Chapter 295: Li Guanyi

It took the surrounding civilians a long time to realize what Master Master Wen He had meant—that the Fire Qilin Army was leaving? Yes, the Fire Qilin Army had always been a force of the Eighteen Southern Provinces; they came here for the Son of Heaven's autumn hunt.

Now that the Son of Heaven's autumn hunt is over, they will naturally depart.

Yet suddenly, they felt a pang of fear and confusion.

As if something important were slipping away.

The old man lowered his head, staring at the porridge in his bowl—not fine white rice, but coarse grain nonetheless, a solid, filling meal, cooked with a touch of oil, alongside steamed buns and corn cakes.

There were several dishes: large chunks of braised pork, stewed vegetables.

A large pot sat over the fire, and the Fire Qilin Army's strongmen served steaming communal meals; these past days, they had done odd jobs for the army, nothing demanding, and the army paid wages and provided meals.

If one wished to do more work, one could bring family members along—everyone would be fed, and the army even had a traveling Physician who treated illnesses, and a certain Mr. Wen Lingjun who taught children to read and write.

Compared to the life they had before, what had that even been?

Thin, watery rice porridge, one bite, half your mouth full of sand.

The old man's lips trembled as he asked: "You… are leaving?"

Master Wen He replied: "I hate to leave you."

"But the world is in chaos."

These four words were spoken plainly, yet perfectly.

The humble, sincere strategist whispered: "In the north, Tie Futu and Night Gallop Cavalry are fighting; from central lands to Chen State, the Tiger Barbarian Cavalry is advancing; in the west, General Lu Youxian, Yu Langwang, and remnants of western factions are clashing."

"The world has long been in chaos."

"People are dying everywhere."

Master Wen He said: "Our lord is master of the Eighteen Southern Provinces; we must return to protect our own people. You have helped us greatly these past days, and we have little to offer you in return."

"Eat your fill here, then take these copper coins—your wages for this time. Afterward, the world is vast and uncertain—take care."

A deathly silence fell. The Fire Qilin Army truly brought out many chests filled with silver fragments. Though the food smelled rich and fragrant, and they could take money, the atmosphere collapsed into suffocating stillness.

People ate rice, ate greasy braised pork, yet no one spoke. Some finished their meals, then suddenly, their noses tingled, tears welling up.

Adults each carried their own sorrow.

Only children, simple in heart, were happy because they ate meat today—and even happier because they didn't have to learn characters today.

"Yay! We're eating meat!"

"We don't have to learn characters today, but I've memorized all the characters Mr. Wen taught us."

A child tugged his mother's sleeve: "The meat is so delicious."

"Mother, will we ever eat meat again?"

The woman tried to smile and comfort her child, but tears fell anyway. The child panicked, trying to wipe them away, but couldn't stop them. The emotion spread like wildfire—soon, the whole place was filled with weeping.

Wen Lingjun watched this scene, his heart ached. He sighed: "Using such tactics to highlight the cruelty of war and win the people's hearts—Qingyu, your methods are ugly."

Master Wen He replied: "Did I threaten them? Did I harm them?"

"Our lord helped them. Taking the people away was our own strategy."

"I only wanted to maximize its effect."

"This scene today stirred their emotions, used some cunning—but my only aim was to take more people with us."

Master Wen He's face, for once, lost its usual detachment. He said:

"In this chaotic world, noble clans will fight more fiercely. If these people stay in the Central Plains, they'll be among the first to die. If they come with us to the Eighteen Southern Provinces, at least they'll get a few mu of farmland, learn to read, and enjoy at least three years of peace."

Wen Lingjun sighed, sat back down. His bowl held the same food as the civilians—he came from a noble family, yet had no spoiled habits; he ate his meals clean and earnestly, always gentle and refined in manner.

Master Wen He suddenly said: "I never expected our lord to do this."

"I only hoped to use this momentum for one final performance—but our lord didn't. He made us settle their wages before we left, paying them fairly as hired laborers."

"Even our lord refused to appear himself, to stage a show to win hearts."

Wen Lingjun whispered: "Our lord only did this: pay for work done, provide full meals, help with medical care, teach the children to read a few characters—that's all."

"Our lord treated them as people."

Master Wen He said: "That's hard."

"Even the Mohists split into three branches; the Warrior Mohists have fractured into countless sects. Our lord once said that when he was in Chen State, he was nearly assassinated outside Yicheng by radicalized Warrior Mohists."

