Chapter 123: Piece Left by the Late Emperor By now, the wine had been warmed. A pinch of ginger shreds was added, sending a rich fragrance drifting across the table.
He Chunhua’s cook cut off a hefty slab of fish, about two and a half kilograms, rubbed it with spices, and laid it over the fire. Soon, the flames coaxed out the oils, mixing with the scent of peppers until the whole village square seemed to be filled with the delicious smell of roast fish.
Lu Yao chuckled. “And here I thought Lord He had some secret method for the fish. It turns out that it’s just good old roasting.”
“Well, tools are limited,” the cook replied, briskly turning the fish. “So we can only make up for it with seasoning.” Every ten times he turned the fish, he brushed on another layer of sauce. Before long, the flesh was done through, glowing a beautiful reddish glaze.
The dish was carried before the two leaders. Lu Yao tore into a piece the size of his fist and blinked in surprise. Somehow, it was roasted with two distinct flavors. One half was crispy-skinned, the fat beneath soaking into the firm white flesh until it melted on the tongue. The other half had been brushed with some unknown sauce—savory with a hint of fruit sweetness, even a trace of sourness that cut right through the richness.
“Not bad, not bad at all.” He alternated between bites of fish and swigs of wine, giving a hearty thumbs-up. “This truly is worthy of a noble household!”
“You flatter me.” He Chunhua sampled a piece himself. “At my family’s height, we were never among the nine ministers[1]. We could hardly be considered to be a household that led extravagant lives.”
Lu Yao gave a short laugh. “The Divine Master himself once specifically mentioned Lord He’s name among all of Great Yuan’s officials. He said that you were a man of talent.”
He Chunhua’s eyebrows lifted slightly. By “Divine Master,” Lu Yao was, of course, referring to the topmost leader of the rebels, Hong Xiangqian. Rumors claimed his divine techniques were so vast that he could even bring the dead back to life, and on the battlefield, he had wielded divine techniques openly.
That was highly unusual. Everyone knew the armies of the royal court drew upon origin energy, which heavily suppressed the use of divine techniques and magical techniques. Many of those famed for the use of divine techniques had perished under those constraints.
Yet Hong Xiangqian could unleash his divine techniques even in the face of origin energy, his power undiminished. However, this was because he had declared his own regime, and could thus also marshal and direct origin energy.
That was why the Royal Court of Yuan was so desperate to stamp out the rebellion. If they delayed, another state would soon be entrenched inside their own borders.
Now, Hong Xiangqian was dead. Even so, fearless as Lu Yao was—daring to defy kings and gods alike—he still spoke of the man with respect. From that alone, He Chunhua knew that Hong Xiangqian could not have been a simple outlaw, or mere liar, as the royal court proclaimed. But as a loyal official, he showed no hint of admiration on his own face.
“I heard your family was slaughtered to its very last member, and you were the only one left alive. That old fool of a ruler then exiled you to Qiansong Commandery. You couldn’t have been more than ten at the time, right? Hah, sent off to work at such a lowly post, most men would have spent their whole lives in obscurity. But you seized your chance when foreigners came. What was the name of that desert again?”
“Panlong.”
“Right, the Panlong Desert. A desert with sandstorms so fierce that they shut down travel for months. Back then, Heishui City was still in the hands of the Andong people. And you, didn’t you gather men in the street and kill their envoy on the spot? It must have scared the whole city half to death. Why didn’t they execute you for it?”
“The Andong had held Heishui City for years. Yuan had never challenged them, so they assumed we were weak. They propped up a few compradors to run the city for them.” He Chunhua’s voice was calm, even. “I killed those compradors as well, then used the season of mad sand to wipe out the rest of the Andong. By the time the sandstorms ended, Heishui City was back in our hands.”
Lu Yao slapped the table and roared with laughter. “Good! Now that’s bold! Did the Inspector of Jin Province shower you with rewards?”
