Chapter 83 With me on the line
Autumn in Guanzhong is always bleak. It's only halfway through September, and light snow is already falling in the north.
Bi Shu clutched the military report tightly, her face so dark it seemed like water could be wrung out: "Your Majesty, Wang Du's actions are an open declaration that he intends to challenge you for supremacy in the Central Plains!"
His anger and frustration overwhelmed him, and the cold wind aggravated his still-healing typhoid fever, causing him to cough violently. The generals in the tent all looked at the young man on the tiger-skin throne, their faces showing worry.
In this military report, Wang Du was unreserved, directly pointing out the doubts about the new emperor's identity and asserting that the young emperor he had welcomed was the legitimate ruler. This earned him considerable prestige and caused an uproar in more than a dozen prefectures.
The young man at the center of the incident remained remarkably calm.
“Wang Du is the kind of person who would never reveal himself to the public without being fully prepared.” Feng An gently stroked the hand warmer, his handsome face showing no emotion.
"Since he dared to announce it to the world, then Yan Dibai... is real."
Unsurprisingly, Yan Dibai had already devised a plan to investigate his identity. However, lacking substantial evidence, this was merely a deliberate intimidation tactic. Yan Xifang and Li Mingshao, whose voices had been the most forceful, had already been crushed under his wheels. Naturally, powerful figures who could establish themselves in this treacherous land wouldn't believe him.
We are fearless and dedicated to safety.
"Your Majesty?" Seeing the young man seemingly lost in thought, the generals called out softly.
The young man was not in the best physical condition, and he was dressed more than the seated officials. He was dressed in plain white, and his face showed the maturity of a man.
Feng An placed the hand warmer on his knees, the warmth slightly relieving his leg ailment that always flared up in the cold weather. He sighed softly, "This young emperor... is quite unexpected."
In a past life, Yan Dibai was supposed to die on the day the palace fell. For the next ten years, his name was never heard again.
It was Yangliuqing that changed everything.
Feng An had foreseen this day would come when his subordinates left behind in the palace failed to find the two bodies. Learning from his past mistakes, he raised the emperor's banner early to intimidate all sides, and sent his trusted men to seize strategic passes in Guanzhong, finally gaining a foothold.
"The rumors will dissipate in a few months, no need to worry. Just continue to hold Guanzhong. Jiangzuo is a corner of the country, with the Yangtze River as a natural barrier. What Wang Du seeks is nothing more than a legitimate 'division of rule'." Feng An said slowly, "What we need to do is to be the last mantis stalking the cicada."
"If there were two emperors in the world..."
Feng An lightly tapped his knee with his fingertips: "My reign is short, and my origins are unclear. Naturally, the powerful local lords prefer Yan Dibai. But that emperor lives far away across the river, seeking only to eke out a living. If you wish to establish your authority and legitimize your rule—"
He glanced at the generals in the tent and asked, "What do you say? Should we first take down the puppet ruler who is content with a corner of the country, or should we confront the iron cavalry of Guanzhong head-on?"
The north wind howled outside the tent. After this question, everyone understood the situation.
As long as the title of the Yan-Jin emperor remains, this place will be peaceful.
Everyone praised the emperor's wisdom and grace, and after a short while, he got up and returned to his residence.
The morning court session had ended. Wei You, lagging behind, pulled Bi Shu aside and whispered, "That Xue woman, I heard she was causing trouble again the other day?"
Bi Shu looked exhausted: "That's right. Ever since we came here, he's been threatening to kill himself every few days. He tried to jump into the lake the day before yesterday, went on a hunger strike yesterday, and I don't know what he'll do today." He rubbed his temples. "His Majesty is too kind-hearted and has loosened the guard these past few days, but who knew it would only make things worse."
Wei You and the others were subordinates whom Feng An had recruited several years ago. After lying low for a long time, they finally succeeded. However, they never expected that halfway north, their shrewd lord would break his rule and get angry for a powerless woman, sending more than a hundred men to forcibly drag her out from the refugees.
Wei You and the others were truly puzzled, but their lord refused to say anything, only saying that Xue Ying'er had once saved his life.
Saving his life, yet taking his life in return. All things considered, it amounts to half.
Subordinates have no idea about the intricacies of the situation; they only feel sorry for their lord. Wei You had considered secretly knocking the woman unconscious and killing her, but as soon as he started to think about it, Feng An warned him both openly and subtly, so he had to give up and instead vent his frustrations with Bi Shu, who also disliked Xue Ying'er.
