LF Chapter 71
by VolareThe biting cold wind on the northwestern border was like a knife. It was only the first month of winter, yet snow was already falling on the Gobi Desert. Goose feather-like snowflakes swirled with the wind and sand, a scene of magnificent grandeur, a unique world in itself.
Jiang Yinghua stood beneath a border army tent, raising her hand to catch the falling snow. Years ago, on the day she left the northern border, she had been the same, gazing eagerly at the entrance of the Prince Manor, hoping for someone to appear.
According to Jiang Yinghua’s plan, the abbot would remain with the garrison commander to guard the border army. Tonight, she would disguise herself with the shadow guards, cross a perpetually snow-covered mountain range, and sneak into a small town on the border of the Liang Kingdom.
The Secret Agency had delivered a message, and Yan Wanzhi had responded. Jiang Yinghua was going to investigate the truth. No matter the outcome, if Jiang Yinghua did not return by daybreak, the Great Chu border army would launch a westward expedition. Her all-or-nothing gamble was a dangerous move.
Late at night, Jiang Yinghua, covered in wind and snow, arrived as agreed at a small inn. Looking around, Jiang Yinghua did not detect any ambush by Yan Wanzhi. The shadow guards also shook their heads, unable to sense any hidden arrangements. Jiang Yinghua dispersed her people around the area, while she, disguised as a man, entered the small shop alone and found the room she had been told about.
Standing outside the slightly dilapidated wooden door, Jiang Yinghua felt uneasy. She gripped the poisoned dagger in her sleeve, leaned to the side, and kicked the door open tentatively, but there was no movement inside. She carefully raised the dagger and cautiously entered, only to find the dark room empty.
Jiang Yinghua frowned. What trick was Yan Wanzhi playing? She groped around in the dark and finally found a small note under a dim candlestick. The ink was not yet dry, and it was the encrypted code of the Secret Agency: “North-facing window, a candlelight.”
After deciphering the code, Jiang Yinghua’s eyes sharpened. She had impersonated the garrison commander using the Secret Agency’s communication. Yan Wanzhi had guessed that the garrison commander would not come alone and had deliberately left the code as a test.
She went to the window and indeed saw a faint, dim yellow candlelight flickering in a house across the street. She quickly left the inn, crossed the street, and silently approached the room. Piercing the window paper with her dagger, she made a small hole and peered inside. Only one person was sitting in the room, and even though that person was wrapped in thick clothes, with only a back view visible, Jiang Yinghua’s heart pounded.
She went around to another direction, deftly climbed in through the window, and tiptoed behind Yan Wanzhi. “Show yourself, why be so secretive? I’m the only one here.” Yan Wanzhi, with her back to her, sipped tea calmly, showing no sign of panic.
Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua put away her dagger and quickly stood beside her. In the candlelight, a faint shadow was cast on the wall, a shadow that was too thin. Yan Wanzhi looked at it absently, frowning, and turned back in a daze.
The moment their eyes met, Jiang Yinghua looked at her calmly with her hands behind her back. But when Yan Wanzhi saw who it was, she suddenly stood up, her mouth half-open in astonishment, frozen in place.
Jiang Yinghua snorted coldly, her tone even: “Coming alone, you’re quite brave. Should I call you Miss Mo, or Princess of Heyang?”
Hearing this, Yan Wanzhi’s fingers under the large leather coat clenched her palms tightly. After struggling in her eyes for a long time, she couldn’t help but rush forward and hug Jiang Yinghua tightly, immediately sobbing non-stop, murmuring, “Hua’er, I never thought you would come here.”
Jiang Yinghua had imagined thousands of scenes of their reunion, and had dreamed of it many times. But now that she actually saw her, feeling the warmth of her breath on her neck, she was surprisingly calm, only saying coldly, “Let go.”
“No, I won’t.” Yan Wanzhi’s voice was thick with nasal tones, tightening her arms around her as if afraid she would run away.
