The capital city.
âMr. Gu! I finally finished the assignment you gave me. Look! What do you think?â
Tao Yi excitedly ran out of his room, holding a pile of test paper about half a palm in thickness in his hands, so slovenly that he looked like a primitive man who had been living in some cave for years.
âMr. Gu is otherwise engaged. What took you so long? Something big has happened in capital city,â a school friend told him.
âWas it that Marshal Yuwen finally returned?!â asked Tao Yi in excitement.
His school friend looked at him as if he was a weirdo. âTao YiâŠâ
âWhatâs the matter?â Tao Yi had no idea why the man was giving him that look.
âMarshal Yuwen isnât back.â
âHe isnât? Is it possible that something happened and he was kept? Do you think Country Wan by any chance has gone back on their word and decided to go to war?!â
His school friend shook his head. âThatâs not the case. An envoy of Country Wan arrived a couple of days ago. The imperial court is consulting with Country Wan on the details of a peace agreement.â
âThen why didnât Marshal Yuwen come back?â Tao Yi fell perplexed.
âThe very day you went into your room to start writing your article, news spread that Marshal Yuwen didnât return to capital city but went to look for his betrothed!â
âWhat? Marshal Yuwen is engaged?! Whoâs his betrothed? Which family is that lady from? What does she look like? Is she a match for Marshal Yuwen?â asked Tao Yi emotionally, who nearly threw away the wad of test paper.
His school friend looked at him with a weird smile. âI guessed you would act like this some time ago. I know the reason why you specially came back here ahead of schedule was that you wanted to behold the elegant demeanor of Marshal Yuwen, but you might want to prepare yourself for what Iâm going to tell you next.â
âIs it because that lady is awful? But it canât be. I mean, how would a man like Marshal Yuwen come to be engaged to an awful lady?!â
âItâs not a lady that heâs engaged to.â
âAh?â
Tao Yi failed to get the point. âWhat does he mean by ânot a lady?â
âHeâs engaged to a man.â
Tao Yi nodded. âOh⊠What?! A man?!â
His school friend sighed, âYeah. It is rumored that their engagement was concluded twenty years ago, that it was the grandfather of Marshal Yuwen who made that decision.â
âOld General Yuwen concluded the engagement? But why did he betroth Marshal Yuwen to a man?â Tao Yi felt that his mind was not big enough to hold so many astounding news.
âWord has it that Marshalâs betrothed wasnât even born yet at that time.â
âThen the engagement is invalid. How can a man marry another man?â
On hearing this, the school friend looked at Tao Yi with an amused expression, as if silently telling Tao Yi that he was too naive. âYou forgot that the consort of Emperor Gaozu was male. From the times of Emperor Gaozu, the tradition and social mode of our country has been increasingly open and tolerant. There have been a lot of precedents for a gay marriage during the past few hundreds of years. The most recent one is the Governor of Sheng Zhou, Governor Xu, who married a man last year.â
As if in a trance, Tao Yi gave a nod. âI did hear about that. Governor Xu is the youngest governor in our country, full of talent and having boundless career prospects. He suddenly married a man. Even residents of capital city gossiped about it for a long time. Everybody speculated that Governor Xu would never get another promotion, that he might even be demoted.â
âTell me about it. But itâs been such a long time, and His Majesty still hasnât done anything to him so far. Governor Xu has been in office for three years. Sheng Zhou is such a key area. Three years is more than enough for him to get established. I think his position is secure. As regards a promotion, Iâm afraid itâll remain a pie in the sky.â
Tao Yi also heaved a sigh. Suddenly, he recalled the unanswered question. âWell, you still havenât told me which man Marshal is engaged to!â
The regretful expression on the face of his school friend was instantly replaced by that weird countenance. Watching Tao Yi, he said, âI think you know him.â
âI know him?!â Tao Yi gave a jump. âWho?!â
âHeâs from Tanyang, your hometown. His surname is Ling, and his grandfatherâs name is Ling Xingzhong. Rumor has it that his grandfather is that very Assistant Minister Ling who took office twenty years ago but only stayed in that position in the Ministry of Rites for a very short time, a flash in the pan. Oh, what is the name of that Marshalâs betrothed again? Ling Zhang! Yeah, thatâs his name. Tao Yi, you traveled thousands of miles to get here, but I guess itâd never crossed your mind that Marshal was actually in Tanyang, the same city that you were in at that time, right? Tsk, tsk. You literally brushed past him. I feel sorry for you, really.â
Tao Yi stood speechless.
Finally, he failed to keep his hold on the wad of paper, which dropped with a rustle and scattered all over.
âWhat?!â
He let out a roar of shock. Even people in the distance were startled and looked in his direction, wondering what had happened.
âYouâYouâre overreacting. Why did you yell so loud? Have you no shame?â His school friend hurriedly drew him aside.
Shame? Tao Yi watched him, face full of disbelief. This had gone beyond shame. He felt he was deeply hurt!
âLing Zhang is such an asshole. No wonderâŠNo wonder he declined when I invited him to come to the capital city with me. I could tell a mile off that he liked Marshal very much, and I wondered why he seemed totally uninterested in coming to the capital city. It turns out that he and Marshal have long agoâŠâ
âThat canât be true. Iâd never heard about Marshalâs arrival in Tanyang when I was there. And thereâd been no particular reaction in Ling family either. They didnât look like they had an honored guest in their home.â
The school friend observed, âI have no idea why that was the case. I just heard that Marshal departed for the capital city a long time ago. He was supposed to arrive here more than half a month before. Do the calculation yourself.â
After calculating the time, Tao Yi had an urge to burst into tears. âWhy did I come back here so excitedly?! I should have stayed in Tanyang!!â
âNo. Iâm going back to Tanyang right now!â Tao Yi immediately turned around, intending to leave.
