Fish Meat – Chapter 117
by Little PandaThe Eleventh Year of Shenchu
The Lamp Behind the Curtain, the Sword in its Case (7)
Wei Jing’an, after his great victory against the Hu bandits, returned triumphantly and was bestowed the titles of Shizhong (Imperial Attendant) and Zhenyuan General, becoming a high-ranking third-grade official. This made his brothers green with envy.
Wei Jing’an, being generous, took all the silver he received along with his enfeoffment and treated his brothers to a feast of wine and meat.
After several days of indulgence, Zhangsun Wu found him in a small tavern at the corner of Runing city. As soon as he arrived, he congratulated him: “Congratulations, congratulations, Brother Zilian!”
Wei Jing’an handed him a drink: “Zhanying, don’t make fun of Zilian. Zilian chased that ‘chongjin sao hu’ (idiom meaning ‘rushing into Jin to chase the Hu’, implying a fruitless pursuit) several times but he always escaped. It’s truly shameful. Come, come, let’s not talk about that. Let’s drink!”
Zhangsun Wu took the wine jug and squeezed next to him, smiling and saying: “Who’s talking about that? It seems Zilian doesn’t know yet.”
“Hm?” Wei Jing’an, having drunk a jin of wine, was red-faced and sweating all over. His eyes were crossed as he looked at Zhangsun Wu, “Then what is Zhanying talking about…”
Zhangsun Wu leaned closer to Wei Jing’an, smelling his pleasant masculine scent, and said with a smile: “Zilian, don’t you know? You’re going to enter the palace to become a Noble Consort.”
Wei Jing’an thought he had misheard, or was Zhangsun Wu joking with him? But thinking seriously, the current emperor is a woman… If someone else had said this, he might have doubted, but Zhangsun Wu was always well-informed and not one to tease people based on hearsay. Most likely, he had received definite news before coming to gloat.
Wei Jing’an grabbed him: “Brother, brother Zhanying, don’t tease your big brother. What Noble Consort! Hahaha…” After saying this, he laughed loudly, but no one around him laughed; they all just looked at him.
Zhangsun Wu drank his wine, his smile growing: “Go home and ask Lord Wei, then you’ll know.”
Wei Jing’an realized that this matter was true.
Abandoning the wine jug and his group of fair-weather friends, Wei Jing’an returned home to find his family in the courtyard. Wei Lun turned to look at his son, holding a scroll of imperial edict in his hands, his face full of worry.
My dear mother.
Wei Jing’an plopped down on the ground.
He had thought that after the Empress ascended the throne, many things in Da Yu would be different, and he was fortunate to witness the changing times. But he never imagined there would be such a thing…
Come to think of it, it seemed not wrong. When the emperor was a man, all the women in the world were his. Now that the emperor has become a woman, it seems reasonable that she could choose from all the men in the world. Wei Jing’an understood all this, but why would she choose him? Wei Jing’an couldn’t believe that he, a grown man, could bear the title of “Noble Consort.”
Li Yanyi, in the midst of her busy schedule, heard from a nearby eunuch that the Empress Dowager was personally arranging the selection of consorts for Her Majesty. The notices for the Selection Officials had already been sent to various prefectures and counties. Next year, which would be the first year of Zhao Wu, a grand selection ceremony would be held in spring.
Li Yanyi smiled bitterly and shook her head: “Just let the Empress Dowager do as she pleases. As long as she’s happy, this kind of thing shouldn’t occupy my energy. By the way, where’s Ah Xin? Has she left Runing?”
The little eunuch said: “In reply to Your Majesty, this slave followed the Zhe lady and talked until his mouth was sore trying to make her stay, but her mind was made up. This slave had no choice but to send someone to follow the lady. I will report her whereabouts to Your Majesty immediately.”
Li Yanyi nodded.
“It’s said that a young lady called Ah Wen has been closely following the lady, waiting for many days in Runing city. As soon as Lady Zhe left the Forbidden Garden, the two of them set off together, leaving the city and heading north.”
“Ah Wen? Who?” Li Yanyi’s vermilion brush paused slightly, then continued to review documents, casually asking.
“This slave knew Your Majesty would be concerned, so I’ve already inquired about it. This Ah Wen is from Mengliang Jie County, and she met Lady Zhe during the battle of Mengliang. She’s one of her female subordinates. This Ah Wen’s parents have both passed away, leaving only her. She greatly admires Lady Zhe and follows her everywhere!”
The eunuch’s shrill voice and deliberate provocative tone made Li Yanyi, whose appetite had somewhat recovered, start to feel nauseous again.
