Chapter 739: Noon (2)

The Qing Kingdom was very harmonious during this period of time. There was a new little prince in the Palace, and it was a matter for celebration. As for how exactly Consort Mei died, no one dared discuss it. The midwife responsible for the birth in that palace hall accompanied Consort Mei into the grave because of her birthing complications. It was a matter of course.

Presently, the Qing court had soldiers in the North. The state of the country was very tense, and the day of unification was approaching. Who would have such daring to say those forbidden words unless they were not afraid of being reported by the internal court eunuchs and Ascetic Monks that hid in the darkness?

In just a few days, the matter of Consort Mei had faded. Jingdou returned to a clear and calm place in the depth of autumn.

The battle in the North continued to drag on. The winter snows were imminent, but the Qing Kingdom’s attacks did not weaken. They continued attacking north and were drawing near the Nanjing defensive line the Northern Qi people had been preparing for 20 years. It was unfortunate that Shang Shanhu, who had been at the city in the Song Kingdom the entire time, remained set into the midsection of the path the Qing army had to traverse, holding back his soldiers with unusual coldness after receiving the Northern Qi Emperor’s full authority and trust. This made the Qing army worried about the consequences.

Shi Fei still went north. Since the battle affairs were tense, Jingdou felt rather solemn. This veteran general of Yanjing, who had once single-handedly subdued the Northern Camp, was sent by the Emperor to the North to help Commander Wang Zhikun and be responsible for the Northern expedition. A famous general was like a beautiful woman[JW1] . Presumably, when Shi Fei began his journey, his heart was also filled with noble aspirations.

Once Shi Fei was gone, the position of Commander of the Jingdou Garrison was left empty again. It drew the countless burning gazes of young military figures in the prime of their life. The Emperor’s edict that followed immediately extinguished all of their extravagant hopes.

Ye Wan formally left the role of advisor in the Bureau of Military Affairs. Other than his position as a martial tutor, he also took on the role as the Commander of the Jingdou Garrison. Concerning this posting, no one expressed any opposition, not even a glimmer of objection, because Ye Wan’s achievements across the kingdom had been solidly witnessed by the officials and the people. No one could suppress his rise.

Decades ago, Ye Wan’s father, Ye Zhong, had also taken the position of the Commander of the Garrison at a very young age. The wheel of fortune turned. Now, it had reached the son he did not like. In the eyes of outsiders, this was nothing more than a general’s home producing brave young men and the pillar of a manor.

In the noon of late autumn, the clear and cold sunlight spilled across Ye Wan’s white, light armor. This young general’s brows were slightly furrowed. He gently squeezed his horse as he walked slowly outside Jingdou’s Zhengyang Gate. His eyes were slightly narrowed and swept endlessly across the common people passing by his side like a hunting eagle searching for its prey in a sea of grass.

This was just an unconscious and true reflection of his inner desire. He did not hope that he would be able to meet Sir Fan junior here. He just hoped to be able to see the figure of legends. Although the Emperor had strictly ordered that he was to first retreat three steps if he saw Fan Xian, how could Ye Wan be satisfied?

In the clear and expansive autumn sky, cold sunlight turned into countless streaks of either straight or warped rays of light. Ye Wan’s eyes narrowed further. In his slightly dark complexion, a few lines, that did not befit his age, appeared by the corners of his eyes. In his mind, he silently thought of his conversation with the Emperor in front of Taiji Palace. His mood was unusually complicated.

Why did they choose autumn to carry out the Northern expedition? Were they not worried about the imminent and continuous coldness of winter? This was a question the Northern Qi Emperor and officials did not understand and also the worry of Qing subjects. Once the Emperor’s edict went out, the entire world leapt into the dance as warhorses stepped onto the path to invade the North. No one asked more. Even though they knew the time chosen for this war was not correct, neither Ye Zhong, who commanded the Bureau of Military Affairs, nor the Qing military officials, who were the most knowledgeable about battle affairs, chose to admonish the Emperor.

“Tens of thousands of men advanced dauntlessly, wave after wave, stepping onto the path of no return. It is just to force him to show himself.” Ye Wan rode on his horse and lowered his head slightly. It was as if he wanted to escape the sun that was not burning fiercely. A slightly tart smile rose to the corners of his mouth. He didn’t understand why the Emperor placed such importance on Fan Xian or why he had to lure him out. Should the Emperor have made the Qing men pay such a high price?

