The sky was clear, the clouds were bright, the will did not change
The money pouch was impossible to truly hang.
The personal guard brought this up only to remind General Liu that someone untouchable had come with the Jinyiwei Commander.
He recalled all kinds of โencountersโ in Pingzhou, Yongzhou, and even Taijing. Liu Danโs face turned black like the bottom of a pot; a breath stuck in his chest, yet he could not vent it.
Regardless of whether Meng Qi was friend or foe, he could not beat him or run away; he could only brace himself and get used to it. Could he have turned hostile?
Liu Dan took a deep breath, intending to steady his mind, but was immediately choked by the odor of the latrines.
โโRecently there had been quite a few who suffered from diarrhea.
Liu Dan had a sudden idea: was there not a Doctor Mo beside Meng Qi? Perhaps he had a remedy for acclimatization?
Thinking about his subordinates who were suffering, Liu Dan instantly became more energetic, brought genuine delight, and prepared to step forward to greet the โguest.โ
In the end, he had taken only a couple of steps before being held back by his personal guard.
โGeneral, you needed to change clothes.โ
How could he meet people in such a stench?!
Those with sufficient household wealth and no lack of servants often changed clothes after using the latrines. That was why latrines were also called โgengyi.โ But Liu Dan, who was a rough military man rolling around in mud and water countless times, obviously never had such a habit.
Yet now he needed something from others. Liu Dan glared at the personal guard, turned around, and went to his bedroom to find new clothes.
By the time General Liu changed and donned his armor, appearing gallantly with his personal guard, he was dumbfounded to discover that the one he wanted to find was absent.
Only three people sat in that huge main hall.
That was not all: the Jinyiwei Commander, Gong Jun, was actually seated at the very last seat.
Judging by official rank, status, or even martial abilityโฆ it should not have been so!
Liu Dan deliberately skipped over Meng Qi, who was next to Gong Jun, and stopped at the man seated on the first chair on the east side.
That man was wrapped in a black cloak. His tall, thin frame almost slumped into the chair, head lowered, leaving his face unseen.
What made General Liuโs mind buzz and caused him to instinctively reach for his blade was the sinister aura emanating from this man. It felt like he had crawled out of a mound of corpses and bones. This was not mere killing intent but a sense of death.
Liu Dan had seen such people before, in Qiuling County. After a violent earthquake, the survivors staggered up from the corpses of their loved ones, driven away by raging flames, and were surrounded by the same despair.
Their world changed overnight, leaving them with nothing, yet they had to live on, questioning the heavens about its unfairness.
โCough.โ
Liu Dan withdrew his hand, warily cleared his throat to announce his presence.
The man suddenly raised his head. His eyes were empty, as though he had just returned to his senses.
General Liu could not help gaping, even taking a step back.
โYouโฆโ
That face looked so much like Emperor Yongchen!
Meng Qi had anticipated this reaction. Seeing Liu Dan appear as though he had lost his money pouch, Meng Qiโs gaze drifted to Liu Danโs waist.
โโOh, there was only a blade and armor, no money pouch.
Gong Jun forced his eyes open. Observing Liu Danโs startled look, he felt a deep sympathy, for he had experienced the same.
However, Gong, who knew much about the royal secrets, had heard what the former Crown Princeโnow Emperor Yongchenโhad said when he committed regicide. Not only the Cabinet Ministers, but even they had heard bits of it. Thus, he quickly deduced that this man resembling Emperor Yongchen had to be that missing prince.
โโHe was almost dropped to his death by the Late Emperor, then rescued by the Ning family who risked their lives, and was raised in a Buddhist temple, that prince.
When looked at closely, he was Emperor Yongchenโs legitimate brother, born of the same father and mother, so it was perfectly normal that they resembled each other.
In fact, the one before them had features that leaned more feminine, originally vastly different in spirit and bearing from Emperor Yongchen. Even if similar in looks, one would not instantly connect the two.
However, Emperor Yongchen had been gravely ill for a long time and was already frail, with a lingering worry between his brows; Yan Cen, having experienced great upheaval, no longer displayed his usual habit of dodging peopleโs gazes. Once he came to his senses, that emptiness vanished, his eyes taut at the corners, his gaze as sharp as a blade that could pierce oneโs heart.
