Fish Meat – Chapter 147
by Little PandaThe Second Year of Zhao Wu
Morning Like Blue Clouds (11)
The summer in the Northern Frontier was ending, and the cold wind grew fiercer. A few days ago, Ah Xin could still hide alone in the bell tower, and despite the wind and snow, her heart remained warm. Since yesterday, a powerful snowstorm once again swept across the entire Northern Frontier. For thousands of miles, everything was frozen, without a blade of grass growing.
Three months ago, Baiyu City was still Chongjin territory. Since Ah Xin led troops to capture this city, it became the northernmost city of Da Yu.
Baiyu City sits atop Baiyu Mountain. Three hundred years ago, it was a northern fortress of the previous dynasty. After being occupied by the nomadic tribes, attempts to recapture it proved extremely difficult due to its terrain – easy to defend but extremely hard to attack. The previous dynasty’s army suffered heavy losses after lengthy attempts to capture it and had no choice but to retreat southward.
Ah Xin was determined to take this city.
She understood why the Chongjin, a horse-riding people, had preserved Baiyu City so well for hundreds of years. To Chongjin, Baiyu City was like what Mengliang was to Da Yu – it was the throat of Chongjin territory, the most important defensive fortress at the border with Da Yu. As long as they held it, the south posed no threat.
This was exactly what Ah Xin wanted to seize.
Wei Jing’an and his army had also been active in the north. He didn’t have much opinion about Ah Xin; they both admired each other’s military leadership and strategy, but due to their families being sworn enemies, they couldn’t have much interaction. However, during the campaign to capture Baiyu City, the two suddenly developed a mysterious tacit understanding, so much so that Wei Jing’an was puzzled – how could there be a stranger in this world who could guess my thoughts without any communication?
Wei Jing’an had split his army into two groups: one to launch a frontal attack on Baiyu City, the other to lay in ambush.
After a failed assault, they retreated, hoping to lure out the garrison troops. Baiyu City had been under siege for over a month. The Northern Frontier was already short on supplies, and after being surrounded, the city was cut off from food and fodder. Both civilians and soldiers were nearly starving to death, desperate to end the battle. Seeing the Da Yu “bandits” retreat, the defending commander of Baiyu City opened the gates wide and led his troops in hot pursuit.
Wei Jing’an laughed inwardly – they had fallen for it.
Wei Jing’an led his troops in “retreat” to where the ambush was supposed to be, in a grove of dead trees, when he suddenly realized something was wrong – all the traps he had ordered to be set were missing. A hint of panic rose in his heart – could I be the one who fell into a trap?
Indeed, he had fallen for it. This was a trap within a trap.
The commander defending Baiyu City was Chongjin’s famous strategist, the veteran general Ah’er Gui. Having fought against Da Yu for so many years, he had thoroughly grasped the Da Yu people’s way of thinking, even learning Da Yu’s written language and thoroughly studying their military tactics. He not only knew the famous saying “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be in danger” (reference to Sun Tzu’s Art of War), but also applied it with great flexibility.
Ah’er Gui had already dispatched a force of 2,000 men from the city on the eve of battle, hiding them near Wei Jing’an’s camp to personally observe his troop movements. This information was sent back to the city via screech birds, and Ah’er Gui immediately understood Wei Jing’an’s strategy.
When Wei Jing’an led his troops to attack the city, Ah’er Gui stood on the city walls observing the enemy’s movements. As soon as Wei Jing’an retreated, Ah’er Gui unhesitatingly sent troops in pursuit. Wei Jing’an’s ambush forces had already been eliminated; what awaited him would be an attack from both front and rear, surely leaving him with no place to be buried!
Just as Ah’er Gui had surrounded Wei Jing’an and was about to strike the killing blow, feeling victory was certain, Ah Xin suddenly attacked, leaving Ah’er Gui’s army completely destroyed, taking his head as leverage to fully open Baiyu City’s gates.
Wei Jing’an looked at this woman on horseback, particularly curious: “Why were you lying in wait here? Could it be that you knew from the start about my ambush, and even knew that Ah’er Gui would turn the tables?”
Ah Xin wore a freshly skinned white bear cloak, and her fox fur hat still had its fluffy tail hanging at the back, waving in the wind, its long fur rippling like waves.
