The storm was poised to break, yet had not broken.
In the quiet night of the army camp, no one would have guessed that a mutiny had nearly erupted here not long before.
While the old generals were still racking their brains over how to preserve their own authority, Ji Chou Ying had already used the imperial edict and military tally to take control of the Southern Border camp in short order. He also sent men to the various guard posts to deliver the decree and station troops there. By the time the old generals recovered their senses, the situation had already been settled and the spilled water could not be gathered again. On top of that, Huo Yuan had sworn that Liu Tan Du had been subdued by Zhang A Gu, draining away even more of their will to resist. Huo Yuan had never expected to lift a rock only to smash his own foot, but regret now came too late.
Pei Yuan Jin wandered around once without finding anything wrong, then went to the beacon tower. Without beacon smoke rising from it, the tower looked no different from an ordinary chimney that was not smoking. The beacon officer was leading men in adding fresh firewood.
Pei Yuan Jin passed over it through the air and looked into the distance from above. The western plain lay fully exposed before his eyes. Beacon smoke meant warning of an enemy. Had the enemy come from the west?
He turned gracefully in midair, the true essence inside him spinning round and round like a golden core. At the Golden Core Stage, the body served as the furnace and true essence was refined into a golden core. After the succession of hard battles in Southern Yu, the heat was already sufficient. He lacked only one final breath.
On his way back, he passed above the camp again. Hearing someone suddenly call out to General Huo, he remembered Miss Huo from Madam Fenfang’s private residence and stopped.
Several people were talking inside the barracks at the very center of the camp.
A rough voice said, “Heir Ji certainly looks comfortable! It hasn’t been long, yet you’re already acting as though you aren’t an outsider. Even if you have an imperial edict and a military tally, you can’t simply ignore General Liu. Where does that leave him?”
The man being addressed as “Heir Ji” replied very calmly, “Border garrisons have been rotated since ancient times. His Majesty has made separate arrangements for General Liu.”
“Pretty words. Do you think we don’t know the envoy has already imprisoned General Liu?”
“The envoy acts on Heaven’s behalf, as though His Majesty himself were present. A private audience behind closed doors is also an abundance of imperial favor.”
“Even if we’re going to die, at least let us die knowing why. General Liu has guarded the border for years. His Majesty can’t possibly… strip him of his military authority without a word, can he?”
“Those words of yours are the reason.” Imperial authority was bestowed by Heaven, and military authority was bestowed by the emperor. The moment he said that His Majesty could not take away the military command, he had already pushed General Liu straight into the fire.
“…”
Pei Yuan Jin had no patience for their verbal sparring. He stood there only briefly and was about to leave when he heard the rapid thunder of hooves racing toward the camp.
From where he was, he could see Liu Tan Du in the lead, with Fu Xuan and Fu Xi Yan half a horse length behind him.
The people inside the barracks came out at the sound. Several of the old generals saw Liu Tan Du and their tiger-like eyes filled with tears. Huo Yuan, by contrast, saw Liu Tan Du and Fu Xuan arriving together, and his expression changed slightly as he instinctively slowed his steps.
Both sides had a thousand things to say, but Liu Tan Du spoke first and asked about the beacon smoke. The generals explained over one another. When Liu Tan Du heard that Duke Haixi’s heir had come under imperial orders to rotate the garrison, his expression shifted, then quickly settled into the calm of someone whose suspicions had been confirmed.
One old general cried, “I heard the envoy imprisoned you, General! I wished I could have taken your place!”
Liu Tan Du frowned. “Where did that rumor come from?”
The old general froze and looked at Huo Yuan. Huo Yuan stepped forward in apparent “excitement.” “It’s enough that you’ve returned safely, General. The affairs of the army still need you here to take charge!”
Liu Tan Du gave him a meaningful look.
He had arrived together with Fu Xuan, so naturally he knew what had happened at the chiliarchy compound. But he had known Huo Yuan for many years and they had been close friends. For the moment, he could not be certain what Huo Yuan’s intentions had been, so he gave a vague response and asked, “Where is General Ji?”
