Media vida dedicada a la música y el maquillaje

Capítulo 7

Zi Tun longed to reunite with Sang Luo, yet he also feared seeing her again. He felt guilty towards her, ashamed to face her, and dared not hope that she would look at him with clear, watery eyes and softly call him "brother" upon his return.

But she never returned.

When the envoy who went to fetch her returned, he knelt on the ground and wept, reporting that she had drowned in the Ming River.

When they picked her up, she was very compliant, quietly getting into the carriage. She showed neither joy nor sorrow throughout the journey, only a somewhat dazed expression. They returned to the capital by water. Near Mingcheng, the envoy, following imperial orders, brought out an abortifacient and offered it to her. She stared at the medicine for a long time, then finally took it and drank it all in one gulp. Then she slowly walked to the bow of the boat, looked up at the swallows flying in the sky, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on her lips as she softly murmured something. The others could only vaguely make out the first line: "Swallows flying." Just as they were straining to understand, she suddenly leaped into the Ming River. The current was swift that day, and although several servants jumped into the water to try and save her, they all returned empty-handed, and her body was never found.

The extermination of Qi was merely the beginning of the war. Powerful enemies have a keen sense of smell, like flies and mosquitoes; once they catch the whiff of blood from the clash of weapons, they swarm forth. Taking advantage of the fact that the Chuchu battle had ended and the troops were still recovering, the powerful northern state of Qing marched south, its target Mingcheng. The exact number of troops they deployed is unknown, but those who observed the Qing army's march from the mountaintop described it as a sight of banners obscuring the sun, the dense array of chariots clashing axles, the sound blending into a single, rumbling thunder.

The mighty army crossed the river and landed at some poorly defended ports, beginning their slaughter as they conquered cities and seized territories. Zitun hastily mobilized a large army to fight back, but the situation was dire. The mighty army rode the tallest warhorses of the north, wielding the mighty bows renowned for their strength, unleashing a rain of arrows and lightning-fast swords. The Chu army could not resist and suffered a series of defeats, forced to watch helplessly as the mighty army trampled down city after city.

Zi Tun was deeply worried and spent day and night discussing and racking his brains for a solution with his ministers. During this time, Lord Xinyang was nowhere to be found, as if he had suddenly disappeared.

Just when Zitun was on the verge of collapse, news finally arrived from Lord Xinyang. One of his retainers entered the palace and said that Lord Xinyang had invited the king to go hunting outside the city.

The mighty army was almost at the city gates, yet he still had the mind to hunt? Zi Tun was furious, but in the end he still went out of the city to see him.

Faced with Zitun's angry questioning, Lord Xinyang even smiled, looked at Zitun with concern, and said, "Your Majesty has been working hard for the country these past few days and looks much more haggard. Therefore, I request Your Majesty to go hunting outside the city to relieve your worries."

Zi Tun coldly replied, "I have no interest in playing around right now. Uncle, come back to the palace with me to discuss a good strategy for repelling the troops. Only then can you relieve my worries."

Lord Xinyang laughed and said, "Since we've come, we can't leave empty-handed. We should at least hunt some birds to take with us." He looked up and pointed to the clouds above, "Your Majesty, there is a vulture there. If Your Majesty shoots it down and gives it to me, I will immediately go back with Your Majesty."

Zitun looked up and saw that the eagle was flying high, more than a thousand feet off the ground. Although he was a good archer, it would not be easy to shoot it down. But since his uncle had already asked him to, he could not refuse. So he ordered someone to bring him a bow and arrow, aimed at the eagle, and drew his bow to shoot.

The arrow was released and flew straight toward the eagle, but unfortunately the distance was too far, exceeding the range. The arrow was at its last gasp and did not even touch a single feather on the eagle's body.

Zi Tun blushed slightly, feeling a little shy. Lord Xinyang praised him, "Your Majesty's archery skills are superb. If the bow were not unsuitable, you would have already hit the target." He then turned around and gestured behind him. Zi Tun heard the rumbling of a cart behind him. He looked closely and saw someone pushing a cart out from behind the mountain wall. Inside was a strange wooden armor device, about the height of a person, with a footboard underneath and a device similar to a powerful crossbow on it, but much thicker and larger than an ordinary crossbow.

