Ich verkaufe meine Kleidung und kaufe etwas Wein, den ich mit dir trinken kann

Kapitel 52

I immediately stood up tactfully and said, "It would be inconvenient for me to stay here. I should leave for a moment."

Zhao Gou smiled awkwardly and said, "Why don't you invite Young Master Ye to move to the side hall for tea?"

With a faint smile, I followed the servant to the side hall, holding a cup of fine Longtuan tea, but I had no heart to taste it. I pretended to admire the scenery in the courtyard, and slowly moved to the back of the main hall, peeking at the situation in the front hall through a screen.

By this time, the two men in the hall had finished exchanging greetings and taken their seats. The man seated at the lower end appeared to be around forty years old, dressed in a dark purple robe with a curved collar and wide sleeves, cinched at the waist with a leather belt and a fish-shaped pouch with gold trim. His eyebrows were long and slender, reaching his temples, and his eyes were bright and piercing, giving him a refined and scholarly air—this must be Li Gang, the renowned prime minister who, during the Northern Song Dynasty's time of crisis, led troops as a scholar to defend the country!

As soon as Li Gang sat down, he went straight to the point: "Your Highness, the Jurchen invaders are now harboring wolfish ambitions, leading their army south to invade our Great Song Dynasty. This is the time for us, the patriotic men, to serve the Emperor with our lives and defend our country! I hope Your Highness will raise your voice and join hands with His Highness the Crown Prince to advocate for fighting back! With this, the whole nation can be united and resist the foreign aggression!"

Zhao Gou looked troubled. "What Lord Li says is true, but unfortunately I have no military power. I am willing but unable to do so! Moreover, our dynasty has always valued civil affairs over military affairs, which has led to the weakness of the country. Although we have many soldiers, we have few generals. I am afraid we will not be able to resist the Jin army!"

Li Gang's face turned solemn. "Prince Kang, you are mistaken! Not to mention the various prefectures, counties, and districts, even in Bianjing City itself, the Privy Council and the Three Military Commands alone have no fewer than two or three hundred commanders, deputy commanders, and lieutenants at all levels. Are there no valiant generals among them?! Once the order is given, they will surely rush to the front and serve the country with all their might..."

Hiding behind the screen, I was astonished to hear that there were so many generals in Bianjing (Kaifeng) – the Song Dynasty military system had a 500-man commander (都), with over 300 captains (都头). Wouldn't that mean there were hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in this small city of Bianjing, which spanned only a few square kilometers?! Add to that the garrison troops in the surrounding areas, and the total number would likely be hundreds of thousands! And yet, the Song court, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers, was no match for the Jin army's mere tens of thousands who swept in, ultimately leading to the fall of the dynasty and its replacement. It's truly laughable! This defeat of the Northern Song Dynasty, in my eyes, is utterly incomprehensible! (Note 2)

Zhao Gou, Zhao Gou, with so many troops backing you up, I really don't know what you're still afraid of?! Hurry up and agree to his request! What are you waiting for?! I saw that he just looked troubled, shook his head repeatedly, and sighed repeatedly. I wished I could jump out and grab him and give him a good scolding.

After finally managing to control his emotions, when he peeked out again, Li Gang was already looking displeased. He stood up abruptly, took his leave, and left.

"Why did Your Highness abandon such a great opportunity? Didn't you say you were going to fight?" I finally couldn't help but rush in and question him.

"Young Master Ye, please calm down. Such an important matter cannot be handled hastily," Zhao Gou said with an air of confidence. "Besides, the Prince of Yun is in favor of peace. If I'm not mistaken, he should be visiting in the next couple of days to seek my assistance! Lord Li will surely come to visit again. It seems more advantageous for us to make a decision then!"—So he was planning to reap the benefits, seize the initiative, and thus control the overall situation—although younger than me, his cunning is far deeper. No wonder he became emperor, while I can only be a passerby!

But while he can navigate between the two sides with ease and wait for the right opportunity, can the soldiers on the eastern and western battlefields in the north wait? And will my two sworn brothers be able to wait until the day when troops are sent to their aid?

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As Zhao Gou had predicted, over the next ten days or so, ministers from various factions—one advocating war and the other peace—began a constant stream of visits to Prince Kang's residence. The war faction, led by Li Gang, supported Crown Prince Zhao Huan. The peace faction, led by Chancellor Wang Fu, supported Prince Yun, Zhao Kai. Both sides sought to win over Zhao Gou and strengthen their own factions to achieve their political goals. Zhao Gou, however, remained noncommittal, waiting for an opportunity to reap the greatest benefits…

Time passed day by day, but things didn't improve. I became extremely anxious—I dared not think about how the battle was going—judging from the final historical outcome, the Song army had undoubtedly suffered a crushing defeat. My second brother was probably unharmed; he must have escaped unscathed. But my eldest brother's fate remained unknown—given his current overwhelming momentum and his importance in Zhao Gou's eyes—he had left no mark on history. I fear… no, I cannot think any further!

