Trois canards mandarins et une paire et demie

Chapitre 23

After dismissing the others from the tent, Zhao Kuangyin said to Xiaoxuan, "I intend to send you back to Xijing. What do you think?"

"I want to go to Jinyang. If I can really leave, let me go to Jinyang City."

After listening to Xiao Xuan's words, Zhao Kuangyin remained calm and composed, saying, "You know that our two countries are at war. Do you know how dangerous it would be if I sent you to Jinyang City?"

Xiao Xuan smiled and nodded, saying, "You have a lover in your heart, and I have friends in mine. Now that we've come all this way to Jinyang City, how can we leave without even seeing each other?"

"I'm sending you," Zhao Kuangyin said. "Go find Liu Yanyu, and then take him away from here. I will have someone release you."

Xiao Xuan stared blankly at Zhao Kuangyin. She couldn't believe that he would let her leave so easily, especially not to Jinyang.

“Last night, I dreamt of Hua Rui. She was still so beautiful, so gentle, and still so prone to tears, always with her face covered in them,” Zhao Kuangyin said. “Go. I think if Hua Rui were here, she would beg me to let you go. Go where you want to go, see the person you want to see, and then leave this place of trouble.” After saying this, Zhao Kuangyin turned and left the tent.

Xiao Xuan sighed softly. She must have heard correctly; he was willing to let her go. "Zhong Xuan, you big idiot! Why didn't you run away? You always come up with high-sounding excuses. Deep down, you really want to leave this battlefield, don't you?" The image of Liu Yanyu, listening intently to her story under the night sky, flashed through Xiao Xuan's mind. "You once said that if I weren't a Khitan, we would be very good friends. Now, no matter who I am or where I come from, I want you to know that we can be very good friends." With that thought, Xiao Xuan stepped out of the tent. Someone was already waiting outside.

"By order of His Majesty, we are escorting the Imperial Concubine to Jinyang City!" said the man in armor.

"Thank you for your trouble, General." Xiao Xuan nodded slightly and followed the general toward Jinyang City. As if remembering something, she turned back to look at the huge military tent, where Zhao Kuangyin was standing and looking at her. Something was surging in her heart, and Xiao Xuan raised her hand and waved to Zhao Kuangyin, calling out, "Uncle, until we meet again."

Zhao Kuangyin saw her wave, a smile appearing on his face. He raised his hand and waved back at Xiao Xuan. "Xiao Chuo, see you again someday." Watching her leave, seeing the gold hairpin in her hair glittering in the sunlight, Zhao Kuangyin felt a pang of heartache. "Hua Rui, why did it have to be like this? Why was the archer Guangyi? Why?" The image of his younger brother, Zhao Guangyi, shooting an arrow into Hua Rui seemed to reappear in his mind. Zhao Kuangyin hurriedly shook his head, trying to erase that scene from his memory.

The soldier, leading Xiao Xuan, walked towards the walls of Jinyang. Estimating that they would soon be within range of Han archers, he stopped and shouted, "People of Jinyang, listen up! The Liao Imperial Concubine wishes to see Liu Yanyu! Quickly send men to fetch her into the city!" He was following Zhao Kuangyin's instructions, announcing the woman's identity to the people of Jinyang. Since the Han emperor always referred to the Liao as "son," revealing the woman's identity would allow them to consider how to welcome the imperial concubine, rather than resorting to violence.

He called out several times, waiting for a reply from the people inside Jinyang City. The soldiers guarding the city heard the call and had already informed the Han emperor and Han Zhifan, the Liao envoy who had come to congratulate him on his ascension to the throne.

Looking at Han Zhifan, the Liao envoy who came to congratulate him, Emperor Liu Jiyuan of Han asked, "Lord Han, what should we do?"

Han Zhifan sneered, "This must be a trap! How could the Imperial Noble Consort of my Great Liao be here alone? There must be a trick! The Song army is trying to deceive Your Majesty and force you to open the city gates. Your Majesty, don't panic. I'll go to the city wall and expose their scheme." With that, Han Zhifan turned and left with the messenger, climbing the city wall. Looking around, he saw a Song general and a woman dressed in Khitan clothing standing on an open ground not far outside the city wall. Han Zhifan looked closely and recognized the woman as none other than his Great Liao's esteemed Imperial Noble Consort, Xiao Chuo.