The old general glanced at the barracks behind them. They had been talking here for some time. If Ji Chou Ying had any intention of exchanging courtesies, he should already have come out. Since he had not, he was obviously putting on airs.
The old general was displeased.
Although Ji Chou Ying was Duke Haixi’s heir, his official rank was General Who Stabilizes the State, slightly below Liu Tan Du’s General of Agile Cavalry.
Liu Tan Du patted their shoulders and headed toward the barracks first, only to discover that people were already inside.
Fu Xi Yan was tugging Pei Yuan Jin along as he introduced the two men to each other.
The moment the old generals mentioned Duke Haixi’s heir, Fu Xi Yan had been unable to resist sneaking over. He happened to run into Pei Yuan Jin coming down from the roof, so he pulled him inside to pay their respects.
Ji Chou Ying stared when he saw Fu Xi Yan. Only after Fu Xi Yan introduced himself did he ask half-believingly, “You’re Xi Yan?” Portraits of Northern Zhou’s number-one beauty had not yet spread to the western frontier, so Ji Chou Ying had no idea this was what his wife’s nephew looked like after losing weight.
Fu Xi Yan pointed at the Crimson Dragon King in Pei Yuan Jin’s hair. “That is the Crimson Dragon King, so he is Pei Yuan Jin. And because he is Pei Yuan Jin, I am Fu Xi Yan.”
Ji Chou Ying could not help laughing. “That unreliable manner of yours does prove you’re Fu Little Four.”
Fu Xi Yan said speechlessly, “We agreed you wouldn’t call me Little Four.”
Ji Chou Ying shook his head and was about to speak when Liu Tan Du and the others entered. He hurried forward, cupped his hands, and said, “General Liu. I’ve long heard of you.”
Liu Tan Du returned the greeting and said pointedly, “I truly never imagined that, in this lifetime, you and I would meet in the Southern Border.”
Ji Chou Ying said, “I’ll need General Liu’s full cooperation in rotating the Southern Border garrison.”
Liu Tan Du smiled without quite smiling. “You came like a falling star and a thunderbolt, moved like an autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves. What need is there for me to meddle?”
Ji Chou Ying did not pursue the subject and changed topics. “I heard there was some misunderstanding between General Liu and the envoy?”
Liu Tan Du’s gaze moved to Fu Xi Yan standing beside Ji Chou Ying. Fu Xi Yan spread his hands to show that he had said nothing. Liu Tan Du sighed faintly. “That is a long story. I should receive the imperial edict first.”
For an imperial decree ordering a garrison rotation, Liu Tan Du should properly have received the edict first, after which both sides would make the handover. Ji Chou Ying had acted first and reported later only because he feared delay would breed trouble and wanted to cut through the mess quickly.
Now that Liu Tan Du himself proposed receiving the decree, he was clearly willing to conduct a proper handover. Ji Chou Ying could not have asked for more.
Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin had no desire to join the excitement and went outside. Even there, voices drifted out from time to time. When Fu Xi Yan heard Emperor Jianhong’s edict order Fu Xuan to return to the capital with Liu Tan Du to report on his duties, he gave a cold snort.
Seeing Pei Yuan Jin look at him, he lowered his voice. “That dog emperor planned this beautifully.”
From the beginning, Emperor Jianhong had never intended to let the Fu family take over the Southern Border. He had Fu Fu and Fu Xuan use the marriage to strike at the Liu family and escort Liu Tan Du back to the capital only to clear the road for Ji Chou Ying.
It made sense. If the Fu and Liu families tore off all pretense with each other, morale in the Southern Border army would probably become unstable and internal disputes would erupt everywhere. If Ji Chou Ying then appeared as a third party, he could instead profit from both sides and achieve a remarkable result.
Emperor Jianhong had also chosen the perfect person.
Fu Xi Yan said, “Suppress Liu Tan Du, then snatch the harvest out of the Fu family’s hands. Looking across Northern Zhou, only Uncle could pull that off.”
Ji Chou Ying was Fu Hui Ran’s husband and the brother-in-law of Fu Fu and Fu Xuan. During the years when the Fu family could barely lift its head in Haojing, Duke Haixi’s household had given them considerable help. That relationship alone meant the Fu family could never turn against Ji Chou Ying.
