Dandere General and his Lord

38. Coming Back to Life

Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen requested to see Cheng Qianye.

Cheng Qianye got up and casually draped a robe around her shoulders before going to the outer hall and sitting at the table to receive them.

“My Lord’s noble body is unwell, forgive Chen1 for the disturbance.”

Cheng Qianye waved her hand and interrupted them. “I merely caught a chill and the fever has passed now, it doesn’t matter. There’s no need for you to look at me like that, just say what you have to say.”

She then inquired, “Xiao Jin didn’t come, did something happen in Bianzhou?”

Zhang Fu looked at this young lord before him.

Perhaps it was due to the precarious life or death situation he had faced in the State of Wei, but in such a short period of time, he had become increasingly calm and reserved.

It was unknown when he had adopted this sort of imposing manner belonging to a superior as he handled complicated matters with ease.

Once, Young Master Yu had given people the impression that he was boastful, irascible and lacking in confidence as he revealed a finicky and unreasonable temper.

But after the rebellion in Zhongmu, Zhang Fu suddenly realized that he might have formed a mistaken opinion of him. Perhaps the things from before had just been a form of self-protection by the Lord.

After seizing Bianzhou, the Lord had swiftly shaken off the confusion and weakness of the earlier days, maturing at an astonishingly fast pace.

He couldn’t pinpoint when the Lord had turned into this figure before him, a person who was reassuring and trustworthy with the ability to shoulder heavy responsibilities.

He and Helan Zhen exchanged a meaningful glance before Helan Zhen explained the state of affairs.

Ever since Wei Mingshan and his Quanrong army had defeated the three allied armies of Li Wenguang, Cheng Qianye and Han Quanlin, the Quanrong Army had gained greatly in momentum.

A few days ago, the Great General Mo Zang Peizhen from the Quanrong Army led 50,000 elite troops from Luoyi to Xuzhou where Li Wenguang was garrisoned at.

And Wei Mingshan who was at Zhengzhou remained in the city as he fed the horses and sharpened his weapons,2 possibly with the intention of attacking Bianzhou.

Therefore, despite Cheng Qianye’s imminent rescue, Xiao Jin and Yu Dunsu did not dare to leave Bianzhou so easily.

They were left with no other choice but to have Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen lead a group of the naval soldiers down the Ji River to rescue her.

Helan Zhen spread out a military map on top of the table as the three of them surrounded it.

“This afternoon, I received a report that Wei Mingshan has set out from Zhengzhou with more than 20,000 troops, heading towards our Bianzhou. In my estimation, they will reach Bianzhou in around three days’ time.” Helan Zhen announced.

Cheng Qianye looked at the map, and unable to understand, she modestly asked for advice, “Zhengzhou is less than 200 li away from Bianzhou. You can reach there in one day if you were to ride a horse. If the Quanrong were to launch a surprise attack with the cavalry, wouldn’t they be able to reach our Bianzhou tomorrow.”

“My Lord, allow me.” Zhang Fu explained earnestly to Cheng Qianye, trying to guide her one step at a time, “Marching for war is different from an ordinary journey. When one enters deep into enemy territory, the army is at the front and the city’s fortifications are still there. Before the war ends, victory or defeat is yet undecided and it is hard to guess the result before one attacks.”

“One can only prevail in war by putting your troops in order and building camps, taking over the strategic spots, or seizing the enemy by the throat before assuming a tactical formation and approaching the enemy with an actual strategy. Hence, even the Quanrong soldiers who are adept with cavalry can only use a mix of both cavalry and infantry to attack a city. Furthermore, with the addition of logistics of supplies, they are limited to travelling around 70-80 li per day.”

Cheng Qianye nodded in understanding. “Oh, so it was because our army had advanced too prematurely last time and taken such a dangerous path through the unfamiliar forests that we were ambushed by the enemy and thrown into such a chaotic state?”

She arranged three cups on top of the table and pointed to the one at the one in the middle. “Our infantry was in the front and our supplies in the rear, the light infantry and the cavalry that should have been at the rear were scattered due to the narrow path.”

“After the enemy scouted out my location, they cut straight through to the center. Although their attack was small, they still dealt us with a deadly blow.”

