Capital, Bian Mansion.
Three incense sticks were steadily inserted into the incense burner, with smoke slowly rising.
Bian Cang brushed off the incense ash from his sleeve. His expression was solemn, and though his spirit remained vigorous, his hair had whitened considerably. He slowly walked over and sat down at the table.
“Liang Ye is just steps away from the Capital yet refuses to enter, and you’re not anxious at all,” the person opposite him said with amusement in their voice. “You grandfather and grandson are truly patient.”
“We don’t deserve to be called grandfather and grandson,” Bian Cang replied with a calm gaze, methodically pouring tea for his guest. “Everything in noble families has its own destiny and timing. There’s no need to rush. When it’s time for him to arrive, he will naturally come.”
“Heh.” The other person gave a light chuckle.
“The Capital is here, the dragon throne is here. He’ll have to return whether he wants to or not,” Bian Cang pushed the cup towards his guest. “I just never expected that child, who was once so young and naive, would now have gained such influence.”
“His birth chart shows the star of destruction, and his imperial purple qi is faint and nearly exhausted – he has the fate of a doomed ruler,” the other person sneered. “That young Crown Prince had thick imperial qi, but unfortunately was destined for an early death. He was fated to have no real connection to the throne despite their brief encounter.”
Disgust flashed through Bian Cang’s eyes. “Those are nothing but heterodox practices.”
The other person laughed heartily. “Then why do you burn those three incense sticks to worship the dead?”
“It’s merely self-deception,” Bian Cang said coldly. “How many days do you need?”
“At least six days, at most twelve,” the other person said. “Daren should quickly find a way to invite His Majesty back to the Capital.”
“Understood.” Bian Cang stood up and left.
The other person watched his departing figure with a smile, then lowered their head to smell the tea on the table.
The tea reflected their slightly upturned eyes like cold stars, with a crimson mole between their brows appearing bewitching. They blew on the tea, causing ripples to form on the calm surface before quickly disappearing.
As soon as Bian Cang entered the palace, someone intercepted him.
“Bian Daren!” Bian Yunxin, dressed in fine clothes, called out to him from a distance.
“This minister greets the Empress Dowager,” Bian Cang clasped his hands and bowed.
Bian Yunxin walked hurriedly towards him, tears of excitement in her eyes. “Daren, you said earlier that my son was still alive. Have you… have you come to the palace with news?”
Bian Cang’s contempt flashed briefly in his eyes before he said flatly, “Empress Dowager, I did indeed rescue and raise an infant from the palace back then. During the New Year, when His Majesty went to battle, he insisted on following to earn merit on the battlefield… This child was five years younger than His Majesty and had a round birthmark on the back of his neck. Is that correct?”
Bian Yunxin clutched her handkerchief tightly. “Yes… yes, that’s right. That’s my son. The former emperor said he would send him somewhere safer. I never imagined he’d entrusted him to you… How…how is he now? The battlefield is so dangerous, how could he go there! Daren…”
As Bian Cang walked forward, she followed behind him, disregarding etiquette. “Daren, I beg you, for the sake of our past master-servant relationship, just let me see him once! Daren!”
In her desperation, she even tried to grab Bian Cang’s sleeve but quickly withdrew her hand when he gave her a cold glance. With a sob in her voice, she pleaded, “Daren, I beg you, for this young lady’s sake, let me see him just once!”
She even fell to her knees.
Bian Cang stopped walking and looked at her coldly. “You can’t see him anymore.”
Bian Yunxin looked up in dismay.
“His throat was cut with a single stroke,” Bian Cang recalled for a moment. “On his birthday.”
Bian Yunxin collapsed to the ground, saying in disbelief, “No, no, that’s impossible, no! Didn’t you say he went to earn merit on the battlefield? If Ye’er could survive, he must have survived too. If Ye’er knew he was his brother, he surely wouldn’t have watched him die…Daren, just let me see him! I won’t say anything, I just want to see him from afar! Daren!”
“His Majesty ordered his death and will bring back his head. You can beg His Majesty then.” Bian Cang swept his sleeve, knocking her to the ground, and walked forward expressionlessly.
