The days in Yanjing City passed relatively peacefully. The matter of the Prince of Xia Commandery raising troops in rebellion had stirred up tremendous waves in Yanjing City. The common people were only astonished that this valiant and brave general was actually a traitorous subject—they sighed inwardly, but after discussing it for a few days, that was that. Some clever people were worried and anxious, wondering when the war would end. But more people felt it had nothing to do with them. Qingzhou was still so far from Yanjing City. They had heard that Yin Zhili mainly led troops south of Qingzhou, while Yanjing City was in the northern territory. Heaven was high and the Emperor far away—naturally the common people felt no sense of crisis. They even felt that Yin Zhili’s threat was not as great as Prince Cheng’s had been back then.
However, those in the know understood that this was not the case at all. Yin Zhan had plotted for many years for this day, and in a sense, he actually had far more leverage than Prince Cheng. His troops had not slackened for a single day over these decades. Once unleashed, they were like fierce beasts released from their cages—unstoppable. And Yin Zhili had been trained by Yin Zhan since childhood. When he was refined and cultured, he looked like a harmless, elegant young gentleman. When he served as a general, his tactics were exquisite. Moreover, he was very strategic, first surrounding from south of Qingzhou. The people of Northern Yan had lived in peace for so many years that they had long neglected military tactics. They were actually defeated by Yin Zhili in succession, losing several cities and abandoning their armor in flight. After Yin Zhili entered the cities, he did not allow his soldiers to burn, kill, or plunder, nor did he bully the common people. Instead, he was quite reasonable, even showing signs of benevolent governance. Therefore, the people in the cities he conquered did not resist fiercely.
If Emperor Hongxiao had been a tyrant, the scenarios from past theatrical plays where common people threw open city gates to welcome rebel troops would likely have occurred. Fortunately, Emperor Hongxiao was still a relatively enlightened ruler. Otherwise, with Yin Zhili’s methods, victory without battle would have been possible.
South of Qingzhou, dynasties had already changed, though the common people were not very clear about it. But the ministers in court and government understood all too well. Many ministers developed other calculations in their hearts. Though this young prince had prevailed in his confrontation with Prince Cheng, Yin Zhili was not Prince Cheng. Yin Zhili’s greatest support was that invincible Yin family army. Under Emperor Hongxiao, the new generals were still quite immature. There was the Golden Wuwei Army, but unfortunately it had not been used for many years, and the Golden Wuwei General of those days had already died. Although the Duke of Su had personally accepted the command to go to war, he had never been to a battlefield. How many chances of victory remained was still unknown.
The court ministers were also in anguish. Throughout history, with each change of dynasty came a change of ministers—no one wanted to be the one sacrificed. Prince Cheng had only just left, and now came Yin Zhili. It was truly a headache.
Ye Shijie told Jiang Li about affairs at court. The more critical the moment, the more it was a time for employing people. Some moderate ministers chose the path of self-preservation, meekly not daring to step forward, while Ye Shijie was a young man of just the right age, full of passionate idealism, speaking frankly without reservation. He was increasingly relied upon by Emperor Hongxiao. Of course, his rapid rise in favor was inseparable from Xue Huaiyuan’s guidance behind the scenes.
Ye Shijie said to Jiang Li, “Your father… has recently been introducing me to several ministers with whom he’s on good terms. From his manner, it seems he plans to step back.”
Jiang Li smiled slightly and said, “At this time, for the Jiang family, being able to withdraw unscathed is already the best choice.”
Hearing this, Ye Shijie nodded. “True enough.”
Ever since Jiang Yuanbai had told Jiang Li last time about his intention to resign, he had indeed been working on withdrawal matters. It was just that he had quite a few ministers with whom he was on good terms, and he also had quite a few disciples at court—there was much to handle at once. But he was systematically doing things one by one. Especially, from what Jiang Li could see of Jiang Yuanbai’s intentions, he planned to leave some connections for Ye Shijie. After Jiang Yuanbai and his brother truly resigned from office, many years later, perhaps Ye Shijie could occupy a position at court. And after many more years, when the Jiang family’s children entered service again, perhaps they could also receive Ye Shijie’s patronage.
The official world was like this—predecessors plant trees so successors can enjoy the shade. Jiang Yuanbai did these things not necessarily because he particularly liked Ye Shijie, but also to leave another path for the Jiang family. For Ye Shijie, however, this was not at all bad. These connections in Jiang Yuanbai’s hands were a death warrant for the Jiang family, but in Ye Shijie’s hands, they could add splendor to brocade—a win-win situation, nothing bad about it.
