Chapter 24. Defending the City
Defending City
Ah Yuan asked me where I wanted to go.
I forced a bitter smile. Indeed, where do I want to go?
Wei Tan marrying me was originally insincere, and now that he had sent me here, it seems like he had no intention of letting me return.
What about Pei Qian? I sighed. My feelings towards him were hard to put into words. He had done so much, and it would be a lie to say that I wasn’t moved. However, how can I simply forget everything that had happened in the past?
If I were to follow Pei Qian, the two characters "Fu Jin" would probably turn into "Fu Shi" and be written on the tablet in the Wei family ancestral hall. From then on, I would have to hide my name and disappear. Not only would I have no connection with the Wei family, but even with the Fu family. The surname that I cherished and took pride in would be abandoned by my own hands. Thinking of all this, my fingernails suddenly dug into the palm of my hand.
"I don't want to go anywhere," I said softly. "I want to go far away, to find a remote place, be at ease, and unconcerned about these people anymore."
Ah Yuan's expression changed for a moment. After a while, she thought and said, "It's not impossible, but Furen, if you leave, what will happen to the business in Yongdu?"
I was taken aback, feeling like I had been struck in the chest.
That’s right, I had forgotten that there was still business in Yongdu!
I became frantic and scratched the bed frame with my nails.
*****
Although I deliberately tried to keep my distance from Pei Qian, his old injury relapsed because of me. Visiting him became a daily routine. However, unlike the first time, I only went during the daytime, and I always chose meal times so that it wouldn't appear as ambiguous to others.
Wei An still had dissatisfaction about these matters, and he remained silent for several consecutive days. Whenever I went to see him, he would either be working on his wooden pieces or engaging in conversations with the soldiers in the courtyard about wooden pieces. However, when he saw me approaching, he wore a cold expression on his face.
I have explained Pei Qian's injury to him, but it seems like he refuses to listen. I can't force him to understand. I'm not a saint, and if he chooses to hold a grudge, then I have no choice but to let him be.
Pei Qian's injury healed quickly, and after three or four days, he was able to walk again.
Every time he saw me, he would smile warmly. Whether he was writing or reading, he would pause and focus on having a meal with me.
I was no longer as tense as before, and I would initiate conversations with him. Sometimes, when we talked about mutual acquaintances and past events, I couldn't help but recall the things we had discussed together. I would glance at Pei Qian, and his eyes would be filled with a knowing smile.
Perhaps this is what they call the camaraderie of youth…
"年少之谊" (nián shào zhī yì) - "friendship of youth" or "friendship in one's younger days." It implies a special kind of friendship that is formed during the time of youth, characterised by innocence, shared experiences, and a strong sense of camaraderie. It refers to the deep connections and lasting memories that are often forged during one's younger years, which can hold a special place in one's heart even as time passes.
"What are you thinking about?" I was lost in thought when suddenly the bowl in front of me was tapped.
Pei Qian placed a chicken wing into my bowl and said, "Don't be distracted while eating."
I wrinkled my nose, but since chicken wings were my favourite, I decided not to argue with him. Today, I asked the physician, and they made chicken soup for Pei Qian, simmering it for a full two hours.
Pei Qian lowered his head and drank the soup, furrowing his brow. "Why is this soup so sweet? Did you add sugar?"
"Yes," I replied.
Pei Qian looked at me with a somewhat speechless expression. "Have you ever seen anyone add sugar to chicken soup?"
"Isn't it common to add sugar?" I was puzzled, recalling the soups I had drunk before. People always liked to discuss whether the soup was sweet or not, and how could it be sweet without adding sugar... Seeing Pei Qian's expression, I realised that I had probably made a mistake, but admitting fault was impossible.
"It doesn't taste good? I think it's quite good," I retorted. "The medicinal ingredients inside are very expensive, so you have to finish it." Speaking of the medicinal ingredients, my heart felt as if it was bleeding. Even though Huaiyang is located in the southern region, the recent conflicts have caused the prices of medicinal herbs used in soups to increase by more than tenfold. When I bought them, it was incredibly painful, almost like bleeding.
"You went to buy the medicinal herbs?" Pei Qian exclaimed. "Why didn't you ask Qi Shu? It would have been easier."
