832 Old Schoolmates (2/2)

Eldest Brother said, ”Just move as how we've planned days ago. Jun Mo and I are not worried about Chang'an; we're more afraid of something happening to you on your way.”

Ning Que said, ”If everything goes according to Fourth Brother's calculations, I'll be able to solve whatever trouble I meet. Now we have to confirm the news from the West-Hill Palace.”

Eldest Brother asked, ”How long will it take?”

Ning Que said after a moment's silence, ''Probably forever. I'll try to get more information before making the final decision. And I may need your help in that case.”

Eldest Brother said gently, ”Then you can stay and see if you can get more information. I have to go now.”

Ning Que asked, ”Are you going back to the palace?”

Eldest Brother said, ”Something is wrong with the Weihe River Dam. Officials from the Ministry of Workers are quarreling with those from the Ministry of Revenue. His Majesty and Li Yu are waiting for me to decide.”

Ning Que asked sincerely, ”Is there anything you are not capable of, Senior Brother?”

Eldest Brother smiled and said, ”I know nothing about Talisman Taoism, or I'd be the prisoner of the city, but if that really happened, I'll be fine with it.”

Eldest Brother left, leaving Ning Que standing on the city wall for a time. He watched the sunset. He saw the city wall shining, reflecting the golden glow, and he saw the city under the wall becoming an ocean of flowers.

Thousands of Tang soldiers came into the city amongst people waving hands, showered by the floating flower petals. They served the Northern Army, which was the most sufferable force in this battle. They had to put off the coming-back date because of the pressure from the Golden Palace, and it was not until the early summer that they were able to return to Chang'an and get awarded for their honor.

Ning Que walked down off the city wall and left for the House of Red Sleeves.

The whole House of Red Sleeves was booked by the Academy graduates of the 13th year of Tianqi.

Ning Que was standing by the window and looked at the young generals who wouldn't give up drinking, and at those new officials of all departments. He saw Chu Zhongtian with a thick beard who no longer looked young. He saw Wang Ying from Lin Chuan, who was now well respected in the Imperial Academy. He saw Chen Simiao, He Yingqin, and Chen Zixian; those were his classmates in Classroom Three.

Situ Yilan and Jin Wucai sat at the table, hand in hand, telling the stories that had happened after their last separation. Situ Yilan saw Ning Que's figure by the window, and she asked, ”Are you sure you don't want to go downstairs?”

Ning Que shook his head. Then he turned away to the table and sat down.

He felt it uncomfortable if he went downstairs considering his social status now. He didn't want to make those postures. This room was just fine with Chu Youxian and the two girls he was familiar with.

Jin Wucai married a young official from the Ministry of Workers as soon as her mourning period ended. Her marriage must have been a happy one because she looked gentle and quiet now. Nobody knew that from time to time, she would miss the man named Xie Chengyun.

Situ Yilan had been in the army since last year. She had been fighting against the cavalry of the Golden Palace in the Northern Frontier and had just come back to Chang'an today. The school reunion was held today mainly because other people were waiting for her to come.

Chu Youxian toasted others and when he noticed Situ Yilan's expression; he knew she had things to say to Ning Que. So he winked at Jin Wucai and the two left the room to go downstairs.

Situ Yilan looked Ning Que in the eyes and said, ”It's said that ceding Xiangwan Plain was the His Highness' idea. Nobody, including the soldiers in the Northern Army, would blame them because if His Highness died, even the Empress would die. But I know that decision must have been authorized by the Academy.”

She was in casual clothes at the moment, and though she might have been burned by the sun in the Northern Frontier, she was still beautiful as before. Only the cloth wrapped around her head felt weird.

Ning Que looked at her and said, ”I know what you mean. You're right. The Academy, or I, to be specific, authorized all the agreements, including the one ceding Xiangwan Plain to the Golden Palace, and the one ceding Dongshan County to the Kingdom of Yan.”

Situ Yilan asked, ”Why? Ceding Dongshan County might be a deliberate showing of weakness, but why Xiangwan Plain? You know how much its pasture means to the Empire.”

Ning Que said, ”You may have known that something has happened to the Academy, forcing us to draw back.”

Situ Yilan said, ”But the Golden Palace was really powerful, we lost lots of people there. I feel so restless as long as I know that they're probably growing stronger.”

Ning Que said, ”No worries, I'll kill them all.”

Situ Yilan trusted him. She knew that no matter how powerful a cultivator was, it was still impossible to kill all of the people of the Golden Palace alone, but she had no worries because the promise was made by the Academy.

She noticed that Ning Que kept staring at something on her. So she smiled and said, ”Want to have a look?”

Ning Que nodded.

She unwrapped the cloth on her head.

Her hair, which used to be as smooth as waterfall, had been cut short, in the most casual way.