Jiang Yinghua closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reproached, “In the past, you were kidnapped while wandering outside. But after entering the vast expanse of Western Liang, you couldn’t find a chance to send me a message to put my mind at ease? What is this tearful entanglement now? Five years, a full five years. How many five years does a person have to waste? You are so cruel.”
Upon hearing these words, Yan Wanzhi cried even harder, sobbing incessantly, her body trembling. Jiang Yinghua stood like a pillar, letting her hug her, letting her cry. It was enough for one of them to vent, no need for a flood.
After a long while, Yan Wanzhi’s sobs subsided, and the frequency of her weeping slowed down. Jiang Yinghua pushed her away forcefully. “Have you cried enough? Can we talk business?”
Yan Wanzhi clearly felt the alienation in Jiang Yinghua’s attitude and the coldness in her voice. She lowered her eyes, her already shorter stature making her look even more petite. Composing herself, she said softly, “It’s all my fault, it’s my fault, it was foolish of me to lose you.”
Seeing her speak so sincerely, Jiang Yinghua’s heart softened, assuming that Yan Wanzhi must have her reasons and had not truly defected to Western Liang. She softened her tone and said lightly:
“I was born in the clouds, but I cannot drift freely. Along the way, being coerced by loyalty and filial piety, and being forced by relatives and friends has become the norm. Even today, it is still so.
I have repeatedly confided in you about my childhood, but you have stubbornly locked your family grudges in your heart. I thought you were just reluctant to mention your lonely childhood, but you have hidden so much from me. In your eyes, I am unable to distinguish right from wrong and would not stand up for you, is that right?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Wanzhi shook her head frantically, “No… that’s not it,” she said, and large tears fell again.
A person in their thirties was shedding tears in front of her, and Jiang Yinghua was momentarily at a loss. She probably couldn’t ask what this person had been thinking. Taking out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve, Jiang Yinghua put it in her hand and said softly:
“Before, you and I were separated by the great Buddha that was my elder sister. We were both her subjects, but each had our own way of serving the Emperor. I deeply understood the pain of being in a difficult position and never imposed the same pressure on you. I thought that if I treated you with all my heart, and let you see it every day, you would eventually understand. I didn’t expect that you would always act like a solitary eagle, not opening your heart to me and not saying a word about your feelings, and you even dared to make decisions that involved your future and life on your own. It’s been several years since we parted, did you expect this result?”
Yan Wanzhi held the silk handkerchief, wiping away the tear stains haphazardly, mumbling for a long time, unable to say a complete sentence other than apologies.
Her attitude of admitting her mistakes was impeccable. Jiang Yinghua thought, and didn’t dare say anything harsh. She looked down at Yan Wanzhi, dressed in barbarian clothes, with many braids in her hair, and a high ponytail, looking very much like a Western Liang princess. Casually brushing the stray hair from her forehead, Jiang Yinghua whispered in her ear, “Stop crying, it’s very dangerous for me to be here, can we talk business?”
Only then did Yan Wanzhi belatedly remember their situation, control her emotions, and ask suspiciously, “Why did you come here? Aren’t you supervising the country in the capital?”
Jiang Yinghua walked past her and sat down at the table on her own, tapping the table with her index finger, “Is this the princess’s way of treating guests?”
Yan Wanzhi hurried over to pour tea for her, holding it up with both hands and offering it softly, “Be careful, it’s hot, and the tea here is not very good.”
Jiang Yinghua reached out to take it, only stroking the teacup to look at it, and hooked the corner of her mouth, saying, “Is this place safe? How dare you come alone?”
“It’s safe, this is a small courtyard I bought privately, no one knows about it. I have always wanted to contact Chu, but I have been watched closely. Now that I have come to the border army, it has eased up a bit, and I have gotten a breather. Actually, I’m not alone, Ninth Uncle, oh, that is, Mo Wuming, has led a few people to ambush in the back alley, and if the candle goes out, they will come.” Yan Wanzhi still lowered her eyes, explaining slowly.
Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua thought that this little fox hadn’t lost her skills, and had brought the missing Mo Wuming from the manor with her to Western Liang. She said quietly, “That’s good. I’ll ask you something, and you’ll answer me. Don’t force me to vent all the resentment that’s been pent up for five years tonight.”
“I’ll answer, I’ll answer whatever you ask, don’t be angry.” Yan Wanzhi almost begged.
“Who sent you to Western Liang, do you really want to be the princess of Western Liang?” Jiang Yinghua raised her eyes and stared at Yan Wanzhi, not willing to miss even the slightest movement.
Yan Wanzhi twisted her fingers uneasily, lowered her head very low, and remained silent for a long time. Jiang Yinghua became impatient and said in a deep voice, “I don’t have much time, don’t wait until the Great Chu border army tramples Western Liang before you speak, it will be too late then.”
Yan Wanzhi raised her head in shock, meeting Jiang Yinghua’s eyes, and asked suspiciously, “You, are you going to launch a strong attack? Hua’er, don’t be reckless, things here are complicated, I’ll explain it to you.”
Jiang Yinghua cracked her knuckles, lowered her eyes, and said, “Go on, say as much as you know. I dared to come, and I’m not completely ignorant.”
Yan Wanzhi always had the illusion that Jiang Yinghua was interrogating her, but in the current situation, she was already at a disadvantage, and she had no time to think too much.
“I made a deal with the Prince of Jialing. He said that my father was not tolerated by the former Liang King and was chased all the way into Great Chu, which resulted in the execution of my entire family. He sent me here to gain a foothold, first feigning collusion with Western Liang, and then subverting Western Liang. And I would help him, help him rebel. After it’s done, he promised me a position as prime minister and to keep you safe.”
Jiang Yinghua narrowed her phoenix eyes and asked suspiciously, “Does he know about our relationship? Or did you tell him?”
“He already knew. When he kidnapped me in Ningzhou, he used you as a threat. The person who tipped him off should be someone close to you. That’s right, when Your Majesty arrested me, it was also because our affair was exposed. There must be a mole in the manor. But over the years, I haven’t found any clues, and I don’t know who is secretly colluding with him.” Yan Wanzhi poured herself a cup of tea, frowning in thought.
“Continue, tell me about Western Liang.” Jiang Yinghua watched her with her arms folded, suppressing the doubts about this matter and waiting for the next part.
“The Western Liang royal family is empty, and the Xiongnu are so cunning that they killed those who should be killed and ruined those who should be ruined, otherwise it wouldn’t be my turn. Now I have gradually gained the trust of the Empress Dowager, and because of the Prince of Jialing, I have now obtained half of the military power, and the deployment of 170,000 troops is also in my hands. You can take down Western Liang by force, but what benefits are there? Once the border army war starts, the Prince of Jialing will take the opportunity to make trouble, and you will be stretched thin. You were supervising the country at the beginning of the year, and Your Majesty is suspicious. If you have this decision, it should be because the Emperor’s health is failing. Hua’er, don’t go all in.”
Yan Wanzhi explained the ins and outs anxiously.
“How many soldiers are there in the Western Liang border defense army in total? Where does the Prince of Jialing want to borrow Western Liang’s troops from to enter Chu, and is there an internal response?” Jiang Yinghua frowned, her eyes sharp.
“There are a total of 190,000 border troops, scattered in various places. There are less than 300,000 troops in the entire region. As for where the Prince of Jialing’s opening is, only the Empress Dowager and he know, and I can’t find out. But when I handed in my defense plan, the two had no objection, so I guess that the opening should be in the south, in the southwest of Great Chu, his old lair, and the southernmost part of Liang.” Yan Wanzhi dipped a little tea and drew a outline on the table.
Jiang Yinghua’s brow furrowed, she had neglected that the southern side of Liang Kingdom had a very narrow piece of land, and the southwest was where the Prince of Jialing had been entrenched for many years, and it was not difficult to buy off one or two garrison commanders. But the southwest is very far from the capital, and this move will definitely force the court to retaliate. No, this must not be his true path.
