Song Zixing said, "Today you will die here. Prepare to die."
Chen Dongyao spat and suddenly brandished his knife, shoving aside the crowd that was blocking his way as he charged toward Song Zixing.
Song Zixing, wielding a phoenix soft sword, engaged in a fierce battle with Chen Dongyao.
Chen Dongyao was an unstoppable force, his dominance even surpassing that of Song Zixing. Seeing this, Hua Wuduo finally understood why she couldn't defeat him even when she got close; perhaps no one else in the world possessed such imposing presence. The reason they fought to a draw last night was because he intentionally let her win.
Chen Dongyao's martial arts skills were so high that even Song Zixing would find it difficult to defeat him. If it weren't for Song Zixing's Phoenix Soft Sword, which used softness to overcome hardness and perfectly countered Chen Dongyao's powerful and fierce attacks, Song Zixing probably wouldn't have gained any advantage. Moreover, Chen Dongyao wasn't using the Soul Moon Blade at this moment. Last night, when he sparred with Hua Wuduo, Chen Dongyao had simply grabbed a long sword from the weapon rack and held it in his hand. Otherwise, Song Zixing would have been even more unable to resist him.
Now Bayern has surrounded him and can't do anything about it for the time being. The long sword in his hand is sure to draw blood, but Song Zixing and his men fight and retreat, not wanting to fight anymore. They take turns attacking to wear him down. Last night, Chen Dongyao had a fierce battle with Hua Wuduo and was already injured, which has taken away a lot of his strength. This situation is extremely disadvantageous to him.
As time ticked by, Hua Wuduo watched with growing dread. Chen Dongyao was covered in blood, indistinguishable as to whether it was his own or someone else's. His eyes were bloodshot from the carnage. Even Hua Wuduo began to feel a sense of awe at the sight. Hua Wuduo had never harbored any hostility towards him; on the contrary, she had always admired brave and invincible heroes. While she didn't agree with Chen Dongyao's character, she acknowledged his unparalleled bravery today, recognizing him as no ordinary person. But even the bravest have their limits, and he would eventually fall. This was the moment Song Zixing had been waiting for.
Song Zixing was also covered in blood at this moment, and it was impossible to tell whether it was his own or someone else's. Although hundreds of people were besieging Chen Dongyao, Song Zixing did not relax his vigilance in the slightest.
Only now did Hua Wuduo realize that Song Zixing also respected an enemy like Chen Dongyao.
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Dongyao, wounded and exhausted, collapsed to his knees, ceasing all struggle. He used his longsword to brace himself against the ground. He slightly raised his head, looking at Hua Wuduo, his eyes, though stained with blood, still gleaming brightly. He gasped for breath, then suddenly smiled and said, "Song Zixing, in this life I lost to you, not because of your sword or your wicked schemes, but because..." He pointed his longsword at Hua Wuduo and shouted, "Fang Ruoxi, listen to me, in the next life I will meet you before him!"
Hua Wuduo watched as his voice abruptly ceased under Song Zixing's sword. As his head rolled to the ground, his eyes remained fixed on her, unclosed, seemingly frozen in time. Hua Wuduo took a step back in shock. She wasn't unfamiliar with more gruesome deaths, but for some reason, she felt a chill run down her spine at this moment.
Song Zixing lifted Chen Dongyao's head, trying to close his eyes, but after several attempts, his eyes remained open. Song Zixing sighed and said, "Could it be that in the next life, we will also be enemies?"
Afterwards, Hua Wuduo said to Song Zixing with great regret, "The number one flower thief in the world wanted to pick me the most, but unfortunately he died before he could."
Upon hearing this, Song Zixing was unsure whether to laugh or not.
But then Hua Wuduo sighed softly, "It's a bit of a pity."
Song Zixing suddenly understood Hua Wuduo's feelings at that moment.
He hadn't expected that Chen Dongyao, who had known her for less than a day, would already feel a certain mutual respect for her. No wonder Chen Dongyao hadn't coerced or harmed her at all. Perhaps even Chen Dongyao knew that to win her heart, he had to treat her with sincerity, not force.
