Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Chapter 18 (Part 3)

Helian Bo hurriedly runs off to get some dry rations for Duan Ling to eat. Once Shang Leguan realises that he’s found Duan Ling, he sets up a patrol to make sure they don’t get discovered. And so Duan Ling starts wolfing down food and drink to replenish his energy.

“That Bian Lingbai is downright trying to kill me …” Duan Ling says.

Helian Bo waves for him to stop talking; if you’re fucking hungry then stop talking and eat more. Duan Ling keeps digging through the pile and chews on leathery, salty dried meat for ages, while Helian Bo breaks off pieces of cheese for him, and Shang Leguan brings him a roasted hare leg, clearly a morsel saved from dinner, just to Duan Ling’s liking.

After eating his fill, Duan Ling lets out a long contented sigh and says to Helian Bo, “I’m going to go wash up.”

Helian Bo follows him, and Duan Ling beckons him over to wash together. So they both strip and jump into the river, and spend ages in the water splashing each other, only getting back on shore once they’ve played enough to both have water in their noses. They put on their clothes and lie down on the top of the hill side by side, to talk beneath the stars.

“One … one year!”

Now that he’s thinking about it, today happens to be a full year after they last parted.

“So—Sorry,” Helian Bo adds.

“Why?” Duan Ling gets up to sit cross-legged, and as he’s saying this to Helian Bo, he looks rather confused.

Helian Bo feels both guilty and anxious to the extreme. He says to Duan Ling, “I—I—I shouldn’t have asked for terms … no no no … no terms … I let you down … I was the one who was … not—not—not … not good … Du—Du—Du—Duan Ling … I—I—I just … you’re my only … best friend.”

Duan Ling looks at him questioningly.

“No need to swap.” Helian Bo hurriedly explains, “No swap. Best friend, I—I kill for!”

As he speaks, Helian Bo slaps his own chest. There’s a tight furrow between his brows, and he looks obviously distressed. Duan Ling and Helian Bo have always been able to understand each other with little said; back when they were still in the Illustrious Hall, every time Helian Bo was about to speak, Huyan Gelu would always tease him, Batu would impatiently tell him to shut up, while Cai Yan would look at him with derision in his eyes. Even the headmaster only ever gave him a perfunctory nod to indicate he heard.

Duan Ling is the only one who’d really listen to Helian Bo when he speaks, and only Duan Ling understands him.

Helian Bo can’t even be bothered to worry about keeping his words brief to avoid his stammering from drawing other people’s ridicule anymore, and he stammers his way through all of those words.

“You—you—you … is it because I didn’t—didn’t say yes to you, and that—that—that’s why you went and did something—something dangerous? I—I—I was so scared, I thought I’d go—go mad …”

Duan Ling gets it now.

When Bian Lingbai returned to Tongguan, he’d have had to explain the absence of a person from his estate somehow. Thus when Helian Bo came looking, Bian Lingbai told him that he’d sent Duan Ling away to run some errands. Soon, the next person who came to see him was Fei Hongde, who told him without supplying further details that Duan Ling may have been in danger and he’d gone missing in a certain location, while there’s a high possibility that Bian Lingbai was colluding with Helian Bo’s uncle Helian Da. Fei Hongde drew a map right there and told Helian Bo to hurry off to go look for Duan Ling.

Helian Bo thought that because Duan Ling wasn’t able to come up with anything to 'swap” with that night during their negotiation, he’d taken a great personal risk to reconnoitre the Qinling area to get information on the Xiliang army lying in ambush. As a result, he never came back — and they had no idea whether he’d been killed or taken away. Helian Bo was so remorseful that he thought he’d go mad; he thought that by saying what he said, he’d killed his best friend. Fortunately, holding onto his last shred of hope, he’d finally run into Duan Ling, not a hair missing from his head — well, of course he’d managed to get a bump on his forehead from wrestling, but that would be a digression.

This time Helian Bo doesn’t wait for Duan Ling to say anything before he offers, “I—I—I’ll go back to get someone, retreat! I’ll get them to … re—retreat!”

Duan Ling waves that off, essentially asking Helian Bo to listen to him instead. Helian Bo seems puzzled at first but he settles down to carefully listen to Duan Ling.

“Where do I even start?” Duan Ling heaves a sigh. It’s such a tangled web that he’s momentarily not sure how to find the right thread to untangle it all.

“I’m actually not anyone named Bian Rong.” Duan Ling says to Helian Bo, “And I’m not Zhao Rong, either.”

Helian Bo nods.

Duan Ling continues, “I’m called Wang Shan. Or at least right now my name is Wang Shan.”

Helian Bo is entirely befuddled.

Duan Ling can but wave again. “It’s not all that important what my name is.”

Helian Bo nods right away. He gives Duan Ling’s shoulder a pat, and then savagely pulls Duan Ling into his embrace, his arms wrapping tight around him.

