MSW Chapter46

82

Fang Yuan?

 

Duan Linzhou raised his eyebrows in surprise and instructed a servant, “Please take him to the Flower Hall.”

 

He carefully folded the letter and sealed it in an envelope before stepping out of the study. Just as the servant led Fang Yuan to the Flower Hall, they ran right into Duan Linzhou. Fang Yuan was dressed in plain clothing with a veil hat on his head. Though he looked a bit travel-worn, his gaze remained clear and calm. He bowed to Duan Linzhou and said, “Boss Duan, I came uninvited without sending a letter. I hope you’ll pardon the intrusion.”

 

Duan Linzhou smiled faintly and gestured courteously. “You’re too polite, Young Master Fang. Please, come in.”

 

The two of them sat down in the Flower Hall. A servant brought in tea and quietly withdrew. Duan Linzhou asked, “Young Master Fang, you traveled all the way from Ruizhou, was the journey peaceful?”

 

Fang Yuan had already removed his veil hat. His features, upon closer look, were not particularly delicate, but put together, they appeared just right, like the person himself, refined and gentle, with a quiet elegance like flowing water. Fang Yuan smiled and said, “I ran into a few roaming bandits on the way. Fortunately, I hired escort guards, so it was more thrilling than dangerous.”

 

Duan Linzhou raised an eyebrow slightly. Fang Yuan was the son of the headmaster of Qinghe Academy, if he were to travel far, there would naturally be household servants and guards to protect him. There’d be no need to hire escort guards, unless—

 

Sure enough, seeing Duan Linzhou’s expression, Fang Yuan said frankly, “I came out without telling my father.”

 

Duan Linzhou asked, “And Young Master Fang’s purpose in coming is—?”

 

“Xu Ying.” Fang Yuan answered without hesitation. “I heard the war isn’t going well, so I came to see him.”

 

He added, “After all, I’m a kunze, and Xu Ying and I have neither parental consent nor a matchmaker’s word. For me to come see him in private is improper by custom. Naturally, my family wouldn’t allow it.”

 

Duan Linzhou hadn’t expected someone as gentle and mild as Fang Yuan to go to such lengths for Xu Ying. He sighed and said, “Young Master Fang is truly a person of deep feeling.”

 

Fang Yuan blinked and joked, “Isn’t Boss Duan the same?”

 

The two exchanged a glance and laughed. Duan Linzhou lifted his cup slightly in a toast to Fang Yuan, and Fang Yuan returned the gesture.

 

After sharing a cup of tea, the two seemed to grow a little closer.

 

Duan Linzhou asked, “How is Ruizhou?”

 

Fang Yuan replied, “All is well in Ruizhou. Since spring has arrived, Lord Han has arranged for the refugees to be settled in various villages under Ruizhou’s jurisdiction, where they’ve started cultivating the land.”

 

“Lord Han also exempted the refugees from taxes for three years. Now, many refugees have begun coming to Ruizhou of their own accord,” Fang Yuan said. “The harsh winter in Ruizhou has finally passed.”

 

Duan Linzhou smiled and said, “That’s good to hear.”

 

Fang Yuan also gave a little smile. He recalled the white mourning banners hung at the entrance of the residence, and even this hua hall was adorned in white. After a moment’s hesitation, he said softly, “Boss Duan…”

 

The smile on Duan Linzhou’s face faded slightly. They had not sent word of Mu Peizhi’s passing back to Ruizhou, and few people outside of Fengzhou knew.

 

Fang Yuan’s suspicions were confirmed. After a brief silence, he said, “May I offer incense to Lord Marquis?”

 

Duan Linzhou replied, “Of course.”

 

The two went together to offer incense to Mu Peizhi and Li Yue. As Fang Yuan gazed at Li Yue’s coffin, a hint of sorrow clouded his eyes.

 

Qinghe Academy was one of the four great academies of Daliang, and Fang Yuan’s father, the headmaster, was a renowned scholar of their time.

 

Fang Yuan also knew a thing or two about astrology and divination. Before the Southern Army set out, he had calculated that their campaign would not go smoothly, so he had given Xu Ying many reminders before his departure.

 

But something still happened.

 

Those two simple words, “not smooth”, were nothing compared to the reality of lives lost.

