Changing Swords and Fighting Ruixueliang (Part 2)

King Jingxi fled to the western border with his troops at the beginning of Emperor Xue's ascension to the throne.

The chaos of Dayu began with Emperor Wu, and has continued for three generations. While ambitious, Emperor Wu made few improvements to government and people's livelihoods, his greatest achievement being excessive military spending. Emperor Ling, who inherited his legacy, showed no sign of remedying the situation. He plundered the world's wealth and poured it into the Forty-Nine Immortal Palaces, amassing beauties for his daily pleasures.

His prince once wanted to change this situation.

At that time, the states of Dayu were already showing signs of division. The young prince, accompanied by two talented young men, traveled all over Dayu, got to know the people's sentiments in each state by heart, cleaned up a large number of corrupt officials, and took back most of the precarious territory.

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last long.

The people had no idea what happened when Emperor Ling passed away and Emperor Xue ascended the throne. It seemed as if Dayu suddenly fell into chaos overnight.

On the eve of Emperor Xue's ascension to the throne, the King of Jingxi launched an uprising, but was repelled by the powerful old King of Liang. He then abducted nearly a hundred court officials and, carrying countless gold and silver, headed towards the western border. He first stopped in Licheng to negotiate with the lone would-be emperor, then headed for Minghunzhou. Thanks to Bian Zixue's efforts, the Minghunzhou treasure had been eliminated. The King of Jingxi's ins and outs of the city turned this pearl town on the western sea into a living hell.

From then on, the sea route to the west was blocked.

King Liang was concerned about the disturbance caused by foreign tribes, so he volunteered to go to Shangyang.

Bian Zixue hastily ascended the throne in the capital and sent Xi Zhongting to the western border.

This general, who is now a close confidant of His Majesty and a man everyone fears, had the last remaining troops of Dayu at that time - only 3,000 people, and their baggage was often insufficient. He single-handedly mediated with the King of Jingxi and prevented him from making a comeback.

So, the King of Jingxi established a pseudo-dynasty on the west bank of the Huai River. He neither proclaimed himself emperor nor appointed ministers, but continued to treat himself as a prince, like a minister summoned by the emperor to wield his fiefdom and exercise tyranny. Meanwhile, Xi Zhongting held the eastern bank of the Huai River, occasionally launching surprise attacks and giving the King of Jingxi a hard time. Over a decade, the King of Jingxi was steadily defeated by Xi Zhongting, ceding several cities west of the Huai River. However, he held on to the Eighteen Continents of Zuo Dan and refused to yield.

But both sides know it well.

This situation of Dayu being divided into two halves will definitely be decided by Emperor Xue.

In the Taiji Hall, Emperor Xue was struggling to hold on despite his illness. His court robes seemed to be crushing him. His lips were completely dark beneath the crown. He coughed intermittently for most of the court meeting. He heard from the Jingzhao Yin that the guards who came from the western border to deliver the letter had just entered the capital and had fainted from exhaustion after reporting the news urgently. He has not woken up until now.

He listened to the court officials below analyzing the situation, the troops, food supplies, and the people who had secretly gone to the western border to investigate, and what the current situation in the western border was.

Finally, he spoke slowly, "Who do you think is the most suitable commander to be sent to the Western Territory for this battle?"

After hearing this, all the court officials fell silent.

Dayu was short of available men. With each state establishing its own independence, the civil and military examinations had been stalled for decades. Most of the former court officials in Licheng had perished at the hands of the King of Jingxi. Even fewer military commanders were available, save for Xi Zhongting and the long-departed King of Liang.

Bian Zixue didn't hear anyone speak for a while, so he asked, "How about I or the Crown Prince leading the army in person?"

The Taiji Hall, which had been completely silent, suddenly erupted in excitement. Every court official acted as if they were facing a formidable enemy. Without even needing to prepare, as soon as he finished speaking, they all knelt in a row, shouting, "Your Majesty, this must not happen."

He didn't even say "think twice" first.

Among them, Shao Zheng, who stood out from the crowd, was a little slow and knelt down like everyone else - he was the only one in Prince Liang's Mansion who was qualified to participate in the court meeting. He lowered his head and could not hear any discussion, not even the slightest bit. All the court officials seemed to be in agreement with the current emperor.

This is really strange.

Not to mention the civil strife in Dayu, even when the country is in crisis, how many traitors are there?

This Emperor Xue couldn't keep Zuo Dan from the Eighteen Continents, but he could make all officials obey the emperor's voice? Even those old Confucian scholars who valued the reputation of the court more than their lives wore the same pants.

He pondered for a moment, hid among the court officials, and remained silent until the end of the grand court meeting.

The court meeting was fruitless, but time waited for no one. Shao Zheng hurried back to Prince Liang's mansion. In the meeting room, Bian Hongqiu, who had secretly returned home, had already changed into ordinary men's clothing and sat at the head of the table. Shao Zheng paused for a moment, half-knelt, and saluted, "Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."

Bian Hongqiu's cheeks were wrapped in gauze, thickly coated with medicine, and his ribs were secured with a more secure method by Mr. Zhou. He blew gently on his tea and asked calmly in a tone that no one in the Liang Palace had ever heard before, "Your Highness is recuperating in his room."