I wonder how Xiuyu is doing? My sudden disappearance has probably caused Guan Dingshan to curse me countless times. I desperately want to go out and see her, but Prince Kang has sent two close guards to accompany me, ostensibly for my safety, but actually to secretly imprison me—I've really messed things up this time! I'm becoming increasingly curious about my elder brother's identity—just who is he that Zhao Gou is so wary of?!

Both guards were quite tall. One was named Wang An, a fifth-rank bodyguard with a sword. The other was named Adai, but he had no official rank. It was said that he was quite skilled in martial arts, and that more than a dozen guards in the Kang Prince's residence couldn't get close to him. Unfortunately, besides having a pockmarked face and a hunchback, he was also mute. Five years ago, he had saved Zhao Gou by chance. Zhao Gou greatly appreciated his martial arts skills and kept him as a bodyguard. —Upon arriving at the Kang Prince's residence, I learned that the Song Dynasty had very strict requirements for selecting imperial guards: besides being at least five feet eight inches tall (Song Dynasty feet, approximately 1.8 meters), they also needed to be handsome—so, given Adai's physical attributes, it was impossible for him to join the imperial guards! His lack of official rank was therefore not surprising.

The guards in the Prince's mansion both hated and feared Ah-Dai, and none of them dared to speak to him. Ah-Dai, in response to their deliberate distancing, only became more silent, sitting alone in a corner, his back view heartbreaking to behold. It's said that Ah-Dai wasn't actually his real name; Zhao Gou, seeing that he was mute and illiterate, casually named him Ah-Dai—a name that, of course, carried a hint of insult. But in Zhao Gou's eyes, perhaps this was still a great favor he bestowed upon Ah-Dai?

But I happen to like this simple-minded guy's honesty, integrity, and untainted simplicity. When I'm bored, I'll ignore the strange looks from others and deliberately try to talk to him—of course, I'm the one doing all the talking, and he's the one listening! However, I can tell he's incredibly grateful that I, a "distinguished" guest, would deign to chat with him—in truth, all beings are equal; who in this world is born more noble than another?

Finally, on this day, Zhao Gou returned from court in a particularly cheerful mood—Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, had heeded Li Gang's advice and announced his abdication in favor of Crown Prince Zhao Huan, thus rallying the army and people to resist the Jin. After Emperor Qinzong of Song, Zhao Huan, ascended the throne, he promoted Li Gang to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and appointed him as the Commander of the Imperial Expeditionary Army. He ordered Prince Kang, Zhao Gou, to recruit volunteer troops in the name of Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces. The veteran general Zong Ze, at the age of sixty-eight, volunteered to fight and defend Cizhou. (Note 1)

"Young Master Ye, you can tell the Second Young Master that I, Zhao Gou, have successfully completed my mission!" Zhao Gou boasted to me with a beaming smile.

Has someone finally gone to the front lines? Although I'm not entirely sure when the Jin army breached Yanshan Prefecture in history, I know they'll be at the city gates soon! —I've decided, I'm going to the front lines! Even if it's just Cizhou, it's better than waiting here foolishly! I can get to Cizhou first and then decide whether to continue north!

The scene of Huaiyuan and Rumei embracing passionately and kissing deeply, with Rumei smiling happily as she walked towards Huaiyuan, felt like a heavy stone pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe. It was like a thorn piercing my heart, causing excruciating pain! I desperately wanted to escape all of this, to run away to a place where no one knew me, and start a new life! —Deep down, had I already entertained thoughts of suicide? I dared not think any further…

But this journey is uncertain, what will happen to Xiuyu if I leave? I can't just leave her waiting for me foolishly in the inn forever, can I? Thinking of this, I quickly wrote a letter and went to Ah Dai, who was always lost in thought in the corner. I said softly, "Ah Dai, I'm going to the front lines with General Zong! I have a friend named Zhu Xiuyu who's waiting for me at the 'Long-stayed Wang Yuanwai's House' inn. Could you please give her a letter for me?! Remember, don't lose it!"

Ah-Dai clearly hadn't anticipated my request. He hesitated for a moment before taking the letter with both hands, nodding vigorously, and carefully tucking it into his robes. He gave me a look that said he would never fail me, then turned and walked out of the Kang Prince's residence with solemn steps—as if he were carrying out some glorious and sacred mission. Smiling faintly as I watched Ah-Dai leave, I slowly entered my room.

Ye Qing! Cheer up! Love will never be your whole life! It's nothing to be ashamed of. Perhaps after being tempered by the smoke of battle, you will gain something more important in life! Your life will become more brilliant and vibrant! —After sitting quietly for a long time, I finally stood up—now is the time to ask Zhao Gou for permission to go to the front lines with General Zong Ze!

Alas! It seems I've arrived at the wrong time. Zhao Gou is receiving guests—well, that makes sense, he's just been appointed Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces, surely those sycophants in the court are rushing to congratulate him! I glanced at the hall, preparing to slip away, when I inadvertently spotted a familiar stranger, someone who should absolutely not be here—"Wandering Dragon Sword" Lu Jianfeng! Strange! What's he doing here?!