His school friend grabbed him. âWait. Pick up your test paper! By the way, word has it that Marshal will return soon. So whatâs the hurry? Oh! Thereâs yet another more serious issue.â
Tao Yi looked at him in disbelief. âThereâs another thing that is more astounding than the fact that Marshal is in Tanyang and is engaged to my bosom friend?â
âYesterday morning, His Majesty suddenly ordered the house arrest of Concubine Shu and the Sixth Prince. It is rumored that half of the troops of the Garrison Battalion and the Reserve Battalion stationed in southern city were dispatched before daybreak yesterday, and nobody knows where they have gone to,â said his school friend, a grim look on his face.
On hearing this grave incident, Tao Yi quickly calmed down. âWhat do you think has happened?â
His school friend shook his head, craned closer to him and told him in a quiet voice, âIt was unmistakably because the Sixth Prince did something and angered His Majesty that has led to such large-scale troop movement, but there has been no related news so far. Everybody in the capital city is speculating about it. And this is also the very issue that Mr Gu is occupied with. He should know something.â
Tao Yi observed disapprovingly, âMr Gu intends to get involved? If by any chanceââ
âRest assured, itâs not that Mr Gu is trying to involve himself in the competition between the princes but that His Majesty summoned him. He has gone to the imperial palace with a couple of lords. I donât know any details either.â
Tao Yi heaved a sigh of relief, then knitted his eyebrows with a serious countenance. âLetâs figure out a way to make some inquiries. So many troops were suddenly dispatched. Thereâs got to be someone who knows about their destination.â
âŠ
At dusk on that very day. Near the Yellow Sand River.
âLi Chong is in jail, and his troops are also under control, which means the waterway of Yellow Sand River has been rid of safety risks. Whereâs the secret entrance to the Grand Mang Mountain that you mentioned?â
Dai Cheng was the commander of the Garrison Battalion stationed in southern capital city as well as one of the emperorâs henchmen. Tall and stalwart, he struck people as a simple-minded tough hombre, but actually he was a cautious precisian who was loyal to the imperial family and deeply trusted by the emperor.
âTen miles ahead along this river,â responded Yao Yi in a bland tone of voice.
Dai Cheng flicked a glance at him. âYao Yi, may I ask why you are willing to serve under Yuwen Tong as a mere captain of guards? I mean, youâre clearly competent to be a marshal.â
Yao Yi replied calmly, âA second marshal is not needed, and there is but one who is marshal to me. All others, including myself, are insignificant in my sight.â
Dai Cheng said in a regretful tone, âWhat a pity. You should know that His Majesty thinks the world of you, and there has been more than one occasion when he said to me that your choice was regrettable.â
âI feel very much honored to be in good graces of His Majesty, and I appreciate General Daiâs kind offer, but my decision stands unchanged, and it wonât change in the days to come.â
Dai Cheng unnoticeably knitted his brows and observed, âYao Yi, why are you being so stubborn? Serving under Yuwen Tong is not going to get you anywhere.â
Yao Yi inexplicably flicked a glance at him. âHave I not distinguished myself already? I mean, even His Majesty thinks highly of me. Who elseâs recognition do you think I have to win to count myself as outstanding?â
The question let Dai Cheng at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say? That it was not enough? Wouldnât that be synonymous with disrespectfully stating that someone elseâs recognition outvalued that of the emperor?
âYao Yi, you know thatâs not what I mean.â
âLetâs just drop it, General Dai. If you keep talking about this, I might suspect that youâre trying to drive a wedge between me and the Marshal. You should know that in our eyes, the Marshal matters more than our own lives. If it werenât for the Marshal, we wouldnât have still been breathing.â
Dai Cheng let out a laugh and said, âDonât overthink it. I just feel it a pity that youâre wasting your talent. I mean nothing else.â
Yao Yi slid a sideways glance at him. âMaybe itâs better that General Dai concentrates on how to get so many men onto the Grand Mang Mountain without alarming those bandits. If you cannot even handle this matter and have to bother me with it, I will lay scorn on you.â
Dai Cheng gave a smug smile. âAll you have to do is lead the way.â
âIs that so? Let me get this straight beforehand â if by any chance you alarm those bandits on the Grand Mang Mountain and Zhang Chong and botch up this favorable situation, then youâll have to clean up all the mess in the wake in Tanyang. Our marshal is not going to intervene and get shit on his shoes,â observed Yao Yi flintily.
The corners of Dai Chengâs mouth involuntarily twitched. âI wonât bother Marshal Yuwen if thatâs the case.â
âMake sure you donât,â said Yao Yi.
Dai Cheng fell speechless with embarrassment.
As night fell, after traveling ten miles by boat along the Yellow Sand River, an army quietly went ashore at a secret dock and entered the Grand Mang Mountain.
The silent Grand Mang Mountain was shrouded in the dark night. The only audible sounds were occasional bursts of weird caws coming from the distance, which made peopleâs blood freeze.
âThere are bandits on guard ahead. The only way to get through without alarming others is to eliminate them quietly. If any of them sends word back, weâll be in deep shit,â observed Yao Yi.
Ever since Dai Cheng saw that there was indeed a secret route leading to the capital city, his face had been tense and grim all along. âI know. Youâre familiar with this area. Just tell me the approximate positions of those on sentry duty.â
Yao Yi flicked a glance at them and felt an urge to sarcastically tell him to go and find it himself, but then it occurred to him that time was short, so he forbore from satirizing him and provided Dai Cheng with information about the positions of bandits that he was aware of.
Dai Cheng listened carefully, summoned his henchman and made arrangements for those hidden bandits to be handled.
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