The medicine leaked through the corners of Shen Zechuan's lips and wet the front of his clothes. The doctor was so anxious that he sweated profusely and kept wiping his temples and forehead.
"He won't be able to swallow the medicine." The doctor said, "He definitely won't make it through the night!"
Ge Qingqing held his sword and stood to look at Shen Zechuan for a moment before he asked, "Is there nothing else you can do?"
The doctor's hand holding the medicine bowl trembled, causing the spoon inside to clatter against the bowl. He kowtowed to Ge Qingqing with all his might and said, "he won't survive! he won't survive! Please prepare a straw mat quickly. [1]"
[1]One of the simplest forms of burial. For the poor who could not afford a coffin or unworthy/unknown people, their bodies were usually simply wrapped in a straw mat before being buried or thrown into a mass grave.
Ge Qingqing looked like he was in a difficult situation. he said, "Feed him first.", then turned to walk out the door. Ji Lei was standing outside. Ge Qingqing saluted him and said, "Your Highness, the doctor said he won't survive."
Ji Lei crushed the peanut shell and blew away the crumbs. He asked, "Has he breathed his last?"
Ge Qingqing replied, "He held on until his last breath."
With his hands on his back, Ji Lei turned his head back to look at Ge Qingqing. "Keep an eye on him. Before he dies, make him sign a written confession."
Ge Qingqing nodded and watched Ji Lei leave. He stood in the yard for a moment, then said to the subordinate next to him, "Go and call the errand boy."
A moment later, a hunched-backed servant wrapped in coarse cloth came pushing a cart. The sky was already dark now, and the Imperial Prison was under tight security. Ge Qingqing raised a lantern to light the way and motioned for the man to follow him.
The doctor had already left. There was only an oil lamp burning in the room. Shen Zechuan lay on the bed with his face completely devoid of color. His hands and feet were as cold as a corpse.
Ge Qingqing stepped aside and said to the errand boy, "Uncle Ji… Here he is."
The mercenary slowly removed the bundle of coarse cloth to reveal his face that was destroyed by the fire. He looked at Shen Zechuan, took two steps, and reached out a trembling hand to stroke Shen Zechuan's hair. When he saw how thin and bloodied Shen Zechuan was, he couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his old cheeks.
"Chuan-er."[2] Ji Gang's voice was hoarse as he called out, "Shifu is here!"
[2] "~ Er" (which also means 'child') is a suffix commonly used as a term of endearment.
Ge Qingqing blew out the lantern and said, "Uncle Ji, don't be afraid. Ever since the people from the prison found out that he was your disciple, they have been treating him very carefully. The previous interrogation seemed like severe torture, but it didn't hurt his foundation. During the flogging, my brothers were more or less gentle with him because of his relationship with you. He wouldn't be disabled even with twenty strokes. However, the eunuch from the palace who oversaw the punishment had a shrewd and sharp eye, so we didn't dare to be too lax with him. Fortunately, Third Miss Hua came in time. Otherwise, Pan Gonggong would have been suspicious."
Ji Gang's hair was already half white. With his face worn out by tears, he said, "I, Ji Gang, will definitely repay this kindness in the future!"
Ge Qingqing hurriedly said, "Uncle Ji! How could you think like this?! What our brothers have repaid is the kindness and affection you have given us when you guided us and saved our lives in the past." With that, he sighed again. "Who would have thought that a Cheng Yaojin[3] would suddenly appear out of nowhere? The Second Young Master of the Xiao Clan actually tried to kill him with that kick. Uncle Ji, can he still be saved?"
[3] Cheng Yaojin ambushed the enemy. Cheng Yaojin (589-665 ) was a general during the period between the Sui and Tang dynasties, who often ambushed his enemies on the road. This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone appears unexpectedly and disrupts plans. It is also used to describe an unwelcome busybody who appears in an unwanted place.
Ji Gang felt Shen Zechuan's pulse and said with a forced smile, "Good boy. He's doing very well with the technique Ah-Mu[4] taught him. It's not yet to the point of no return. Don't be afraid, my son. Shifu is here!"
[4] "Ah" is a prefix used before single-syllable names to indicate kinship and/or familiarity.