Zhang Fu and Helan Zheng exchanged a glance, conveying their praise.

“My Lord is quick-witted and understands quickly.” Zhang Fu continued, “After capturing Kuaixian, our army won three victories in succession and regarded the enemy too lightly. Wei Mingshan’s risky and unexpected move of abandoning Zhengzhou to launch an ambush on us really caught us unawares.”

Helan Zhen added, “This time, Wei Mingshan has around 30,000 troops with him and wants to seize Bianzhou, however, Bianzhou’s city walls are sturdy, the provisions are sufficient and Minister Xiao and General Yu are there to defend the city along with our garrison of 20,000 elite troops. On the side, we have Yonqiu, Gaoyang and Qixian who are in harmony with us, so we cannot lose. We will arrive in Huangchi tomorrow at dawn and return to Bianzhou by land, so I should also have the opportunity to meet with this Wei Mingshan.”

“What about that Mo Zang Peizhen?” Cheng Qianye asked.

Zhang Fu looked up in shock and respectfully cupped his fists together, “My Lord and I share the same thought.”

Helan Zhen looked at the two of them in puzzlement.

Cheng Qianye explained, “I think it’s really strange that we have been stationed at Bianzhou for so long and Wei Mingshan never came. Now, we have both elite soldiers and supplies in abundance, yet he wants to seize Bianzhou with 30,000 troops?”

Helan Zhen suddenly came to the realization. “He wants to wait for Mo Zang Peizhen to capture Xuzhou and lay siege to Bianzhou together?”

Zhang Fu replied, “At the same time, he wants to surround Bianzhou so that we will be unable to provide support for Li Wenguang. “At this moment, I believe that Xuzhou, where Li Wenguang is, must already be suffering the hostilities of war.”

Helan Zhen was shocked, “If Mo Zang Peizhen defeats Li Wenguang and commands his army to head north and joins forces with Wei Mingshan, then Bianzhou will be in danger.”

He looked at Zhang Fu. “Li Wenguang is a person who craves for greatness and success, Xuzhou is still on shaky footing and he has recently suffered a loss as well, I’m afraid he really won’t be able to hold on. Furthermore, I doubt whether those other short-sighted lords will send any of their troops to provide aid.”

Cheng Qianye asked, “Can’t we send any reinforcements from our Great Jin?”

Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen both looked at her. They made as if to speak but stopped, showing a look of embarrassment.

Cheng Qianye suddenly realized that she didn’t have enough prestige and pretty much all of her trusted aides and troops were basically there. She might not be able to transfer any of the troops from Jin with a mere order, they could procrastinate or shirk off the responsibility of sending the troops until the matter finally came to pass.

“In that case.” Cheng Qianye made a decision. “We won’t stop at Huangchi, we will go straight north from along the Ji River and then head to our Great Jin Nation’s capital, Jiangzhou. I will go and manage the reinforcements personally!”

The three of them hammered out the final details. They would not return to Bianzhou, but head straight to Jin Nation.

After reaching an agreement on the military situation, they all headed out of the door.

There was a tall figure standing in the dark. Once he caught sight of Cheng Qianye exiting the room, he took a step forward before stopping with his fists clenched.

Cheng Qianye looked at the miserable look in Mo Qiao Sheng’s eyes before turning away and ignoring him, walking straight past him.

In the evening, Cheng Qianye went into the side room to rest and saw Yao Tianxiang waiting for her.

“I’m already fine, you don’t need to accompany me anymore, go and rest.” She pinched Yao Tianxiang’s cheek. “You can go and meet with your lover secretly.”

Yao Tianxiang pinched her back without the slightest hesitation, “Nonsense! How can a woman like me go and meet with a lover in secret? Naturally, I would wish to accompany my dear Husband, make sure he doesn’t spoil any messy little slaves.”

Cheng Qianye laughed and blew out the candle before lying down beside her. “Okay, then let’s sleep together. You worked hard to take care of me yesterday, try and sleep a bit earlier.”

At night in the moving ship.

The rough sounds of the water mingled with the creak of the bed.

Due to the excess of sleep as a result of her fever the previous night, Cheng Qianye was having a hard time falling asleep.

Yao Tianxiang turned over, her eyes glistening in the dark.