This was all thanks to Xiao Xuan's deliberate attempt to provoke Yelü Xian while she was in the capital, hoping he would drive her away. So, aside from the main hall, even during meetings of the generals and ministers, she would appear like a ghost, suddenly appearing before everyone and wandering around. Therefore, Han Zhifan recognized her appearance and knew her identity. Seeing that there were no Khitan soldiers around, only this Imperial Concubine, Han Zhifan was greatly alarmed. He immediately said to the soldiers guarding the city, "Quickly report to His Majesty that the woman outside the city is indeed the Imperial Concubine of our Great Liao."

Upon hearing the report, Emperor Liu Jiyuan of Han was frantic, not knowing what to do. The woman outside the city was the Imperial Concubine of the Liao Dynasty; he couldn't refuse her entry, but what if the city gates opened and the Song army seized the opportunity to storm in? Just as he was in a state of anxiety, he heard a voice beside him: "Your Majesty, the messenger is looking for my son. Let my son go and welcome the Imperial Concubine into the city."

Upon seeing that it was Liu Jiye who was speaking, Liu Jiyuan frowned and asked, "How many men do you plan to send with you to fetch the Imperial Concubine?"

"All alone," Liu Jiye said expressionlessly.

"What?" Liu Jiyuan exclaimed in surprise.

"Your Majesty, there are too many people. If the city gates are opened, they will be difficult to close. Please allow my son to go alone."

Liu Jiyuan pondered that Liu Jiye's words made sense. Our Han lands do indeed need to rely on your Great Liao for protection, but I cannot disregard the safety of our Han lands for the sake of one of your imperial concubines. So he immediately said, "I will do as you say, my dear minister."

Liu Jiye kowtowed and left the hall. He then summoned Liu Yanyu and said, "The Khitan woman who traveled with us that day is the Imperial Noble Consort of Liao. She is currently outside the city and wants to see you. Go and bring her back to the city."

"Yes!" Liu Yanyu replied. He felt a surge of panic, not because he was going to pick up the imperial concubine alone, but because he hadn't expected that the cook, the "Xiao Xuan'er" who buried the Han corpses, was actually the imperial concubine of the Liao Kingdom.

Picking up his spear and mounting his steed, Liu Yanyu rode out alone through the open city gate.

Seeing a young general in white riding out, Xiao Xuan recognized him as Liu Yanyu, the one she was looking for. She smiled and said to the Song general beside her, "Thank you for your help, General. My men have arrived. I'll be going now, and please return to your camp." She wasn't stupid; this was a battlefield, and anything could happen, so she wanted to send the Song general away. She'd seen plenty of hostage exchange scenes in modern movies, and she didn't want anything to go wrong when Liu Yanyu arrived. The Song general, who had only been ordered to escort her to the walls of Jinyang, didn't linger after hearing her words, gave a slight bow, and turned to leave.

After watching him walk away, Xiao Xuan ran towards Liu Yanyu, who was riding out of the city gate.

The two met at one of them, and Liu Yanyu stretched out his hand and said, "Get on." He took Xiao Xuan's hand and pulled her onto the horse. The two then galloped back towards the gate of Jinyang.

Standing on the high slope, Zhao Kuangyin watched as the young general with a long spear brought her back, and he couldn't help but murmur, "Hua Rui, I cannot ride with you."

Empress of Khitan - Empress Dowager of Khitan Chapter 43 Jinyang

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:05 Word Count: 3792

Having entered Jinyang City without incident, Liu Yanyu breathed a sigh of relief as the gates closed behind him. Avoiding the crowd on horseback, he led Xiao Xuan to a corner of the city. After dismounting, he looked at Xiao Xuan and asked, "How did you get here? How did you end up with the Song army? Why did they let you come here?"

Xiao Xuan was overjoyed to see Liu Yanyu and said, "You once said that if I came back alive, you would become my sworn sister. I came back alive."

"Fool! Idiot! How could I possibly become sworn brothers with a Khitan? What a joke!" Liu Yanyu uttered coldly. She thought to herself: You big fool! I don't know how you convinced those Song soldiers to let you come to Jinyang, but this is a battlefield. Jinyang is now surrounded on all sides, and the two reinforcements sent by your Liao Kingdom have both been defeated and retreated. What are you doing here? Waiting to die? Hmph, running off to find that legendary hero for a story, coming here because of a casual remark I made—I wonder if there's a woman in the world more foolish and stupid than you.