He took her hand and felt her fingers were cold. He then held both of her hands in Zhang Xinzhong's hands and rubbed them together, saying, "You don't seem surprised to see me suddenly appear."
She looked at their clasped hands, frowned slightly, and said, "When I suddenly saw Wei Qian, the strategist next to Chen Dongyao, yesterday, I had already guessed something."
Song Zixing laughed and said, "You have a very good memory."
Hua Wuduo tilted his head and said, "No wonder I remember him. I only remember his goatee."
Song Zixing chuckled, then heard Hua Wuduo say, "Actually, from the moment I saw the sweep of Wei Qian, I knew you were using me."
"Are you blaming me?" Song Zixing asked.
Hua Wuduo shook his head and smiled, "I saw the beggar who slipped me the note when I first arrived in Kuaiji. That means you had already had Ren keep an eye on my movements. The dancer I hid under the haystack knew that the next day, after I left Chen Dongyao's residence, she still hadn't returned. I was very puzzled at the time. Logically speaking, the acupoints I pressed shouldn't have made her sleep for so long. I later realized that you were secretly helping me."
Song Zixing looked at her and said frankly, "I guessed Chen Dongyao's intentions. I thought you would definitely come to the Dragon Boat Race in Kuaiji, so I gave Wei Qian a hint and conspired with him to lure Chen Dongyao away from the heavily guarded Dongyang County to Kuaiji. I secretly arranged for three hundred men to disguise themselves as local people and sneak into Kuaiji to ambush him during the Dragon Boat Race. However, despite all my calculations, I overlooked Chen Dongyao's feelings for you. I didn't expect him to be so eager to see you. When I heard that he broke into the inn at night and kidnapped Xu Qing, I was shocked." At this point, Song Zixing coughed, and seeing Hua Wuduo raise an eyebrow, he continued, "When I heard that you were safe and sound, I finally understood one thing."
"What do you understand?" Hua Wuduo asked.
"I failed in your hands not because I was unlucky, but because I was too lucky."
Hua Wuduo chuckled, recalling the first time she met Song Zixing, how she had made Song Zixing look utterly miserable. Seeing Song Zixing frowning, clearly also remembering the past, and looking at her with tenderness in her eyes, she turned her head slightly and asked, "Speaking of which, I heard that Chen Dongyao treated Wei Qian well, so why does he listen to you?"
Song Zixing said, "In the end, this matter is also somewhat related to you."
"Oh?" Hua Wuduo raised an eyebrow, and then heard Song Zixing say, "Wei Qian is known as a genius. He saw that Chen Dongyao's interest in you bypassed the threat of my and Liu Qian's troops pressing in, and Wei Qian was disheartened. He expected that I would take over the entire annex sooner or later, so he plotted for himself in advance, secretly contacted me, and reached a private agreement: he would help me take over the annex, and I would ensure the safety of his family."
"You will believe him?"
Song Zixing laughed and said, "I naturally trust him half and am wary of him half. He is a talented person. Although I don't particularly admire his character, I know his strategies. If he is willing to lend me a hand, I will be even more powerful. Moreover, I have my reasons for trusting him."
What's the reasoning behind that?
“Wei Qian is greedy for money. I promised him that after the deed is done, he would be free to come and go as he pleased. If he wanted to leave, he could take the money and fly away. Also, he is not only greedy for money, but he also has a fatal weakness.”
What weakness?
“If there’s anything in this world that he values more than money, it’s his wife and son. Unfortunately, his wife and son are both in my hands,” Song Zixing said.
"You arrested his wife and son?" Hua Wuduo exclaimed in surprise.
Song Zixing said, "Two years ago, I sent a spy into his residence and learned that he was terrified of his wife and had a son late in life, whom he doted on. This time, I was just taking a gamble. Wei Qian is also a man of courage. He waited quietly for so many days before coming to see me."
It turned out that he had been planning this for two years. Hua Wuduo was so amazed that he was speechless.
Song Zixing said calmly, "Am I that scary?"
Hua Wuduo shook his head.
Song Zixing then said, "Or are you blaming me for using you to lure Chen Dongyao to Kuaiji?"
