That night, Wei Shao did not return to his room. He went directly to the government office with Wei Liang, summoning generals like Li Chong, Li Dian, and Zhang Jian, as well as Chief Clerk Wei Quan and others for an urgent meeting.
Both Li Chong and Li Dian advocated abandoning Yanzhou and fighting for Shiyi.
Li Chong said, “After setting aside 50,000 troops to guard against the Xiongnu, My Lord currently has about 150,000 troops at his disposal, which is roughly equal to Chen Xiang’s forces. If we divide our army to fight on two fronts – defending Shiyi and protecting Yanzhou – I fear we won’t be able to manage both effectively.”
Li Dian added, “Yanzhou was never truly our territory to begin with, and its people are not loyal to us. It’s like a chicken rib – tasteless to eat but a pity to throw away. Since we can’t manage both fronts, abandoning it would be the best course of action.”
Chief Clerk Wei Quan also offered his opinion: “In my humble view, My Lord should quickly deploy all available troops to Shiyi to ensure it doesn’t fall. Then, engage Chen Xiang in a decisive battle, capitalizing on the momentum from last year’s victories at Boling and Shiyi. We should advance on Jinyang in one swift move to destroy Chen Xiang’s power base and unify the North. After unifying the North, My Lord can then reclaim Yanzhou before moving south.
Although My Lord has married a Qiao woman, his goal is the territory of Yanzhou, not the Qiao family itself. Everyone knows Qiao Yue is weak, and Qiao Ping has no real power. This situation provides an opportunity to let the Qiao family and Xue Tai fight each other first, weakening both sides. Regardless of who wins, both will be significantly diminished. If the Qiao family manages to hold Yanzhou, there’s no issue.
If they can’t, even if Yanzhou falls to Xue Tai, given his tyrannical rule and lack of popular support, he won’t be able to establish deep roots there. Once My Lord unifies the North, if any of the Qiao family remains, My Lord can march under the banner of supporting them. If none remain, My Lord can march under the banner of revenge. Either way, how could the military and civilians of Yanzhou not be grateful? How could My Lord’s great cause not succeed?”
This speech made Wei Liang, Zhang Jian, and others nod in agreement.
Wei Shao sat cross-legged, his hand on his sword, his figure solemn. The candlelight from the nearby table cast shadows on his face, making his eyes appear half-lit, half-dark, obscuring his thoughts.
After the others had finished discussing, they waited silently for a moment. Finally, Wei Shao spoke slowly, “I have heard and understood what you all have said. You may now disperse. Tomorrow, await my orders.”
After Wei Liang, Li Chong, Li Dian, and the others left, Wei Shao remained alone in the meeting hall of the government office. The candles burned brightly until dawn.
As the first light of dawn appeared in the east, Wei Shao left the office and rode back to the Wei mansion. Instead of returning to the West Chamber, he went directly to the North Chamber.
Madam Xu had risen early as usual and finished her morning toilette when Maid Zhong came in to announce that the young master was waiting outside.
It was still quite early, and Madam Xu was slightly surprised. She asked him to enter. Wei Shao came in, knelt before Madam Xu in greeting, and then sat down. Noticing the slight redness in his eyes, suggesting he hadn’t slept well the previous night, she inquired about it.
Wei Shao said, “Grandson encountered a difficult matter last night that I couldn’t decide on. At dawn, I came to Grandmother for guidance.” He then presented Gong Sun Yang’s letter and recounted the previous night’s discussion with his advisors.
After reading the letter, Madam Xu looked up at Wei Shao and asked, “What is your opinion? Should Yanzhou be saved or not?”
Wei Shao replied, “The urgency in Yanzhou is not the Wei family’s urgent matter. Considering the priorities, grandson believes we should focus on the North.”
Madam Xu asked, “If that’s the case, why did you come to seek my advice?”
Wei Shao hesitated for a moment, then suddenly looked up, meeting Madam Xu’s single eye. “Grandson dares not deceive you. There are strategies to save Yanzhou, but I’m uncertain whether the Qiao family, given their past injustices, is worth our great effort to save.”
As he spoke, a hint of suppressed hatred flashed in his eyes.
Madam Xu’s eye flickered slightly. “Now that the two families are joined by marriage, they should be considered allies. You are strong, and they are weak. Now that they face danger and seek your help, if you don’t save them, you’ll be abandoning your kin, which is tantamount to abandoning honor and integrity. How would that be any different from what the Qiao family did in the past?”
Wei Shao remained silent.
“Honor and integrity can be great or small, real or false. They can lead to success or failure. Duke Xiang’s pursuit of honor and integrity shattered his ambitions of hegemony. The Founder also achieved his great cause in the name of honor and integrity,” Madam Xu said, gazing at Wei Shao. “It seems that honor and integrity are but lifeless concepts; their application depends entirely on one’s choices. Whether to save Yanzhou or not is entirely up to you. Since Grandmother has already let go of control, I won’t interfere now. I trust you can make your own decision.”
