This Young Friend, Could It Be That You Recognize This Old Man?
“This young friend, could it be that you recognize this old man?”
The Clan Leader’s question pulled Lu Ronghuai’s thoughts back. Without betraying anything, he smiled and stepped forward with Lu Duoyu in his arms. “I have heard Father mention you before. I only did not expect you to look so young. This junior was startled for a moment and thus lost proper courtesy.”
Clan Leader Jiang looked into his eyes. Since the other party was unwilling to speak the truth, there was no need for him to dig down to the root of it.
Judging from this man’s bearing, he must be that Prince Li who was famed for valor in battle.
“Your Highness flatters me. This old man has already reached the age of eighty and beyond. I am no longer young.” After saying this in a quiet tone, his gaze fell upon Lu Duoyu’s face. “This is... Your Highness’s child?”
“Clan Leader, this is Yuanyuan and His Highness’s child, and also your great-grandson.” Jiang Ni said with a smile.
Clan Leader Jiang nodded. “Let us go inside first. The wind is strong outside.”
Everyone followed him into the ship’s cabin. The interior was spacious, its furnishings not lavish, but tasteful and refined, clean lines and quiet elegance that had their own particular charm.
After everyone had taken their seats, Jiang Ni carried Lu Duoyu over to Clan Leader Jiang’s side.
“Little Fish, this is your Great-Great-Grandfather.”
Lu Duoyu sweetly greeted him. “Great-Great-Grandfather!My name is Lu Wuyin. Grandfather may also call me Little Fish.”
A smile appeared on Clan Leader Jiang’s face. Lowering his head, he looked at the little person who came only to his knee and said warmly, “Is Little Fish hungry?”
“Not hungry. Is Great-Great-Grandfather hungry? Little Fish has sugar cakes and can give you some to eat.” He was not afraid of strangers in the least. Both hands pressed against Clan Leader Jiang’s knee as he tilted up his head and blinked while asking.
The smile in Clan Leader Jiang’s eyes deepened. He reached out and patted the little fellow’s head, then lifted him up to sit on his own lap.
Afterward, he looked toward Lu Ronghuai and Chu Yuan. “This child is bright and quick, and also sensible and well-behaved. The two of you have taught him very well.”
Lu Ronghuai propped up his chin and looked at the brat. Hearing this, he smiled. “He is mischievous to the extreme, and very skilled at pretending to be good.”
Jiang Ni could not bear to hear anyone speak ill of his treasure, not even the child’s own father.
“Little Fish is not even two years old yet. He is already very well-behaved.”
Clan Leader Jiang lifted a hand and pointed toward the teacups on the table. “This is tea from our sea. Please give it a taste.”
Chu Yuan lifted the teacup. The warmth was just right. He took a sip, and fragrance at once occupied his lips and tongue. The scent was long and lingering, like wild chrysanthemums in the fields, and also like morning dew in the mountain woods.
Clan Leader Jiang took in the fondness upon Chu Yuan’s face, then suddenly spoke. “This was your father’s favorite tea.”
Chu Yuan froze slightly and lifted his eyes, staring at him blankly.
Jiang Ni looked at the clear tea within his cup. The steam of the broth blurred his eyes, and he could not help feeling a sting of sourness. “Yes. This was the Yunbo tea Xiao You loved best. Yet he will never be able to drink it again.”
Chu Yuan resembled Jiang You by seven or eight parts. Looking at this face, Clan Leader Jiang’s thoughts could not help but drift.
“The direct line of the Jiang clan has always been sparse. After your father came of age, there was no one within the clan suitable to marry him. When he chose to leave, we did not stop him. Had I known it would come to this, I most certainly would not have agreed to let him go.”
When he had learned through the letter that Jiang You had long since passed away, he too had suffered and reproached himself for a very long time. That had been the most outstanding son of the Jiang clan, and also the child he had watched grow up.
Sadness showed in Chu Yuan’s face. He lowered his eyes, not letting them see the wetness rising within them.
Lu Ronghuai wrapped an arm around his waist, and his other hand closed over Chu Yuan’s cool fingers, giving him silent comfort and strength.
Memories were raw and blood-soaked. Clan Leader Jiang clearly did not wish to speak more on this matter either. Jiang You was dead, and they would not let off the bastard who had harmed him. Only thus could they console his spirit in heaven.