Wei You clicked his tongue in amazement: "Why would His Majesty go to such lengths for a village girl? The ladies selected by Jiang Cen are all sexy and have big breasts, and I like them all. His Majesty is young and full of energy, so why not share some with them?"
“Be careful what you say.” Bi Shu had been listening intently, but when Wei You started spouting these lewd remarks, she couldn’t help but glare at him sideways. “What do you know, you brute?”
"I didn't understand before, but now I'm starting to appreciate it. The more conflicted she is, the more she strives, and the more she strives, the more inseparable she becomes. Everyone is afraid of His Majesty, but she alone dares to court death. Isn't that interesting?"
As the two were talking, they saw Xue Ying'er wandering around the courtyard with her hair disheveled. Several maids followed carefully behind her, carrying silver basins and brocade handkerchiefs.
She seemed to have lost some weight. She was only wearing an undergarment with a wide-open neckline, revealing skin covered in bruises and welts. Her steps were unsteady and weak, and she frequently lost her balance.
Wei You whispered, "What's wrong with her acting so crazy again?"
Bi Shu recalled the frenzied commotion she had witnessed the previous night and inexplicably got goosebumps.
"You said it yourself, His Majesty is still young, and even the most composed person has moments of wildness. Last night, I played with her a bit too hard, and she started acting spoiled again."
Wei You chuckled: "Damn it, is the young master really going to come out of the village girl's belly?"
...
Xue Ying'er walked slowly for a while, then, as if tired, leaned against the persimmon tree to rest.
The pool water next to it was covered tightly with nets to prevent her from jumping in again.
She gripped the gold handcuffs on her wrists, picked up a few fallen leaves at her feet, and folded them into a rooster, a cricket, and a small boat.
Perhaps because they were boring, she threw them all into the silver basin behind her.
The rooster sank, the cricket sank. The small boat rocked and swayed, drifting precariously on the water.
She suddenly lowered her head, as if completely deflated, and slowly walked back into the house.
Feng An stood under the corridor, his expression indifferent.
The cold wind swirled snowflakes, obscuring his frosty eyes.
-
Inside the governor's mansion, the old persimmon tree in the courtyard was laden with fruit. Every now and then, a ripe persimmon would fall to the ground with a "plop," splashing out a golden spray.
Qingqing caught a soft persimmon that was about to fall, took a bite, and felt its sweetness overflow. She then called out to the figure fishing by the pond, "Your Majesty, the persimmons are ripe and very sweet. Would you like some?"
Yan Dibai leaned against the pond where the old monk was in deep meditation, showing no reaction.
Qingqing blinked her eyes and called out, "Ah Bai! Yan Dibai! Do you want some persimmons?"
Yan Dibai didn't move, but his wrist holding the fishing rod suddenly twitched, and he plunged into the pond. Before Qingqing could react, he got up, grabbed a handful of wet leaves, and walked back.
"Where are the fish?" Qingqing handed over a dry cloth, and Yan Di, with her white waist, checked the fish basket, which was empty.
Today was another peaceful day. Servants took care of everything, leaving Qingqing bored and wandering around aimlessly. It was he who, annoyed by her aimless wandering, suggested fishing and grilling the fish, but they caught nothing after half a day.
Yan Dibai took the handkerchief and casually wiped the water droplets from his face: "The fish in the pond is too small. We'll have them send over a bigger one later."
As he spoke, he bent down and intently examined the pile of damp fallen leaves. His fingertips lingered subtly on a few seemingly ordinary red leaves, as if trying to identify something.
"..." A moment later, Yan Dibai picked up the fire tongs expressionlessly and stuffed all the leaves into the bottom of the charcoal brazier.
The orange-red flames licked the damp leaves, making a soft sizzling sound. Suddenly, the flames went out.
"..." Yan Dibai fetched charcoal to start a fire again, but his movements were so slow that Qingqing became anxious. She simply reached out and snatched the fire tongs from him: "Let me do it."
The charcoal fire dispelled the autumn chill, and Qingqing couldn't help but bring up the old topic again:
"Actually, why did we insist on choosing this courtyard in the first place?"
Wang Du let them choose the courtyard themselves. Qingqing didn't understand, but Yan Dibai did, so he let him decide. Yan Dibai chose this place, and Wang Du visibly became more amiable. After moving in, they discovered that although the place was quiet and the scenery was nice, its location was secluded, lacked sunlight, and always felt cold and gloomy. It was also quite a long walk to get around.
"Bear with it for now, I'll go and exchange with Wang Du."
