Chapter 29: A Matter of Life and Death (1/2)
Chapter 29: A Matter of Life and Death1
I watched Xiaoshunzi gather our belongings. My mind was blank. I would regain my freedom tomorrow. But there was nothing that could be done to make me happy. It was a long time before I could steel my heart. There was no reason for me to spend my time worrying about someone who had decided to kill me with the poison of a Soul Enrapturing Pill. At this moment, a servant came to report that Guan Xiu, Dong Zhi, and Gou Lian had come to see me. Their arrival denoted the final, last effort. I grew warm. Regardless of what was going to happen, they were all good men. Since after today, there wouldn’t ever be an opportunity to sit and drink with them, there was no harm in drinking through the night. I smiled and ordered the servant to invite them to come in.
Guan Xiu and company were all intelligent. After chatting for a few moments, they realized that I had made my decision and ceased efforts to change my mind. We talked to our hearts’ content through the night. As the morning arrived, I looked at the approaching dawn outside the window. With a smile, I stated, “All good things must come to an end.2 After we part today, when we meet again, I’m afraid that we will have become strangers.”
Distressed, Gou Lian replied, “Since Suiyun knows this, why are you entering service with the Prince of Qi?”
I smiled slightly before responding, “His Imperial Highness, the Prince of Qi, is reckless, impulsive, and candid. I am only planning on idling in his service. After a period of time, I plan on leaving Chang’an. When that time comes, we will be friends and not enemies. There is no need for you gentlemen to be overly anxious.”
In a low voice, Dong Zhi said, “The only fear is that His Imperial Highness, the Prince of Qi, is unwilling to allow Sir to leave.”
I only tranquilly remarked, “Gentlemen, please go back. I will leave the Prince of Yong’s residence today. His Imperial Highness has already stated that he plans to see me off. Suiyun cannot possibly go meet His Imperial Highness like this. I must bathe and change my clothes, before I can go bid farewell to His Imperial Highness.”
Rising to his feet, Guan Xiu said, “Since that is the case, we won’t disturb Suiyun any further. We won’t participate when the Prince throws your send-off banquet so that we can avoid the grief and sorrow of parting. Those feeling overwhelming sadness forget that it’s nothing more than bidding farewell.”
After seeing these three advisers off, I walked into a rear room. This room was the designated room for bathing. Within the room was a pool five zhang wide. The entire floor of the pool was covered with limestone. The water intake valve was at the center of the bath. Above it was the water outtake valve in the shape of a lotus. Underneath the limestone floor were copper pipes, drawing and heating the clear spring water from the gardens. After pressing the mechanism to allow the water to enter, the clear spring water would spray forth in all directions from the lotus. After I entered, Xiaoshunzi was letting water into the pool. The entire room grew foggy, the splashing water like pearls and jade. I smiled slightly. Every single time I entered the room, I thought that the imperial clan certainly knew how to enjoy themselves.
After undressing, I stepped into the pool, openly and unrestrainedly enjoying the hot water bath. With a smile, I called, “Xiaoshunzi, tell me, can I build a similar pool in the future?”
Xiaoshunzi did not answer me. Feeling odd, I turned my head and took a look, seeing that his mind was wandering. Feeling strange, I shook my head. However, I did not rouse him from his reverie. He would never hide his feelings or worries from me. I believed that he would soon have something to say to me.
After I had finished bathing, I put on the clothes that Xiaoshunzi had prepared for me. I had given special instructions that the interior undergarments and the exterior scholarly garb had to be snow white. Just as I was dressing conscientiously, Xiaoshunzi suddenly appeared and kneeled on the ground before me. In a voice filled with sorrow, he stated, “Young master, please stop making things so difficult for yourself.”
I stared blankly at him for a moment, my hands that were just about to take the proffered robes stopping in midair. Unsure, I asked, “Xiaoshunzi, what are you saying?”
Xiaoshunzi replied, “Xiaoshunzi knows that young master is wholeheartedly determined to avenge your wife. May I ask young master if we were to take vengeance for the lady, what stratagems could be employed?”
I looked at him and softly said, “We are in the same boat.3 I won’t conceal anything from you. As soon as I learned the identity of main culprit, I had devised three plans—upper, middle, and low.”
Xiaoshunzi asked, “May I ask young master’s low plan?”
I took the proffered robes from his hands. In an unhurried voice, I responded, “The low plan is the most difficult. After I extricate myself from the Yong capital, I will go into hiding and wait for the opportune moment. It is said that there will always be something neglected by a wise person’s overthinking. As long as we wait carefully, there will eventually be an opportunity to assassinate Li An. Even if we can’t assassinate him, we will be able to cause huge damage from that moment’s negligence.4 I can wander the world, cultivating and training forces that are dissatisfied with Li An. Presently, the Hanzhong region has not yet wholeheartedly submitted and soon, Southern Chu will be reestablished. Borrowing the entire world’s strength and with the Prince of Yong eyeing covetously on the side, I will one day take revenge. It is only that killing a country’s heir apparent is not a small matter. After we have succeeded, I will have to scatter my subordinates and wealth, and from that moment forward, travel the world. In addition, even if we are the slightest bit inattentive, our fate will be of defeat and death.”
In a low voice, Xiaoshunzi continued to ask, “May I ask young master’s middle plan?”
