Why Does Mr. Xie Favor Me? Chapter 54

Chapter 54 The Broken Sword Awakens in Spring

There are no brocade books in Jiangnan, only the green grass on the tombs

On the school field outside Yunzhong City, the newly reorganized soldiers were practicing.With the former Beifu Army as the core, this team has absorbed the northern border troops and defected martyrs from all over the country. It has begun to take shape and has reached 20,000 people.

In the Zhongjun room, the charcoal fire was still burning brightly.There is a huge map spread out on the long desk, stretching from the northern border to Guzang.Xie Heng and Xiao Jue stood side by side, their fingers moving slowly on the map.

“The anti-rebellion army mobilized by the imperial court has arrived at Hejian Mansion. The leader is Wang Mu. Although this person has no great talent, he has 30,000 elite Imperial Guards under his command and should not be underestimated.” Xie Heng’s voice was calm. “In addition, soldiers and horses from Jiangnan and Guangling are also mobilizing. If we wait for them to encircle us, we will be passive.”

Xiao Jue clicked on several key nodes on the map with his finger: “So we must fight quickly and attack Huanglong before they encircle us.”

“Exactly.” Xie Heng’s finger drew an arc from Yunzhong City and pointed directly at Gu Zang, “I will lead ten thousand troops and travel day and night, bypassing the main force of Hejian Mansion and attack Gu Zang. I will not entangle or attack the city along the way. I just want to reach the city as quickly as possible.”

Xiao Jue continued: “I will lead the remaining soldiers and horses to clear out the resistance along the way, especially the Wang Mu Department in Hejian Prefecture. This will clear your worries and open the way for the following army.”

This was a decision made after several days of discussion between the two, and it was extremely risky.Xie Heng went deep alone. If he couldn’t capture the capital quickly or Xiao Jue was blocked, the entire army would be wiped out.But it is also the only way to break the situation. Before the imperial court can fully react, before the soldiers and horses from all over the country have gathered, use the power of thunder to attack the center.

The room was quiet for a while, and Xiao Jue asked in a low voice: “Have you… ever regretted it?”

Xie Heng turned to look at him. Under the candlelight, Xiao Jue’s face was plumper than before, but the heaviness between his eyebrows was deeper.

“What do you regret?” Xie Heng asked softly.

Xiao Jue was silent and couldn’t answer.

Xie Heng smiled and said, “I have made many choices in my life. Some are right and some are wrong. But going north to find you and walking with you today is the only thing I am sure of and I will never regret.”

Xiao Jue’s Adam’s apple moved, and he suddenly reached out and held Xie Heng’s hand tightly.His hand was hot and his grip was firm.

“Okay.” He only said one word.

The night before they parted, the two did not take an early rest, but played chess in the room.

The chessboard was brought by Xie Heng from Yunzhong City. It was made of rosewood and the chess pieces were made of fine clouds, with clear black and white.This was his pastime in his spare time, but now it became the last quiet time before leaving.

Occasionally the footsteps of soldiers on night watch could be heard outside the room, and the snorting of horses could be heard in the distance.There was only one oil lamp lit in the room, and the light was dim, just enough to hide each other’s expressions in the shadows.

Xie Heng holds white and Xiao Jue holds black.Neither of them made moves quickly, and each step seemed to have been carefully considered.The chessboard is gradually filled with chess pieces, and the situation is stalemate, making it difficult to tell the difference.

“Do you still remember the first time we played chess?” Xie Heng suddenly spoke and made a move.

Xiao Jue thought for a while and said with a smile: “Remember. You insisted on teaching me how to play chess. You said that as a general, I should not only know how to arrange troops, but also know how to be elegant. As a result, I lost three games in a row.”

“Later, you practiced hard for three months and came to me again, and you actually won a game.” Xie Heng also laughed, “Although I later found out that it was Xu Shuhuai who secretly gave you advice.”

When Xu Shuhuai was mentioned, both of them were silent for a moment.The news coming from Guzang City is getting worse day by day. The Xie Mansion is under siege, the Xu family’s parents are in prison, and the lives of Xu Shuhuai and Xie Nanqiao are uncertain.

“He will protect Nan Qiao.” Xiao Jue whispered, dropping a sunspot and attacking fiercely.

Xie Heng looked at the chessboard and slowly responded: “I believe him.”

There was another moment of silence, and the chess pieces made a crisp sound on the chessboard.I don’t know how long it took, but Xie Heng suddenly dropped his voice and said in a very soft voice: “If you go here, you will be defeated…”

Before he finished speaking, Xiao Jue’s hand pressed down on his, “I will not lose.” Xiao Jue stared into his eyes and said word by word, as if he was swearing, “Xie Heng, I will not lose.”

