Book 60 Chapter 5 – Joy and Sorrow in Parting and Reunion
Kou Zhong eased up his pace, he motioned Wang Xuanshu to walk side by side with him towards Hue E Lou, and asked, “What did Shuni talk to you about?”
Wang Xuanshu’s countenance lit up slightly, he lightly replied, “She asked about my Die, about what happened after the City of Luoyang fell, and finally asked about Shaoshuai’s arrival in Chang’an.”
Kou Zhong halted his steps in front of the door, he asked, “How did Xuanshu answer her?”
Wang Xuanshu revealed an expression of anger, he said, “She still said good things about Yang Xuyan, I practically disdain to answer her, I don’t want to have anything to do with her anymore.”
Kou Zhong understood, laughing involuntarily, he said, “Unexpectedly she came to lobby for Yang Xuyan? I hope this is just she thinks for herself and acts accordingly [idiom: acting on her own initiative]; if it was Yang kid’s idea, Yang kid is more stupid than I thought.”
Wang Xuanshu sighed and said, “Since she was a child, Shuni was a person who only cared about her own interests, she only liked powerful men, and is extremely fickle. In my opinion, she wanted to talk to me, since logically, through me, she will be able to see Shaoshuai. Shaoshuai must be a bit more careful, she is, after all, still the beloved concubine that Li Yuan shows special favor the most.”
Shaken, Kou Zhong said, “Xuanshu is still a bit more clear-headed. You are right! This is most likely Yang Xuyan’s scheme to provoke Li Yuan’s murderous intentions. From there, we could deduce that Li Yuan still has no intention of killing me, otherwise, why trouble Dong Guifei [imperial concubine] for us?”
Inwardly Kou Zhong was drenched in cold sweats. He was still muddle-headed until just now because of Shang Xiufang’s affairs, so his train of thought was fuzzy. Fortunately, Wang Xuanshu’s words were like a stick coming right onto his head [referring to the practice in which a novice monk is shouted at or hit with a stick with the purpose of bringing about instant awakening (Buddhism)].
Wang Xuanshu nodded in agreement, he said, “Shaoshuai, please be careful! She is waiting respectfully for Shaoshuai’s great-self on the highest third floor of the building.”
Kou Zhong entered the after-obtaining-the-saber-forgetting-the-saber realm, his entire being he relaxed, he put aside the troubles of the personal relationship between men and women, patted Wang Xuanshu on the shoulder, and entered the vast ground floor of the Hua E Lou. He said to Wang Xuanshu, “There are many things we can’t rely on Li Shentong, therefore, we must try to establish a connection between us and Lei Dage’s side. In this matter, we have to be doubly more careful. I can go upstairs by myself, you go and do your work!”
Wang Xuanshu received the order and left.
Hua E Lou’s furnishing was exquisite, quaint, and elegant, showing Li Yuan’s taste as the master of a powerful clan of this era. The lower floor is a big hall that could house ten banquet tables, with an array of tables and chairs, covered with dragon-patterned carpet, and famous and valuable calligraphy and paintings decorating the walls. The second floor was the office. It could be seen that even if Li Yuan and the imperial concubines were here to escape the heat of the summer, it was not that he did not have to deal with official duties. The third floor was partitioned by a screen, one side was a small hall, and a bedroom on the other. Dong Shuni was waiting for him on the third floor, already carrying a feeling of provoking suspicion.
Climbing onto the second floor, he saw more than a dozen imperial guards were guarding the redwood [Chinese giant redwood] and cotton tree [Bombax ceiba] wooden steps leading toward the third floor. Seeing Kou Zhong, they stood respectfully to salute.
Kou Zhong swept his gaze around, in just one glance, he could tell whether the crowd of guards’ skill and power were deep or shallow, except for one of them; he smiled and walked over to them.
