Chapter 4 (2/2)

“Didn't I already say it just now, it's just like this,” Fu Shen reached out a hand and interrupted hilass of water”

Yan Xiaohan frowned: ”It's cold”

“I still want it if it's cold, you want me to die of thirst instead?” Fu Shen said, “In the sasWhat, would I hang myself for just this?”

Yan Xiaohan was left speechless He could only empty the half-full cup of residual tea and pour a new one to hand to him: “Doubt re people over to check”

Fu Shen: “Then that old man9 can now be relieved”

Yan Xiaohan unceremoniously responded: “The way I see it, not necessarily Aren't you still breathing?”

Fu Shen looked at hi trouble out of nothing again”

“I always feel like this all isn't actually real” Yan Xiaohan asked, “You truly didn't leave yourself an out, or deliberately release falsified news?”

Fu Shen asked back: ”Why do you think this?”

Yan Xiaohan straightforwardly replied: “Because you were born with a clever and intelligent appearance Just looking at your face, you should not be the type to do this kind of idiotic thing”

“It's true,” Fu Shen shook his head and slowly finished drinking the water “A weapon in the light is easy to dodge, but an arrow fro that I would never be tricked or fall into a trap… aren't you thinking of me too much like a God?”

Yan Xiaohan did not expect Fu Shen's evaluation of hi theexploits on the battlefield… Fu Shen seemed to exist to break the concept of “i and the Northern Yan Iron Cavalry were invincible e was too deeply rooted in people's minds, to the point where these illusions had even affected Yan Xiaohan

But Fu Shen was just an ordinary person, without three heads and six arms, without copper skin and iron bones His body of flesh and blood still could not resist a huge boulder falling from the sky

“Do you know, on the way back to the capital, I stopped in a tea shop and chatted with people there I heard the passed around in the capital, called 'As long as Co, the capital can still sleep peacefully'” Fu Shen continued, “It really is ridiculous when put like that I stayed in Northern Yan for seven, eight years All this tiuished career forthe people I was so arrogant and wild that I even forgot my own surname Now in the end I've finally realized that I wasn't just preventing the Tatars and Zhe people fro—I have even disturbed 'that one's' peaceful sleep as well…”

Yan Xiaohan said: “Since you have figured it out, why not just sio ho a wealthy and honorable idler better than caht up in political intrigue in the capital?”

“Coly “Is this the first tiht no e in deep conversation', yet you're still giving me this talk?”

He lowered his voice: “The Eastern Tatars have not given up on their schemes and the Yi people still eye us covetously How many people in the imperial court have been blinded by these ten years of peace and prosperity? If I leave noill take over the Northern Yan Iron Cavalry in the future? Who will be willing to bargain with the imperial court on behalf of the border ar arates, would the unluckiest ones not be the ordinary soldiers and innocent common people?”

”What does that have to do with you?”

Fu Shen abruptly raised his gaze, as if he could not have iainst him

Yan Xiaohan coldly said: “His Majesty fears you, the courtiers doubt and suspect you, those foolish commonfolk only kno to blindly yell into the wind Now that you have fallen to this state today, is there anyone who actually cares about you? You barely even have a place to shelter yourself, yet you still have the spare heart to worry for all those under the heavens Don't you find this ironic, General Fu?”

These words were cold and heartless, against all societal grace But against Yan Xiaohan's expectations, Fu Shen actually did not retaliate sarcastically

Yan Xiaohan watched his side-profile with eyes lowered in deep thought, and suddenly realized that Fu Shen's youthful arrogance and eye-catching sharpness of the past… were currently di away

By illness and pain, by the wind and snow and dust, or by other things… being completely worn down and whittled away

They were separated by a physical distance, but their attitudes were , to the point where this could al their hearts to each other” The two did indeed disagree, but this disagreement was far from the publicly rumored mutual dislike They had become acquainted with each other back in their youth, and the relationshi+p of so-called ”sworn ne they had conveniently taken advantage of After all, one was an i military authority, while the other was the beloved and trusted confidant of the Eood, it would instead attract others' suspicion

They played along as strangers to hide the underlying intih this arrangement admittedly allowed them to avoid quite a bit of trouble, it also aap between the two

The Fu clan had earned noble eneration Those of Fu Shen's father's generation had all died on the battlefield; loyalty and responsibility were almost carved into his bones and flesh On the other hand, Yan Xiaohan was of huin He had stepped on countless people to have risen to his current position today The only thing he obeyed was the imperial will—no principles, no botto these ”upright gentle in return, even including their ultimate fate

In the end, the two of the since expected this They just had not iined that the conflict would catch theh price

Footnotes:

1 鬼压床 literally translates to so down on you in bed”, but today we call this condition Sleep Paralysis Basically, you are conscious but unable to move It is often accompanied by hallucinations of a supernatural creature as well as pressure being applied onto one's chest, with associated fear and panic

2 Apparently 沉水香 = ”lignum aquilariae resinatum”? Don't ask me what this smells like lol

3千金贵体 literally translates to soold”

4 顺坡下驴 literally translates to so down a slope”

5 软硬不吃 literallylike ”will eat neither soft nor hard” Basically, you won't get any results no matter if you sweet-talk him or threaten him

6下官 lit ”lower official” is a huovernardless of their actual rank

7 弱柳扶风 is i especially weak/feeble

8 Fu Shen technically calls Shen Yi'ce ”先生”, which normally translates to ”Mr” However, this term is also uniquely used to address teachers and doctors I just kept it as Doctor since that feels the lish

9 老人家 is a polite term for an old woman or man I was kind of unsure how to translate this since ”old man” seems a bit informal, but oh well

Here's one fanart portrait of Yan Xiaohan I found! The artist is Siidee on Weibo Source: