Searching for lost pearls in Daming Prefecture
It was deep winter, and as we journeyed south, the tension and bustle in the air grew more palpable the closer we got to Daming Prefecture. Along the official roads, convoys carrying food and supplies continued to pass by. Occasionally, teams of soldiers, their helmets gleaming, their expressions varied, escorting what looked like prisoners. These were likely prisoners being transferred south or to deal with follow-up matters following the end of the fighting in northern Xinjiang.
Daming Prefecture, a major northern city, was particularly crowded and bustling. The city gates were heavily guarded, with long lines of people entering and leaving. Soldiers meticulously checked their travel permits, their eyes warily scanning every passerby. The city streets, in addition to the usual crowds of merchants and commoners, were filled with uniformed soldiers, wandering wanderers, and some women, children, and the elderly, looking worried, as if they were searching for relatives or gathering information.
Our disguises as a traveling doctor and a medicine boy didn't stand out in this mixed crowd. Yiqing used a secret technique to slightly adjust our bone structure and complexion, making him look more like a weathered, taciturn quack. I, on the other hand, suppressed any potentially eye-catching qualities, lowered my head, and acted like a timid little medicine boy.
After finding a modest inn in a relatively secluded part of the city, we began to split up. Yiqing, relying on his medical skills and a cloth banner that boasted of "hereditary wound remedies, specializing in treating difficult and complicated illnesses," set up a stall near several teahouses and taverns in the city where wounded soldiers gathered and where information flowed in. His medical prowess, coupled with his deliberate display of it, quickly attracted a number of wounded soldiers and low-ranking officers seeking treatment.
I was responsible for moving around the city, especially at the base of the city walls and at the market entrances where notices were posted and idle people gathered to discuss current affairs. I would secretly collect information and keep an eye out for any people who met our target - those former Liangshan members who had retired due to injury, or were confused about their future and might be considering leaving.
After a few days, we have gained a lot, but we also feel heavy-hearted.
From the casual conversations of the wounded who sought medical attention, we learned numerous details about the fighting in northern Xinjiang, which confirmed many of our previous assumptions. While the Liangshan army was valiant, they also paid a heavy price against the Liao army's iron cavalry and treacherous formations. Many wounded soldiers lacked medical care and medicine, suffered recurring injuries, and even suffered lifelong disabilities. They received only meager pensions and were left to fend for themselves in Daming Prefecture. Their words were filled with uncertainty about the future and resentment towards the imperial court.
"Alas, when I followed Brother Song Gongming, I thought that I could live a good life after being recruited, with titles for my wife and children... Who would have thought that after the war, I would become an unwanted burden." An old soldier with a broken arm could not help sighing when Yiqing was changing his bandages.
"I heard that the higher-ups want us to go south to fight Fang La again. My wounds haven't healed yet..." Another man, whose legs were still wrapped in blood-soaked cloth, complained in a low voice.
"What can we do if we don't go? Military orders are as heavy as a mountain! Besides, if we don't go to fight, where will we get money and food to support our families?" Some people sighed helplessly.
These remarks paint a picture of the helpless struggle of the lower-class soldiers in the torrent of fate. However, most of these people are just ordinary soldiers, not the core candidates we are looking for, capable and worthy of being entrusted with a "backup plan."
It wasn't until the evening of that day that I heard a familiar name outside a rather noisy tavern that specialized in military business, which made me stop.
"...'Golden Spearman' Xu Ning? Is he also in Daming Prefecture?" asked a rough voice.
"That's right! I heard that he was captured by Liao dogs in the northern border. Although he was rescued later, it seems that his lungs were injured and he has been coughing up blood. Now he is being recuperated in the wounded camp in the east of the city and rarely goes out." Another voice answered.
"Tsk tsk, what a shame for such a great martial artist... Hey, do you think he can still go on this southern expedition?"
"It's a long shot! Looking at him, it's very dangerous! Even if he goes, I'm afraid..."
Xu Ning! He's in Daming Prefecture, seriously injured! This is exactly the candidate we've been eyeing, one who might be considering retiring!
