Qiling (Part 2)
While the two of us were playing around, suddenly a heavy cough echoed from outside the tent.
I was startled, stopped in my tracks, and Wei Tan's expression also showed surprise.
"Who's there?" I made my voice sound calm and asked.
After a moment, the tent door was lifted slightly, and Wei Ci's cheerful face peeked in, "Zhangsao."
I let out a sigh of relief, but Wei Tan had already grabbed the cloth from his forehead and swiftly threw it at Wei Ci.
Wei Ci shrank back in fear, and the cloth fell to the ground about two or three zhang away from him.
"Pick it up," Wei Tan coldly huffed.
Wei Ci, looking embarrassed, came in, picked up the cloth, and respectfully handed it over to Wei Tan by the bed.
"What do you want?" Wei Tan asked.
Wei Ci scratched his head, a bit embarrassed, "Well, the chess game hasn't been finished..."
Wei Tan sat up.
Wei Ci quickly smiled and said, "After a thought, Di felt that with Zhangsao's presence, it wouldn't be right to disturb Tangxiong and Zhangsao's time together, so One gave up the idea."
"Oh, really?" Wei Tan's expression was somewhat enigmatic. "Then, what were you coughing outside for?"
Wei Ci earnestly replied, "The weather is hot, and Di sometimes feels a bit unwell."
Wei Tan picked up a wooden pillow from the bed and threw it towards him, but Wei Ci caught it with a smile, his expression unchanged.
I looked at these two and couldn't help but feel speechless. Decent in public but rogues behind the scenes – Wei Jue could hang a signboard with this phrase in his hall.
At this moment, I remembered that I still had to pay my respects to Wei Jue, and it's better to do it sooner than later, which would also help Wei Ci's situation. So, I stood up and said to Wei Tan, "Fujun, Qie needs to go and pay respects to Jiushi."
"En?" Wei Tan glanced at me and then at the hourglass.
"Zhangsao has just arrived, and hasn't had a chance to rest. It's fine to see him tomorrow," Wei Ci suggested.
I shook my head with a slight smile, "Even if I rest for a bit after coming back, it will be the same. Gushi and si di have some things they want me to bring to Jiushi and all the shubai."
Wei Tan pondered for a moment and did not oppose. He called for Cheng Mao and instructed him to escort me to the front army.
On the way, Cheng Mao kept talking about how impressive the Qilin Waterside Fort was, but I didn't take it to heart. In my mind, I simply imagined it as many boats packed together, not much different from the bustling docks during the boating season in Chang'an.
But when the great river appeared in front of the carriage, I looked outside and was so amazed that I almost couldn't close my mouth.
I had never seen the great river before. The last time I went to Huainan and crossed the Yellow River, I was already stunned by its majestic and rushing appearance. But this great river, while not as turbulent as the Yellow River, is even clearer and broader. As the carriage sped along the riverbank, the sky was endless and azure, but the river's surface extended beyond my sight, seemingly boundless.
What left me even more astonished was Wei Jue's water fortress.
The camp stretches for over a dozen miles, extending from the rear army of Wei Tan's all the way to the riverside. But that's not all, Wei Jue's warships, large and small, probably numbering in the thousands, are neatly anchored. Wei Jue has built pontoon bridges, extending all the way to the middle of the river, with branches leading to various places like access roads, as Cheng Mao proudly informed me, ensuring smooth passage for horses and carriages to reach whichever ship you desire.
I nodded in admiration, and my mind began to ponder. If Wei Tan were still in command of the naval forces, how would he direct such a magnificent spectacle? I can even imagine him standing by the riverside, giving commands with great enthusiasm and confidence.
Unfortunately, none of this belongs to him. Even if we were to win in the future, at most, Wei Tan would be granted a hollow title.
Thinking about all of this, I felt a bit disheartened, so I let the bamboo curtain down and sat down.
Wei Jue's tent is spacious, with screens, mats, bookshelves, and more, arranged just like a living room at home. There's even a bronze censer burning incense by the table.
When I entered, Wei Jue was looking at the map, and Wei An was sitting beside him.
Upon seeing me, Wei Jue's expression was gentle and amiable.
"Ah Jin came from afar, it must have been a tiring journey." After the greeting, he spoke kindly
I lowered my head and said, "Er Fu's journey in the carriage is nothing worth mentioning. Jiushi is concerned about state affairs, which is even more exhausting."
Wei Jue stroked his beard and smiled, asking, "Have you seen Meng Jing?"
I replied, "Indeed."
"Meng Jing fell seriously ill, and it's been lingering without improvement. The soldiers on the march are rough men, now that Ah Jin is here, you should take good care of him." He said.
I bowed in respect, saying, "One respectfully obeys."
Wei Jue seemed to trust my care for Wei Tan and discussed his condition further. I brought the items Guo Furen had entrusted to me to Wei Jue. Not long after, a soldier from outside the tent came to report that the envoy from Yangzhou had arrived.
