Gong Sun Yang said, “My lord, please calm your anger. How could Lady Qiao dare disrespect you? She must have her reasons. As she mentioned earlier, you are her husband, and Bi Zhi is not an outsider. Given her position, she naturally doesn’t want to see the two families at war. Even if her actions were improper, they are understandable. My lord should show some consideration.”
Wei Shao frowned, “Military Advisor, why do you always speak on her behalf? What exactly did she say to you earlier? Did she complain about me?”
Gong Sun Yang had long noticed that whenever the Marquis was displeased with him, he would change the address from “Sir” to “Military Advisor.” It seemed he had touched a sore spot again.
He quickly said, “My lord, please don’t misunderstand. When Lady Qiao came to me earlier, she only said she had angered you and feared you wouldn’t let her speak again. To resolve the misunderstanding, she passed Bi Zhi’s letter to me. You have entrusted me as your Military Advisor for many years. As such, the Lingbi situation is not just a family matter, so I dared to accept the letter.”
“Military Advisor, say no more! I’ve made my decision about Lingbi. How could a woman change that?”
Gong Sun Yang observed him.
Wei Shao’s gaze was fixed on the doorway, his eyes unblinking and his expression odd. Though his tone remained harsh, it seemed his anger had subsided somewhat.
Gong Sun Yang couldn’t quite fathom the Marquis’s thoughts at that moment. He presented the letter from Bi Zhi to him, saying, “This is Bi Zhi’s letter. My lord may want to take a look.”
Wei Shao shifted his gaze, glancing at the letter indifferently without taking it.
Gong Sun Yang unfolded it and read it aloud with proper intonation. After finishing, he said, “Regarding the Lingbi situation, I’ve already listed the pros and cons of engaging in battle now. My lord has always been wise and surely understands the priorities better than I do. I won’t presume to advise you further on this. Let’s just discuss Bi Zhi’s letter.”
“Bi Zhi, despite his background as a refugee leader, managed to cause Xue Tai’s death and defeat Yang Xin twice. His talent as a great general is undeniable. In his letter, he doesn’t try to leverage his connection as your brother-in-law. Instead, his words are quite sincere, asking for your forgiveness if there have been any misunderstandings. Since he’s actively seeking peace with you, why not grant him this favor? As the ancient saying goes, ‘A heart that can control righteousness is called measure; illuminating all directions is called brightness.’ The ancient Gao Yao once praised Yu with nine virtues, saying: ‘Lenient yet solemn, strict yet gentle, strong yet righteous, thus showing constancy, how auspicious!'”
Wei Shao remained silent.
Gong Sun Yang suddenly coughed a few times. Wei Shao’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and he looked up, about to stand. Gong Sun Yang waved his hand to stop the coughing, “I still remember the day before you took control of military and political affairs at seventeen. The Dowager Madam summoned me for a conversation, expressing many emotions and joys. She asked me how I viewed her. I replied that the Dowager Madam was quick to act decisively, wielding authority firmly, truly a woman not inferior to any man. But she said something I still remember vividly to this day.”
“The Dowager Madam said, ‘A person’s heart is but a fistful, so small it can’t be grasped. Yet the capacity of one’s magnanimity can swallow the flow of a hundred rivers and benefit the whole world. Looking back on half a lifetime, the journey has been difficult. That we’ve come this far is nothing worth mentioning, except for this one reflection.'”
Wei Shao remained silent.
Gong Sun Yang also stopped speaking.
After a moment, Wei Shao spoke coldly, “Sir, do you mean to say that if I don’t let that refugee leader off, I’m narrow-minded?”
Gong Sun Yang smiled, “How could my lord say such a thing? If my lord were narrow-minded and unable to accommodate others, how could so many capable generals and ministers willingly serve under you?”
Wei Shao’s gaze fell on the doorway across from him, lost in thought. After a while, he finally said, “Write to Yang Xin, and withdraw the troops.”
Gong Sun Yang was overjoyed and quickly said, “Yes, my lord.”