“If anything happens, my blood will flow within three steps of you. My battle flag falls, and the flagpole is the final ruler to measure this distance. Heaven and earth serve as a guide, there is no difference between life and death between you and me.”

Xie Heng looked into his eyes for a long time and nodded slowly: “Okay.”

When the last word fell, the eastern sky was already turning white.

Outside the house came the sound of assembly horns, the neighing of war horses, and the clanging of armor.A new day is also the beginning of a journey.

Xie’s Mansion has been under siege for nearly ten days. There is a tremor in the city. People involved with the Xie family and the Xu family have been imprisoned. People are killing people every day at Caishikou. The blood stains the bluestones red, leaving dark red traces no matter how they are washed away.

Wen Boyan stood in a remote turret in the palace, looking in the direction of Xie’s Mansion in the distance with empty eyes.He completed all the tasks assigned by Mrs. Zhou. Every time he completed one, he was one step closer to freedom, but his heart also died.

Now, Xie Xiao has rebelled, and the world is in chaos. The forces behind Lady Zhou are taking advantage of the situation, and his value seems to have come to an end.

It’s time to leave.

When he found Mrs. Zhou, she was chanting sutras in the small Buddhist hall.Sandalwood curled up as she knelt on the futon, her back still gentle and dignified, as if her hands had never been stained with blood.

“I want to go back to Jiangnan.” Wen Boyan said straight to the point, “The things I have done for my wife over the years are enough to exchange for my sister’s safety and my freedom. Please allow me to take her away and find a secluded place to live out my remaining days.”

Lady Zhou’s chanting voice stopped, and she did not look back, “Bo Yan, do you know what time it is now? Wouldn’t it be a pity to leave at this time?”

“I’m tired.” Wen Boyan whispered.

Madam Zhou finally turned around, with a compassionate smile on her face, “Your sister is living a good life in Jiangnan. If you perform meritorious service now, you will be granted the title of Marquis and Prime Minister in the future, and they will also enjoy the blessings. Wouldn’t it be a hundred times better than staying anonymous?”

Wen Boyan looked at her gentle smile and suddenly felt sick.

“Madam,” he knelt down and kowtowed heavily, “please. I just want to take my sister away and live in peace. I don’t want any fame or fortune.”

Madam Zhou’s smile faded a little. She stood up, walked to Wen Boyan, and looked down at him: “Boyan, I brought you here. I gave you a future and gave your sister stability. Now you just want to leave?”

Her voice was still soft, “Well, do one last thing for me. After that, I will personally send you to Jiangnan and buy you a rich family fortune. How about that?”

Wen Boyan raised his head and looked into her bottomless eyes, feeling strong uneasiness in his heart.

“What’s the matter?”

“Xie Heng and Xiao Jue have divided their forces.” Madam Zhou said slowly, “Xie Heng leads his cavalry straight to Guzang. I want you to blend into his team.”

Wen Boyan froze.

“You don’t need to kill anyone.” Mrs. Zhou seemed to have read through his mind. “You just need to pass on the news and tell us his marching route and the location of his food and grass. Someone will do the rest.”

She bent down and patted Wen Boyan’s shoulder gently, as if comforting a wayward child: “After doing this, you will be free. I keep my word.”

Wen Boyan looked at her for a long time and finally closed his eyes: “…Yes.”

When he walked out of the palace gate, the sun was shining brightly, but Wen Boyan felt cold all over.He didn’t know how he walked back to the small courtyard where he was temporarily staying. He just felt that every step he took was like stepping on the tip of a knife.

He locked the door and pulled out a jar of private wine from under the bed. Zuo Yunci had secretly stuffed it into him before, saying it was a good wine and asked him to keep it for celebrations.But the day of celebration did not come, but what awaited was the separation between heaven and man forever.

Wen Boyan opened the mud seal, raised his head and took a big gulp.The wine was very strong and made my throat hurt, but I couldn’t suppress the pain in my heart.

Carrying the wine jar, he staggered out of the city and came to an abandoned peach grove in the west of the city.Zuo Yunci once brought him here. He said that the peach blossoms were particularly beautiful in spring, and he wanted to invite him to come and see them together.

Now the peach blossoms have not yet bloomed, but the person is no longer here.

Wen Boyan sat down against an old peach tree and drank sip after sip.As the drunkenness surged, his vision gradually blurred, as if he saw the young man who was always following him again.

“Yun Ci…” He muttered to himself, his voice hoarse, “What should I do?”