Shen Zechuan started following Ji Gang at the age of seven and trained in martial arts under his guidance along with Ji Mu. Every strike of the Ji Clan Fist Style was heavy and fierce from the beginning. It had to be complemented with the Ji Clan's mental cultivation techniques at its core. Those without strong willpower could not practice it. Ji Gang was a heavy drinker and drunkard when he returned home. He taught the elders and forgot about the younger ones. As the elder brother, Ji Mu had to teach his stallion stance every time he learned something new. No one expected Shen Zechuan to master it so well over the years.
Ge Qingqing bent down to take a look and said, "But he's still young after all. I'm afraid his body will be in bad shape after going through this. Uncle Ji, I've sent someone to get the doctor's prescribed medicine again. Please see if you can feed him some."
Shen Zechuan was burning with fever so his mouth felt dry.
His whole body ached in every place and part. It was as if he was lying on the main street of Qudu, crushed by the horse-drawn carriages that came and went on it.
The pain was like an endless hell consuming Shen Zechuan's body. In the darkness, he dreamed of the heavy dancing snow, Ji Mu's blood, the coldness of the sinkhole, and the kick he had received earlier from Xiao Chiye.
Ji Lei was right. Staying alive now means suffering. He received the flesh and blood that Shen Wei gave him, so he had to endure such punishment. He took over Shen Wei's sins and became the sinner of the faithful souls of those who had died unjustly howling his judgment. By wearing these shackles, he will always have to carry the burden of this sin as he continues in life.
But he couldn't help it!
Suddenly someone pulled out his teeth, making his jaw fall open, and a warm current flooded his throat. The bitter taste of the medicine made Shen Zechuan's eyes water. Hearing the familiar call in his ear, he forced his eyes open.
Ji Gang gave him medicine and wiped Shen Zechuan's tears with his rough fingers. He whispered, "Chuan-er, it's shifu!"
The sobs that formed in Shen Zechuan's throat were choked off, causing him to swallow the medicine along with his tears. He reached out his fingers to hook onto the corner of Ji Gang's clothes and clenched his teeth, afraid that this was just a dream he had created in his dying state.
Ji Gang's face was ugly. He turned his head slightly to avoid the light from the oil lamp and said, "Chuan-er, stop harboring a death wish! You are the only disciple of your shifu left in this ignoble existence."
Shen Zechuan couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his cheeks at that moment. He turned his gaze to look at the pitch-black roof and whispered, "Shifu…"
His eyes gradually focused amidst the whistling wind and took on a hint of malice.
"I won't die." He said hoarsely, "Shifu, I don't want to die."
◈ ◈ ◈
The next day, Emperor Xiande rewarded the Three Armies with a grand feast. In addition to the Libei Armored Cavalry and Qidong Garrison Troops outside the city, the palace also hosted a banquet and led various ministers and officials to entertain the Army Commander.
After changing clothes in his palace, Xiao Chiye overshadowed the refinement of the scholars and scholars around him as he sat down. The embroidered lion beast against the cloud pattern[5] exuded an air of oppression and awe. But his levity reared its head when he sat down to talk.
[5]Refers to the rank insignia on his court attire. Animals were used on rank insignia or mandarin squares (a large embroidered badge sewn onto an official's coat to indicate the rank of the official wearing it) for military officials, while birds were used for civil officials. The lion is a symbol used for Class 1 and 2 military officials. (Class 1 and 2 are upper level officials).
The civil officials who were busy drinking kept stealing glances at him. As they say, a tiger father will not beget a dog son[6] But how could it be that only the hereditary Prince Xiao took after his father?
[6]虎 父 无 犬子 literally, a tiger father will not beget a dog for his son. that is, like father like son, a valiant father will have a valiant son and so on.
It was with a tacit understanding that they were drawn to Xiao Chiye's every move and action. They could feel the desire and frivolity that hit them right in the face. He was a world apart from Xiao Jiming, who sat upright in the seat of honor.
"Don't let yourself get away from all this." Lu Guangbai sat beside him to urge him, "Since His Majesty has rewarded you, he will definitely summon you later."
Xiao Chiye stroked the walnut in his palm, appearing a little mindless.
Lu Guangbai turned his head sideways to look at him and said, "You went drinking with other people last night, huh."
"Just have fun while you can." Xiao Chiye relaxed in his chair. "If anyone dares to perform Xiang Zhuang's Sword Dance[7] later, I'll perform Fan Kuai[8] while drunk. That would be the best of both worlds, wouldn't it?"
