133 If You Hadnst Danced That Year (1/2)
Chapter 133: If You Hadn't Danced That Year
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
The dawn light got brighter and brighter. General Xia Hou walked to the eastern front emotionlessly. He was followed by Gu Xi and a team of personal guards who were all silent. The light of rising sun shone on his armor, emitting a faint white luster, which made him look like a mighty statue of God standing in the holy halo.
After Xia Hou entered the temporary Middle Army Tent and listened to his subordinates' report on the left-wing cavalry's attacking Yan territory this morning, he kept silent for a long time and then looked up to say, ”Kill three hundred Yan prisoners as a penalty.”
At this moment, there was no third person in the tent besides himself and Gu Xi. Gu Xi looked at him, bit his lip, and then tried to persuade him not to. ”General, you have decided to keep the assassination as a secret before, only sending a secret letter to his Majesty. If you kill the prisoners of war before the battle, I'm afraid it might be difficult to conceal the incident. Not to mention, those Yans will certainly take the initiative to kick up a fuss over the matter.”
Xia Hou said indifferently, ”Yan army entered Tang territory. They violated the old and the weak and burnt their villages. We should kill three hundred Yan prisoners of war as revenge. I'm sure no one dares to object it.”
After a moment of silence, Gu Xi said, ”But it's ominous to kill prisoners of war, His Majesty... won't like it.”
Xia Hou pulled aside his helmet and quietly watched the loyal subordinate who had accompanied him for more than twenty years and said, ”You should know His Majesty doesn't like me much. I have managed to survive up till now because I have achieved an imeasurable feat for the Empire. The Tang Empire always strictly enforced the rules for reward and punishment. As long as I continue to contribute and the officials in the court don't have any evidence against me, His Majesty won't bother me. So it doesn't really matter whether His Majesty likes me or not. And if His Majesty likes me too much, I really don't know what to do. ”
Only two of them could understand the hidden meaning in this dialogue, especially in the last sentence. After a moment of silence, Gu Xi was about to say something, but the horizontal embroidery on his cuff suddenly brightened up.
”Go ahead.” Xia Hou said.
Gu Xi silently bowed with hands folded in front and left the tent.
In the empty tent, Xia Hou smiled bitterly and self-mockingly. He whispered, ”I' m so lucky to meet such a kind emperor like His Majesty, or I really don't know how many times I'd have died. Gentleman can be bulled by reasonable methods, but is it possible for me to bully His Majesty with benevolence? The emperor just cares about old friendship that was unknown to others, so he allows me to live for these years.”
After a short moment, Gu Xi lifted the curtain and walked back. He held a secret letter with fire-lacquered paint in his hand and walked towards Xia Hou. He said softly, ”The Military Ministry has delivered a written letter, saying that it was a bit unsafe in Chang'an these days. There seemed to be a murder in Southern City and it even alerted the Yulin Royal Guards.”
Xia Hou said with faint sarcasm, ”The court officials took advantage of his Majesty's kindness and tried to kill my subordinates. They have suffered losses because of Chao Xiaoshu a few days ago. Haven't they learned to behave themselves in front of his Majesty?”
”It really has nothing to do with the court officials.” Gu Xi shook his head and replied. ”There was a Seethrough state master who died in that murder in Southern City, and that person used to be a former Military Ministryy official. That is how the fuss came about.
Xia Hou gaze hardened and squinted at him. He said, ”Continue.”
”Do you still remember this person called Yan Suqing, a former Military Clergy Appraiser? Few people know he was a Great Sword Master... ”
After a pause, Gu Xi looked at the general meaningfullyand continued. ”This person should have received enlightenment and learnt Swordsmanship in Haotian Divine Hall of West-Hill. He was expelled from the Military Ministry due to a certain matter and has followed a tea merchant of Chang'an to dawdle all his days. No one expected his sudden death in the end.”
The atmosphere gradually became tense within the tent. The candlelight in the corner flickered with unease. After being quiet for a long time, General Xia Hou asked indifferently, ”In the thirteenth year of Tianqi era... how many people died like him?”
Gu Xi softly answered. ”The censor Zhang Yiqi died of a car crash. The former Xuanwei General Chen Zixian suddenly died in Eastern City. With Yan Suqing whose head was cut off, there are three people who died this year.”
Tang Empire's folk custom was simple and firm. There was a large population in Chang'an. Although its law and order was excellent, there was one or two unnatural deaths every day. The three people mentioned did not refer to the number of unnatural deaths in the thirteenth year of Tianqi era, but the deaths related to past events.
”If Her Majesty hasn't stopped her birthday banquet this year and allocated some free money to the Military Ministry, they wouldn't have thought about searching for the veterans to send consolation money and found that the forgotten Chen Zixian has already died.”
Gu Xi looked at Xia Hou and softly said, ”Now Yan Suqing's head has been cut off. The modus operandi is very similar to the former case. If we can make sure the so-called accident of the censor Zhang Yiqi... is also a murder, then we can find the truth.”
”Not everything has its truth.” General Xia Hou said indifferently, ”Those people in the two cases have already died. And who will remember these things?”