Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Book 4, Chapter 31 (Part 2)

Duan Ling keeps thinking about snatching another horse from someplace else. With the two of them riding on the same horse, he thinks it must be exhausting for Benxiao. And besides, Benxiao has lived for so many years already and still doesn’t have a wife — first it followed his father through hell and high water all those years, and now it’s risking its life for him and Wu Du. He really doesn’t think he’s doing enough for it.

“Let it take a break for a little while,” Duan Ling says, “it’s grazing right now.”

Duan Ling gives Benxiao a pat. Chewing on grass, Benxiao brings its head closer to let him stroke its head. Interrupting others while they’re eating is a reprehensible sin, so Duan Ling decides to let it rest for a few days. He and Wu Du can walk on their patrols around the city.

The autumn sky is cloudless and the air is crisp. It’s been almost a fortnight since the last battle and those who suffered light injuries have basically healed up.

“Where did Zheng Yan go?” Duan Ling asks.

“He went up north. To investigate Zhenshanhe’s whereabouts. We’ll go north at some point and take a look around too. How much food are we short by right now?”

“We’re short four hundred thousand catty of grain, and Ye never has grain leftover by spring. Grain is actually secondary — the primary problem we have right now is a lack of wood. When winter comes, it’ll bound to freeze people to death.”

“Or we can just forget about the prohibition and let them cut down some trees.”

“If we really can’t find any other way, then all we can do is cut down some trees from the mountains before winter comes,” Duan Ling replies. “But if we finish cutting down the trees the mountains will be bare again next year. A few bouts of rain and the topsoil will all get washed away and we won’t be able to build terraced fields, which means we won’t be able to plant grain. There’d be famine next year.”

After years of war, what was once a thousand miles of fertile central plain is in shambles by the time it passes into his hands.

After they finish their rounds, Duan Ling and Wu do come to the shore of the Xunshui outside the city. The southern shore is gradually starting to become busy with commoners as every household hurry to harvest grain; once the autumn harvest is done they’ll still need to winnow the chaff and grind it all into flour.

“We don’t have enough mules.” Wu Du says, “Should we rob the Khitans and get some?”

Duan Ling laughs. “I’m over here borrowing grain from Zongzhen and you want to turn right around and go robbing at the Liao border — what sort of logic is that?”

In Wu Du’s eyes, whether they’re Khitan or Mongolian, they’re all butchers, their hands covered in blood.

But the distance between the long-ago Battle of Shangzi and Duan Ling is too great; he had never witnessed the horror of that war with his own eyes, and that’s why his hatred for the Khitans isn’t as deep. What has taken its place are the years he spent going to school in Shangjing. They’ve given him a sense of closeness towards the Liao imperial family faction of Yelü Dashi and Zongzhen.

But against the Mongols, he has an absolute, irreconcilable blood feud.

A gentle breeze brushes them by. With his arms around his knees, Duan Ling sits on a haystack with his head on Wu Du’s shoulder. Wu Du has one arm wrapped around Duan Ling, and holds a piece of straw in his mouth. They look across the Xunshui at the distant shore.

The other side of Xunshui would be Khitan territory.

“If I were Yelü Zongzhen … Lend you grain? I’ll have to think about it some more,” Wu Du says.

Duan Ling knows Wu Du is just teasing him, and he may even sound a bit jealous. So he smiles and replies, “Yeah, if he doesn’t lend us grain we’re just going to have to starve to death.”

“Let’s just rob them,” Wu Du says, “we’ll go pasture-looting too.”2

Sometimes Duan Ling really doesn’t know what to say to Wu Du. As soon as they’re away from Jiangzhou, it’s like he’s turned into a wild dog, running all over the place trying to claim territory. Nevermind whether the Commandant himself taking his men on a looting spree would make him a laughing stock among everyone in the three empires — it’s not like the Ye army is made up of barbarians, so how are they supposed to go around burning Khitan villages, and to kill other people’s wives and children?

“I suddenly got an idea,” Staring at the opposing shore, Duan Ling raises an eyebrow.

In Jiangzhou, the skies are clear on the arrival of autumn, and a kite comes into the imperial gardens with a series of swishing noises from the wind, falling onto the ground outside the eastern palace.

Cai Yan walks by fast and steps right onto the kite, entering the palace at a swift, hurrying paces.

“Leave us.” Cai Yan’s tone is cold and dark.

All his attendants withdraw from the room. Lang Junxia comes in through the covered gallery, and when he sees the kite on the ground, he bends down and picks it up.

