Outside Weizhou City, heavy snow blanketed the sky.
Zheng Hu lifted the curtain and walked into the temporarily erected military tent. After pouring himself a bowl of hot water and gulping it down in several mouthfuls, white vapor puffing from his mouth as he spoke: “We’ve been making a scene for half the day now. Apart from sending people to shout at us, telling us to go back where we came from, the Wei army inside the city hasn’t brought half a bit of news about Second Brother’s current situation. Military Advisor, before Second Brother set out, just what did you secretly plan with him?”
Zhang Huai said: “Remain calm. Everything is proceeding according to plan. Though the move our Lord has taken is dangerous, the benefits within are even more considerable.”
Zheng Hu had an impatient temperament and immediately urged: “My dear Military Advisor, I’ve been cursing outside until my mouth is about to blister. Without receiving news of Second Brother, my heart has no peace. Please stop keeping me in suspense.”
Song Qin at the side also said: “Today is the Northern Wei Young Lord’s wedding. By acting this way, we have certainly completely offended Marquis Shuobian and his son. If our Lord’s journey to resign is unsuccessful, the days ahead remaining in the northern border will likely be even more difficult.”
Zhang Huai glanced at the two but said: “Our Lord’s heart is set on leaving. Either we never let Marquis Shuobian know, or once it’s been stated clearly, he must leave. Otherwise, no matter what means Marquis Shuobian uses currently to force our Lord to stay, what awaits our Lord in the future will only be endless suspicion and wariness, even settling accounts after autumn. Marquis Shuobian’s attitude toward this matter already showed initial signs when our Lord requested resignation after Lieutenant Lin’s death.”
Zheng Hu said angrily: “Had we known this, we should have directly left his Wei camp then, which would have saved Sister-in-law and Second Brother from becoming estranged and adding misunderstandings!”
Zhang Huai said: “When I advised our Lord to stay then, I felt the time was not yet right. Although it was the Liang camp that wronged our Lord, causing our Lord to enter the Wei camp, for our Lord to defect again based solely on Lieutenant Lin’s death would ultimately invite criticism from people across the realm.”
Zheng Hu felt anger smoldering in his heart and mocked: “So one or two human lives just aren’t human lives then!”
Zhang Huai said helplessly: “General Zheng need not be angry. What Huai speaks of is only the worldly view.”
Song Qin called out “Old Tiger,” and Zheng Hu, holding back his anger, finally said no more.
Only then did Zhang Huai slightly lower his eyelashes and continue: “Such is human nature’s inferiority. The Tongzhou soldiers whom our Lord personally led out will follow our Lord regardless of what decision he makes—that’s true. But the other several routes of volunteer armies, until the fire truly burns them, they won’t feel endangered. That they can now share the same cause with us is also thanks to Wei Qishan wanting to suppress our Lord and dispatching the volunteer army to guard the Yanle Mountain defense line.”
He said: “Those ambitious lords who wish to contend for this realm cannot tolerate any defiance in temperament, which will ultimately trip them up in return.”
Initially, Zhang Huai thought that after Wei Qishan sent Wei Pingjin to apologize, having Xiao Li lead people to guard Yanle Mountain was to admonish Xiao Li and salvage some face for Wei Pingjin.
Later he gradually understood that Wei Qishan made that decision perhaps more because Xiao Li had “defied” him.
In Wei Qishan’s view, Xiao Li’s resignation request likely became a kind of threat.
He had his son lower his head, but also wanted Xiao Li to understand he could not use resignation requests to pressure the lord again.
Zheng Hu said urgently: “I know now all the volunteer armies are of one heart with us, but apart from that point, after listening to all you’ve said, Military Advisor, I still don’t understand—with Second Brother detained by Marquis Shuobian like this, where’s the benefit?”
The corners of Zhang Huai’s mouth held some smile. He refilled a bowl of tea for Zheng Hu, his long fingers pressing against the bowl’s wall as he pushed it before him, saying: “Naturally, it’s to let everyone know that our Lord’s departure from the Wei camp this time—the fault lies with Wei Qishan.”
Zheng Hu had just picked up the tea bowl but couldn’t help putting it back down upon hearing this. After exchanging glances with Song Qin, he pressed: “How so?”
Zhang Huai’s knuckles lightly tapped the table one by one: “Our Lord now has illustrious military achievements. Not to mention in the Northern Wei army—even among the northern border common people, he has considerable renown. Such a meritorious official went alone to attend a wedding banquet but was detained. Even if the Wei camp claims our Lord has committed wrongs, even defining our Lord’s crime as being a Liang camp spy—who would believe it?”
Both Zheng Hu and Song Qin were stunned. Song Qin then frowned: “I had people investigate and obtained some information, saying Marquis Shuobian’s side obtained a portrait of Princess Hanyang, and the Wei general who went to fetch the person personally identified her…”
The smile at the corners of Zhang Huai’s lips deepened as he asked in return: “Has the Liang camp acknowledged it?”
Song Qin’s words halted.
