As summer gave way to autumn, the mountain winds grew cooler day by day. Near the military camp, a sweet osmanthus tree slowly released its rich fragrance, silently watching the dark armor and golden weapons, the killing and warfare that had been ongoing for over two months at Huiyan Pass.
The armies of Hua and Huan had been facing off at Huiyan Pass for several months, engaging in dozens of fierce battles. Both sides employed frequent tactics, yet neither could claim victory. The Huan army couldn’t advance south, and the Changfeng Cavalry failed to reclaim lost territory. The war between the two nations had reached a prolonged stalemate.
On the twelfth day of the eighth month, the slanting sunlight no longer carried the intense heat of two months prior, now tinged with hints of autumn. The sound of galloping hooves fell like rapid rain, pattering on the mountain path before swiftly entering the military camp.
Jiang Ci and Xiao Tian leaped from their horses. The Changfeng Cavalry soldiers emerging from the medical tent greeted her with smiles: “Military Physician Jiang is back!” “Did Military Physician Jiang bring any delicacies from Hexi?”
Jiang Ci smiled as she untied a large bag of medicinal herbs from her saddle. She and Xiao Tian carried it into the medical tent. Noticing Military Physician Ling was distracted, she secretly slipped a package of “sesame cakes” wrapped in oiled paper to a wounded soldier no more than seventeen or eighteen years old. The soldier, who had lost an arm, accepted the sesame cakes with a beaming smile and ran off.
As Military Physician Ling turned around, Jiang Ci and Xiao Tian exchanged winks and walked away smiling.
When night fell completely, Xiao Tian washed his hands and left the medical tent, turning back to give Jiang Ci a meaningful look. After a while, Jiang Ci followed him out.
The two quietly retrieved a sack from behind the medical tent and snuck toward the mountains near the camp. Soon, they turned to a spot behind some shrubs where the young medicine apprentices Xiao Qing and Xiao Chong were waiting anxiously. Seeing the two approaches, they snatched the sack, pulled out the pheasants inside, and said with a laugh, “What took you so long?”
Xiao Tian smiled, “We were afraid Old Ling would discover us. It wasn’t easy for Little Jiang and me to catch these.”
“If only you could go to Hexi Prefecture every day to get medicine, then we could have roasted chicken daily.”
Jiang Ci couldn’t help but knock Xiao Qing on the head, “You think we run into pheasants every time? It took Xiao Tian and me quite a while to catch these. Besides, if we never needed to go to Hexi for medicine again, it would mean our Changfeng Cavalry had no more wounded soldiers. Now that would be a good thing.”
Xiao Qing grinned and took out a dagger to gut the pheasant. Jiang Ci’s interest was piqued, “Don’t roast it. I’ll make beggar’s chicken for you all.”
The three, having heard of Jiang Ci’s culinary skills, were delighted. They handed over the stolen oil and salt. Jiang Ci skillfully prepared the dish while the others watched intently, constantly swallowing.
After burying the mud-wrapped chicken in the fire pit, Jiang Ci dusted off her hands and smiled, “Alright, we’ll dig it out in less than half an hour, and then we can eat.”
The four had worked together in the medical tent for several months and had formed a deep friendship. Now, as they chatted and laughed while engaging in the “grand affair” of stealing food to roast chicken, they felt truly content. After a while, Jiang Ci was inspired and started humming a few opera tunes for the three.
The autumn breeze carried wafts of osmanthus fragrance. Jiang Ci mentally calculated the dates and suddenly froze. When the beggar’s chicken was unearthed, she quietly wrapped a piece in a large leaf and hid it behind her back.
The four ate with great satisfaction before sneaking back towards the military camp. Suddenly, Jiang Ci felt a stomachache and ran towards a small grove. Xiao Tian and the others returned to the tent. Just as they reached the camp, they ran into Pei Yan leading the Changfeng Guard on patrol. He stared at Xiao Tian for a moment. Xiao Qing mustered up the courage to look and noticed a bit of chicken meat in the corner of Xiao Tian’s mouth. The three had no choice but to confess honestly.
When Pei Yan heard the words “beggar’s chicken,” his eyes flickered. He asked calmly, “Where’s Military Physician Jiang?”
Xiao Tian had no choice but to point towards the small grove.
Passing through the grove and walking about a mile and a half west of the camp, there was a small hill. Jiang Ci slipped to the top of the hill under the cover of night, stopping at a pine tree. She meowed twice, and after a while, an equally reluctant meow came from the tree.
Jiang Ci laughed and climbed to the largest branch. Wei Zhao leaned against the trunk, twirling his jade flute in his hand, his phoenix eyes slightly slanted as he said, “You asked me to come, yet you’re the one who’s late.”
Jiang Ci smiled, “I accept my punishment, so I brought you something.” She took out the beggar’s chicken wrapped in a large leaf from her bosom and handed it to Wei Zhao.
