“Why do you look so badly frightened that you’re about to faint? You’re making it seem as though I’ve done something to you. I merely said it casually, yet look how terrified you are. You’re supposed to be going onto the battlefield to kill enemies and earn merit. Are you certain you won’t start crying the moment you hear the war drums?”
“Fifth Brother!” Growing up together from childhood had many advantages, but it also had many drawbacks. One of them was that no matter how glorious or accomplished you became, the most embarrassing moments of your life would always be firmly remembered. Then, without warning, someone would drag out an old account, and before you even had an opportunity to object or defend yourself, you would be summarily executed on the spot.
“All right, I won’t tease you anymore. You don’t need to worry about my affairs in the imperial capital. I’ve arranged everything. Even if something unexpected happens, Eldest Brother will block it for me. I came this time mainly to pass along a message. Keep a close eye on Han Fei. His uncle is the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor, so he should also belong to the Crown Prince’s faction. Whether he contributes any effort is secondary. At the very least, make sure he doesn’t cause trouble in secret.”
Elio’s Note: The original text alternates between Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor (太子太傅) and Crown Prince’s Grand Guardian (太子太保). Since the character is consistently identified elsewhere as the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor, this translation uses that title throughout for clarity and consistency.
Feng Xuanzhen had just been about to agree, but in the next instant, his serious demeanor vanished. “I’m only a minor deputy commander. That man is the legitimate commander-in-chief personally appointed by Imperial Father. Not only does he hold authority, but he also controls the troops. My words carry very little weight. Since Fifth Brother has already come, why don’t you deliver the message directly to the person you most want to tell? What if I pass it on incorrectly, fail to explain it clearly, and delay an important matter?”
Feng Xuanyi raised a brow, his voice colder than the night wind. “It seems the two of you have interacted quite a lot recently. Look at your tone, attitude, and expression. You’re practically a perfect copy of him.”
“Fifth Brother, please judge wisely! Our relationship is truly nothing more than a simple official one. Whenever possible, I’ve even tried to avoid suspicion by not speaking to him unless necessary.” Feng Xuanzhen wore such a miserable expression that he was only a step away from beginning a recitation of The Injustice to Dou E. What he said was, in a mixture of truth and falsehood, technically accurate. It was just that the reason he avoided speaking to Ning Xuan was not to avoid suspicion, but to prevent himself from being angered to death at a young age.
Elio’s Note: The Injustice to Dou E (《窦娥冤》) is a famous Yuan-dynasty play by Guan Hanqing about a woman who is falsely accused and unjustly executed. Here, the reference humorously suggests that Feng Xuanzhen looks ready to proclaim his innocence as dramatically as the wronged Dou E.
“I can’t be bothered talking nonsense with you.” Feng Xuanyi looked amusedly at Feng Xuanzhen, who had suddenly become much more animated, and could not help marveling inwardly at Ning Xuan’s influence. Being born into the imperial family brought far too much repression and helplessness. Refusing to struggle meant death, yet struggling did not necessarily mean one would survive. In the eyes of the world, imperial relatives possessed wealth, authority, riches, and glory all at once, but how could ordinary people possibly understand or experience what it truly felt like? Feng Xuanyi could not help remembering and asking himself whether he had once been as lively and animated as Eighth Brother. “I can only tell you this and ask you to take it seriously. As for him, he isn’t seeking glorious military achievements or magnificent accomplishments. It would already be good enough if he could take proper care of himself.”
A bitter smile touched Feng Xuanyi’s lips, filled with deep affection yet helplessness. It made one’s heart ache and filled it with sorrow, yet one could still feel the warmth within it.
“Fifth Brother…” Feng Xuanzhen had first seen this side of Fifth Brother that day at Prince Rong’s Manor, when they had been forced to send Ning Xuan away. Seeing it again now still felt unreal and shocking, only this time there was more helplessness and bitterness.
“By the way, you were teaching him martial arts just now, weren’t you? It truly must be difficult for someone who normally lives by the principle of ‘if I can lie down, I will never sit; if I can sit, I will never stand’ to work so diligently.” Seeing Feng Xuanzhen’s dumbfounded expression, Feng Xuanyi shrugged. “Those were his exact words. Sometimes even I can’t help wondering what exactly is inside his head. Once he starts spouting those strange expressions, there is no end to them, and every one of them somehow sounds perfectly justified.”
