Fish Meat – Chapter 227

The Second Year of Shunde

Jointly Chasing The Lost Deer (23)

Rain began to fall for no apparent reason.

            

Raindrops drummed against the top of the tent, pattering loudly.

Spring in the south was already damp, and continuous spring rains could last for days without seeing the sun. Everything from the bedding to the clothes felt moist, making people uncomfortable.

That day, halfway through her journey, Zhen Wenjun grew worried, overcome by an ominous feeling. She feared this was Liu Shi’s ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain, waiting only for her departure to attack her main camp from behind. She ordered the young vanguard commander, Huang Bo, to lead troops to the front line to probe Liu Shi’s strength, giving him full responsibility for deploying the light cavalry. She also entrusted the command tally to another officer of similar age, Lin Mu, instructing the two to coordinate and maneuver the main army.

            

Lin Mu​¹ was the legitimate younger sister of Lin Yue, twenty-eight years old this year, and also one of the Lin family members rescued by Zhen Wenjun during their exile. Since childhood, Lin Mu had little interest in the traditional arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, preferring instead to practice swordsmanship and staff techniques. She had read many military texts but lacked battlefield experience. At Lin Yue’s recommendation, Zhen Wenjun had taken her into the army for training.

Lin Mu was deeply grateful for the life-saving grace Zhen Wenjun had shown the Lin clan. Although not everyone in the Lin family felt the same, with some still gossiping about Zhen Wenjun behind her back, Lin Mu had personally witnessed Zhen Wenjun’s dashing figure galloping across the battlefield. This showed her that even a woman could become a general. Inspired, she trained day and night, taking General Zhen as her role model.

Through long observation, Zhen Wenjun realized that among her peers in the army, the twenty-seven-year-old Lin Mu and the thirty-year-old Huang Bo both had the potential to be great commanders; they lacked only the chance to show their faces and establish their merits. Knowing the importance of cultivating trusted subordinates, and determined to succeed​² in the campaign to encircle and annihilate Liu Shi at Julu, Zhen Wenjun deemed it necessary to provide them with training before the real battle began. Therefore, she handed over a portion of the troops to them, ordering Bu Jie to reinforce their position and assist, while she herself led forces back to the main camp to prevent a surprise attack.

            

Unexpectedly, upon returning to the main camp, she immediately faced a confrontation with Wei Tingxu, resulting in a major unpleasantness.

After Wei Tingxu and the others left, Ah Xiang huddled in Zhen Wenjun’s embrace, sobbing uncontrollably, clutching Zhen Wenjun’s clothes and refusing to let go. “Luckily… luckily the General sensed Ah Ling was in danger and turned back halfway. If you had been even a step later, the General might never have seen Ah Ling again, never eaten the delicacies Ah Ling carefully prepared for the General. General…”

Zhen Wenjun gently patted her back, comforting her, “Heaven favored you and didn’t let you die. But don’t casually enter my tent again in the future.”

            

“Who knew the General’s tent was so important? I usually go in and out delivering food, and no one ever stops me!” Ah Xiang pouted, pretending to be angry. “It wasn’t until I saw the General’s tent was messy as a pigsty that I thought I’d tidy it up while the General was away campaigning. Wouldn’t the General be especially happy to return to a neat and clean space! Didn’t expect my good intentions would be bitten by a dog​³.”

“Hey, you’re not allowed to randomly call people dogs.”

“I wasn’t talking about you, hehe.”

            

“That’s not allowed either,” Zhen Wenjun said, though not very sternly. Ah Xiang continued:

“I just escaped death’s door​⁴, and you’re already being so fierce with me. Do you not want delicious food anymore?”

“How was I being fierce? You’re truly wronging me.”

            

The two looked at each other and smiled. Suddenly, Ah Xiang cried out, “Ouch!” and nearly stumbled.

“What’s wrong? Your leg is hurting again?”

“It’s because of those rough soldiers earlier. It was almost healed.”

            

“Come, let’s go inside. I’ll take another look for you.”

As these two went inside, Ah Zhu and Wei Tingxu walked back together. Ah Zhu was so angry her forehead beaded with sweat. She wrung her hands, sighing and stamping her feet, muttering under her breath: “How could Madam be so foolish, so foolish…”

The accompanying maids chimed in agreement with Ah Zhu: “I almost couldn’t hold back just now! I really wanted to go up and slap that fox spirit!”

            

“Exactly! Seeing that fawning, seductive look just makes me angry! And the General actually falls for that act​⁵!”

“What ‘savior’? Clearly a spy sent to ruin the relationship between the Lady and the General as wives! Has the General lost her mind, blinded by lard​⁶?”

“Perhaps the General also wants to enjoy the blessings of polygamy​⁷? Like those men with three wives and four concubines…”

            

“Enough,” Ah Zhu snapped, hearing them getting increasingly outrageous. The maids immediately fell silent, daring not to speak further.