 

Duan Linzhou asked, “What are your plans now, Young Master Fang? His Highness and Xu Ying are both at Bu’er Pass. The front lines are dangerous, why not stay here in Fuzhou—”

 

Fang Yuan looked at Duan Linzhou and shook his head. “I appreciate your kind intentions, Boss Duan.”

 

Seeing his determination, Duan Linzhou did not try to persuade him further. After a moment of thought, he said, “Then let me send someone to accompany you.” He gave a slight smile. “As it happens, I also have a letter that needs to be delivered to Bu’er Pass.”

 

Fang Yuan smiled and said, “Many thanks, Boss Duan.”

 

He stayed in Fuzhou one night, and the next day, Lu Chong set out with several dozen men to accompany Fang Yuan toward Bu’er Pass.

 

At Bu’er Pass.

 

Bu’er Pass was the gateway to Anyang, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The rebel forces had taken advantage of the terrain and fortified the pass. A frontal assault would surely result in heavy casualties. Inside the command tent, Mu Peixuan studied the map spread before him. Xu Ying stood beside him. Since the campaign began, the youthful inexperience in his expression had faded; he had grown noticeably steadier.

 

Xu Ying said, “Your Highness, why don’t we bypass Bu’er Pass?”

 

Mu Peixuan glanced at him and said, “En. I was thinking the same.”

 

Xu Ying followed Mu Peixuan’s gaze and looked at the map, then fixed his eyes on a spot marked as Zhukou County. Zhukou was a county under Anyang’s jurisdiction, currently occupied by a group of rebels led by a man named Chai Meng. Chai Meng had originally been a mountain bandit in Fengzhou. During the chaos in Fengzhou, he gathered a sizable force and later joined Liu Ziyi’s faction, where he was made a general.

 

Chai Meng called himself a leader of the Yi Army, but his actions were those of a bandit. After he captured Wenzhou, he massacred the entire family of the county magistrate and allowed his soldiers to plunder the people, committing atrocities against the weak and vulnerable.

 

Despite his criminal behavior, Chai Meng was a skilled warrior. Most of his followers were bandits, making them even more troublesome than the average rebels.

 

As Mu Peixuan and Xu Ying discussed, they walked out of the command tent. Mu Peixuan said, “Chai Meng and his group of rogue bandits are not too difficult to deal with. However, this man is cunning, and with his bandit-like tactics, if we fail to strike a decisive blow, he might resort to taking the people of Zhukou County as hostages.”

 

Xu Ying furrowed his brows and said, “Chai Meng is no small figure now. How could he stoop to such despicable acts?”

 

Mu Peixuan tugged at the corner of his mouth and replied, “What Chai Meng does is no different from any other bandit.”

 

As the two were speaking, a voice came from the front. “Your Highness, someone from Fuzhou has arrived.”

 

Mu Peixuan raised his head and saw Lu Chong not far ahead. His eyes brightened slightly, though he asked, “What brings you here now? Is there something wrong in Fuzhou?”

 

Lu Chong cupped his hands and said, “Greetings, Your Highness Junwang. Rest assured, there is no trouble in Fuzhou, or, should I say, there is some great news.” With a bright smile on his handsome face, he continued, “Old Physician Ji and the physicians in the temple have found a way to cure this epidemic.”

 

Even Mu Peixuan, known for his calm demeanor, couldn’t help but show a hint of joy on his face. “Really?”

 

Lu Chong said, “Absolutely true. When I left, I heard that the first patient to take the medicine in the temple had stopped having fevers and rashes.”

 

Mu Peixuan let out a long sigh of relief and smiled. “Then I can rest easy.”

 

Lu Chong then presented a sealed letter and said, “This is a letter from the Boss for Your Highness.”

 

Without thinking, Mu Peixuan reached for the letter and was about to open it when he asked, “How has your boss been lately?”

 

His hand hovered over the opening of the envelope. He paused, slowing his actions, and casually glanced around. He saw Xu Ying and Lu Chong both looking at him with smiles on their faces. Mu Peixuan calmly returned their gaze, then tucked the letter into his chest and said, “Lu Chong, you’ve had a hard journey. Xu Ying, take Lu Chong and see to his accommodations.”

 

Xu Ying nodded, and Lu Chong then looked at Xu Ying and said, “There is one more person who came with me.”

 

After he spoke, he turned to look behind him, and from the group that had accompanied him, a tall and slender figure stepped forward. Dressed in a dark, coarse robe typical of a man from the martial world, with refined and elegant features, it was Fang Yuan.

