Chapter 98: The Scarred Suicide and the Gaze at Heaven to Understand Reincarnation

In the month following the siege, the Kyoto city gate guards continued to strictly control pedestrians, requiring all official documents and permits for entering and leaving the city. Although the Sotaha reinforcements had been defeated and fled Kyoto, their leader, Arslan, remained in hiding at a brewery on the outskirts of Kyoto.

The messenger walked from the mountain gate all the way in, stopping in front of a gilded sandalwood sign that read "Xiaoyao You" (逍遥游, meaning "Free and Easy Wandering"). After going in and turning two more corners, he arrived at the southeast corner tower.

Upon entering, he first saw a large wine cabinet with copper inlays at the four corners. The wine in the gold-inlaid sandalwood barrels was fragrant and mellow. Moving his gaze forward, he saw a tall, foreign man with a bare, bronze upper body wrapped in white bandages, casually drinking from a tortoiseshell wine cup.

Arslan, upon seeing the messenger, put down his wine cup, opened the letter, and after quickly reading it, scoffed. He spoke in his native tongue in a language the messenger couldn't understand, before switching to Central Plains dialect: "Your master's defeat and capture are a foregone conclusion. Why still dare to dream of struggling? Xiao Yinshi lost thirty percent of my army in the siege. How could I possibly save him? Besides, what right do I have to save him?"

The messenger removed his mask, revealing his true face. He was Yue Bo, an advisor to the First Prince Xiao Zhan. "Your Highness is modest. If Your Highness weren't unwilling to retreat after such a defeat, why would you still be lurking here? The internal strife in Sotaha is fierce. The First and Second Princes are eyeing the throne covetously, and the Third Prince has no powerful maternal family to back him up, so he can only fight his way to the throne on horseback. Your Highness's campaign has been unsuccessful; you haven't even secured three hundred miles of territory. Winter is approaching, and Sotaha is a bitterly cold land..."

Before he could finish speaking, Arslan coldly interrupted, "Your entire army has submitted to the new dynasty. With just my few cavalry, how can I possibly defeat the new emperor? To seize the commander of an army is nothing but a fool's dream."

“Indeed,” Yue Bo nodded and continued, “The prince’s martial arts skills are exceptional. If it is not possible to break into the capital city by the open route, we might as well try the covert route.”

Arslan chuckled and asked, "How do you mean by the secret passage?"

Yue Bo said, "I heard that the prince saw a young man on the day of the siege, and that young man is the key figure."

Arslan recalled the boy who tried to kill Xiao Yin in the raging fire that night; he was truly a man of courage and integrity. He had heard that the boy was captured and taken back a month ago, and he wondered if he was still alive... After a moment's thought, Arslan said in a deep voice, "Get to the point in one breath. If you're still breathing, get out."

"Overbearing..." Yue Bo thought to himself, but said with an unchanged expression, "According to the remaining spies in the palace, the young man is actually a woman. For the past month, she has been staying in the Ganhe Palace, which was reserved for the emperors of Dahua in the past, and has been under strict guard by the Luosha Army. This shows that she is being imprisoned in the palace."

"A woman..." Arslan thought to himself, "Her lightness skill is quite good."

A hint of mockery flickered in Arslan's dark brown eyes. This was indeed a cunning move, but, "Easier said than done. She's deep within the palace; how can I get close to her?"

Yue Bo respectfully offered a plan: "The palace is a place of great seclusion. If you want to lie in wait by her side without being discovered by Xiao Yinshi, there are only two ways: become a eunuch or join the Luosha Army."

Given Arslan's tall stature, it was clearly impractical for him to disguise himself as a eunuch. If he were to impersonate a member of the Rakshasa Army, he would have to interact with other soldiers in the army, which would easily expose him. However, since Yue Bo was a strategist, he should have his own methods.

Arslan said, "Use the identity of the Rakshasa Army, and find a skilled craftsman to make a human skin mask."

Seeing that he agreed, Yue Bo was relieved and curtsied, saying, "Emperor Jingde and the Second Prince Xiao You have been brought back and imprisoned in the Imperial Prison by Xiao Yinshi. Apart from my Highness, only Princess Liling, who has been acquainted with Xiao Yinshi since childhood, has escaped from this predicament. I entrust this matter to Your Highness!"

