Vol 1 Chapter 11 (1/2)

Chapter 11: Handkerchief Delivery

The city of Xu Fang is one of the Emperor’s tributaries at the border, so every time the Xiong Nu attacks Xu Fang, the entire Chang An city goes on high alert.

When Emperor Wu of Han first ascended the throne, he vowed to eliminate this enemy. The Great General Wei was sent out and he managed to battle two of the Xiong’s Nu’s generals and regain valuable territory along the River South region. Liu Che ordered people moved to that region and there he built Xu Fang city.

To protect the River South region, Liu Che once again sends his generals out. For this expedition, other than the Great General Wei leading the pack, General Gong Xun Che takes the left flank, General Gong Xun He takes the right flank, General Zhao Xin takes the first attack, and General Li Guang (Li Gan’s father) heads back the back support.

The Great General Wei is given 60,000 troops for this mission to attack the Xiong Nu. Huo Qu Bing is named as a Captain and leads 800 of the finest Yu Lin Army warriors to head out to battle with his two uncles, the Great General Wei and General Gong Xun He.

I sit on the top of a big tree staring at the road. Under the sunlight the armor glistens and makes my eyes a little glazed over. Huo Qu Bing, wearing an all black armor, rides a horse past, heading for the city gates. Compared to when he wore the wide sleeved robes, dressed in battle gear takes away some of his carefree nature and adds some das.h.i.+ng valor. His striking aura is palpable.

I haven’t seen him in a month and his skin is almost the color of bronze. Looks like he was under the sun everyday. Even from a distance, I can still sense the tightly bound danger radiating from him. Suddenly I feel like he’s a lot like my own species. Like Brother Wolf, the s.h.i.+niest beacon in the pack. Whenever the wolves are about to attack, he will just silently and surely look straight ahead, never wavering.

He occasionally looks on the sides of the streets. I straighten myself and stand on the biggest branch to look at him. He finally meets my eyes and I smile and wave at him, pointing towards Yi Ping Ju’s direction, He doesn’t s.h.i.+ft on the horse or slow down, his cold gaze not even changing in the slightest. When our eyes met his horse is already rus.h.i.+ng past me. I turn my head and watch as his figure disappears in a trail of dust.

I run into s.h.i.+ Sheng Xing and s.h.i.+ Feng as they are headed out of the city. Xiao Feng calls out to me and lets me know that Jiu Ye has sent someone to look for me.

There is a gentle breeze blowing through the Bamboo Residence, and Jiu Ye is sting there feeding pigeons when I walk in. The pigeons scatter and the sudden movement of white only leaves me noticing the stillness of his blue robe. I ask him why he is looking for me, and he hesitates so I tell him to always be frank with me. He asks to borrow money from me, and normally he ought to explain why, but he can’t tell me anything. If the business goes well, he can repay me next year with interest. I gladly lend him the money.

He amount he asks for makes me suck in my breath. He tells me to lend him what I have, and I say I can get the entire amount. I own half the dancing houses in Chang An now, and even though business is slow, Luo Yu House is still doing well since everyone knows Li Yan came from our house before entering the Palace. He knows it’s still not easy to get this money now, but I tell him to just wait and see,

When I get back to Luo Yu House it is dinner time, and after going through the accounts with Hong Gu many times, all I can get is 1/3rd what he needs. She asks why I need the money for but I won’t tell her anything other than it’s to do business and make more money.

I ask about the gifts the Princess sent, and then teasingly mutter why Consort Li hasn’t come by to thank us for helping her. Hong Gu laughs at me and calls me a money hungry girl, heading off to sleep. I stop her, wanting to write her a promissory note before take this money, She startles, telling me the money is all mine, but I say it’s half hers. She reminds me that I give her things constantly and always lets her pick the pretty baubles she likes first,

I counter that she runs all the daily operations and I never need to worry about the businesses. She worked hard to get Consort Li into the Palace, so of course half of the gifts from the Princess is hers. She thinks anyone can run the house, but I counter that its hard to find someone as capable as she is. I write the promissory note and shove it in her hand.

I take out a cloth and write “Today you asked me to borrow money, which made me very happy. You can borrow money from anywhere in Chang An but you asked me, so that means you trust me. I know you ought to easily have this money based on how big the s.h.i.+ Enterprises are, so where did you spend all the money these years? During the recent wars, common people are caught in the cross hairs and starving. Plus there was a cold frost in Xi Yu the likes which have not been seen in a hundred years, wiping out crop after crop. Do you want the money to help the Xi Yu people? If that is true, then I will use everything I own, and do everything I can, to a.s.sist you…..”

I think to myself, it looks like my original a.s.sumption was correct, Li Yan and Jiu Ye have the same goal in mind. Li Yan wants to stop the westward expansion of the Han Empire from within the Palace, while Jiu Ye wants to protect the kingdoms of the Western territories. Looks like I did the right thing by helping Li Yan.

……………………………………..

In the courtyard a woman sits and coos with her parakeet, both of them forever locked in a cage, keeping each other company. In the recesses of this Palace back residence (called Ho Gong, which is where the Emperor’s women live), under the curtains, how many women’s tears and youth have been locked away? Compared to the Han Emperor’s ladies, the Xiong Nu wives are somewhat happier. Even if they are lonely, they can ride horses under the blue sky. The women here can only quietly sit in the courtyard.

Princess Yangping looks at me and notes that even having a parakeet as company is not bad. She thinks I’m smart enough at least….. One we step inside the residence, I give the Princess a look a.s.suring her that I will be cautious. Li Yan smiles and stands up, welcoming the Princess to sit down. Li Yan waves me in from outside the curtain and then sends her maid away. After chatting, the Princess heads to go meet the Empress, leaving me to chat with Li Yan.