“You may go,” Li Yanyi said.
“Your Majesty? Let this slave serve by your side tonight. This slave… knows many things.”
Li Yanyi looked up to see the eunuch standing coyly in front of the oil lamp, his coquettish eyes able to squeeze out two ounces of water.
Ah Xin visited the imperial prison before leaving Runing. With the token Li Yanyi gave her, she successfully met Xie Fuchen, who was imprisoned there.
To avoid causing too much trouble for Li Yanyi, Ah Xin wore a black veil hat and mask when meeting Xie Fuchen. The jailers all curiously observed her, wondering who she was, but they didn’t dare to be too presumptuous, after all, this person was sent by the current emperor.
When Ah Xin saw Xie Fuchen, she thought he would be tortured to the point of wishing for death, but unexpectedly, apart from bloodstains and wounds, Xie Fuchen had his hair combed neatly, with no trace of dirt except for the indelible bloodstains.
Ah Xin knew he had always been a proud person. Now, having suffered a crushing defeat in the political struggle, even though he was imprisoned, he didn’t allow himself to become dejected.
“Father knows you won’t die. Li Yanyi won’t let you die, and Father also hopes you can live on,” said Xie Fuchen. The jailers had been bribed to leave, allowing the father and daughter to talk privately. Xie Fuchen stood in the small cell, his voice no different from before, just like when he used to read classics to Ah Xin when she was little.
“Back then, when Father pressured you at the Huaichen Mansion, it was Father’s fault. But as the Grand Marshal, as an old minister of Emperor Huai, I, Xie Fuchen, did nothing wrong. Now that I’ve lost, I accept it. The victor becomes the king, the loser becomes the bandit. We’ll start over in eighteen years. Ah Xin, I don’t expect you to understand Father today. As a father, I only hope you can live safely and stay away from the struggles at the center of power.”
Ah Xin saw that he seemed to have something unsaid hanging on his lips: “Father, I remember you once said I had a younger sister.”
Xie Fuchen looked at her for a moment, slowly turning his body to face the wall.
“Back then, you married Mother due to your parents’ arrangement. When I was ten, Mother fell ill and passed away. After that, all the children born to the concubines in the family were boys. How could I have a younger sister?”
Xie Fuchen said: “That was just something I said casually.”
“You didn’t say it casually.”
“Ah Xin, you have a long life ahead of you. You understand the principle that ‘accompanying the ruler is like accompanying a tiger.’ However, your life path is your own choice. Father is a failure and has no position to say much, just want to remind you one thing.” Xie Fuchen turned back, very firmly saying, “Be careful of Wei Tingxu.”
“Wei Tingxu?”
“Yes. This person’s level of viciousness is probably beyond our imagination. How old is she this year?”
“It’s said she’s twenty-one.”
“Only twenty-one and already has such methods. So, when she set this plan, she was just a ‘yellow-mouthed youth’ (implying inexperience).” Xie Fuchen couldn’t help but feel alarmed every time he recalled this matter.
“Does the matter of my younger sister have something to do with Wei Tingxu?”
Xie Fuchen stood still for a long time, silently pondering. Ah Xin knew he was facing a difficult matter, but this matter was more challenging for him than any before.
After a long while, he slowly spoke: “I’m about to go, and the entire Xie clan will disappear from the world. You only have Alai left as a relative.”
“Alai? Who is Alai?” Ah Xin frowned.
“Alai is Zhen Wenjun. She is your half-sister.”
“Her?” Ah Xin recalled Zhen Wenjun’s features. If not told, she wouldn’t have thought there was anything special, but now that Xie Fuchen mentioned it, indeed, there was a shadow of the Xie family in Zhen Wenjun’s brow and eyes.
“How could it be…” Ah Xin had never imagined such a thing, “Who is her mother? If she is ‘Alai’, why did she become Zhen Wenjun?”
“You don’t need to know about this, and you must not tell Alai.” Xie Fuchen was unwilling to say, “Those who knew about this matter – that person, Wei Jinghe, and the late emperor – have all left this world, and I am about to leave too. It’s an ill omen, it should not continue to exist in the world. Let Father take it to the underworld, let it disappear forever. Ah Xin, I’m telling you this only because I want you to protect Alai. In this world, you are the only sisters.”