While they were still wondering, another retainer of Lord Xinyang stepped forward, bowed to Zitun Shen, got back into the carriage, stepped on the foot pedal, pulled the crossbow up with both hands and used the strength of his waist to open it, nocked an arrow, adjusted the angle of the crossbow, aimed at the eagle, pressed a certain mechanism, and the arrow shot out, instantly flying more than a thousand feet and piercing the eagle's body.

The servants on the ground picked up the fallen eagle and presented it to Zitun. Zitun stroked the arrows on it and exclaimed in amazement, asking Lord Xinyang, "What is this wooden crossbow called?"

Lord Xinyang replied: "A crossbow. Its range can reach over 1,500 feet."

Zitun sighed, "That's twice the amount of ordinary bows and arrows."

Lord Xinyang nodded and smiled, "Everyone says the mighty bow is powerful, but how does it compare to the crossbow?"

Zitun suddenly realized: "So, my uncle disappeared for so many days because he was hiding here with his retainers, researching how to develop a crossbow to defeat the enemy?"

Lord Xinyang agreed, and Zitun was overjoyed: "Uncle, you have worked hard. Developing the crossbow is tantamount to making a great contribution to the country. With this weapon to our aid, how can we not defeat the mighty army!"

Lord Xinyang shook his head and said, "Having crossbows is not enough."

Zitun asked curiously, "What else is missing? Does Uncle have any other powerful weapons?"

With a serene smile, Lord Xinyang extended his right hand and pointed to his heart.

He asked Zitun to lead the expedition in person, and he himself went along. After arriving at the military camp, he asked Zitun to stay alone in the commander's tent, while he himself shared tents, clothes and food with the lowest-ranking soldiers. He did not sleep on a mat, nor did he ride a horse. When he saw that the soldiers carried their own luggage and rations, he insisted on personally carrying his own rations and sharing their hardships.

But none of these things surprised Zitun the most.

On the eve of the battle with the fierce army, a general who had been wounded in the previous battle suffered a flare-up of his leg injury, and was in so much pain that he almost fainted. When the army doctor took off the bandage, he saw that the wound was ulcerated and needed to be cleaned of the blood and pus before medicine could be applied.

Seeing the physician hesitate, Lord Xinyang asked why. The physician said that the pus and blood were difficult to remove and needed to be sucked out. The wound was nauseating to look at and emitted a foul stench. Upon hearing this, everyone around instinctively stepped back, fearing that the physician would ask them to do the same thing.

But Lord Xinyang stepped forward and said calmly, "Let me do it."

Ignoring the general's refusals and struggles, he ordered his men to hold him down, and then bent down himself to personally suck out the filthy liquid, mouthful by mouthful, until bright red blood flowed out.

Overwhelmed with emotion, the wounded, dignified man burst into tears. The stunned soldiers, their eyes brimming with tears, also came to their senses and knelt down to thank Lord Xinyang.

After helping the soldiers up one by one and personally applying medicine to the generals, Lord Xinyang smiled with relief, dusted off the light dust on his clothes, and returned to his camp to rest.

The next day, the two armies faced off. Lord Xinyang handed the jade drumstick to Zitun, indicating that he should personally beat the war drum. Zitun took it and stood on the city tower, beating the war drum repeatedly until the sound of the drum soared into the sky.

The soldiers of Chu State, clad in rhinoceros-hide armor and wielding Wu spears, aided by crossbows, charged forward one by one to the sound of drums, fighting bravely against the enemy, unafraid of losing their heads or bodies. Arrows flew like locusts in the air, banners fluttered, warhorses neighed, and the sun and moon lost their light.

That day, the Qing army suffered an unprecedented defeat, losing to the Chu army's powerful crossbows and incredible morale.

After decisively defeating the powerful army, the situation became clearer. The army was increasingly retreating, and the state of Chu was destined to win this battle. Zitun then returned to the capital with Lord Xinyang. The people along the way, upon hearing the news, rushed to greet them and kneel in worship. After paying their respects to Zitun according to custom, they would greet Lord Xinyang with the most enthusiastic cheers. From time to time, one could hear their exclamations: "That's Lord Xinyang! That's the Lord of Yunzhong, who loves his people like his own children and leads by example!"

Upon returning to Mingcheng, Zitun became very silent. Despite the frequent reports of victories from the front, he rarely smiled. One day, a palace servant who was attending to him ran to report to the Queen Mother: "For some reason, His Majesty has not spoken since yesterday, and does nothing but sit alone in a daze."