Looking at Liu Yanyu with great joy, thinking that he would be just as happy to see his "old friend," he was surprised to be met with such a cold attitude.

"The king of Song promised me that he would let me take you away from here. He said he wouldn't make things difficult for us," Xiao Xuan said weakly.

"I am Han, and my life belongs to Han. As long as the city stands, I stand; if the city falls, I fall. You are Khitan, and this place has nothing to do with you Khitans. Since the king has agreed, then take your Liao subjects, leave Jinyang, and return to your Liao kingdom." Liu Yanyu remained cold. After speaking, he ignored Xiao Xuan and turned to leave. He wasn't unaware of Xiao Xuan's good intentions, but how could he explain to this foolish woman? He hadn't known who she was before, which was why he had said such childish things. How could a Han man like himself have any connection with a Khitan concubine? It was utterly delusional. Now she had risked her life to come to Jinyang, just to take him away. A good friend, she truly was a good friend, but I couldn't leave. Jinyang held all my memories; I couldn't leave.

Watching him turn and leave, leaving her alone there, Xiaoxuan felt a sense of sorrow and helplessness for the first time.

"Your subject Han Zhifan greets Your Highness the Noble Consort."

A voice called out to her, waking her from her daze.

Looking at the Liao envoy dressed in Khitan attire, Xiao Xuan didn't know what to say.

Seeing that Xiao Xuan remained silent, Han Zhifan asked, "Why is the Imperial Concubine here?"

"On my way back to the capital, I was captured by the Song army. I happened to meet an old friend in the Song army camp, and he helped me leave the Song camp and come here." Xiaoxuan explained the reason for her coming here simply.

Upon hearing this, Han Zhifan understood the general situation. Seeing that Xiaoxuan's expression was not good, he did not ask any further questions. He led her to a mansion and let her rest first.

The continuous drizzle has persisted in Jinyang.

During Xiao Xuan's rest, Emperor Liu Jiyuan of Han personally visited her with his entourage. He had originally thought that Xiao Xuan's sudden appearance on the battlefield would bring them uplifting news, but it turned out that this Liao imperial concubine had only been captured by accident, which was why she was here. After inquiring about the situation of the Song army, Liu Jiyuan sighed repeatedly. Thinking of the layers upon layers of Song troops surrounding the city, his heart was heavy.

Knowing Liu Jiyuan's worries, Han Zhifan, the historian of Liao, offered words of comfort, saying that although Xiao Chuo was young, she was Emperor Yelü Xian's most beloved concubine. He feared the emperor was unaware of her abduction, but if he did, he would surely send someone to rescue her. These words rekindled a glimmer of hope in Liu Jiyuan's despondency, and he began to hope that King Yelü Xian would soon discover his beloved concubine's disappearance and abduction and come to her aid.

Since Xiao Xuan entered the city, Yan Yu had been avoiding her and refused to see her. However, Xiao Xuan's identity was special, and Emperor Liu Jiyuan of Han learned that the two were old acquaintances and were about the same age. So he ordered Yan Yu to stay by Xiao Xuan's side and be at her beck and call.

Obeying the king's orders, Yan Yu had no choice but to stay at Xiao Xuan's residence. Although the two were closer, they felt even more estranged. Whenever Xiao Xuan had something to ask Yan Yu, he would always speak harshly, his words full of sarcasm and mockery, wishing she would leave Jinyang City immediately.

Xiao Xuan didn't understand why Liu Yanyu suddenly had such a strong opinion about her. She didn't take Yanyu's words to heart and just avoided him, trying to minimize conversations with him so as not to make him dislike her even more.

After lunch that day, Xiao Xuan, accompanied by Yan Yu, walked onto the streets of Jinyang City. Looking around, she saw countless impoverished people suffering from hunger and cold. The sick and the starving were everywhere.

"Mommy, I'm hungry." A child's cry caught Xiao Xuan's attention. She looked towards the source of the cry and saw a toddler, about three years old, clinging to a woman's clothes and wailing. The woman's eyes were vacant, her face expressionless, and she seemed oblivious to the child's cries.

