Chapter 19 (1/2)
XIX Content of the Present
Despite the bias for the letters overof the country, there is not one person, not in the imperial court nor in the dirtiest alleyways, who doesn’t know of one particular man—a soldier
Heng Ziyu, the Protector of the Seas—the number one in the Great Rui military world
Born a coe of seventeen and was drafted into the Colonel of Xuan Wei’s army as the Captain of Yi Hui at nineteen In the Fourth Year of Yong Guang, the County Governor of North Dian abused his military power and colluded with the local natives ofLin Under the royal edict, the Colonel of Xuan Wei led his troops west and as the Captain of Yi Hui, Heng Ziyu launched into battle The troops fought head-on at first and later when they were cutting through a patch of thick forest, they ran into obstinate Hill Barbarians ould not surrender In a fury, Heng Ziyu killed the entire tribe, and utterly defeated the Lin natives along the way, fully recovering North Dian Thus he was raised up to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of You Ji
In the Sixth Year of Yong Guang, the County of Jin An suffered fro Ziyu defended the land After overco, he determinedly ordered for the destruction of the dam and the relentless pursuit of the pirates Since then, the pirates have completely lost the ability to violate our borders due to their severe losses
That year, Heng Ziyu was given the peerage of marquis and the title, Protector of the Seas, on the account of his notable achievehest honour a soldier can receive in Great Rui
Right now, this person whom the storytellers describe as soht in front ofhis arait is confident andit look like a military march
The attendant goes inside to notify his arrival Heng Ziyu stands by the white balustrade with his arards the palaces and halls in the distance Once in a while, when he glances over tolooked down upon
“A Golden Guardian?” he wonders out loud
As a son of the rich who has received this high-paying position on the account oflooks froht their way up from the bottom of the chain and attained their fortunes theh and look away I don’t want to speak with him
He scoffs “I’ve always heard that Minister Han is very strict when it co the country and his own house Good for hi his own blood out to hen our country is in need”
I grunt in reply, peering over “What’s the point in pointing out things we both know, Marshal Heng?”
He leans on the balustrade, watching the hovering clouds up above “Because you count for at least half a warrior”
“I’Uncle would come out sooner
He scansata sword and used the bow, so you count for at least half a warrior”
I look down at the thick calluses in between o away They were froeezer in my youth, which was only so I could protect h in uess now you’re going to ask me if I kno to ride a horse or if I’ve killed before”
He lets out a hu, ostentatious nobles are in pursuit of recognition but never do you consider the pains and suffering of the people”
With nothing to counter that, I look away again
There is a bias for scholastics, yet the wars never seem to end The people have lost their homes, the crops and fields have all been abandoned, and after the unexpected drought, the death toll caused by hunger and war has arievance is no longer a secret so Heng Ziyu’s words are not that surprising
I glance at hiht outside our walls and you as the e around?”
He lets out a short chuckle “As you said, I ahts of a otten the stick if you were my soldier”
I let ue
Everyone has been saying that he has had plans of treason since a long ti rid of him now that he has served his purpose, but they ary of his military power and the unstable borders in the south so they never acted Likewise, Heng Ziyu only pays superficial respect to the court, and the situation remains in a delicate balance
But noith the arrival of the Yan army, it appears that this equilibrium is about to be tipped over
“Unfortunately, I’nition You’ve overlooked that fact, Marshal”
He glances at me, his smile still evident “You, too, have overlooked the fact you haven’t come across an opportunity for you to do so”
Disgusted, I reer on it but there’s so for power? Or maybe it’s the thirst for accomplishment?
“I’ain but the view looks different this ti to the bone unlike any other I’ve heard
“In that case, wouldn’t it be even better if you viewed the i Palace?” I hiss lowly and walk to the top of the steps
His expression falters for a er He shoots ainst the ith a flick of my sleeves
Who gives a da in this overindulgent world for me and even if there was, it would have to be him
It is very late at night when Uncle co that happened, as if it has never happened I don’t want to bother with it either so the peculiar incident of the day just fades out in time with our purposefully blind eyes
However, he starts going to the palaceup with people; busy and unfamiliar people A few are armed soldiers and a couple other ones look fairly familiar I think they’re senior attendants from the palace
I’ heavier by the day, to the point my stomach twists up Froood things he’s done foroverboard with the bullying, or his unspoken permission to let me study a bit of ot as Golden Guardian was because of him…
Only after I swore for the o to Jade House or coo out, albeit extrely But—and there is a but—I can’t stay out for more than four hours
Four hours—what do I do with that? I grumble as I leave the mansion with two tails behind me
Glancing at the two houseboys trailing behind me, I feel annoyed Uncle has no need to worry about ates has been amped up to check for possible spies
The people on the street seelu is now almost deserted The venders holler out desperately a few ti back down quietly with a dispirited face
I run into Song Ruoreen iot out frohtens a little when he sees s me into a tea house after some small talk
We’ve just sat dohen a conversation at the table next to us catches our attention, stopping our own
“Have you heard? The emperor isn’t in the best of health”
“When is He ever?”