Wei Shao remained silent for a moment, then changed from sitting to kneeling, bowing to Madam Xu. “Grandson has taken Grandmother’s words to heart. I have matters to attend to and will take my leave now.”
Madam Xu smiled and nodded at him.
As Wei Shao left the North Chamber, the East was just beginning to show the faint white of dawn. The cool morning breeze of late spring in the North blew against him, gently rustling the edges of his clothes. He slowly walked to the West Chamber, arriving at the courtyard. The servants who were up early sweeping the yard saw him return and hurried over to greet him, saying, “The Lady has risen and is getting ready in her room.”
Wei Shao stopped at the bottom of the porch steps, his hands behind his back, facing the window where a faint glow of candlelight could still be seen. He stood lost in thought for a moment but ultimately did not enter. He turned and left under the slightly puzzled gaze of the servants.
…
Last night, Wei Shao had suddenly been called away and hadn’t returned. Left alone, Xiao Qiao drifted in and out of sleep, unable to rest peacefully. She rose early today. Seeing that Wei Shao still hadn’t returned by the Chen hour (7-9 am), she went to the North Chamber to pay her respects to Madam Xu.
Madam Xu didn’t mention a word to Xiao Qiao about Wei Shao’s early morning visit. She chatted with her about every day matters as usual.
After leaving the North Chamber, Xiao Qiao went to the East Chamber.
Madam Zhu, who had been punished with house arrest recently, had claimed illness to outsiders. Now that she was back, perhaps due to shame, she rarely showed her face.
Xiao Qiao waited in the corridor for a while before a servant came out with a message, saying that the Madam said there was no need for the Young Lady to come and pay her respects.
Xiao Qiao knew she didn’t want to see her. Her visit was merely out of courtesy. Hearing this, she returned to the West Chamber. Upon entering, Spring Maiden said that servants had seen the young master early in the morning in the courtyard, seemingly coming from the direction of the North Chamber. But for some reason, he had only stood at the bottom of the steps for a moment without entering, then left.
Spring Maiden’s expression was somewhat puzzled as she said this.
Xiao Qiao was also confused.
For some reason, Wei Shao’s unusual behavior made her feel a bit uneasy. Thinking back to Wei Liang’s sudden arrival last night and Wei Shao being called away, she felt even more anxious.
She felt as if something had happened. And it seemed to be something bad related to her.
Soon, she would know what had occurred.
A fast messenger from Yanzhou arrived in Yuyang at the Chen hour. In addition to immediately forwarding a letter to Wei Shao, he also brought a family letter for Xiao Qiao.
The family letter was personally written by her uncle, Qiao Yue. In the letter, Qiao Yue explained the difficulties Yanzhou was facing and urged Xiao Qiao to plead with Wei Shao for rescue troops, warning that otherwise, Yanzhou would be in grave danger.
Qiao Yue’s repeated entreaties were earnest and sincere, his anxiety evident between the lines.
Xiao Qiao was greatly shocked, her heart pounding.
Yanzhou was her maiden home. Besides her uncle and aunt, her father and younger brother were also there. Xue Tai of Xuzhou had always been known for his cruelty. With 100,000 troops pressing toward Yanzhou, given Yanzhou’s current situation, even if the military and civilians united in fierce resistance, the outcome would likely be dire.
Xiao Qiao’s mind was in turmoil. She paced back and forth in her room, clutching the letter.
She finally understood why Wei Shao had passed by without entering this morning. It must have been related to this situation in Yanzhou.
He must have received the news earlier than her.
But the Yanzhou situation couldn’t have been the only issue. Otherwise, Wei Liang wouldn’t have rushed back from Shiyi in the middle of the night to summon him.
Xiao Qiao stopped pacing and pondered for a moment. Finally, she changed her clothes again and went to the North Chamber.
Madam Xu was in the courtyard, accompanied by Maid Zhong, tending to her beloved flower beds. When Xiao Qiao arrived, she was planting flowers, her hands stained with soil, her expression very focused. Seeing Xiao Qiao approach, she washed her hands and gestured for her to follow her inside.
Xiao Qiao entered and knelt on the ground, saying, “Granddaughter-in-law just received a family letter and learned that Yanzhou is in dire straits. My uncle is seeking help from my husband. Granddaughter-in-law knows that I am now a member of the Wei family and shouldn’t interfere in Yanzhou’s affairs. However, I was born and raised there, and I can’t abandon my family members in their time of need. Not seeing my husband this morning, I’ve boldly come to you, Grandmother, to plead that you consider the marriage alliance between our two families and…”
In her previous life, there had been no such attack on Yanzhou by Xue Tai.
Xiao Qiao knew that the old grudge between the Qiao and Wei families still stood. Although the Qiao family had tried to resolve it through this marriage alliance – a common method used by great clans of the time to settle grievances or establish alliances – how could the Wei family’s hatred towards the Qiao family be eliminated just by sending over one woman?