Her entire body was covered except for a pair of eyes, yet even with just those eyes visible, one could still read her emotions.
She was smiling.
Was she mocking him?
Ah Xin said nothing, using Ah’er Gui’s head to force open the gates of Baiyu City.
Could it be that Ah Xin had calculated his strategy from the beginning, even discovering Ah’er Gui’s secret ambush, and planned to use him as bait to lure and kill Ah’er Gui? Wei Jing’an felt for the first time like a little white rabbit (meaning: an innocent, unsuspecting target), with a woman waiting behind him to eat his flesh.
After occupying Baiyu City, Ah Xin immediately set up defenses, building a fifty-zhang high wall (1 zhang = ~3.3 meters) on the north side, equipped with stone-dropping nets and cauldrons of burning oil, ready to strike against any attacking forces. Wei Jing’an wanted to enter the city to see Ah Xin, as she had also seized his army’s provisions and taken them into the city. Now his brothers were starving with hollow bellies, and he had to get the supplies back from her.
Unexpectedly, despite being fellow Da Yu people, her subordinates refused him entry to the city. Wei Jing’an’s brothers stood at the base of the city wall, cursing while enduring the cold wind, but no one came out to address them. After shouting for a while and growing hungrier, the brothers asked Wei Jing’an what to do. Wei Jing’an licked his dry lips and initially remained silent.
“Zilian, let’s fight our way in,” someone suggested. “If we force our way in, we can definitely take the city. Besides, this city only opened its gates because we held out against Ah’er Gui for so long. This woman just used trickery to take the city, she barely has any troops!”
“Right! Let’s fight our way in! What’s there to fear from a woman? Attack!”
“Take back Baiyu City!”
The crowd shouted and yelled, while Wei Jing’an stood in the middle, silent and unmoved. Only when he saw his brothers were truly about to storm the city did he speak:
“Don’t be rash. This person is extraordinary, and we can’t underestimate her just because she’s a woman. Remember, even in the Runing Forbidden Garden, the highest position is occupied by a woman. It’s already the second year of Zhaowu, you brutes should update your thinking.”
The brothers looked at each other: “Then what should we do?”
Wei Jing’an licked his dry lips again, a glint flashing in his star-like eyes (a poetic description for bright, sharp eyes).
“Follow me.”
After several encounters, Wei Jing’an had already learned of Ah Xin’s formidable nature and was unwilling to confront her directly.
Moreover, recovering the provisions didn’t necessarily require a direct confrontation.
Wei Jing’an brought six brothers with excellent fighting skills, planning to secretly climb up the western cliff. Because it bordered a cliff, this area relied on natural defenses and had fewer guards, making it Wei Jing’an’s backup attack point. They brought mountain hooks, with all six tied together, advancing steadily up the cliff face. They quickly reached the top of the city wall. After subduing several guards and changing into their clothes, they planned to smuggle the provisions out of the city.
Unexpectedly, before finding the provisions, they encountered assassins.
In a very twisted yet fortunate turn of events, they ended up saving Ah Xin’s life.
The letter Ah Lie sent from the Northern Frontier and the secret document Ah Yin dispatched from Pingcang both reached Li Yanyi’s hands.
When Li Yanyi received Ah Lie’s letter, she was walking along the long Azure Dragon Corridor leading to the Taiji Hall, with fine rain drifting in the grey sky.
Li Yanyi was already running late and didn’t want to keep the court officials waiting, so her steps were hurried. Two Zhuiyue soldiers followed closely behind her, holding up the ceremonial umbrella.
The messenger rushed in from outside the Forbidden Garden, and Li Yanyi recognized her immediately, knowing Ah Lie’s letter had arrived. Previously, after the spy sent to record Ah Xin’s daily activities in the Northern Frontier was killed, someone had forged letters sent to Runing, deliberately trying to drive a wedge between her and Ah Xin, making her believe Ah Xin had betrayed her, hoping to use the emperor’s hand to execute Ah Xin directly.
Li Yanyi knew exactly who was behind this without even having to think hard.