***

After Xiao Liling pleaded with Xiao Yinshi for her father and younger brother to no avail, she went to find Ban Huayun.

The two sat and stood in the deep, curtained corridor, with winding bridges and pavilions, crab-shaped islets and mule-shaped islets behind them, and red maple leaves falling and carpeting the white marble steps, creating an exceptionally elegant scene.

Before Xiao Liling was a thin-walled blue-and-white porcelain cup with the auspicious symbols of fortune, prosperity, and longevity. She picked up the cup, took a sip, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said softly, "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Auntie. I've lost my composure."

She lost her mother at a young age and grew up under Ban Huayun's care. It had been more than two years since she left the capital to serve as an envoy to the Huang Dynasty. When she met Ban Huayun just now, she burst into tears. Ban Huayun comforted her for a while before Xiao Liling calmed down.

Ban Huayun affectionately stroked Xiao Liling's hand and said, "Good child, I missed you too... After talking for so long, haven't we gotten to the point yet?"

Xiao Liling wiped away her tears thoroughly with a handkerchief and smiled slightly, saying, "No one knows me better than my aunt, but I really have no face to speak."

Ban Huayun said, “Liling, you are a filial and good child, and we have a long-standing relationship. I will speak frankly to you without beating around the bush. Your father, Xiao Songyun, killed my husband and my eldest son, and imprisoned and humiliated me for many years. I simply cannot forgive him. As for your younger brother, Xiao You, he has indeed done nothing to antagonize me, but Liling, do you think I can persuade Xiao Yinshi? Since the day of the siege, he has not come to see me even once. Do you think I have any weight in his heart?”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Liling's eyes welled up with tears again, and she sobbed, "Aunt, he has been hiding in Dahuang for more than ten years for your sake. You are naturally very important to him. Back then, everyone in the capital knew that he was the most filial. The reason he didn't come to see you was because the affairs of the new dynasty were complicated. Changing the era name, rebuilding the cabinet, assessing officials, reorganizing the army... No matter which one, my second brother needed to do it personally. I heard that in order to restore order as soon as possible, he has been working day and night for a month."

Ban Huayun shook her head and sighed, "Whether he is in mourning or not... never mind, it's better not to say. But you should be prepared to be disappointed. He and I have been estranged for several years, so he probably won't listen to me. Li Ling, do you like him? I heard that you used his position as empress as a bargaining chip to open the city gates that day."

Xiao Liling's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said shyly, "I..."

Ban Huayun's thoughts differed from hers. She had raised Xiao Liling for many years, and after Xiao Songyun's palace coup, she made things difficult for her in every way. If it weren't for Xiao Liling's constant protection of her over the years, she would have lived an even more miserable life. In her heart, she had long regarded Xiao Liling as her own daughter. The bond between the two had grown stronger after two years of separation, so she couldn't bear to see her fall in love with someone she shouldn't, even if that person was her own son.

Ban Huayun said, "Liling, with your character, you should be matched with a noble and upright gentleman. The second brother in your heart is not the current second brother. Listen to me, don't provoke him. He is a heartless person."

The maple leaves fell to the ground, turning the ground golden, and looked even more dazzling under the afternoon sun. Xiao Liling squinted at the falling leaves and said, "Sister-in-law, he is affectionate."

She turned to look at Ban Huayun, a faint sadness on her beautiful face. "He cherishes that Miss Feng dearly and watches over her very closely. No matter how late it is after he finishes his official duties, he refuses to sleep nearby and insists on returning to the palace where she is to sleep."

Ban Huayun said, "Good child, it's fine if they love each other, but he was forcing you. Now, you're forcing yourself too. Wouldn't it be better not to waste your time on the wrong person?"

Xiao Liling frowned slightly and said, "I have loved him for so many years, and he has promised me the position of Empress. At this critical juncture, I cannot let go. Aunt, I heard that Miss Feng has been coming to see you from time to time this past month?"

