(Half a month later)
“…The attack was the Second Prince’s mad act. He wasn’t actually targeting Da Xia, but was competing with the Third Prince.”
“The Third Prince gained the Great King’s favor by capturing Shipo City. With the First Prince already gone and the Great King’s physical and mental exhaustion from this ordeal, he has decided to pass the throne to the Third Prince.”
“The Second Prince was unwilling and wanted to accomplish something great to win the Great King’s favor.”
“The Great King has already beheaded the Second Prince to apologize to General Zhong, and is willing to add one thousand fine horses to the treaty…”
Zhu Yong read to this point, then closed the册 in his hand and looked at Zhong Changrong lying in bed.
“The censors and inspectors have already accepted the Prince of Xi Liang’s apology, so there will be no further expedition. General Zhong, can you accept this?”
Without waiting for Zhong Changrong to speak, he first stated his own position.
“If General Zhong does not agree, I will persuade them.”
He emphasized the word “persuade.”
Lying in bed, Zhong Changrong showed a slight smile. He understood Zhu Yong’s meaning. Although court officials were responsible for the ceasefire and peace negotiations with Xi Liang, ultimately it was up to Zhong Changrong.
This was the Empress’s will.
“Thank you, Lord Zhu,” Zhong Changrong said, glancing at a severed head displayed on the table beside him—the head of the Second Prince of Xi Liang. “This matter can end here.”
Zhu Yong asked again, “General Zhong, don’t have any reservations.”
Zhong Changrong shook his head. “I don’t. Stopping the war here is correct. We’ve already gotten what we wanted. If we continue fighting, it would be revenge against Xi Liang, but also a disaster for Da Xia.”
Zhu Yong, confirming his intentions, nodded. “I understand. I’ll go finalize this matter with the other officials immediately.”
Zhong Changrong said, “Please wait a moment.” Then he called out loudly for Xiao Shan.
Someone shuffled in from outside the door.
“Xiao Shan, give Lord Zhu the investigation on Yu the merchant.”
Hearing the order, Xiao Shan quickly pulled out a booklet from his breast.
Zhu Yong accepted it.
“We encountered a merchant in Xi Liang territory who claimed to be from Da Xia. When we tried to capture him, he suddenly committed suicide,” Zhong Changrong said. “After investigation, this merchant was surnamed Yu, born in Yunzhong Prefecture, with family in the capital. For over ten years, he constantly traveled between the capital and Yunzhong Prefecture doing business.”
Zhu Yong looked at the records in the booklet and the portrait, which depicted a very common, ordinary small merchant. He was somewhat puzzled but didn’t speak, just looked at Zhong Changrong, waiting for him to continue.
But Zhong Changrong fell silent. After a pause, he said, “Actually, I don’t know what to say either. I only have a suspicion. Da Xia merchants do indeed trade with Xi Liang people, and merchants do infiltrate Xi Liang territory, but that’s all during peacetime. Now, at this time, for a Da Xia merchant to appear in Xi Liang territory, and to commit suicide when about to be captured by Da Xia people—I feel there’s something wrong. Moreover, I’m worried—”
He looked at Zhu Yong.
“This problem is in the capital.”
Zhu Yong looked thoughtful, then examined Yu the merchant’s portrait again.
“There’s more,” Zhong Changrong continued. “Although the Prince of Xi Liang said the Second Prince’s attack on me was an accident—that the Second Prince didn’t know it was me, just happened to run into me—I still feel there’s something wrong with this attack.”
Zhu Yong looked up at him. “General Zhong believes this matter was actually a conspiracy targeting you?”
Zhong Changrong smiled slightly. “I’ve been drifting in and out of sleep this past half month, thinking too much. I also thought about Shipo City.”
Zhu Yong frowned. “The General means there’s also something wrong with Shipo City being captured?”
Zhong Changrong shook his head, then nodded. “I know even the most careful defense has vulnerabilities. Shipo City being captured in a surprise attack was investigated and found to have no problems. But perhaps having no problems is actually the problem.”
Here he smiled bitterly.
“But all I can say is what I feel—I have no evidence.”
Zhu Yong smiled, put away the booklet, and said, “The General doesn’t need to provide any. The duty of our Imperial Guard is for the Empress to raise questions—everything else is for us to do. Don’t worry, General. I’ll immediately send this to the Imperial Guard in the capital for secret investigation.”
Zhong Changrong sighed with relief. “I was always very worried about the Empress. With the General gone and no solid family backing, now I’m relieved. She’s not alone.”
Zhu Yong smiled. “The General worries too much. The Empress is the nation’s empress—she’s never alone.” Seeing Zhong Changrong’s weak appearance, he said no more and took his leave with a salute. “General, rest well.”
Zhong Changrong nodded, watching Zhu Yong leave.
“General, do you want water?” Xiao Shan asked.
Zhong Changrong snorted. “Rare that I can enjoy Colonel Xiao Shan’s service.”
Xiao Shan picked up the teapot and poured water, saying, “It’s not really service—just a bowl of water.”