Clan Leader Jiang said, “On my side, one hundred ships have already been prepared. When does Your Highness plan to head for Chu Kingdom?”
Lu Ronghuai replied, “At any time.”
Clan Leader Jiang said, “The waters of the Southern Holy Sea are vast, and the winds change without constancy. A first voyage upon the sea is very easily blown off course. This time, I have brought the whole clan to lend Your Highness a hand. I hope Your Highness will take Chu Kingdom soon.”
Chu Kingdom had long eyed the Jiang clan like a tiger watching its prey. He now hated Chu Kingdom so deeply that his teeth itched. This was also why, when Jiang Ni wrote to ask him for help, he had been willing to sail out and lend aid, not only for Jiang You’s sake, but also for the descendants of the Jiang clan.
Lu Ronghuai curved his lips. The corners of his eyes lifted with a hint of brazen boldness. Though he wore the appearance of a dashing and amorous man, it was hard-edged with killing intent.
“Blood debts must be repaid in blood. What Chu Kingdom owes Ah-Yuan and Mother Empress will most certainly be repaid doubled.”
Hearing this, Clan Leader Jiang felt comforted in his heart. He could see that this Prince Li truly cherished Chu Yuan. With him present, their hope of exacting revenge would also be greater.
“There is one matter in which I must trouble Clan Leader.” Lu Ronghuai turned his head slightly. “A fugitive from Lu Kingdom is hiding within Chu Kingdom. It is very likely that he will attempt to flee by sea. When that time comes, I ask Clan Leader to send people to capture him.”
Clan Leader Jiang nodded. After asking clearly for the fugitive’s name and appearance, he accepted the matter.
“Your Highness may rest assured. The Jiang clan has lived upon the Southern Holy Sea for many years and understands these waters extremely well. If he wishes to flee across the sea, it will be harder than ascending to heaven.”
Lu Ronghuai said, “That is excellent. This man is cunning. You must also all be extra careful.”
Jiang Ni asked, “One ship can hold one thousand men. His Highness has many troops. How are they to be deployed?”
Lu Ronghuai considered it. “One hundred large ships can carry one hundred thousand men in a single trip. These one hundred thousand are all my Xuan Yu Guard. Each can stand against ten. They are the key to our taking Chu Kingdom.”
“Once the great ships return, another hundred thousand soldiers will be sent to the coast of Duan Kingdom, so that together they may encircle them.”
All the way as they fought, they had also recruited soldiers, continuously filling the ranks with fresh troops. Because of that, they now possessed a full five hundred thousand men.
Clan Leader Jiang asked, “Then how are the remaining soldiers to be handled?”
Lu Ronghuai smiled. “The remaining three hundred thousand troops will set out from Liu Kingdom. They will be divided into two routes. Bai Qingyu will lead one route toward Duan Kingdom, and Zhao Lu will lead the other toward Chu Kingdom. We will leave them beset in front and behind, with not even wings enough to let them escape.”
Once everything had been discussed, Lu Ronghuai sent men to count the numbers, and one hundred thousand Xuanyu Guards began boarding the ships.
On the second day, Bai Qingyu and the others stood upon the shore and watched the hundred ships leave the coast behind.
The nights upon the sea were not peaceful. The waves rose and fell without cease, and the sound of them came in rolling bursts. The ships had already drifted across the surface of the sea for three days, so small they seemed no more than leaves.
Chu Yuan suffered from seasickness and the whole of him was languid. Lu Ronghuai went to find Jiang Ni. Jiang Ni gave him two cooling plasters and had him place them upon Chu Yuan’s abdomen, saying they would ease the sickness of the ship.
After half a shichen of tending to him, and after he had drunk half a bowl of bird’s nest and snow fungus porridge, heavy drowsiness came over Chu Yuan and he leaned against the soft pillow and fell asleep.
After washing his hands, Lu Ronghuai returned, bent down, and lifted him up. Carefully, he set him in the middle of the bed.
Afterward, he removed his shoes and climbed onto the bed, pulling the blanket over both the large one and the small one within the bed, then lay down along the outer side with one arm propped up, quietly gazing at Chu Yuan.
He remembered their meeting during the day.
In truth, what Clan Leader Jiang had said was not wrong. He had indeed met him before.
It had been in the previous life, after Chu Yuan’s death.