I instinctively hid behind the screen—Lu Jianfeng, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression arrogant and brimming with confidence, sat beside a middle-aged man of about forty, with blond hair and golden eyes, dressed in a purple court robe—none other than the powerful Prime Minister Wang Fu! (Note 2) Could it be that Lu Jianfeng was secretly colluding with treacherous officials, plotting to support the Prince of Yun and overthrow Zhao Huan in a despicable scheme?! —But alas, now that the affairs of the world are settled, what can he do?!

Just as I was lost in thought, a hand suddenly patted my shoulder. I was startled and turned around to see that it was Ah-Dai who had returned.

"Shh!" I raised a finger to signal Ah Dai to be quiet, but I still peeked into the hall. I didn't dare get too close though—because I knew Lu Jianfeng's martial arts were extremely high, and I was afraid he would notice.

Seeing this, Ah-Dai also stuck his head out to look inside. Then, his expression suddenly turned very strange, but returned to normal in an instant. —Could he know these two people?! I couldn't help but wonder—unfortunately, Ah-Dai couldn't speak or write. My curiosity was useless!

Finally, the two men got up and left. I took Ah-Dai's hand and led him aside—he was startled, then looked up at me—perhaps in his entire life, no one of "high status" had ever been so kind as to hold his hand so intimately?

"Ah-Dai, did the letter arrive?" I asked him softly—he nodded very slowly.

"Then, how is Xiuyu?" I asked again—and received his confirmation. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Ah Dai, you can go back now. I need to go and say goodbye to His Highness!"

Ah-Dai refused to leave, holding my hand tightly—strange, he's not usually this bold, is it because I'm about to leave on a long journey?!

"Do you want to know why I went to the battlefield?" I tilted my head and thought for a moment, guessing Ah-Dai's intention, and asked softly—he nodded.

"Maybe it's because my two sworn brothers are currently on the battlefield; maybe it's just because I want to gain some experience. I can't really explain why I want to go! But if I don't go, I think I'll go crazy!" My eyes were unfocused, and it was less of an explanation to him and more of a convincing attempt to convince myself, "I think everyone has a moment in their life when they want to go crazy, right? Maybe this decision will be that moment of madness in my life!"

Seeing his blank expression, I sighed softly, "Have you ever heard the story of the phoenix rising from the ashes? Perhaps, I just want to be a phoenix reborn from the ashes?!"

Ah-Dai remained silent, staring at me intently, looking completely bewildered—of course he wouldn't speak, and of course he didn't know what a phoenix's rebirth was, so naturally he couldn't understand my heartbroken, almost unbearable feeling! That sorrowful hope that physical pain could replace spiritual despair!

"Why? You're just a scholar, you have absolutely no reason to go!" Zhao Gou was equally speechless and dumbfounded at my decision—he probably couldn't believe that there were people in this world who would give up a comfortable life and insist on going to the harsh, cold lands beyond the Great Wall to suffer? Especially since those harsh, cold lands were currently experiencing a struggle of blood and fire, of life and death!

"I just want to reunite with my elder brother as soon as possible." I calmly gave him the most irrefutable reason—based on my observations and understanding of him these past few days, Zhao Gou was quite wary of Brother Yan: it seemed that Brother Yan held some kind of leverage over him?!

General Zong Ze, a lean but vigorous old man nearing seventy, was ready to set off with twenty personal attendants in a light entourage.

Zhao Gou had no rebuttal and had to grant my request, but he assigned Wang An and Ah Dai to me as attendants—how could a commoner like me dare accept Wang An? He was a fifth-rank imperial bodyguard. With the emperor far away, who knew whether he would serve me or I would serve him?! As a compromise, I chose Ah Dai—at least if he wanted to report me, he wouldn't be able to! Alas! When did I become so cunning?!

Taking a deep breath, he mounted a tall, chestnut-colored horse and resolutely followed Zong Ze on their long journey...

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Note 1: Zhao Gou was originally appointed Grand Marshal of the Army in December of the first year of the Jingkang era. Ru Xue moved this date forward for plot purposes. Fortunately, this is fictional and not historically accurate.

Note 2: The information about Wang Fu is quoted from the article "Who are the Six Traitors of the Late Northern Song Dynasty and Their Lives?" The Six Traitors of the Northern Song Dynasty refer to Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Wang Fu, Liang Shicheng, Zhu Li, and Li Yan. These six men both colluded with each other and fought against one another. Except for Cai Jing, who was exiled, the other five were executed by imperial decree in 1126 (the first year of the Jingkang era). Cai Jing died in Tanzhou during his exile.

This book was first published on Xiaoxiang Novel Original Website. Please retain this information when reprinting!

[Volume 3: War and Chaos - Chapter 15: Warhorses Heading to the Border States]