Emperor Jianhong sat all the way in Haojing yet decided victory from a thousand li away. After one round of maneuvering, even Jiangling had somehow ended up inside his calculations.
When the discussion inside sounded nearly finished, Fu Xi Yan said to Pei Yuan Jin, “I want to escort Uncle back to Haojing.”
The Northern Alliance was determined to get Liu Tan Du, and Fu Xi Yan feared more trouble might arise along the road. Liu Tan Du had previously chosen with absolute firmness to stay, but human nature was complicated. Today, tomorrow, the day after that, who could guarantee a person would never change? Besides, Liu Huan’s disappearance was almost certainly connected to the Northern Alliance. Liu Tan Du had even softened enough toward Madam Liu, who had placed him in such an unjust position, to collect her remains. Could he really let go of the son he had raised for twenty years?
Fu Xi Yan would only feel at ease if he kept watch himself.
Pei Yuan Jin said, “I’ll go with you.”
Fu Xi Yan said, “Right. We also need to give the sachet to Aunt Yu.”
Pei Yuan Jin had long wanted to see the sachet the monk had given Fu Xi Yan. But when he finally saw it, his brows immediately drew together and his disgust was written all over his face. The real object was simply too far removed from the sachet he had imagined, especially with all the bloodstains on it.
Fu Xi Yan said, “I think there must be a story behind this sachet.” If Wang Ku had invented the story, there would have been no need to deliberately find such a sachet to go with it.
“Wang Ku said the person who gave away the sachet is in the north. Do you know whether Aunt Yu has any connection to the north?”
Pei Yuan Jin thought about it very seriously. “Does preferring northern flavors count?”
“…” Fu Xi Yan said, “Forget it.”
The smoothness of the handover was something Ji Chou Ying had not expected before coming, but he calmly accepted this result, which had plainly been produced by maneuvering from several sides. Fu Xuan did not say much either.
The situation today was not something Ji Chou Ying could control. As long as they remained subjects of Northern Zhou, they had to accept having a Northern Zhou emperor above their heads issuing commands. What truly fell outside Ji Chou Ying’s expectations were the choices Liu Tan Du had made throughout the day.
Liu Tan Du’s emotions were extraordinarily complicated.
He had spent years building his position in the Southern Border. How could giving it all up in a single day not tear at his heart? But from the moment Zhang A Gu died at Madam Liu’s hands, there had been no road back for him.
Before leaving the camp, however, he still had one final thing to do: interrogate Huo Yuan.
Huo Yuan had used Liu Tan Du’s name to purge the chiliarchy and fabricated a rumor that Zhang A Gu had imprisoned him. His intentions were far too obvious to ignore.
Liu Tan Du ordered that Huo Yuan be confined alone in a room.
Ji Chou Ying had just benefited from Liu Tan Du’s cooperation, so naturally he would not make trouble over such a minor matter.
Fu Xuan asked to sit in on the interrogation and was refused.
Seeing Fu Xuan’s indignant expression, Fu Xi Yan gestured that he would go eavesdrop. Then he secretly circled around, avoided the old generals’ line of sight, and joined Pei Yuan Jin as a pair of “gentlemen of the rooftops.”
Near midnight, all creation had fallen silent. Even the stars seemed asleep, and the lamp flame on the table drooped without spirit, as though some invisible voice were singing loudly in the darkness: sleep, sleep.
Yet Liu Tan Du and Huo Yuan sat facing each other, each with his eyes opened wider than the other.
Liu Tan Du asked, “Where is Liu Huan?”
Huo Yuan still tried to deny everything, explaining that he had acted entirely to preserve Liu Tan Du’s position in the Southern Border while rambling on and on about Fu Xuan’s supposed faults.
Listening from above made Fu Xi Yan’s fists itch.
Liu Tan Du was plainly unmoved by the attempt to sway him. He went straight to the point. “When did you defect to the Northern Alliance?”
Huo Yuan still tried to play dumb.
Liu Tan Du said, “Adviser Tu at the prefectural yamen is one of your people too.” If Liu Tan Du had not gone to the prefectural yamen while arranging wanted notices for the Northern Alliance and searching for Liu Huan, he would never have learned that the Prefect had not appeared for days and that an adviser had actually overstepped his position and taken charge of daily affairs.
