Chapter 43 The Glory of the Common People (Part 1) Among all people today, none are more important than brothers. ...
As the curtain was about to fall on the Battle of Baima, Guan Yu returned to Xuchang with Cao Cao and was granted the title of Marquis of Hanshou. Guo Jia was also able to stay in Xuchang to prepare for another battle.
Several months after the incident involving the imperial edict, and after frequent separations from her husband, Deng Jie's inner turmoil had largely subsided. Although her concern for Guo Jia remained, she would never again harbor the same girlish feelings for him as before.
She reduced her interactions with Qingwu and Xunwei, and even lost interest in playing with Axiang. She devoted herself to making new incense and medicine, often hiding under the bluestone and staring blankly at the locust tree. Perhaps only this bluestone could give her a sense of belonging to the Deng family's old house.
It was early April, the first month of spring, and the wild irises in the backyard of the Guo residence were in full bloom. Clusters of pink and white flowers adorned the branches, casting glimpses of crimson against the lush greenery—a truly beautiful sight. A gentle breeze rustled through the blossoms, causing them to fall softly, carrying with them a delicate, sweet fragrance.
Deng Jie paced in the courtyard, bending down to examine the blossoms closely. His fingertips brushed against the soft petals, and for some reason, he was moved by the scene, a bittersweet feeling welling up in his heart. He spontaneously recited: "The flowers of the perennial cherry tree, how splendid they are! Of all people today, none are like brothers..."
Apart from the rustling of the branches, there was no other response from the small courtyard.
"Nothing is better than brothers..."
She murmured, looking back at the old locust tree and the green stone, as if she could see Deng Zhao bringing Yu Qiu, Deng Ming and his mother to visit their home. They would probably praise, "Fengxiao is truly thoughtful."
But upon closer reflection, she realized that she didn't even have a single keepsake from her brother. Most of her gold hairpins and jewelry were left at the Deng residence, and the dowry given to Guo Jia after her departure and the "credit" payment were only prepared on short notice.
Her memory flashed back to the third year of the Chuping era. Suddenly remembering something, she hurried back to her bedroom and took out an object carefully wrapped in a brocade handkerchief from the depths of a wooden box.
Unfold the brocade handkerchief, and inside lies a bronze mirror, engraved with rough runes, the five characters "Taiping Qinglingjian" still standing solemnly in seal script.
This was obtained seven years ago when she, Deng Zhao, and Guo Jia went into the mountains to search for minerals to cure the poisoning of gold, and they met Yu Ji by chance in a mountain village.
This was the first time she had gone out with her brother since they moved to Lujiang.
At that time, Deng Jie was struggling to cure the villagers of the poisoning caused by gold, when he happened to meet Yu Ji, a wandering monk.
He used the guise of talismanic water magic to detoxify himself with the power of medicine.
Afterwards, he took the initiative to find the three of them and presented them with this bronze mirror, hoping to use Deng Jie's medical practice to spread the Tao of Peace and Tranquility.
Deng Zhao initially wanted to refuse, but Yu Ji pointed out that "people only believe in the immortal master, not in you, young lady," but also comforted her, "Young lady, you don't need to actually become an apprentice. Just wear this item when you practice medicine. When the people see it, they will know that you are from the Taiping Dao lineage. Those who believe will believe in you even more, and those who don't believe will naturally not be able to see it."
The next day, Deng Zhao and Guo Jia abandoned her in the village and went into the mountains to search for minerals.
She understood that they were worried about her hardship in crossing mountains and valleys, after all, they hadn't expected the Yue tribes to attack the village in broad daylight.
The villagers' resistance was futile against the pack of hungry wolves; she, Yu Ji, the women of the village, and the surviving men were all abducted.
This group of people were both fighting for food and seeking an antidote.
However, the medicines on hand are limited, and Shan Yue is the culprit who refined the poisoned gold. He is already deeply poisoned, so how can it be easily resolved?
As night deepened, despair enveloped them around the campfire in the thieves' den.
The bandit leader's sinister smile, his rough pulling, and Yu Ji's resistance all pushed her to the brink of collapse.
Guo Jia appeared amidst the interplay of red and blue flames, dragging wine jars and oil jugs, facing the Yue tribesmen alone.
Immediately following was Deng Zhao's cold arrow.
The two men, one skilled in literature and the other in martial arts, one strategist and the other strong, used fire and bamboo firecrackers to help Deng Zhao capture the bandit leader. They also used a bluffing tactic to subdue the mountain tribes, assimilate them into the villagers, and move to a village at the foot of the mountain to live together.