At that time, he had already gone mad. He had begged before gods and buddhas he had once disdained to the utmost, had traveled all the nine provinces and eight wastes, had sent orders throughout the four seas. So long as he could see Chu Yuan once more and renew the bond they had shared, he would willingly pour out everything and regret nothing even in nine deaths.
It was at that time that Clan Leader Jiang had found him.
Yet he had concealed his name. He said only a few words to him, then vanished into the sea of men, to the point that Lu Ronghuai once suspected the man harbored ill intent.
Now that he thought on it, the reason he had been willing to appear before him and willing to lend him a hand may have been because he had learned that Chu Yuan was one of his clansmen.
Whether out of pity or guilt, that act of help had been an immense kindness.
He reached out and gathered Chu Yuan into his arms, lowering his head to breathe in with attachment the cool and clean scent of soapberries in his hair. The despair and agony of the last life had been made whole in this life. In this life, he had no regrets left.
Many soldiers of Lu Kingdom lacked experience riding ships upon the sea, and there were no few among them who became dizzy and vomited. Because of that, Jiang Ni was so busy during the first half of the month that his feet scarcely touched the ground. Quite a number of soldiers also developed fever upon the ships, burning for several days on end and nearly dying of dehydration.
Fortunately, the Jiang clansmen had prepared thoroughly and had also anticipated that they would have all sorts of maladjustments. A great quantity of medicinal herbs had been prepared on the ships, and they managed at last to survive the dangers of the early days.
Later on, everyone slowly adapted to life upon the sea and their spirits improved bit by bit. By the time the ships reached the coast of Chu Kingdom, they had basically all regained their lively vigor.
Stepping onto the soil of Chu Kingdom once more, Chu Yuan had the feeling that a lifetime had passed between then and now.
The moment they landed, the Xuan Yu Guard swiftly broke apart, slipping into the mountain woods and wild paths all around like a black mist. Very quickly, they disappeared without a trace.
The place where they landed was an abandoned fishing village. The ground there lay too low, and every year when the tide rose in summer, the village would be submerged. Because of that, many fishermen had moved elsewhere, and the place had grown increasingly desolate.
Each time the Jiang clansmen came ashore to buy supplies, they entered from here. For that reason, several abandoned fish huts held coarse cloth garments kept in reserve.
Lu Ronghuai took out several human-skin masks and handed them to everyone. The whole party changed into inconspicuous clothes, put on the masks, and then walked out openly and aboveboard.
Several young men of the Jiang clan led donkey carts over.
Clan Leader Jiang said, “I bought a residence in Wubo. The travel documents have already been prepared properly. We will say we are going to seek shelter with relatives. If all goes smoothly, we can arrive in half a month.”
Wubo was the capital of Chu Kingdom and lay not far from the Southern Holy Sea. If one rode at full speed, it would take only five or six days to arrive.
No one raised any objection. They all boarded the donkey carts and set out.
After reaching a market town of Chu Kingdom, they changed to a plain carriage and, all the way, kept a low profile as they headed toward Wubo. They met with no trouble along the road and thus came unimpeded into Wubo.
By now, the autumn equinox had already passed. Though the sun was not as scorching as in the height of summer, it still left one drenched in sweat.
Following Clan Leader Jiang, they wound through streets and lanes for quite some time and at last found the residence.
Clan Leader Jiang said, “To conceal appearances, this residence was chosen to be ordinary. It was formerly the old house of a merchant. Though the sparrow is small, it still possesses all five organs. I have already had it swept and cleaned. Everyone, please enter.”
Lu Ronghuai stepped inside. In his arms, Lu Duoyu curiously looked all around.
Two birdcages hung from the branches in the courtyard, and inside them were two parrots with bright and beautiful feathers. Lu Duoyu’s mouth fell open and he let out a sound of wonder, then twisted his body and demanded to get down and look at the parrots.
Jiang Ni smiled and tapped the tip of his nose. “This is a gift your Great-Great-Grandfather prepared for you. Does Little Fish like it?”
“Like it!” Lu Duoyu happily ran over and hugged Clan Leader Jiang’s leg, tilting up his head as he said joyfully, “Thank you, Great-Great-Grandfather. Little Fish likes you best.”
Clan Leader Jiang’s brows and eyes softened, and he bent down to pat his head. “Go play.”