Huo Yuan could no longer deny it, so he changed tactics. “Do you know Liu Huan’s true identity?”
Liu Tan Du’s expression stiffened.
No one wanted other people to know that his son was not actually his son.
Huo Yuan looked at him as though bitterly disappointed by his failure to understand. “You are his adoptive father. With that relationship, if he ascends the throne one day, then in practice you will be the Retired Emperor. Why throw away such a magnificent future?”
Liu Tan Du stared at him coldly. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Huo Yuan said, “Liu Huan is Prince Yunzhong’s son, a true scion of the imperial bloodline. Wen Hong Xuan, leader of the Northern Alliance, was one of Prince Yunzhong’s old subordinates. With him assisting Liu Huan, the boy’s future status will be beyond measure!”
Both Fu Xi Yan and Liu Tan Du froze when they heard that Liu Huan was Prince Yunzhong’s son.
Because General Niu had once served Prince Longnan, they had assumed from the beginning that the child Madam Liu brought with her should be Prince Longnan’s. They had never expected Liu Huan to be a descendant of Prince Yunzhong.
“His birth mother is Rong Hui. Even if the Rong family lies low for a time, one day they will clear every thorn from his path.” Huo Yuan grew more agitated the longer he spoke. Everything he knew had been told to him by Wen Ping to entice him, and every word had struck directly at his ambitions. Repeating it now, he could not help adding a great deal of his own emotion.
Liu Tan Du said, “Nonsense! Liu Huan is my biological son. Even if you want to pull some substitution trick, there’s no need to set your sights on my son.”
Huo Yuan said, “You and I both know the truth. General, I only want you to open your eyes and look carefully at the situation before us. If Ji Chou Ying truly takes control of the Southern Border, do you think Old Bao and the others will still have good days ahead? Rather than sit and wait for death, why not stake everything on one throw?”
Liu Tan Du stared at him with a dark expression.
Huo Yuan kept talking without end, but Fu Xi Yan could no longer hear Liu Tan Du’s voice. An ominous feeling rose in him. Had Liu Tan Du been persuaded? If Liu Tan Du changed his mind, this was still the Southern Border army. One call from him could draw a hundred responses. He might genuinely be able to overturn Ji Chou Ying’s control all over again.
Fu Xi Yan disliked interfering in court affairs, but when his own family was in danger, he had no choice but to act.
He waited nervously for Liu Tan Du to make his final decision, and what he got was… Liu Tan Du killing Huo Yuan.
…
What kind of development was this? What kind of plot was this?
After killing him, Liu Tan Du stuffed the knife into Huo Yuan’s hand and declared that Huo Yuan had been exposed for falsely transmitting military orders and had committed suicide out of fear of punishment.
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
This suicide scene was so fake that anyone could see something was wrong without even examining it.
And yet, remarkably, no one came to examine it.
Liu Tan Du cut through the mess and settled the charge immediately. Everyone who had accompanied Huo Yuan to the chiliarchy that day was dealt with according to military law as well. Since the incident had occurred before Ji Chou Ying formally took command, Ji Chou Ying naturally accepted the judgment of his predecessor.
Fu Xuan had originally intended to settle accounts over what happened at the chiliarchy. He had not expected the other side to resolve everything before he could even act, so he could only slowly swallow that breath of anger.
By the time they rode out of the army camp, the eastern sky had turned the pale white of a fish’s belly. Liu Tan Du and Fu Xuan were both heavy with thoughts and said little, while Fu Xi Yan leaned against Pei Yuan Jin’s chest and slept soundly, snoring away.
When they returned to Jiangling, Fu Fu was still at the Liu residence. He had stayed awake all night waiting for them and only relaxed after seeing them return. Then Fu Xi Yan told him Ji Chou Ying had arrived. After a brief moment of astonishment, Fu Fu understood Emperor Jianhong’s calculations.