Yan Dibai couldn't stand Qingqing's little complaints and looked at her profile silently.
Qingqing sat up straight again: "I'm not complaining, I actually quite like the cool breeze. It's just you. No matter where you go from here, it's not a short journey. The autumn wind is getting colder and colder. What if you catch a cold when Wang Du comes to visit you?"
Yan Dibai retorted, "I'm much healthier now, not as bad as you make me out to be!"
For the past ten days or so, Yan Dibai had Li Si and a few others sneak in at night to teach him horse stance and Tai Chi. His movements, while not quite swift, were certainly remarkable. He was given a constant supply of medicinal diets and tonics, and never lacked for beef, mutton, or fish. Being in his growth spurt, his recovery was rapid, making the effects particularly noticeable. His previously emaciated figure had become fuller; though still thinner than most, he was no longer the frail skeleton that would collapse in the wind. His cheeks had gained some flesh, the sunken cheeks were gone, and his once beautiful face, almost extinguished by his injuries, had regained seventy percent of its radiance. In the past few days, he had been able to show his true face openly, no longer needing to wear a veil every day. Yan Dibai was also surprised to find that the familiar, admiring gazes of the servants were no longer as unpleasant as before.
Who would have thought that this woman would find him troublesome, saying that he would suddenly put on and not put on his visor, and she didn't know where to put it after washing it.
Yan Dibai sulked for most of the night.
He tied his hair in front of the bronze mirror that morning, and when he stood up, he was already half a head taller than Yang Liuqing. Yang Liuqing was completely unaware, oblivious to the fact that he hadn't noticed yet, and still looked down on him!
Yan Dibai turned his back and remained silent for a while.
Just then, there was a knock on the courtyard gate. Qingqing instinctively stood up to open the door, and a maidservant held out a fragrant invitation card:
"Your Majesty and your attendants must attend the banquet in five days."
Qingqing was taken aback. It was an invitation to a literary gathering, signed by Cui Shenxiu.
She handed it to Yan Dibai, who was standing with his back to her, her mind heavy with thoughts.
"Miss Cui usually resides in Cangqian, but this time she specially came to Yangzhou to hold an elegant gathering and even invited us to go together... Was this at Wang Du's behest?"
She still remembered Wang Shu's laughter clearly. But she also knew that this gathering was crucial to Yan Dibai's future in Yangzhou. There was no way she could not attend.
“It’s not just Wang Du,” Yan Dibai’s voice was a little muffled, but he still accepted the invitation and glanced at it. “In this Yangzhou city, there are at least eighty or a hundred families who want to test the strength of this fallen emperor.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he secretly regretted it, realizing that he had been speaking faster than he thought in front of her these past few days.
Qingqing was completely unaware that he had been sulking by himself, his mind filled with worries about the future:
"Isn't this a trap?"
A fallen phoenix is no better than a chicken; those local bullies who hold sway over Yangzhou will never be as polite as Wang Du claims.
She was worried that little mushrooms would grow on her head.
Yan Dibai's mood suddenly improved. He turned around, his eyebrows slightly raised, revealing a long-lost air of arrogance:
"I am neither Xiang Yu nor Liu Bang. You, Yang Liuqing, are incredibly audacious, daring to address me by my given name so frequently. What are you afraid of?"
He sat close and could almost count her eyelashes fluttering in the wind.
Qingqing smiled brightly and sincerely:
"Afraid of losing face."
Yan Dibai was momentarily speechless, choked by her blunt honesty. He stared at her, and after a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth:
"...Yang Liuqing, you're getting more and more infuriating every day."
Seeing that he was genuinely annoyed, Qingqing quickly suppressed her smile and said seriously:
“I’m serious. It’s extremely inappropriate for a maid like me to be invited to this kind of event. Those high-ranking people are used to looking down on the weak and flattering the strong. Losing face is a small matter, but if it affects your reputation…”
"Face?" Yan Dibai said dismissively. "My face isn't given to me by them, nor will it be lost because of a few words of ridicule from them. Your status is tied to mine; whatever my status is, that's what you are."
Seeing Qingqing remain silent, he softened his tone, his gaze fixed on her trembling eyes:
"Yang Liuqing, from now on, stand up straight. If anyone gives you a hard time, glare back tenfold, a hundredfold. I've said it before, even if the sky falls—"
He paused slightly, and for a fleeting moment, the smile on his lips was as arrogant as ever:
"I'll take care of it."
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Author's Note: The main event of the gathering is about to begin!
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