was forcefully pushed open from outside.
A cold gust swept in, causing the room’s silk curtains to flutter wildly.
Still holding the rouge paper, Wen Yu turned to look. The man stood braced against the doorframe, his clothes and hair drenched. His tall frame blocked the blinding lightning outside. Beneath his dripping, disheveled hair, a pair of narrow, dark wolf-like eyes fixed on her.
For a brief moment, surprise flickered in Wen Yu’s eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. “At this hour, Zhao Bai wouldn’t let anyone in. It must have taken considerable effort to evade her notice. What brings you here?”
Xiao Li said, “You lost something.”
Hearing this, Wen Yu subtly furrowed her brows.
Xiao Li stepped closer, dangling an object from a knotted cord on his middle finger. “Returning it to you.”
It was the sachet Wen Yu had misplaced.
He had come through the rain, drenched from head to toe, and the sachet was soaked as well, its tassels dripping water.
Wen Yu silently watched for a while before turning back to the mirror and beginning to pencil her eyebrows. “It’s not mine.”
Xiao Li watched her applying makeup in the mirror. “That night after you left, I found it by the lake.”
His voice was steady, though hoarse from the rain.Seemingly disturbed by him to the point of losing focus on applying her eyebrow makeup, Wen Yu set down the eyebrow pencil in her hand and turned to look somewhat coldly at Xiao Li, saying, "I told you, it's not mine. General Xiao, if you've braved great disapproval to come here today just to say these things to me, you may leave."
She turned her head to continue applying her eyebrow makeup but was stopped when Xiao Li grabbed the hand holding the eyebrow pencil. He lowered his head slightly, his expression unclear, and softly asked, "Wen Yu, what are you avoiding?"
Wen Yu averted her gaze. "I don't understand what General Xiao is saying."
Xiao Li placed the sachet by Wen Yu's dressing table, staring intently at her as he said, "I opened it and looked inside. It contains the carp wood carving I carved for you."
Wen Yu's other hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly. Her worst fear had come true.
Xiao Li said, "When I found this sachet, I was happy—happy that you might have even the slightest fondness for me. You wanted Xinzhou and Yizhou as your dowry. Under the pretext of suppressing bandits, I surveyed the terrain and military deployments around Xinzhou and Yizhou and devised a plan to seize both regions without needing to ally with any other faction. So I came to ask you..."
Outside, the thunderstorm grew fiercer, rain pattering noisily against the window lattice.
His grip on Wen Yu's wrist tightened slightly as he spoke with difficulty, "Wen Yu, don't marry your King Chen. Marry me instead."
"Let me restore Liang Kingdom for you. Let me avenge your Wen Shi clan."
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