Chapter 44 The Glory of Changdi (Part 2) Wait for me to come back, I won't let you...
Inside the council hall of the Sikong Mansion, everyone was immersed in the joyous atmosphere of Guo Jia's prophecy coming true.
"Fengxiao was indeed a prophet; Sun Ce truly died at the hands of an assassin!"
"Now we can finally relax and focus on dealing with Yuan Shao."
"The timing of the grain shipment to Yanjin is also perfect, so there's no need to worry about Wen Ze at the front."
Inside the council chamber, the civil and military officials discussed the matter amongst themselves, their words filled with approval and relaxation.
Guo Jia smiled and nodded, offering no further agreement, but listened as their conversation finally veered towards how to plan for perseverance.
Just a few days ago, in the same place, this group of people were discussing how to distract themselves from Sun Ce's surprise attack.
When Guo Jia asserted with absolute certainty that Jiangdong would be safe, even Jia Xu and Xun You couldn't help but express their doubts. Xun Yu was also advising Cao Cao on how to allocate the garrison and provisions.
Until yesterday, when Cao Cao received the news of Sun Ce's confirmed death, the tension finally eased today.
Faced with this change, Guo Jia felt no pride, only a bitterness unknown to anyone, along with unspeakable tears, flowing deep within his heart.
Just as he stepped out of the Sikong Mansion, Ayu, who was waiting outside, rushed up and grabbed him: "Chancellor, the Madam has fainted! Madam Xun is at home with her!"
Guo Jia felt a chill run down his spine, sensing something was wrong, and rushed home without saying a word.
She fainted. Madam Xun... She must have learned the news from somewhere and went to Xun Wei to verify it.
This happened much faster than I expected.
Guo Jia's steps quickened, the false celebration at the Sikong Mansion like a thorn in his side, now scorching his heart.
He practically ran into the courtyard and rushed into the bedroom, where he saw Deng Jie lying quietly on the couch, staring blankly ahead, lifeless.
Xun Wei sat by the couch and, hearing him enter, spoke with a hint of resentment: "The Chancellor is quite the schemer, even scheming against such a close relative..."
Before she could finish speaking, Guo Jia had already taken a few steps to her side, knelt down beside the couch, and taken Deng Jie's hand.
Xun Wei looked at him, and saw that he was completely different from the confident and composed man she knew. He made no attempt to hide his anxiety. With his tightly pursed lips and focused eyes, he was sure that Xun Wei couldn't hear her voice, so she fell silent.
She shook her head slightly, as if mocking herself, smoothed her hem, and stood up, intending to leave, when she heard A-Yu shout from outside, "Clerk Chen is here!"
Chen Qun rushed in, while Xun Wei strolled leisurely to the doorway.
"Let's go." Xun Wei raised his hand at him.
Chen Qun stopped outside the door, waiting for her to catch up.
Xun Wei paused, but couldn't help turning back to say, "Guo Fengxiao, even if you know it's for the other person's good... concealing it will ultimately hurt them."
She couldn't say for sure whether she was saying this to Deng Jie today or to herself nine years ago.
Chen Qun took her hand and led her away.
Finally, only the two of them remained in the bedroom.
The air was heavy and oppressive; no one spoke.
Guo Jia carefully stroked the back of her hand, mustering his courage to speak: "Say it... it's me... I'm the one who's wronged you..."
Deng Jie's eyes slowly moved, his gaze falling on his eyes, which were empty and tired.
"I know." She spoke slowly, her voice tinged with a weary indifference, replying calmly, "It's not entirely your fault. My brother... he intended to keep it from me. He had the will to die all along, it's just that I didn't discover it sooner."
She paused, still somewhat wistful, a helpless sneer flashing across her lips, "But you... knew from the very beginning. For five whole years, you really managed to keep it all inside."
"I don't want you to be sad... I don't want you to be worried every day..." Guo Jia dared not look into her eyes anymore, but tightened his grip on her hand.
"Don't you want me to be sad? Isn't it even more heartbreaking now?" She sighed deeply. "I know I can't stop him, and I can't change you... I accept all of that. It's just heartbreaking... heartbreaking that you even kept this from me. He didn't want to give me a letter home, and you... didn't want to give me a chance to pay my respects."
As she spoke, tears finally streamed down her face.
Guo Jia bit his lower lip, his guilt making it impossible for him to hide the silk scroll Deng Zhao had given him.
He took it out from his bosom, held it out with both hands, and presented it to Deng Jie: "Brother Yuanming... I was supposed to burn it... but I always felt this day would come..."
Deng Jie's gaze fell upon the familiar style of her brother's letters.
Despite the tears blurring her vision, Deng Jie desperately wiped them away, hoping to see every word clearly as soon as possible.
This letter is very long; it is Deng Zhao's usual ramblings while sitting alone by candlelight.
The story opens with a misty rain over Jiangdong, where he says that during his five years by Yu Fan's side, his views on Sun Ce have become quite complex. He knows it's a blood feud, yet he can't help but acknowledge Sun Ce's personal charisma.
His vibrant life force, cheerful personality, and broad-mindedness—if not for an irreconcilable feud, he would truly want to stay by his side.
When Lu Yu and Mu'er were mentioned, he admitted that he initially had no intention of getting married.
But as Guo Jia said, how could Yu Fan trust a merchant with no ties to stay by his side?
Therefore, Lu Yi did not expose the two, but instead acknowledged Lu Yu as his cousin, which reduced Yu Fan's suspicions.
Lu Yu knew he was determined to die, but she still willingly stayed with the Yu clan as a hostage for him, and gave birth to a son, whom she named "Mu'er".