"They preserved only the idea of 'using martial arts to walk the Dao,' yet slowly changed in this chaotic age."

"In chaos, people drift helplessly."

"To be treated as a person—not as battlefield merit, not as a belt of severed heads—is rare. These past days, they did simple tasks, but there were many of them, and I bought many boats."

"Downstream, we can reach the southern regions quickly."

The meal was eaten in silence. The civilians held their copper coins, hearts aching with reluctance, yet unable to decide—only weeping as they bid farewell to the Fire Qilin Army.

In the past days, many civilians had gathered around the Fire Qilin Army, lively and bustling. Now, as they departed, the camp felt hollow. The soldiers all felt a dull heaviness.

Everyone packed their belongings. After Li Guanyi bid farewell to the Master and others in the city, he stepped out, went to the Changfeng Lady's tower, retrieved intelligence, and learned the broad contours of the world's shifting situation. He tucked the intelligence away.

The Changfeng Tower's representative in the Central Plains said:

"My lord, are you leaving the Central Plains?"

"The Young Lady is waiting for you."

Li Guanyi nodded, followed the woman down the Changfeng Tower, walked a little further, and arrived at a pavilion within the Central Plains imperial palace. A great tree stood there, its golden leaves trembling in the autumn wind.

A girl in a blue cloud-patterned robe stood quietly, watching the autumn winds rise and fall.

Li Guanyi gripped the cloth bundle in his chest, stepped forward, and smiled: "Young Lady, you're quite at ease."

Xue Shuangtao smiled faintly: "Isn't it because you, Qin Wu Hou, the Grand Strategist, are too busy to come find me? So I'm left here watching flowers bloom and fade. But judging by your expression, you're preparing to depart?"

Li Guanyi nodded: "The world is changing drastically—nothing like before."

After their victories, the generals of Chen State and Ying State built skull towers. The skulls piled up were surely not only enemy soldiers—battlefields are cruel, always merciless. Li Guanyi felt an intense urgency within him.

He had made a pact with Jiang Wanxiang.

Within three years, Jiang Wanxiang attacks Chen, while Li Guanyi enters the Western Regions.

But the heroes of the realm are not merely these two.

Even from this moment's intelligence, five different individuals are known: the Turkic Khagan and Chen Dingye have allied to attack Ying State; if the Khagan grows powerful and rides his horses across the grasslands to trample the Central Plains, the result will be the collapse of the Central Plains.

If the Regent of the Western Regions swiftly swallows the Western Regions, then Li Guanyi's and the Eighteen Southern States' chances of survival are severed, while the Regent's momentum is already formed.

Chen Dingye, if he can ally with the Turkic Khagan to crush Ying State, and defeat the Regent who occupies the Western Regions, then conquer the Western Regions from the south and rule from the south to dominate the north, intimidating all directions, might still achieve a great hegemony.

Thus, the Western Regions and the nearby plains—this entire region linked together—is indeed the vital ground now contested by all.

The heroes vie for supremacy, competing over who seizes this crucial first step first.

Li Guanyi cannot stop.

Li Guanyi pressed his palm against the wooden sword and said softly, "So, I'm afraid we must still wait until next time to meet." Xue Shuangtao said nothing, only smiled: "It's nothing—this meeting has already been good enough."

When the wind blew, the ginkgo tree swayed, and a falling leaf landed on Li Guanyi's shoulder; Xue Shuangtao reached out, plucked the leaf from his shoulder, then adjusted his collar:

"The great changes of the world are the moment for a true man to rise. Besides, you still have too much to do—you cannot halt here. Anyway, I too must leave this place; even if you hadn't left, I would have come to bid you farewell."

Xue Shuangtao smiled, then pulled something from her waist, took Li Guanyi's left hand in hers, lifted it, and placed the object into his palm: "Here, don't say your Young Lady treats you poorly!"

Li Guanyi froze: "What is this?"

Xue Shuangtao smiled faintly: "Just look."

Li Guanyi opened it hesitantly, saw the script and the imperial seal, and grimaced: "Is this… a land deed?"

It was, in fact, a land deed written in both Central Plains script and Tuyuhun script.

And it covered an entire village.

Xue Shuangtao raised her eyebrows, revealing the same martial spirit as before, and added: "It's a Western Regions land deed. I know you're going there, but it's chaotic there—too many factions. You need your own ground."