I suppressed my excitement, moved closer quietly, and continued to eavesdrop.
The others discussed for a moment, lamenting Xu Ning's heroic end and speculating about his future. They didn't offer any other useful information. But I had already obtained the most crucial intelligence: Xu Ning's whereabouts.
When I got back to the inn, I immediately told Yiqing the news.
"Xu Ning..." Yiqing pondered, "He's not Song □□. He was 'invited' to the mountains because of his hook-and-sickle spear technique. This time, he was captured in the northern border, narrowly escaped death, and has been left with a chronic illness. It's impossible for him to say that he has no grudges. He is indeed a candidate worth contacting."
"How can we approach him?" I asked. The wounded camp was definitely guarded, so a direct visit would be too abrupt.
Yiqing thought for a moment and said, "Tomorrow, I'll set up a stall in the east of the city. You keep an eye on the people coming in and out of the wounded camp. If you can find someone who's familiar with Xu Ning and willing to seek medical help for him, you might be able to use that as an excuse to get close to him."
This is a safe method. Using medical skills as a stepping stone is the least likely to arouse suspicion.
The next day, we followed our plan. Yiqing set up his stall at the entrance of an alley in the east of the city, near the Wounded Soldiers' Camp. I sat down at a tea stall not far away, pretending to rest, but my eyes were always fixed on the entrance to the Wounded Soldiers' Camp.
Waiting was tedious. Most of the people entering and leaving the wounded camp were ordinary soldiers and low-ranking officers; no one related to Xu Ning was seen. It wasn't until the afternoon that a middle-aged man, somewhat respectably dressed but with a frown and a worried look on his face, emerged from the camp. He hesitated for a moment on the street, his eyes glancing at the cloth sign that read "Specializing in Treating Difficult and Complex Diseases." After a moment's hesitation, he finally approached.
"Doctor, can you cure my old lung injury and coughing up blood?" the man asked in a low voice, his eyes filled with anticipation and caution.
Yiqing raised his eyes and glanced at him, his tone calm: "We need to observe, listen, ask and feel before we can make a conclusion. Where is the patient?"
The man looked embarrassed. "The patient's... status is somewhat special, so it's inconvenient for him to come here. I wonder if you could... see him?"
Yiqing pretended to be silent for a moment, then said, "Doctors are like parents to their patients. If you really need to see me, that's fine. But the consultation fee..."
The man quickly said, "The consultation fee is negotiable! If you can heal my general's old injury, I will reward you handsomely!"
General? It seems this person is most likely Xu Ning's close follower!
Yiqing then nodded slightly: "In that case, please lead the way."
The man was overjoyed and quickly led the way. Yiqing packed his medicine box and winked at me. I immediately understood, shouldering the box (which already contained some common herbs and concealing items), and followed behind Yiqing, pretending to be a well-behaved medicine boy, as we headed towards the wounded camp.
With this personal guide leading the way, we entered the wounded soldiers' camp smoothly, passed through several rows of noisy and crowded ordinary barracks, and came to a relatively quiet and independent courtyard.
"General Xu is inside, please come in, sir." The attendant pushed open the gate.
The courtyard was small and fairly tidy, but the air was filled with a faint smell of medicine and oppression. The curtains of the main room were lifted, revealing a figure leaning on a couch, occasionally emitting suppressed coughs.
We walked into the room. The man on the couch was about thirty-five or sixty years old, his face sallow and his lips pale. Though still standing tall, his brow was shrouded in a lingering sense of depression and fatigue. It was none other than Xu Ning, the "Golden Spearman." When he saw us, and especially Yiqing's unfamiliar face, a flicker of alarm crossed his eyes.
"General Xu, this is a doctor from outside the city. It is said that he has excellent medical skills. I have specially invited him to treat you." The relative introduced hurriedly.
Xu Ning nodded slightly, his voice a little hoarse: "Thank you, sir." But his eyes were still scrutinizing.
Yiqing calmly stepped forward, bowed, and began to examine Xu Ning's pulse. He placed his fingers on Xu Ning's wrist, gently channeling his spiritual energy, carefully probing his internal state. I stood aside, hands lowered, secretly observing Xu Ning's expression and the furnishings within the room.