Shao Zheng's heart sank, and he bent his legs without getting up.

Behind him, the personal guard who had been ordered to protect Bian Hongqiu was about to speak, but was stopped by his eyes.

Bian Hongqiu pretended not to notice their exchange of words and continued, "All the skills you cultivated since Shangyang were lost along the way. Once in Hunzhou tomorrow, and again yesterday. The princess is half dead, and you're all still sitting here unharmed. I bet you don't truly want to serve the Prince of Liang's Mansion. All the favors were bestowed upon you by the old Prince of Liang, and they should have vanished by now. You might as well leave."

He had medicine on his cheeks and was not able to speak freely, but no one dared to make fun of him anymore.

Bian Hongqiu had sneaked into Prince Liang's mansion yesterday, riding on the carriage that was taking Meng Shizhuang back home. Seeing him again brought Song Jingyan to tears, but he remained silent, aside from handing her a handkerchief. After spending the night in Meng Shizhuang's room, before daybreak, he sent Qinhe to convey a message to Shao Zheng, asking him to attend the court meeting.

Shao Zheng had been feeling disobedient since before he left Shangyang, and the guilt he felt after leaving Minghunzhou had increased. He didn't try to hide his feelings now, but instead said, "My subordinates failed to protect me properly. Please forgive me, Your Majesty. The late king was kind to us. We belong to the Liang Palace in life and its ghosts in death. I dare not have any second thoughts."

Bian Hongqiu still didn't respond. "The late king has passed away. I also know that the princess is cowardly and incompetent, not a lord worthy of loyalty. Everyone, please leave."

His tone was calm, without any aggressiveness in it.

Yet, everyone in the hall felt a deep sense of pressure. With Song Jingyan dismissed, no one could speak. Shao Zheng's personal guards, sweating profusely, drew their swords and gritted their teeth, saying, "The poor security at Xiliuhai is not your fault! You were distracted by the sea, trying to figure out how to enter the city. I, your subordinate, neglected my duty. I am willing to pay for it with my own life!"

As he said this, without looking at Shao Zheng, he was about to put the sword to his neck on the spot.

Bian Hongqiu slammed the lid of the teacup onto the table and threw it back. With a clang, the sword was knocked away, shattering the cup. The remaining tea and the fragments flew out, leaving a gash half the size of a finger on Shao Zheng's face. Bian Hongqiu saw the blood, but remained unmoved. He berated, "How dare you! General Shao! Your personal guards drew their swords in court. Haven't you taught them the rules?"

Shao Zheng felt a heavy pressure from his gaze. In Bian Hongqiu's glance, he caught a glimpse of an expression identical to Song Jingyan's. His heart skipped a beat, and he was about to turn around and strike his guard. But before he could reach out, Bian Hongqiu flung the tea lid he had just placed on the table. He stared at the rapidly developing red marks on his hands and heard Bian Hongqiu still using that same tone.

"That's enough, General Shao."

"I told you, the princess is cowardly and incompetent. I ask you all to leave. I'm not here to make a scene. The King of the Western Region has already made his move. The Liang Palace can no longer stay in the capital. The only way to survive is to go to the Western Region. If you and the princess are not on the same page, please find another way out. If you continue to hesitate like you did on the Xiliu Sea before the battle, wouldn't that be ridiculous?"

Shao Zheng slowly raised his head and saw Bian Hongqiu had already stood up and smiled at Song Jingyan who had just come over.

Seeing the situation stagnant, Song Jingyan thought for a moment, but still felt that she couldn't say nothing, so she asked: "Your Highness, do you have any instructions for them?"

Bian Hongqiu didn't sarcastically refuse to accept the title of "Your Highness" this time. He looked very kind to Song Jingyan and said, "Yes, there are some things I've asked. It all depends on how General Shao and you decide." He brushed it off and asked, "What happened?"

Song Jingyan looked at Shao Zheng's expression but didn't ask. "The metacarpal bone in his right hand hasn't healed yet, and he was hit so hard that all the bones are broken. Mr. Zhou is currently removing the broken bones. The hands are densely covered with meridians, so it's not an easy job. Mr. Zhou is still working on it."

Bian Hongqiu nodded and said, "I'll go and guard it."

"Please take good care of Mr. Ju and the two grandmas, sister."

He walked away leisurely, leaving the room suffocatingly still. Hengbo, a woman Bian Hongqiu had specifically left behind, listened to the entire conversation, barely daring to breathe. Not just her, but everyone else understood that the prince, once known only for his ailments, had been transformed. He was, after all, the master of the Liang Palace. His subordinates, who had previously dismissed the idea of ​​a "three-day separation," could certainly maintain their opinions. Old friends had old feelings, and he wouldn't make things difficult for them. They could all go their separate ways.

Shao Zheng's personal guards looked at the sword that was splashed with tea, and cold sweat continued to break out on their backs.

He swallowed hard several times, and when he finally had the strength to speak, Shao Zheng got up, picked up the sword, and said to him, "You are disrespectful in front of His Highness. Go and receive the thirty sticks yourself."