I knew that Wei Jue had important matters to attend to, so I stood up to take my leave.
Just as I stepped out of the tent, a few individuals approached. The one leading the group was Ma Xiao, Wei Jue's advisor. Following him was a well-dressed scholar whose face I didn't recognize.
Ma Xiao recognized me and bowed in my direction, saying, "Shao Furen."
I returned the gesture. As we passed by each other, I caught a glimpse of the scholar's gaze, as if he was sizing me up.
Before my return trip, I also met with Wei Zhao, Wei Xian, and others, handing over the items entrusted to me by the women of the family.
Wei Xian, Wei Ping, and Wei Gang all laughed heartily, making Wei Lang, who had not yet started a family, envious, as he shouted that once the battles were over and they returned to the capital, he would also marry a virtuous wife.
Wei Zhao took the letter by Liang Hui, glanced at it with a faint smile, and then tucked it into his sleeve.
"Thank you, Zhangsao" he bowed to me in gratitude.
I noticed that, like his other cousins, he was dressed in military attire, but his manner of speaking and behavior remained refined and courteous.
I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I always felt that Wei Zhao was a very unique individual. He carried a reputation for literary talent, sometimes shining brightly, and at other times, showing restraint. However, he consistently maintained a sense of gravitas, quite distinct from Wei Tan. No matter the circumstances, he was always humble and polite. Even if he was drunk or everyone else was making merry, Wei Zhao never behaved recklessly. He was a good conversationalist but his gaze was always clear and cautious when observing others.
In the eyes of some, this was the bearing of a true gentleman, and Wei Zhao received much praise for it. However, to me, Wei Zhao always seemed to be wearing a mask, making it hard to discern his true thoughts. It was precisely this reason that made it difficult for me to converse familiarly with Wei Zhao, even though we lived under the same roof.
Wei An is a good child who genuinely worries about his older brother. When I returned, he insisted on coming along, saying he wanted to see his Xiongzhang.
I couldn't refuse, so I had to take him along with me.
I thought Wei Tan might pretend to be asleep or dismiss Wei An without seeing him, but that didn't happen.
Unexpectedly, when Wei Tan saw him, he smiled, patted his shoulder, and remarked that he seemed to have grown taller. Then, in a leisurely manner, he said to this little brother of him, who looked full of confusion, "I have recovered from the illness, but only you, me, your Zhangsao, and Zi Xian know about it. Don't tell anyone else, not even Fuqin, understand?"
Wei An looked at Wei Tan with a face full of confusion, but after a moment, he nodded in understanding.
"Stay with me these few days, and let Zi Xian take you to see the big ships, en?"
"En." Wei An nodded again.
"Come, I'll take you there now." Wei Ci smiled, patting Wei An's head, and started leading him out of the tent. However, Wei An took a couple of steps, then turned around and walked back to Wei Tan.
"Xiongzhang," he hesitated for a moment, then said, "When I was in Fuqin's tent just now, I heard him mention Cui Gongzi. He said Cui Gongzi is with Liang Wen's army."
Wei Tan replied, "En, Cui Ting is Liang Wen's military advisor."
Wei An was a bit stunned.
"What's the matter? Do you want to meet him?" Wei Tan glanced at him.
Wei An scratched his head, "En."
"Cui Ting is currently on the opposing side, if you want to meet him, I'll capture him for you," Wei Ci exclaimed with a smile. After saying that, he winked at Wei Tan, then dragged Wei An out.
I sat on the side, still surprised by what Wei Tan had said earlier.
"Cui Ting?" I asked Wei Tan, "How did he end up in Liang Wen's camp?"
"What's so surprising about that?" Wei Tan said. "Cui Ting was wandering around Jingzhou, and Liang Wen personally went to invite him."
I was even more surprised, recalling that Wei Tan had previously invited Cui Ting to Yangzhou at Yunshi Xiansheng's residence, but Cui Ting had declined the offer. "Qie thought Cui Ting had no intention of leaving seclusion," I said.
Wei Tan smiled faintly, "Birds choose good trees to roost on. In the past, Qilin Zi didn't leave the mountain because it hadn't yet found the right tree."
I still found it puzzling, "According to Fujun's words, Liang Wen is the right tree?"
Wei Tan sat down beside me and said, "Furen, says, if Cui Ting were to go to the capital Yongdu, given his family background and reputation, what position could he possibly hold?"
I pondered for a moment. The Cui family from Boling had a decent reputation, but in the capital, there were many prestigious and influential families. Furthermore, the Cui family didn't have a strong background in the court. Of course, Wei Jue was known to appoint people based on their abilities, and someone as talented as Cui Ting would be a welcomed addition. However, Wei Jue's circle already consisted of many talented individuals, and Cui Ting, being young, would face competition from others with similar reputations...