[7]项庄舞剑 (意在沛公) lit. Xiang Zhuang (项庄) performs a sword dance, (but his mind is on Liu Bang); refers to the 206 BC plot to assassinate Liu Bang (刘邦), the Duke of Pei and future Han emperor, during a sword dance at the Feast at Hongmen; i.e., an elaborate deception to conceal evil intentions or to act with ulterior motives.
[8]Fan Kuai (樊哙) was a military general of the early Western Han dynasty, also known for defending Liu Bang at the Feast at Hongmen, which was actually a trap set to kill Liu Bang.
"That's fine too." Lu Guangbai poured some wine. "But drinking until you're drunk is bad for your health. If you want to be a good commander, then change this bad habit of yours."
"I was born at the wrong time." Xiao Chiye threw a walnut to Lu Guangbai. "I won't have the chance to play the hero role now that the Four Generals' seats are full. If you can no longer make it one day, remember to let me know in advance. It won't be too late for me to kick the habit."
Lu Guangbai said, "Then I'm afraid you'll have to wait."
The two men laughed for a while and drank half a bottle of wine. They listened as the topic of discussion at the banquet turned to the Zhongbo Shen Clan.
Holding a walnut in his hand, Lu Guangbai listened attentively for a moment and asked, "Didn't they say last night that this person wouldn't survive?"
Behind him, Zhao Hui replied in a hushed tone, "That's right. Didn't Young Master say that the kick was to send him on his way to the Underworld?"
Xiao Chiye denied it. "Did I say that?" The other two stared at him in silence, prompting him to ask, "What?"
Lu Guangbai said, "He is not dead."
Zhao Hui said, "He's not dead."
Xiao Chiye exchanged glances for a moment and said, "It's none of my business that he's tough. The King of Hell is not my own parent."
Lu Guangbai looked up and said, "Let's see what His Majesty has in store for him. He really is something difficult."
Kneeling behind him, Zhao Hui lowered his head to stuff himself with food. He said casually, "Someone must be helping him in secret."
"Even if he doesn't die, he'll be crippled." Xiao Chiye glanced coldly at the Hua Clan seat a short distance away. "The Empress Dowager is already old. All she can do now is rack her brains trying to take care of a stray dog."
"How sinful and unlucky." Zhao Hui emotionlessly stuffed the ribs into his mouth.
Seeing that the atmosphere was quite satisfactory after three rounds of drinking, Emperor Xiande spoke, "Jiming."
Xiao Jiming paid his respects and stood up to receive his orders.
Looking as if he could not hold his wine, Emperor Xiande leaned back on the Dragon Throne[9] and said, "When all is said and done, there is no conclusive evidence for the defeat of Shen Wei's forces and whether he has truly colluded with the enemy. That Shen…"
[9]Dragon throne (龙椅); imperial throne or seat of the Emperor.
Pan Rugui bent down and whispered, "Your Majesty, this is Shen Zechuan."
Emperor Xiande paused for a moment, but instead of continuing, he turned to the Empress Dowager and asked, "What does Imperial Mother think about this[10]?"
[10]Royal/Imperial Mother or Empress Mother, or muhou (母后); A term of address for the Emperor's 'mother' and his siblings used for the Empress Dowager.
Silence fell over the banquet as all the civil and military officials bowed their heads to listen.
The Empress Dowager wore a zaoluo[11] headband depicting a dragon dropping pearls among golden clouds. A row of golden emerald leaf beads circled the headdress with a row of large pearls hanging from it. She sat – calm and dignified – high in her chair. Her shiny, neatly combed hair was the color of cold ice. No one in the entire banquet hall dared to raise their head to look directly at her.
[11]皂罗 zaoluo, a thin black silk cloth. It also refers to headdresses made from zaoluo.
The Empress Dowager said, "Our morale suffered a blow in the battle of Zhongbo all because Shen Wei panicked and lost his mind. But now that he has sacrificed himself out of fear of punishment, and all his descendants have died in battle, there is only this son of the shu lineage left. It is against virtue and righteousness to wipe out his entire clan. There is no reason we cannot let him live so that he will be able to feel grateful to us in the future."