All sorts of coincidences made these two brothers appear more alike the longer one looked.
Gong Jun and the Jinyiwei had been the first group to be startled, and now it was Liu Danโs turn.
Because General Liuโs personal guards had no chance to see His Majesty, they could not fully fathom Liu Danโs alarm. Sensing something amiss, one guard quietly kicked Liu Danโs boot from behind.
Liu Dan jerked back to awareness, looked around as though nothing had happened, and said with a laugh, โIt seems Commander Gong has accomplished his mission well, returning so soon. May I ask who this isโโโ
โHe was Old General Ningโs descendant, who left home to a Buddhist temple in childhood to learn martial arts, and his surname was Yan,โ Gong Jun said with deeper meaning.
Liu Dan nodded, about to address him, but his mind suddenly froze.
Another surname meant an outside grandson, yet Old General Ning clearly had only one daughter who had died early.
Liu Danโs face flickered with confusion and then twisted, but he had mingled in official circles for years. Seeing Gong Junโs secretive demeanor, he forcibly swallowed his astonishment. Why care? Even if the Emperor had a half-brother, the cuckolded party was not him.
โYanโฆ Young Master Yan, please,โ Liu Dan said, forcing a smile and motioning for his guards to serve tea.
Yan Cen was briefly stunned at this address. In Baoxiang Temple, the monks called him by name or addressed one another as brother. In Stone Mill Stronghold, people called him the Second Boss. While traveling the martial world or guarding Xuanchuan Pass, he always kept his head lowered and never stayed around people for long. He was so poor that his clothes needed patching, and in his whole life, he had never been addressed as โYoung Master.โ
Liu Dan then continued searching for a doctor, but was caught off-guard by Meng Qiโs scrutinizing gaze, feeling a sudden chill run down his spine.
โโฆMaster Meng, why havenโt I seen Doctor Mo?โ
โYou really wanted to see him?โ Meng Qi tilted his head, speaking with amusement.
Liu Dan sensed danger and hastily said, โAfter my men crossed the river, many felt unwell and failed to adapt to the new environment. The prescriptions from our military doctors were useless, so we urgently needed a brilliant physician.โ
Meng Qiโs expression grew solemn. In a campaign, the most feared things were panic and disease.
Panic meant โbarracks alarm,โ caused when soldiers woke from nightmares yelling in the night. If the force was mostly untrained recruits or everyone was jittery and dreaded battle, it would turn into chaos, rousing those in the same tent or even the entire camp. One such outburst could claim thousands of lives.
Disease, of course, referred to epidemics. Once afflicted, half of the forces would be lost.
Water-and-soil acclimatization might seem trivial, yet it still severely impacted combat strength.
With the rebels rampant, Jingzhouโs troops were basically unreliable, leaving only Yangzhou and the Qi forces from the north to rely on. Both had to coordinate to trap King Tianshou in Jingzhou; losing either side would be like suddenly losing a foot, inviting peril.
โSince ancient times, northern troops crossing south or southern troops heading north have always encountered similar problems. Why ignore this?โ Meng Qi asked in puzzlement.
Liu Dan pulled a wry face. He had earned his title of General Suppressing Bandits by fighting countless battles, rooting out uncountable bandits, often moving between various locations. He had always had a method for coping with water-and-soil issues, but this time his secret remedy was ineffective.
โWe used to use northern soil mixed with southern waterโฆ In the past, we always did that. But after crossing the river, we heard that there were Gu and plagues in southern water, so we couldnโt drink it raw, and we were at a loss.โ
Meng Qi mused that, while that illness was rampant in Pengze, one should never drink raw water, regardless.
โFind someone who knows how to make tofu in the city you occupy, then have them cook porridge. For these next few days, feed the troops easily digestible foods, especially tofu made with local water, to help them gradually adapt. Also, keep some tea available. Separate the severely ill, and I shall have a look.โ
Liu Dan gazed at Meng Qi in astonishment, almost thinking this National Master before him was Doctor Mo in disguise.
โWhat are you waiting for?โ Meng Qi first frowned, then seemed to understand and said, โI was not a physician; I had merely seen such cases often enough.โ
Liu Dan thought it over and felt it was true; before the founding of Chu, Master Meng had also served as a general, not a civil official from the Astronomical Bureau.
