Hongmen Banquet
Although Pei Wenjin was able to move around freely, his health had deteriorated since he was punished by the emperor during the cold winter months, and he had to rely on medicine to keep going from time to time.
He hadn't told Xiao Di about this. The princess was busy with her affairs, and if she found out, she would probably grab him by the ear and yell at him.
Today is the anniversary of General Longcheng's death. He found a set of thick clothes, did not ask his subordinates to follow him, and took advantage of the fact that there were few people in the streets in the early morning to ride his horse all the way to the outskirts of the capital.
He felt chilled to the bone by the cold wind, but it still wasn't enough. The cold wind from the northwest felt like a knife, tearing at the skin and making it unbearable to stay still.
He personally beheaded Longcheng, and the border guards buried a cenotaph for him; this is the final resting place for him and his family.
Pei Wenjin wrapped his thick cloak tighter around himself and squatted down in front of the few low graves in the ravine. His fingertips brushed against the frozen mounds of earth, which didn't even have a proper tombstone.
Sparse wild grass brushed against his palm. Pei Wenjin clenched his fist and grabbed a handful. A gust of cold wind swept across his face, making him shiver.
"Look how stingy you are, not even allowing a handful of grass... I won't take it for free, I'll burn some paper money for you, so you won't feel wronged in the afterlife."
He had just taken out the prepared paper money from his pocket, and before he could even light it, a clear, cheerful voice came from behind him: "Little Pei, you sure know how to find a place, burying people in such an out-of-the-way spot."
Pei Wenjin turned around and saw Yu Lanjiang dressed in a snow-white outfit, with a thin layer of snow on her shoulders and a wine gourd in her hand, walking slowly towards him. Her feet crunched softly on the snow, a sound that was particularly clear in the quiet mountain valley.
“General.” Pei Wenjin stood up, dusted off the hem of his clothes, and sighed with a bitter smile, “Back then, the situation was rushed, and he was a criminal. All I could do was take advantage of the night to collect his and his family’s bodies and take them as far away from the capital as possible.”
He pointed to the graves and said, "This place is remote and quiet, so at least they will be less disturbed. Once this is over, I will find someone to repair it and erect a proper monument. We can't let meritorious people die without a place to pay their respects."
Yu Lanjiang walked to the grave and stopped. His gaze fell on the grave. There were not many weeds on the grave, which showed that someone would clean it regularly. The smile in his eyes deepened.
She unscrewed the stopper of the wine gourd, and a strong aroma of wine wafted out. She first sprinkled some around General Longcheng's grave, then handed it to Pei Wenjin: "Drink some to warm yourself up. Judging from your complexion, you probably haven't been taking your medicine properly again."
Pei Wenjin didn't refuse. He took the gourd of wine, smelled it, and his eyes lit up: "Right away?"
Yu Lanjiang nodded: "Yes, this is the most authentic. I didn't bring many back."
"Mashangxing" is the cheapest strong liquor in the frontier. It has a spicy and stimulating taste and is very effective in dispelling cold. It is often drunk by the soldiers before going to war to boost their courage and morale.
It had been so long since he'd had a drink. Pei Wenjin took a big gulp, the spicy liquor sliding down his throat and warming his chest, easing some of the fatigue he'd been feeling over the past few days.
He sat down next to Yu Lanjiang by the grave, the two of them gazing at the northwest horizon, where clouds and mist swirled and the outlines of distant mountains could be vaguely seen.
"I remember back in Juyanshan, Longcheng always said that after we defeated the Hu people and got a reward, we would take our family to Jiangnan, farm a few acres of land, and live a peaceful life."
Yu Lanjiang's voice softened, tinged with reminiscence, "He may seem rough around the edges, but he's actually quite meticulous. Every soldier under his command was completely devoted to him. That year, when our supplies ran out for three months, he single-handedly led over a hundred soldiers to defend Juyan Mountain for half a month, preventing the Hu people from advancing an inch."
Pei Wenjin tightened his grip on the wine gourd, his Adam's apple bobbing. "When I arrived, he was already on the verge of collapse. He said he hadn't betrayed the country, he just wanted to survive with his brothers, but the court acted faster than anything else, not even giving him a chance to explain." He chuckled self-deprecatingly. "He looked at me and said he wanted to give me a reward... I thought it was something else entirely."