“Where did you get this?”
“Xiao Tian and I caught it on the road.”
Wei Zhao tore off a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth, his eyes showing a hint of indulgence. After he finished eating, Jiang Ci slowly leaned on his shoulder, gazing at the bright moon in the night sky, and softly said, “Wu Xia.”
“Mm.”
“Do you remember what day it is today?”
Wei Zhao thought for a moment, feeling deeply emotional. After a long while, he said, “Who told you to climb trees back then? You’ve suffered so much; it serves you right.”
Jiang Ci said softly, “I don’t regret it.” She looked up at him and said coquettishly, “But I want you to apologize to me.”
“How should I apologize?” Wei Zhao smiled.
Jiang Ci thought for a moment, then smiled brilliantly, “Play a song for me on your flute.”
“That simple?” Wei Zhao felt both amused and somewhat heartbroken. Finally, he reached out and held her. Jiang Ci’s small body curled up in his embrace like a gentle kitten. He was overcome with emotion and couldn’t help but lower his head to kiss her lips.
The two had been busy with their affairs for the past two months, rarely seeing each other. Sometimes when they met in the military camp, they would only exchange smiles. On the occasional times they arranged to meet, they would only find this secluded spot, talk for a few minutes, and then hurry back.
Now, with the cool autumn night and the fragrant breeze, their kiss deepened little by little. Jiang Ci also wrapped her arms around his neck. His kiss was as warm as the spring wind, and she felt her breath quickening as if she were melting into an autumn stream. She couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.
Wei Zhao also felt his breath becoming labored. His hands holding her seemed to want to do something, yet he didn’t know where to go. Her lips and teeth exuded fragrance, making his whole body feel as if it would explode. Hearing her soft moan, his mind went blank, and he suddenly hugged her tightly. As their tongues entwined, their breathing became more rapid.
Jiang Ci felt the world spinning, no longer knowing where she was. She only felt as if her waist would be broken by his tight embrace, and she let out a pained whimper.
Wei Zhao suddenly came to his senses and released her, panting. In the moonlight, her cheeks were as red as peach blossoms. His heart fluttered, and he secretly bit his tongue to gather the strength to move away a bit.
When Jiang Ci’s heartbeat was no longer pounding like a drum, she moved closer and gently held his right hand, looking up at him.
His black hair hung by his ears, making his skin appear as white as jade. His features were exquisitely beautiful. The moonlight filtering through the treetops shone on him, making him appear as clear and refined as when she first saw him in the tree a year ago. Jiang Ci couldn’t help but stare in fascination.
Wei Zhao calmed his heart, sighed softly, and said in a low voice, “I’ll play a song for you on the flute.”
“Alright,” Jiang Ci paused before adding, “In the future, you must play for me every day.”
The jade flute paused at his lips. The future, who knows what the future will bring? Wei Zhao slowly closed his eyes, and the flute’s melody began, joyful yet tinged with a faint melancholy, echoing lightly through the woods.
Jiang Ci leaned against his chest, listening silently, wishing this moment could last for all eternity.
The moon, nearly full for the Mid-Autumn Festival, was exceptionally bright, casting Pei Yan’s shadow very long.
He stood with his hands behind his back in the bushes at the foot of the small hill, watching her run up the slope, listening to the faint flute melody. The wind carried traces of her laughter.
Even after the flute’s sound faded, that slender figure held her hand as they descended the hill, with her humming a melodious tune. Until the two had leisurely walked away, he hadn’t moved a step.
A year had passed like flowing water, everything swept away with the current. Only the rocks beneath the stream remained, their moss growing deeper.
Seeing they were nearly at the military camp, Jiang Ci stopped and looked at Wei Zhao. In the moonlight, Wei Zhao felt her whole being exuded tenderness. He couldn’t help but hold her hand and ask, “What do you want to say?”
Jiang Ci leaned against his chest and said softly, “In three days, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival.”
Wei Zhao understood her meaning. His heart ached, and he suddenly looked up and laughed, “Alright, this year, we two who don’t have—” But he couldn’t continue.
Jiang Ci’s heart soured, and she finished his sentence, “From now on, we’ll be family, spending every festival together.”
Wei Zhao looked at the bright moon in the sky. In the future, could he have her by his side, spending one full moon night after another together?
As soon as Wei Zhao entered the tent, he saw who was inside and said coldly, “What happened? Didn’t I tell you to watch the palace?”
Yi Wu, covered in dust, approached and reported quietly, “Prince Zhuang asked me to deliver an urgent message, saying I must tell the master in person, not through a secret letter.”
“Speak.”
Yi Wu lowered his voice to a whisper, “The Prince said that the Gao family has a treasure, originally hidden in a secret location in Hexi Prefecture. But after Hexi fell, it vanished. The Prince investigated thoroughly and found that when the Imperial Uncle sacrificed himself, he didn’t have time to move the treasure out. The Prince suspects it fell into Pei Yan’s hands.”