Hua Wuduo shook her head and then nodded, saying calmly, "Actually, I was shocked when I saw Wei Qian. To kill Chen Dongyao, you were willing to sacrifice not only me, but also Xu Qing when necessary. Although I became your pawn, I, like Xu Qing, don't blame you. Xu Qing goes without saying; you would have taken his life if you wanted him. As for myself, I can't blame you. Although you used me, it was my own choice to come and watch my dragon boat race, and getting involved with Chen Dongyao was my own bad luck. What does it have to do with you?" She smiled gently and said, "Perhaps... even though I know I was used by you, I can't blame you, and I can't bring myself to blame you."
She saw her reflection in Song Zixing's eyes. She looked away, tilting her head slightly, and said, "Remember? On the battlefield, when I challenged Chen Dongyao, you said that your indulgence towards me was even frightening to yourself. Sometimes when I think back to those words, I feel quite moved. You made me stand shoulder to shoulder with you, advance and retreat together, and made me feel you, the real you. You have good and bad, advantages and disadvantages. If I had known earlier that I could help you deal with Chen Dongyao, I would have helped you even if you hadn't asked." She suddenly stood up and walked towards the tent entrance. Before leaving, she said, "Song Zixing, I've realized that you really understand me, better than I understand myself. I'm suddenly a little afraid that I might really develop deep feelings for you over time." After saying that, she lifted the tent flap and fled the tent as if escaping.
In the dead of night, starlight bathed the earth. She couldn't sleep, tossing and turning because of what had been said earlier that day. Song Zixing understood her perfectly well, but as for herself… the thought of Liu Xiu made her chest tighten. She didn't know what her feelings for Song Zixing were, only that they were different from her feelings for Liu Xiu. Suddenly, she wondered if what she had said earlier was right or wrong. What exactly was Song Zixing to her? Overwhelmed with anxiety, she got up to leave the tent for some fresh air, but as soon as she lifted the curtain, she saw a figure standing outside.
She was taken aback.
It's Song Zixing.
He stood with his back to her tent, gazing up at the night sky, lost in thought.
Starlight dappled and chilled him, and it was unclear how long he had stood there. The night wind ruffled his clothes, carrying a hint of loneliness.
Suddenly overcome with fear, she quietly lowered the tent flap, retreated into her tent, and sat down, lost in thought. In the darkness, she gently pressed her hand to her chest, not understanding why she felt so bewildered and helpless. Thinking of him outside the tent, she didn't know how to face him.
She had been by Song Zixing's side for almost half a year, so why was she still so lost? She reached into her bosom, took out a painting, and spread it out on the table. Her fingers stroked the painting of him, and suddenly a thought of leaving arose in her mind.
Chapter Thirty-Six: Wu Yi and King Zhou
Recently, Hua Wuduo learned some news about Gongzi Yi.
Since being enfeoffed as King Cheng, Wu Yi has continued to reside in the fiefdom of the Marquis of Xiliang. The Marquis of Xiliang's fiefdom is located on the border, where the Xiongnu frequently invade from the north, causing repeated harassment of the border people. Rumors have circulated that he recently led his troops to repel the Xiongnu several times, driving them back over a hundred li in one fell swoop, earning him great respect and support from the border people.
As Prince Cheng Wu Yi's reputation grew, some senior officials in the court submitted a memorial stating that the current emperor was too young, and that the Liu family, as relatives of the empress, were interfering in politics and wielding immense power. They argued that in order to protect the Wu family's rule, the young emperor should abdicate and Prince Cheng should succeed to the throne.
I heard that the old minister who submitted the memorial died of illness not long afterward.
Then rumors circulated in the capital that the old minister had not died of illness, but had been murdered by the Liu family.
The situation in the capital is turbulent.
King Liang mocked, "The Liu family, relatives of the empress, are interfering in politics and wielding immense power. The Liu father and son are treacherous and sycophantic ministers. They intend to emulate Cao Cao, who held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords. The feudal lords should rise up and kill them, cleanse the court of corrupt officials, and restore a clean empire for the Wu family."