“No…” Bian Yunxin lay on the ground, weeping bitterly.
“Empress, Empress!” The palace maids hurriedly came to help her up.
Bian Yunxin grabbed one maid’s arm and whispered through tears, “Did Ye’er find out my son wasn’t His Majesty’s child? Did they all find out?! But I was forced into it! What right does he have to kill my son! I raised him, what right does he have to kill my son?!”
“Empress, you mustn’t speak rashly,” the maid quickly covered her mouth.
Bian Yunxin wept heartbrokenly, “Why couldn’t they spare his life… Why couldn’t they let me see him one last time…”
As the crying faded into the distance, a young official approached with a smile. “Bian Daren.”
“Ah, Shuzhuo.” Bian Cang glanced at him. “I know why you’re here, no need to say more.”
“Daren, Binbai was just momentarily confused,” Xun Yang said with an awkward smile. “This student will try to persuade him again. He will surely abandon darkness for light and return from his misguided path.”
The prison door slowly opened before them.
“Being loyal to the emperor and loving one’s country is not wrong,” Bian Cang said. “But not everyone can be like you, knowing when to advance and retreat, why force it?”
Xun Yang laughed awkwardly, “This student has reached today’s position entirely thanks to your nurturing, Daren. How could I not know gratitude?”
“Look at these prisoners, can they be persuaded?” Bian Cang sighed. “Knowing His Majesty is not a wise ruler, yet still blindly following – this is foolish loyalty. When the time comes, His Majesty won’t appreciate their loyalty. When he decides to kill, he’ll still strike without hesitation. Emperors are heartless, why waste such devoted loyalty?”
“Daren speaks truly,” Xun Yang said. “As long as the common people can live better lives, it doesn’t matter who sits on the dragon throne.”
Bian Cang’s gaze paused slightly. “I remember you and Xun Yao, who was involved in the examination fraud, were from the same clan?”
“We can hardly be called clansmen, we’re beyond five generations removed,” Xun Yang said.
“What a pity,” Bian Cang shook his head.
“Daren means–” Xun Yang was confused by his words, unable to grasp his meaning.
“This person’s background is not simple,” Bian Cang said.
Seeing he had nothing more to say, Xun Yang feared annoying him and dared not ask further, only thinking to inquire privately later.
The prison was dark, and it took a long while to reach the end of the long corridor. In the innermost cell, Cui Qi sat in a wheelchair reading a book.
“Cui Daren,” Bian Cang stopped at the cell door.
Cui Qi looked up at him and said coolly, “Bian Daren has come rather early.”
“Cui Daren is naturally perceptive,” Bian Cang sat down in a chair brought by the jailer, gathering his sleeves. “If you hadn’t investigated me, I should have had some peaceful days.”
“Bian Daren jests,” Cui Qi closed his book and met Bian Cang’s clear eyes. “Those noble families are still being deceived into serving you. Your days have always been peaceful.”
“The former emperor was intelligent, and the children he bore were also quick-witted,” Bian Cang said. “Pity none lived long. Perhaps there is truth in saying that extreme wisdom leads to harm.”
Cui Qi looked at him impassively. “Bian Daren has lived half his life in integrity and nobility, why sully yourself now? The pointless deaths of a hundred thousand soldiers in the Northern Border – can your conscience truly be at peace?”
Bian Cang merely smiled without speaking. After a long while, he said, “You should ask Wei Wanlin about this matter. I didn’t force him, human nature is simply thus.”
Cui Qi’s expression grew slightly cold.
“Did Cui Daren think I wanted His Highness the Crown Prince, causing you to hurriedly send him away?” Bian Cang looked at him.
Cui Qi stared directly into his eyes, then suddenly gave a self-mocking laugh. “To think that even a cripple like me could cause Bian Daren to go to such lengths?”
“After all, among the former emperor’s surviving children who reached adulthood, only you and His Majesty remain,” Bian Cang said. “Does Cui Daren truly have no interest in the throne?”