 

Xu Ying froze.

 

Mu Peixuan also paused in surprise. Fang Yuan bowed to him and said, “Greetings, Your Highness.”

 

Mu Peixuan came back to his senses and glanced at Xu Ying. He gave a quiet “En” and said, “Xu Ying, go greet Young Master Fang.” Then he looked at Lu Chong. Lu Chong, perceptive as ever, immediately followed after him.

 

Xu Ying stood there dumbfounded, staring at Fang Yuan. Suddenly, he pinched his own arm hard enough to grimace in pain, then exclaimed with delight, “Yuan Ge’er… what are you doing here?” He seemed at a loss for what to do, glanced around nervously, and was about to reach out to Fang Yuan but felt too self-conscious. “There are too many eyes here,” he said. “Come with me back to the tent first.”

 

Fang Yuan said, “Alright.”

 

Xu Ying’s steps grew unsteady; he kept glancing at Fang Yuan beside him, unable to suppress the grin spreading across his face. He said, “Why did you come, Yuan Ge’er? Ruizhou is so far from here. Did you come alone?”

 

He frowned again. “The world’s in such chaos. How could you leave Ruizhou and travel such a long way by yourself? What if something had happened to you? You’re a kunze, what if you’d run into someone dangerous…”

 

It had been a long time since Fang Yuan had seen Xu Ying ramble on like this. His eyes held a hint of amusement, though his expression remained calm as he said, “What of being a kunze?”

 

Xu Ying scratched his head and said, “I’m just worried about you. How did you get here? Do your parents know? How could Headmaster Fang have let you come—” His eyes widened. “Did you sneak out?”

 

Fang Yuan said helplessly, “You’ve asked so many questions, how am I supposed to answer them all?”

 

Xu Ying chuckled sheepishly. As a qianhu, he had a tent to himself. Just as he lifted the curtain, he caught sight of his undergarments carelessly tossed on the bed. He hurried forward a few steps and stuffed the clothes under the quilt, looking even more flustered. “I really shouldn’t have brought you into my tent,” he muttered. After all, Fang Yuan was a kunze, and they weren’t married. “It’s just… this place is crude, and there are too many people outside…”

 

Fang Yuan said, “It’s fine.”

 

“Have a seat.” Life on campaign was rough, his tent contained only a single bed and a wooden stand for armor, not even a proper chair. Feeling more embarrassed, he wiped down the bed’s edge again and said, “Yuan Ge’er, sit here for a bit. I’ll go get someone to bring us something to eat.”

 

Fang Yuan stopped him and said, “No need to fuss. I’m not hungry, and I’m not thirsty either.”

 

Xu Ying mumbled an acknowledgment, looked at Fang Yuan, and couldn’t help but smile again. Seeing him smile, Fang Yuan also smiled and said, “Come sit.”

 

Xu Ying let out an “oh,” and slowly made his way over. “Yuan Ge’er, why did you come here?”

 

Fang Yuan replied, “I came to see you.”

 

Xu Ying was taken aback. He looked at Fang Yuan, who met his gaze calmly, quietly watching him. For no reason at all, Xu Ying’s nose stung, and he murmured, “I’m doing just fine…”

 

“I’m fine.” He repeated it, but his eyes had turned red.

 

Fang Yuan looked at Xu Ying’s reddened eyes, and a faint ache rose in his heart as well. The two had known each other since childhood. Xu Ying, as the only child in his family, had always been doted on by his parents and carried a certain childlike innocence in his nature. When they were young, Fang Yuan hadn’t liked how Xu Ying constantly hovered around him. Xu Ying was too noisy, always grinning, and whenever he got something nice, he’d present it to Fang Yuan like a treasure. Xu Ying wasn’t good at studying and feared it the most, yet he loved to sit with a book in hand, saying he’d read along with Fang Yuan. But in reality, he either just stared at Fang Yuan over the top of the book or nodded off within minutes.

 

Fang Yuan had always been mature beyond his years and had never imagined that one day he would truly grow to like Xu Ying.

 

Fang Yuan said, “If you want to cry, then cry.”

 

But Xu Ying shook his head. His voice was hoarse, but he spoke seriously: “I haven’t avenged Li Yue yet. This is not the time to cry.”

 

Fang Yuan paused slightly, gazing at Xu Ying’s expression, within just a few short months, Xu Ying had grown quite a bit.