Upon hearing this news, the royal families of the Wu clan, including the King of Liang and the Marquis of Xijing, mobilized their armies and led troops to attack the capital.
Only the Prince of Jin, who was interdependent with the Liu family, was of one mind with them. Empress Liu accused the Prince of Liang, the Marquis of Xijing, and others of being traitors and rebels. She ordered General Liu Jing to go to the west to defend against the Marquis of Xijing, and Prince Liu Xiu to go to the north to defend against the Prince of Liang's army.
Song Zixing had mentioned that the Liu family secretly had dealings with the Xiongnu and other barbarian tribes. She wondered how he was doing lately. Looking at the scroll she always carried with her, she seemed to recall the past, the days they spent together, so carefree, which she missed, and a warm feeling crept onto her lips.
After killing Chen Dongyao, Song Zixing kept it a secret and continued his unstoppable advance.
In July of the same year, Song Zixing's 60,000 troops divided into two routes and successively captured Dongyang, Da'an, Yongjia, and Kuaiji counties. Only An Yongnan, the prefect of Kuaiji and Chen Dongyao's uncle, was locked in a stalemate with Song Zixing for half a month. The other counties were captured smoothly. Later, An Yongnan was killed, and before his death, he lamented to the heavens, "It was a beauty trap that destroyed my Chen family army!"
When the soldier reported the truth, Hua Wuduo was standing next to Song Zixing. Upon hearing this, he looked puzzled and asked, "Are you talking about me?"
Song Zixing said seriously, "It's not you, it's me."
"Pah!"
In August of the same year, Song Zixing attacked Jian'an and captured the entire Fujian province.
Song Zixing rallied the entire Chen family army, killing those who deserved to die and imprisoning those who deserved to be imprisoned. Hundreds were slaughtered in Jian'an City in a single day, a sight that even Hua Wuduo found astonishing. Song Zixing, however, held her hand and said, "That's how war is. Do you still want to be a hero who can hold off ten thousand men?"
Hua Wuduo paused for a moment, then did not answer.
Song Zixing said earnestly, "I, as the man, will do the heavy and tiring work. You can just cheer me on, wipe my sweat, and hand me water."
She glanced at him sideways, regarding him as nothing more than trash.
He remained as elegant and gentle as ever, but the way he looked at her was incredibly irritating. She felt a jolt in her heart and quickly looked away.
Since the Song family army entered Fujian.
Wei Qian fled with the treasures he had amassed over the years. Song Zixing didn't send anyone to pursue him, but not long after, someone reported that Wei Qian had been betrayed and died while on duty at sea. The treasures were eventually returned to Song Zixing. When Song Zixing's men carried twenty chests of treasure for him to inspect, Hua Wuduo, who was standing next to him, felt her eyes blurring. As she stared at the gold and silver treasures, feeling dizzy, she heard Song Zixing say, "Ruoxi, why are you bleeding from your nose?"
Hua Wuduo hurriedly covered his nose and changed the subject, saying, "Didn't you want to let Wei Qian go?"
Song Zixing said, "I did let him go."
Hua Wuduo was bleeding profusely. Song Zixing took out a cloth to wipe her nose, but Hua Wuduo snatched the cloth and covered her nose. She pointed at him for a long time before sighing, "I don't believe it. It's like trying to get something from a tiger. You deserve to die."
Song Zixing smiled faintly, but then heard Hua Wuduo say, "That's not right. Didn't you say he was some kind of genius? How could he not have predicted that you would kill him?"
Song Zixing shook his head and said, "You're wrong. I didn't kill him, although I didn't want to let him go. After all, with his talent, he could have supported someone like Chen Dongyao to dominate the southeast. If he went to a neighboring country and became someone else's advisor, he might very well be detrimental to the Fujian coast. However, he was quite wary of me capturing his wife and son, and he knew that I was a greedy person. He was afraid that I wouldn't tolerate him in the future, so he insisted on leaving. But I keep my word. Since I promised to release him, I will never make things difficult for him. His death can only be blamed on these twenty chests of treasure."
Hua Wuduo curled his lip and said, "I'm afraid you knew he would get into trouble."
