Guanlin Hall.
Wei Qishan sat in dark robes in the main seat above, with over ten armored Wei manor household generals seated on both sides below.
An armored soldier trotted inside and whispered in Wei Qishan’s ear: “The person has arrived.”
Wei Qishan raised his eyes to look, and saw beyond the wide-open doorway, below the bluestone steps, the manor’s armed soldiers retreating vigilantly from both sides.
In a moment, one person ascended the steps alone. His tall figure, though completely surrounded by armored soldiers on the left, right, and behind, was still extremely conspicuous, giving people an indescribable sense of oppression.
Such a person happened to also possess an extremely handsome face, only there was rarely a smile on it. The fierce coldness between his brows and eyes always forced people not to dare look too long at his appearance.
As he approached, the Wei manor household generals on both sides inside the hall also cast particularly unfriendly gazes toward him.
Xiao Li acted as if he noticed nothing and walked leisurely inside.
Yuan Fang, who followed Xiao Li inside, cupped his fists toward Wei Qishan: “My lord, this general has brought Lord Xiao here.”
Before Wei Qishan, Xiao Li restrained some of his fierce aura and cupped his fists toward Wei Qishan as he had in the past: “Xiao Li pays respects to my lord.”
Wei Qishan stared at Xiao Li for two breaths with somewhat gloomy eyes. He did not immediately tear off the mask, but instead said: “Pingjin’s wedding is imminent. Pei Song had someone send a congratulatory gift. My son, take a look.”
Having spoken, he made a gesture, and a personal guard behind him stepped forward holding a painted scroll.
As the guard’s hands loosened, the scroll over three chi long unfurled and fell from his hands, and the person in the painting also leaped into Xiao Li’s view.
Amid golden jade peonies, the woman had brows like distant mountains and eyes like a clear moon. Though she wore white brocade woven with gold—rainbow garments of extraordinary nobility—her entire being also emanated an air of lofty, transcendent immortal elegance, not seeming like someone from the mortal realm.
Only due to her still tender years, her face still carried some childishness and roundness.
Wei Qishan said: “This was painted three years ago by Wu Gouzi, a famous court painter in Luodu, for Princess Hanyang. It is said that at the time, the Prince of Chen, who was still heir apparent, saw this painting and from then on could not think of food or tea, becoming lovesick for Princess Hanyang to the point of illness. This finally led Queen Mother Jiang of Southern Chen to take charge and allow him to propose marriage to the Changlian Prince’s manor.”
He stared at Xiao Li: “I sent people to your army camp to fetch that Jiang Yu concubine. She has a face identical to Princess Hanyang in this painting. How does my son explain this?”
Xiao Li finally answered with only six words: “Xiao Li has nothing to say.”
These words aroused even greater dissatisfaction from the Wei manor household generals on both sides. Some kicked low tables to make noise, some emitted cold snorts from their nostrils, clearly all provoked, the hostility in their gazes so intense it seemed almost tangible.
Someone even directly shouted: “My lord, the Young Lord was right before—the Battle of Majialiang was suspicious to begin with. How did he just happen to save General Yuan so conveniently? He must be a spy the Liang camp deliberately arranged! Kill him to warn others!”
“We’ve long heard that Princess Hanyang of the Liang camp is deeply calculating. To scheme and plant such a person commanding heavy troops in our northern border heartland—if not for her Liang camp’s treacherous plot being exposed along with Pei’s scheme this time, and the Pei camp and her Liang camp fighting each other like dogs sending this scroll, we would still be kept in the dark!”
The assembled household generals below seemed to quickly reach consensus, striking their tables in unison and shouting loudly: “Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Seeing this, Yuan Fang, who had led Xiao Li inside, immediately knelt down and urgently said: “We cannot kill him! We cannot kill him! Please reconsider, my lord! You also know the Liang camp once had mortal enmity with Lord Xiao due to a misunderstanding, which caused Lord Xiao to leave the Liang camp. If the Battle of Majialiang was a scheme by the Liang and Chen camps to harm our Wei camp, then why did Dou Jianliang of the Chen camp betray and defect to Pei Song, then help Pei Song injure the Liang camp’s great general Fan Yuan? This once nearly forced the Liang and Chen camps to completely collapse! Since Lord Xiao came to our Wei camp, the various meritorious achievements he has established have been witnessed by all in the army. Apart from concealing the Hanyang matter, Lord Xiao has never acted against our Wei camp. There must be some misunderstanding in this!”
After speaking, he looked at Xiao Li again: “Benefactor, quickly explain yourself to the Marquis!”
When Xiao Li heard Yuan Fang say that Wei Qishan knew the Liang camp had once tried to poison him, a few traces of not particularly obvious mockery suddenly appeared in his eyes.
So there was no such thing as trust without reason in this world.