How ridiculous – even though they spent more time apart than together, Ah Xin was the person she knew and trusted most in the world. If Ah Xin wanted to fall for someone else, she would have done so ages ago. How could she possibly fancy someone else just because she was lonely in the Northern Frontier? Besides, was there anyone more outstanding than her, Li Yanyi? After meeting Li Yanyi, Ah Xin couldn’t possibly have eyes for anyone else – of this, Li Yanyi was absolutely certain.
The Empress Dowager really never ran out of dirty tricks.
Li Yanyi knew Empress Dowager Geng wouldn’t easily let Ah Xin off. Since the last attempt at sowing discord failed, she probably already harbored killing intent. Sending Ah Lie to the Northern Frontier to continue recording Ah Xin’s life was partly surveillance, but more importantly for protection. Even though Ah Xin’s martial arts skills were nearly unmatched in Da Yu, no matter how formidable Ah Xin was, in Li Yanyi’s eyes, she was still a delicate lady who needed protection and care.
Even though she had grown somewhat harder-hearted now.
While walking quickly, she rapidly read through Ah Lie’s letter, which said Ah Xin had encountered assassins and was injured while protecting Ah Wen, nearly meeting with danger.
The two characters “Ah Wen” were particularly eye-catching.
The previously forged letter had mentioned this lowborn Ah Wen seducing Ah Xin, and now Ah Lie’s letter, which contained their agreed-upon code and couldn’t be fake, also mentioned this Ah Wen? Ah Xin actually got injured protecting her? She actually got hurt for a woman other than me? Li Yanyi’s heart ached with jealousy, and she wanted to crumple up the sheepskin letter and throw it away, when suddenly she noticed a few more lines.
Wei Zilian appeared and saved Ah Xin, and the two of them drank together all night. Afterward, Wei Zilian’s troops came and went through Baiyu City as if it were their own home.
Wei Zilian?
He did indeed go to the Northern Frontier, but why did he get involved with Ah Xin? How could it be such a coincidence that he saved her?
Did Wei Zilian go to the Northern Frontier truly to avoid being made a consort, or was it to take this opportunity to get close to Ah Xin and use her as a way to strike at the emperor’s weakness?
What was the Wei family plotting?
And why would Ah Xin, knowing the Wei family’s schemes, still get close to Wei Zilian? Wei Zilian was a young man in his prime, and they spent an entire night together?
Li Yanyi advocated for freedom between men and women, yet she didn’t want her own Ah Xin to be too close to any man.
Li Yanyi knew she shouldn’t make wild guesses, as the more she guessed, the more confused she became.
But she had no way to verify things personally, so she could only rely on speculation. Evil people were precisely counting on the emperor’s suspicious nature to find openings to exploit.
As if Da Yu didn’t have enough problems already!
Li Yanyi walked angrily toward the Taiji Hall, wondering all the way why Ah Xin hadn’t returned, and if Ah Xin no longer cared about her. At the same time, she contemplated the possibility of leaving Runing to personally go to the Northern Frontier, whether she could leave, what consequences would follow if she did, and if leaving would make her appear as foolish as Emperor Huai in the eyes of her officials.
Just as she was about to reach the end of the Azure Dragon Corridor, Ah Yin appeared.
Seeing Ah Yin made Li Yanyi momentarily blank out.
After Ah Lie was reassigned, Ah Yin took full responsibility for investigating the source of that mysterious letter and Xie Fuchen’s past. Li Yanyi had ordered her not to return to the Forbidden Garden without news. Her appearance now meant she had definitive information.
Seeing Li Yanyi heading to Taiji Hall, Ah Yin knew she was going to court, so she didn’t approach, planning to wait outside the main hall.
Li Yanyi glanced at her, and she immediately understood, stepping forward to submit the investigation results.
Li Yanyi continued walking while reading, but after a few steps, she suddenly froze, causing the soldiers holding the ceremonial umbrella behind her to stumble unexpectedly, nearly crashing into her.
Li Yanyi’s eyes were fixed, unblinking, as fine rain blown by the wind fell on her trembling hands.
“Your Majesty?” A Zhuiyue soldier behind her couldn’t help but remind her after she hadn’t moved for a while.
Li Yanyi’s face turned paper-white, and as she unconsciously stepped forward, this distracted step went wrong, causing her to stumble and fall. She tried to brace herself with her left hand, breaking the bone on impact.
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