“You—you—you … who you are … doesn’t matter. You’re my be—be—be—best fri—friend,” Helian Bo says, stammering.

Duan Ling nearly ends up crying. He thinks to himself, you Xiliang barbarian. Can’t you be a bit more Han and more reserved about all this? Must you make other people feel so many feelings?

Helian Bo pats Duan Ling’s shoulder again, meaning that he should keep talking.

Duan Ling ponders this for a long time, and ultimately decides against telling Helian Bo his true identity precisely because of what Helian Bo just said to him. And besides, even if Helian Bo knows who he really is, what can he ever do? What, is Helian Bo supposed to lend him an army to help him forcefully take his position back or something? Helian Bo can barely fend for himself in Xiliang. If the two countries go to war, the ones who end up dying would be innocent soldiers and commoners.

On top of that, the bond between best friends shouldn’t be used like that to begin with.

“I’m working for the Chancellor of Southern Chen. By impersonating Zhao Rong, I’ve infiltrated Bian Lingbai’s Tongguan compound in order to collect evidence of his treason …”

Duan Ling then pours out the whole plan to Helian Bo like beans out of a bamboo chute, including how Bian Lingbai and Helian Da are doing business with each other, and that he’s sent an army of twenty thousand to lie in ambush in Tongguan in hopes of killing Helian Bo on Southern Chen territory, and how Bian Lingbai told Helan Jie to come back as soon as possible so he can better do the killing.

Even if Helian Bo has grown a lot since the last time they saw each other, his brain is having a bit of trouble trying to get all this straight. With a vacant look on his face, he tells Duan Ling to give him time to digest all the information.

“Wu Du has already left for Xichuan to ask for a writ. Once the chancellor’s approval arrives, I’ll hand the document over to you, and you can take it back to Xiliang with you …”

“Wu Du.” Lord knows how Helian Bo’s head even functions; all of the details have been summarily ignored, and he only asks Duan Ling about this name.

Duan Ling says awkwardly. “Helian? Did you understand what I said?”

Helian Bo nods to mean that the other stuff isn’t important, and asks again, “Who—who—who … who is Wu Du … to you?”

Duan Ling is just about to explain that he’s my friend, just like you, but then that suddenly doesn’t feel quite right.

“He’s my …” Duan Ling hesitates. Should he say he’s a subordinate? That doesn’t feel right either. Partner? That’s even weirder. His thoughts hover over this word and that, but the only thing that ends up fitting is “family”. But he truly doesn’t have family, and also Helian Bo has met Lang Junxia before, and he’s even come over for dinner … he doesn’t want to complicate things by bringing that up, and he really doesn’t want to explain to Helian Bo why he isn’t with Lang Junxia anymore.

“Anyway … just don’t ask.”

“Oh—” Helian Bo gives him a rather queer smile.

“What do you mean ‘oh’?!” Duan Ling immediately perceives the ill-intentioned conjecture of a Tangut who’d “even fuck horses”. He snaps, “What are you laughing at?!”

Helian Bo waves a hand rather magnanimously, to mean he doesn’t blame Wu Du anymore. Duan Ling only remembers now that Wu Du had given Helian Bo a beating last time. Helian Bo hasn’t tracked him down to even the score yet, so now that’s all over and done with.

After talking for ages, Duan Ling feels exhausted all of a sudden; ultimately the times when they were kids and free to do whatever they wanted was the happiest time of his life. He decides to simply lie down on the rock side by side with Helian Bo.

“He was the one who saved my life,” Duan Ling says, spacing out. There isn’t a brilliant river of stars above him, only an oppressive canopy of dark clouds. He turns his head to explain to Helian Bo, “I don’t know what he is to me either. He’s just him. Just Wu Du, I suppose.”

Helian Bo hums a response.

Duan Ling adds, “The reason I couldn’t come see you before was because I’m hiding some things from him. After all, I have to be careful with every single move in Bian Lingbai’s estate. One wrong move and I’ll lose it all. I’m sorry, Helian.”

This chapter is scrapped from readlightnovel.org

But Helian Bo is smiling. “Li—li—liv—living, is good.”

Living is good. Duan Ling also agrees with that sentiment.

Inside the Tongguan estate, Bian Lingbai summons Fei Hongde in the middle of the night to ask him for advice. Fei Hongde is ready for this well in advance, but he takes a long time after getting the message before he sees Bian Lingbai, still clad in his loose sleeping robes.

By the time Bian Lingbai finishes listening to those miserable wailing soldiers in the courtyard report the attack they met with at nightfall, he’s already reeling.

“Must … right away …” Bian Lingbai is so panicked that he’s pacing around the hall.

“General, you mustn’t lose your head. First of all, they retreated as soon as their attack failed. That means they were simply scouting out the defences,” Fei Hongde says, and turns to the soldier. “You may go. Take your time to recuperate from your injuries.”