“So in His Majesty’s heart, Duke Haixi really has always been the most reliable.” Fu Fu did not feel jealous or unfairly treated. For one thing, the Fu family and Duke Haixi’s household were related by marriage, had maintained a good relationship for years, and had received considerable help from them. For another, Emperor Jianhong had not misjudged the man. Fu Fu himself had never intended to confront the Liu family head-on from the beginning and could not have acted with Ji Chou Ying’s decisiveness and absolute command.
Once a person thought about another’s strengths and his own shortcomings, there was naturally no room left for envy.
“But the Northern Alliance people still haven’t been caught,” Fu Fu said worriedly. “They’ve been plotting against the Southern Border all this time. Now that the Southern Border has fallen into your uncle-by-marriage’s hands, will they try to attack him?”
Fu Xi Yan said, “Even if they kill Uncle, they don’t have anyone suitable to take over the Southern Border. There’s no point.”
After overhearing Liu Tan Du and Huo Yuan’s conversation in the little dark room, he realized Huo Yuan had probably been intended as Liu Tan Du’s substitute. Huo Yuan simply lacked sufficient prestige in the army. Even without Liu Tan Du, it would have been difficult for him to take over everything.
Fu Xi Yan was not a worm living in Mei Xia Ying’s stomach, so he had no idea Mei Xia Ying had devised the vicious plan of making the rebellion a fait accompli under the banner of “rescuing Liu Tan Du.” Nor did he know that after waiting and waiting without Huo Yuan ever leading a great army to attack the city, Mei Xia Ying and the others had sent people out to investigate. The moment they learned Liu Tan Du had returned from outside the city, they understood the plan had failed and were now gathered at Madam Fenfang’s private residence to discuss a new countermeasure.
Wen Ping finished reading the latest report and casually burned it in the candle flame. “Liu Tan Du has already been to the army camp. Even if Huo Yuan escapes intact, there’s no way he can persuade the others to attack Jiangling now.”
Wu Kuan said, “If I’d known this would happen, I should have taken the Huo girl as my disciple myself! With her in our hands, Huo Yuan wouldn’t dare hesitate and hold back instead of giving his all.”
Wen Ping looked at Mei Xia Ying. “Mr. Mei, do you have any other good plan?”
Mei Xia Ying said, “The Southern Border is no longer attainable.”
Wen Ping’s face went pale. She looked at Wu Kuan, and Wu Kuan said, “Why don’t we take a few heads before we leave? At least then we’ll have something to show when we go back.”
Mei Xia Ying asked, “Whose head do you want?”
Wu Kuan thought for a moment. “Liu Tan Du refuses to appreciate what’s good for him. Let’s use him to consecrate the blade.”
Before Mei Xia Ying could object, Wen Ping spoke first. “He and that dog emperor are already at daggers drawn. Leaving him alive can still make trouble for the dog emperor.”
Wu Kuan proposed, “What about Fu Fu? His martial arts are weak. Killing him wouldn’t take much effort.”
Mei Xia Ying smiled. “But Fu Fu raised a good son, and that good son found himself a good son-in-law. Killing one man would be easy. Afterward, I’m afraid the north would never know a day of peace again.”
Wu Kuan said, “Are we really going back empty-handed?”
Mei Xia Ying said, “Didn’t you already bring one person back?”
At his words, everyone turned toward the couch. Liu Huan lay there with his eyes closed, breathing steadily.
Wen Ping remained unwilling. “Madam Liu is already dead. If we bring back only him, I’m afraid…” As though she had thought of something, her face turned faintly pale.
Wu Kuan sneered. “You’re that afraid of him? He might have been awe-inspiring in all directions back then, but now he’s nothing more than a cripple. What is there to fear?”
Wen Ping hurriedly said, “Third Elder, watch your words!”
Wu Kuan clicked his tongue twice and fell silent.
The three discussed the matter for a long time but never reached agreement. In Mei Xia Ying’s view, since the objective could no longer be achieved, they might as well leave early. Wen Ping and Wu Kuan wanted to stay and see whether another opportunity appeared.
Neither side could persuade the other, so in the end they split into two groups.
Mei Xia Ying headed north first, while the other two stayed behind to wait for an opening.