Lu Ronghuai tugged at the corner of his mouth and looked at the little brat who had run off to play with the parrots. “Bought so easily. The little brat is rather gullible.”
Jiang Ni was in the middle of giving instructions to Le Shu. Hearing this, he refuted him at once. “Not at all. Our Little Fish is very clever. So young, yet he already knows who is kind to him, and he also knows how to coax others. He is much more capable than children his age.”
Lu Ronghuai wrapped an arm around Chu Yuan’s shoulders and drew him along toward the room at the right, saying in a loose tone, “Ah-Die is right. After hurrying along for so many days, everyone should quickly go inside and rest.”
Chu Yuan had Le Shu and Xian Shuang remain in the courtyard to watch over Lu Duoyu. After the two of them entered the room, they washed up simply and changed out of the clothes marked with dust.
The two lay down upon the bed in their underrobes. Lu Ronghuai lifted his hand again and again, gently stroking Chu Yuan’s hair.
“Once matters are finished, Ah-Yuan should take me to see the temple where you once lived.”
Half reclining in his embrace, Chu Yuan nodded lightly. “All right. I too would like very much to go back and look once.”
“And the palace retreat. Mother Empress loved that place very much. I... wish to go there once more.”
Lu Ronghuai heard the low mood in his voice and kissed Chu Yuan’s forehead. “Good. We will go to all of them. Wherever Ah-Yuan wishes to go, I will go with you.”
“Thank you, Wangli.” Chu Yuan’s clear eyes reflected his face, and a small smile appeared again at his lips.
Lu Ronghuai lightly bit his cheek in dissatisfaction. “There you go again. Why are you thanking me? You are the only wife of my life. So long as it is something you say, I will do it.”
Chu Yuan could not help laughing. “Then if I were to tell Your Highness to go kill people and set fires, would Your Highness also be willing?”
“Willing.” He answered without the least hesitation.
Chu Yuan’s smile stopped.
His expression turned serious. He raised a hand and poked at Lu Ronghuai’s chest. “Your Highness, when we were in Ye Jing, Your Highness promised me you would not slaughter the innocent.”
Chu Yuan had always remembered the old monk they had encountered on the Qiqiao Festival. The old monk had spoken of Lu Ronghuai’s killings being too heavy, and that they might damage the blessings of this lifetime.
Chu Yuan had kept the old monk’s words in his heart. To say he was not worried would be false.
“Do not worry. The words you have spoken, I carry them out as though they were an imperial edict.” Lu Ronghuai curved his lips. Though his tone sounded playful, Chu Yuan understood that he truly had listened to what he said.
Chu Yuan’s heart eased a little. Thinking back over this year of his campaigns through the Six Kingdoms, apart from the necessary sacrifices and losses, he had indeed not harmed the common people of the various kingdoms. Precisely because of this, though the Six Kingdoms had fallen, the people did not suffer heavy losses.
They lived their own lives. No matter who became the ruler, so long as that ruler could let the people dwell in peace and work in contentment and could bring abundance to things and prosperity to the people, then they could honor him as king and revere him as Son of Heaven.
“Your Highness, I want to avenge Mother Empress personally.”
“What?”
Chu Yuan lowered his eyes, and a cold gleam flashed faintly within them. “That person, leave him to me to deal with, will you allow it?”
“But—” Lu Ronghuai was worried for his safety, and a rare hesitation appeared on his face.
Chu Yuan reached out and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Your Highness may rest assured. I will not place myself in danger.”
“I have you, I have Little Fish, and I have Ah-Die and the others. I cannot bear to part from you all, so I will certainly protect myself well.”
He wanted to avenge Mother Empress with his own hands. If it were the Chu Yuan who had once been imprisoned within the ruined temple, then perhaps he would have chosen to perish together with that man like jade and stone shattered alike.
Yet now he was no longer alone. There were many people in this world whom he could not stop caring for. Because of that, even if he sought revenge, he would make every preparation there was to make.
Lu Ronghuai looked into his eyes. How could he not know that Jiang You’s death was the knot in Chu Yuan’s heart? That knot now stabbed at his heart day after day. How could he ever forget it?
And so, of the thousand words and ten thousand phrases in his heart, in the end there remained only one sentence of gentle support.
“All right. Ah-Yuan’s word is worth a thousand pieces of gold. You must not break it.”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Thank you very much for everyone’s support. I will continue to work hard!
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