Wei Shao stood up and headed out.
Gong Sun Yang saw him off.
As Wei Shao reached the door, he remembered something and asked, “When will Envoy Guo Quan arrive in Xindu?”
Guo Quan, the Marquis of Jibei, whose territory bordered Yuan Zhe’s Qingzhou, had grown to admire Wei Shao after his western conquest increased his power. Like Yang Xin, Guo Quan felt he lacked the strength to compete for the empire, and rather than being swallowed by Yuan Zhe, he preferred to ally with Wei Shao. Upon learning that Wei Shao was in Xindu, he sent an envoy to express his intention to submit.
Gong Sun Yang said, “Calculating the travel time, it should be soon.” As he accompanied Wei Shao down the steps of the veranda, he remembered Lady Qiao and added, “When Lady Qiao came earlier, she was very worried. When my lord returns and informs her of the news, she will surely be delighted.”
Wei Shao stopped in his tracks: “Military Advisor, though that refugee leader seeks peace today, who knows if he’ll oppose me in the future? My decision not to destroy him and to let him off is based on your advice, not my intention, and has nothing to do with women. Whether she’s happy or not, what does it matter?”
Gong Sun Yang was startled and quickly said seriously, “My lord’s words are correct. My lord has accepted my humble opinion out of a desire to embrace all and extend kindness afar. The battle at Lingbi was merely a misunderstanding. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, my lord further accepts Bi Zhi’s plea for peace. This is only natural! How could it have anything to do with women?”
Wei Shao then instructed Gong Sun Yang to stay behind while he strode towards the government office. His thoughts were slightly distracted when suddenly a guard came up and knelt, saying, “Report to the Marquis, just now General Jia sent someone with a verbal message. He said Lady Qiao had already set out on the road, escorted by General Jia. He specifically sent me to inform you.”
Wei Shao was stunned, “Where did she go?”
The guard opened his mouth, shaking his head in confusion.
Wei Shao was dumbfounded for a moment, and then his expression suddenly changed. He quickly left the government office, taking several steps at once down the foot-high bluestone steps. He reached the hitching post and mounted his horse. People on the road saw a rider galloping away towards the south gate of the city. Recognizing the figure on horseback as the Marquis, they all stopped and turned to watch.
Wei Shao rode in one breath to the south city gate, stopped his horse, and gazed down the road leading south. He saw the road stretching out, with people coming and going along its sides. At the limit of his vision, there was only yellow dust swirling, with no sign of carriages or horses. He called the gate officer forward and demanded, “Did Jia Si escort any carriage out of the city earlier?”
The Marquis had arrived so hastily on horseback, looking inexplicably agitated and flustered. The gate officer was quite shocked and quickly replied, “I’ve been here all day, my lord, and haven’t seen General Jia leave the city.”
Wei Shao paused, then immediately turned back, hurrying to Xin Palace. He strode into the room in She Yang Residence where the two of them lived.
The room was empty, not only of people but also of most of their belongings. All of her daily items were gone.
Wei Shao shouted for someone to come, and several servant women hurried over.
“Where is Lady Qiao?” Wei Shao asked sternly.
The servant women were frightened and answered softly, “My lord, Lady Qiao has already set out, returning to Yu Yang.”
Wei Shao stood motionless.
The Marquis and his wife had been extraordinarily affectionate, a stark contrast to when they first married. The servant women in She Yang Residence had all witnessed this. They didn’t know what disagreement had occurred, causing Lady Qiao to leave for Yu Yang on her own, without the Marquis. The women waited outside for a moment. One of the more quick-witted and bolder ones looked up at the sky, gathered her courage, and said, “When Lady Qiao left, the sun was still up. Now it’s about to get dark, and it looks like the weather might change. Lady Qiao hasn’t been gone for long. If you were to go after her now, you might still catch up…”
Before she could finish, she met the Marquis’s gloomy expression, his cold gaze falling upon her, and she fell silent.