Fu Bo went to see him in person. Only when he saw his mother did a glimmer of light return to Zi Tun's empty eyes.

"Mother, have you heard about the incident where Lord Xinyang was sucking the blood of generals in the army?" he asked with a forced, bitter smile.

Fu Bo nodded: "I've heard about it."

“Yesterday, I met the wounded general’s mother in the palace,” Zitun continued. “She was a cook who had served in the palace for many years. When she saw me, she rushed over and asked me how her son was. Before I could answer, she burst into tears, saying that she knew her son was surely dead. I comforted her, saying that her son had been treated by Lord Xinyang and his injuries had greatly improved, and that he would surely return safely. But she cried even harder… She said… She said…”

Zitun suddenly looked bewildered, breathing heavily, and hesitated for a moment. Fubo patted his shoulder, encouraging him to continue.

Taking a deep breath, Zitun continued, "She said that's why her son was doomed. Her husband was once a guard protecting Lord Xinyang. Years ago, while hunting with Lord Xinyang, he was bitten by a poisonous snake. Lord Xinyang immediately sucked out the venom and tore his white robe to bandage the wound. Later, when someone attempted to assassinate Lord Xinyang, this guard stepped forward to take a sword for him, repaying the debt with his life..."

Fu Bo was slightly taken aback, then sighed meaningfully, "So that's how it is."

“So,” Zitun said, “the cook said that back then, Lady Xinyang sucked the poisoned blood for her husband, and her husband was willing to die for her. Now, Lady Xinyang is sucking the wounds for her son, so her son will surely fight without hesitation and kill the enemy without fear of death.”

VIII. Ritual Soul

The ceremony begins with drumming, followed by the passing down of the ballad dance.

A beautiful woman sings eloquently;

Spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, may their beauty endure forever.

——"Nine Songs·Soul of Ceremony"

Zitun looked at his mother with a bewildered and sad gaze: "I don't understand why my uncle would teach me to be a sage ruler like Yao and Shun, while also showing me such dirty tricks of power."

“This is not a contradiction.” Fu Bo smiled nonchalantly and asked, “How do you think sage rulers like Yao, Shun, and Yu came to power and govern the country and bring peace to the world?”

Zitun was even more confused and asked in return, "Isn't it because they are virtuous and benevolent that they are supported by the people, and thus were valued by the previous monarch, and even abdicated in favor of him?"

“Abdication is merely a pretext for usurpation and being usurped.” Fu Bo’s smile faded, and her expression became solemn. “For example, Yao’s original intention was to pass the throne to his son Danzhu. He heavily relied on Shun because he was talented and had a reputation like a sage…” When she said “reputation like a sage,” she paused, glanced at her son, and Zi Tun’s eyes met hers. They understood each other, knowing that they were thinking of the same person.

Fu Bo continued, "Yao married his two daughters to Shun and granted him power, partly to win him over and ensure his future support of Danzhu. Unfortunately, this power was granted too early and too heavily. By the time Yao realized it, Shun had become a sword of Damocles at his throat. Therefore, under duress, Yao had no choice but to issue a decree to the world, using the grand reason Shun had devised for him, announcing the abdication of the throne to Shun: 'If the throne is given to Shun, the world will benefit, but Danzhu will suffer; if the throne is given to Danzhu, the world will suffer, but Danzhu will benefit…'"

“No, it can’t be!” Zitun shook his head. “Shun was kind and filial. Although he was repeatedly harmed by his blind father, stepmother, and half-brother, he never changed his original intention and treated people with kindness. Such a virtuous person could not possibly do something like usurping the throne.”

"When you read history and see the actions of Shun's family, don't you find it strange?" Fu Bo couldn't help but sneer. "Besides him being a sage, his blind father, stepmother, and half-brother Xiang were all as vicious and cruel as demons, repeatedly plotting to kill him. His stepmother and half-brother are one thing, but I don't understand what deep hatred his biological father could have for him that he would conspire with his wife and young son to murder him? If he simply wanted to help his young son seize the throne, he could have left a will long ago. Why did he have to kill Shun, and use such despicable methods, while Shun miraculously escaped each time? These so-called persecutions were probably mostly fabricated by Shun himself, or at least exaggerated by him to highlight his own virtue and gain fame."

