Ashina thought of Lin Fei again and asked: “That handmaiden of yours — the one I rarely see. The one surnamed Lin.”
Still thinking of her? Xie Yuzhang felt a quiet jolt of alarm, and said with a casual air: “Her? I do not like to bring her out. She has read too many books, and spends every day hounding me to read as well, scolding me for being uneducated and ignorant. I want to find her a husband, but her learning is too fine — she cannot abide men who do not love books and have no scholarly ability. The several scholars I brought in my retinue are not half as accomplished as she is. She has nothing but contempt for them.”
“Right now she is busy with Abahe, translating the ancient sheepskin scrolls of the various tribes into a unified script. The National Master practically wants to take her on as a disciple and pass down his entire body of learning to her. His only regret is that she is a young woman,” Xie Yuzhang said. “Ah, if only she would stop putting on that stern face and lecturing me with principles from books every single day — then she truly would be my most cherished companion.”
There was a well-known anecdote among the tribe: the great Khan Ashina Silifa feared nothing in heaven or earth — except for the National Master Abahe’s endless nagging.
Once, over some matter or other, National Master Abahe had come to find him and lectured him day after day without relenting. Ashina had Chiguxie stand guard outside and claim “the Khan is not in the tent.” Abahe did not believe it and forced his way inside.
Ashina, left with no alternative, drew his golden blade and slashed open the side of the tent and made his escape through the gap.
The infuriated National Master stood before the large ragged slit in the canvas that was letting in the wind and raged and cursed at the top of his lungs.
The National Master Abahe’s full name was Ashina Abahekuna She — Ashina Silifa’s younger brother by the same mother.
Their mother, wishing to prevent the brothers from slaughtering one another one day in a struggle for power, had early on sent her second son to study under the previous great National Master and inherit the position of Grand Shaman. This younger brother — who loved books and was captivated by written language — had been a source of headache for Ashina Silifa since childhood. But he had made a vow before his mother on her deathbed that in this life he would care for this brother and never raise a hand against his own blood, and so he could not break that oath.
Hearing Xie Yuzhang put it this way, Ashina Silifa — who genuinely did not love reading or scholarly pursuits — felt the corner of his eye twitch, and his interest evaporated completely.
He thought no more of that pretty Lin-surnamed handmaiden.
Hexi.
Li Gu sat in the barracks listening to Chen Liangzhi make his report.
“The Princess’s brow is easy and her complexion excellent. She says that she can manage all matters there, and you need not worry about her. She says that she and you look toward one another across the distance from Mobei, each faring well in their own place, and that is enough for both of you.” Chen Liangzhi recited Xie Yuzhang’s exact words with clear precision. “She says she hopes you will rise to great power and fill your household with wives and concubines.”
Chen Liangzhi was dark-complexioned and lean — the Central Plains merchant who had been received by Xie Yuzhang in Mobei, the man who had “looked upon” Xie Yuzhang on Li Gu’s behalf.
His powers of observation were something Li Gu trusted. Since he said she was faring well, then she truly was.
“Rise to great power. Fill his household with wives and concubines.” Li Gu turned those eight words over in his mind.
Chen Liangzhi lowered his eyes and said nothing.
Truly it was… the finest blessing one could offer a man. But — it depended entirely on who was saying it.
Chen Liangzhi broke the silence and continued: “On the grasslands, word has spread widely that the old man dotes on her enormously — practically to the point of granting her every wish. Even the golden blade he has carried at his side for years has been given to her. When I met with the Princess, she was wearing that golden blade at her waist, along with… a dagger.”
Chen Liangzhi had recognized the dagger at first glance the moment he saw it. To put it simply — that dagger was one he himself had once offered as a gift to Li Shiyi Lang. Li Shiyi Lang had treasured it deeply from the moment he received it, and had kept it always at his side. Yet there in Mobei, he had seen it tucked at the slender waist of the Princess.
“She is sixteen this year,” Li Gu said.
“Indeed,” Chen Liangzhi said. “After the great summer festival, I traveled another circuit through the grasslands. On my return, passing through the royal court again, I happened to arrive just as the old man was holding a celebration for her birthday — quite a lively affair. The people of Mobei all hold great affection for her, and look forward to next year, when she may become his true wife in full and bear him heirs.”