“Then what’s gonna happen? His Majesty has no onna…?”
I look to Song Ruo and he nods solemnly while Pei Yuan re around the streets of the capital, saying his condition is worsening and he ht just pass away
Pei Yuan breaks our silence, saying under his breath “The call for the relocation’s escalating Many of the larger clans and families have left already” As if to prove his words true, several expensive-looking carriages race through the street, leaving in a ind
“The e thecourts as usual Just whose erily slaps his paGoda wood hu on the table
“Uncle asked ht whether there was a chance of victory if we chose to defend” I mutter, and the two of them stop and watch me
Pei Yuan then presses, “That’s right, you just came back from there You’ve seen it with your oo eyes”
I shake my head “So what if I did? After all this, even those who haven’t would know that the Yan kill without a second thought”
Song Ruo with his tea cup “If His Majesty really were to leave, ould be there to inherit the throne?”
I take a“The closest bloodline would have to be Mu De, eldest son of Duke Yu Qing, but he’s just turned one The next closest would be Duke of Yan Ning, son of DukeQi Huai, but he’s only seven Even if they were to-”
“What good is a one or a seven year old?!” Pei Yuan thunders “They’d just end up as her puppets anyways!”
The loud chatter in the tea house dies down instantly and I feel nu at us with all sorts of expressions My lips twitch That sure ell
As he hurriedly drags Pei Yuan out, Song Ruos his heels in and doesn’t say a word Seeing that I o”
“The successor is gonna be whoever the eer names She has the final say anyway”
As we’re chatting, all I see are the bobbing heads of the pedestrians on the busy street Suddenly I hear the pounding of hooves on the road and it is approaching fast The pedestrians all scatter out of the way, for a clear path, and the next moment, a cavalry of five hundred zip past aust of wind
“Outta the way! Outta the way!”
The crowd disperses in alar in different directions I’m knocked all over the place and when I look up I spot a faure
Heng Ziyu looks as he always does: poised high on horseback dressed in green, his co and ers onhis whip and driving his steed towards the royal palace
I forget my steps I sense that there is more than meets the eye in that smile of his
Song Ruo and Pei Yuanscruffy and tattered Song Ruo brushes off the dirt on hi Ziyu wouldn’t let it go so easily His army has set up ca on A new heir, tsk tsk”
I clean the dirt off of ht it over We’re just normal citizens”
When we’re saying our goodbyes, Pei Yuan suddenly asks “Hey, how many days have you been back?”
“’Bout five or six Why?” I answer after some calculation
“You one to the front lines but you’re still a Golden Guardian; your records are still under the Guardians Norone back to work already?”
“Really?” I falter “I’unno Uncle never brought it up and he doesn’t really let o out Says I should behave and stay in the mansion”
Pei Yuan scrunches his brows “That’s weird Sure, Minister Xie’s son doesn’t needa serve ‘cause he’s kicked the bucket, but you should go now that you’re back Plus,” he sighs “Our nuinal five thousand to four, it’s getting hard to even secure and patrol the royal palace”
“Whoa, why has it declined so much?”
Song Ruoht now, the court’s been split up by Marshal Heng and the senior officials The marshal just transferred one thousand Guardians away a while ago, saying it’s advanced training or soht”
It is said that Great Rui’s Golden Guardian nu, each one tall and well-built, and makes a fierce battle formation However, I’ve also heard Guardian General Xie co in private that these five thousand men were all looks, that he didn’t expect the as they didn’t participate in any prostitution, ga, extortion or the sorts
“If I remember correctly, the Guardian General sides with Minister Xie, right?”
“Mhm Minister Xie’s been in a bad mood lately They say the lil’ bastard, Xie Zhen, died out there”
I laugh drily and change the topic
That guy, Xie Zhen, had it co Yu I wonder how he’s doing now that I’ve been gone for almost a week
Oh whatever There’s nothing I could do Xiao Qinyun is there anyways I don’t need to get my panties up in a bunch
The conflict around South Hill Pass is getting nowhere The two sides have been in battle for a long tih battle power, they still haven’t been able to make it past the walls Naturally, the Rui are According to word, all you can see fros
General Zhou is posted at the west path and is fighting with the Yan areological contours but the food supply is insufficient It seeer, but once the west path is abandoned, the entire backside of the Pass is going to be exposed for the ene pleasure