Right now, he treated Meng Qi like a treasure. As long as Meng Qi could help him resolve this problem, he would willingly offer three money pouches.
Liu Dan was not one to stand on ceremony, so he simply left Gong Jun and Yan Cen behind and walked away. In his mind, these two fellows were people he either could not ask aboutโlike the Jinyiweiโor could not even discuss their identities. He would have been a fool to try to cozy up to them.
Liu Danโs abrupt departure made Yan Cen see him in a new light. From the Jinyiweiโs panicked reaction, Yan Cen had just learned that he happened to resemble his elder brother greatly.
All these years, it was impossible to say he had never thought about his brotherโs appearance, and it was equally impossible to say he had no resentment in his heart. Yet Yan Cen mostly doubted himself, suspecting that he had caused his twin brotherโs death, committing a grave mistake.
Although Master Yuanzhi and the high monks of Baoxiang Temple said that all things arose from their origin, that calamity was born of the bitter sea, and one must never let it fester in oneโs mind, Yan Cen still found it hard to let go. He had blamed many people, but he hated himself the most.
That time he met Doctor Mo on Stone Mill Mountain resolved part of the demons in Yan Cenโs heart.
It turned out he was just an ordinary person suffering from an ordinary illness, cured by an ordinary prescription.
A true healer truly did not care about his strange condition. Though they met by chance, he treated Yan Cenโs deformed limbs as normal, without surprise or alarm, much like Master Yuanzhi.
Yan Cen took a deep breath, and his expression grew colder.
โโBefore Master Yuanzhi passed away, he was still concerned about him. He could not continue to be dejected.
โYou already reported my situation back to Taijing?โ Yan Cen asked, fixing Gong Jun with a look devoid of goodwill. Among the common folk, the Jinyiwei never had a good reputation.
Gong Jun rubbed his nose, thinking that exchanging a civet cat for a brother was not a loss for Emperor Yongchen.
โYour elder brother had always been concerned about you,โ Gong Jun said solemnly.
Yan Cen froze upon hearing this, then showed a look of suspicion.
Commander Gong had no choice but to explain: โWhen you were born and encountered that misfortune, your elder brother witnessed it with his own eyes and never forgot. Later, he kept secretly sending people to look for you. They found Baoxiang Temple at one point, but you had long since gone, and the monks of Baoxiang Temple refused to say a word. So he had no choice but to give up.โ
Yan Cen sat rigidly, as though suddenly losing all sensation.
***
After the Qi army crossed the river, they quickly seized two cities to station troops and store grain.
There were wooden towers one after another along the riverโs fortifications, and soldiers patrolled everywhere.
Meng Qi felt perplexed. Judging by this hive of activity, it did not look like water-and-soil problems at all?
โThese were the navy troops summoned this time.โ Liu Dan looked embarrassed.
He was a general with an empty title; those naval officers hardly obeyed him in the first place. Now his own main forces had fallen ill, causing strife within the Qi army.
Even if the higher-ranking officers kept steady, the lower-ranking soldiers had already begun quarreling. One called the other a dwarf, the other retorted with sickly. Never mind weapons and armor, they even argued about who ate first or whose camp was higher up.
In truth, this sort of thing was not uncommon in the barracks. Rolling up sleeves and duking it out on the drill ground usually solved itโwhoever had the stronger fists had the final say, and that released pent-up energy.
But right now, they were in Jiangnan, holding an enemy city, with sickness in the camp. Liu Dan felt utterly distressed.
If this campaign failed, his official career would be finished. Forget earning any more military merits; he could only return to fighting bandits.
Meng Qi glanced at him without a word, then had someone lead him to inspect the tents of the sick soldiers.
โโHe could help Liu Dan for a while, but not for a lifetime.
Offering ideas was not a problem, but Liu Dan was still the one who had to lead the troops in battle. If he could not keep his men in line or suppress opposition from the other commanders, there was no point fighting. Merely being stationed here and posing a threat to King Tianshou would already be contributing.
Just when Liu Dan mustered all his courage, dealing frantically with military affairs, a sudden clamor erupted in the distance.