The guard looked at him, not daring to raise any objection, and took the sword and left.

Song Jingyan stood in the hall for a moment, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

In the main courtyard, Meng Shizhuang fainted on the couch.

Since his injury yesterday, he'd developed a high fever again. Perhaps seeing Lao Ju had lifted a heavy burden from his heart, and his spirits had relaxed, so the illness came with a particularly fierce force. This time, he wasn't even conscious. Lao Ju and Bian Hongqiu came and went to check on him during the night, occasionally calling out to him, but Mr. Zhou didn't even respond to the painkillers. They cut open his skin and flesh to extract the bones, but he didn't react at all.

The old man stood by the couch with a heavy heart and sighed silently.

Mr. Zhou lowered his voice and said jokingly, half in a soothing tone, "Don't worry, Mr. Ju. The child has figured it out a long time ago. He once told me that if the hand bone reattachment fails, having a soft and boneless hand would be a wonderful thing."

Lao Ju forced a smile.

After all, he came from the sword-practicing "sect" in Sujian Mountain, and Meng Shizhuang also grew up holding a sword. Now that he has almost lost one hand, how could he not be worried?

Over here, Bian Hongqiu pushed the door open and came in. He first glanced at Meng Shizhuang, who was still unresponsive, and said to Old Ju, "Uncle Ju, you go and rest for a while. I'll take care of Ah Shi here." His voice was low and gentle. "If he wakes up and you fall ill, won't he worry again? I heard from Mr. Zhou that Ah Shi is in poor health. Please don't let him work hard while he is sick."

Hearing this, Lao Ju's face hesitated, but he still stood up: "Hong... Your Highness, thank you for your help."

Bian Hongqiu curved his eyes and said, "Uncle Ju, you're too polite. Just call me by my name."

Mr. Zhou paused as he was removing the broken bones from Meng Shizhuang's body, his concentration momentarily lost. Bian Hongqiu's attentiveness struck him as odd. He glanced at Bian Hongqiu, then at Meng Shizhuang, who lay on the couch. He knew Bian Hongqiu and Meng Shizhuang had only met a few times, and he assumed she was repaying Lao Ju for his kindness along the way. He shook his head several times, brushing aside his chaotic thoughts.

As soon as Lao Ju left, Bian Hongqiu lifted his robe and sat at the head of Meng Shizhuang's bed very familiarly.

The gauze curtain hung quietly in front of the couch, and Bian Hongqiu reached out to pull it up.

He looked at Meng Shizhuang's sleeping face and felt a very strange feeling in his heart.

Lao Ju doesn't talk much, and perhaps he himself doesn't realize that nine out of ten of his words, which are worth a thousand gold, are about Meng Shizhuang.

In his words, Ah Shi was like a small tree, weathered by wind and frost, yet still proudly growing. Sometimes soft-hearted, sometimes fragile, but always resilient. He never said whether Ah Shi was beautiful or not. Bian Hongqiu could only recall the look in Meng Shi's eyes that night, with the pearls on her head. Now, meeting her again, he thought, he finally understood what kind of person Ah Shi was.

Ah Shi is a vibrant tree.

Bian Hongqiu reached out to touch Meng Shizhuang's forehead. The temperature was still burning hot, but he knew that Meng Shizhuang would never get sick and recover.

He stared at Meng Shizhuang's tightly closed eyes. The relaxed state he had maintained since returning home suddenly faded, and he was inexplicably filled with tension. As Lao Ju subtly told him who Ah Shi was, how would Meng Shizhuang, who was by Song Jingyan's side, describe him?

At this moment, Bian Hongqiu suddenly felt like he had a new brother or sister in the family.

Will Ah Shi like him? After Ah Shi wakes up, will she be willing to stay? Or will she take Uncle Ju and leave?

Mr. Zhou on the side also felt Bian Hongqiu's uneasiness.

He extracted the last broken bone from Meng Shizhuang's hand, pried open one eyelid, and examined Bian Hongqiu, a strange feeling lingering within him. He concentrated on bandaging Meng Shizhuang's right hand, yet at the same time felt distracted by Bian Hongqiu's newly rejuvenated face after returning home. After all, this prince had once been a tearful Daiyu, so it was understandable that he valued his savior a little more.

Seeing that Mr. Zhou had finished everything, Bian Hongqiu stood up slightly and looked at Meng Shizhuang's right hand.

In one day, this hand went from bony and swollen to a state that was too painful to look at. He frowned and asked, "Can you still move it from the forearm up to the back?"

Mr. Zhou nodded. "Except for the palms and fingers, nothing else is affected. The swelling is only temporary and will go away in a few days."

Bian Hongqiu thanked him and invited him to rest. Then he picked up a book, shook off the dust, and decided to read a few pages to pass the time. He couldn't show up right now; more work would have to wait for Meng Shizhuang to ask him to do after she woke up, and he also had to wait for responses from Shao Zheng and the others. He couldn't rush.

Just as he was thinking this, the words on the page in his hand gradually became blurred by a gaze with an extremely strong presence.

Bian Hongqiu was stunned at first, then turned her head to look and met Meng Shizhuang's defensive gaze.