Deng Jie had always known that his elder brother was brave, but he had only heard about it from others until he saw it with his own eyes that night. This gave him even more respect for Deng Zhao than his dependence on him.
This bronze mirror can at least be considered a testament to the brother and sister's shared danger.
As she thought this, she pressed the bronze mirror to her heart, wondering how that family was doing now, whether they had built high-rise buildings and moved into large houses, which would certainly be more spacious than her own small courtyard.
Deng Zhao only said that he was still doing business in Jingzhou, but he never revealed where he had settled down, and his letters home were increasingly infrequent.
Deng Jie was worried, but he comforted himself, saying that Jingzhou was more peaceful than the Central Plains. Besides, now that he had remarried and had children, he should know to avoid trouble so that he wouldn't have too much to worry about.
Her gaze fell once more on the vibrant blooming of the Chinese iris in the courtyard. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Thinking to himself: Once these Changdi fruits ripen, I'll give them to Fengxiao to brew wine. Perhaps one day my brother will come to visit with his wife, just like my senior brother did last time... Then I'll have something to entertain him.
This thought finally warmed her heart; she needed these hopes to help her escape her sorrow.
"Hmm, I need to go to the market and find a suitable wine jar to keep on hand."
She said this to herself, clapped her hands, and casually tied the bronze mirror to her waist.
The streets of Xudu remained bustling, showing no signs of the war's impact.
Deng Jie swayed with the crowd, his gaze lingering among the vendors selling pottery jars and utensils.
She was still somewhat absent-minded, her mind still lingering on Changdi's flowery image and the fantasy of her brother's visit.
Just as she got up from one of the stalls, intending to continue wandering, a figure blocked her way:
"Madam, I observe that you are surrounded by a pure and ethereal aura, and a subtle light of wisdom emanates from your forehead; you possess the signs of a predestined connection to the Dao."
Deng Jie was startled and looked up to see an old Taoist priest with gray hair, dressed in a plain-colored straight robe, smiling at her.
Deng Jie was somewhat bewildered, thinking it was just a wandering Taoist asking for alms, and without much thought, he reached into his sleeve and took out a string of copper coins.
The old Taoist stroked his beard and smiled, raising his hand to stop her: "Madam, you misunderstand. I am not asking for alms."
As he spoke, he pointed to Deng Jie's waist: "I was merely sensing a divine artifact, thinking of my fellow Daoist, and struck up a conversation with your wife. Since you were able to obtain it and wear it with you, you must be destined to be connected with the Dao."
Deng Jie suddenly realized something. Upon hearing him say "fellow Daoist," his heart stirred slightly. He untied the cap and handed it over, asking, "Does the Immortal Master also know the Immortal Elder?"
"Hmm, Taiping Qingling Dao... Yu Ji, is that right? I'm an old man from Lujiang, so I naturally recognize that fellow Daoist who has been wandering around Jiangdong for many years."
He did not accept the bronze mirror, but only gave a slight bow, saying, "I am Zuo Ci and Zuo Yuanfang. I had a brief period of cultivation with him in the past."
Upon hearing that he was from Lujiang, Deng Jie felt a surge of warmth and joy, his tone softening: "Immortal Master is from Lujiang! I... I also lived in Lujiang for a few years, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet you. But Immortal Master Yu Ji..."
She looked at the bronze mirror in her hand. "I obtained this seven years ago when I studied medicine with Xianchang for a few days."
But then Zuo Ci sighed softly, "Madam and you, fellow Daoist, once shared a master-disciple bond. How could you know that you have already passed away?"
Deng Jie's heart tightened. "What?! You mean the Immortal Master..."
But then he thought about it again, and Yu Ji said he was over a hundred years old, so he took a breath and said with a little sadness: "Immortal Master... at this age, you have lived a good life. It's just a pity that we couldn't meet again."
As the two reached the stream, he turned and lowered his eyes, his voice ethereal with sorrow: "He...died as a martyr."
"Martyrdom?!" Deng Jie was startled, suddenly recalling the immortal master in the mountain stronghold who had risked self-immolation to protect her. His voice trembled slightly: "Immortal master... how did he die a martyrdom? And where?"
Zuo Ci gazed into the distance, pointed southeast, and slowly said, "It's in Wu County, Jiangdong."