Yu Lanjiang was silent for a moment, then sprinkled some wine in front of the grave, his voice tinged with melancholy: "I know. The letter he sent me was obtained from an old soldier. It was full of the soldiers' plight, without a single word about his own grievances."
The two chatted casually about the past, from the endless yellow sands of the Northwest to the simple meals in the military camp, and the brothers who had risked their lives with them.
The gourd of wine was passed around between the two of them several times. Before they knew it, the sun had already begun to set in the west, and the wind in the mountain valley had become colder.
Just then, a sharp bird cry pierced the sky. Pei Wenjin looked up and saw a gyrfalcon flapping its wings, flying from the direction of the capital.
He stood up and stretched out his arm, and the gyrfalcon landed steadily on his shoulder. This eagle usually only roamed the outskirts of Beijing, and would never come looking for him unless there was an urgent matter.
A small bamboo tube was tied to the gyrfalcon's leg. Pei Wenjin untied the tube, pulled out the rolled-up strip of paper inside, unfolded it, and his face instantly darkened. His fingers holding the paper turned white.
Seeing that his expression was off, Yu Lanjiang raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong?"
“There’s been a mishap at the Dali Temple.” Pei Wenjin’s voice was a little tense. “A clerk accidentally found an old document, which was an urgent letter from General Longcheng to the court requesting help. It described his plan to march north and attack the Xiongnu camp, as well as the predicament of running out of food supplies. As a result, the letter was intercepted and did not reach the emperor.”
Needless to say, the clues that they couldn't find no matter how hard they tried before were now presented to them by a mere Sizhi.
Saying there's no problem behind it is just fooling idiots.
He paused, his tone growing increasingly serious: "The Dali Temple is in complete chaos right now, and the princess... she went to the Eastern Palace at this time."
Yu Lanjiang's expression also changed: "What is she going to the East Palace for? Is she trying to confront the Crown Prince about what happened back then?"
“She’s always been sensible, I trust her.” Pei Wenjin stood up, instinctively wanting to walk down the mountain. “Back then, the people who detained the documents were most likely henchmen of the Crown Prince. If she walks into this situation now, wouldn’t she be like a lamb to the slaughter?”
"Wait!" Yu Lanjiang grabbed him, her tone serious. "Don't forget that you were involved in the party confession back then... This might be a trap. Their sudden attack at this time is clearly premeditated, just waiting for you to come back!"
“If I don’t go back, I’ll be truly doomed.” Pei Wenjin pulled his hand away from hers, his eyes filled with anxiety. “The princess is isolated and helpless in the palace. If I don’t go back, there will truly be no one to help her. How can you expect me to do that?”
He patted Yu Lanjiang on the shoulder, his tone firm: "General, I must go back. As for the rest, I'll have to trouble you."
Yu Lanjiang knew that he was determined to leave, so she simply stopped trying to stop him: "Go ahead and go. There are people inside who owe me favors, so they can't do anything to you... I'll think about the rest for you later."
Thank you.
After saying that, he turned and walked down the mountain. The gyrfalcon circled above his head and followed closely behind.
Yu Lanjiang watched his hurried departure, stamped her feet to dispel some of the chill, and frowned as she gazed in the direction of the capital: "That brat, he must have owed that girl something in his past life."
There was no time left. She knew the emperor would make a move, but she didn't expect it to happen so much earlier, truly catching them completely off guard.
Yu Lanjiang sneered repeatedly, whistled to summon his horse, and rode off in the opposite direction from Pei Wenjin.
Pei Wenjin spurred his horse and galloped towards the capital. The city gate was right in front of him, and he was about to urge his horse into the city when a large number of imperial guards suddenly emerged from both sides of the gate, wielding long spears and blocking the gate completely.
The commander of the Imperial Guards stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting to Pei Wenjin, and said, "Lord Pei, by His Majesty's decree, we request your cooperation in the investigation."
Pei Wenjin reined in his horse, his sharp gaze sweeping over the imperial guards. Knowing full well the answer, he asked in a deep voice, "Investigate what?"