At the celebration feast after the Battle of Youzhou, Wei Qishan did not ask about his past in the Liang camp and insisted on keeping him, then later let him command those thirty thousand volunteer troops—this was not meeting as old friends, but rather he had secretly investigated his past thoroughly. Only after considering various interests did he make that decision.
The righteousness that had originally weighed on his heart, making him endure the Wei camp’s various actions again and again, suddenly became light and insubstantial at this moment.
What he thought was kindness and emphasis on righteousness was merely his own wishful thinking.
Everything was the result of clashing interests.
But to make it sound better, they dressed it up in all kinds of high-sounding rhetoric, pressing the other party’s head lower and lower, while still requiring the other party to be grateful.
At this moment, Xiao Li suddenly felt tired and disgusted. His tone grew slightly cold: “There’s nothing to explain. Apart from the Hanyang matter, Xiao believes he has not wronged the Marquis or the Wei camp in any way. When one wishes to condemn, what difficulty is there in finding a pretext? Since Xiao dared to come here alone today, he has prepared to be settled with by the Marquis. Having repaid the Marquis’s ‘kindness of recognition,’ Xiao no longer owes the Marquis anything.”
A Wei manor household general was so provoked by these words that he slammed the table and stood up, shouting loudly: “Audacious! With these arrogant words alone, even if you had nine more heads on your neck it wouldn’t be enough to cut off!”
“You still dare say you’re not a spy from the Liang camp! Why didn’t you request resignation earlier or later, but only after Hanyang was captured? Isn’t it because you feared the matter would be exposed?”
Wei Qishan raised his hand, and those emotionally agitated Wei generals stopped speaking.
The weather grew colder day by day, and his physical condition seemed to be declining as well. But no matter how aged and injured he was, the imposing authority accumulated over these decades was no empty shell.
His gaze was sharp enough to seem able to peel open people’s hearts. After coughing with his hand covering his mouth, he asked: “This Marquis has treated you like a son—is this how you repay this Marquis’s trust?”
Xiao Li said: “Sovereign is sovereign, subject is subject. Xiao Li dares not overstep.”
Wei Qishan, whether hurt or angered by these words, laughed coldly: “Good, very good—such fine words about sovereign and subject not daring to overstep! Since you dared to conceal Hanyang’s identity, do you truly think this Marquis doesn’t dare kill you?”
Seeing Wei Qishan had already grown angry, Yuan Fang felt the situation increasingly ominous. Fearing he truly intended to execute Xiao Li, he hastily said: “My lord! Do not act rashly! Lord Xiao has repeatedly achieved miraculous feats in our Wei camp! Setting aside his previous two battle achievements, in recent days he not only destroyed a barbarian force that repeatedly invaded and harassed at Yanle Mountain, but also executed that traitor Dou Jianliang who caused the death of twenty thousand of our Northern Wei soldiers. He also discovered Pei Song’s secret troop movements within our northern border. Her Liang camp’s Hanyang has already led troops to break through Ziyang Pass and their momentum is strong. If we kill Lord Xiao at this time, setting aside whether her Liang camp will use this to create trouble and slander us, those thirty thousand volunteer troops alone will certainly rebel!”
After speaking, he turned to Xiao Li again: “Benefactor, I know you are a person who values loyalty and righteousness. No matter how the Liang camp treated you in the past, with your former lord in difficulty, you ultimately cannot bear to be one who kicks them when they’re down. This is all a misunderstanding—benefactor, just apologize to the Marquis!”
A Wei general beside them mocked coldly: “General Yuan, why must you continue pleading for this Liang camp spy! Do you think he truly wanted to enter our Wei camp? Even if he stays, it’s likely just this traitor’s expedient measure!”
That Wei general turned and cupped his fists toward Wei Qishan: “My lord! Even if we cannot kill this person now, we still need to imprison him first! Since General Yuan claims he is not a Liang camp spy, my lord might as well send a letter to her Liang camp demanding they exchange several cities they conquered in Guanzhong for him, and see how her Liang camp responds!”
But Yuan Fang understood all too clearly that once this letter was sent, it would be naked humiliation to Xiao Li with his pride. He would truly never again be willing to serve as their Wei general.
He wholeheartedly wanted Xiao Li and Wei Qishan to clear up the misunderstanding and restore the sovereign-subject father-son harmony. After being repeatedly mocked by that Wei general, his temper could not help but rise. He shouted coldly: “I wholeheartedly want to retain this brave general for the Marquis. If Northern Wei loses Lord Xiao, who will bear responsibility for the collapse of military morale—will you? You keep saying spy this and spy that—when you went to the Liang camp as a spy, did you take the lead and charge at the very front, repeatedly establishing unparalleled achievements for the Liang camp? If even this can be slandered as being a spy, who else in the world would dare enter our Wei camp? During wartime, which soldiers below would still dare charge at the very front?”
That Wei general wanted to open his mouth to refute, but was blocked again by Yuan Fang: “Her Liang camp originally still owed Lord Xiao for that arrow’s enmity. You want them to exchange cities for him—isn’t this helping her Liang camp reconcile with Lord Xiao and personally send him back? I think you’re the spy!”
