Fish Meat – Chapter 193
by Little PandaThe Fourth Year of Zhao Wu
Secrets in the Sleeve (13)
“No need, I won’t go in.” Zhen Wenjun withdrew from Wei Tingxu’s side.
“Your wounds…”
“Just scraped some skin, these small wounds are no matter. This play between us still needs to… cough cough cough continue.” The two sword wounds on her back burned fiercely, though still within bearable limits. Zhen Wenjun coughed violently several times before turning to leave.
Wei Tingxu didn’t try to keep her, only watching her resolute departing figure.
After Zhen Wenjun left, Wei Tingxu quickly returned inside. Ah Ran stood restlessly in the courtyard surrounded by seven or eight household servants, everyone waiting for Wei Tingxu’s return.
“How is Father?” Wei Tingxu asked while quickly walking toward the room.
“He just took the Revival Powder and has awakened now. Really, how could Father be so muddle-headed! He actually took the Soul-Departing Pill secretly without discussing with family. How could he not know this medicine can create a temporary death-like state, able to deceive the Emperor? But the dosage is extremely strict – if mishandled, it could lead directly to death! How could he…” At this point, Ah Ran’s tears rolled down uncontrollably. Wei Tingxu squeezed her arm and entered the room.
Mother and several brothers were gathered around Wei Lun’s bedroom, some making ice corners, some bringing medicine, some helping apply revival oil – though many people were present, there was neither confusion nor noise.
Wei Lun hadn’t opened his eyes, breathing difficultly with his mouth open, as if only this way could he get more air. Wei Tingxu knelt beside the bed, carefully wiping away the sweat on her father’s forehead with a handkerchief, obediently waiting like her other brothers and sisters.
“Ting…” Wei Lun finally opened his eyes, a weak voice coming from deep in his throat. Wei Tingxu immediately put down the medicine bowl and leaned forward.
“Father, child is here!”
Wei Lun’s voice was too soft; Wei Tingxu had to lean close to his ear to hear his four words clearly—”must not be soft-hearted.”
When Li Yanyi left the Wei residence, Guang Shaoling felt some resentment and anger.
“That Zhen Wenjun clearly came to save the Wei traitor!”
Li Yanyi signaled her to keep quiet: “Don’t expose them. The deeper their feelings and the more impossible to sever, the more pleased We are to see it.”
Guang Shaoling didn’t quite understand. Li Yanyi gave a light laugh and returned to the imperial carriage.
When Zhen Wenjun was walking back covered in wounds, Zhu Maosan, Bu Jie, and Ah Xi finally arrived with others.
“My Mother, what happened to you!” Ah Xi was shocked stupid seeing her covered in blood.
Zhen Wenjun casually shook her head, seeming to feel no pain at all. The blood covering her body was too conspicuous; Bu Jie had her sit in the carriage, saying they would talk after returning to the residence.
Back at the Zhuo Jun Mansion, lying on the bed, Ah Mu helped clean her wounds and gently sprinkled medicine powder, the burning pain gradually fading.
Though Ah Mu’s hands trembled somewhat because of the wounds, her technique was skilled. Zhen Wenjun didn’t feel any obvious pain throughout. After the bandaging, she couldn’t help sighing that having Ah Mu by her side was truly wonderful: “I too am someone who has an Ah Mu now.”
Zhen Wenjun lay on Ah Qiong’s lap, as Ah Qiong stroked her hair with a smile: “Such a grown person still acting spoiled.”
“No matter how grown, still Ah Mu’s child.”
Zhen Wenjun told Ah Qiong about today’s events, “So today neither Li Yanyi nor Wei Tingxu made a move…” Ah Qiong finished organizing the medicine box, gazing at the oil lamp in thought.
“Yes, neither made a move. It seems they are both not rash people, and both are very wary of each other.”
“Besides this, it also shows…” Ah Qiong turned her gaze from the oil lamp to Zhen Wenjun, “they both still have moves in reserve.”