The one he could not see through was a tiger-cub like strong man, his countenance straightforward, ancient and clumsy, quite overbearing. His build was similar to Kou Zhong, the emotion showing in his eyes was restrained and was not openly expressed; at first glance, he did not look that much different from the rest of the imperial guards, only he was comparatively a bit more vigorous; however, how could he hide it from Kou Zhong?
The man was obviously the leader of the crowd of guards, he hurriedly took a step forward and said, neither haughty nor humble, “Shaoshuai, please move your good-self upstairs, Dong Guifei is waiting respectfully for Shaoshuai.”
Kou Zhong spoke indifferently, “I never thought there’s such a figure like Laoxiong among Fazhu’s subordinates. May I ask your honorable surname and great given name?”
The divine light in the man’s pair of eyes flashed, his waist slightly straightened, his entire person immediate appeared to change, producing the imposing manner that made people feel that he could withstand any impact. An arrogant expression appeared on his face, he looked straight at Kou Zhong and said, “Shaoshuai’s praising me, Zaixia Yan Li, under Huangshang’s order to take up the responsibility of protecting Dong Guifei.”
Kou Zhong was astonished inwardly, this person was actually the young martial art master, other than the ‘Shenxian Juanshu’ [immortal husband and wife] Chu Junming and Hua Ying – that Li Yuan employed, the ‘Mao Yao’ [spear demon] Yan Pingzhao’s son. This moment, Yan Li did not have a heavy iron spear on him, but had a saber hanging on his waist instead, furthermore, the beard on his face was shaved clean, and he put on the imperial guard uniform, hence he nearly made an error of judgment.
He pretended as if he had never heard of Yan Li’s name, in order to avoid Li Yuan misunderstood that Li Shimin had leaked his identity. He smiled and said, “If Yan Xiong is willing to roam the Jianghu, you would certainly become a figure with resounding reputation from Zongli Pai [not sure if this is a name, zong – school/clan li – established, pai – sect].”
Yan Li’s pair of eyes flashed a mocking expression, it could clearly be seen that he practically was not afraid of Kou Zhong. He spoke indifferently, “Shaoshuai, please!”
Seeing him putting on an arrogant expression like he disdained to chat with him, Kou Zhong did not care, he laughed aloud, passed through the guards, and climbed up the stairs.
As if nothing had happened, Xu Ziling strolled at a leisurely pace on the street, but actually the street assassination where life and death were only a thread apart just now was still lingering in his mind.
He was able to get away, it was thanks to his superhuman spirited senses, just like winning against Xu Liushan in the casino that day. Although he was distracted by Bai Qinger, his spirited senses could still operate normally even when he was distracted by other things, one-heart-two-functions, controlling any dangerous situation that suddenly appeared, from passive, inferior position striving to get back the initiative and upper hand, otherwise, currently he would be in the situation where his dead body was laying on the street.
The person mounting sneak attack inside the carriage ought to be Zhao Deyan, and the driver was Bi Xuan’s younger brother Tonyukuk. These two big martial art masters, coupled with the five kamikazes [orig. sishi – person willing to sacrifice his life (for a good cause)], really has the ability to put him to death.
Fortunately, at that time he was very quick-witted; he first attacked Zhao Deyan in the carriage with the steel needle to strive for a split-second time, and then launched hand image, imitating the Thousand-Hand Guanyin [Avalokitesvara], using vortex of power to create a spiraling qi wall to protect his body, similar to the Bu Si Yin Fa, to meet the five sishi’s close-range attack. When he blocked Tonyukuk’s whip, he borrowed part of his true qi to block Zhao Deyan’s swift and fierce spear attack, and still had enough power left to escape and slip away. However, any mistake in any stage would end up in him being consigned to eternal damnation. Thinking about it, he wiped cold sweat inwardly.
This seemingly simple assassination operation actually contained accurate intelligence and sophisticated thinking behind it, as well as the Tujue side’s determination to destroy their cooperation with Li Yuan.
