Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Chapter 15 (Part 2)

The dining hall falls quiet for a while as something seems to be occupying Bian Lingbai’s mind, and he keeps glancing at Duan Ling; in the end, it is Duan Ling who speaks first to break this awkward silence. “When is the wedding?”

“During the seventh month,” Yao Jing replies. “Uncle Yao Fu told me to wait in Tongguan, as the groom’s family in Xiliang will send someone for me.”

“You’ve had a rough journey,” Bian Lingbai says to Yao Jing. “You don’t have any servants you’re used to right now, so your Uncle Bian will make sure to give you a full retinue to take with you. If you want you can also ask that steward of yours to keep an eye out in the marketplace.”

“Sure,” Yao Jing replies, and seemingly reminded that her maid and servants were killed by those bandits, her expression darkens.

“You should go get some rest.” Bian Lingbai tells her.

Yao Jing nods and takes her leave. Duan Ling watches her go, feeling slightly baffled.

It’s one thing for the Marquess of Huaiyin’s niece from the Jiangzuo region to be married off all the way to Xiliang, but for her to have so few servants and end up getting kidnapped along the way is another thing altogether. Instead of the tradition of being picked up by her Tangut groom’s family in her hometown, she’s been sent here to Tongguan instead; on top of that, the entire business of the engagement is left in Bian Lingbai’s hands. What in the world is going on?

The only possibility is that … she’s out of favour with the marquess.

“What is it?” Bian Lingbai takes a sip of wine and says to Duan Ling, “Have you taken a fancy to the Yao family’s young lady?”

Duan Ling laughs. “Even if I fancy her it’s not like I’ll ever have a chance.”

Bian Lingbai bursts out laughing, finding Duan Ling’s candid ways rather amusing. He explains, “Your uncle was going to form a marriage alliance with the Yaos back in the day, but alas his own children were all too young and hadn’t reached marriageable age. So he actually asked me if it’s possible to arrange Yao Zheng for his nephew — he must have meant you. If he’s still alive, he wouldn’t have thought much of this young woman.”

Duan Ling nods, his expression coloured with melancholy.

Bian Lingbai says, “In a little while, the groom’s party from Xiliang will be here to pick her up. Once I’m done with those arrangements I’ll take some time to help you settle in.”

“I have something with me as well,” Duan Ling says, “I came all the way here to bring it to you, Uncle Bian …”

“Hm?” Bian Lingbai glances at Duan Ling absently, but Wu Du is frowning slightly, and then he coughs once.

Duan Ling looks at Wu Du as if asking for his approval, and Wu Du looks a bit displeased, the furrow between his brows deepening.

Duan Ling nods at Wu Du, but by now Bian Lingbai is getting somewhat impatient. “What are you being so secretive about?”

Duan Ling reaches into his lapel for an item, and stepping forward he hands it to Bian Lingbai. Bian Lingbai isn’t paying attention to it at first, and only once Duan Ling has untied the silk ribbon around the treasure map and unrolled it slowly in front of him does Bian Lingbai turn his attention onto Duan Ling’s face.

“What is this?”

Duan Ling thinks, this is the treasure map you’ve been looking for all along, but he doesn’t dare put it like that. He merely gives Bian Lingbai a nod and gets back to his own seat.

Wu Du scoffs. “Lucky you.”

Nonplussed, Bian Lingbai picks up the map by the edges and stares at it. Then with a sudden shudder his expression quickly changes and he turns to Duan Ling with an incredulous look on his face.

“My uncle hid it in the folds of a strategy manual and had it brought to me.” Duan Ling explains in detail the story he made up himself; basically, it’s about how Zhao Kui had great expectations of him, and asked him to familiarise himself with books on military strategy. He also hid this map in the cover and gave it to him so that once the pages of the Art of War have been turned so many times that the book falls apart, the map will reveal itself.

The story itself is actually full of holes — why would Zhao Kui not leave such a wonderful thing to his own son, and give it to his nephew instead, for instance — but the moment Duan Ling spies the look in Bian Lingbai’s eyes, he knows that nothing else really matters anymore.

“Wonderful … This is wonderful.” A strange look comes over Bian Lingbai’s eyes as he stares unblinkingly at the treasure map.

As Duan Ling looks into those eyes, he gets the distinct feeling that he seems to have seen that look somewhere before.

It’s the same look Cai Yan used to have in his eyes when he stared at Duan Ling’s jade arc.

Duan Ling only experiences a momentary lapse of attention before he’s dragged back to reality by Bian Lingbai’s crazed laughter.