At the end of the sixth month, a cold illness of unknown origin spread through Runing, even Li Yanyi was not spared, coughing on and off.
The imperial physicians came to examine her several times and prescribed some medicine. Though the symptoms were thought to subside in two or three days, by the tenth day there was no improvement, and instead showed signs of worsening.
It was just a minor cold illness; Li Yanyi didn’t take it to heart at all. What she cared about most was the war situation in the north.
The two Bo family generals, Bo Chishen and Bo Qin, led the deputy generals of the Geng and Lin families in pursuit of victory. Three days before sending the message, they had already fought to Baiyu City. The Chongjin army in Baiyu City couldn’t withstand a single blow; the Yu army would soon take the city.
The letter sent back from the northern line wrote that General Bo’s military strategy was as divine as a bear’s might and leopard’s tactics, while those Chongjin barbarian bandits only had a commoner’s courage, completely incomparable to General Bo. If General Bo had been at the northern line a few years ago, the barbarian trouble would likely have been eliminated entirely.
Seeing Li Yanyi didn’t immediately smile after reading the war report, Guang Shaoling asked puzzled: “The northern line is victorious, is Your Majesty not happy?”
“It is worth being happy about.” Li Yanyi only said half the sentence; Guang Shaoling could naturally guess the latter half.
“Could Your Majesty have other concerns?”
Li Yanyi said: “This Bo Chishen is not a seasoned battlefield general. A few close victories in a tug-of-war with Chongjin would be no problem, but a complete victory?”
Guang Shaoling said: “Your Majesty thinks deeply, but there are many ways to lure the enemy – who would willingly give up their life? If Your Majesty is worried, you can have General Bo slow the attack. Just pushing north another two hundred li, and there’s hope of uprooting Chongjin completely.”
Li Yanyi took out the Heaven’s Army Divine Box, pressed several buttons, selected Baiyu City’s terrain and threw it to the ground, immediately unfolding a three-dimensional city map, displaying the full picture of the city and surrounding hundred li of land.
Li Yanyi pointed to Black Tiger Pass fifty li north of Baiyu City: “Look at this place, what problems do you see?”
Guang Shaoling looked for a long while, stuttering without being able to say anything conclusive. Li Yanyi said expressionlessly: “This Black Tiger Pass has snow storms year-round, and the entrance is narrow – it’s an excellent ambush point. I fear the Chongjin army wants to lure the Yu army into Black Tiger Pass to counterattack at this dead end. If the Yu army falls into ambush, the losses will surely be devastating.”
Guang Shaoling said: “Your Majesty is brilliant.”
“Unfortunately, sending a warning message now would certainly be too late. Calculating the time, Bo Chishen has likely already reached Black Tiger Pass.” Li Yanyi placed her hands behind her back and sighed deeply, “Can only hope General Bo has plans of his own.”
The position of Left Minister was not given to another Bo family member. The matter between Bo Lan and Zhangsun Wu had given her a sudden warning – once the Bo family held both military power and central authority, they might threaten imperial power. Another Wei family absolutely could not be supported to rise.
The Left Minister position remained temporarily vacant, everything waiting to see if the Bo family could drive away Chongjin. Once Chongjin collapsed, waiting for the barely breathing Wei Lun to take his last breath, it would be time for the death of the Wei and Zhangsun families.
Li Yanyi didn’t much appreciate Guang Shaoling. She was indeed a loyal and diligent person, but ultimately too young, having grown up in Runing since childhood, only starting martial arts training at the martial academy at age twelve, lacking experience and with too simple thoughts – at crucial moments she likely couldn’t withstand much.
At this time, she desperately needed someone who could engage in deep discussion.
Where had Ah Xin gone?
Li Yanyi had been sending people to look for Ah Xin. She wasn’t at the JI Xue Mansion – could she have just returned to Runing only to leave again?
After several days of worry, Ah Lie finally appeared, saying she had found Lady Ah Xin’s whereabouts.