After a long moment, Yiqing withdrew his hand and slowly said, "General, your injury is caused by damaged lung meridians, blood stasis, and invasion of external pathogens. It's protracted and unhealed, and... stagnant heart qi has damaged all five internal organs. If you only use medicine, it's unlikely to be cured."
Xu Ning's eyes flashed with disappointment upon hearing this, but more of a resigned calmness remained. "Sure enough... Mr. Lian also said so. Well, perhaps this is Xu's fate."
The attendant was anxious: "Sir! Is there no way at all?"
Yiqing glanced at Xu Ning and suddenly changed the subject: "Although the power of medicine is limited, the world is so vast that there may be other ways to resolve the problem. General, have you ever considered... a change of environment for rest and recuperation? Perhaps away from this chaotic place, in a place with beautiful mountains and rivers, with a more open mind, and with the right medicine, this injury... may not be hopeless."
What he said was very meaningful. It was not just medical theory, but also implied some kind of guidance.
Xu Ning was such a smart man that he immediately heard the hidden meaning. He suddenly raised his head and looked at Yiqing sharply: "What do you mean, sir? Stay away from troubles? Now the military order has been issued, and we will soon march south to fight Fang La. As a general, how can I desert the battlefield?" Although his tone was filled with sickly breaths, he still had the fortitude of a soldier.
Yiqing's expression remained unchanged as he spoke calmly, "General, your loyalty is admirable. However, can your body still lift that golden spear? Even if you manage to march south, it will only add to your pile of bones. What good will it do for your country and your family? Besides..." He paused, lowering his voice, "General, do you truly believe this southern expedition will be a smooth journey?"
Xu Ning's pupils shrank slightly, and he stared at Yiqing closely: "Sir... who is this person?"
The atmosphere in the room instantly grew tense, and the attendant subconsciously grasped the hilt of the knife at his waist.
I knew this was the critical moment. Whether I could gain Xu Ning's trust depended on this one move.
Yiqing didn't answer directly. Instead, he took out a jade pendant from the medicine box. It looked ordinary, but it actually contained a hint of spiritual light. He placed it on the table. The jade pendant was of a simple style, with a small, subtle Bagua pattern engraved on it.
"I am a layman, yet we have a connection." Yiqing's voice held a strangely soothing power. "What I say today comes from my heart as a doctor, but also from... my reluctance to see this hero's end. General, please consider this carefully. If you truly wish to leave, you can take this jade pendant to the Jinyun Silk Shop in Suzhou and seek out the owner, Lu. He may be able to show you a way forward."
He did not force or explain too much, but just left a contact number and a vague promise, and then handed the initiative completely to Xu Ning.
Xu Ning looked at the jade pendant on the table, then at Yiqing's deep, unfathomable eyes. His expression shifted from one color to another: surprise, doubt, struggle, hesitation, and even a subtle... flutter of emotion, all of which ultimately dissolved into a long sigh. He didn't touch the jade pendant, but slowly closed his eyes and waved. "Thank you for your kindness, sir. I... need some quiet time."
Yiqing did not force it. He stood up and bowed: "In that case, I will take my leave. Take care, General." After that, he took me and left the room without hesitation.
Only after I walked out of the wounded camp and returned to the bustling streets did I feel my heartbeat gradually calm down.
"Yiqing, do you think... Xu Ning will believe us?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Whether he believes it or not is entirely up to him." Yiqing gazed calmly into the distance. "We've already sown the seeds. Whether and when they will bear fruit depends on fate and his own decision. However..." He curled his lips slightly. "I think his heart has been moved. He just lacks the opportunity to make a decision."
During our trip to Daming Prefecture, we successfully established a preliminary, highly secretive connection with Xu Ning, a crucial "chess piece." While the outcome remains uncertain, this is undoubtedly a crucial step in weaving a lifeline for Jiangnan. Next, we must wait—wait for the southern expedition to begin, and for Xu Ning, and any other potential "lost gems," to make their respective choices.
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