"Someone has reported that you intend to rebel, and that this is related to the case of General Longcheng's treason five years ago." The commander's voice was completely calm. "His Majesty has ordered us to invite you back to the Dali Temple to inquire about the details of that year."
Pei Wenjin's lips curled into a cold smile. He knew this day would eventually come.
He dismounted, tossed the reins to his subordinates who had caught up with him, and strode toward the Imperial Guards: "Alright, I'll go with you. But I have one request: I want to see the Third Princess, Xiao Diting."
The commander hesitated for a moment. He had some acquaintance with Pei Wenjin, and seeing his cooperation, he finally nodded: "As long as you cooperate, I will pass on the message."
Pei Wenjin smiled at him, brushed past him, and said to the side, "Thank you."
The Imperial Guard commander suddenly stiffened, forcibly composing himself so that no one could see anything amiss. He dutifully called to his subordinates, "Men, take Lord Pei into custody at the Dali Temple!"
Pei Wenjin didn't look at the Imperial Guard commander again, as if he didn't know him well, and obediently allowed himself to be taken away by his guards.
"Hey, boss, I thought this Lord Pei was hard to get along with."
The adjutant whistled and casually approached. The commander glared at him, signaling him not to say anything more: "Who knows? If you're worried, take some men and come along. I have other things to take care of."
"No, boss, are you going to report to His Majesty?"
"Since we're already out here, let's grab this quick and easy. See you later."
The commander of the Imperial Guards had his adjutant select two teams of men, then excused himself, saying he had something to do, and assigned the work to his adjutant before heading off alone with his belongings.
Pei Wenjin had just brushed past him and secretly slipped him something. He had gotten into trouble before, and it was Pei Wenjin's favor that saved him.
He always remembered this kindness. The higher-ups hadn't explained what Lord Pei had done wrong, and he knew nothing about the secrets of the palace. Right now, all he knew was that he had to go and get reinforcements for Lord Pei.
It goes without saying who to look for.
The commander, carrying the items, headed straight for the Dali Temple.
He only realized halfway there that the Dali Temple was already surrounded by his subordinates; he should have gone to the Zhenfu Division instead. He avoided the Imperial Guards guarding the streets and ran all the way to the Zhenfu Division.
Fortunately, the emperor's target was Pei Wenjin himself, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard did not deploy many people; those stationed there were his own subordinates who had apologized.
The Imperial Guard squad leader rushed up to him as soon as he saw him, fawningly saying, "Sir, everyone's watching, nothing went wrong."
The commander waved his hand, signaling the people to disperse. He glanced at a figure disappearing into a blind spot, said a few casual words, and then stuffed his things inside.
As you walk through the alley, standing at the door is none other than Song Pingzhang, the Commander of the Northern Garrison.
Song Pingzhang, with an unfriendly expression, gripped his knife and blocked the doorway: "My lord, Lord Pei is not here."
The commander said in a deep voice, "Lord Pei entrusted me to convey something important to you all."
Upon hearing this, Song Pingzhang did not relax in the slightest, but seeing that he looked serious and not like he was faking it, he stepped aside to let him in.
With many eyes watching from behind, the commander could not linger. He simply went inside and took out what he had hidden in his sleeve pocket.
Only then did he realize what he had been holding all along—it was just a piece of jade that looked like a copper coin. Outsiders couldn't see anything amiss, but Song Pingzhang's expression changed, and he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, sir."
Having completed his task, the commander hurried off, leaving Song Pingzhang standing in the courtyard with a grim expression.
Having his house searched inexplicably that evening already put him in a terrible mood, and the rumors circulating outside only added to his anxiety. Pei Wenjin had disappeared early that morning, and even with news of his whereabouts, Song Pingzhang couldn't completely relax.
Shangguan Lin, who was guarding the house, walked in gracefully. When he saw the token, his expression turned grim: "Is the commander telling us to hold back?"
Song Pingzhang shook his head with a wry smile: "That's right, go and tell the brothers to disperse. We'll take action as soon as there's any sign of trouble."
Shangguan Lin nodded: "Understood."
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