Nirvana In Fire

“Fierce battle…..” Prince Jing was relatively familiar with the situation in the northern border back then and pondered it over with horror. “Don’t tell me that what Xie Yu reported, that he was trying to repel 200,000 Da Yu troops and protect the northern borders, that wasn’t actually true, that it was actually you…..He…caan he still call himself a soldier? Does he feel no shame, laying false claims of meritorious deeds just to obtain a Marquis title and the Commander’s seal?”

“Repel them?” Wei Zheng sneered. “Da Yu was established through military force. If it was merely to repel them, why has it been so peaceful these past more than ten years? If it wasn’t for the concerted effort of our entire Chiyan army, who devoted our flesh and blood to eliminating their 200,000 strong imperial army, do you think Da Liang’s northern borders would have enjoyed these thirteen years of peace?”

“But Da Yu has never……” His trembling voice trailed off mid-sentence as understanding dawned on him. 200,000 Da Yu troops were annihilated. Obviously they weren’t going to report to the Liang Court that “We weren’t repelled by Xie Yu since we had already been destroyed by Chiyan.” Very likely, if the Emperor of Da Yu had known the fate of the Chiyan army in Meiling that day, he would have been only too happy to further fan the flames. If his army hadn’t been lost, this militant Emperor would probably have taken the opportunity to march south and invade again. As for the Liang Emperor who was safely ensconced in his capital of Jinling, how would he have known the true state of affairs in the northern border? He could only rely on official letters and Xuanjing Bureau’s reports. Furthermore, suspicion and fear had long since been branded deep in his heart, and so in this way, he made the decision to weaken his own strength*.

*actual idiom used, literally translated: self-destruction of the great wall

“So this is how it all came to an end back then. Most of what we knew were false,” Lie Zhanying said angrily, “Wei Zheng, slowly tell it all to His Highness from the beginning. As long as the actual facts still exist, justice will be served one day!”

Wei Zheng nodded, taking a moment to compose himself before saying, “In the beginning, our garrison was at the northern line of Ganzhou. At this time, we received an imperial order from the Emperor for the entire army to stay put. We never expected that just one day after receiving the imperial order, our scouts would return to report that Da Yu had dispatched their 200,000 strong imperial army. They had seized Sutai and were pressing towards Meiling. If we had obeyed and stayed put, should Da Yu’s army break through Meiling, it would be difficult to defend the next ten prefectures as they were primarily flat lands. It had always been the Chiyan army’s duty to safeguard the borders and keep our citizens safe. How could we sit back and watch as millions of people faced fatal disaster? Moreover, in critical war situations, a general in the field is not bound by orders from the ruler, which is why Commander Lin sent an urgent report to the Emperor while at the same time issuing orders to strike camp and meet the enemy. Later, this move also became another proof of great crime.”

“Commander Lin’s report did not arrive in the capital at all. It must have been intercepted along the way.” Prince Jing barely suppressed his anger, and with great effort closed his eyes momentarily. “Please continue.”

“We marched night and day, arriving in Meiling at almost the same time as the Da Yu army. Your Highness may be aware that because our numbers were reduced at the beginning of that year, we had only 70,000 troops at the time. We couldn’t fight recklessly, so Commander Lin ordered General Nie Feng to circumvent the Jiehun Valley in the north to provide flank support. The Chiyu Battalion was the vanguard to attack the northern valley. The main force would intercept and divide the enemy, and then we would attack. That night, strong winds and snow began to blow. Nie Zhen da ren accompanied the Chiyu Battalion, using the cover of snow to attack with fire by burning grease-soaked pieces of cloth…..In that fierce battle, all 70,000 of us bathed in blood for three days and three nights, staking everything and exhausting every last bit of our energy to finally destroy the imperial army that was the pride of Da Yu, leaving behind only a few scattered remnants.” Wei Zheng’s face lit up with pride, but only for a brief moment before it darkened again. “But we ourselves had also suffered heavy casualties, and our military strength was in critical condition. In our exhaustion, we had no choice but to remain there to rest and recoup. It was at this time that Young Commander began to sense that something wasn’t right, because the flank support from Nie Feng never appeared at all. There was a cliff separating Jiehun Valley and Northern Valley. Even though the terrain was dangerous, General Nie Feng, who was nicknamed “Swift Wind*”, shouldn’t have taken so long to arrive. So Young Commander ordered me to proceed to the Southern Valley to check with the main camp. Who would have thought that as soon as I arrived, before I could approach the Commander’s tent, Xie Yu and Xia Jiang’s 100,000 troops had already rushed there…..” Prince Jing suddenly slammed down hard, unexpectedly breaking off a corner of the hard pear-wood table, its wood shavings rustling as they fell to the floor. Meng Zhi was also hearing these details for the first time, and he felt rage surge in his heart. Gritting his teeth, he turned back and shot a glance at Mei Changsu, but was met by a blank face as he sat in the corner, his head slightly raised, completely still, as if frozen into a lifeless silhouette.