“Yes,” Ban Huayun said with a smile, “Feng Tan is a clever child, and even more so, a wonderful person. I sense a vibrant, energetic spirit in her…”

She didn't know how to describe it for a moment. After looking up at the birds circling in the sky, she said, "Vitality...yes, it's vitality. It gives me the feeling that even a parched place like mine can be reborn."

The girl somehow managed to persuade her son to give in and allow her to move freely within the inner palace. However, she was always followed by sixteen members of the Rakshasa Army, creating a unique sight in the palace.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Liling recalled Feng Tan's spirited and energetic demeanor when she served as an official in the Huang Dynasty. Back then, even disguised as a man, she was already considered a first-rate beauty. On the night she was ambushed by a master of illusion in front of the Xiao residence, Xiao Yinshi's gaze towards her already carried an ambiguous meaning. From that day on, Xiao Liling began plotting to resolve this trouble. However, Feng Tan was very lucky; she didn't die in the imperial prison.

It doesn't matter. If we can get halfway there, we can get a full success. Xiao Liling looked at Feng Tan, who appeared from the corner of the corridor to find Ban Huayun. Her eyes changed, and when they fell on Ban Huayun's face again, a plan quietly formed in her mind. She bowed and withdrew.

Feng Tan walked up the corridor and watched Xiao Liling's graceful departure. She smiled at Ban Huayun and said, "Did I disturb Madam and Princess's little gathering? I must apologize."

“That’s not true,” Ban Huayun waved for her to sit down. Even though she had come several times, she still couldn’t stand the Rakshasa Army in black armor following behind her. She said, “Recently, whether it’s the former imperial concubines or the palace maids, everyone has been talking about your beautiful appearance.”

Feng Tan turned around and waved for them to move away. After they had retreated three zhang outside the corridor, he turned back and said, "We can't get rid of them, we can't shake them off. They're like a dog skin plaster that sticks to us."

As she spoke, she poured herself a cup of tea without any hesitation and said, "Madam, I'm here to hear your story today. Please continue."

Ban Huayun knew that she wanted to get information about Xiao Yinshi's childhood from her. She had already told most of it in their previous meetings, so she said, "Let's talk about the year before he left Hua."

Feng Tan took a sip of tea and said, "That's right, I'm all ears."

Ban Huayun laughed and said, "Why don't you just tell me what you want to hear? If you don't hear what you want to hear on the last try, wouldn't it be a waste of your trip?"

Feng Tan asked, "I want to know if he ever attempted suicide?"

Ban Huayun was taken aback upon hearing this, shook her head, and said, "Absolutely not."

Feng Tan was also taken aback upon hearing this. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "But I noticed a scar on his wrist. Judging from the angle, it should have been caused by suicide."

The saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle." Feng Tan wanted to know what could have driven such a cold-hearted person to commit suicide, but Ban Huayun's answer was clearly unexpected. "It was a scar he had since birth, nine in total. My husband and I found it strange, so we consulted a fortune teller. The divination said, 'Suicide is a way to glimpse the heavens and understand reincarnation.' We didn't understand what it meant. Later, on the day of the palace coup, he said that he had been parents for nine lifetimes and would no longer be involved in the karma of others in this life... For so many years, I still couldn't understand what he meant."

If the nine scars weren't from suicide, and if Xiao Yinshi wasn't so fragile as to want to kill himself, then it means he had no weaknesses. Isolated in the palace, she had no way out. Unless the Hua and Huang kingdoms went to war, she would never be able to leave. Thinking about this, Feng Tan suddenly felt a chill run through her body.

Ban Huayun held her hand with her warm fingers and said, "There will be a way."

Upon hearing this, Feng Tan's eyes reddened. In this foreign land, only this woman she had met a few times cared about her. She asked, "Madam, we've met a few times. You knew I was trying to trick you into telling me, so why did you still tell me? He is clearly your son."

Ban Huayun smiled and said, "Your story has been all over the palace this past month, and I've heard quite a bit about it myself. I was quite surprised to learn that you are a disciple of Feng Youming. I was fortunate enough to read Feng Youming's 'Women's Education' back then, and I admire her from the bottom of my heart. As I've said before, we are both women, so I naturally know the discontent in your heart. Child, don't be afraid. People make their own way, and there will always be a way out."