“If your father resigns…” Ye Shijie said, “The Jiang family probably won’t stay in Yanjing City. Where do you plan to go?”
During his years as Chief Minister, Jiang Yuanbai had blocked many people’s paths. Although the vast majority of Prince Cheng’s Right Chancellor’s people had been cleaned out, there were inevitably still fish that had slipped through the net. Staying in Yanjing City after resignation would inevitably be unpleasant. Jiang Li shook her head. “Father hasn’t told me his plans.”
“From what you’re saying,” Ye Shijie looked at her, “you don’t plan to do that?”
“His Majesty has already decreed the marriage,” Jiang Li smiled faintly. “Sooner or later I’ll be a person of the Duke’s manor. Where else could I go?”
Ye Shijie stared at Jiang Li. “Haven’t you thought about other choices?”
“I haven’t thought about other choices,” Jiang Li said with a smile.
She appeared to speak very seriously, with no appearance of joking. Ye Shijie understood. He smiled and said in a low voice, “Sometimes, I truly envy him.”
His voice was too low—Jiang Li did not hear clearly. When Jiang Li wanted to ask again, Ye Shijie had already changed the subject. After talking with Ye Shijie for a while longer, Jiang Li left. Xiao Hong stood perched on a lantern watching Jiang Li. With Ji Heng absent, this noisy myna seemed much lonelier. It no longer enthusiastically approached people to talk, and was instead quieter than usual.
In the vast Duke’s manor, the sound of Old General Ji practicing swordsmanship was no more. Jiang Li walked to the flower garden. She did not know if it was her imagination, but she always felt that those bright flowers had also become much dimmer in color. She did not know if this year’s wind and snow were particularly harsh, or if Jiang Li was simply moved by the sight of familiar things. She only felt that the New Year’s Eve when she had roasted venison with Old General Ji, Ji Heng, Wenren Yao, and the others still seemed right before her eyes, as if it were only yesterday. Yet now, everything had changed. This year’s New Year’s Eve probably would not be as lively as in the past.
Xue Zhao was talking with Situ Jiuyue in the flower garden.
After Xue Zhao returned to Yanjing City, he probably realized that his current self truly no longer had the ability to protect those around him. So he followed Ye Mingyu in arduous practice of whip techniques. Situ Jiuyue had given him some poisons. These poisons, applied to the whip, would not cause people to lose their lives in an instant, but would make them suffer greatly. Xue Zhao’s whip technique was not yet very refined. During practice he might injure himself. If it were a poison that sealed the throat upon contact with blood, it would be very dangerous for him as well.
Situ Jiuyue and Xue Zhao got along quite well. Ye Shijie did not practice martial arts and had no interest in killing people. Xue Zhao could not discuss court affairs coherently. So although the two were similar in age, they truly could not play together. Jiang Li walked to the edge of the flower garden and saw the silhouettes of Xue Zhao and Situ Jiuyue. Just as she was about to greet them, she heard Xue Zhao say, “Miss Jiuyue, do you think… brother-in-law over in Qingzhou will be in danger?”
Situ Jiuyue’s voice was flat and emotionless. “There’s no place on the battlefield that isn’t dangerous.”
“I’m very worried.” Xue Zhao’s voice sounded somewhat muffled. “If only my leg hadn’t been injured. I could have gone to Qingzhou together with him.”
“You go?” Situ Jiuyue said. “The enemies on the battlefield aren’t just one or two people. What you’d face are thousands upon thousands of people. If not forced by circumstances, no one would voluntarily want to go to war. Don’t make it sound so easy.”
Xue Zhao looked at her. “Miss Jiuyue, when Molan was in turmoil, the war must have been very brutal too.”
Situ Jiuyue froze, not speaking for a long while. Even though every time she spoke of her past, she acted as if those things had happened long ago and she did not care at all, the fact was that whenever she thought of it, her heart still palpitated. She could only try hard not to think about it in order to appear as if nothing had happened. To witness with her own eyes everyone familiar to her—including the wet nurse and maids who had served her since childhood, up to her parents and siblings—not a single one remaining—what kind of brutality was that?
“Of course,” after a very long time, Situ Jiuyue finally answered. “You simply cannot imagine.”
“Then you… haven’t you thought about revenge?” Xue Zhao asked.
Jiang Li outside also froze slightly upon hearing this. Just as the first thing she had thought about since becoming Second Miss Jiang was how to take revenge on Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong, what about Situ Jiuyue? Having witnessed her entire family killed, had she never thought about revenge?