Yu He An appeared ahead. Under the afternoon sun, the trees hidden behind the wall of the nunnery made him feel that the world inside the gate was the only refuge in this frightening Chang’an city. The main reason he generated this feeling was the two fairies in the nunnery, both were transcending the dirt [or earth], and free from vulgarity, originally they should not have been drawn into the sinister secular world.
‘Knock! Knock! Knock!’
The sound of footsteps rang out, the wooden door opened wide with a ‘Creak!’ noise, revealing the Zhuchi [manager] Chang Shan Ni’s [eternal benevolence Buddhist nun] merciful and tranquil jade countenance.
Xu Ziling was greatly surprised. He promptly put his palms together in respect and said hello.
Chang Shan Ni spoke indifferently, “Amitabha Buddha, Xu Shizhu [benefactor] please follow Pinni [poor/impoverished nun].”
Xu Ziling respectfully followed behind her entering the reception hall. After sitting down, Chang Shan Ni spoke serenely, “After learning about Xu Shizhu’s safe arrival in Chang’an, Feixuan has already set off to return to Jingzhai and asked Pinni to notify Xu Shizhu.”
Xu Ziling’s brain exploded with a shock, his entire body felt empty and floating. After the ‘parting experiment’ in Longquan, he knew that one day history would repeat itself, and now it finally happened. Just like the last time, it came suddenly, yet like last time, he was still caught off guard.
His eyes stared blankly at the empty, lonely garden outside the window under the slanting light of the afternoon spring sun. His mind went blank, he completely forgot his purpose of coming to Yu He An, so much so that he forgot why he was sitting here.
Chang Shan Ni’s voice rang in his eardrums, “Qingxuan …”
Xu Ziling only heard ‘Qingxuan’ two characters, but the rest completely missed his ears. He seemed to be asking Chang Shan Ni, but he also seemed to be asking himself, “Qingxuan?” he muttered.
‘Tock!’
A knocking sound entered his eardrums, like a tray of clear water being poured onto his head, Xu Ziling woke up, his eyes fell on the wooden fish in Chang Shan Ni’s hand.
The sound of the wooden fish plunged into the depths of the lake of his heart and touched the bottom of the lake, awakening his spirit.
That’s right! Feixuan had indeed gone far away from him and would never set foot on the mundane world. He and she would never have a chance to meet again. This has clearly expressed her intention to help him and Shi Qingxuan to succeed, so that he could throw out everything to love Shi Qingxuan.
This way of thinking not only could not reduce his longing for Shi Feixuan, on the contrary, it made him feel liver-and-intestines-about-to-split miserable.
‘Tock!’
Chang Shan Ni once again struck the wooden fish, like the evening drum, morning bell [idiom: Buddhist monastic practice], providing food for thought.
Xu Ziling felt like his entire person was being drenched in cold water from head to toe, and the cold, soaked mind suddenly transcended Yu He An. He thought about the dangerous mission that he bore, just now his blood was nearly splashed on the street. On the vast Central Earth, the entire magnificent City of Chang’an was only as large as a grain of sand, yet it was in charge of the destiny of the land under the heavens. Any mistake would make him fail to live up to Shi Feixuan’s trust and expectations of him.
Thinking to this point, he broke out in a cold sweat, he said, “Thank you, Chang Shan Shifu.”
Chang Shan Ni spoke nonchalantly, “Xu Shizhu did not blame Pinni for the crime of disturbing you, Pinni is very grateful.”
Half a day of silence later, Xu Ziling said, “Chang Shan Shifu, please show me the way to find Qingxuan.”
Kou Zhong and Dong Shuni sat down separated by a small table. Dong Shuni revealed a grave expression, she asked in heavy voice, “Who actually did it?”
It was the first time for Kou Zhong to see another kind of expression outside her crafty and unruly, witty look. Unable to make any sense of the matter, he asked, “Dong Guifei is referring to which matter?”