“Once someone misses the proper age to learn martial arts, that opportunity is gone. It isn’t impossible to make up for it, but neither will concentrating so hard for two or three days accomplish much.”
“But he truly has learned quite well. Reaching this level in only a few days—either he is a martial arts prodigy, or he already possessed a foundation and merely kept it deeply concealed.”
“Whichever it is, discussing it now is useless. He is going onto a battlefield, where swords and blades have no eyes. Whether sharpening his spear at the last moment will be useful, and precisely how useful it might be, remain unknown. It would be better to assign someone to protect him. Tomorrow, I’ll send someone over. As for how to slip him into the army without arousing suspicion, and how to keep him beside Ning Xuan without Ning Xuan discovering him, that will depend on your arrangements and deployment.”
People said there was no affection in the imperial family. Yet whether that lack of affection was real or false, after enough time passed, even they themselves could no longer distinguish it. How, then, could they blame others for resenting their cold blood and cold hearts?
At those words, Feng Xuanzhen’s smile grew wider and wider until the corners of his mouth nearly reached his ears. Patting his chest, he solemnly promised, “I understand. Fifth Brother, you can rest assured.”
Several days of life as busy and relentless as pounding war drums passed with Ning Xuan repeatedly being stood up. Since that night, Feng Xuanzhen had not sought Ning Xuan out again, and Ning Xuan naturally had not taken the initiative to look for him either. Apart from nodding and exchanging formal greetings whenever they met each day, the two seemed to avoid contact as much as possible. Even the martial arts lessons, which could have served as a perfectly legitimate excuse, had been set aside. They had already entered the northwestern frontier, and the war situation was growing increasingly tense. Urgent memorial after urgent memorial from the front lines came crashing down upon them like an overwhelming tide, leaving them unable to keep up or even catch their breath. Ning Xuan spent most of his time sighing as he read the important matters recorded in those memorials. Matters that seemed desperately urgent to the ancients were, from the perspective of someone who had received higher education and was comparatively “widely read” and “strategically far-sighted” for this era, nothing more than trivial concerns. Still, he was an inexperienced newcomer. No matter how helpless or exhausted he felt, he could not show it on his face. With the attitude of using the experience of later generations and returning it to those who came before, Ning Xuan handled everything with remarkable success, astonishing everyone. One military report after another that he had dealt with on the march was sent back to court. From the emperor down to the hundred officials, even the highly accomplished Marquis Dingbei offered him several words of praise. For a time, his reputation rose above the crowd, and everyone regarded him with newfound favor. Of course, that would come later. At present, Ning Xuan knew nothing of it.
“What’s wrong? Are you still angry?” Feng Xuanzhen boldly pulled open the tent flap and strode inside, but when he spoke, his voice lacked the confidence of his entrance. Instead, he rubbed his nose as though feeling somewhat guilty.
“For what matter has Prince Yu come here?” Ning Xuan snapped shut the memorial in his hand. Raising his eyes, his phoenix gaze tilted slightly upward, cold and expressionless.
“Don’t be so serious.” At some unknown point, their roles had been completely reversed. In the past, it had always been Ning Xuan visiting Feng Xuanzhen’s tent, wearing a flattering smile, speaking coaxingly, and doing everything possible to persuade him to teach martial arts. Now it was Feng Xuanzhen who had come to Ning Xuan’s tent, setting aside his airs and smiling ingratiatingly like a shameless lackey. Naturally, Feng Xuanzhen did not forget to curse Feng Xuanyi thoroughly in his heart for forcing him into this position. “It’s a private matter. I merely came to chat casually.”
The atmosphere did not improve. Instead, it seemed to grow even worse. Ning Xuan wore an expression that said just as I expected, and a trace of a strained smile appeared at his lips. “Very well. I never knew Prince Yu and I shared so many ‘private matters’ worth discussing. I am truly overwhelmed by the honor.”
Feng Xuanzhen froze, but after thinking for a moment, he immediately understood where the problem lay. He had indeed come for a “private matter,” but this private matter was not that private matter. Still, he had brought this disaster upon himself and could not escape it. He coughed awkwardly. “You’re still angry about that? Holding onto a grudge like this is far too petty. I certainly didn’t come here to discuss that matter.”
He was a dignified imperial prince. When had he ever needed to lower himself and speak so humbly to someone else? Merely thinking about it made Feng Xuanzhen feel thoroughly aggrieved.
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