"Wu Commandery!" This place made Deng Jie's heart pound. In the first year of Xingping, after she and Guo Jia learned that Sun Ce was besieging Lujiang, they met up with Deng Zhao in Wu Commandery. At that time, the governor of Wu Commandery was Xu Gong. Deng Zhao had failed to get help from Liu Biao and was unable to enter the city, so he temporarily relied on Xu Gong for the convenience of the caravan.
Zuo Ci continued, "Because of the severe drought in Wu Commandery, he prayed for rain for the people, which won him great popularity. However, he offended Sun Ce and was executed by Sun Ce on the grounds that he had misled the people."
“Sun Ce…” Deng Jie murmured the name with difficulty, “It’s Sun Ce again…” Her hands clenched into fists involuntarily, “How could he… not even spare a centenarian…!”
Zuo Ci gently shook his head and paced around her. "I have heard that in recent years, you have spread Taoism in various counties and cities in Jiangdong, praying for rain and curing diseases. You have gained many believers, and the local people all believe in and worship you."
Such actions would be detrimental to Sun Ce, the de facto ruler of Jiangdong, and might even affect the discipline of his army.
“Between counties and cities? These past few years…” Deng Jie pondered this point in time.
Although Yu Ji had previously spread Taoism extensively, he kept a low profile, mostly traveling in mountain villages. This behavior was completely different from before, clearly a deliberate act by the immortal master…
Deng Jie was momentarily confused, but still bowed to Zuo Ci and thanked him, saying, "Thank you for informing me, Immortal Master... I will go back and offer sacrifices to the Immortal Master, to express my humble gratitude."
Zuo Ci returned the greeting, and before Deng Jie left, he gestured to stop her again: "This mirror..." He pointed to the bronze mirror, "Madam, you must not let it go to waste. This precious mirror is spiritually powerful and will surely protect you."
Deng Jie recalled that Yu Ji had once said, "This item may save your life and protect you through your tribulations." However, it was mostly because the Taoist priests wanted more people to see these items. She did not want to argue and nodded, "I will keep it with me and often remember the immortal."
The words that rang out behind Deng Jie were as shocking as a bolt from the blue for her. When she turned around to ask what was wrong, the old Taoist priest was already gone.
Deng Jie's legs went weak, and a nameless worry rose in his heart.
Her hands, gripping the bronze mirror, trembled uncontrollably as she recalled Guo Jia's unusual behavior over the past month.
She had initially thought that Guo Jia was busy planning the war against Yuan Shao. Indeed, the two had become somewhat distant this month, even their rest times had been staggered. Now, she wondered whether she was the one avoiding him or he was avoiding her.
A month earlier, he had boasted to her about his "ten wins and ten losses" and Mr. Wenruo's "four wins and four losses," which greatly encouraged Cao Cao and boosted the morale of his army, preparing them to fight Yuan Shao with all their might.
Deng Jie's unease grew stronger, and he quickened his pace, as one suspicious detail after another surfaced in his mind:
Deng Zhao's silence at seeing him off, the vague and perfunctory nature of his family letters...
Where is he? Is he really married? Is he... still alive?
When she arrived at the Chen residence, her hands were already trembling, and she could barely control the strength to grip the copper ring.
When she entered the manor, Xun Wei noticed her pale face and couldn't help but worry: "What's wrong with you? Why are you so panicked? What evil has Guo Fengxiao done this time?"
Deng Jie held the teacup with trembling hands, hoping to calm himself down first.
Xun Wei instructed a maid to light some calming incense, waved to dismiss those around him, closed the door, and waited quietly.
After an unknown amount of time, Deng Jie finally calmed down. She looked up and saw Xun Wei sitting opposite her, slowly writing something.
"Speak," Xun Wei said calmly.
"Shenge...you've always been well-informed...do you know anything about Sun Ce's death?"
Xun Wei was slightly surprised and looked up at her: "When did you become interested in these things?"
"You...you tell me first."
Xun Wei gently put down his pen and sneered, "For such important military and national affairs, you should directly ask your husband, the military advisor."
Deng Jie frowned and shook his head. "He probably won't tell me the truth about this matter. I dare not ask."
"Why? Should I also keep it from you?" Xun Wei's first reaction was that he should side with Guo Jia, and then a feeling of disgust suddenly arose in his heart.
"No!" Deng Jie grabbed her hand excitedly, tears welling up in his eyes. "Now, the only person I can trust... is you..."
Seeing her like this, Xun Wei finally softened and took out a bamboo scroll from the bookshelf beside him: "I just received it these past two days. You're quite well-informed."
Yu Yuan, Zhi Qiu?!
The bamboo slips fell to the ground, and Deng Jie fainted on the spot.
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