Li Gu raised his eyes and looked at him.
Chen Liangzhi gave a faint smile.
He admired and had pledged himself to Li Shiyi Lang — and Li Shiyi Lang was someone who could hear honest words.
As expected, Li Gu’s expression did not change. He said: “Wu Lang is coming to relieve me today. I head back to Liangzhou tomorrow to rest and recover. Let the three of us have a drink together tonight.”
Chen Liangzhi said agreeably: “Very well.”
When Li Weifeng caught sight of Chen Liangzhi, he broke into a wide grin: “Old Chen, where have you come from?”
Chen Liangzhi said: “Just returned from Mobei.”
Li Weifeng’s eyes lit up: “Then—” Chen Liangzhi laughed: “I brought you the strongest spirits there are.”
Li Weifeng hooked an arm around his neck: “I knew you wouldn’t let me down!”
Three men gathered for a small reunion, drinking from large bowls without restraint.
When the spirits had taken hold, Li Gu gripped Li Weifeng by the shoulder: “Wu Ge, we can both do it.”
“Do what?” Li Weifeng asked. That grip of Li Gu’s was something few could withstand — even he was squinting and baring his teeth under the pressure.
“Rise to great power. Fill the household with wives and concubines,” Li Gu said. “As our elder has done.”
“Absolutely!” Li Weifeng slapped his knee, a surge of bold ambition rising within him. “Just as our elder has done!”
Then he grinned: “As for wives and concubines — could we perhaps start with the concubines and get to the wife later?”
Chen Liangzhi burst out laughing: “Would Eldest Sister let you off the hook?”
Li Weifeng’s face crumpled: “She is forever chasing me to take a proper wife! I already told her — give me one more year of freedom, and next year I will definitely bring home a proper wife!”
Chen Liangzhi laughed and sighed: “Eldest Sister has truly worn herself out fretting over you all.”
“Elder Sister has only our best interests at heart,” Li Gu said, draining a full bowl of spirits. “Next year, let us both marry at the same time.”
Li Weifeng stared at him: “If you want to marry, you go right ahead — I am perfectly happy as I am. I have no desire to be tied down. Look at Huo Jiu since he married Elder Sister — managed and kept in line every single day. Watching that has quite snuffed out any desire I had to take a wife!”
“Fine, then I will marry,” Li Gu said, and drained another bowl. “A man of character should build a family as well as a career. The time has come to build a family.”
Li Weifeng looked at him sideways: “What wind has blown into you today?”
Chen Liangzhi smiled and said nothing.
Li Gu had to be carried back to the barracks by the two of them together.
Once his shoes had been removed, his outer robe taken off, and the thin blanket tucked over him, Chen Liangzhi spun on his heel and made to flee. Li Weifeng darted out from behind and hooked him around the neck, hauling him back: “Trying to run?”
“Let go quickly!” Chen Liangzhi slapped at his arm frantically. “You are going to kill me!”
“Hmph!” Li Weifeng said. “Tell me quickly — what happened? What is wrong with Shi Yi?”
All three men could hold their liquor like the sea — not even the most potent spirits of Mobei could touch them. Li Weifeng and Chen Liangzhi were perfectly fine, and yet Li Gu had gotten drunk? Something was not right!
Chen Liangzhi grumbled: “It is not proper for me to speak of Shiyi Lang’s private affairs.”
“Rubbish!” Li Weifeng spat. “Shiyi and I — what is there between us that is ‘private’?”
“Stop spitting on me.” Chen Liangzhi said with distaste, wiping his face with his sleeve, and smacked Li Weifeng’s arm. “If you want me to talk, first give me room to breathe!”
Only then did Li Weifeng release him.
Chen Liangzhi took out a handkerchief and wiped his face, then said: “On this trip to Mobei, Shiyi Lang asked me to go and look in on that princess who was sent to forge the alliance.”
“Ah!” Li Weifeng brought his fist down against his palm. “Princess Baohua! Is she well?”