“You don’t want to tell me the whole truth, only asking me to protect her. This is too bizarre,” Ah Xin said. “Moreover, she’s now by Wei Tingxu’s side and has a very good relationship with Wei Tingxu. Although I don’t know what happened, Zhen Wenjun is Wei Tingxu’s lifesaver and has repeatedly achieved military merits. If anything happens, Wei Tingxu will protect her. Furthermore, as you said, Wei Tingxu is a person of meticulous thoughts and many schemes. With Zhen Wenjun by her side, she’s likely to enjoy nothing but glory and wealth. Who would dare to harm them in the slightest?”
“Ah Xin, you are a pure and kind person, a genius in leading troops and fighting battles, but when it comes to manipulating people’s hearts, you’re not even close to Wei Tingxu,” Xie Fuchen said. “Li Yanyi is not talented as an emperor. She’s emotionally rich with too many weaknesses, making her easy to manipulate. The reason Wei Tingxu chose to assist her, apart from her being a woman, is mainly this point. She has long seen through Li Yanyi and is confident in controlling her, letting Li Yanyi bear the title of ‘the first female emperor in history’ and face the scrutiny and even criticism of all officials and common people. Li Yanyi will endure all the hardships, pacify the country, and change the prejudice against women. After that, Wei Tingxu, who has been hiding behind the scenes, will definitely jump out, pull Li Yanyi down from her horse, and usurp the throne! Ah Xin, the fact that Li Yanyi still hasn’t seen through Wei Tingxu’s true face shows that she is mediocre in wisdom and narrow in vision, incomparable to Wei Tingxu who has been lying low for ten years just for one strike. Once Wei Tingxu launches a rebellion, Li Yanyi is no match for her.”
Xie Fuchen’s words made cold sweat break out on Ah Xin’s back: “But Wei Tingxu seems to be loyal to Li Yanyi, how could…” Even Ah Xin felt powerless saying these words. Li Yanyi seemed to intend to promote female officials in the first year of Zhao Wu, and who else could it be besides Wei Tingxu? Once Wei Tingxu enters officialdom, rising to the top quickly won’t be difficult.
If all this is really Wei Tingxu’s scheme, this person is truly terrifying.
Ah Xin thought for a moment and smiled: “Even if that day comes, it can only be said that Wei Tingxu has achieved her wish. You should know best why she has become what she is now, Father.”
Xie Fuchen knew what Ah Xin was referring to.
“I don’t regret it,” Xie Fuchen pondered for a moment and then said, “I don’t regret it at all. If everything were to start over, I would still make the same choice.”
“…That only shows your cold-bloodedness.”
“Perhaps. But who isn’t at the mercy of circumstances? The truth of that year may never be known to anyone again, haha…” Xie Fuchen laughed, and as he laughed, a tear rolled down from his eye.
“Ah Xin. Father will go ahead first.”
Ah Xin left the imperial prison with a heavy heart.
If what Father said was all true, hasn’t Li Yanyi raised a venomous snake by her side? But if she were to warn Li Yanyi now, it might be seen as sowing discord. Without any evidence, Li Yanyi might not listen to her.
About to leave Runing, perhaps she should do something to save the lives of the entire clan, but now she’s facing the result she knew many years ago. She also knows that no matter how much Li Yanyi cares for her, she can’t possibly agree to this request. Li Yanyi sparing her life is already the utmost kindness.
All she can do is leave.
The brief autumn days were about to pass, and the Wei Mansion was cold and quiet.
Wei Jing’an had fled, leaving behind a blood letter saying he was an unfilial child and couldn’t be a Noble Consort, then disappeared without a trace. Wei Lun asked his other sons and house servants to quickly find him, saying everything could be discussed and not to do anything rash. Mother was really worried and went along, while Wei Lun had to stay in the Forbidden Garden every day, ready to attend to Li Yanyi’s summons at any time.
Wei Tingxu was left in peace.
It’s unknown how long this farce will continue. Wei Tingxu understood that the Empress Dowager was behind this, and Wei Jing’an, being the most outstanding son of the Wei family, would definitely not be let go by the Empress Dowager. On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, there weren’t many people in the Wei Mansion. Wei Tingxu personally tidied up the wandering flowers in the courtyard that were almost withered, bundled up a few that were still intact, and hung them upside down in the bedroom, waiting for them to become dried flowers that could be well preserved.
When Zhen Wenjun had just returned, it was right after heavy rain and the beginning of autumn. A heavy rain would batter even the best-cared-for flowers. Wei Tingxu, bringing Zhen Wenjun back, saw the miserable state of the flowers all over the courtyard, as if lamenting the recently deceased Lingbi. Her nose stung, and she nearly shed tears.