Zhang Huai said: “The Liang camp has, from beginning to end, claimed Princess Hanyang never came to the northern border and only recently entered Ziyang Pass with the great army to personally go to the front lines to supervise the battle. Pei Song claimed Princess Hanyang perished in the northern border and was thus mocked by scholars across the realm some time ago. Now Princess Hanyang has appeared at the front lines. If the Wei camp still brings up the excuse that Princess Hanyang was once captured by them, wouldn’t they be following in Pei Song’s footsteps?”
Hearing this, Zheng Hu’s face finally showed a smile. He slapped the table hard: “That means the Wei camp can now only detain Second Brother—they fundamentally cannot publicly convict him of crimes!”
Song Qin slightly furrowed his brow center: “I only fear our Lord’s temperament is too upright, wanting to clearly and thoroughly sever everything with Marquis Shuobian, confessing without reservation.”
Zhang Huai lightly pulled at his lips: “That also doesn’t matter. When one wishes to condemn, what difficulty is there in finding a pretext? What’s important is whether that Princess Hanyang on the Liang camp side acknowledges it.”
After all, the only crime the Wei camp could currently pin on Xiao Li was the matter of him concealing Wen Yu’s identity.
But as long as Wen Yu’s side didn’t acknowledge it, if the Wei camp dared move against Xiao Li, no matter how it was explained, that would still be harming loyal and worthy officials.
At that time, what would be in chaos would only be the Wei camp’s military morale, and what would be damaged would also be the Wei camp’s reputation.
This soft blade was the same as the soft blade Wei Qishan gave them when he had Xiao Li lead the volunteer army to guard the Yanle Mountain defense line.
Their own people understood everything but couldn’t speak of it externally.
They suffered hidden losses at Yanle Mountain and so many brothers died, yet they also couldn’t openly censure Wei Qishan for anything. After all, outsiders didn’t understand Yanle Mountain’s dangers, nor did they know the gap in military provisions between the Wolf Cavalry and their volunteer army.
With one sentence from the Wei camp about giving them an opportunity to establish merit, if they themselves lacked ability and bit back at the commander, they could brush everything aside while making Xiao Li bear an indelible stigma.
This was also the reason Zhang Huai agreed to this journey after learning Xiao Li wanted to go to Weizhou to attend the wedding banquet.
If Xiao Li wanted to leave, he couldn’t leave with any stains on him—otherwise it would be detrimental to his future establishment of his own faction.
After hearing all this, Zheng Hu happily picked up the tea bowl and drained it in one gulp, wiping his lips with the back of his hand: “Knowing Second Brother won’t come to harm in his Wei camp, I’m relieved!”
He stood up and walked outside: “I’ll continue cursing at them!”
Song Qin looked at his retreating figure and helplessly shook his head. When he looked at Zhang Huai again, he asked about another possibility he was concerned about: “What if Marquis Shuobian’s side continues to refuse to release him?”
Zhang Huai met Song Qin’s gaze for several moments, then smiled faintly: “Our Lord is upright in character and also noble in character. He only wishes to leave the Wei camp and establish his own enterprise, never thinking of scheming for a single soldier from the Wei camp. But as a strategist, Huai must think through all feasible paths for our Lord.”
Song Qin vaguely sensed something but still didn’t quite understand clearly. He asked: “What do you mean?”
Zhang Huai turned his eyes to look at the cup of clear tea on his table that had never been touched, saying: “General Song, after Wei Qishan is gone, how many people in the Wei camp do you think will submit to their Young Lord?”
Song Qin did not speak.
Zhang Huai said quietly: “Our Lord being detained this time is precisely a pathfinding stone. At the very least, it allows us to see clearly which people in the Wei camp are utterly loyal to the Wei clan, which are neutral, and which… are willing to befriend us.”
“If it truly comes to an unavoidable situation, the cost of both armies going to war is too great. Persuading some Wei officials to help us abduct our Lord is also possible. In any case, the justification for our Lord to formally leave the Wei camp has now been personally delivered by Marquis Shuobian.”
Not how many people from the volunteer army died at Yanle Mountain, but that Wei Qishan falsely accused a loyal official with fabricated crimes.
When Wei Qishan made the former decision, it was impossible for him to let them obtain grounds to make trouble over it.
The latter—with Xiao Li’s military achievements currently flourishing—was the perfect opportunity to ignite that fire.
Song Qin, thinking of how he had the volunteer army come outside the city today to curse and demand their person back, suddenly had an epiphany: “You deliberately chose today when the Wei Young Lord was wedding and coming and going guests were numerous to make this matter big?”
Zhang Huai’s gaze remained as peaceful as ever, only his voice displayed full sharp intent: “Huai said long ago that since our Lord has already let Marquis Shuobian thoroughly understand his intentions, he can no longer remain subordinate under the Wei clan. Either establish his own faction or replace them entirely. So whether this action will offend Marquis Shuobian… is not important.”