"Didn't I say I originally planned to leave Changfeng Tower there?"

"Though it failed, Changfeng Tower's territory and the village used to shelter those we saved—I've already 'bought' them. Right now, they're useless to me. Take them, Li Guanyi—they'll be useful."

"Huh? How did you get them?"

"Hmph, as a Young Lady, I naturally have a Young Lady's methods."

"You, forever destined to have no dealings with money—leave this to me."

The girl laughed merrily.

Not far away, Chen Qingyan, with silver-streaked temples, leaned against the wall, holding his sword; beside him stood the old man Chen Chengbi, whose arms were wrapped in cloth. This old man sought Wu Gong above all else; when facing the Master Jiankuang Elder Murong, others feared, but he grew ecstatic.

He rushed too far forward, took several solid blows from the Master Jiankuang, and his meridians were damaged—he's still recovering. The old rascal sneaked here to eavesdrop on the youths' talk, and muttered: "Blabbering nonsense."

He had gone to Kunlun and passed through the Western Regions too.

That village had caught the eye of a Western Regions noble; Xue Shuangtao went to buy it, the price was agreed upon—but that Western Regions elder, for some reason, grew bold and greedy, demanding Xue Shuangtao become his third wife in exchange for the village.

The girl laughed, as if she would agree.

Then she kicked over the table, leapt into the air, and stomped on the Western Regions elder's chest with the Eight Trigrams Dragon Step; she raised her hand, drew a bow, and the arrowhead nearly pierced the elder's mouth.

Finally, she drew the bow, the string taut like thunder.

"Who are you marrying?"

"This young lady?"

"Do you even deserve to?"

She fired several arrows in succession, pinning the Western Regions elder's collar to a great tree.

Such temper—clearly inherited from the Western Regions' tiger.

Chen Chengbi remembered something and looked at Chen Qingyan beside him: "By the way, isn't Xue Shuangtao's uncle—Xue Changqing's father—somewhere in the Western Regions?"

Chen Qingyan nodded: "Yes."

Chen Chengbi said: "Though the Xue family is unstable now, Xue Changqing's father is definitely on Li Guanyi's side. Hmph—Xue Shuangtao gives land, gives money, and arrives with connections already in place."

"Ah, what a fine girl."

"Why doesn't Li's boy just marry this little miss?"

Chen Chengbi sighed deeply: "Go marry this little miss."

"Then this old man can attend the wedding feast, and spar with the Master Jiankuang."

"If I crash Li Guanyi's wedding night—"

"Might I still get a chance to face Elder Murong?"

Chen Chengbi began considering the feasibility of this act.

Chen Qingyan had no intention of dealing with this martial-obsessed elder.

Li Guanyi understood the weight of this object, and its vital significance for his entry into the Western Regions; he solemnly accepted it, thanked her—but the girl stopped him. Xue Shuangtao pulled out another stack of papers and shoved them into Li Guanyi's arms, whispering:

"These are some of our eyes we planted there."

"Changfeng Tower failed, but not utterly—we left behind traces. These eyes will surely help you."

"One in the Jianghu, one as a Captain in the Wolf King's army, one in the Tangxi Kingdom, and one in Daqi Stronghold—do you remember? Daqi Stronghold has your father Tai Ping Gong's cavalry commander, the Divine Archer General."

Li Guanyi recalled the intelligence he'd seen in Chen State, and whispered:

"Wang Shunchen."

This general once held a city alone, firing three thousand arrows in a single day, killing two thousand nine hundred ninety-seven men, and utterly suppressing a vanguard force with sheer firepower.

Later, when the Qiang rebelled and camped on the mountains outside the city, this general stood atop the walls, drew his bow, and his arrows pierced the sky, even piercing through mountains to kill.

He was Tai Ping Gong Li Wanli's foremost Divine Archer.

After Li Wanli died, Wang Shunchen shot three arrows into the city gate, then walked away in plain clothes, bow in hand—no one dared stop him; even Lu Youxian refused to pursue this Divine Archer General, now with nothing left to lose.

If Wang Shunchen rode a strange beast, bow in hand, unless surrounded by a massive army, he was among the hardest to capture.

Later, this Divine Archer General went to the Xiyuda Sect's Daqi Stronghold.

He now spends his days only drinking and women.