“Wonderful! Wonderful!” Bian Lingbai says, “Wait here a moment.”

He promptly puts away the treasure map and leaves the room without saying anything else.

A bewildered Duan Ling turns to see what Wu Du will say, but instead of talking to him Wu Du simply keeps eating. Even as the night-watchmen have started ringing the first of the night watch, Bian Lingbai still hasn’t come back.

He’s probably gone to verify the map’s authenticity, Duan Ling surmises, and wonders if things will go smoothly if their plan continues to unfold in this direction. As they’re not alone he dares not converse with Wu Du, so once he finishes eating, he waits quietly. By the time a guard shows up to bring Duan Ling to Bian Lingbai’s study, it’s already quite late in the night, but the guard asks Wu Du not to follow.

Duan Ling and Wu Du exchange glances. Wu Du nods at him. They know that the true test of Duan Ling’s abilities has come.

Bian Lingbai is sitting in the study with an elderly man by his side, and judging by the man’s appearance he’s not young anymore, but he doesn’t wear a beard. With a pair of gloves on, he’s carefully examining the treasure map, looking up to give Duan Ling a nod when he comes in.

“This here is Master Fei.” Bian Lingbai says to Duan Ling, “His first name is Hongde, and he’s two generations your senior. He has worked for your uncle, as well as the late emperor. He is extremely knowledgeable.”

Duan Ling greets him politely.

“Where did you get this map?” The elderly man asks Duan Ling.

Thereby Duan Ling roughly repeats the explanation he gave Bian Lingbai earlier. The elderly man then gives him a slow nod, smiles, and says to Bian Lingbai, “Congratulations, general. Once you unearth this buried treasure, it will be enough to satisfy whatever our army may need.”

Bian Lingbai says to the elderly man, “Truly the heavens are on my side. When do you think will be a good time to start excavating, Master Fei?”

“We must wait a little while longer.” Fei Hongde rolls the map back up and returns it to Bian Lingbai. “No matter what, you must make sure this comes to the attention of no one else. I will survey the location personally, and let you know as soon as I find anything.”

On second thought, Bian Lingbai supposes that’s prudent, and he quickly nods to agree. “Should I send a squad of men over to keep watch over the area for now?”

Fei Hongde explains, “You can send some men disguised as mounted bandits and tell them to keep watch at the foot of the mountain, but since no one’s been there in twenty years I’m sure nothing can go wrong now. At the moment, you, me, and young Mister Zhao are the only ones who know of its existence, and I’m sure we can keep a secret. There’s no need for you to worry, General Bian.”

“Yes,” Bian Lingbai says, “You’re quite right.”

As he finishes speaking, Bian Lingbai breaks out once more into a belly laugh. He beckons Duan Ling over to sit at his side, claps him over the shoulder, and says, “The heavens have sent you here to aid me — this deed shall be done!”

Duan Ling smiles and nods, putting on a good show of being happy for Bian Lingbai. But Fei Hongde is staring at Duan Ling. “You must have had a difficult journey. I’d also just come back from Xiliang.”

Duan Ling says, “It was alright. I had Wu Du with me.”

Fei Hongde hums in agreement before continuing, “When did you cross into Xichuan?”

“Around the beginning of the year,” Duan Ling tells Fei Hongde.

“A number of the Shandong Guard used to work for your dad, and after they were relieved from duty they joined the Ministry of War. It’s surprising to me that you did not go looking for them but went to Wu Du instead. That was a good move on your part.”

“I couldn’t let them know I’m alive; after all, it’s hard to see what a person’s really thinking.”

Fei Hongde nods. “After that cousin of yours got married, where did she end up settling down?”

Duan Ling’s heart is beating out of his chest. He knows Fei Hongde is only pretending to reminisce with him while verifying his identity. Good thing he made sure to do his homework before his arrival. He asks, “Which cousin?”

Fei Hongde smiles. “Well, that I don’t quite remember. Back in the day when I was working for the late emperor in Shandong, I heard that you had a cousin on the maternal side with a face that could sink a thousand ships …”

“Fourth sister.” Duan Ling says immediately, “She fell ill later on.”

This chapter is scrapped from readlightnovel.org

Fei Hongde nods slowly, and Bian Lingbai says to Duan Ling, “Master Fei has been everywhere. Even though he’s Tangut by birth, he’s an exceptional writer among those in my army. You can ask him for help with your studies.”

“Certainly,” Duan Ling replies.

Fei Hongde says to Bian Lingbai, “General, you still need to bring me a map of the area outside Tongguan so that we can discuss this in detail.”