Li Yanyi was waiting for her to continue, but Ah Lie kept her head down silently, her body swaying as if hesitating.
“Where?” Li Yanyi asked impatiently.
Ah Lie still hemmed and hawed, afraid to speak. Li Yanyi sensed something was wrong: “Just speak, We won’t blame you.”
“Lady Ah Xin never left Runing. Today this humble servant finally found her in Sijian Ward.”
“Sijian Ward?” Hearing these three words, an ominous feeling instantly arose in Li Yanyi’s heart.
Sijian Ward was Runing’s darkest corner, a place Emperor Ming had wanted to clean up but could never truly regulate, because countless “night chambers” were located there. These night chambers were not inns providing rest, but places for people to consume Furong Powder! Besides the hundreds of large and small night chambers in Sijian Ward, Yu’s largest Furong Powder merchants were also concentrated there.
Enormous profits flowed in and out here – this was the empire’s vast grey income zone.
Since Emperor Ming’s time, Furong Powder had become widespread. When Sijian Ward rose rapidly, he had thought about eliminating it, but because Furong Powder extracted money from the common people faster and in greater amounts than taxes, many ministers secretly advised Emperor Ming that for the sake of national treasury income, it was better to turn a blind eye. When Li Ju governed, famine, war, and internal strife left him with a splitting headache, having no time to attend to small matters like Sijian Ward. It was during those eleven years of Shenchu, when Da Yu’s people felt uncertain about their future from dawn to dusk, that families willingly threw themselves into Furong Powder’s embrace. Sijian Ward found fertile soil and grew strong.
After Li Yanyi ascended the throne, there were too many massive historical problems left behind. She still hadn’t been able to handle them properly, and Sijian Ward continued to shelter those muddleheaded people who only thought about seeking immediate pleasure through Furong Powder.
Those who went there were all “fellow travelers” consuming Furong Powder – why would Ah Xin go there?
Li Yanyi was about to question Ah Lie, the words already at her lips, but thought of something and withdrew them, sitting back down with a face full of worry.
“What did you see her… doing?” Li Yanyi asked, “Consuming Furong Powder?”
Ah Lie said: “This humble servant saw Lady Ah Xin enter a night chamber. I wanted to follow in, but…”
Everyone knew that inhaling the smoke produced by burning night lotus was also somewhat addictive, especially in places like night chambers thick with smoke. If Ah Lie went in and smelled it, it would likely be detrimental to herself. Li Yanyi didn’t blame her.
“Then what?”
“That night chamber’s security was extremely good, there were no windows to look through, so this humble servant removed two bricks from a corner to look inside. I saw Lady Ah Xin sitting together with a man, holding a long pipe in her hand.”
Li Yanyi couldn’t believe it: “You saw this with your own eyes?”
“Indeed this humble servant saw it personally, and dare not deceive Your Majesty in any way.”
“Impossible! Ah Xin had such difficulty quitting Furong Powder, she promised Us she would absolutely never use again! Moreover, going to some night chamber, together with a man!” A thought flashed through Li Yanyi’s mind, and her gaze toward Ah Lie concealed killing intent.
Ah Lie immediately kowtowed, saying firmly: “Every word this humble servant spoke today is true! There is absolutely not half a character of lies! Your Majesty now suspects this servant – this servant is but a worthless life at Your Majesty’s disposal! But if this servant dies, Your Majesty would have one less person able to handle affairs by your side. Wouldn’t that please those treacherous people?! Please, Your Majesty, think thrice!”
Li Yanyi was merely testing; she could still trust Ah Lie’s words.
If she couldn’t trust Ah Lie, she truly didn’t know who else in this world she could use.
“You may rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“Have Ah Xin come find Us in the Forbidden Garden.”
“Yes!”
The look of relief on Ah Lie’s face before leaving was caught by Li Yanyi; she knew she had made a very correct decision.
To walk out of the bewildering formation, one only needed composure.