Zhen Wenjun, whose eyes were swollen from crying, either tired from crying or suddenly grown up, put Lingbi down and went to clean up the courtyard, sweeping away the withered flowers and fallen leaves, cutting off the rotten branches, leaving only the good ones. The next day, when Wei Tingxu returned from attending the enthronement ceremony and comforted Zhen Wenjun, they went to choose a coffin. Passing through the courtyard, Wei Tingxu noticed that someone had tidied up the wandering flowers. It wasn’t done very neatly, not quite like Xiaohua’s style, so she guessed it was done by Wenjun.
“I’ve always been waiting to come back and see them,” Zhen Wenjun said, looking at the withered flowers with melancholy. “Several times I was on the brink of death, and it was this belief that kept me going. But I came back alive, and they’ve become like this.”
Wei Tingxu knew that her sorrow would be hard to dispel for a while. She couldn’t eat or sleep well, pining away until she lost weight. Wei Tingxu felt distressed seeing this and had been intentionally trying to cheer her up.
Filling a small crystal chip into the All-Encompassing device, it underwent a strange change. The already peculiar starry pattern inside now had several faint, colored “clouds.”
Zhen Wenjun was mesmerized, and Wei Tingxu asked if she liked it.
“I like it, I like it!”
“Then I’ll often change a few core pieces for you in the future.”
In the autumn wilderness, various animals had fattened themselves up, with delicious meat and thick fur, making it the perfect season for hunting.
Wei Tingxu wanted to ride a horse and go autumn hunting.
“Sister, are you sure?” Although Wei Tingxu was very enthusiastic, Zhen Wenjun wasn’t particularly willing. “Didn’t your legs hurt again after walking for over an hour the day before yesterday? It’s only just gotten a bit better, and today you want to ride a horse? Sister, please don’t scare me.”
Wei Tingxu said, “If we always do things we can already do, where’s the fun in that? Only by forcing ourselves to break through can we know where our limits are. Maybe I can already run.”
Zhen Wenjun quickly stopped her: “Please, sister, don’t think about running, alright? Isn’t it just horseback riding? Fine, let’s go!”
Hearing Zhen Wenjun agree, Wei Tingxu’s eyes lit up:
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. But on one condition: I must lead you on the horse. You can’t ride by yourself. If you can agree to this condition, we’ll go autumn hunting. Otherwise, I won’t agree.”
“You leading me? So how the horse runs and walks is all in your control? How is that different from riding in a carriage?”
“If sister doesn’t like it, then forget it. I don’t really want to go either, so let’s just forget about autumn hunting.” Zhen Wenjun made as if to leave, but Wei Tingxu pulled her back.
“Alright,” Wei Tingxu said. “But I want to shoot arrows myself.”
Zhen Wenjun laughed, “Fine, fine, fine. As long as you agree to let me lead, you can shoot arrows as you please.”
“Why are you laughing? Are you looking down on me?”
“It’s not that I’m looking down on you, sister. How dare I look down on you? Tonight, I’ll prepare a hundred arrows for you, so you can shoot to your heart’s content tomorrow!”
Wei Tingxu felt annoyed by her teasing and planned to show off her skills the next day. Zhen Wenjun really did prepare arrows for her and also changed Xiaoxue’s saddle to a softer, wider, and larger one to make Wei Tingxu sit more comfortably.
“Are you really going to take the lady hunting tomorrow?” Xiaohua suddenly came when Zhen Wenjun was changing Xiaoxue’s equipment.
Zhen Wenjun turned around and almost didn’t recognize her. Xiaohua’s appearance was constantly changing, and compared to her previous look, this Xiaohua seemed to have a different face again.
“Are you worried?” Zhen Wenjun put down her work and said, “If you’re worried, why don’t you come along?”
“Of course I’ll come along,” Xiaohua said frankly.
Xiaohua was still very assertive, but Zhen Wenjun didn’t clash with her head-on as before. Unexpectedly good-tempered, she explained, “Actually, I don’t agree with her going either, but she insists, and it’s not good to dampen her spirits. Sister has been cooped up in the four-wheeled carriage for so long, it’s certainly fresh for her to finally be able to get out and walk around. Sister said she’s wanted to ride a horse since she was little, but never had the chance. Now that she has the opportunity, let her try. I will protect her well, you don’t need to worry.”
Seeing her speak sincerely, Xiaohua looked at her face and said, “You seem a bit different.”
“Do I?” Zhen Wenjun thought to herself, you’re the one who looks different every time I see you.