"A Zhubu?" I suggested, providing an answer that could be either significant or not so prominent.
Wei Tan smiled, "Furen also thinks that he won't stand out too quickly if he's in Yongdu, but in Jingzhou, he instantly became Liang Wen's military advisor."
"Why does Liang Wen value him so highly?" I asked.
"Does Furen recall when Liang Wen rose unexpectedly in Jiangling, defeated Cen Han, and seized Jingzhou?" Wei Tan said, "That was Cui Ting's strategy. Afterward, Liang Wen formed an alliance with Huaiyang, and that negotiation was also orchestrated by Cui Ting."
I was utterly surprised. I had known Cui Ting was referred to as "Qilin Zi," but I had no idea he possessed such remarkable abilities.
"Jiushi probably despises this person," I thought of the news about Jingzhou being taken and the Liang-Wu alliance. Wei Jue's face had been gloomy for several days upon hearing those reports.
Wei Tan smiled, neither confirming nor denying it.
I recalled Wei Jue's past tactics against Zhao Jun and asked, "Since Cui Ting's family is in Boling, why doesn't Jiushi bring his relatives to the capital?"
"During the previous conflicts, Boling suffered damage, and there are very few of the Cui clan's members left there," Wei Tan explained. "After Cui Ting joined Liang's side, he had already relocated his family to Jingzhou."
I understood.
We sat and talked for a while, but I gradually felt weary. I called for Ah Yuan to bring some water for washing. Wei Tan didn't disturb me, and once I changed into fresh clothes, he allowed me to rest on the couch while he took a book and sat elsewhere, quietly flipping through its pages.
After a refreshing nap, it was already nighttime.
Beside me, a second bed had been added at some point, and Wei Tan was soundly asleep on it.
That bed was likely prepared for attending to the "sick patient," slightly narrower than the one I was currently lying on. Wei Tan was naturally tall, so he had to curl up a bit to fit on it.
Occasional footsteps could be heard outside, and only one corner of the tent was illuminated by a dim light. The rest of the area was in shadow.
I turned my head to the side, suddenly realizing that I hadn't looked at his sleeping face like this for a long time. I didn't know if it was because I had grown accustomed to having someone with me or if it was because I was feeling a sense of longing, but sometimes when I woke up in the middle of the night and found no one beside me, I would feel a deep sense of emptiness.
Can such days continue in the future? Thinking about this, and suddenly, I felt a lot more relaxed.
However, my sense of alertness was still there. When I saw Wei Tan's eyelids flutter slightly, I immediately closed my eyes.
In the darkness, my ears became incredibly sensitive to any sound. I heard Wei Tan take a deep breath, as if stretching, and then after a moment, he got up from the couch.
Not long after, something was placed on my waist, seemingly a piece of clothing.
I heard Wei Tan's footsteps rustling, as if he walked outside.
I heard him call for Wang Hui, and there was some hushed conversation at the tent entrance.
"...go inquire further," I managed to discern the last few words from Wei Tan's conversation.
Wang Hui responded with an acknowledgment.
As Wei Tan returned, I hesitated on whether to get up or not, but this time, he sat down beside the couch. I almost sensed that he might pinch my nose or tickle my palm, so I decided to open my eyes.
"Awake?" Wei Tan sounded somewhat surprised.
"En," I feigned the appearance of just having woken up and whispered, "What time is it?"
"It's not midnight yet," Wei Tan smiled.
His head was slightly lowered, seemingly about to lean closer, but I sidestepped, swiftly getting up in one smooth motion.
"Qie is hungry," I smiled.
Wei Tan had the servants bring food, and after we had both eaten, the servants cleared the utensils, leaving only the two of us in the tent.
"Still hungry?" Wei Tan took a sip of tea and asked me.
"Not hungry anymore," I replied.
Wei Tan smiled, "Then, it's time for both of us to rest." With that, he lifted me up in his arms and carried me back to the bed.
I felt embarrassed and struggled immediately.
Wei Tan looked somewhat exasperated, placing me on the couch and sounding a bit annoyed, "It's not like it's the first time, why acting all shy?"
My face grew warm, and I pushed him away, saying, "This is the camp. What if someone hears us from outside?" I pointed at the tent wall.
Wei Tan seemed surprised, then a smile played on his lips.
"It turns out Furen is worried about that. I have the servants keep watch, and no one will come within ten zhang," Wei Tan reassured me.
But that's just as obvious as hanging a sign that says 'doing business here' here, I hurriedly said, "Fujun, don't forget, Fujun is still 'ill' right now."
"Oh?" Wei Tan's smile deepened, he gently patted my head, "There's one thing One hasn't told Furen."
"Yeah?"
Wei Tan firmly held my hand, leaned down, and whispered softly in my ear, "Weifu's 'illness,' it will be gone by tomorrow."