*literal translation of “ji feng”

“When we first saw them, we thought…..we actually thought…..they were reinforcements…..” The grief and desolation in Wei Zheng’s voice could crush even the hardest of hearts. He raised his head and looked straight at Prince Jing, “The ending….Your Highness is already aware. The Southern Valley was reduced to hell, and the Northern Valley…..it was set on fire and became scorched earth. All our swift and brave brothers who endured against Da Yu’s imperial army finally and unexpectedly fell under the hands of our own friendly forces. Many of them didn’t understand what was going on even as they were standing at death’s door. I tried desperately to rush to Commander Lin’s side, but he was already seriously injured and dying. His last words were for us all to run, if even one more of us could survive, then we should. I can only imagine how much his heart ached at that moment, the cold, the hurt. Perhaps it is a blessing that he died without seeing the thick smoke rising above the Northern Valley…..his deputies, his men, not one of them left him, even if in the end, they were only protecting a corpse. But I wasn’t able to, because my commander was Lin Shu. I wanted to rush back to the Northern Valley, but there were too many of them. I was only halfway when I collapsed, and when I woke up, I had already been rescued by my foster father Valley Chief Su…..”

Prince Jing clenched his jaw tight, barely restraining himself, but in the end, he still couldn’t stop himself from burying his fist in his palm. Meng Zhi, too, turned his head to the side and wiped the hot tears from the corner of his eyes with his finger. Lie Zhan Ying’s tears had long since fallen like rain. Only Mei Changsu continued to maintain his original position, his eyes staring faintly at the rough surface of the wall before him.

After a long while, Prince Jing took a deep breath to steady himself before asking again, “Chief Su…..why was he there at the time?”

“Meiling has an unusual medicinal ingredient, one that is extremely rare. At the time, my adoptive father and his old friend were there to gather medicine, and stumbled across this tragic situation. In that chaos, they couldn’t do much. It was only when Xie Yu finally started clearing the battlefield that they could disguise themselves to enter, to find a way to save some people.”

“Then Nie Duo…..”

“At the time, Nie Duo was dispatched by Commander Lin to check on Nie Feng’s situation. On his way back, he detected something unusual and did his best to escape.”

Prince Jing lowered his head and remained silent for a long time. Then he asked again what he had asked before, “Wei Zheng, the Northern Valley…..were there really no other survivors?”

Wei Zheng avoided his gaze and whispered, “I’ve not heard of any…..”

Although he had long understood in his heart that hope was slim, after hearing Wei Zheng’s reply, Xiao Jingyan still couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. His friend, the one whom he had played and “rolled around” with since they were young, the friend with whom he had studied and trained, who was always strutting around with self-importance, trying his best to show off but who was in actual fact the most attentive and considerate friend that friend who fought on horseback and was on the battlefield with him, friends who entrusted each other with their lives, the friend who laughed and persistently asked him to bring the pearl back before he left. He was really never coming back….

The pearl from the South China Sea was still lying cold and lonely deep in the chest by his bedside, but of the young general who was originally intended to be its owner, he didn’t even know where his bones had been scattered. Thirteen years had passed, but the soul was still restless, the name not cleared. Even if he had seven pearls on him and immeasurable honor, what was the point?!

“Your Highness, please don’t be rash.” Mei Changsu’s soft voice carried over. “This case was decided by His Majesty. Its implications are extensive, so it will not be so easy to overturn it. At the present moment, Your Highness can only make plans, and have no choice but to temporarily suppress your grief and anger. Pace yourself. As long as the goal has been decided, stay the course, and solidify your core strength one step at a time. Why feel sad about it?”

“That’s right,” Meng Zhi was also a little calmer now, and said soothingly in a low voice, “To reverse the verdict, you must first get His Majesty to admit his mistake. But this mistake is too great. Even if His Majesty believed it, he may not acknowledge it. Besides, Wei Zheng is now a traitor. Whether or not his words will carry weight and whether or not he would get to speak them at court, all these are unknown. Your Highness must absolutely not act prematurely!”

“But……but…..” Lie Zhanying cried, “How can we endure such injustice? Is this the only ending for our comrades in that bloody battlefield?”

“This case is not about the Chiyan army,” Mei Changsu said quietly, “What’s more important is that it involves the blood of the Emperor’s eldest son. Getting His Majesty to reverse the verdict would be equivalent to getting him to rewrite history for future generations, to leave behind a reputation for unjustly killing his son and loyal minister. Which man, let alone the Emperor, wouldn’t care about his reputation after he dies? If Your Highness Prince Jing wants to achieve your final goal, you absolutely must not propose a retrial of the Chiyan case at this time.”

“I understand what Sir is saying.” Prince Jing raised his head, his eyes red, his face ashened. “But I would also like to remind Sir that my ultimate goal is to wipe this case clean. If there are others, we can put them on hold for the time being.”