The wind blew through the peach forest, but no one answered.

He raised the wine jar, shook it towards the void, as if he was drinking with someone, and then whispered: “In the past, I left, and the willows were still there. Now I come to think about it, the rain and snow are falling…”

This is a sentence from “The Book of Songs”. Zuo Yunci used to find it boring for him to read these docile things, and preferred to listen to him tell stories about the battlefield.But once, when he was drunk, he forced Zuo Yunci to listen to him recite the entire song “Plucking Wei”.

At that time, Zuo Yunci smiled helplessly and indulgently, with crooked eyes, and said, “You read it, I’ll listen.”

Wen Boyan’s voice was choked. He raised his head, drank all the remaining wine, and then slammed the empty wine jar on the ground.

Pottery fragments flew everywhere.

“The journey is delayed, and I am thirsty and hungry. My heart is sad, but I don’t know how sad I am…” He closed his eyes, and tears finally rolled down, “Yun Ci, no one knows how sad I am…”

I don’t know how long I sat in the peach forest. It wasn’t until the sun set and the chill came again that Wen Boyan stood up unsteadily.

It’s time to go back, tomorrow he will have to play the role that he has long been tired of.

On the eleventh day when Xie Mansion was besieged, Xu Shuhuai finally received a secret report from Jiangnan through an extremely secret channel.

The secret report was not about business, but about Wen Boyan.

Ever since the fire in Xie’s Mansion that day, he had doubts in his mind.Afterwards, he mobilized all the Xu family’s intelligence network, from the north to the south of the Yangtze River, found the palace from the army, and pieced together clues bit by bit.

Wen Boyan, Xiao Jue’s trusted lieutenant.Survivors of avalanches in the North, masked men at the scene of the Xie Mansion fire.

But what concerned Xu Shuhuai the most was an almost ignored detail in Wen Boyan’s files. He had a sister in Jiangnan.

Xu Shuhuai’s mother’s family has been in business for generations. He used all his connections to investigate, but found a horrifying result. Wen Boyan did have a sister named Wen Wan, but she died five years ago.

It was not death from illness or accident, but death from abuse.He died in the county government house in a small county in the south of the Yangtze River. The county magistrate of that small county at that time was named Zhou, and he was the biological brother of Mrs. Zhou who is now in the palace.

What is even more shocking is that the old steward of the Xu family found a woman who was dismissed from the county government. The woman got drunk and confided that Wen Wan was arrested and sent to the county government because she came across evidence that County Magistrate Zhou was smuggling official grain.Magistrate Zhou wanted to silence her, but when he saw how beautiful the little girl was, he had evil thoughts and imprisoned her in the back house, humiliating her in every possible way.Wen Wan had a fierce temper and couldn’t bear the humiliation, so she bumped her head against the pillar of the house and died.

In order to cover up the crime, Magistrate Zhou lied that Wen Wan died of a sudden illness and was hastily buried.At that time, Wen Boyan was in the northern army. Because of his great achievements with the help of Lady Zhou, he was transferred to Xiao Jue’s side.

All the clues are strung together into a cold chain.

Wen Boyan thought he was fighting for a future for his sister, but he didn’t know that his sister had already died tragically…

Xu Shuhuai looked at the bloody secret report in his hand and was speechless for a long time.

He recalled the flash of struggle and pain in Wen Boyan’s eyes when he held Xie Nanqiao on the night of the fire in Xie’s mansion.That’s not the look a cold-blooded worker should have.

Xu Shuhuai put down the secret report and rubbed his eyebrows.He was weighing whether he should tell Wen Boyan the truth.Telling him means completely breaking up with the forces behind Mrs. Zhou, and it also means turning Wen Boyan, a potential enemy, into a knife that stabs the opponent.

But if you don’t say it… Seeing a person living in a carefully woven lie, with his hands stained with blood and his soul broken for relatives who don’t exist at all, Xu Shuhuai asked himself that he couldn’t do it.

“Shi Meng,” he summoned the most capable guard leader, “think of a way to send a message to Wen Boyan. Make an appointment with him at midnight tomorrow to meet at the abandoned brick kiln in the south of the city, alone.”

Shi Meng was stunned: “No, it’s too dangerous. Wen Boyan said he…”

“Do as I say.” Xu Shuhuai interrupted, “Also, arrange manpower around the abandoned brick kiln, but don’t get close.”

Shi Meng’s expression changed, and he wanted to persuade him again, but Xu Shuhuai waved his hand to stop him.

“Go ahead.”

At midnight the next day, Wen Boyan came early to the abandoned brick kiln in the south of the city and waited.

