Dispute
Wei Tan's "illness" did indeed "recover" the next day.
He managed to "barely" sit up from the bed, and he even ate something in front of the people Wei Jue sent to visit, asking about the situation ahead.
The visitor showed joy on their faces and said to me, "Furen's arrival has indeed been very beneficial."
I sighed softly with humility, held Wei Tan's hand affectionately, and pinched his palm with my fingernails, saying, "Qie's only wish is for Fujun's speedy recovery."
The visitor was overwhelmed, gave further encouragement, and then respectfully withdrew.
After Wang Hui reported that the visitors had gone far, Wei Tan shook his hand and looked at the reddish nail marks, smiling ambiguously, "Is Furen planning to avenge Weifu tonight?"
I smiled and replied, "Tonight, Qie will make celery soup for Fujun."
Wei Tan squinted his eyes and reached out to catch me. I skillfully dodged, went outside to call Ah Yuan to bring water, and wiped the lead powder off Wei Tan's face.
Not long after, the medical officer I saw yesterday came in for a "pulse diagnosis."
His name is Wei Jiao. He's not tall, and he has thick, arched eyebrows. When he heard that Wei Tan intended to "recover," Wei Jiao visibly relaxed, and his face, which had looked as if he had tasted bitter medicine yesterday, became obsequious (to flatter).
"Tomorrow, Da Gongzi should take a ride outside the city gates to put Chengxiang's mind at ease even more," he rubbed his hands together, eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.
Wei Tan glanced at him coldly, saying, "Have you ever seen someone seriously ill and bedridden recover so quickly?"
"Mou have seen it!" Wei Jiao immediately exclaimed, "Mou's mentor, Yao Bian Que, once used herbal medicine and acupuncture to cure a near-death man. The very next day, that man went to work in the fields. Da Gongzi, under Mou's medical treatment, is recovering swiftly, exhibiting vigorous vitality in intimate matters (he is referring to intercourse lmao), with no hindrance in eating, so why would horse riding pose a challenge?"
Wei Tan: "......"
Me: "....."
My ears felt like they were on fire, and my mind involuntarily started replaying last night's events. Deep down, I was startled. I clearly bit the cloth and didn't make a sound... but that's not the issue here. I was initially unwilling, yet that scoundrel Wei Tan kept saying, "It's been so long," as he advanced, again and again... it's all that scoundrel's fault!
Furious, I cast a gaze filled with murderous intent and directed it at Wei Tan.
Wei Tan, however, seemed unperturbed, and seemed like he was pondering. "Lángzhōng wandered freely in the camp at night, and the soldiers didn't seem to care. Who was the soldier on duty last night, it seems to be..."
Wei Jiao's confidence immediately waned, and he hurriedly made a conciliatory smile, "Last night, Mou went to relieve Oneself, but unexpectedly, all the outhouses were occupied. Mou had no choice but to find another spot, plus One's hearing has always been keen… Don't blame the soldiers, Don't blame the soldiers!"
The more these two people spoke, the more it grated on my ears. Seeing Wei Tan about to continue, I quickly changed the subject, "Is the Yao Bian Que that Lángzhōng mentioned the renowned physician from Maozhou?"
Wei Jiao's eyes lit up, "Exactly."
"Furen may not know," Wei Tan calmly continued, "this Wei Lángzhōng is, in fact, a direct disciple of Yao Bian Que. He's a compulsive gambler who squandered all his family's wealth. The last time Weifu passed by Maozhou, he even stopped One's carriage, and begged to sell himself.…"
"Mou took refuge with Da Gongzi, because One saw great potential in his demeanor!" Wei Jiao's face flushed red, and he spoke with a tone of righteous indignation, "Mou is a disciple of a Bian Que, who is selling One's skills, not One's body!"
Me: "....."
When I heard him mention the name of his master just now, "Yao Bian Que," it felt familiar, but it took me a moment to remember who he was. When I was younger, the reputation of Yao Bian Que from Maozhou was already known to everyone, even women and children. I heard that his medical skills were extraordinary, and he was not willing to take on apprentices easily. Those he took under his wing had to be exceptionally gifted and talented in the ways of a Bian Que.
"Turns out it's Wei Bian Que," I said respectfully.
Upon hearing this address, Wei Jiao appeared genuinely pleased. He smiled and bowed to me, saying, "Furen has keen insight. Mou have long heard of Furen's reputation, and upon our meeting yesterday, One witnessed Furen's esteemed presence, truly resembling that of a celestial being. Unfortunately, circumstances at that time didn't allow Mou to converse with Furen…"
"Wang Hui!" Wei Tan's expression turned stern, and he shouted towards the entrance of the tent, "Drag Wei Lángzhōng out!"
Wang Hui entered upon hearing the command.
"Mou is a disciple of Yao Bian Que, and Furen also refers to me as 'Bian Que'!" Wei Jiao retorted.
Wei Tan sneered, "Wang Hui, drag this 'Wei Bian Que' out."
*****
Originally, Wei Tan intended to continue the pretense for a few more days, making the "recovery" appear more natural. However, on the second day, Wei Lang came to the rear camp and had a conversation with Wei Tan in the tent. Wang Hui came to inform me, saying that Wei Tan was going to meet Wei Jue.
I was taken aback and hurried into the tent, only to see that Wei Tan was already changing clothes in front of the dressing table.
"Fujun is going to meet Jiushi?" I asked.
"En." Wei Tan was putting on his outer garment and gestured to the wooden rack, "The sword."
I went over and handed him the sword, asking, "Urgent matters?"
"Yes," he replied.
I fastened the leather belt for him and hesitated before speaking, "Yesterday, Fujun was still ill, and now suddenly improved so much. What if Jiushi suspects something?"