Mei Changsu returned his gaze for a long time and smiled faintly. “Yes, Su mou will keep that in mind.”

“Will Wei Zheng continue to stay here Sir?”

“Even though they have relaxed the search for him, it may still be too risky to send him back to Yao Wang Valley, as mishaps may happen enroute. My people are discrete, so it will be safe for him here. Your Highness need not worry.”

“If so, I will then have to trouble you, Sir” Prince Jing then turned towards Wei Zheng and said, “We were able to rescue you this time due entirely to Mister Su’s clever strategy and accurate foresight. While living here, you must obey Mister Su’s orders.”

Wei Zheng immediately clasped his hands before him, saying “Yes! Wei Zheng will definitely obey Mister Su’s orders!”

He responded so quickly and directly that Prince Jing was a little startled. Though Mei Changsu had rescued him, it shouldn’t have been so easy for a general with a fiery and forthright disposition to proclaim such words of obedience.

“There are no rules in our house. General Wei is too polite.” Mei Changsu smiled and changed the topic. “If there is anyone you shouldn’t provoke, it’s Physician Yan. Your wounds have not healed completely, so he would most likely attend to you. When that happens, you must not offend him at all costs, otherwise I will also get into trouble.”

“I have also met this old physician. He is indeed very intimidating,” Meng Zhi added on, “And Mister Su is rarely afraid of others.”

Lie Zhanying stepped forward, pinching his brows as he suggested softly to Wei Zheng, “Why don’t you come and stay in Prince Jing’s mansion? There are many old friends, and it’s safe there…..”

Mei Changsu shot him a quick look, frowning slightly. Lie Zhanying realized his mistake, and quickly took two steps backwards, bowing his head. In this way, however, Prince Jing’s attention was thus distracted, and he said reprovingly, “Zhanying, you shouldn’t interfere with Mister Su’s arrangements.”

“Yes.” As a high-ranking general, Lie Zhanying wasn’t being blindly impertinent, and he was also naturally sensible and experienced. He immediately bowed down to apologize, “Zhanying spoke too much. Please forgive me.”

“General Lie is His Highness’s personal bodyguard. In future, please be more thorough in your thinking to keep him safe.” Mei Changsu’s words were direct, after which he turned towards Prince Jing and said, “Has Your Highness made arrangements for your people to remain behind during the Spring Hunt?”

“They have been properly deployed. The Spring Hunt will last for a full half a month. In the capital, the imperial order will be observed. Prince Yu will also remain behind. We really can’t be careless.”

Mei Changsu sighed softly and murmured, “Actually, my thoughts are now similar to Xia Jiang’s then, hoping that they would make a move. Unfortunately, as far as the situation is concerned, Prince Yu may not dare to take such a risk. Your Highness just needs to take care to leave people behind to keep an eye on them.”

Prince Jing nodded, his expression beginning to look a little distracted. The details and facts revealed that evening had made him both angry and heartbroken, as if a huge boulder was pressing down on his chest, causing great anguish. He actually wanted to hold himself up, to continue to discuss matters with Mei Changsu as usual, but after those few sentences, he realized he couldn’t do it anymore, at least not tonight. He couldn’t think of anything else because his whole head was hot like lava, and he was unable to suppress it, to return to his normal state.

“Your Highness, please go back and rest.” There was a trace of weariness in Mei Changsu’s voice. He moved his gaze away from Prince Jing, taking a few steps back. Silence descended over the room. Xiao Jingyan slowly stood up, his eyelids hanging low, concealing his emotions. He patted Wei Zheng’s shoulder, as if to say something to him, but in the end he didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned around to walk towards his own doorway, followed closely by Lie Zhanying. Meng Zhi originally intended to stay behind for a while, but observing Mei Changsu’s expression, he had no choice but to leave with Prince Jing.

The stone door closed slowly, cutting off all sound. Mei Changsu’s body shook slightly, and Wei Zheng immediately stepped forward to hold him tightly, supporting him.

“Thank you.” The former Junior Commander moved part of his weight to his deputy general’s supporting arm, but his exhaustion was overwhelming him and it was almost impossible for him to fight it. “Let’s go. We should go.”

Wei Zheng extinguished the lights in the secret chamber and the light from the passageway spilled in, faint in the darkness, bringing with it a sense of the distant past. Mei Changsu stopped when he reached the line dividing light and shadow, his gaze deep in thought.

Wei Zheng stood to the side, quietly looking at his profile, and suddenly said, “Young Commander, I think we can tell…..”

The Chiyu Deputy General swallowed the rest of his sentence when his Junior Commander turned his head to glance at him.

The meaning behind that glance was very clear.

“Those words, don’t mention them again…..” After saying this, Mei Changsu withdrew his fierce gaze and once again returned to his tired and confused state, as if that fierce and burning gaze from just a moment ago was nothing more than just Wei Zheng’s imagination.