Song Qin thought for a moment and said: “After our Lord destroyed that barbarian force he’d been tracking for many days, the barbarians seemed to feel we had seen through their tactics and have had no activity in recent days. After the Liang and Chen camps attacked into Ziyang Pass, the Wei camp also seems anxious to jointly attack Pei Song. But currently the troops haven’t been dispatched externally yet. Even if we want to win over some Wei officials to abduct him, now is not the time.”
Zhang Huai smiled: “So I’ve left room for negotiation with the Wei camp.”
—
Inside the dungeon, three chi of skylight shone in from beyond the high wall.
Xiao Li gripped the wine jug’s rim. After a long silence, he finally only said: “Xiao Li is dull-witted. I still hadn’t perceived my lord’s previous admonishment and don’t know when the next admonishment will be, or how many lives of the soldiers in my hands will be needed to fill it. Xiao Li dares not gamble with their lives. I still only want to lead my brothers back to be carefree idle people.”
Upon hearing these words, Liao Jiang knew the resentment and anger in his heart still hadn’t dissipated.
As a fellow military general, he also quite appreciated Xiao Li, so he spoke more frankly: “Do you know the principle of ‘An ordinary man is not guilty, but possessing jade makes him guilty’?”
Xiao Li didn’t answer. He drank a mouthful of strong liquor and continued: “Based solely on the many achievements you’ve displayed in military command, my lord also cannot possibly let you leave. You probably feel there’s no such principle in this world, isn’t that right? But any person in power would do this.”
Xiao Li still didn’t respond, but in this room’s desolate chill, he suddenly thought of Wen Yu.
He wanted to say, how could that be?
Wen Yu had once continuously urged him to leave and countless times warned him, hoping that wherever he went in the future to seek his fortune, it would be for himself and not for her.
Only in the end he still didn’t speak. All his memories with her were things that belonged solely to him. He didn’t want to tell them to others.
Seeing him silent, Liao Jiang thought he had listened to some extent. He sighed and continued: “That the northern border common people and army soldiers all love and support my lord so much is sufficient to prove how much my lord cherishes his subjects below. Only there are no saints in this world, nor perfect people. Being human means making mistakes. Before the former Liang imperial family fell, how many corrupt officials were raised in court, and how many loyal officials and good generals were wronged? But didn’t the ministers of the honest faction still fulfill their loyalty? If, because the sovereign handles one matter poorly, every minister requests to resign from office, how can this realm be governed? When my lord didn’t know your temperament, he used that method to admonish you, which created such a misunderstanding. Now that he knows your nature, how would old matters repeat?”
Xiao Li said: “I know the General and others all believe in an old saying: ‘If the sovereign wants the subject to die, the subject cannot but die.’ Only Xiao Li comes from the wilderness and also lacks education. What I’ve always believed in is repaying kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity. The kindness my lord showed Xiao Li, Xiao Li believes has been fully repaid. With the matter of my former lord also intervening, even if I stayed, between myself and my lord there would ultimately be some resentment, inevitably producing cracks again in the future. Better to part ways now—at least some loyalty and righteousness remain.”
Liao Jiang could only sigh again, knowing the young person before him had clawed his way up from the bottom, and though his temperament was upright, he also saw many matters transparently.
He said: “All the persuasive words I could say, I’ve finished. Since your mind is made up, I also won’t say more. Only those brothers in your camp are now blocking outside the city, cursing and demanding my lord release you. Today also happens to be the Young Lord’s wedding—this is trampling both my lord’s and the Young Lord’s face into the ground. My lord is preparing to dispatch troops into An Pass to attack Pei Song and currently finds civil war inconvenient. He’s willing to give you an opportunity to lower your head and admit fault, which is why he hasn’t ordered people to truly move against them. But you’re unwilling to lower that head. If they continue making trouble like this and disrupting military morale, my lord, for the sake of the bigger picture, will also have to get serious. Even for their sake, pass a message to them to withdraw first.”
Xiao Li furrowed his brow, as if he hadn’t expected his subordinates to be so aggressive.
He said: “Give me paper and brush. I’ll write them a letter.”
—
At dusk, a letter in Xiao Li’s own handwriting was finally sent out from Weizhou City.
Zhang Huai, along with Song Qin, Zheng Hu, and all the generals in the tent, compared and confirmed the handwriting was undoubtedly Xiao Li’s. Zhang Huai’s refined brows and eyes reflected the firelight in the tent as he said: “The safety letter has been received. The great army breaks camp and moves fifty li, then camps again.”
This was the room for negotiation he left for the Wei camp.
—
A thousand li away at Ziyang Pass.
Wen Yu stood on the city tower, gazing at the mountain ranges to the north, the fur trim at her neck blown slightly askew by the cold wind.
An elderly man in pine-crane robes with grizzled beard and hair ascended the city steps from behind and spoke: “The Princess seems to frequently come to this place in recent days.”
Wen Yu looked at the newcomer and called out “Grand Tutor.” When her gaze fell back on those mountain peaks capped with thin snow, she said: “I’m looking at when we can recapture Fengyang and Luodu and rescue my sister-in-law.”
She still wanted to demand a person from Wei Qishan!
In recent days, much news from the northern lands had also reached Ziyang Pass.