Song Zixing laughed and said, "Wei Qian loves money more than anything, but his wife and son are more important to him than money and his life. He knew that he would be in grave danger if he carried so much treasure, so he sent his wife and son to sea beforehand, leaving himself to carry all this money alone. If he dies, he will be the only one who dies."
Hua Wuduo, clutching his bleeding nose, said, "I can't take it anymore, I have to get out, get out..."
Song Zixing glanced at the room full of treasures, shook his head and chuckled.
Song Zixing consolidated Chen Dongyao's army, which grew from 60,000 to 600,000 in just three months. After Song Zixing conquered Fujian, he planned to advance westward, where the assassin Liu Jin was confronting General Xu Zhen.
After Song Zixing conquered Fujian and Guangdong provinces, Liu Jin's army entered Guangdong and harassed the local people, looting their property. However, Song Zixing persuaded Xu Zhen to join him, and with Xu Zhen's help, he won over the entire Guangdong region, thus pacifying the entire Jiangnan rear area.
After amassing a fortune, Liu Jin, in his excitement, belatedly realized what he had lost. He then broke ties with Song Zixing, ceded Huaiyang and Yichun prefectures, and the two parties parted on bad terms.
Before leaving, Liu Jin said something, one sentence of which Hua Wuduo remembered very clearly: "The rebel army of the Marquis of Xijing and the Prince of Liang is a great threat. I am going there on the orders of the Empress Dowager to help General Fei." General Fei's name was Liu Jing, the son of Liu Xiu's uncle and Liu Jin's cousin, and also a fierce general of the time.
Hearing that the Xiongnu had returned this spring, harassing the borders once more, the Marquis of Xijing's fiefdom was now beset by the Xiongnu in the north and Liu Jing's large army pressing in from the southeast. Adding to the woes was the ever-cautious Liu Jin, who was lurking in the south, making the situation extremely difficult. Although Wu Yi was currently keeping Liu Xiu occupied in the east, according to Li She's previous statement, Gongzi Zheng was with Wu Yi, Gongzi Xun had gone to the northeast with Wu Qi, while Gongzi Ziyang, Gongzi Yu, and Gongzi Kuang were with Liu Xiu. The thought that her former classmates Wu Qi and Zhao Xun would one day turn against Liu Xiu, Wen Yu, Gongsun Ziyang, and Wang Kuang, each serving their own masters, weighed heavily on Hua Wuduo's heart. She dared not even imagine what Wu Qi and Wu Yi were facing now. Unconsciously, she grew increasingly worried about them.
After Liu Jin left, Hua Wuduo didn't sleep well for two nights in a row. News was scarce, and aside from entrusting Li She to deliver the brocade box to Wu Yi, Hua Wuduo hadn't seen Wu Yi for almost a year. Thinking of his predicament, surrounded by enemies, she felt a secret worry. Over the past year, from initial resentment to current longing, every time she thought of Wu Yi, she found her yearning only growing stronger. When she first learned that he and Liu Xiutong were going to marry Qi Xin, she felt a little resentment towards him, but now, recalling that night when he held her hand and told her he was there for her, her feelings were extremely complex.
His reason for marrying Qi Xin might be similar to Liu Xiu's—simply for the Qi family's influence in the court. Thinking of this, even after a year, she still felt uneasy. But then she thought of his current predicament: the Xiongnu to the north, Liu Jin to the south, and Liu Jing to the east—his awkward position made her worry about his well-being…
Is he doing well? Is he doing well? For several days in a row, Hua Wuduo tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
That night, unable to sleep, she got up, dressed, and went to Song Zixing's tent. The guards outside were about to go in and announce her arrival, but she stopped them. After hesitating for a long while, she finally turned and went back into her own tent. She sat there in the darkness, lost in thought, until the tent flap was slightly lifted. Her gaze met Song Zixing's, his eyes gentle and tender, leaving her no time to look away.
She wouldn't let Song Zixing light the candle.
He laughed at her, "Can't sleep?"
In the quiet night, she nodded.
He asked, "Is there anything you want to say to me?" His voice was especially gentle tonight.
She remained silent for a long while. Then, in a dry voice, she said, "I want to leave."