But Ah Zhu knew that every single word had reached Wei Tingxu’s ears. Everyone knew there was some truth to what they said.

Following this was the uncomfortable, inescapable period of gloomy, rainy weather.

            

Gloomy, rainy days blurred the surroundings, making it a good time to pass intelligence.

Every day, Ah Xiang would go into the mountains to hunt game for Zhen Wenjun, preparing a fragrant pot of wild meat. Everyone knew this lady was the General’s savior and their bond was deep, so they didn’t watch her too closely. This gave her more opportunities to send out secret messages.

Ah Xiang had been by Zhen Wenjun’s side for over three months now. Observing Zhen and Wei up close, she found their relationship intriguing​⁸. It seemed solid due to intertwined interests, but was actually quite fragile, fraught with past conflicts, merely endured for the sake of mutual benefit.

            

“There is still room to drive a wedge between them.”

After three months of recuperation, Yao Zhaoyi’s injuries had healed. Her thoughts were constantly with Ah Xiang. Each time she received a secret message from Ah Xiang and saw the familiar handwriting confirming she was still alive, Yao Zhaoyi could feel at ease.

Ah Xiang mentioned in her letters that the plan to sow discord faced some obstacles but wasn’t overly difficult. As long as she found the right opportunity, she could quickly separate the two. Eliminating Liu Shi was not only the Wei family’s desire but also a crucial next step in Zhen Wenjun’s deployment. Julu was located between Ru County and Huaiyang. When Zhen Wenjun initially marched north to attack Runing, she had deliberately bypassed Julu to conserve troops. Now that Runing remained unconquered after a long siege, she turned her attention to other warlords. If she annexed Julu, she would become the largest power in the entire south, aside from Nanya. At that point, Yao Zhaoyi feared the Yao family would be at a distinct disadvantage and face utter defeat in the struggle for the Road [or Path] to Ten Thousand Directions.

            

Therefore, Julu absolutely could not fall into Zhen Wenjun’s hands.

Zhen Wenjun had already captured one city in Julu. If any discord arose between Zhen and Wei, causing their forces to split, it wouldn’t be difficult to ensure Wei Tingxu, having lost Xiaohua, died in Feng County. The Zhen and Wei factions were interdependent yet mutually suspicious. When the time came, whether engaging Zhen Wenjun directly in battle or blaming Wei Tingxu’s death on Zhen Wenjun to incite conflict between Zhen Wenjun and the Wei and Zhangsun families, both were viable strategies.

Ah Xiang was searching for that perfect opportunity.

            

These pieces of information were hidden within the secret messages Ah Xiang had sent back over the past few months. Cao Fei decrypted them character by character against a cipher, writing them down on paper to present to Yao Zhaoyi.

“In Lord Cao’s opinion, how reliable is Ah Xiang’s assessment?”

“Reporting to the Lady, the relationship between the two villains Zhen and Wei is indeed baffling​⁹, marked by deep hatred and deep affection. Only someone truly close to them can discern its current state. Since the Lady sent Lady Ah Xiang into danger, doubting her word now would be like slapping our own face. This old man believes Lady Ah Xiang’s analysis is highly logical. I also understand the Lady fell into Zhen and Wei’s trap before, hence your considerable caution. Ultimately, only great risks yield great rewards. Lady, when it’s time to act, we must commit fully.”

            

Cao Fei was right.

Yan Xing had already missed one opportunity. After meticulously planning for so long this time, they absolutely could not miss again.

With Bu Jie’s support, Lin Mu and Huang Bo won a great victory on the front line, capturing 1,200 of Liu Shi’s soldiers and a large number of warhorses. Lin Mu acted decisively, pursuing the enemy for over a hundred li​¹⁰, annihilating all the fleeing soldiers and capturing the small border town of Fanli in Julu. Now, 2,000 troops were garrisoned in Fanli, with Huang Bo defending the town, awaiting the arrival of the main force.

            

Zhen Wenjun was overjoyed upon hearing the news of the victory. She ordered sheep and cattle slaughtered, prepared a hundred jin​¹¹ of gold and a thousand jars of strong liquor to be sent to Fanli, generously rewarding the two commanders. Upon receiving the rewards, Lin Mu and Huang Bo distributed everything to the soldiers who had faced life and death​¹² with them. The soldiers only ate the meat and did not drink the liquor; they all knew the Liu family could attack at any moment to retake Fanli. They had to remain vigilant and could not relax even for a moment.

Zhen Wenjun was extremely pleased with Lin Mu, Huang Bo, and this vanguard force. Having just won a splendid victory, it was the perfect time to press the advantage. She planned to join forces with the Wei family army and strike Julu with lightning speed, using Fanli as a base to catch Liu Xingwen off guard​¹³.