While General Ye Wan was sighing, he didn’t know that the person he wanted to capture, the person that the Qing Emperor was most worried about in this land, had already passed through the city gate and returned to Jingdou. However, the gate that the two people had gone through was not Zhengyang Gate.

Under the noonday sun, the western city gate was very quiet. Amidst the bustling flow of people entering Jingdou, there were two figures that did not draw any attention. One person wore normal cloth clothing while the other wore a straw hat.

Fan Xian, who had disguised himself slightly, unconsciously turned his head to glance at Wu Zhu by his side as he stepped into Jingdou. The wide-brimmed straw hat completely hid the strip of black cloth on Wu Zhu’s face within the shadows. No one would be able to spot anything strange.

Many years ago, Ye Qingmei brought the elegant-faced Wu Zhu to the Qing Kingdom’s Jingdou as if they were traveling. She walked through the Jingdou city gate guarded by Ye Zhong, beat Ye Zhong into a pulp, and then began to aid a man in starting his life, which surged forward with great momentum.

Now, Fan Xian brought an indifferent Wu Zhu silently back to the Qing Kingdom’s Jingdou. He avoided Zhengyang Gate, was personally guarded by Ye Wan. Like two spirits, they melted into the flow of people, preparing to end that man’s magnificent life.

Starting with this and ending with this, it seemed like a beautiful cycle.

…

…

When Fan Xian and Wu Zhu returned to Jingdou, the war in the North was still continuing, but it had been some time since Consort Mei’s death. Although he was presently a traitor to the Qing Kingdom and had been stripped off all his posts and power, he still had his own powerful intelligence network. In an inn in Jingdou, Fan Xian closed his eyes and thought about the reason for Consort Mei’s death, analyzed his chances of success, and felt his mood gradually grow heavy.

In the following days, Fan Xian disguised himself as the most commonly seen guy in Jingdou and traveled between the various manors and through the streets, alleys, and tea houses. He didn’t go look for anyone who knew him because he didn’t want to be pursued by tens of thousands of people yelling for his death. He was just carefully searching for something.

He was looking for the chest, that heavy and weighty chest. When the assassination on that snowy day failed and he was entrapped by the Qing army on the square in front of the Palace, he heard the chest ring out. He also knew the Emperor had almost died to that assault rifle.

If he could recover the chest, perhaps what came next would be much simpler. But, who had the chest? This question should have been asked of Wu Zhu for the simplest and clearest answer. Presently, Wu Zhu was like a white and indifferent piece of paper. He didn’t remember anything and didn’t care about anything. He had just unconsciously followed Fan Xian away from the Temple and began to walk through, travel, and experience the world.

During those few days, for the sake of his family’s safety and for the implicit agreement between him and the Emperor, Fan Xian did not return to Fan manor. He searched for clues next to Zhaixing Tower, thinking deeply. Who would have Uncle Wu Zhu’s greatest trust, other than him? His thoughts sank into inconsistencies and did not turn toward that woman at all. Thus, this kind of searching appeared irresolute and completely without direction. He wished he could let out a yell on the streets of Jingdou in the depths of autumn.

He was the shared enemy of the entire Qing court. In the seemingly peaceful and quiet Jingdou that had actually began to seep with an air of solemnity, the foremost mission was to survive and hide any trace of himself. He didn’t even make contact with the old officials of the Overwatch Council, so this kind of searching was very tiring.

The present Jingdou was not like the Jingdou of a year ago. The Overwatch Council had become like a step-mother raising an illegitimate child, swaying in the cold and bitter rain. If not for the fact that the Emperor had not gone completely senile, the officials would probably have long suggested to the Emperor to simply disband the Overwatch Council completely.

Fan Xian had always thought that with three treasures in his arms, he could go anywhere in the world. Regardless of what dangers he met in his second life, he had never truly lost his confidence. Even when faced with Ye Liuyun’s sword and the Emperor’s finger, he still felt that he was the most ruthless person in the world.

His three treasures were his poisonous crossbow, poisonous dagger, and Uncle Wu Zhu. But, Uncle Wu Zhu had become like an idiot and the chest was gone. What could he do?