“When the lady was young, she wanted to be a general, wanted to ride horses and kill enemies,” Xiaohua didn’t leave directly this time, but stroked Xiaoxue. “This descendant of ‘Feiyan’ is the only one in the world. The lady not only spent a fortune but also followed the horse’s owner for two years, moving them with her sincerity. The owner was also nearing the end of their life, which is why they finally agreed. The lady carefully nurtured it as it grew, giving it the best of everything. Although she couldn’t ride it, she cherished it very much. I never thought she would be willing to give Yunzhong Feixue to you.”
Zhen Wenjun seemed to smell what she wanted to say.
“The lady treats you differently,” Xiaohua said. “Lingbi is gone, and now the lady only has you and me. Before, I was hostile towards you, after all, your appearance was too coincidental for me to trust immediately. But after going through so much, I can see that you’re willing to give your life for the lady. You and the lady address each other as sisters, so you are also my master. From now on, this slave is willing to wholeheartedly serve both ladies. Please accept this slave’s kowtow.”
Xiaohua said she would kowtow and immediately prostrated herself on the ground to Zhen Wenjun.
“What are you doing! Get up quickly!” Zhen Wenjun hurriedly helped her up. “Sister has shown me great kindness. If it weren’t for her, I might still be wandering with the theater troupe, how could I have had the chance to fight in the northern frontier and kill enemies for the country? I wouldn’t have Xiaoxue, nor would I be able to live in such a nice courtyard. All of this was given to me by sister. It’s only natural that I give everything for her. Xiaohua, I was too immature before and did some impulsive things. Don’t take them to heart. Don’t call yourself a slave or anything like that. Just call me Wenjun, and I’ll still call you Xiaohua. From now on, let’s work together, serving sister together! I’m still waiting for you to continue teaching me martial arts.”
Zhen Wenjun and Xiaohua smiled at each other. There was never any deep grudge between them, and now that they had lost a companion, it made them see what was more important than quarreling and bickering — living well.
The days of clear autumn skies were coming to an end. A layer of fallen leaves had already covered the hunting ground, making the view more open and easier to spot the prey.
Wei Tingxu brought more than ten people to hunt. She came by carriage but was eager to get on horseback when they reached the hunting ground.
Zhen Wenjun carefully helped her down from the carriage, brought Xiaoxue over, and wanted to lift Wei Tingxu onto the horse. Wei Tingxu insisted on mounting by herself. Zhen Wenjun stood by, watching her step on the stirrup, grip the reins firmly, and make a very precise mounting motion. If her waist and legs were strong enough, it would be easy to get up. However, although Wei Tingxu knew what to do, she still lacked strength. As she tried to mount using the stirrup, she ran out of strength halfway, her arms and legs trembling as she hung suspended in mid-air.
Everyone looked at her worriedly, ready to rush forward and protect her. Xiaohua saw her form waver as if about to fall and immediately stepped forward to catch her.
“Wait,” Zhen Wenjun stopped her.
Zhen Wenjun stood below the horse, closely watching Wei Tingxu’s movements, ready to immediately embrace her if there was any possibility of falling, absolutely not letting her get hurt.
Wei Tingxu’s fair face had turned red with exertion. She held tightly to the reins, unwilling to give up. Gritting her teeth, she twisted her body, lifted her leg, and managed to sit askew on the saddle.
Zhen Wenjun laughed loudly and leaped onto the horse, sitting behind Wei Tingxu. Her long arms encircled her, holding her tightly in her embrace. She grabbed the reins and kicked the horse’s belly hard. Xiaoxue shot off like an arrow, and Xiaohua shouted “Slow down!” But before she could finish the word “down,” Zhen Wenjun had already ridden into the forest with Wei Tingxu.
Xiaohua couldn’t stand it and immediately mounted her horse to follow with the others.
Zhen Wenjun rode very fast. Amidst the jolting, Wei Tingxu didn’t feel in danger. Even though there was some shaking and her waist was constantly bumping, she could endure it. More importantly, Zhen Wenjun held her tightly, making her feel very safe.
“Sister! Do you trust me?” Zhen Wenjun’s excited voice sounded in her ear.
Infected by her excitement, Wei Tingxu also raised her voice: “I trust you!”
“Good! Then I’m going to speed up!” Zhen Wenjun tightened her arms, protecting her even more securely, and spurred the horse into a wild gallop.
The wind blew against Wei Tingxu’s body, and sweat quickly soaked her back.
Wei Tingxu felt like a newborn baby, fully experiencing the joy of galloping on horseback under Zhen Wenjun’s protection.
It was exhilarating.
0 Comments