This used to be the largest brick kiln in Guzang City. It was abandoned due to a fire ten years ago. Now there are only ruins and overgrown grass.The early morning fog has not yet dissipated, casting a hazy grayish white color over the ruins.

He stood alone at the entrance of the dilapidated cave dwelling, wearing inconspicuous gray cloth, his hand on the short knife at his waist, his eyes alert.

He had no intention of coming when he received the anonymous letter.He couldn’t ignore the words on the letter, which contained the truth about his sister Wen Wan’s life and death.

His sister was the only thought that kept him going all these years.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Wen Boyan turned around suddenly and saw Xu Shuhuai slowly walking out of the mist, also alone.

“Sir Xu?” Wen Boyan frowned, “Did you ask me out?”

“It’s me.” Xu Shuhuai stopped three feet away from him. This distance was not too close to cause hostility, but also allowed each other to see each other’s expressions clearly.

Wen Boyan’s hand clenched the handle of the knife: “What happened to my sister? What happened to her in Jiangnan?”

Xu Shuhuai did not answer directly, but took out the copy of the secret report from his arms and gently placed it on a broken brick at his feet: “Some things may be different from what you know. Here are some news about your sister Wenwan that I found. You can read it yourself.”

Wen Boyan stared at the pieces of paper and did not take them immediately. His voice became colder: “What exactly do you want to say? My sister is very good in Jiangnan. Mrs. Zhou will show me her letters every month, as well as the handkerchiefs she embroidered…”

“Mrs. Zhou.” Xu Shuhuai repeated the name in a calm tone, “Have you never had any doubts? Why can you only learn about your sister through Mrs. Zhou? Why have you never seen her in person? Even…even her handwriting can only be passed on through Mrs. Zhou?”

Wen Boyan’s face turned pale: “What do you mean?”

Xu Shuhuai looked at him and said word by word, “Your sister Wen Wan died five years ago. She died in the Linchuan County Government Office in the south of the Yangtze River. She died in the hands of Mrs. Zhou’s brother. She was imprisoned and could not bear the humiliation and committed suicide.”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Wen Boyan suddenly pulled out his short knife and pointed the blade directly at Xu Shuhuai, but his hand was shaking violently, “Ms. Zhou is kind to me! She gave me a future and protected my sister! You… don’t try to sow discord!”

Xu Shuhuai did not retreat, but looked at him quietly: “You are a smart man. Think about it carefully, have you ever really seen your sister in these years?”

Wen Boyan felt like he was struck by lightning. He proposed several times that he wanted to visit the south of the Yangtze River. Madam Zhou always tried to dissuade them with gentle words, saying that the journey was far away, that everything was fine with her, and that when he made great achievements, the scenery would bring them to Guzang…

“No…impossible…” he murmured, the tip of the knife hanging down, “Mrs. Zhou…why did she lie to me? She is so good to me…”

Xu Shuhuai’s voice was so calm that it was almost cruel, “Because she needs someone who can firmly control you and make you willing to sacrifice your life for her. Your sister’s death may have been just Magistrate Zhou’s evil deeds at first. But after Mrs. Zhou found out, instead of seeking justice for her, she turned this matter into a tool to control you.”

Wen Boyan staggered back and hit the broken brick wall.He covered his face and let out a muffled growl.

Seeing his painful appearance, Xu Shuhuai felt no joy in his heart, only deep sadness. He turned his gaze to the fog that was gradually dissipating in the distance, and said softly: “Believe it or not, it’s up to you. I’ll keep these things here. In addition, if you want to go to Jiangnan to verify, the old site of Linchuan County Government is still there, and maybe you can find a few old people from the county government.”

He paused and said, “It’s just that Jiangnan is now under the control of the Wang family and the Zhou family. You’re going to be in trouble, so you can take care of yourself.”

After saying that, Xu Shuhuai turned around and disappeared step by step into the depths of the ruins.

Wen Boyan stood alone in the ruins and did not move for a long time.After an unknown amount of time, he slowly knelt down and picked up the pieces of paper.

The paper is rough, but the writing is clear.It recorded in detail all the details of Wen Wan’s imprisonment, as well as the burial place… and even the current whereabouts of several insiders of the county government.

His breathing became more and more rapid, his fingers began to tremble, and the words on the paper were like red-hot needles, piercing his eyes.When he read a certain line, his stomach lurched.

“Forced to drink…”

The words at the back suddenly blurred and swayed, and before he understood what was happening, a sour heat rushed up to his throat without warning.He bent over suddenly and covered his mouth, but it was too late.