…

…

The Fan manor, Duke Liu’s manor, King Jing’s manor, Yan manor, Prince Heqing’s manor, the Overwatch Council on Tianhe Avenue, the yamen of the First Bureau by the Supreme Court, the small courtyard in the south of the city, were all places that had court spies watching it. There were a number of times when Fan Xian almost ran into the straw-hat wearing Ascetic Monks. It was very dangerous.

Since he didn’t understand where the chest could be, there was no need to think about it. This was how ruthless Fan Xian had become. Compared to the chest, confirming the true condition of the Emperor’s health and the state of his mind was the his focus.

Although there were intelligence reports in his hand, he did not particularly trust them because the Emperor in the Palace was the best at silently enduring, trickery, and luring others into a sense of safety. Dong Mountain was an example. There were many other examples as well. Fan Xian didn’t want to make a mistake. He knew that the Emperor would not give him any more opportunities to make a mistake.

Speaking of which, it was strange. The Emperor and Fan Xian could not completely make sense of their feelings for each other. Once they thought of the other, their emotions became calm and collected, leaving behind the word “kill.”

There was no need to tell others, and no need to tell the sun and moon. Killing the other seemed to have become a kind of emotional support as they lived in this world. It had to be said, this was a rather tragic matter.

Wanting to obtain the most truthful state of what was happening in the Royal Palace, Fan Xian thought for a long time in the inn and chose the Ye manor. The Ye manor was loyal. Ye Zhong was the Head of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and Ye Wan was the Commander of the Jingdou Garrison. The Emperor trusted them absolutely, so he would not send additional spies to watch them.

There were very few places in the world that could stop Fan Xian from entering. Thus, when a worried Ye Ling’s suddenly saw a man appear in front of her like a ghost, her expression changed dramatically. This daughter of a general’s family was not a weak woman. She did not cry out to call for anyone. Instead, her expression grew heavy. She pulled out the knife she wore at her side and sliced down without hesitation.

“It’s me,” Fan Xian called out. A tired smile rose to the corners of his lips.

“It’s you?” Ye Ling’er stared in disbelief at his unfamiliar face and could not speak for a long time. She had not thought that her young teacher would still be alive and be able to return alive from the Temple.

After a conversation, Fan Xian lowered his head tiredly. It looked like the Emperor really was unwell. Through Consort Mei’s death and the royal family’s plan for the little prince, Fan Xian’s heart trembled. He grasped, with unusual accuracy, the Emperor’s thoughts and emotions.

It was an implication of old age. It seemed that after repeated heavy blows from his closest son and official, the powerful Emperor had sunk into the lowest point of his life, not just physically but also mentally.

But, why would the Emperor choose this time to begin the Northern expedition? Was it because he felt that he didn’t have much time left and had to act quickly?

In order to bring the Emperor down from his altar, Fan Xian had not hesitated to use guns, swords, and people’s hearts. He used all of the shameless ideas he had cultivated over two lifetimes. He used the world as a threat and held the people as a dead weight to finally successfully create the situation at present. The Emperor was old and had feelings now, so he had become weak. This was the situation he had most hoped to see, so why, at this time, was there not a glimmer of joy in Fan Xian’s heart?

Not only was Fan Xian not happy, he was also very perplexed. He sat in a chair in front of Ye Ling’er with his feet pulled up, his arms around his knees, and his face against his leg as he thought silently, giving one a sense of unusual tiredness.

Ye Ling’er looked at his posture. Her eyes lit up briefly before the light quickly turned into a thick and unresolvable sorrow. She had suddenly thought of someone, but, she didn’t ask Fan Xian where that person was now.

…

…

The sun gradually moved west. The light of dusk shone into the Ye manor. Ye Wan stepped into the back garden with a heavy expression. He didn’t know if it was because of the tense battle situation in the North or because Jingdou was on guard against that person’s return, but the Palace did not give him orders to leave the capital and return to camp. On the contrary, the Emperor left him a verbal order to follow the yamen and observe.

His father, Ye Zhong, should still be in the Bureau of Military Affairs analyzing battle reports and drafting battle strategies. He would probably be there all night again. Ye Wan did not feel a glimmer of admiration or indignation. He knew better than anyone that although the expedition North had begun, it could not end within a short period of time because there was still an important goal that had not been reached.