He carried the water over, sat by the bed, helped Zhong Changrong sit up leaning back, and fed it to him. Looking at Zhong Changrong’s pale face, he sighed softly.
So this kid does know how to feel sorry for him, Zhong Changrong mused.
“I wonder how the young master is doing now. When he left, his face was even paler than yours, General,” Xiao Shan said sorrowfully.
Zhong Changrong held back from spitting water in Xiao Shan’s face, swallowed it, and said, “Don’t worry. Someone can take care of him better than you can.”
Saying this sentence, Zhong Changrong didn’t feel satisfied—instead he froze, then grew even angrier.
That brat better not actually make Chu Zhao take care of him!
While both were lost in thought, the window rattled and someone climbed in—
Xiao Shan jumped up, splashing water all over Zhong Changrong’s face. “Who goes there!”
Then he saw the person by the window—a woman.
As Zhong Changrong’s trusted aide, Xiao Shan naturally knew Mu Mianhong’s identity. He withdrew his attack but remained vigilant.
Zhong Changrong closed his eyes. “Get out.”
Xiao Shan also shouted, “Didn’t you hear? The General told you to, um, leave.”
Though he knew Zhong Changrong’s attitude toward this woman wasn’t good, remembering that she had raided the Xi Liang royal court and resolved Xie Yanlai’s crisis—she was the young master’s savior—Xiao Shan didn’t want to speak harshly to her.
Zhong Changrong opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Shan. “I told you to get out.”
Xiao Shan flicked his sleeve. “General, you really are nothing like the young master in thoughtfulness. Don’t ask me to serve you next time.” With that, he stomped out.
Zhong Changrong exhaled. “I can’t bear your service either.”
Mu Mianhong walked over with a smile, looking at Zhong Changrong with tea water still on his face, asking with concern, “Do you need me to wipe your face?”
Zhong Changrong said coldly, “No need.”
But he didn’t wipe it himself. His left arm was bound with injury wrappings, layer upon layer, stiff and immobile. His right arm was an empty sleeve.
In that ambush, reinforcements arrived at the last moment and defeated the Xi Liang soldiers. Zhong Changrong survived, but lost his right arm.
Mu Mianhong looked at his right arm and said, “I came to remind you to tell Chu Zhao about this.”
Zhong Changrong’s first thought was to refuse—he couldn’t let Chu Zhao feel sad or worried for him—
“So she knows your condition,” Mu Mianhong continued, “and can decide whether to replace you, to prevent a crisis in the border army.”
Zhong Changrong’s body stiffened. He took a deep breath. Yes, that was the most important thing. He was already crippled, and there might be problems in the border army—problems that implicated the capital.
“Alright,” he said. “Tell her immediately, including all the details of my ambush.”
He glanced at Mu Mianhong.
“You surprisingly didn’t tell her in advance? I thought you would have told her the moment I was attacked.”
Mu Mianhong smiled. “I didn’t want to worry her. Besides, there’s nothing to worry about. Even if you died, I’m still here.”
Zhong Changrong opened his mouth to say something but swallowed it back.
Mu Mianhong, having reminded him, turned and left through the window. The room returned to quiet, but Zhong Changrong still couldn’t sleep, because noisy sounds came from outside—many people moving about, mixed with shouts.
“Colonel Liang—”
“Colonel Liang, you’ve returned—”
One voice after another, as if many people were calling this name.
In the border army now, Xie Yanlai was a legend, and Liang Qiang could be considered the second. Though he didn’t have achievements as shocking as capturing the Prince of Xi Liang alive, rising from labor service to guerrilla general with distinguished military service in just two years, with mistakes along the way that led to punishment and demotion—this only added to his legendary quality.
This time, saving Zhong Changrong, Liang Qiang’s prestige in the border army grew even higher.
Liang Qiang entered the room and saluted Zhong Changrong in bed. “General, this subordinate has personally verified—the Xi Liang royal court has moved away.”
He wore military robes wrapped in a cloak, looking normal, but Zhong Changrong knew that at the time, this young general had charged alone into the killing field. After fierce fighting, covered in wounds, he too had been carried back.
Zhong Changrong said, “I still haven’t thanked Colonel Liang for saving my life.”
Liang Qiang saluted again. “This subordinate doesn’t dare accept. Killing enemies is this subordinate’s duty.”
The room fell silent again. Liang Qiang could feel the gaze of the general lying in bed circling over him. That gaze held not a trace of gratitude, but rather cold scrutiny.
“What a coincidence,” Zhong Changrong’s voice sounded again. “How did it happen to be Colonel Liang who saved me?”
Someone had actually asked this before, but immediately got an answer. Because Liang Qiang had been persistently begging Zhong Changrong to let him kill Deng Yi to atone for his crimes, but Zhong Changrong kept refusing. Liang Qiang persevered, following Zhong Changrong constantly, so by coincidence he discovered Zhong Changrong being attacked and warned in time, bringing reinforcements.
This didn’t even need Liang Qiang to say—everyone knew.
Liang Qiang raised his head, his expression calm as he looked at Zhong Changrong, and said something not everyone knew.
“Because someone wanted you dead,” he said. “But I didn’t agree.”