“I’ve grown accustomed to sitting in this wheelchair and don’t wish to move anymore,” Cui Qi looked at him. “Daren’s plan to have His Majesty and me kill each other was truly misguided. Between us, it was merely a transaction, with little brotherly affection.”
“You Liang family people value relationships deeply. I don’t believe those words,” Bian Cang sighed. “Since Cui Daren has no interest, I won’t force the matter.”
“It seems His Majesty didn’t fall into your trap,” Cui Qi suddenly smiled. “His Majesty has no intention of going to war, so your gathered army of two hundred thousand is useless.”
Bian Cang refused to change course and install a new ruler for Northern Liang, yet also wouldn’t support a new emperor. Liang Ye simply left him there, not showing himself – fight if you want, who will you fight? The armies were scattered in various places all carrying Liang banners, making it impossible to start a proper war without clear sides.
Liang Ye’s move of advancing by retreating had instead left Bian Cang stuck in an awkward position. Running into such a carefree madman who didn’t follow normal logic was truly unfortunate – any normal emperor would have started fighting long ago.
The mockery and faint schadenfreude in Cui Qi’s eyes momentarily resembled Liang Ye so closely that even Xun Yang, who had been listening in confusion, felt angry enough to want to punch someone.
But Bian Cang remained calm, sighing and smiling, “That’s why you Liang family people don’t live long.”
“Do you Bian family people live any longer?” Cui Qi smiled faintly.
The smile froze slightly on Bian Cang’s face.
Xun Yang silently took two steps back, deeply feeling that the reason the Liang family didn’t live long was probably due to their sharp tongues.
****
Outside the Capital.
“Damn it–” Yang Wujiu wailed, struggling to pull his sword from a corpse. He looked at Chong Heng, who had removed his mask, in shock. “You actually dared to impersonate His Majesty!!”
He had diligently protected all this way only to find out he was protecting this fellow Chong Heng!
Chong Heng returned to his original form and tucked the mask into his sleeve. “Stop howling. Master ordered me to hold out until we reached the Capital’s outskirts. Now most of our men are dead, and assassins keep coming. If we keep up this pretense, we’ll really be surrounded.”
Yang Wujiu looked at him in complete confusion, suddenly having a partial realization. “So this must be part of the Prince and His Majesty’s strategy, perhaps to distract Bian the traitor’s attention, and then… and then what?”
“Master didn’t say,” Chong Heng said solemnly. “Why don’t I wait here for Master while you return to the Capital to find your adoptive father?”
“How could I abandon you!” Yang Wujiu firmly disagreed. “You’re so stupid, what if you get tricked again?”
“Who are you calling stupid!?” Chong Heng raised his sword to Yang Wujiu’s neck.
“I’m stupid, I’m stupid, alright?” Yang Wujiu raised one arm to signal him to calm down, then rolled his eyes and said, “If you stay in the outskirts, you’ll stand out. No matter how good your martial arts are, those assassins will find your trail. Why don’t we enter the Capital first and gather some intelligence for His Majesty?”
Chong Heng took out a crumpled paper from his sleeve and reached for a charcoal pen to write. “I need to leave a message for Master.”
He had just written “entering the city” when flaming arrows rained down on them from all directions. Chong Heng quickly hid the note and pulled Yang Wujiu into the forest.
“Whee–” Yang Wujiu, experiencing flying through the air for the first time, couldn’t help but cheer.
“Shut up, you fool!” Chong Heng scolded.
Yang Wujiu pouted, then suddenly realized something. “Damn, did you leave the note!?”
“Yes!” Chong Heng shouted.
Several hours later.
Wang Dian unfolded the crumpled paper in his hand and struggled to make out the blurry, large characters on it. He asked puzzled, “Person, earth, salty?”
Baili Cheng’an frowned. “What does ‘person earth’ mean?”
Long Xiang was confused. “And it’s salty?”
Li Mu guessed, “Perhaps it means a person turned to earth, a grave?”
Liang Ye glanced at it and said coolly, “Entering the city. Is it that hard to read?”
Everyone fell into silence.
TN:
人土咸-Person, earth, salty
入城-Entering the city
