654 The City of Wei Got Drunk (2/2)

The Imperial Astronomer, whose position was lowest among those people, persuaded him carefully, ”The imperial court had issued a document, requesting us to monitor and drive them away, but not to take initiative to attack.”

Ning Que and Sangsang reappeared in the world and were fleeing, which caused a stir in Chang'an. However, views differed on this matter among different powers within the empire.

Zhuge Wuren, Chief of the Imperial Center Administration, was a trusted follower of the Empress. He was bent on gathering all the of the power within the empire to destroy the black carriage and kill Ning Que, thus relieving the Empress's concern. Although Taoist cultivators of Southern Gate Temple did not worry about Ning Que, they put their whole heart into killing Sangsang.

Princess Li Yu was on friendly terms with Ning Que and Sangsang. However, faced with the possible calamity of the world, she knew that she should keep her silence. However, no one expected that the most significant and powerful piece – the military – was not very active in this matter either, to the point that the high-ranking official of the Military Ministry keeping silent all this time.

The military enjoyed high status in the Tang Empire, only obeying orders of His Majesty and their superiors. Therefore, so long as the high-ranking official did not give his order, officials of Imperial Center Administration and Taoists of Southern Gate Temple could not order Ma Shixiang and his cavalry to attack, no matter how anxious and angry they were. Without the cooperation and protection of the military, how would they dare approach the black carriage?

The cavalry stood at the meadow, looking at the black carriage, while people inside the town stood on the city wall, also looking at the black carriage. People inside and outside town held the same complex emotions.

People in the City of Wei watched Ning Que and Sangsang grow up. They had never expected that Ning Que would make such a big stir after leaving the city, and that his little handmaiden would become the Lady of Light.

Today, Ning Que and Sangsang were well-known in the whole world. They were the most famous people in the history of the City of Wei – its pride, and whom people always took delight in talking about.

The owner of a gambling shop looked at the black carriage in the distance, with his hand holding the mud arrow mound, and sighed, ”He still owes me a dozen gambling debts. It looks like I can never get them back.”

A woman whose face was sunburned looked at him and said sarcastically, ”The taels of silver sent by Ning Que and Sangsang from Chang'an every month was shared by all the people in the city. Were yours fed to dogs?”

The owner smiled awkwardly. He said nervously, ”I'm just joking... By the way, when I recall how tired the little girl was when she came to buy wine with a flagon every day, I could never imagine that she would become Lady of Light and finally – Daughter of Yama.”

People on the cob wall, who originally held mixed feelings, became frightened at the sight of the black carriage in the distance. Their face turned pale when they heard the title – Daughter of Yama.

The woman looked at the crowd and spat at the wall, ”Phew! Everyone in the city knows that Ning Que is always up to no good, but Sangsang is kind and has a good heart. How can she be the daughter of Yama?”

”Edict of West-Hill Divine Palace reads so.”

”West-Hill Divine Palace said we – the Tang people – are guilty. Why don't you commit suicide by jumping down the wall to atone for your crime?”

The argument or even abuse inside the town had no influence on the hundreds of cavalrymen on the meadow, who were still silent. A military officer, who had just taken office this year, could not stand the oppressive atmosphere as well as the pressure from the official of Imperial Center Administration. So he whispered to Ma Shixiang, ”General, killing the daughter of Yama is an outstanding merit. It is worth some risks.”

Ma Shixiang glanced at him and did not speak. Then he looked towards the black carriage and gradually knitted his brows. All of a sudden, he took up the reins and wielded the whip, retraced his path and prepared to return to the city.

Hundreds of cavalrymen thus followed him to rush down the meadow.

A Taoist of Southern Gate Temple hurried to the front of Ma Shixiang. He shouted angrily with a sullen face, ”Ma Shixiang, what are you doing? If you want to flee, I will kill you.”

Ma Shixiang shouted, ”I will send out troops according to His Majesty's order. If there is no order, you can blow it out of your ass.”

Official of the Imperial Center Administration came to rebuke him, ”How can you stop the carriage outside the town if you scatter the lineup?”

Ma Shixiang said, ”It will not go into town.”

The official shouted angrily, ”Ning Que is going to the Academy, how can he make it if not via the town?”

”What the hell do you know of it?”

Ma Shixiang looked at the official and said contemptuously. Then he kicked the stomach of his horse and forced the official away, leaving with hundreds of cavalrymen. Soon they went into the City of Wei.

That night, Ma Shixiang, together with several adjutants and all the cavalrymen who had been involved in wood-cutting at Shubi Lake gathered in the only restaurant in town, making it tightly packed.

They recounted stories about Shubi Lake, the shabby courtyard, the little handmaiden who fetched water every day. They indulged in memories of past events while drinking, and soon finished all the wine stored by the restaurant owner.

Since Ma Shixiang was the general of City of Wei, no one dared to battle with him, so he drank the most. As he was getting gradually drunk, he looked at the people in the restaurant and said, ”Ning Que told me three sentences when he left town. For the sake of those three sentences, I will never turn against him.”

An adjutant burped and said, ”I asked you at that time what was it he told you, but you refused to tell me. Can you speak now?”

Ma Shixiang stroked his beard and said, ”I cannot say. I cannot say.”

That night, Ma Shixiang got drunk, and so did the City of Wei.