"It's none of your business," I glared at him. Asking Uncle Qi for the herbs might have been convenient, but lately, I've been avoiding him because he always urges me to stay and often becomes emotional, shedding tears and sighing.
Pei Qian remained silent, lowering his head to drink the soup. His lips curved into a constant smile, as if he was savouring an exquisite delicacy.
After finishing the meal, I began packing my things to leave, but Pei Qian stopped me.
"Ah Jin," he said, "the injuries of those mansion guards(the Wei Family guard) will soon be healed. In a couple of days, I'll assign more personnel to accompany Si Gongzi back to Yongdu. What do you think?"
I was taken aback by his words, as their meaning was clear: send Wei An away and let me stay behind.
"I..." I bit my lip. "I need some more time to think."
Pei Qian gave a bitter smile. "Ah Jin, Meng Jing brought you here. Can you really go back?"
"I need some more time to think," I repeated.
Pei Qian looked at me, his expression slightly darkening.
Just then, hurried footsteps could be heard from outside. Shortly after, someone exclaimed, "JiangJun!"
Pei Qian appeared surprised and walked to the front door. "What's the matter?"
I remained indoors, curiously perking up my ears. I could hear the urgent voice of the person outside saying, "JiangJun, a spy has brought news. Liang Chong's second son, Liang Heng, is leading an army of ten thousand and is heading towards Huaiyang. They are less than thirty li away!"
*****
Liang Chong is a member of the imperial family and held the position of Governor of Jingzhou during the reign of the late emperor. After the great turmoil, he gathered military power and firmly controlled the various counties in Jingchu region. After the emperor established his capital in Yongzhou, Liang Chong was summoned to the court, but he refused, berating Wei Jue for manipulating the emperor and the vassals. He vowed not to submit.
As the situation in the north with Wei Jue was still unstable, there was no immediate rush to deal with Liang Chong. Similarly, Liang Chong was not a fool. He remained hidden in Jingchu, biding his time and waiting for the right moment to make his move.
Now the opportunity has arrived. Wei Jue is engaged in a major battle with Tan Xi in the north, leaving his rear vulnerable. Ten days ago, Liang Chong's second son, Liang Heng, launched an attack on Jiangzhou. Wu Zhang, occupied with the defence, transferred the troops stationed in Huaiyang to assist. Little did they know that it was a feint by Liang Chong and Liang Heng, who swiftly advanced towards Huaiyang overnight. Huaiyang serves as the gateway to the entire Huainan region, and once it falls, the entire region will be within their grasp
Meanwhile, Pei Qian has a force of 5,000 troops under his command, and with the addition of the 1,000 troops left behind by Wei Jue, they have a combined force of 6,000.
I don't understand much about warfare, but as I listened to Uncle Qi's detailed explanation, a cold sweat broke out on my body.
Upon hearing the news, Pei Qian hastily went to the city walls. The guards of the mansion also rushed to the scene upon receiving the information, and the sergeant brought the carriage as well.
"NǚJun," Qi Shu said to me, "Gongzi has ordered me to take you out of the city immediately."
"Going where?" I asked.
"The nearest city to Huaiyang is Yangzhou," Qi Shu replied.
"Furen!" At that moment, a sweaty soldier hurried over to me and reported, "Furen! Si GongZi is missing!!"
I was shocked. How could Wei An be missing at such a critical moment? I quickly responded, "Hurry and search! Everyone, go and find him!"
The soldiers acknowledged and dispersed to search.
"NǚJun, we can't delay any longer!" Qi Shu urged anxiously. "In that case, I will wait for Si GongZi, NǚJun please go ahead!"
"No," I clenched my lips. "We leave together. Let's wait a little longer."
*****
Half an hour passed, and Wei An was still not found, while news arrived from the city walls that the enemy had arrived.
In this lifetime, it wasn't the first time I experienced a siege. The last time was in Laiyang when Wei Jue's army approached the city. The same sense of panic and chaos prevailed, but the outcome was relatively favourable. There was no bloodshed, and I ended up marrying Wei Tan.
I wondered how things would unfold this time.