Fu Xi Yan had no idea that two poisonous snakes, one man and one woman, one fat and one thin, were lurking around him. Even if he had known, he probably would not have cared. With a BOSS like Mo Xiao Ran as his enemy, everyone else was doomed to fade into the background.
Before Zhang A Gu died, he had discussed escorting Liu Tan Du back to Haojing with Fu Fu. Later, Ji Chou Ying ordered Fu Xuan to accompany Liu Tan Du back to the capital to report on his duties. From this alone, it was obvious how desperately Emperor Jianhong wanted Liu Tan Du summoned back to Haojing. He had practically arranged two approaches at once and set multiple channels working toward the same end.
Even knowing that the road ahead was uncertain and that he might never return, Liu Tan Du had no second path left to choose.
The day he set out was also the day the Fu family parted ways.
As Governor of Hubei, Fu Fu could not leave Hubei’s borders. Fu Xia Qing had not formally broken off the engagement, but everyone knew that under the present circumstances, the marriage was already impossible.
If nothing else, Liu Huan’s identity as Prince Yunzhong’s son alone would bring endless trouble to the Fu family unless they were willing to board the Northern Alliance’s ship, or withdraw from court entirely and attach themselves to the Immortal Treasury Palace or the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror.
Even marriages in Fu Xi Yan’s previous life had required consideration of both families. In this life, matching family status and joining two surnames in alliance were fundamental parts of marriage.
Fu Fu, Fu Xia Qing, Lu Qing, Xiao Sang, and the others returned to Jiangcheng. Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin, bringing Fu Gui Gui with them, accompanied Fu Xuan as he escorted Liu Tan Du north.
Before departing, the Fu family made a special trip to the army camp to see Ji Chou Ying.
Ji Chou Ying had arrived in great haste. Although he had stabilized the situation with thunderous measures, a fire that burned too fiercely could easily scorch everything. Next would inevitably come gentler methods, like a soft breeze and fine rain.
Huo Yuan had purged Fu Xuan’s trusted men inside the chiliarchy, but the Fu family’s influence was complicated and far-reaching, and others still remained hidden. During the two days before his departure, Fu Xuan explained every one of them clearly to Ji Chou Ying.
The continuation of influence did not depend only on old friendships. Hope for the future mattered too. By handing these people over to Ji Chou Ying, Fu Xuan also hoped that when opportunities arose, Ji Chou Ying would help raise them up, allowing both sides to benefit.
Ji Chou Ying understood the implication at once. Everything that needed saying was understood without words.
Zhang A Gu had arrived in a carriage and departed in a coffin. In its own way, it was still a grand entrance and exit.
Chu Shao Yang continued handling the covert route, traveling ahead to clear away obstacles.
After Li Mu He boarded the carriage, he shut himself inside and rarely appeared except to eat, drink, and relieve himself.
Fu Xuan and Liu Tan Du shared a carriage, partly so Fu Xuan could keep watch over him and partly so he could provide psychological counseling. Fu Xuan thought the same as Fu Xi Yan: Liu Tan Du’s earlier cooperation might simply have come from being overwhelmed in the moment. To keep him from waking up halfway through the journey and stirring up needless trouble, Fu Xuan intended to make sure he remained muddled the entire way.
Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin had originally planned to ride in one carriage with Fu Gui Gui. Unfortunately, Fu Gui Gui kept growing larger, and perhaps its wings had truly gotten strong, because every now and then it liked to flap them a few times and create an enormous commotion.
Fu Xi Yan finally grew too annoyed and arranged a carriage just for it.
It happily enjoyed that arrangement for the entire morning, then suddenly missed its dad. Fu Xi Yan heard a heavy thunk from above, as though something weighty had slammed onto the roof of the carriage.
Fu Xi Yan stuck his head out just as Fu Gui Gui lowered its own head over the roof.
Fu Xi Yan looked at the height of the carriage and then at the distance from the carriage behind them. Delighted, he asked, “You can fly now?”
A bird being able to fly was nothing remarkable. But a chicken being able to fly, especially a domestic chicken, was something that had to make a person happy. Truthfully, Fu Xi Yan had already prepared himself for Fu Gui Gui to turn out to be an ostrich. He never expected it to deliver such a huge surprise.