“Uh-oh-”

The contents of his stomach splashed onto the rubble at his feet. He couldn’t control it. He retched violently again and again, as if he wanted to churn out all his internal organs.Tears were all over his face, and his throat was burning, but the churning in his body was far more uncomfortable than that.

He vomited until the end, leaving only hollow spasms, each contraction pulling at the bloody place deep in his chest.

He knelt there limply, with his forehead pressed against the cold ground, and wolfish saliva hanging from his lips.All the strength in his body was drained by the burst of vomiting, leaving only uncontrollable trembling.

After a long time, he managed to stand up a little.He wiped his face carelessly with his sleeve.His face was wet, and he couldn’t tell whether it was sweat or tears.His eyes fell vacantly back to the scattered papers, with a few stains on them.

He recalled the day when he left home to join the army. His sister chased him out and gave him a sesame seed cake she had saved up to buy. Her eyes were red and she said, “Brother, you must come back safely.”

He agreed.

But she broke her promise.

He failed to protect her, and even after her tragic death, he became the enemy’s pawn, using his hands stained with the blood of innocent people in exchange for charity from the enemy.

“Ah——”

A long and shrill roar cut through the silence of the ruins, startling the jackdaws on the dead trees in the distance.

Wen Boyan dug his hands deeply into the cold soil, his nails were broken and dripping with blood, but he felt no pain.

He did not listen to Xu Shuhuai’s warning, and as if he was crazy, he used all means to get a fast horse and a few pieces of dry food, and rushed out of Guzang City desperately.Among the soldiers guarding the city were Lady Zhou’s men. They tried to stop him, but they couldn’t.

He traveled day and night without rest, and it took him only three days and three nights to get from Guzang to Linchuan County in the south of the Yangtze River.

It was late at night when he arrived. He did not go to the old address of the county government. Instead, he found the residence of an old concierge of the county government according to the address on the document.

It was a dilapidated courtyard. The old concierge was over seventy years old, half-blind and deaf.Wen Boyan put a knife to his grandson’s throat to force him to tell what happened that year.

“…The little girl’s surname is Wen, right? Remember, remember…she committed a crime…” the old porter’s voice trembled, “Magistrate Zhou locked her up in the back yard of the back house, and no one was allowed to get close to her. The old slave…the old slave was delivering charcoal at night, and I heard…inside…”

He couldn’t speak any more, and muddy old tears fell down.

Wen Boyan’s hand was shaking, and the blade of the blade scratched a little oily skin on the young man’s neck, causing blood to ooze out.

“What happened next?” His voice was too hoarse to sound human.

“Later… the little girl was hit and killed. On the pillars of the side courtyard, blood spattered everywhere… Magistrate Zhou was so frightened that he ordered people to be buried in a mass grave outside the city overnight. He also threatened us that anyone who wanted to go out would be killed…”

Wen Boyan let go of the young man, staggered out of the courtyard, got on his horse, and headed straight out of the city.

The mass grave is at the foot of a barren mountain ten miles west of the city. It is unknown how many unknown corpses are buried here, with wild dogs wandering and crows circling.Wen Boyan was digging like crazy in the cold earth with his hands and dagger.

He dug all night, his fingernails were all turned up, and his hands were bloody and bloody.Until dawn, he finally dug up a small skeleton.

The clothes on the skeleton have long since rotted, but there is a faded peach wood peace charm hanging on the neck bone, which he put on his sister before leaving home to join the army.

Wen Boyan knelt in front of the skeleton, holding the peace amulet with trembling hands.The handwriting on the talisman was blurred, but he remembered that what he had engraved was safe return.

My sister did not wait for his return.

He didn’t keep her safe either.

“Wanwan…Brother…Brother is here…” He hugged the little skeleton tightly in his arms, as if he was holding the most precious treasure in the world. His tears mixed with blood, cement and soil, and rolled down, “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…I’m sorry…”

The faint morning light shone on the man who was crying while holding his sister’s bones.

The wind blew through the grass, whimpering like tears.

After a long time, Wen Boyan slowly raised his head. There were no tears in his eyes, leaving only dead silence.

He took off his robe, carefully wrapped his sister’s bones and carried them behind his back.He got on his horse, took one last look at the barren hills where his sister was buried, and then turned his horse’s head.

The whip was whipped hard, the horse neighed, and galloped away towards the man-eating palace.

The wind stirred up dust and drowned his determined back.Horses tread on dust and smoke, blood debts must be paid with blood.

[The author has something to say]

There is no list this week [crying] Is this competition during the winter vacation?

I can’t do it anymore hahahahaha

Garlic bird, garlic bird, contentment leads to happiness [Rainbow Fart]