On the streets, hurried soldiers shouted, "Make way!" There were people everywhere with tense expressions. Many civilians who were supposed to go to the market today, upon hearing the news of the war, hastily ran back to their homes. A woman with a basket of vegetables rushed past me, her child in her arms crying loudly, "Wah wah."
"Ah Jin!" a loud shout suddenly came from behind me. I turned around and saw Pei Qian striding towards me, a mix of surprise and anger on his face. "Didn't I tell you to leave? Why are you still here?! Where is Qi Shu?"
He was dusty and wore full armour, with a long sword hanging from his waist, looking every bit like a military commander. I was about to respond when suddenly, a commotion arose from the city walls.
"JiangJun!" a soldier shouted towards us, "The enemy is beating drums. They are about to attack the city!"
Pei Qian's face changed, and he urgently said to me, "Gather the mansion's guards and take cover in the courtyard!" After speaking, he turned around and hurriedly ran towards the city tower.
The people below the city were in an uproar, and I could faintly hear the sound of drums coming from outside the city walls.
"Furen," said Ah Yuan with a fearful tone, "What should we do now?"
I looked towards the city tower, and my heart raced in sync with the sound of the drums.
"Find Si Shu first," I whispered softly.
*****
The first to find Wei An were two guards. They led me through the crowd to see him. Surprisingly, he was not far from me, on the city wall just a dozen yards away from the main gate.
This place was filled with soldiers holding bows and crossbows. A middle-aged general stood next to Wei An, and behind them, I saw a fluttering flag with a large character "Wei" written on it.
When Wei An saw me, he was momentarily stunned.
The general beside him hesitated for a moment, then approached and bowed to me, saying, "Furen."
I glanced at him and nodded in return, replying, "JiangJun."
This person's name was Yang Ke, the chief general stationed in Huaiyang under Wei Jue. The reason for my visit to Huaiyang was delicate, and my identity had to be kept secret. I had only seen this person once before in the mansion. However, Wei An was much more familiar with him. According to A Yuan, Wei An and Yang Ke had been spending a lot of time together these days.
Looking back at Wei An, he was also staring at me. After a while, he finally performed a bow and said, "ZhangSao."
He seemed reluctant, but I didn't have time to dwell on it. I said, "Si Shu, it's dangerous here. Come back to the mansion with me."
"I won't go," Wei An replied.
I immediately felt a surge of anger, suppressing it as I responded, "What?"
Wei An stood his ground confidently, saying, "XiongZhang has taught us that the men of the Wei family would rather die than be cowards. I want to stand alongside Yang JiangJun to face the enemy."
"Face the enemy?" I exclaimed, my anger turning into a bitter laugh. "Very well! How does Si Shu plan to face the enemy?" With that, I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the edge of the city wall, pointing down below. "Is Si Shu going to charge into the midst of the battle?"
I had intended to frighten him, but as I looked at the densely packed formations below, I was startled myself.
The sound of drums reverberated loudly as they were beaten on war chariots. Countless spearheads were pointed towards the city walls. I saw hundreds of men carrying battering rams, towering siege ladders, and various other unfamiliar contraptions.
The soldiers on the city walls had already begun shooting arrows, and the people below retaliated with their own arrows. Some of them even flew towards our side. The soldiers raised their shields, creating a resounding clash of "clang clang" that sent shivers down our spines.
"JiangJun," my voice trembled as I asked Yang Ke, "Weren't they planning a surprise attack? Why do they have so many siege weapons?"
Yang Ke furrowed his brows and replied, "I'm afraid this has been meticulously planned."
Feeling increasingly uneasy, I no longer paid attention to Wei An. Instead, I turned to Yang Ke and said, "Jiangjun, please have someone escort GongZi back to the mansion."
"No!" Wei An forcefully shook off my hand, his face turning red. "I still want to test the new crossbow machine!"
"Crossbow machine?" I exclaimed, only now noticing the large wooden frame next to Wei An and Yang Ke. More accurately, it was a winch, but with a large crossbow mechanism added to the front.
At that moment, the drumming below suddenly ceased. The soldiers parted ways, making room for a helmeted general who rode out on his horse. He halted in front of the army, brandishing a heavy spear weighing hundreds of pounds. Its gleaming blade reflected the cold light. As the wind howled, the flags fluttered, and I could hear the general shouting loudly. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense and oppressive. I wanted to walk away, but my legs refused to move.