Dong Shuni hatefully said, “Naturally referring to Da Jiu [oldest/first uncle from the mother’s side] being murdered. I exhausted thousand kinds of good things, spent enough effort, and only then I managed to coax Huangshang not to investigate Da Jiu, unexpectedly someone was heartless enough …”
When speaking the last part, hot tears were gushing out her pair of eyes, she raised her sleeve to wipe it, her demeanor was so lovely and touching.
Kou Zhong could not figure out whether she was sincere or was faking it, he said, “The word that come out of my mouth, you are willing to believe it?”
Dong Shuni spoke in distress, “If I don’t believe it, why would I ask you? Please tell me quickly. Just consider me begging you!”
Kou Zhong observed carefully whether her expression was real or fake; he calmly said, “This kind of matter is not something that anybody can do. At least it required three conditions. The first is to have that kind of power, the second is to have accurate intelligence and a deep understanding of the surrounding terrain, the river course to setup the ambush. And finally, they must have the necessity to do so. Otherwise, under the protection of the army how could they still be able to ferociously launch the ruthless hands, raise the gate to extinguish, to kill all until not even a dog or a chicken was spared, not even half a living mouth?”
Dong Shuni spoke heavily, “Who actually did it?”
Kou Zhong said, “The only ones fully meet these three conditions are Yang Xuyan and Yang WenGan, their party; therefore, they bear the greatest suspicion.”
Dong Shuni’s countenance sank, she said, “Your and Er Biaoge’s [second (maternal) cousin] mouths are as one. How could Xuyan do such a thing to me?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Kou Zhong said, “You don’t believe me, what can I do? Yang kid is afraid that you will no longer be controlled by him, and he is even more afraid that the previously close relationship between you and him will be exposed, which would be a great crime of deceiving the lord. You don’t need me to tell you, you should know Yang kid is everything for self and selfish profit [idiom: selfish]; someone who could betray his father and mother for his own benefit, that is, assuming his father and mother were still alive.”
Dong Shuni said angrily, “You are making false accusation against people. In persuading Huangshang to let Da Jiu, one family off, Xuyan has spent a lot of effort on my behalf to persuade Taizi. The murderer is definitely not him.”
Kou Zhong said, “This is precisely his brilliance. In the open, he becomes a good person, in the dark, he becomes a bad person. Dong Guifei, go back and think about it, see if my words make sense.”
Dong Shuni was hyperventilating, her silky breasts rising and falling, but obviously she was unable to accept Kou Zhong’s serious accusation toward Yang Xuyan. Shaking her head unconsciously, she said, “Can’t be! You are wrong! What evidence do you have?”
Kou Zhong spread his arms and said with bitter smile, “If I have the evidence, I don’t need to waste a lot of lips and tongue. He is only exploiting you; if he really loves you, how could he be willing to part with you and give you away?”
Dong Shuni said angrily, “You are just speculating out of thin air, slandering Xuyan, due to your hatred toward him for causing Dou Jiande to lose his life in Qi Wang’s hands. You think I don’t know the gratitude and grudges between you? In the past, Da Jiu had me entering the Pass, I did not see you coming to stop it, what right do you have to accuse Xuyan?”
Smiling ruefully, Kou Zhong said, “If you want to think so, what can I say?”
Dong Shuni was silent for a moment, suddenly she stood up and spoke coldly, “Remembering the affection of the past, let me give you a piece of advice. If you want to survive, immediately take Er Biaoge and get lost as far as possible. Huangshang and Taizi have long believed that you and Qin Wang are villains colluding together. It’s just that seeing that currently you still have a bit of value to be used, temporarily they are tolerating you. In Chang’an, I learned a lot of things. In the struggle within the imperial court, even the purest people will become ruthless, pitiless, by fair means or foul – people.”
Kou Zhong accompanied her to stand up, he said, “Thank you for Guifei’s trouble. It’s not the first day that Xiaodi is coming to mingle in Jianghu. Are there too few people who wanted to kill me? Ha! But up until now I am still alive and kicking.”
Dong Shuni suddenly softened, she sighed slightly, cast him a look plastered with hidden bitterness, secret grudge, and spoke in a low voice as if she was whispering, “Back then, if Shuni had followed you, Shaoshuai Kou Zhong, listened to your words, what would it be like now?”