Zhen Wenjun discussed the plan to attack Julu with Wei Tingxu, Bu Jie, and others. The supplies were already on the move, and the main army was set to depart in five days.

            

Huang Bo gathered intelligence on the Liu family army’s situation and sent it back to Zhen Wenjun. After reading the report, Zhen Wenjun was confident of victory.

However, just before departure, something unexpected happened, completely disrupting Zhen Wenjun’s plans.

Ever since the confrontation after Ah Ling had entered the tent without permission, Zhen Wenjun and Wei Tingxu had not seen each other again.

            

One was in a warm courtyard in the city, the other in the military camp outside the city. Unless one made a specific trip, they simply wouldn’t meet.

Ah Xiang constantly worried about this, feeling responsible for the two being at odds. She would constantly appear before Zhen Wenjun, tearfully​¹⁴ blaming herself: “It was my carelessness, all my fault. If only I had said something to Lady Wei before entering the tent. After all, you two are already married. The General should prioritize Lady Wei in all matters…”

Zhen Wenjun said, “I have my own judgment. As for you, your leg was almost healed, but after Wei Tingxu’s rough handling, it seems to be worsening again. Come, let me see.”

            

Ah Xiang wiped her tears. “It’s nothing serious for me. Ah Ling grew up poor and took care of my seriously ill mother alone. I’ve endured all kinds of hardships; this one more doesn’t matter. It’s just that I temporarily can’t go up the mountain to hunt game for the General. When the General is unhappy, Ah Ling’s heart hurts much more than her leg.”

Seeing her swollen leg, Zhen Wenjun felt bad. She gently massaged it while gazing at her, speaking softly, “You’ve been wronged these days. Ah Ling, after we take Julu, come back to Huaiyang with me. Bring your mother too. From now on, you won’t have to wander or suffer anymore. I will take care of you and your mother.”

“Really?”

            

“A great general’s word is worth nine bronze tripods​¹⁵.”

“But, but you already have Lady Wei, how could I…”

At the mention of Wei Tingxu, the tenderness on Zhen Wenjun’s face quickly vanished, replaced by weariness and disappointment. “Even if married, one can still divorce. Our relationship was just an act for the occasion anyway. She deceived me in the first place.”

            

Ah Xiang seemed startled, letting out a soft “Ah,” and covered Zhen Wenjun’s lips with her fingers. “General, you mustn’t say such things.” A blush crept onto her face. “Otherwise, people will gossip about the General.”

“What gossip?”

“Saying… saying the General forgets the old love once there’s someone new.”

            

Zhen Wenjun laughed heartily. “Who dares say such things? I’ll have their head chopped off!”

“I’m afraid it might be someone the General can’t control.”

“Oh? You mean Wei Tingxu’s people?”

            

“Who else? After all, the General is still cooperating with her now. It wouldn’t be good to make things too tense.”

Zhen Wenjun snorted. “If it weren’t for the need to cooperate, to escort the Son of Heaven back to Runing and eliminate the treacherous faction, I would have stopped tolerating her long ago. You saw how unreasonable and tyrannical she is! And being unreasonable is secondary; back then, to avenge her elder brother, she actually set up a scheme to make me kill my own biological father!”

Ah Xiang’s expression changed, her voice deepening. “There was actually such a thing…”

            

“To make me submit obediently, she even had three of my mother’s fingers chopped off.”

Ah Xiang truly hadn’t expected this. She had heard before coming that Wei Tingxu was ruthless and vicious, but she hadn’t imagined the woman was even more terrifying than expected. Zhen Wenjun’s current prestige had indeed come at the cost of suffering unimaginable to ordinary people. But then again, the fact that Zhen Wenjun would tell her these things showed she truly didn’t regard her as an outsider.

“I had already tried hard to forget these things. After experiencing so much life and death, I wanted to cooperate with her properly, to live well together. Unexpectedly, her fundamental nature is hard to change​¹⁶. She couldn’t even tolerate someone as lonely and helpless as you!”

            

The more Zhen Wenjun spoke, the angrier she became, her face flushing red.

Ah Xiang quickly grasped her hand. “General, don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Although Lady Wei’s methods are a bit harsh, she is still your wife, after all. You still have long-term cooperation plans; you mustn’t act impulsively out of anger. If the General wants to keep Ah Ling by your side in the future and wants Ah Ling to be safe, you still need to get along with her harmoniously. Besides, Lady Wei is also wholeheartedly devoted to the General; Ah Ling can feel it.”

After hearing her sincere words, Zhen Wenjun sighed deeply. “Still, Lady Ah Ling understands my heart.”

            

“Then do you trust your Lady Ah Ling?”

Zhen Wenjun nodded.

“Then find an opportunity to reconcile with Lady Wei.”

            

“I know her too well. She has a strong character; she might not reconcile easily.”

“Don’t worry. Leave it to me; it will definitely be fine.”

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