Tears welled up in Xiaoxuan's eyes. She thought for a moment, then lowered her head and said softly, "I'll go back and get the child something to eat."

"Enough! Can you stop wasting food?" Yan Yu's low shout made Xiao Xuan look up sharply. She stared at Yan Yu with wide, surprised eyes, not understanding what he meant.

"Do you think this is the only child starving in Jinyang? Do you think the food you're eating right now came from? After being besieged for so long, even the soldiers defending the city are only getting half-full, let alone the common people. If you weren't the Imperial Concubine of Liao, you would have suffered the same fate of starvation. Jinyang has long since run out of food; what you're eating now is a ration squeezed from the mouths of all the soldiers." At this point, Liu Yanyu looked at Xiao Xuan and sighed softly, continuing, "Xiao Chuo, go back, go back to Liao. You are not a Han Chinese; you have no reason to suffer with Jinyang. Besides... and besides, if you leave, the soldiers will get a little more food. This little bit of food, though it won't make a huge difference, might help Jinyang hold out for one more day."

"Is this why you've been trying to get rid of me?" Xiaoxuan asked.

"I got scolded by my mother! Last time you left, I prepared food and supplies for you, and she was very angry when she found out. She said that you Khitans collect tribute from our Han Dynasty every year. The people work hard all year, and before they can even eat or use anything, it's all taken away by you Khitans. And I still think it's not enough, so I prepared food and supplies for you. My mother asked me how I could face the poor people of the Han Dynasty. This time, my mother knows you came to find me, and she's even angrier. Xiao Chuo, go back. I didn't know you were the Imperial Concubine of Liao, and I didn't know you would be so foolish as to run to Jinyang City to rescue me because of a few casual words. I remember all of my mother's words of reprimand, and I remember the story you told me. If Jinyang City weren't in trouble now, and if you weren't some Imperial Concubine Xiao, I would definitely go out with you secretly to play, hunt wild game, and roast wild chickens."

"I knew you wouldn't get angry at me for no reason; you're not that kind of person." Feeling a pang of sadness, Xiaoxuan looked at Yanyu and asked, "Why did the Han Dynasty pay tribute to the Liao Dynasty?"

"Because our Han state is a small country, there will always be those who want to annex us. First there was the Zhou emperor, and now there is the Song emperor. They all wish that Jinyang City would fall into their hands as soon as possible. Our Han state is short of troops and cannot cope with their large armies. Therefore, we have an agreement with your Liao state. When Han state is attacked, your Liao state will send reinforcements to save us. In return, we will pay you tribute every year. Over the years, your Liao state has taken away countless things from our Han territory."

Looking at Yan Yu's face, Xiao Xuan lowered her head and said weakly, "When you have enemies, those Liao soldiers also risk their lives to fight for you, so there's no need to hate the Khitans so much, right?"

"Is that so? Then did they kill more enemies for my Han Dynasty, or more civilians for my Han Dynasty? You tell me!" Yan Yu roared at Xiao Xuan upon hearing this.

Seeing Yan Yu's ashen face, Xiao Xuan inwardly cried out, "I'm doomed!" She had just offended him again with a single sentence. Recalling how they first met—it was while burying Han Chinese killed by Liao soldiers—Xiao Xuan pursed her lips tightly, knowing she had said the wrong thing and unsure what to do. Just then, she heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves approaching.

A soldier galloped to Xiao Xuan's side, dismounted, and shouted, "Please, Consort Xiao of the Liao Dynasty, return to your residence immediately. My Emperor of Han requests your presence."

Xiao Xuan hurriedly took the reins from the soldier and rode towards her residence in Jinyang City, temporarily leaving behind the awkwardness and argument with Yan Yu.

Back at her residence, led by a guard, Xiao Xuan arrived at the council hall, where Emperor Liu Jiyuan, General Liu Jiye, and others were already waiting. Upon Xiao Xuan's arrival, Liu Jiyuan hurriedly ordered someone to present her with a letter. Looking at the illegible handwriting, Xiao Xuan felt a chill and, without even taking the letter, directly instructed the person, "Read it." The person presenting the letter paused slightly, then looked at the letter and read it aloud, word by word: "Xiao Chuo, I have agreed to spare your life. I order you to leave Jinyang City before sunset today."