Expressing his feeling, Kou Zhong said, “I am hoping that the lost past can be restored more than you! It’s a pity that everything has become foregone conclusion, I have no choice but to put my hope in the future. Your life now can’t be considered bad!”
Dong Shuni stared fixedly at him, she spoke in grieve, “Do you know that I wake up every day afraid that on the new day I might lose Huangshang’s favor? What pleasure is it to live like this? I am afraid that there will be new unfavorable rumors that will damage nujia’s family’s reputation even more.”
Kou Zhong said sympathetically, “That is indeed not the life of a normal person.”
Dong Shuni walked over to Kou Zhong, a bit more, then she would fall into his arms; she spoke in soft voice, gentle words, “Now renjia [just wanted to show different way she was calling herself] have no other relatives except for Er Biaoge. Kou Zhong, can you take renjia go?”
Immediately Kou Zhong felt his head swelled like a bucket.
He was already very wary of her being fickle and crafty, how could he be willing to believe her in just a few words? Maybe everything she was doing now, there was Yang Xuyan prompting her from behind. Moreover, he absolutely did not want to have anything to do with her, since it would only add uncertain variables. Smiling wryly, he said, “Didn’t you give birth to a white, healthy and plump son for Li Yuan? Do you have the heart to ignore your son?”
Dong Shuni spoke resolutely, “This son is just like nothing, only every few days he will let me see him. I am fed up with the life of the imperial court! Now only you can save me. Oh, Kou Zhong! Among the men that Shuni knows, you are the most capable.”
Kou Zhong sighed and said, “This time I am coming here not to defeat Li Yuan, but to form an alliance with him to fight against foreign enemies. Shuni already knew this a long time ago, why bother?”
Dong Shuni recoiled two steps back. Her pretty face turned into iron blue-green, her pretty eyes shoot out an angry look, she furiously said, “I will always remember these words that you, Kou Zhong said. I never thought that unexpectedly you are such a completely lacking any feeling or sense of justice [idiom: cold and ruthless] person. I misjudged you!”
Turning around, she flicked her sleeves and left. Yet not a few steps later, she stopped, with her back against him, she said, “Since you obstinately persist in going about things the wrong way [idiom], you will definitely not have a good outcome. I treat you with extreme benevolence, utmost duty. Whatever happens in the future, don’t blame me.”
Finished speaking, she left in rage.
Kou Zhong nearly scratched his head, not understanding how has she treated him with ‘extreme benevolence, utmost duty’. The last sentence contained threat even more, but he could not blame her. Shang Xiufang just said that the opposite of love was hate, there was nothing to blame.
Kou Zhong dejectedly sat down; listening to the sound of Dong Shuni, Yan Li and the others going downstairs, his heart was at a loss.
He would rather face a magnificent army with thousands of men and horses than an entangled, hard-to-resolve complexity. On the first day of arrival in Chang’an, he already fell into such a plight, how was he going to pass the following days?
Xu Ziling walked slowly along the gravel path bending to the left and curving to the right in the bamboo forest of Yu He An‘s middle courtyard, following Chang Shan Ni’s direction towards Jing She [lit. the exquisite abode] where Shi Qingxuan was staying.
With each step forward, he was one step closer to Shi Qingxuan.
Separated in life and death, in the fleeting life, which in the blink of an eye would already turn into clouds and smoke passing before one’s eyes, there was really no insurmountable chasm between gains and losses. He must not turn his back on Shi Qingxuan, he must not fail to live up to Shi Feixuan’s expectations and good intentions even more, otherwise, all three of them would become casualties together.
Thinking to this point, fire was welling up in his heart, the lake of his heart was filled to the brim with Shi Qingxuan’s touching image. Picking up his speed, he strode forward towards his destination.
Life has now embarked on a brand-new stage, the end of a stage represented a new beginning of another.