Wei Zhao thought for a moment and chuckled coldly, “His guess isn’t wrong, but it’s too late. Pei Yan has already used it as a gesture of goodwill to win over the people’s hearts.”
“Yes, the Prince thought so too, but that’s not the main reason he sent me here.”
“Speak.”
Yi Wu lowered his voice even further, “Regarding the matter the master last conveyed to the Prince, he says he’s almost finished considering it. But now the Hexi army has only about twenty thousand men left. The Prince has done everything he could to prevent the Crown Prince from sending these men to the front lines to die, keeping them stable in Chaoyang Manor. Currently, while there’s no shortage of military rations, the weapons being distributed are of the poorest quality.”
Wei Zhao said calmly, “I can’t conjure up a batch for him either.”
“The Prince says he has a way to produce them, but he needs the master to find a way to transport them back.”
“Oh?”
“The Prince says the Gao family treasury has a vault-beneath-a-vault,” Yi Wu said slowly.
Wei Zhao’s face gradually filled with a smile, “Now that’s interesting.”
“Yes, the Gao family treasury is divided into two levels. The upper level contains the gold, silver, and jewels accumulated by the Gao family over a hundred years. The lower level is extremely secret, with the method of opening it known only to the Imperial Uncle and the Noble Consort, besides themselves. It houses enough fine weapons—armor, sabers, swords, halberds, spears, bows, and arrows—to equip tens of thousands of men. The Noble Consort revealed this secret to the Prince before her death.”
Wei Zhao’s eyes brightened as he pondered, “So the Gao clan had rebellious intentions long ago.”
“The weapons vault is extremely secret. The Prince estimates that Pei Yan’s men only found the upper-level treasure and certainly didn’t expect a large number of weapons on the lower level. Now Hexi Prefecture is full of Pei Yan’s men. The Prince wants to ask the master to find a way to retrieve these weapons and secretly transport them back to the Hexi army in Chaoyang Manor, handing them over to Gao Cheng.”
Wei Zhao frowned slightly, “How to transport so many weapons?”
“The Prince has sent some men here, all secretly entering the city. They plan to spend some time transporting the weapons in batches, but how the convoy can avoid searches and safely leave the city, the Prince says only the master has a way. The Prince requests that the master must find a way to transport the weapons back in these few days. Pei Ziyang and Scholar Dong show signs of wanting to make a move against Gao Cheng.”
Wei Zhao felt elated and smiled, “I do have a method, but it will give someone else an advantage.”
Pei Yan silently returned to the main tent. Ning Jianyu was playing chess with Cui Liang, already forced into a losing position. Seeing Pei Yan enter, he stood up with relief and smiled.
Pei Yan looked at the chess board and said, “Ziming, your skills have improved.” Ning Jianyu laughed, “I suspect he’s been holding back. I wanted to borrow his chess manual to study, but he’s being stingy.”
Pei Yan became interested and sat down in front of the chess board, “Ziming, don’t hold back. Let’s have a formal match.”
“Alright. What shall we wager?”
“Whatever Ziming desires, I shall grant.”
As the two engaged in an intense battle, Cui Liang said while playing, “This can’t go on like this.”
Pei Yan smiled, “Actually, Yuwenjing Lun is having a harder time than us. I’ve added fuel to his fire; I estimate he’s about to be burned.”
“Oh?”
Seeing both men looking at him intently, Pei Yan smiled, “It’s nothing much. I just had someone teach the Crown Prince of Huan a few words. I expect these words will soon reach Yuwenjing Lun’s ears.”
Wei Zhao lifted the tent flap and stood at the entrance, smiling, “Young Lord.”
Seeing the situation, Cui Liang and Ning Jianyu withdrew. Wei Zhao entered the tent with a smile. Pei Yan poured him a cup of tea and said, “Why is San Lang in such a good mood today?”
Wei Zhao smiled, “It’s nothing. I just remembered that the festival is approaching, and I want to give the Young Lord a grand gift.”
“Oh? Please, San Lang, do tell.”
“I won’t say what the gift is yet, but I need to ask the Young Lord for a token first.”
Pei Yan took out a token from behind the desk and tossed it to Wei Zhao, who caught it with one hand. “The Young Lord is indeed straightforward.”
“If I didn’t have this much sincerity, how could San Lang cooperate with me?” Pei Yan smiled, then asked curiously, “San Lang, don’t keep me in suspense. What grand gift is it?”
Wei Zhao spoke softly, and as he finished, Pei Yan’s eyes gradually brightened. The two looked at each other and laughed heartily. Pei Yan said, “It seems we’ll have to trouble San Lang to make a trip to Hexi Prefecture. As the commander-in-chief, I can’t leave.”