I draped the robes over my shoulders and quietly replied, “The middle plan is somewhat better. Crown Prince Li An’s biggest supporter is the Prince of Qi. Although the Prince of Qi is impulsive and reckless, that is only his outer appearance. In reality, he is an outstanding talent of the present age. If the Prince of Yong did not exist, then the Prince of Qi would be a good choice to inherit the throne. I will pledge my allegiance to the Prince of Qi, strategize for him, inciting discord between brothers. At the right moment, have him instigate internal strife. Whether this benefits the Prince of Yong or the Prince of Qi, I will break Li An and kill him. Even if we were unable to achieve this objective, we would incite a civil war in Great Yong, avenging both state and personal grievances.”
Xiaoshunzi moved forward on his knees and asked, “May I ask young master’s upper plan?”
I fastened my robes. With a smile, I responded, “This upper plan is the fairest and most aboveboard. I pledge allegiance to the Prince of Yong and borrow his strength to attack.5 When the time comes, I will have the Prince of Yong murder his older brother and force his father to yield the throne. Not only will I have taken revenge, the world will also have received a wise and virtuous ruler. With unification, the dawn of a new era will be at hand. Not only will I, Jiang Zhe, be famous in the annals of history, after success, I will be able to either retire and become a recluse, or enjoy riches and honor. This is the upper plan.”
In a grave and serious voice, Xiaoshunzi said, “Young master, over the last several years, Xiaoshunzi has always been attending by your side. How can Xiaoshunzi not understand young master’s thoughts? Young master clearly knows that pledging allegiance to the Prince of Yong is the best course of action. Why have you been so stubborn? Young master’s personal enemy is also the enemy of the Prince of Yong. As long as young master enters into the service of the Prince of Yong, the moment that the Prince of Yong ascends to the throne is the moment that young master’s vengeance is realized. From beginning to end, young master has refused to pledge your allegiances to the Prince of Yong, and even repeatedly and deliberately instigated provocations, forcing the Prince of Yong to come to decision to kill young master. In reality, as long as young master submits to the Prince of Yong and takes revenge, young master will be able to become a recluse and live out your remaining years in peace. There is absolutely no need to take such risks. Although young master’s medical expertise is extraordinary, you may not be able to save yourself from the poisons secretly stored away by Great Yong’s imperial clan. If by chance, young master suffers misfortune, what then? Even if Xiaoshunzi were capable of killing the Prince of Yong, what use is that?”
I distantly replied, “How can I not understand these things? But through the entirety of my life, while I have been willing to use any available tools to confront my enemy, I have never arbitrarily schemed against those I am close with. The Prince of Yong is an unrivaled wise liege of this era. He trusts Suiyun completely. How much thought has he put in to acquire Suiyun’s services? Over a long journey of a thousand li, he has given me his clothes, his food. Suiyun does not have a heart of stone. How can I not be moved? But I have been graced by the favor of the King of Southern Chu formerly, and have incurred grievances with Great Yong latterly. There are already many misunderstandings present.
“Let alone the fact if I were to submit, I must wholeheartedly and sincerely consider His Imperial Highness. Without my planning, His Imperial Highness might not necessarily lose. Although the resulting conflict will be bitter and desperate, his reputation will remain faultless. But if I were to submit, Suiyun is only an ordinary person, and won’t be able to stop myself from resolving my personal grievances. Because of that, I would have harmed the righteousness of the cause. If I were to be completely impartial, how would I be able to face Piaoxiang’s spirit in the underworld? Thinking it over, since I am unwilling to mar His Imperial Highness’s reputation in the annals of history, and am unwilling to forsake my wife, Piaoxiang, because of my conscience, I can only make things difficult for myself. As for the middle plan, although I will not injure my resolution, it will inevitably cause the Prince of Yong to be badly hurt. I already feel guilt and shame in my heart because I cannot serve this kind of wise and virtuous liege. How can I bear to harm him? That is why I have adopted the low plan.”
Xiaoshunzi inquired, still filled with questions, “Young master is unwilling to serve the Prince of Yong, and yet considers the Prince’s needs. But is there a need to force the Prince of Yong to kill young master? If you were to fake your agreement, after some time, it wouldn’t be difficult to escape from Chang’an.
I smiled and explained, “I may have been careless in the way I have handled small, unimportant matters, but in matters this important, I am unwilling to lie and deceive. I did not lie or deceive back then, when I refused to serve the Prince of De. As I have the decision to not serve the Prince of Yong, I will not lie and deceive him into thinking otherwise. Moreover, if I did not force the Prince of Yong to kill me, how would I be able to completely serve the Prince of Yong’s inclination to recruit me? Xiaoshunzi, you must remember, faking my death today does have some degree of danger. But if I were to suffer misfortune, you must remember not to take revenge for me and harm the Prince of Yong. The Prince of Yong did not make any mistakes. A hegemon must not be softhearted. I only ask that you remember to one day kill Li An on my behalf. After that, bring my dead body back to Southern Chu to be buried alongside Piaoxiang. Do you promise me?”
Xiaoshunzi lowered his head to the ground. It was some time before he was able to speak, weeping, “How can this servant not listen to young master’s orders? If misfortune befalls young master, after I have killed Li An, I will return to Southern Chu and spend the rest of my life guarding young master’s grave.”
I quietly replied, “Many thanks to you. Actually, my chances of success are quite high. There is no need for you to feel bad. After we have overcome this obstacle, there will be nothing in this world that can fetter me. You can be assured that even for the sake of vengeance, I will not sacrifice myself.”
Xiaoshunzi fell silent and had no more words. I knew that he didn’t believe me. I was speaking the truth, though. I had never become crazy or frantic for the sake of vengeance.