After finishing his statement, Liu Jiyuan said, "This letter was shot into the city by Song soldiers outside the city with arrows. The letter is very clear and wants the Imperial Concubine to leave Jinyang City immediately. Since the Song emperor has said that he would spare the Imperial Concubine's life, the Imperial Concubine is asked to leave Jinyang as soon as possible to avoid inviting disaster."

Seeing Liu Jiyuan's helpless expression and then at the cold faces of the other Han officials, Xiao Xuan lowered her head and thought for a moment before saying, "Okay, I'll leave right away, but I want to take someone with me."

"Whom does Your Highness wish to take with you?" Liu Jiyuan asked.

“Liu Yanyu,” Xiaoxuan replied, looking at Liu Jiyuan.

Upon hearing that Xiao Xuan wanted to take his son away, Liu Jiye frowned but remained silent. Then Liu Jiyuan asked, "Why does Your Highness want to take Yanyu away?"

"Because I need to go and get reinforcements, the Liao emperor and his generals should still be in Xijing City. I didn't want to take Yanyu with me, but even if I get out of Jinyang City and into the Song army camp, they probably won't let me go if they haven't captured Jinyang. So, if I want to break into the camp, I must take a general with me to escort me out of the Song camp."

Empress of Khitan - Empress Dowager of Khitan Chapter 44 Song Camp

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:05 Word Count: 3759

"I'll go with you!" Understanding Xiaoxuan's intention, Liu Jiye felt a surge of excitement. "Yanyu is young and has little experience on the battlefield. I'll go with you."

Xiao Xuan smiled slightly at Liu Jiye and said, "Thank you for your kind offer, General Liu. But after thinking it over, I feel that it is most suitable for Yan Yu to go with me. We are young, so the Song army will be less attentive to us, and we will have the opportunity to slip away from the Song army's camp. If the old general accompanies me out of the city, the Song army will inevitably become suspicious, and then I'm afraid they will guard us even more closely."

“What the Imperial Concubine says makes sense.” Liu Jiyuan couldn’t help but agree when he heard Xiao Xuan say that.

Liu Jiye nodded slightly, then looked at Xiaoxuan and asked, "When does Your Majesty plan to depart?"

"Immediately! Leave as soon as you can. Use this letter to urge them on, so they won't be too suspicious."

"What do you all think of Her Highness the Consort's idea?" Liu Jiyuan asked.

Before anyone else could answer, Liu Jiye spoke first, saying, "Your Majesty, we can give it a try." Knowing Liu Jiye's unwavering loyalty to the Han dynasty, the others dared not offer any further opinions and simply nodded silently. Seeing this, Liu Jiyuan said, "We will do as the Imperial Concubine says."

"Your Majesty, I will go and instruct my son to make preparations immediately." After Liu Jiye finished speaking, he left the council hall. Liu Jiyuan also got up and walked to Xiaoxuan's side, saying, "Then I will return to the palace first. Please also ask the Noble Consort to make preparations. Please be careful after leaving the city."

Xiao Xuan nodded to Liu Jiyuan, and after watching Liu Jiyuan and the others leave, she sighed softly, hoping that everything would go as planned. A moment later, Xiao Xuan, who was ready, and her entourage arrived at the city gate, where they saw Liu Yanyu, the young general in white, who was already waiting there, as well as Han Zhifan, the historian of Liao, who had come to offer congratulations to the Han Dynasty.

Yan Yu nodded slightly to Xiao Xuan when she arrived. Han Zhifan then said, "I heard that Her Highness the Noble Consort wishes to leave the city to request reinforcements. I am willing to go with her."

Xiao Xuan nodded to Han Zhifan, walked to Yan Yu's horse, stretched out an arm, and said, "Pull me up."

Yan Yu frowned slightly and said, "You want to ride with me? If that's the case, when will we get to Xijing, and when will we be able to get reinforcements?"

"You think you can let us go once we leave the city? We'll have to deal with the Song army camp for a while, and whether we have horses or not will be another matter then. If we don't ride together now, I'm afraid you'll be riddled with arrows before you even reach the Song army camp! The Song emperor promised not to harm me, so with me in front of you, you should be much safer."