The soldiers are carried away. Fei Hongde closes the door behind them before he proceeds to explain things to Bian Lingbai, “Second of all, aside from you, me, Mister Zhao, and Wu Du, no one knows what’s buried in the cave.”

“Yes … yes.” Bian Lingbai wipes the sweat off his brow and suddenly remembers that only four people know about the treasure.

“Why did Wu Du leave?” Fei Hongde of course already knows the answer.

“To find the Zhenshanhe the late emperor left behind in the north.”

“I’m sure Wu Du isn’t someone who’d collaborate with the enemy.” Fei Hongde answers him, not sounding worried at all, “If he was going to collaborate with the enemy he wouldn’t have waited until now.”

“That’s true.” Even though Bian Lingbai doesn’t like Wu Du at all, when it comes to the cardinal moral rights and wrongs, Wu Du has never taken a false step. Yet when Fei Hongde spoke of collusion, no matter how thick his skin may be, Bian Lingbai still feels his face reddening a bit.

“Young master Zhao is quite young.” Fei Hongde says sincerely, “It’s possible that he may make a fatal mistake in a fit of pique.”

“Impossible,” Bian Lingbai refutes. He’s already kicked that kid down a cliff. He even heard the dull thud that came after. How could he still be alive?

“Well then it can’t be you, general, and it’s not me either. The assassin that attacked the estate last time …”

Bian Lingbai suddenly shudders, realising something.

Fei Hongde adds, “Based on my conjecture, it is extremely likely that this man was sent by Helian Da.”

Paranoid as he is now, Bian Lingbai suspects that Fei Hongde has already figured out his plans. Yet Fei Hongde changes the subject and his tone is polite again as he says, “Helian Da is vying with Helian Bo and the Tuyuhun Queen Dowager for control of the Xiliang court, so he must be planning to kill Shang Leguan and his retinue inside Tongguan this time, with the intention to cause discord between the two nations. The assassin has been spying on us for a long time; last time, when he saw Mister Zhao and I leave for Qinling, he had become suspicious, so it may be possible that he’s sent someone to scout the area.”

“You’re quite right.” The urge to kill surfaces in Bian Lingbai’s eyes for the briefest of moments; I can’t let Fei Hongde live. This man is too smart. But right now he still has a use for him.

“What do you think we should do now?” Bian Lingbai asks.

“In my opinion, there is no cause for panic. It’s nearly dawn. Even if the Tangut found the place, they can’t take the stuff with them. You’ll need to send another squad of soldiers and get them to stand guard halfway up the mountain, and as best as possible, remain outside the enemy’s perimeter, keeping an eye on the situation constantly. Once night falls, I will travel there with you. We’ll bring some more people, and when we find the treasure we’ll transport them out all at once.”

Bian Lingbai ponders this for a moment, and realises that may be their best option.

Fei Hongde tries to soothe his nerves once more. “The enemy only knows that something is fishy about the place, but they have no idea why. As long as you haven’t shown up at the location personally, then they should not have cause to covet what’s there — they don’t know what’s actually there, thus they can only probe. When you do visit the location yourself, we must make sure our plan is flawless and preparations are complete.”

“That’s the only thing we can do now.” Bian Lingbai rushes off to put this plan in motion, sending the Tongguan Guard to the eastern section of the Qinling and dispersing them into the forest to take up each of the high places to observe the Tangut’s every move.

As the sky starts to turn white, Duan Ling is asleep, turned to his side on the rocks. He hears someone making a report to Helian Bo and groggily wakes up. When he hears that the security has been tightened at the site but Bian Lingbai hasn’t come to the cave himself, he knows that the plan he agreed on with Fei Hongde is in effect.

It’s the fourth day since Wu Du left. Duan Ling guesses that he’s already managed to get what they wanted from Xichuan, and today he’s started on his way back.

“He’ll be back at night.” Duan Ling says to Helian Bo, “Let’s go, everyone. Follow me to the mountain across the way, keep a couple of people here on patrol and keep an eye on the situation.”

Helian Bo verifies their method of using light to communicate with the scouting party. A torch lit here can be seen from the mountaintop across the way, and when they get there they can set a watch outside so that as soon as they see the light they can send word of it into the cave.

“They are—are brave warriors of Xiliang,” Helian Bo explains to Duan Ling that there’s a special squad of bodyguards in Xiliang, and only the best fighters are chosen. This division of personal guards has existed since the founding of Xiliang, just like the four great assassins of Southern Chen.

Duan Ling has too many things on his mind, but Helian Bo slaps his own chest again to let Duan Ling know he need not worry; even if Bian Lingbai and Helian Da are conspiring together to kill him and he’s surrounded by an army, he’ll be able to retreat unscathed.

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