“How could I not?” Situ Jiuyue’s voice became somewhat cold. She said, “One day, I will return to Molan and take back what should belong to me. It’s just that right now I’m weak and alone, and must still rely on others. But whether it’s ten years, twenty years, or even thirty years, I can endure. As long as I don’t die for a single day, my heart of revenge won’t be extinguished for a single day. When I came to the Duke’s manor and agreed to work for Ji Heng, it was only because he made a deal with me—once previous matters were settled, he would help me kill my way back to Molan.”
Jiang Li was surprised. This time she truly understood the connection between Situ Jiuyue and Ji Heng. However, Jiang Li always felt that Ji Heng’s willingness to agree to Situ Jiuyue was not entirely for the transaction, not entirely to use Situ Jiuyue’s skill with poisons, but rather because he saw his own reflection in Situ Jiuyue. Probably they shared a similar plight. Ji Heng was someone who seemed passionate yet passionless, but if you truly said he was passionless, at certain times he was willing to lend others a hand.
“What’s with that expression?” While Jiang Li was still pondering, Situ Jiuyue’s voice came. She said, “Do you think I’m ruthless and cruel, or do you look down on me for being obsessed with revenge?”
“How could that be?” Xue Zhao said. “If someone hurt me, hurt the people around me, I would also spare no cost to avenge those around me. When someone does wrong, they must always pay a price. I think what Miss Jiuyue is doing is very right. If I were Miss Jiuyue, I would do the same. Moreover, Miss Jiuyue can see advantages and disadvantages clearly, assess the situation, and would rather lie dormant for many years than rashly make a move—planning thoroughly before acting. This point I greatly admire. When Miss Jiuyue kills her way back to Molan one day, I expect my whip technique will have become quite good. I’ll accompany Miss Jiuyue back there.”
“You?” Situ Jiuyue sneered. “What does my family’s vengeance have to do with you? What would you go for?”
“Miss Jiuyue is my friend,” Xue Zhao said seriously. “When a friend needs help, naturally I must act.”
After a while, Situ Jiuyue’s voice sounded. She said, “Just take care of yourself. I don’t want to bring you along and worry about you getting into danger.”
Although she could not see Situ Jiuyue’s face, she could hear that her voice carried a smile. Jiang Li turned to the side, also smiling faintly. No matter what, during these days at the Duke’s manor, something good had happened, hadn’t it? As a fellow young woman, she could of course see Situ Jiuyue’s feelings. She just did not know when that blockhead Azhao would discover them. But never mind, never mind. Though the process of guessing at feelings was laborious, when recalled in the future, it would be an interesting memory. Let them figure it out themselves.
Jiang Li turned and walked away.
This war lasted for a very long time. One month, two months passed. The New Year also passed. Even spring was almost over. The people of Northern Yan finally realized something was wrong, as if they had only now seen the true strength of the Prince of Xia Commandery. Several cities south of Qingzhou had been lost. Yin Zhili established himself as king there, calling himself the King of Xia. The Yin family army was extremely fierce. However, no matter how fierce, they ultimately had no way to cross to the other side of the Yongding River in Qingzhou—the Golden Wuwei Army was equally imposing and yielded no ground.
Ji Heng had learned political tactics, not how to lead troops in battle, but the Golden Wuwei Army he led was surprisingly quite good. Different from the orderliness of the Yin family army, it was said that in the past, every single member of the Golden Wuwei Army had been a hardened soldier. After so many years, even the young recruits of those days had now aged. Newly recruited soldiers could not integrate easily in such a short time. By rights, such a Golden Wuwei Army might have only an empty reputation and not compare to its former glory. Under such inherently unfavorable conditions, that Ji Heng could accomplish what he had, preventing the Yin family army from advancing further, was already surprising.
But precisely because of this, for the Golden Wuwei Army to advance further and completely annihilate all of the Yin family army was truly a very difficult thing.
Results from the battlefront were delivered to Jiang Li’s hands every day. Sometimes the Yin family army won, sometimes Ji Heng won. The battle reports were only a few short lines. Jiang Li could not deduce from those few lines what Ji Heng’s situation was. She could only imagine in her mind—sometimes Ji Heng was up and moving about, sometimes he was sitting in his tent drinking tea. During such day-by-day waiting, Jiang Yuanbai had also handled many matters at court and planned to resign in a few days.
On the day he was to resign, Jiang Li requested that Jiang Yuanbai take her into the palace together.