Jiang Yinghua pondered for a long time, she seemed to understand that the Prince of Jialing might be deceiving Yan Wanzhi. He had been entrenched in the Xing’an Mountains in the northeast for a long time and must have something in mind. At that time, the southwest and northeast will attack the capital at the same time, and then use Yan Wanzhi to contain the border army, making the capital isolated and helpless, perhaps that is his plan. And the Liang army has limited troops, and will only be souls under the knife at that time, easily eliminated, a good trick of crossing the river and tearing down the bridge.
Jiang Yinghua lowered her eyes and calculated, smiling, “Then what are you going to do?”
“According to their expectations, control the military power, pretend to agree, and turn against you to help you after entering Great Chu.” Yan Wanzhi responded very seriously.
Jiang Yinghua laughed, “Is this the plan you made to come here decisively? Didn’t you think that plotting with a tiger would be difficult?”
“For you, and for the Jiangshan that my father once guarded, Wanzhi is willing to come, even if it is a dangerous place. And you don’t know, I thought that the only person who killed my father was Prince Yong, but there is a Liang person among Prince Yong’s followers, he has seen my father, and now he is actually a general of Western Liang.
I have to stay to verify that this person is inseparable from the Prince of Jialing, and the turmoil of Prince Yong that year also had a hand from the Prince of Jialing. When this matter is over, the doubts of that year can be solved, and the real murderer who poisoned your two nephews can also be found out.
Hua’er, you go back to the capital, leave it to me here, I will go to you, believe me.” Yan Wanzhi reached out to take Jiang Yinghua’s hand, her words were very sincere.
Jiang Yinghua smiled bitterly, raised her hand and covered the teacup, saying quietly:
“You want to investigate family matters, and I have no right to stop you. Let’s drink together when we meet, and let’s say goodbye. I’m not used to the tea here, you can drink it for me. Let’s take this as your promise, don’t make me wait bitterly again. I have always been alone, without a marriage contract, without a Prince of the Concubine, do you understand what I mean?”
Yan Wanzhi’s eyes flickered, and she suddenly remembered that Jiang Yinghua had been engaged to the Prince of the East Sea. However, the person in front of her was so affectionate and so pathetic. There must be difficulties and changes that Yan Wanzhi didn’t know. She lowered her eyes, bit her lip, and said, “I understand, I won’t break my promise.”
“You said just now that the Prince of Jialing promised you the position of prime minister and left you here, I am still uneasy in my heart. Wanzhi, I will also agree with you, not to be the Princess of Heyang, and to return to Great Chu to be the female prime minister of the country, okay?” Jiang Yinghua looked at her affectionately, her tone as gentle as water, and pushed the teacup in front of her.
Yan Wanzhi was deeply moved, nodded and agreed, took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp, and said softly, “It’s a deal.”
Jiang Yinghua looked at her with a smile, reluctant to say goodbye, “Send me off, okay?”
Yan Wanzhi looked away, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and squeezed out a smile, “It should be.” She raised her foot to open the door and lead the way, and Jiang Yinghua followed half a step behind. Before long, the person’s body tilted and she lost consciousness. Jiang Yinghua reached out to support her, and said Coquettish, “Silly, I will never lose you again, and I can’t watch you die.”
Yan Wanzhi wanted to use a trick, but Jiang Yinghua was planning, waiting for people to mess up their own position. After all, Jiang Yinghua knew that the Emperor was running out of time and couldn’t wait. She wanted the people to see with their own eyes that the traitorous officials would be executed according to the law, so as not to hate her.
She carried Yan Wanzhi to the street, and the shadow guards appeared. Jiang Yinghua whispered, “Take my jade pendant to the back alley in a quarter of an hour and take those people away, saying that their master is in my hands. The rest of the people, quickly follow me back.”