โWhat happened?โ
โGeneral, it wasโฆ it was the commoners in the city, they looked like scholars.โ
Liu Dan frowned, thinking these Jingzhou people intended to stir up trouble.
โYour subordinate could not make it clear, General, you had better go see for yourself.โ The messenger was sweating profusely, and the more anxious he got, the less coherent he became.
Liu Dan summoned his personal guards and strode toward the camp gate.
This was by the river, and the view was wide open. From afar, he saw a crowd gathered there, most dressed in a scholarโs attire.
Liu Dan wore full armor and exuded a commanding auraโhe was obviously a general. The moment he drew near, the crowd dropped to their knees in unison.
โWhat is the meaning of this, all you elders?โ Liu Dan narrowed his eyes, studying those scholars clad in plain blue or white robes. Some wore swords or carried longbows on their backs, while others were already old and gray, yet they did not resemble ordinary civilians.
An elderly man with white hair cupped his hands and said, โGeneral, we are teachers and students from Yunming Academy. We came today seeking an audience, hoping to offer our aid in your campaign against the rebel forces.โ
Liu Dan was stunned. He was a man of Qi, yet clearly these were Jingzhou citizens who had once belonged to the realm of the fallen Chu.
Southerners generally looked down on northerners. In the eyes of many scholars, Lu Zhangโs usurpation that established Qi was nothing but rebellion. Why then had they suddenly come to volunteer?
The old manโs frail body trembled, yet his voice was steady and clear.
โKing Tianshouโs rebel army has looted, burned, and plundered here in Jingzhou. King Jing cowered in Nanping, and the local government took no action. Outside the city, countless citizens cried in misery beneath skies black with smoke, while we could only watch, unable to venture out. After the General arrived, this old man observed how orderly the Qi army was, focused only on battle preparations and not disturbing a single resident of the city, truly intent on quelling the rebels.
โYunming Academy has a history of two hundred years. It once dispersed at the end of the Chen Dynasty, and it only thrives today thanks to the legacy of Marquis Leyang Zhu Yan in the former Chu.
โThe academy instructs us never to forget that we were born of this land and come from common folk. Since we have studied the works of sages and learned both scholarly and martial arts, we do not question who the sovereign is, which family or name. We only guard our native soil. Empty fame and loyalty are like dust and smoke, while warโs flames and blood uphold the land. Now is the time for us to set aside our brush and join the army. The skies were clear, the days were bright, and our resolve had never changedโฆ In past years, this old man once followed my classmates across the river to fight for Chu. Today, I have brought my students, dismissed the academy, sent my servants home, and carried three hundred loads of grain here requesting an audience. These students of mine are all capable of wielding a three-foot sword and pulling a six-stone bow, and we are willing to serve under your command.โ
By the time he finished, they all bowed again.
โWe are willing to serve under your command.โ
When the fate of the realm hung by a thread, who said scholars would not dare step forward?
Liu Dan felt shaken and could not speak for a long while. Suddenly, he sensed someone standing behind him.
Turning around, he saw an unfamiliar old man. About to reprimand him, Liu Dan heard the man say in a familiar tone, โIt is I, Meng Qi.โ
Liu Dan: โโฆโฆโ
Wait, how did the National Master manage to come back from the troops looking seventy years older?
โElder Yue.โ Meng Qi stepped forward and helped that white-haired elder up. โI never thought we would meet again, old friend.โ
At first, the old man appeared puzzledโhis eyes were cloudy, making it hard to recognize anyone. Gradually, he felt refreshed, as if a warm current had surged through his meridians. Back when he was injured by an arrow while gathering intelligence, General Meng himself had brought a doctor to treat him, and it seemed to feel just like this.
โYou, youโฆ could it be Meng, no, National Preceptor Meng?โ
Authorโs Note:
Previously mentioned Marquis Leyang Zhu Yan, courtesy name Yunming.
What did the character โYan (ๆ)โ mean? Yan referred to the skyโs clarity and brightness.
It also implied peace, like in the phrase โheqing haiyanโ (a time of peace and prosperity).
A clear sky without clouds was bright and blueโone could imagine such a sky and place their hopes in it.
โโโโโโ
When the fate of the realm hung by a thread, who said scholars would not dare step forward?
This line was drawn from the poem of the Guimo School in the game Tianxia 3.