No matter how many traps Wei Tingxu designed, the ultimate goal was to leave Li Yanyi with no one to use and no one to trust, borrowing the Emperor’s hand to break the Emperor’s legs. Li Yanyi had been led by the nose by her, always in an agitated state, naturally causing her judgment to shift somewhat.
She must calm down. Heaven had given her a chance to breathe at this time, wanting her to open her eyes and see everything clearly.
Li Yanyi walked to the ice mountain in the corner of the room, grasped a piece of ice, watching it slowly melt in her palm.
When Li Yanyi broke through her limits and slowly regained composed thoughts, the situation also began to undergo subtle changes.
Bo Chishen led troops charging into Black Tiger Pass. There were indeed ambush troops there, but these ambush troops were still thoroughly killed by the valiant Yu army. Bo Chishen’s confidence greatly increased, and he planned to pursue the victory. He sent a reply to Li Yanyi, saying he would certainly be careful of ambushes ahead, and would not miss any opportunity to completely annihilate the hu bandits. He asked the Emperor to rest assured and wait for his triumphant return!
After receiving this victory report, Li Yanyi’s confidence doubled. She specifically led hundred officials to pray for General Bo and Da Yu’s main force, believing with Heaven’s blessing, the Yu army would surely return victorious to the capital!
After being schemed against by Zhangsun Wu and the Wei family that time, Bo Lan reformed thoroughly, no longer lingering in pleasure districts, never again visiting South Wind House. Ambushing Zhangsun Wu at night and giving him a thorough beating settled that account. Bo Lan vented his anger and devoted all energy to the Path of Ten Thousand Directions.
After the Path of Ten Thousand Directions’s initial completion, inns and markets along the way needed to be built quickly. Bo Lan personally led over a hundred people to leave the capital for route surveying, hiring local clan retainers from various commanderies as patrol guards, allowing merchant caravans to travel more safely and quickly along the trade route.
Bo Chishen’s lone force penetrated deep into Chongjin, killing two great generals. Chongjin couldn’t withstand this and sent envoys offering precious horses, furs, and jewels, wanting to negotiate peace. Li Yanyi tested them, demanding Chongjin cede six more cities and annually tribute one million treasure horses and six million jin of gold. The Chongjin envoy initially refused. Li Yanyi’s attitude was very firm, even threatening to execute him to show Chongjin their might. The envoy was terrified and had to say he would return to discuss with their leader. Li Yanyi ordered continued attacks on Chongjin. By late autumn, Chongjin sent envoys to Yu again, having to grudgingly accept all of Da Yu Emperor’s conditions.
Meanwhile, spies secretly investigating Wei family’s private army were about to collect important evidence. Once evidence of Wei family’s rebellion was obtained, when Yu army’s main force returned to the capital, it would be Li Yanyi’s best opportunity to thoroughly eliminate the Wei and Zhangsun clans.
On the surface, Li Yanyi remained expressionless, even selecting young men throughout Da Yu to fill the rear palace, having people spread rumors saying the Emperor had grown negligent after greatly defeating Chongjin, not only selecting young men but also choosing five hundred beauties from noble families to enter the rear palace, making it a chaotic mix of men and women.
The common people had few objections. As emperor, Li Yanyi opened the Path of Ten Thousand Directions, with more and more business opportunities blooming everywhere. Well-fed commoners cared nothing about what evil tastes the Emperor had within the palace, nor how chaotic the central government was, or how many unsolved problems this country still had.
Forever unclear household registers, uncounted lands – all this was irrelevant to common people. They continued living in drunken dreams in this frequently changing era, continued seeking pleasure, completely unconcerned about rebellions large and small, only consuming cart after cart of Furong Powder completely.
Just as Zhen Wenjun planned to keep a low profile and observe changes, one early morning Xiao Xiao hurriedly ran to her room and woke her.
“Grandmother – Grandmother is missing!”
“What?” Hearing these words, Zhen Wenjun instantly lost all sleepiness.
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