…
After noon, the sun was completely hidden behind the clouds. The sky over Xindu was overcast, with dark clouds rolling in as if night was falling. Even before the hour of You, lamps had been lit indoors. The clouds above were so thick it seemed the sky was about to turn black. Before the hour of You, lamps had already been lit inside.
Wei Shao was alone in his study. The doors were tightly shut. The candle flames on the candlesticks flickered in the wind that crept through the cracks of doors and windows.
Wei Shao felt somewhat restless. The military document in his hand had remained on the same page for a long time. Finally, he threw it down and came to the north window, pushing it open with a swift motion.
A gust of wind rushed in, making his clothes flutter. Behind him, all the candles on the candlesticks were extinguished.
Wei Shao gazed towards the horizon in the north. There, dark clouds pressed down, lightning occasionally tearing through the cloud layers, with the faint sound of rolling thunder in the distance.
He stood lost in thought for a long time.
Suddenly, a large raindrop, carried by the wind, splashed onto his cheek from under the eaves.
Above the tile roof, a dense sound like sifting beans followed as raindrops began to fall.
Wei Shao felt a chill.
Autumn had arrived.
…
Deep into the night, the rain grew heavier.
A flash of lightning streaked past the window. Then came a “crack” of thunder rolling overhead, nearly shattering one’s soul.
Wei Shao opened his eyes and turned his face to look at the empty pillow beside him.
She was always the most timid, unable to bear such lightning and thunder. If she were still lying beside him now, she would have surely already burrowed into his arms seeking protection.
Wei Shao felt a hollowness in his heart as if a piece had been carved out.
Another bolt of lightning tore through the pitch-black night sky, illuminating half of Xindu City as bright as day.
Amidst the continuous rumbling of thunder, Wei Shao’s heart seemed to race along with it. Suddenly, he turned over and got out of bed, quickly dressed, went to the outer room to take down the straw rain cape and hat hanging on the wall, pushed open the door, and his boots landed on the steps outside. He strode quickly away, splashing through puddles.
…
When Xiao Qiao left around noon, the weather was still fine. Unexpectedly, after midday, the sun was gradually obscured by clouds.
Before the hour of You, the sky had darkened as if night had fallen, and rain began to fall.
The rain grew heavier and heavier, pouring down in torrents. Following the road, traveling another ten miles or so in the wind and rain, she finally reached a post house and took shelter.
The post house manager prepared a guest room and received Xiao Qiao.
The bedding was brought by Chun Niang herself. Knowing Xiao Qiao’s fear of lightning and thunder, Chun Niang slept with her that night.
However, Xiao Qiao couldn’t fall asleep. She closed her eyes and buried her head under the covers.
It wasn’t until the second half of the night, when the thunder gradually subsided, that she finally began to close her eyes.
Suddenly, a distant rumble of thunder sounded again.
Xiao Qiao awoke with a start, her heart racing. She opened her eyes in the darkness, hearing Chun Niang’s familiar sleeping breath, and her heartbeat slowly calmed down.
She felt thirsty and a bit stuffy. Without disturbing Chun Niang, she quietly got out of bed, went to the table, poured half a cup of water, took a few sips, then went to the window and pushed open a small window that had become slightly swollen from the rain.
A gust of damp wind carrying the chill of the deep night rushed towards her.
Unknowingly, autumn had come again.
Behind her, there was a rustling sound. It seemed Chun Niang was about to wake up.
Xiao Qiao closed the window and climbed back into bed.
Half asleep, Chun Niang reached out and felt Xiao Qiao’s soft body, noticing it was a bit cold, and helped tuck the blanket around her.
Xiao Qiao was finally tired. She closed her eyes, listening to the incessant sound of rain falling on the roof tiles above, and fell asleep.
She didn’t know how long it had been when she suddenly felt someone gently pushing her.
In a daze, she opened her eyes to see that a dim lamp had been lit in the room. Chun Niang had gotten up at some point and was now leaning over, calling to her softly.
“My lady, the lord has arrived,” Xiao Qiao heard her say, with a hint of cautious concern in her voice.