The Juan record Li Guanyi saw wrote that the Qiang envoy came to pay him homage, trembling with fear, then exhaled deeply after leaving and cried out: "Is the Divine Archer General dead?"

His heart is dead.

Xue Shuangtao placed a waist token bearing a large flag emblem into Li Guanyi's hand, her voice clear as a bell: "You enter the world; I go to the rivers and lakes. When I went to Kunlun with my teacher before, we passed through the Western Regions and met this Divine General."

"He was already a Master."

"In terms of his Wu Gong alone, he was among the top thirty on the Divine General List, but later, after the Taiping Army's destruction, his heart suffered a crisis—his Dharma Form collapsed. I think perhaps you can awaken him again."

Xue Shuangtao smiled: "Alright, there's nothing more to see."

"I can help you little now."

She reached out and pressed her hand against Li Guanyi's shoulder, gently pushing him back, her voice soft: "It's getting late."

"Just like over a year ago."

"Go."

"Or do you have something you want to say?"

The girl paused, standing there, smiling brightly at Li Guanyi.

Li Guanyi felt he couldn't say what he meant to say; he fell silent, then spoke: "I do have something to ask of you." He pulled a jade vial from his robe, took Xue Shuangtao's left hand in his own, and placed the vial in her palm.

Whether it was an illusion or not, he felt her palm tremble slightly.

Mr. Chen Chengbi's eyes lit up.

"Oh? This is..."

He sprang up at once.

He was knocked back down by Chen Qingyan's sword striking his head.

The wind blew there, golden leaves spiraling around them; the boy's robe fluttered, the girl's black hair stirred slightly. Xue Shuangtao's heart quickened a little, her cheeks flushed, then she heard Li Guanyi say solemnly:

"This is the antidote to Fei poison."

The faintly romantic atmosphere vanished instantly. Xue Shuangtao froze, then gripped the jade vial and burst into laughter, her face turning bright red.

Over there, Mr. Chen Chengbi cursed: "Brat, you're not even as good as Zu Wenyuan!"

Over there, Li Guanyi said: "I originally planned to go to the Northern Frontier and deliver this medicine to Marshal Yue, but now, with the world's tide as it is, even I am not free to act as I wish."

"The Xue family's trade routes span every nation. I hope you, Shuangtao, will take this to beyond the pass and deliver it to Marshal Yue and Brother Yue—they can use this medicine to cure Marshal Yue's poison, restoring him to full strength within three years, even surpassing it."

Xue Shuangtao clutched her aching stomach, wiping away tears of laughter: "Alright, alright, I understand!"

"But entrusting such a huge matter to Miss me—you're awfully bold."

"Aren't you entrusting Marshal Yue's life to me?"

Li Guanyi replied: "I trust you."

Xue Shuangtao smiled, her hands clasped behind her back: "Really?"

This was the relationship she had hoped for: the boy forging ahead through this chaotic world, yet still holding enough trust in her to entrust her with something so vital.

That's enough.

This age of heroes is destined to be bloody.

The Regent Prince massacred cities in the Western Regions, while the famed generals of Chen and Ying built their ossuaries—how could Li Guanyi possibly spend time with her on love and romance in such an age?

The world is vast; he and she are not children of spring wind and snow, mourning the passing seasons in this era of shared grief, suffering masses, and heroes rising from the earth!

Yet at this moment, Li Guanyi still pulled out a cloth bundle from his robe and said: "This is a gift."

Xue Shuangtao blinked. Li Guanyi opened the bundle: inside were two hairpins—one jade, warm and quiet, an ancient relic hundreds of years old; the other wooden, newly made, crafted by Li Guanyi himself.

"This was given to me by General Qin Yulong—it was entrusted to me by your eldest aunt to pass on to you; it's the Xue family's ancestral jade hairpin, passed only to the eldest daughter. This one, I made myself."

Li Guanyi felt slightly embarrassed: "When you pretended to be the Changfeng Lady before, didn't you say you wanted a brand-new hairpin?"

"I've been making this these past months."

Xue Shuangtao smiled at the two hairpins, then thought for a moment.

The girl reached up, plucked out her golden hairpin, and her black hair cascaded like clouds. Seventeen-year-old Xue Shuangtao, smiling, looked at Li Guanyi, her ink-black hair flowing: "Here—since you want my help, pay me back."

"How about you, Mr., tie my hair for me?"