He knew he owed her a debt he could never repay, so he left her all the wealth he had earned from the caravan.
He has made proper arrangements and will soon send Lu Yu and her son back to the Deng clan in Xinye to eliminate any worries he may have.
If she is willing to go to Xudu in the future, that would be the best outcome; if not, remarrying would also be a blessing.
Next, I will talk about what happened in Jiangdong.
After parting ways years ago, Yu Ji returned to Lujiang and reunited with him. He learned that the mountain village they had arranged for the Yue people had also been massacred by Sun's army, adding another chapter to the blood feud.
Yu Ji was equally filled with hatred, so he was determined to sacrifice himself. After years of planning, he blatantly challenged Sun Ce's authority, created conflict between the military and the people, and risked his life to plant a nightmare of fear in Sun Ce's heart, all to increase the chances of his assassination.
Finally, here is his ultimate plan: he has contacted Xu Gong's former subordinates to carry out an assassination under the guise of "avenging the master," thus containing the Sun family's anger internally and ensuring it doesn't implicate Xu Du.
I intend to attack Xu, but brother, do not worry. I will surely punish him, and I will not rest until he is dead.
Deng Jie held the family letter he had been waiting for for many years, only to find that it was a will.
Tears had already soaked my clothes; every word and phrase was a reflection of my brother's heart and his entrustment.
"Then his body..." Although Deng Jie already had the answer in his heart, he still asked with a glimmer of hope.
Guo Jia lowered his eyelashes heavily: "...On Dantu Mountain...I wonder if Sun Jun...has he restrained himself..."
Deng Jie curled his fingers in agony, digging them deep into his palm, regretting that he could not collect his brother's body.
Overwhelmed with sorrow, Guo Jia took off the jade double dragon pendant from his waist and placed it in Deng Jie's trembling hand. This pendant was a testament to the friendship they shared when they fled from Yuan Shao's forces. Deng Jie recognized Guo Jia as his sworn brother.
"Let's use this... to set up a memorial tablet."
As Deng Jie stroked the patterns on the two dragons facing each other, he could imagine the boundless pride Deng Zhao felt when he took off the jade pendant and gave it to Guo Jia.
"Never mind... You should wear it. When I see it, it will remind me of him."
Deng Jie struggled to get up, and Guo Jia immediately stepped forward to support him.
Together, the two erected two memorial tablets on the bluestone beside the old locust tree in the backyard, one inscribed "The Position of My Deceased Brother Deng Zhaoyuan" and the other "The Position of Immortal Master Yu Ji".
Deng Jie took out two new clothes that Guo Jia had never worn, carefully folded them, and placed them in front of the memorial tablet as a temporary "cenotaph".
The two knelt side by side and silently burned incense.
Wisps of smoke drifted and swayed, carrying their endless sorrow, as they blended into the courtyard as dusk fell.
Before the embers of the sacrifice had completely burned out, Ayu's voice came from outside: "Chancellor, there is an order!"
Guo Jia went out to receive the order: "Tomorrow at dawn, muster the troops and march to Yanjin."
When he returned to the backyard with the bamboo slips in his hand, Deng Jie was still kneeling upright, her slender figure still revealing her stubbornness.
Guo Jia silently stepped forward, knelt beside her, and put away the memorial tablet and new clothes into the prepared wooden box.
Deng Jie picked up the messenger slip.
"...So soon...you're leaving too?" Deng Jie's hoarse voice was filled with reluctance.
Guo Jia pressed his hand on the lid of the wooden box, not daring to look at her, and nodded slightly.
Deng Jie placed his hand on the back of his hand, weaving his cold fingers between his fingers and holding them tightly.
"Are you happy?"
Guo Jia turned around and met her tear-filled eyes, which were filled with sorrow, reluctance, pleading and fervor, emotions that Guo Jia could not fathom.
He had never seen her look like that before, and it made his heart tighten.
Before he could reply, Deng Jie suddenly leaned forward, cupped his cheeks in her hands, and kissed his lips deeply.
Her kiss still carried the salty taste of tears, and she deepened the kiss little by little, from tentative to forceful, inhaling his breath.
"...Don't leave me alone..." She stepped back a little, pressed her forehead against her hand and murmured, warm tears streaming down her face.
Guo Jia's heart ached at her call, and he pulled her tightly into his arms. "This time is different from the campaign against Lü Bu... it's a desperate gamble... I really can't take you with me on this risk."
Deng Jie buried her face in his neck, like a cat afraid of being abandoned, desperately burrowing into him and demanding more, listening to Guo Jia's intermittent promises: "You...you stay home and wait for me to come back...I won't...I won't leave you alone..."
Deng Jie stopped what she was doing, rubbed her eyes and wiped away her tears, and looked up at him: "Then... I'll wait for you here?"
Guo Jia nodded, slightly out of breath.
She turned her head and glanced at Changdi Yanyan, the delicate pink and white flower clusters right in front of her, exuding a sweet yet melancholic fragrance.
She reached out and gently plucked a flower in full bloom, holding the delicate, tear-like blossom between her lips.
Crimson petals adorned her pale lips, making them appear even more delicate. Her eyes, washed with tears, now shone with a yearning light.
She gently turned her face to the side and leaned towards him.
Guo Jia's heart skipped a beat.
He understood all the unspoken words in those eyes; it was the solace a lonely survivor sought in order to survive.
“…Of course.” He responded to her gesture, his hand gently stroking her back. “I told you I’d be wherever you are…”
The moment the words were spoken, the Changdi flower drifted down to the ground.
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