Now Yanzhou was in danger. If Wei Shao helped, it would be like sending charcoal in snowy weather to the Qiao family. If he didn’t, it would also be understandable. Coming to Madam Xu like this to make such a request was indeed inappropriate.
But at this moment, she truly had no choice.
She had deep feelings for her father and brother in Yanzhou. She knew her father couldn’t manage affairs, and her brother was still underage. Since Wei Shao had passed by without entering this morning, it was clear he was unwilling to help. Anxious and desperate, even knowing it was inappropriate, she could only come here. Having said this much, she couldn’t continue. She simply bowed deeply to Madam Xu, her forehead touching the ground, and didn’t rise.
Madam Xu sat on the couch, looking at Xiao Qiao bowing before her, and after a while said, “Zhong Lin came to see me this morning and mentioned a few things about Yanzhou. You probably don’t know yet, it’s not that Zhong Lin is unwilling to help, but there are other reasons.”
Madam Xu briefly explained how Chen Xiang and Xue Tai had agreed to simultaneously attack Shiyi and Yanzhou.
Xiao Qiao was stunned. Her heart sank continuously.
Wei Shao already hated the Qiao family. Even without the urgency in Shiyi, he probably wouldn’t be willing to save the Qiao family.
Let alone with such hidden circumstances.
His refusal to help was even more understandable now.
“Grandmother, granddaughter-in-law dares to ask, when my husband came to see you this morning and mentioned the military situation in Yanzhou, what exactly did he say?” She finally raised her head and asked.
Madam Xu’s single eye gazed at Xiao Qiao and said, “Zhong Lin hasn’t decided yet. Grandmother doesn’t know either.”
Xiao Qiao bowed to Madam Xu again in thanks, then stood up and left.
Maid Zhong escorted Xiao Qiao a few steps, then returned to see Madam Xu still sitting there, seemingly lost in thought. She couldn’t help but ask, “Does the Old Madam think the Lord will intervene and help?”
Madam Xu said, “Whether to save or not is in his own heart. He should know. It’s just that hurdle is somewhat difficult to overcome.”
…
Xiao Qiao returned from the North Chamber and asked the servants.
Wei Shao had not returned, nor had he left any message.
She sat alone in her room for a moment, then suddenly stood up and ordered Spring Maiden to come in and help her change clothes and apply makeup. She opened a box of unused rouge. After the makeover, her face was as beautiful as a peach blossom, vibrant and charming, incredibly alluring.
She put on a cloak, ordered a carriage to be prepared, and set off towards Wei Shao’s government office.
The government office wasn’t very far from the Wei mansion, just across one street.
It was still quite early, not yet the Si hour (9-11 am). There weren’t many people on the streets. The carriage carrying Xiao Qiao moved steadily along the smooth stone-paved street, the wheels making a constant, somewhat hollow sound as they rolled over the road surface.
…
Never before had Xiao Qiao so clearly realized that in this chaotic world, no one could be relied upon. Only by being strong oneself could one ensure safety and establish a foothold.
This was true for individuals, cities, and families.
If the Qiao family continued like this, placing their hopes on others’ magnanimity and favors, relying on others’ mercy to survive, even if they luckily overcame this crisis, there would surely be similar situations in the future.
In her previous life, the Qiao family had scattered like fallen flowers and fruits, ending up in that miserable state. It was both a bloody lesson and a self-inflicted outcome, for which they could blame no one else.
Her nature originally had a touch of careless indifference. But at this moment, she deeply felt that from now on, she must do something for the Qiao family, to help this clan stand on its own feet again and establish a foothold amidst the surrounding schemes and covetous eyes. Even if this process was arduous and the outcome uncertain, it was better than doing nothing and just waiting for others, relying on begging for mercy and favor.
She truly didn’t want the Qiao family to repeat the mistakes of her previous life. Fortunately, there was still some time before those final events, allowing her to plan carefully and slowly.
But now, Yanzhou was already in imminent danger. What she could do was to first help Yanzhou overcome this crisis.
This time, her “husband” Wei Shao must intervene and help. Otherwise, Yanzhou would surely fall.
…
The carriage stopped in front of the main gate of the government office. Xiao Qiao alighted from the carriage, asked the guards at the door, and learning that Wei Shao was inside, she headed straight in.
The guards recognized the Lady and dared not stop her, watching her enter.
Although it was still early, Wei Liang and others had already gathered in the outer hall, just waiting for Wei Shao to issue orders.
Wei Shao hadn’t come out yet, still alone in a study room in his rear hall.
The study was private. He had given strict orders that no one was to enter without permission.
The guards outside remembered this well. When they saw Madam Junhou approach unexpectedly, they recognized her but did not dare to contradict Wei Shao’s orders. They respectfully asked her to wait while they informed him.
Xiao Qiao paused.
Before long, a guard emerged, bowing as he invited Xiao Qiao inside.
Xiao Qiao approached the door, hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and steadied herself before pushing the door open.