It was also because Ye Zhong was not in the manor that Ye Wan’s steps were quicker and lighter. He and his father’s relationship had always been bad. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have stayed in Nanzhao for so long that even the people of Jingdou had almost forgotten his existence.

However, Ye Wan and Ye Ling’er’s relationship was very good. Perhaps it was because the brother and sister had not seen each other for many years that they appeared particularly close.

Ye Wan was heading to the back garden to his sister, so he didn’t bring any servants or guards. As he entered the back garden, the first thing he saw was not his sister’s figure. Instead, it was a young man. The young man had his body bent and was bowing humbly and preparing to leave.

Ye Wan’s eyes narrowed. From the moment he entered the garden, he noticed that there was a problem with the positioning of the feet of this seemingly strangely normal young man.

This was a very narrow place. The young man’s feet seemed casually placed, but Ye Wan knew that he only needed to move his back foot to rise up. Of course, this was a skill that only aces that reached their level had.

Was he being too cautious? Cold light gradually coalesced in Ye Wan’s narrowed eyes. He looked at the back of the young man who brushed past him and suddenly asked, “Why did you come back?”

The young man’s figure slowly stopped his steps. He then turned with unusual calmness. Looking at the young master of the Ye manor, he asked with great interest, “Ye Wan? You even saw through this. Although it’s because I was careless, you’re indeed pretty good.”

…

…

When Fan Xian and Ye Wan met by chance in the Ye manor, Wu Zhu, who had entered the capital with him, was wearing the large straw hat and wandering around Jingdou. When it came Wu Zhu, Fan Xian no longer knew what kind of tone to use to describe his feelings of failure. This blindfolded and forever 15-year-old extraordinary warrior had not only lost his memory but had even lost much of the knowledge of living in the world.

The many days Fan Xian had been in Jingdou, Wu Zhu had spent them by the window in the inn. Although the black cloth hid his eyes, Fan Xian always felt that he could see the glimmer of desire and curiosity in his eyes.

Wu Zhu still did not speak. He was still silent like a blank, walking machine, unconsciously following Fan Xian’s footsteps. Fortunately, what Fan Xian was the best at was getting along with idiots and children. Da Bao had been well-coaxed by him. Wu Zhu was not an exception. All along the way, there were no major problems.

The shell that seemed to have lost its soul always made Fan Xian’s heart ache. Thus, he no longer stopped Wu Zhu from leaving the inn and wandering the streets. Honestly speaking, he couldn’t stop him. As long as Wu Zhu could remember the way back to the inn it was fine. Fan Xian also never worried about Wu Zhu’s safety because, in his opinion, there was no one in the world who would be able to hurt him.

Fan Xian seemed to have forgotten that the present Wu Zhu was like an ignorant and curious child. What was more troublesome was that there was no possibility of harming humankind in Wu Zhu’s mind.

Thus, the blindfolded Wu Zhu wandered seemingly at ease but actually dangerously through Jingdou. He didn’t attack or involve himself in anything. He just looked through the black cloth at the unfamiliar but also familiar city.

Wu Zhu walked among the people in the streets, looked curiously at the candied hawthorns, and listened to the people in the tea stalls heatedly debating the battle situation in the North. He walked passed the long alleys, passed Tianhe Avenue, and came to an area by the square of the Royal Palace.

He tilted his head curiously, looking at the front gates of the brilliant Royal Palace through the black cloth. For some reason, a glimmer of irritation rose in his icy heart.

Slap! A small rock struck his body. Following that, many more rocks flew in his direction. The children of Jingdou had no idea that the person wearing the straw hat was the most dangerous person in existence and pelted him desperately with rocks.

“Hit the idiot! Hit the idiot!”

Wu Zhu did not move and allowed the children to throw the rocks. He looked at the front gate of the Royal Palace and suddenly muttered to himself. “I think this place is the Meridian Gate, and it’s used to kill people.”

This was the second sentence Wu Zhu had said after leaving the Temple. Not a single person heard him. He just remembered that this place was once called the Meridian Gate and many people had died there. That was a very distant story.

[JW1] This sounds odd, but it’s an extract from a slightly longer line that compares generals to beautiful women because neither live to be old.