In his fury, Yuan Fang’s finger nearly poked that Wei general’s face.
He was also the most trusted great general beside Wei Qishan after Liao Jiang. That Wei general dared to be angry but not speak, his face flushed bright red with frustration.
Wei Qishan, seated above, finally spoke: “Enough.”
He looked at Xiao Li. Beyond majesty and icy coldness in his eyes, there also seemed to be suppressed slight anger at being defied and some grief at being betrayed: “Tell this Marquis truthfully—you repeatedly requested resignation, is it or is it not for your former lord Hanyang!”
Xiao Li raised his eyes to look directly at Wei Qishan, his gaze worthy of being called frank: “Everyone says the Marquis loves his troops like sons. Xiao believed the Marquis should know why Xiao requested resignation.”
“But since the Marquis can feel that Xiao Li did it for his former lord’s sake, then truly Xiao Li overestimated the Marquis. This resignation request is even more correct.”
Several Wei generals had already roared: “Audacious!”
Yuan Fang also urgently shouted: “Lord!”
Only that Wei general who had been confronted by Yuan Fang earlier finally found an excuse to act. He had already kicked the low table toward Xiao Li and drawn his sword while rising: “Rebel, cease your arrogance!”
The heavy wooden table flying toward Xiao Li was struck back with one elbow, smashing back toward that Wei general. The sword in the other’s hand had not yet reached Xiao Li when he could only raise his other arm to block.
Only when the low table smashed toward him face-on, it seemed to weigh a thousand jun. That Wei general was directly knocked to the ground, the table’s edge pressing heavily against his throat, with a black boot stepping on top.
That Wei general was strangled until he could not breathe, his throat nearly shattered. Unable to hold his sword, he could only use both hands to push forcefully at the table’s edge. The veins on his neck bulged as he tried to push the table away somewhat, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.
Due to the earlier disturbance, a crowd of armored soldiers surged into the room. Those with spears held spears, those with crossbows drew crossbows, surrounding Xiao Li in an encircling formation, yet not one person dared step forward.
In front of Wei Qishan, Yuan Fang and those dozen-plus Wei generals formed an even denser protective wall.
Yuan Fang, unwilling for the situation to ultimately develop this way, still advised with heartache: “Benefactor! Do not act rashly!”
Xiao Li did not release the Wei general he was stepping on through the wooden table. He raised a pair of heavy, sharp, oppressive eyes and looked directly at Wei Qishan, who was blocked behind the human wall, slowly saying: “Didn’t the Marquis want Xiao’s reason for resignation? Then Xiao will tell the Marquis.”
“Of the fifteen thousand eight hundred sons of Tongzhou who entered the northern border with me, only twelve thousand three hundred and seven remain today. Of these three thousand four hundred and ninety-three sons—only about a hundred died in Youzhou, only about a hundred died pursuing the Pei army, and only about five hundred died in the perilous Battle of Yanle Mountain in Weizhou. The remaining over two thousand all died in barbarian encirclements after being exhausted rushing between the various border defense camps at Yanle Mountain!”
“Among them, some had seventy-year-old mothers at home, some had newly wedded wives, and some had young children. Xiao does not know how to be a good general, but however I brought them away from home, I should bring them back properly. Those who died heroically on the battlefield fighting enemies—Xiao should erect monuments for them and support their wives, children, and parents. Now they died because Xiao failed to satisfy the commander’s intentions and were driven to the battlefield to their deaths. When Xiao returns home, how can I face their wives, children, and elderly parents!”
Upon reaching the last sentence, Xiao Li exerted force with his foot, directly trampling the solid low table into a pile of scattered wood. Blood also painfully overflowed from that Wei general’s mouth as he was kicked back before the steps of the assembled Wei generals blocking Wei Qishan, breathing with difficulty.
No one dared move.
Xiao Li remained barehanded and empty-fisted. Facing those densely packed spear points and arrow tips aimed at him, he showed not the slightest fear. Beyond the fierce aura and coldness that could strangle wind and snow in his eyes, there were also a few not particularly obvious traces of hidden pain as silent as black rock. He mocked himself: “Had I known the Wei Young Lord’s apology would require the lives of over two thousand of my subordinate sons in exchange, Xiao truly should not have accepted it.”
“The Marquis need not speak anymore of treating Xiao Li like a son. Sovereign and subject—are precisely sovereign and subject.”
“Xiao Li came to this meeting alone only to fulfill this final loyalty and sever the sovereign-subject bond.”
Hearing these words, Yuan Fang’s face showed both shame and pain.
No wonder when he went to persuade him, Xiao Li had so readily agreed to come to Weizhou with him.
He knew everything!
Wei Qishan’s face was completely cold and gloomy, with hidden anger. While coughing, he coldly ordered: “Seize him!”