“What are you going into the palace for?” Jiang Yuanbai knitted his brows. Jiang Li was not someone who liked going into the palace. In the palace now, she also had no acquaintances.
“I want to see His Majesty,” Jiang Li replied.
“You…”
“Father need not worry. I’m seeing His Majesty not for the Jiang family’s affairs, but for the Duke’s manor’s affairs. Initially, Ji Heng instructed me about something, telling me to speak with His Majesty personally. I see that now the time is about right… Father, I won’t cause trouble for the Jiang family.”
Jiang Yuanbai looked at Jiang Li for a while. He increasingly felt powerless. He was someone about to resign from office, while Ji Heng was the minister Emperor Hongxiao most trusted. That decree of bestowed marriage was almost Emperor Hongxiao’s warning to him. Jiang Yuanbai could not control Jiang Li’s marriage, nor could he control Jiang Li as a person. Even in a sense, Jiang Li was now already a person of the Duke’s manor. Even the Ye family people had moved into the Duke’s manor. What could he do? He could not interfere, nor did he dare interfere in the Duke’s manor’s affairs.
Therefore, Jiang Yuanbai waved his hand, as if resigned to fate, and said, “Fine, if you want to go, then go.”
Jiang Li smiled. “Thank you, Father.”
Seeing Jiang Li smile suddenly, Jiang Yuanbai also froze. Since Ji Heng had accepted the command to go to war, Jiang Yuanbai rarely saw Jiang Li smile easily. Most of the time, she stared at the sky above the courtyard in a daze. Without needing to think, he knew she was thinking of Ji Heng. This daughter appeared independent and generous, but when she liked someone, she was truly just like all girls with someone in their hearts.
Jiang Yuanbai could not help but probe: “Xiao Li, if after resigning we have to leave Yanjing…”
“Father, then let me stay here to watch over the Jiang family,” Jiang Li replied.
Her eyes were still as clear and clean as in years past, but from this one gentle sentence, Jiang Yuanbai glimpsed her unshakeable determination. He was silent for a while before saying, “You must think it through.”
“I’ve long since thought it through.”
Jiang Yuanbai stared at Jiang Li fixedly, suddenly somewhat confused. Jiang Li’s temperament made him think for an instant of the prematurely deceased Ye Zhenzhen. Back then Ye Zhenzhen had died early. Later he married Ji Shuran, believing himself happy and content. As for Ye Zhenzhen, he rarely thought of her. But looking at Jiang Li’s appearance, he thought that it seemed many years ago, Ye Zhenzhen had also been this stubborn.
At that time, Old Madam Jiang went to the Ye family to propose marriage. Although the Jiang family was an official family, the Ye family had initially been rather reluctant. They feared that Ye Zhenzhen would suffer grievances after marrying in due to her merchant background. But Ye Zhenzhen herself had caught sight of Jiang Yuanbai in the back courtyard. Upon returning, she told Old Madam Ye that she wanted to marry him.
After Ye Zhenzhen crossed the threshold into marriage, she had taken the initiative to tell Jiang Yuanbai about this. In his heart, Jiang Yuanbai had laughed at her for being foolish. All women in the world needed to play hard to get, fearing others would regard them lightly. Even if they liked a man very much, they would say it was only three parts when it was ten. But Ye Zhenzhen never lied. She told Jiang Yuanbai very directly that she truly liked him extremely.
Jiang Li and Ye Zhenzhen were not at all alike. She was much more rational, much more cunning. But now she and Ye Zhenzhen were very similar—both equally frank, equally unhiding of their feelings, saying what was what.
Was this a good thing? Jiang Yuanbai wondered vaguely. The reason Ye Zhenzhen had not met a good end was because she was schemed against by Ji Shuran. In the final analysis, it still stemmed from himself. But Jiang Yuanbai inwardly admitted that precisely because of Ye Zhenzhen’s unreserved love, in his heart he actually looked down on Ye Zhenzhen somewhat.
What about Ji Heng? When Ji Heng saw Jiang Li express her feelings so frankly, what would he do? Would he, like himself, look down on Jiang Li because of this, or even betray Jiang Li?
He looked at the daughter before him. The young woman stood gracefully, gentle and moving. But the determination between her brows could not be shaken in the slightest.
Never mind. Jiang Yuanbai sighed deeply in his heart. This was all fate. What fate held, how could he, a mere mortal, see clearly?
His back bent slightly as he said, “Then do as you wish in your heart.”
Jiang Li smiled. “Thank you, Father.”