Zitun remained silent. Fubo continued, "If he were truly filial and fraternal, why would he exile his father and kill his brothers after gaining power? If he were truly benevolent and loyal, why would he imprison Yao after Yao abdicated, sever his ties with his son Danzhu, and then exile him to death?"

“This…” Zitun exclaimed in surprise: “Didn’t Yao abdicate and then tour the world before dying in Yangcheng?”

Fu Bo said, “It is said that Yao was already 119 years old at that time. Even if this age is not accurate, he must have been an old man suffering from many illnesses. To go on a tour? What a great interest! Think about it, at that time, the distance between the capital Pingyang and Yangcheng was nearly a thousand miles. Such an old man, with only one or two people by his side, had to cross several mountains and rivers to reach Yangcheng. And that destination at that time was just a remote place with sparse population. So it is not surprising that he died there. It was the ending that Shun arranged for him.”

“Shun…” Zitun suddenly thought, “Shun also died during his ‘southern tour’.”

“Yes, Shun unfortunately suffered the same fate as Yao.” Fu Bo said with a casual smile that seemed to have a hint of sarcasm, “When he found that he could no longer control Yu, who had grown powerful, he was also forced to stage a play of abdication with Yu. Then Yu also learned from Shun’s experience in dealing with Yao, and went even further, exiling him to Cangwu, which was 2,500 miles away, a more remote and desolate place.”

Zitun pondered for a moment, then sighed, "Yes, if it really was an imperial tour, why did his concubines Ehuang and Nüying not accompany him, but instead drown themselves in the unrelated Xiang River after his death?"

Fu Bo shook his head and said, "Whether they committed suicide to follow their husbands is still in doubt. If they wanted to commit suicide, why didn't they do it when Shun died? Why didn't they rush to his side to end their lives? Furthermore, neither of them intended to be buried with their husbands; they impatiently jumped into the Xiang River, leaving no trace of their bodies." He then looked at the Xiangfei bamboo stalks planted in the corner outside the window. "They were not only Shun's wives but also Yao's daughters, with countless connections to the royal power. It's said that the spots on the Xiangfei bamboo are the result of their tears. Were they truly so sorrowful? Were those many tears shed mourning their husbands, or grieving their impending deaths?"

“Or…” Then a soft sigh escaped his lips: “Are those spots on the Xiangfei bamboo truly formed from tears?”

For a moment, neither of them spoke, only the rustling of the wind through the sparse bamboo outside the window creating a melancholic sound. After a short while, Zitun asked again, "Why is what Mother said so different from the historical records?"

Fu Bo smiled and said, "Because history books are all compiled by the victors. Whenever politics is involved, no one can be completely clean. If you win the gamble, you will naturally write history, or simply make up some moving legends to clear your name... Isn't your uncle gathering his retainers to compile the History of Chushi right now? So, what he taught you is not wrong. What you should do is to be a 'sage ruler' like Yao and Shun, who not only achieves great things but also leaves a lasting legacy."

“But,” she suddenly emphasized, staring at Zitun, and said, word by word, “there is one thing you must remember: govern the world like Yao and Shun, but never give anyone the opportunity to ask you to ‘abdicate’.”

A year after conquering the state of Qi and repelling the Qing army, Lady Xinyang, the princess of Qi, passed away. Lord Xinyang buried her with the rites due to a principal wife, built a tomb, and held a mourning ceremony, showing no lack of due respect. For six months after his wife's death, he abstained from fine clothes and indulged in sensual pleasures to mourn his deceased wife.

One day, when he went to see Zitun, Zitun saw that he was still wearing mourning clothes and asked, "The mourning period for your aunt has passed. How long do you intend to wear these mourning clothes, Uncle?"

Lord Xinyang replied, "Three years."

Suppressing the cold smile that was almost rising to his lips, Zitun turned to ask him, "Uncle is compiling the History of Chu, I wonder how you will record the Battle of Annihilation of Qi?"

Lord Xinyang answered without hesitation: "Naturally, it is Your Majesty who has dispatched a righteous army to punish the rebellious on behalf of Heaven and uphold justice."

Zi Tun lightly flicked his fingers across a volume of "The History of Chu" revised by Lord Xinyang on the table, glanced at him sideways, and said, "I have always wanted to ask you, Uncle, that King Qi appreciated you so much back then and married his daughter to you, and cared for you a lot over the years. When you later decided to attack Qi, did you ever feel that you were being unrighteous to King Qi?"