The banquet hall was silent. Lu Guangbai suddenly spoke up. "This Subordinate[12] does not find it appropriate." He took three steps from the ranks of officials to kneel in the hall and continued, "Your Majesty is benevolent. But the battle of Zhongdu is different from previous battles. Although there is no evidence that Shen Wei colluded with the enemy, he is, nevertheless, still suspicious. This child is his remaining descendant. If we let him live, I fear he will become a danger in our own backyard in the future."
[12]臣 chen, official, minister, or subject of the Emperor. It is also used to refer to oneself when speaking to the Emperor, it has the same connotation as "I, servant/subject"
The Empress Dowager looked at Lu Guangbai for a moment and said, "Prince [13] Biansha has been stationed in the desert to defend it for decades, and he has not exactly emerged victorious from every battle."
[13] Earl/Prince (伯) was one of the noble titles in the Ming Dynasty, below Duke (公) and Marquis (侯).
Lu Guangbai replied, "Although my father was invincible, no external enemy had been able to push deep into the Border Command territory for decades."
The large pearl beside the Empress Dowager's ear swayed gently. She said, "It is precisely because of this that it is more important to teach him protocol and virtue so that he can understand the disastrous consequences of this war. It is easy to kill a man. The Biansha Cavalry horses stepped into Zhongbo and killed tens of thousands of Dazhou commoners. We have not sought reparations for the humiliation of our Empire. What crime is there to make an innocent child guilty of?"
"This humble one also feels that it is inappropriate."
Senior Deputy Secretary of the Grand Secretariat[14], Hai Liangyi, who had remained silent all this time, propped himself up from the table and knelt down as well.
[14]The Grand Secretariat, also known as the Cabinet, was a central government agency during the Ming dynasty.
"Your Majesty is benevolent, but this is no small matter. Even if Shen Wei did not collude with the enemy, he still deserves to be beheaded after this battle. Furthermore, this child has been tried and interrogated three times, and his confessions are everywhere. He insists that Shen Wei did not collude with the enemy. But he is a son of the Shu line that Shen Wei has raised elsewhere. If he does not know that Shen Wei has colluded with the enemy, then how does he know for sure that his father did not? It can be seen that he is naturally cunning; he lacks trust. As General Lu said, if we keep the last descendant of the Shen Clan, he will one day become a scourge of trouble in our own backyard!"
Rather than getting angry, the Empress Dowager said, "Elder Secretariat[15] Hai, please rise quickly."
[15]During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat (内阁大学士) was called gelao (阁老)
After Pan Rugui helped Hai Liangyi rise, the Empress Dowager said, "It's as my ministers said. I[16] am already biased in my thinking. I will leave the decision-making on this matter to the Emperor."
[16]哀家 ai-jia. Imperial term for "I" used by the Empress Dowager/Empress dowager to refer to herself. I will only use "I", "me", "myself", etc, in the text for easier reading, but the Empress Dowager in this novel always uses "ai-jia" when referring to herself.
Under the watchful eyes of his ministers, Emperor Xiande coughed weakly. He accepted the handkerchief that Pan Rugui offered and covered his mouth. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"What Imperial Mother said is not without reason. The child is innocent. However, when all is said and done, Shen Wei's army was still defeated, and he has indeed left the city without redemption. Since there is only this bloodline left in the nine generations of his clan, I will give this child a chance to reflect on his sins and redeem himself. Ji Lei."
"That lowly servant is here on your orders."
"Take that kid to the Zhao Zui Temple[17] for detention. Without my order, he cannot come out!"
[17]寺 generally refers to a monastery or temple but in ancient China, it also referred to a government bureau, or is also translated as Court. The temple here is more like a secluded building that serves as a detention area to reflect on one's sins.
Xiao Chiye threw the walnut pieces onto the plate.
Zhao Hui asked, "Young Master, aren't you eating?"
Xiao Chiye said, "Crippled and useless. Who wants it?"
Zhao Hui's eyeballs followed the plate as it turned around. He said in a low voice, "Isn't this satisfactory to all parties? We didn't get what we wanted, and neither did the others."
"Keeping him locked up is still better than letting him out." Lu Guangbai returned to the scene and said.
"Not necessarily." Xiao Chiye pointed at himself. "Am I not also a locked up man?"
Lu Guangbai and Zhao Hui said in unison. "Good for you."