“She is faring extremely well. The entire grasslands knows how much the old man dotes on her. And they have not yet even shared a bed — once they do, he will likely dote on her to the heavens and beyond,” Chen Liangzhi said.
“What does any of that matter — she is matched to a decrepit old man. How could she be truly happy?” Li Weifeng heaved a long sigh.
“Do you know that princess too?” Chen Liangzhi asked.
“Met her in Yunjing,” Li Weifeng said, reaching down to touch the tiger-carved jade pendant at his waist — the one he was always so fond of. “This came from her. Princess Baohua gave one to me and one to Shiyi — a matched pair.”
The jade was of the finest quality — Chen Liangzhi was a merchant and could see that at a glance. He had noticed Li Weifeng always wearing it, but this was the first time he had heard that Li Gu had one too. He said with surprise: “Shiyi Lang has one as well? I have never seen him wear it.”
“He cannot bear to wear it — he keeps it put away,” Li Weifeng said. “There is also a beautiful golden saddle, also kept away. Everything Princess Baohua ever gave him, he has kept away.”
He said all this, and then paused.
He had known all of this for a long while, and had never thought much of it before. Yet somehow, saying it aloud now, it left a strange feeling in him.
His nose felt oddly tight.
Chen Liangzhi smiled: “It will be fine. Marry a proper wife next year, and it will all pass.”
Li Weifeng rubbed his nose and glared at him: “You think you know everything?”
Everyone had their own story, and the older one grew, the more stories there were. Chen Liangzhi was indeed a few years older than Li Weifeng.
He gazed at the moonlight pooling on the ground and sighed: “What happened in one’s youth — it is just that. No matter how vivid it was at the time, given long enough, it naturally fades.”
The voice of someone who had lived through it settled into the moonlight and the dust, leaving no trace — just like all those years of youth that had already passed away.
The wind came from somewhere even further north, sweeping across the grasslands, passing through Hexi, and at last brushing gently over the splendor of Yunjing.
Another year’s festival season passed, and spring returned to the earth. The highland meadows began to show the first flush of green.
In the blink of an eye, the season for shearing and grooming the sheep had arrived. Great heaps of earthy grey, dirty wool piled up in the sheepfolds. Wisps of short fleece were caught by the wind and drifted everywhere.
At this time of year, when Xie Yuzhang went out she had to cover her mouth and nose with a light gauze veil to avoid breathing in the drifting wool and sneezing endlessly.
The younger handmaidens who came outside forgot to cover their faces with gauze and sneezed without stopping, complaining: “The wind has picked up. How awful.”
The other handmaidens laughed at her. She muttered a couple of complaints, then tilted her head upward and looked.
Up on the hill, two figures sat on horseback, still and motionless.
“What is our Princess looking at?” the young handmaiden asked, curious.
Xie Yuzhang stood on the high ground, gazing south.
“The wind has picked up — do you feel it?” she said.
Lin Fei also looked southward: “This time of year, Yunjing would already be warm enough for gauze dresses.”
“Yes,” Xie Yuzhang said.
A long silence.
“A’Fei,” Xie Yuzhang said softly. “It has begun.”
Her father — the Emperor in Yunjing — had at last grown too impatient to hold back, and had set in motion his campaign to suppress the regional lords.
Of course, one starts with the softer fruit. He chose Lin Xiupu, who was comparatively weaker in strength, as the first to strike against. Yet the Emperor had forgotten — “weaker” was only relative.
The Emperor had assumed that by the sheer authority of the imperial throne, Lin Xiupu would not dare to revolt. Yet he had also forgotten: there is a saying that even a cornered dog will leap over a wall, and a rabbit, when truly desperate — will bite.
“Lin Xiupu raised troops and laid siege to the city. The Emperor grew frightened and sent a secret edict summoning Huang Yungong to come to his aid,” Xie Yuzhang sighed.
Lin Fei’s expression was impassive: “Every step was a mistake.”
And thus the great tower was brought low, and the dream of splendor came crashing awake. The lightning bolt struck across the length and breadth of the land, and the great beasts that had lain dormant bared their fangs.
Da Zhao was torn to pieces. Every warlord of consequence entrenched himself with his armies, and what followed was a period of chaos that even later generations could not make clear sense of.