“No.” He Chunhua took another bite of fish before continuing, “I was thrown into prison instead. I was made to receive thirty lashes on my first day inside. I was charged with assassinating a so-called friendly envoy and provoking border unrest. Fortunately, the jailers took pity on me. They struck lightly and even smuggled me medicine. The very next day, half the city’s people petitioned for my release. The officials, afraid of an uprising, let me go.”
“I told the inspector the Andong wouldn’t retaliate, but he refused to believe me. As it turned out, Heishui City remained at peace for two years. When the Andong finally came back the third year, the Inspector of Jin Province was unable to provide them with any response. At the time, someone advised him to have the man who caused the trouble fix it. And so, they pushed me forward.”
Lu Yao nodded. “And you beat them back.”
“Three times. After that, they never came again.” He Chunhua’s voice was steady. “The Inspector of Jin Province claimed the credit, of course. But word of my deeds had already spread to the capital. The King himself heard, and I was promoted beyond the usual ranks.”
Lu Yao raised a brow. “How did you know the Andong wouldn’t retaliate right after you killed their envoy?”
“In my final year as station master[2], I heard merchants on the Hongya Route say that the Andong King had died, and their realm was in turmoil.”
“That’s all? Sounds like a thin gamble.”
He Chunhua gave a faint smile. “The Andong King’s eldest son died young. His second and fourth sons had been locked in a bitter struggle ever since. One was ruthless, while the other was cunning. Neither could eliminate the other quickly, so their kingdom was paralyzed. While they were locked in civil strife, they had no strength to spare for the Hongya Route or a backwater like Heishui City.”
Lu Yao stroked his chin. “And later, how did you keep winning?”
“The fourth son eventually triumphed, but by then the kingdom had rotted. When they sent troops to reclaim Heishui City, it was more for face than strategy. They failed three times and gave up. Since then, relations have been cordial between our two states.” He Chunhua allowed himself a small smile.
“No wonder the Divine Master said if men like you were stationed inland, the Righteous Army’s march north wouldn’t have gone half so smoothly.”
He Chunhua was slightly taken aback. That was high praise indeed, though it also underestimated the whole royal court.
“Your family was wrongfully slaughtered. You’ve proven yourself on the frontier time and again. Why has the court never truly employed you?”
He Chunhua could only give a bitter smile. That was not a question that could be easily answered.
“The Divine Master once explained it. You’re a piece the late emperor left behind for his heir. A fine piece on the board,” Lu Yao said with a chuckle. “By keeping you suppressed in Qiansong Commandery and letting the grind sharpen your edge, when the next ruler finally raises you up, you’ll feel nothing but gratitude and loyalty to the one who lifted you. After all, it was the old emperor who killed your family, but the new one who would give you justice. A perfect arrangement, if I say so myself. It’s a pity that the new emperor[3], turned out a useless fool, squandering the gift his father left him.”
Lu Yao paused for a few seconds, then he tilted his head and asked, “Tell me, does the Divine Master’s explanation ring true?”
He Chunhua lowered his gaze. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, softly, he said, “General Lu’s sympathy honors me. I’m grateful.”
“Grateful?” Lu Yao sneered. “Why break your back for such an emperor? Even Dong Haoming, after serving that family his whole life, has turned coat. And you still want to line up behind them?”
“There is still a chance to set things right,” He Chunhua replied, cutting Lu Yao off before he could scoff again. He asked instead, “The Minister of War’s coup failed in the capital, and now he’s holed up in Wu Province. That city is strong, and its granaries are full. The people there know only of Donglai Mansion, not of the Son of Heaven in Yuan. Clearly, the Minister of War had prepared this all along. If you were in command, General Lu, how would you attack?”
1. This is referring to the leaders of the Nine Courts. ☜
2. This should have been a position responsible for a local relay station, thereby also being responsible for managing horses, staff, and supplies for the postal service and traveling officials. ☜
3. Emperor (皇帝), is the specific term used in the raw, but it’s wholly possible for this to be referring to the King of Yuan. ☜