“When the string gets too long it can snap easily.” It’s rare for Lang Junxia to speak in front of Cai Yan without being prompted. This is the first time in nearly a month that he has spoken before being spoken to.

Cai Yan turns his head abruptly, baffled and anxious as he looks Lang Junxia up and down.

“I’d just come from the imperial study,” Lang Junxia says.

“What did they say about me now?” Cai Yan lets out a long breath with his eyes closed.

“The crown prince is so diligent in the work of the government,” Lang Junxia says, “‘tis a blessing for all.”

“Who said that?”

“Chancellor Mu,” Lang Junxia replies.

Cai Yan’s eyes snap open, a deep furrow forming between his brows.

“I do not recall Chancellor Mu ever praising me in front of His Majesty. Not since the day I returned to court.”

Lang Junxia makes a hum of agreement and nods, surmising that Cai Yan isn’t too dumb after all. Every single thing Mu Kuangda says is said after long consideration. Did he say it to settle their differences, or is it meant to be a hint at something else?

But Cai Yan doesn’t have the time to deal with Mu Kuangda anymore. “Call Feng Duo in here. I have something to say.”

Lang Junxia goes outside to summon him. Not a moment passes before Feng Duo arrives.

Judging by Feng Duo’s expression, he seems uneasy, as though he would like to say something. But ultimately he does not speak and instead waits for Cai Yan’s instructions.

Cai Yan says to Feng Duo, “News regarding Wang Shan has been brought to the capital again. This time it’s from Zhongjing. Liao has agreed to lend twenty-thousand shi of grain to the city of Ye, and they even made sure to send a letter here to Jiangzhou.”

Feng Duo asks, “What did the letter say?”

Troubled and on edge, Cai Yan thinks about this for a while, frowning. “It didn’t say much. When I was in Shangjing I met Yelü Zongzhen once, face to face. He asked me to write him a letter that he may keep as a receipt.”

Feng Duo says with a smile, “This is the merit that Your Highness accumulated for the commoners of Great Chen during your years in Shangjing.”

“What on earth are your people doing?” Cai Yan suddenly changes the subject. He takes a step forward and asks Feng Duo.

Feng Duo is caught a little off guard by this question, but he recovers and collects himself rather quickly. He doesn’t look at Lang Junxia; instead, he turns his gaze to the floor and replies most respectfully, “Of the three teams, one of them has lost contact. The other two are lying in ambush outside the city of Ye. Two scouts in one of the teams were discovered by Wu Du, and we lost them.”

“Our targets have been alerted,” Cai Yan says, chilly.

“I am very sorry,” Feng Duo says, “but there are still thirty people there. As long as we wait for an opportunity, killing him should not be difficult.”

“Was the team that lost contact with us also killed by Wu Du?” Cai Yan asks Feng Duo, not worrying at all that Lang Junxia is in the room as well.

“My guess is that it’s Zheng Yan,” Feng Duo replies. “Zheng Yan said he was going back to his hometown, and he’s been gone a long time already.”

“That would make sense.” Cai Yan says with a frown, “Why do you guess that it’s him? Aside from the four of them, who else could have killed off an entire division of the Shadow Guard without making a peep? This has nothing to do with him, so why would he stick his nose into this business?! Who sent him to Ye anyway?! Last month you told me he went back to Huaiyin! What on earth is going on here?! Feng Duo! Answer me!”

By the end of these questions Cai Yan is notably worked up; he’s essentially howling them at Feng Duo. Under his fury, Feng Duo takes a half step back and falls onto his knees.

“My uncle has already found out about this …” Cai Yan says, “He knows I’ve sent people to kill Wang Shan, doesn’t he? Otherwise, why would he send Zheng Yan to follow them?!”

“His Majesty still doesn’t know yet.” Feng Duo’s voice is extremely calm.

Without a word, Cai Yan stares at Lang Junxia. Lang Junxia is still holding that kite.

“You go,” Cai Yan says, his voice trembling. Lang Junxia remains silent.

“You go.” Cai Yan is looking at Lang Junxia almost pleadingly.

As he’s about to say something else, Lang Junxia puts the kite down. “If we kill him, will your territory still be safe?”

“Yes. I’ll write a reply for Yelü Zongzhen right now.”

Lang Junxia doesn’t say anything else before turning to go.

“Kill Wu Du too,” Cai Yan says, “if it’s possible.”

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“I can’t kill him. One of my fingers is gone, so I can’t use a sword the way I used to. Wu Du has surpassed me too much over the past year. I’m afraid no one can kill him anymore.”

Cai Yan stares at him in silence.

After Lang Junxia leaves, Cai Yan glances at Feng Duo, and at last, he says, “Get up.”