"So what if he suspects," Wei Tan's face darkened a bit. He secured the sword, then turned and headed towards the door.
I watched Wei Tan's departing figure, feeling somewhat stunned. Since our marriage, he had consistently displayed a composed demeanor, never showing impatience. Even in the face of significant matters, he maintained his calm. This time, it was the first instance where I sensed genuine anger from him, and it was directly aimed at Wei Jue.
A sense of unease continued to linger in my heart. I stepped out of the tent and asked Wang Hui what Wei Lang and Wei Tan had discussed earlier.
Wang Hui couldn't provide a clear answer either. He just mentioned that Wei Lang entered the tent, and he heard voices as the two discussed something, but he didn't know the details of their conversation.
"In the camp, there are rules. Even though One attends to the tent's entrance, One is not allowed to eavesdrop during discussions. Forgive me, Furen," Wang Hui said to me apologetically.
I nodded and had no choice but to return.
It wasn't until the afternoon that Wei Tan came back, his complexion not looking too good.
"What happened?" I didn't want to ask directly, so I went to find Wei Ci, who had returned with him.
Wei Ci hesitated for a moment, pondered, then said to me, "It's better for Zhangsao to listen and keep it to yourself, don't spread it around."
"What can I do if I spread it around? It's fine, Xiao Shu, to tell me," I said.
Wei Ci explained, "Chengxiang has recruited Jingzhou defector, Zhong Yuan, to train the navy. The other day, Zhong Yuan mentioned that the northern soldiers are not accustomed to life on the water. Many are still experiencing nausea and discomfort from the constant swaying. He suggested that when Chengxiang is aboard a ship, they should connect the ships using iron chains to make it feel like solid ground. Chengxiang thought this was a very good idea and agreed."
I didn't understand the intricacies of military matters. After thinking for a moment, I said, "Fujun doesn't agree."
"Of course, Da Tangxiong wouldn't agree!" Wei Ci was somewhat agitated. "I don't know what Chengxiang was thinking! In military maneuvers, agility and cleverness are crucial. Even if we're on water, connecting large vessels like this—what if there's an urgent situation? The iron chains will hinder movement. Despite the grandness of these water camps, their unwieldiness renders them useless. What's the use of being so imposing or stable?"
I felt that what he said made sense and asked, "Did Fujun just go to speak with Jiushi? How did Jiushi respond?"
"Chengxiang refused to listen!" Wei Ci said in frustration, "He said the iron chains used to lock the ships are specially designed and can be dismantled easily. He also criticized Da Tangxiong, saying that he has been training the navy since last year, and yet these men are still not familiar with water. Saying it's a blunder on the part of Da Tangxiong!"
I was taken aback.
For Wei Jue to say such words, it was a clear repudiation of everything Wei Tan had done before.
"Chengxiang's tent is filled with numerous advisers," I pondered for a moment, then said, "Aren't any of them voicing their opinions? And what about Er Shu (Wei Zhao)…"
"Him?" Wei Ci snorted coldly, "Zhangsao, let me tell you the truth. In Chengxiang's tent, there are many talents now, and everyone's striving for higher positions. Since we returned from the campaign against Tan last year, those advisors have split into three factions. One supports Da Tangxiong, another stands firmly behind Er Tangxiong, and there's a third faction that remains silent whenever it comes to disputes between the two. The method of using Jingzhou defectors to train the navy was proposed by Er Tangxiong, and Chengxiang likes this plan very much. Why would he oppose it? Da Tangxiong personally went to persuade him only because he felt that this situation might hinder matters. Even Zhangsao knows, but Chengxiang simply won't listen."
As he spoke, he sighed and continued in a hushed tone, "Zhangsao, Chengziang is Di's Bofu, and I've known for a long time that he's a strong-willed person. It used to be better when he had humility and clear judgment, which allowed major decisions to be successful. But in the past couple of years, as the number of people around him increased, he started to make arbitrary decisions, and his temper became even more unpredictable. Di has always felt that Chengxiang doesn't like people who are too strong or too outstanding, even if they are his own children…"
He glanced at Wei Tan's tent and didn't continue speaking.
I had already understood the meaning, so I nodded slightly without saying anything.
In the tent, Wei Tan sat before the table, completely still, staring at the map spread out in front of him. He appeared to be deep in thought, as if he was studying the map, yet also lost in contemplation.
I walked over, poured a cup of water from the teapot, and placed it on the table.
"Si Shu has built new ships, won't Fujun go and take a look?" I whispered.
"Is that so," Wei Tan replied in a subdued tone. He continued to look at the map for a while, then rolled it up and set it aside. After a moment, he took a deep breath and turned to look at me.
"Weifu's appearance, does it truly resemble that of a sick person?" he asked.
I smiled, "Doesn't Fujun have Wei Bian Que? He can cure all illnesses."
Wei Tan raised an eyebrow, smiled, and looked somewhat helpless.
"I always try to avoid going against Fuqin, even if we have differences, I tend to see things from his perspective to see if they make sense," he said after a moment. He held the teacup in his hand, slowly turning it, "But I'm not good at persuading others, especially when it comes to figuring out how to advise Fuqin."
I looked at him, feeling a bit helpless myself.
The father is benevolent and the son is filial. At home, even if Wei Jue is displeased with someone, he always has a gentle side, and Wei Tan is a dutiful son. However, they are on opposing paths. This is the first time I've seen such a father and son dynamic, and I'm not sure how to give advice.
"Do what One can, and accept what is destined. Fujun has done your best," I held Wei Tan's hand, and after a while, I managed to find some fitting words.
Wei Tan gazed at me, a faint smile playing on his lips, "That's right, let's do our best," he said softly.