“Qianyu, my curiosity is really killing me.” She poked Cheng Qianye. “Since you didn’t tell him that you’re a woman, how did you deal with him on our wedding night?”

Cheng Qianye laughed and didn’t respond.

“Don’t try to deceive me, I definitely gave him enough medicine that day.” Yao Tianxiang refused to give up and said mischievously, “My servant girl heard you, she said she heard crying and pleading from the room that night and that you tossed him around at midnight. Oh… could it be that you used the props?”

Cheng Qianye gave up and turned around before starting to tickle her.

Yao Tianxiang resisted and begged for forgiveness, “Oh, oh, don’t make trouble, if not for your wounds, i’d show you!”

Cheng Qianye didn’t continue to quarrel with her. She lay down on her stomach and laughed into the pillow as she recalled the situation that night.

“Are you really going to ignore him?”

“I’ll give him the cold-shoulder for a few days so he’ll remember.” Cheng Qianye did not smile. “This trait of his where he can disregard his life so easily must be changed. Or else my heart won’t be able to take it.”

“Alas, how pitiful. After seeing you were sick yesterday, he didn’t eat or drink anything all day and stayed in front of your bed to watch over you. Who would have thought that you would drive him away after you woke up.”

“He didn’t eat anything all day?”

“That’s how it is as a slave. If the master likes you, he’ll call you over and play with you, and if he doesn’t like you, he’ll just toss you away. He almost drowned in the river and didn’t have any food, and now, I think he must have caught a chill from squatting outside so miserably.”

Yao Tianxiang hadn’t finished speaking when Cheng Qianye lifted up the quilt from beside her and got out of bed.

Cheng Qianye wrapped her robe around her shoulders and stepped outside of the side room. The moonlight shone down on the river and the crystalline water gleamed from the reflection of the light.

There was a long corridor outside of the side room. Cheng Qianye caught sight of a figure squatting in a shadowy corner. He raised his head from his knees and cautiously looked at her.

Forget about it, forget about it, what are you even doing? If he can’t stand on his own, then I can slowly teach him to stand on his own. He’s injured and frightened, are you willing to treat him like this?

Cheng Qianye’s thoughts were chaotic and she abandoned the firm words she had said before without any principles.

She stretched out her hand and rubbed Mo Qiao Sheng’s hair before pulling him to his feet and leading him to her side room.

Yao Tianxiang, that tactful woman had already disappeared without her knowledge.

Cheng Qianye pressed Mo Qiao Sheng to sit down in front of the table and touched his cold face before pouring him a cup of hot tea and putting down a plate of soft osmanthus cakes in front of him.

“Eat, pad your stomach first. You haven’t eaten anything?”

Mo Qiao Sheng looked at the soft osmanthus cakes in front of him. His lips moved and he bowed his head, not saying anything.

“Eat. After eating, rest in my room tonight.” Cheng Qianye sat in front of him and smiled as she said, “Just like the past few days, will you sleep in front of my bed?”

The warm cup was stuffed into his icy palm and the heat seemed to burn through his fingers and penetrate his heart.

Mo Qiao Sheng silently picked up the soft osmanthus cakes and put them into his mouth, one by one, sending it into his empty stomach along with the hot tea. He felt as if he had been released from a frozen glacier, finally coming back to life.

He saw his Master spread a thick quilt on the floor in front of the bed before setting down a pillow and another quilt.

He laid down on his stomach on the edge of the bed and looked at him with a smile.

Mo Qiao Sheng felt as though he was walking in a dreamland as he walked onto that soft quilt before lying down and curling up his body.

In the darkness, he yearned for the touch of that hand a thousand times. It slipped down from the bed and stroked his hair tenderly.

“Qiao Sheng, promise me, from now on, no matter what happens, you cannot give up on your life so easily.”

“Even if you won’t think about yourself, at least think about me. The moment I thought that something happened to you, I really couldn’t bear it.”

~

1. (臣 – Chen) – This Official/Subject/Minister / I, Your Servant [Form of self-address used when speaking to a sovereign.]
2. (厉兵秣马 – lì bīng mò mǎ) – Idiom meaning making preparations for war, getting ready for battle.