Duan Ling knows his work is done here; Bian Lingbai then proceeds to shower him with advice and kind words, telling Duan Ling to get some rest. His present attitude towards Duan Ling compared to when he freshly arrived is already as different as night and day; he’s acting like an older brother.

Once Duan Ling is gone, Bian Lingbai turns to Fei Hongde and asks, “What do you think?”

Fei Hongde meditates on this a moment before replying, “There’s no problem with his identity. He should indeed be a member of Zhao Pu’s family.”

It’s only then that Bian Lingbai puts his mind at ease. “There is also the possibility that he’s an imposter.”

“Unlikely. You saw him too; this boy must have come from a literati family, and he shows the bearing of the descendent of a military man. He says little, but he’s quite natural and sedate when he does speak. When facing you, he’s not afraid — all that confidence is right there in his heart. That is absolutely not just any cowering boy one can find anywhere. Where would Wu Du even try to find a young man like that? And besides, doing so won’t do him any good.

Bian Lingbai supposes he’s right; what could Wu Du ever hope to gain by escorting a young man a thousand miles with a treasure map just to deliver money to him?

“That knave first betrayed General Zhao, then he killed Li Jianhong.” Bian Lingbai’s not even sure how he’s supposed to feel about this. “Even if he’s living under Mu Kuangda’s protection now, I’m sure he’s having a hard time of it. He must be trying to find some other livelihood.”

"Wu Du is a hesitant, indecisive man. Moreover, once he’s taken shelter with the Mu family, Chang Liujun will surely try to keep him down — he’d never tolerate Wu Du making a name for himself. He has nowhere left to go other than to come pledge his allegiance to you. This is to be expected.”

“If Helan Jie hasn’t come to me before he did … Having Wu Du at my disposal is not a bad thing.”

Fei Hongde heaves a sigh and says to Bian Lingbai, "Speaking of Helan Jie, I stand by my objection to your taking him in. If the government ever finds out he’s working for you, you won’t ever be able to clear yourself of any ties to the late emperor’s death.”

“Oh never mind that.” Bian Lingbai waves off his words with impatience. “You don’t need to say any more.”

Fei Hongde nods. “I will set out on surveying this area in the next several days.”

Fei Hongde rises and takes his leave. After he leaves the room, a seemingly perpetual smile returns to Bian Lingbai’s face. He unrolls the map, and looks at it over and over again, greed plain in his expression.

Late in the night Wu Du and Duan Ling head back to their rooms through the winding corridor.

A cool breeze wafts by. Duan Ling suddenly stops walking, and feeling something strange in the air, he stands in front of the covered gallery.

A full moon hangs over Tongguan, so big that it doesn’t even look real, spilling its pale silvery light upon the earth. Wu Du comes to a stop and turns to look at Duan Ling, one perplexed eyebrow raised.

“What is it?” Wu Du asks.

Duan Ling shakes his head; he has an odd feeling, but it’s not anything he can describe.

Wu Du stands behind Duan Ling and puts a hand on his shoulder, and together they look up beyond the courtyard. Beneath the bright moon Duan Ling has a false sense of who he is, as though he’s really become this “Zhao Rong”.

“The waters of Lake Dian, the moon of Tongguan,” Wu Du says, “the pine trees of Mount Yuheng, the snow of Languan.”2

Duan Ling immediately turns his head to say to Wu Du. “You know about that too?”

“Know about what?” Wu Du says, sounding bewildered.

“Those …” Duan Ling is reminded of those vast lands of the central plain Li Jianhong once spoke of, and he mediates for a moment on his thoughts before saying, “My dad also used to say that there are far too many beautiful places in the world.”

“Those born unbound in the itinerant layer of society have hearts that long to roam,” Wu Du says offhandedly.

“I see now this is what he meant by ‘the moon of Tongguan’. And there’s also the maple forests beneath Yubiguan …”

“You’ll see it someday,” Wu Du tells Duan Ling, “let’s go.”

“Do you mean to say you’ll take me there?”

“You can go ahead and think that if you’d like.”

They can’t say too much in Bian Lingbai’s estate, but he knows what Wu Du is trying to tell him; once they finish their work there, if he really wants to go, of course Wu Du can take him on a trip.

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Lake Dian is in Yunnan, Mount Yuheng is by the new capital, Jiangzhou, while “the snow of Languan” refers to a line in a poem. Languan isn’t a “pass”, but a mountain path in Qinling. (Tongguan is by Qinling) The poem referenced how the snow in Languan pass is piled so high that even horses would halt at the sight of it. ↩︎