He was calling for a duel, challenging Pei Qian to battle.
I had no knowledge of Pei Qian's combat skills or whether he could withstand the intimidating large spear. However, I knew that Pei Qian was injured. If he were to accept the challenge and go into battle... I could hardly bear to think about the possible consequences.
"Is that Liang Heng, the second son of Liang Chong?" I asked Yang Ke.
"Indeed, that is him," Yang Ke replied.
Anxiously, I said, "He has stopped. Why don't we shoot him with arrows?"
"Apologies, Furen, but he is too far away. The arrows won't reach him," Yang Ke explained.
I: “....”
At that moment, someone rushed over from the city wall, informing us that Pei Qian urgently requested Yang Ke's presence.
Yang Ke nodded in response and instructed his soldiers to guard me and Wei An. After bowing respectfully, he briskly headed towards the city tower.
As I watched his figure, my heart was filled with unease. Did Pei Qian have capable generals under his command to face the current situation? Given the circumstances, Yongzhou and Wu Zhang should send reinforcements, shouldn't they? But when would they arrive, if they were indeed coming...
From the city tower, a coarse and hearty voice could be heard, seemingly Yang Ke responding to Liang Heng. At the same time, I heard a "cackling" sound beside me.
Turning to look, I saw five or six soldiers working together to shake the lever of the winch. The hemp rope on the winch tightly wound up, slowly pulling back the large crossbow. The arrows on the crossbow were made of bronze, with thick and sharp arrowheads that looked intimidating.
"Gongzi, is it enough?" a soldier asked.
"Pull it back a bit more," Wei An stared at the large crossbow and said.
"Si Shu..." I approached, but Wei An stopped me.
"ZhangSao," he looked serious and earnest, "let me have this one chance to try."
I pursed my lips, suppressing the anxiety within me, and stepped aside. The calls for battle from below the city walls continued, and the mocking voices of the enemy soldiers grew louder with each wave. If no one from the city responded to the challenge after the call for battle, they would proceed with their siege.
"To the left, a little more to the side," Wei An's voice rang out. As I looked again, I saw that the large crossbow had been fully stretched by the winch, with the tightly stretched string resting on the teeth, as if it could break at any moment.
An archer was adjusting the position of the arrowhead and soon said, "Gongzi, it's ready."
Wei An examined it and nodded towards a tall and sturdy man. The man nodded in return and raised his wooden club, striking the teeth of the crossbow.
The crossbow snapped back with a loud sound, and as the arrow vanished into thin air, my eyes widened.
Liang Heng was engaged in a heated argument with Yang Ke on the city walls, his face filled with anger provoked by something said. He raised his great spear, about to strike down, when suddenly, a beam of light pierced through his chest, splattering blood mist.
In an instant, silence descended upon the world. Both the people on the city walls and those below were stunned by this sudden turn of events, as if a bowstring that had just been pulled taut had suddenly been released.
"Why is there no sound?" Wei An tiptoed and looked down towards the city, asking, "Did it hit?"
I: “....”
"It hit! Gongzi! It hit!" A soldier on the battlement erupted with ecstatic joy, almost jumping up and down. His voice was like thunder, instantly snapping everyone back to the present. The sudden turn of events caused chaos below the city, resembling ants whose nest had been disturbed. Meanwhile, the cheers from the city walls erupted like boiling water in a cauldron, engulfing all other sounds in an instant.
The drums thundered, and a hail of arrows rained down from the city walls. The enemy soldiers below lifted the lifeless body of Liang Heng and retreated. I heard a general urging the soldiers to chase them out of the city.
"What should we do next?" Wei An looked at the exuberant crowd, scratching his head, and then turned to me.
I felt the dampness of sweat clinging to my clothes, sending a chilly sensation through my body.
I took a deep breath and said, "They might accuse you of using treacherous means to harm him, claiming it to be an unfair victory."
Wei An was taken aback and seemed troubled. "Then... should we send a physician to save him and continue the fight?"
I shook my head and weakly smiled, "No need."