Feng Duo slowly gets up and sits down by the desk on his knees. With shaky hands, Cai Yan unfolds the handwritten letter from Yelü Zongzhen. He calms himself, and says, “I’ll dictate, you write.”

Feng Duo picks up a brush and dips it in ink.

Cai Yan says, “Yelüxiong …”

Feng Duo writes it down, and Cai Yan adds, “No. Write, ‘Zongzhen’.”

“Since we parted all those years ago …” Cai Yan says intermittently, “I had no idea how I would miss …”

Feng Duo continues to write. Cai Yan falls silent, and for a long time, he doesn’t say anything at all.

“I have a headache,” Cai Yan says, sounding exhausted, “I’d like to sleep for a while.”

Feng Duo helps Cai Yan onto the day bed. Cai Yan breathes hard for a moment, then he turns to face the wall. Feng Duo doesn’t dare say anything and steps back on silent feet.

“Feng Duo,” Cai Yan’s voice comes to him, saying, “don’t go. Stay here.”

Surrounded by stillness and quiet, the only sound in the room is Cai Yan’s breathing. Feng Duo sits behind the table without saying a word while Cai Yan gradually falls asleep.

Mu Kuangda walks through a gallery of the chancellor’s estate with a deep furrow between his brows, Chang Liujun following him closely behind.

Mu Kuangda stops from time to time as though wishing to turn around and give some order, but he seems to hesitate, unable to make up his mind. Chang Liujun stops whenever he does and continues to walk when he starts walking again.

“Zheng Yan’s gone to Ye,” Mu Kuangda says, “what is the meaning of this?”

Chang Liujun doesn’t make a sound.

“Wuluohou Mu is gone too,” Mu Kuangda adds, “and what is the meaning of that?”

Chang Liujun makes an agreeing hum.

At last, Mu Kuangda says, “That day, almost fifty Shadow Guards were dispatched, destined for Ye. So many people. What are they all heading north for? Do tell me.”

Chang Liujun still doesn’t speak. Mu Kuangda continues, “There’s been no word from Chang Pin since the moment he left Xunyang. But how did the Eastern Palace ever find out about this?”

“Master Chang Pin may not be any use in a fight,” Chang Liujun replies, “but with his wits, he would never fall into the Shadow Guard’s hands.”

“Not necessarily. I really am worried. It wasn’t long after I got the letter from the north before half the Shadow Guard was gone, and Zheng Yan announced that he was going home, but in reality, went to Ye.”

“In that case,” Chang Liujun says, “Wu Du and …”

“Actually, Wu Du and Wang Shan have got nothing to do with this. The Shadow Guard hasn’t come back, which would mean that they haven’t found Chang Pin yet. And now even Wuluohou Mu has left. What did His Majesty and the crown prince mean by pulling such a thing?”3

Chang Liujun says not a word. Mu Kuangda paces back and forth in the covered gallery until at last, he halts.

“I even prodded him once today,” Mu Kuangda says, “all he did was smile. Didn’t say anything back.”

“Wang Shan just won a battle so I’m sure he’s not busy. Since he’s already there why don’t we just ask him to …”

“No,” Mu Kuangda says, “you will go personally.”

Chang Liujun says hesitantly, “I …”

“There’s no need to worry. We’re just going to have to take our chances. If you’ll be gone for a month, I’ll just have to be more careful. You will leave tonight, and when you get to Ye, go see Wang Shan first, but don’t tell him any details. Just say you’re looking for Master Chang Pin, and want Wu Du to work with you.”

“Certainly,” Chang Liujun replies.

“Go now, then. You must find Chang Pin before you can come back.”

Chang Liujun bows and nods, walking briskly away.

Mu Kuangda mumbles to himself, smiling as he does so, “Heh. Well, that’s interesting. All four of the great assassins have gone to the same place.”

Mu Kuangda shakes his head, feeling uneasy, and turns to go.

This translation is by foxghost, on tumblr and kofi. I do not monetise my hobby translations, but if you’d like to support my work generally or support my light novel habit, you can either buy me a coffee or commission me. This is also to note that if you see this message anywhere else than on tumblr, it was reposted without permission. Do come to my tumblr. It’s ad-free. ↩︎

The Khitan army used to loot villages along the Chinese border in the name of “pasturing”. ↩︎

There’s probably a mistake here in the original since in the text it said the shadow guard hasn’t returned which meant they haven’t found Wang Shan, and since Mu Kuangda already said it’s got nothing to do with Duan Ling and Wu Du, he probably meant Chang Pin. ↩︎