Li Guanyi hesitated, reached for the jade hairpin—but Xue Shuangtao snatched it away.

She shoved the wooden hairpin into his hand: "I want this one."

Li Guanyi hummed in agreement. The girl turned around, offering only her black hair to the boy. He reached out, fingers brushing her hair—smooth as silk—and tied it for her; Xue Shuangtao's cheeks flushed slightly.

Her fingers idly curled around the hem of her robe.

The atmosphere grew too awkward; she finally couldn't help but say: "Y-you should say something."

Li Guanyi widened his eyes: "What should I say?"

Xue Shuangtao laughed, amused: "Great Master, Great Guest, even singing me a poem would be fine." Li Guanyi's fingers touched Xue Shuangtao's black hair; the faint scent of her lingered near his nose.

Autumn wind blew long through autumn skies; voices of passersby laughed far away, yet somehow, a quiet peace settled. The girl sat on a stone, her feet lightly swinging together. Li Guanyi whispered: "First, I wish the world at peace; second, I wish my body strong."

Mr. Chen Chengbi's lips twitched, wanting to crush the boy's head into the ground—then he saw Li Guanyi finish tying Xue Shuangtao's hair with the hairpin he had made himself, holding her three thousand strands of black locks, whispering:

"Third, when we grow old, may I still see you every day."

I wish the world at peace, I wish my body strong.

I wish that when we grow old, I may still see you every day.

Xue Shuangtao fell silent. She felt the hidden meaning; her earlobes flushed, then she leapt up, turned, pressed her hands on Li Guanyi's shoulders, stammering: "Enough!"

"Sit! Sit down!"

Li Guanyi blinked, allowed himself to be pushed down—then Xue Shuangtao plucked off his crown, letting his own black hair fall behind him. She said: "I-it's just one for one!"

From her robe, she pulled out the Xue family's ancestral heirloom.

Then she tied his hair. Her fingers brushed his black locks; as she tied it, all was calm. Suddenly, she laughed: "I have a poem too."

Xue Shuangtao's voice, clear and soft, whispered:

"First, may my beloved live a thousand years; second, may my own body remain healthy."

She tied Li Guanyi's hair with the Xue family's ancestral artifact, then said:

"Third, may we be like swallows on the beam, meeting year after year."

I hope you live a long life, and that my body stays strong.

I hope we can see each other every day.

Singing in harmony, Li Guanyi, with his jade hairpin, rose and looked at the young lady whose hair was bound by the wooden pin; Xue Shuangtao reached out and pressed her palm against Li Guanyi's shoulder, her earlobes flushed red, and said: "Enough, go now—go claim your world!"

"But don't forget."

Xue Shuangtao lowered her head, smiling to herself, softly saying:

"I will wait for you in Guan Yicheng, waiting for your ten thousand troops, waiting for you to come find me."

"I will wait for you—if you don't come, I'll wait until my hair turns white, until wrinkles cover my face, until the swallows no longer fly above the eaves."

"Mm."

The Qin Wu Hou departed from this Xue family girl; he gazed deeply at Xue Shuangtao, clasped the girl's hand, turned, and walked away—yet the world was turbulent, the people drowned in blood, and those of our kind could not turn away; alas, we are those of our kind.

Yet fortunately, we are those of our kind.

The wind blew ginkgo leaves; their falling rustled faintly, as if one could still hear the echo of the young man and girl's verses, lingering in the ears.

First, may the world be peaceful; second, may my body be strong.

First, may my beloved live a thousand years; second, may my own body remain healthy.

Third, when old age comes, may I still meet you often.

Third, may we be like swallows on the beam, meeting year after year.

Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi arrived at the ferry of the Central State imperial capital; on the second day, as the Fire Qilin Army was about to depart, they heard chaotic sounds—when the soldiers stepped out, they froze, unable to believe it—

The people surged forward, bringing wives and children.

The world was in upheaval; famed generals roamed, some establishing dominance through city massacres, others gaining fame through piles of skulls; blood flowed like a river, the people treated as straw dogs, heroes rose to fame—on this day, Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi, aboard a Mohist mechanical vessel, sailed downstream, carrying the people across the river, abandoning not a single soul.

Along both banks, the people, hearing of this, flocked to join him.

The great tide had formed.

?? Hard to write, hard to write, I can't keep this schedule any longer.

? Everyone, please sleep early—don't stay up—【lying dead】