 

Suddenly, Fang Yuan reached out and rubbed the back of his hand lightly against Xu Ying’s chin. “You’ve started to sprout stubble.”

 

Xu Ying blinked in surprise, then abruptly straightened up. He rubbed his chin a few times, and his ears turned red. “I’ll go get you some water. Yuan Ge’er, just wait here for me a bit. I’ll be right back.”

 

Fang Yuan smiled gently and nodded. “Alright.”

 

He watched as Xu Ying bolted out of the tent as if his heels were on fire and then couldn’t help but chuckle again. He stood and paced around the tent, his gaze settling on the armor hanging from the rack.

 

He had indeed come for Xu Ying, but not for Xu Ying alone.

 

The Daliang was in decline, and the era of warlords contending for power had become an inevitability. Marquis Annan Mansion held command over the powerful southern frontier army, whether Mu Peixuan wished it or not, he was bound to have a place among the rising warlords.

 

What Fang Yuan did not know was whether Mu Peixuan could truly become a wise leader, capable of founding a new era of peace and prosperity, where the seas were calm and the rivers clear or not.

 

Mu Peixuan had personally escorted Lu Chong to a tent to get him settled. Suddenly, Lu Chong said, “Your Highness, just now when I arrived, I heard you mention Chai Meng—”

 

Mu Peixuan: “Hmm?”

 

Lu Chong replied, “To speak frankly, back when I was a bandit in Pinggang Stronghold, I had dealings with Chai Meng.”

 

Mu Peixuan looked at Lu Chong, and after a brief pause, he told him about their plan to take the route through Zhukou County to launch a direct attack on Anyang and how Chai Meng had occupied Zhukou County. Lu Chong suddenly understood and said, “I didn’t expect he’d end up with such fortune. Back then, Chai Meng once sought refuge at Pinggang Stronghold. He stayed in the stronghold for three months, but later, Big Brother disliked his disregard for the rules of the gang and drove him out.”

 

Lu Chong looked up at Mu Peixuan and said, “If Your Highness trusts me, I am willing to go to Zhukou County on your behalf.”

 

Mu Peixuan was slightly taken aback. “Boss Lu, Chai Meng is no longer the man he once was.”

 

Lu Chong let out a bold laugh and said, “Your Highness must not forget, before Lu washed my hands of that life, Lu too was a bandit. Lu has dealt with more bandits than I can count. Lu knows how to handle them.”

 

Mu Peixuan pondered for a moment before asking, “How many people does Boss Lu need?”

 

Lu Chong replied, “There are thirty brothers who came with me, and if Your Highness gives me another twenty people, it will be enough.”

 

Mu Peixuan looked at Lu Chong intently for a while before saying, “Alright. When the time comes, I’ll personally host a celebratory banquet for Boss Lu in Zhukou County.”

 

By the time Mu Peixuan returned to his tent, it was already dusk. He finally took out the letter, which had been warmed by his body heat. After cleaning his hands, he carefully opened it, and the first thing he saw were the distinct, well-formed characters of Duan Linzhou’s handwriting.

 

“Your Highness, I hope this letter finds you well.

 

“How have things been recently? Everything is fine in Fuzhou. Today, Old Physician Ji finally found a remedy for the epidemic. The medicine has been administered to the patients, and the results are excellent. By the time Your Highness returns, Fuzhou should be free from the epidemic.”

 

“Last night there was a light rain in Fuzhou. In the morning, I found the peach tree in the courtyard had sprouted green buds. It seems the day it blooms is not far off.”

 

Duan Linzhou had written casually, yet Mu Peixuan could almost see him with his sleeves rolled up, head lowered as he wrote. His heart tingled slightly. Holding the thin letter still carrying the faint scent of ink, Mu Peixuan seemed to catch a trace of Duan Linzhou’s subtle plum fragrance. His teeth itched faintly, he ground them gently and read the letter over and over again.

 

At the end of the letter, Duan Linzhou had written, “The days apart grow long, and my belt grows loose[mfn]It means the longer they were apart, the looser their clothes became, because they got thinner.[/mfn].”

 

“I hope you, my dear, return in triumph soon.”

 

Mu Peixuan gently stroked the words “my dear”, his fingertips faintly burning. His fingers curled and curled again, finally landing on the signature — “Linzhou.”

 

“Linzhou, Duan Linzhou.”