“Benevolence and righteousness exist only among gentlemen,” Lord Xinyang said calmly. “King Qi helped me back then because he wanted to use me to seize the country. He repeatedly made his intentions clear and implied, but I pretended not to understand and always brushed him off. Later, I went into seclusion in Youhuang Mountain, which was also to avoid him.”

"And what about your aunt? Your aunt was devoted to your uncle. Your uncle destroyed his kingdom and murdered his brother, did he ever consider your aunt's feelings?" Seeing that Lord Xinyang's expression remained unchanged, Zitun pressed on, "Did she really die of illness?"

Lord Xinyang remained unperturbed and replied, “My wife has always been frail and sensitive, and unfortunately, she is not destined for a long life. I have indeed failed her, but as long as it benefits the country and Your Majesty, I will do it even if it means betraying everyone in the world.”

"Can I trust you, Uncle?" Zitun shook his head slightly, a hint of emotion in his voice. "For the past few years, I have always obeyed and trusted you implicitly, but I often don't know what you are thinking or doing." After a moment, his gaze drifted to the bamboo slips. "What kind of good deed will you perform next that will be praised by all the people? What are your retainers researching besides crossbows? When will you marry off my other sister? How will you write about yourself and me in the history books in the future... Are the spots on the Xiangfei bamboo truly formed from tears?"

With a slight frown, Lord Xinyang asked, "Has anyone spoken to Your Majesty? Your Majesty is wise and benevolent, treating your ministers with sincerity and entrusting them with important responsibilities. Only then have I been able to assist Your Majesty, devoting myself wholeheartedly to serving the country. Now that the great cause is not yet accomplished, we, Your Majesty and your ministers, must work together to create a prosperous era. Your Majesty must not listen to the divisive words of others, lest a mere doubt ruin our grand plan."

Zitun ignored his words and instead asked another question with a half-smile: "Uncle, since King Qi intended to help you seize the country, why didn't you do so?"

Lord Xinyang shook his head resolutely: "This country will be yours sooner or later, I will not steal it."

"What merit do I possess to deserve such high regard from my uncle?" Zi Tun chuckled. "My uncle said that those who undertake great things should not be bound by the kindness of women. Therefore, my uncle does not pity my aunt or cherish Sang Luo, but why does he treat Zi Tun differently, and why does he refrain from seizing the country because of Zi Tun?"

“Because you are different from them.” Lord Xinyang suddenly took a few steps closer to Zitun, his eyes illuminating with an unusual light. He stared at Zitun and said, “A wife is like clothes, brothers are like hands and feet, but you, Zitun, are like bone and blood to me.”

Startled by the sudden heat in his eyes, Zi Tun involuntarily shrank back. But the man was still looking at him, his gaze unlike that of a subject looking at a king. It was a mixture of strange affection and other indescribable emotions, as if he were looking at a masterpiece he had created himself.

“Zi Tun…” he called him again. Zi Tun vaguely felt that it was presumptuous of him to address him like that, but he called him so naturally, as if he were calling a junior who was very close to him… It didn’t seem wrong, perhaps his uncle had just temporarily forgotten the hierarchy of status and only remembered that he was his nephew… But the tone of his voice reminded him of his mother, who called him in the same way, with a warmth that even his father’s call could not have.

Like bone? Like blood? Recalling the words his uncle had used, Zitun was almost stunned. Suspicious fragments collided in his mind: Youhuang Mountain, Du Ruo, his mother's unusual indifference whenever she heard people mention Lord Xinyang... even, Gongzi Qi and Sang Luo...

Ah, why do I think of them! Zi Tun suddenly flew into a rage, stood up abruptly, and shouted at Lord Xinyang, who was about to say something to him, "Insolence! How dare you address me by my name!"

Lord Xinyang was taken aback, but immediately regained his composure and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me."

Zi Tun flicked his wide sleeves, pointed to the door, and shouted sternly, "Get out! Get out!"

Under Zitun's fury, Lord Xinyang calmly took his leave, lowered his eyes, took a few steps back, and then turned and left, displaying the respect due to a subject.

After his figure disappeared, Zitun slumped back into the chair, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his face flushed and pale, filled with unspeakable fear.

A moment later, a corner of a dress quietly slipped out from the side of the door, and a woman slowly stepped over the threshold and walked in—it was Xisun.

She looked at him with a strange expression and said softly, "Your Majesty, that is unfilial."