Chapter 13, Chapter 0: Seemingly Right, Yet Wrong

Contrary to Wei Ba's expectations, Princess Qinghe did not covet his looks, but instead rewarded him with five beauties. This move, however, was a poisoned chalice: these women were the favorite concubines of Xiahou Mao.

Concubines lacked official status, and it was not uncommon for a woman who had not yet borne children to be gifted away. The problem was that Wei Ba knew how much effort Xiahou Mao had poured into collecting these women. Now that Princess Qinghe was using them as gifts to eliminate internal threats, how would Xiahou Mao react?

Xiahou Mao dared not voice any disagreement with the princess, but what about himself? The princess had presented these women so openly that he dared not refuse; who knew what the consequences of offending her would be?

After some token resistance, Wei Ba wisely accepted the beauties. He had always enjoyed looking at beautiful women, but now that he had five of them, he dared not even glance their way. He walked in front, eyes fixed on his own nose, keeping his gaze strictly forward.

Xiahou Mao had already received word of the situation. When he saw Wei Ba leading the five delicate beauties out, his face turned pale, and his heart sank into an icy abyss.

Seeing that no one from the princess’s household was following, Wei Ba hurried to Xiahou Mao’s side and whispered urgently, "General, please rest assured. I will ensure the safety of these ladies and will not dare to show the slightest disrespect. Once my humble residence is in order, I shall welcome you to visit and offer your guidance at any time."

Xiahou Mao’s expression softened slightly upon hearing this, though he knew that while Wei Ba might not dare to touch these women, trying to arrange a secret meeting at Wei Ba’s home would be a daunting task. Princess Qinghe would not be so careless as to give him a chance to stray. If he were caught by her, the charge of molesting a subordinate's female dependents would be a catastrophe.

"Go, go. Do not let them suffer," Xiahou Mao turned away, heartbroken, not daring to look at the teary-eyed beauties.

Wei Ba led the women away. Outside the side gate, a carriage was waiting, loaded with their personal belongings; Princess Qinghe had essentially sent them away with nothing. Xiahou Mao had previously rewarded Wei Ba with a considerable sum, which had delighted him at the time, but he had never expected to end up supporting Xiahou Mao’s concubines. This was truly a mess.

The money was a minor issue; the greater trouble lay ahead. Earlier, the princess had smiled and said, "Wei Ba, you have abandoned darkness for light all on your own. If you do not spread your seed, how can you bring glory to the Wei family in the future? You are young, and as a surrendered general, marrying a wife may be difficult for the time being. I give these young women to you so they may bear you children and continue the Wei bloodline."

The princess’s words sounded gracious, but they made Wei Ba tremble. If he touched these women, Xiahou Mao would surely not spare him; if he didn't, the princess would not spare him. He was like a peasant carrying a bucket of night soil—stuck between a rock and a hard place. He couldn't exactly tell the princess that he was like Dongfang Bubai and physically incapable of fathering children.

When Wei Ba returned to his new residence, Peng Xiaoyu was busy directing the servants. She was startled to see him arrive with five beauties in tow. Wei Ba quickly explained what had happened, and Peng Xiaoyu immediately understood, covering her mouth to hide her laughter.

"You can still laugh? Can't you see how dangerous your young master's situation is?" Wei Ba glared at her, annoyed.

"Alright, alright. I know you're like a mouse in a bellows, getting squeezed from both ends. General Xiahou and Princess Qinghe—you can't afford to offend either of this married couple." Seeing his frustration, she stopped smiling and ushered him toward his room. "Go handle your official business; leave this matter to me for now. The princess didn't say they had to be pregnant within a few days. There is still time to think of a strategy."

Wei Ba nodded sullenly and turned into the study Peng Xiaoyu had prepared for him. He closed the door and paced the room. He wasn't truly worried about the women; he was worried about the situation in the southeast. With events unfolding there, Zhuge Liang’s operations would soon commence, and he had little time left. Compared to that, the issue of the beauties was trivial.

How to transmit intelligence was not the hard part. The problem was that he had only heard rumors and didn't know the specifics. If he rashly passed this on to Zhuge Liang, could it lead to a misjudgment? He knew all too well the risks of the Ziwu Valley plan. Any mistake would lead to total ruin. It went without saying that the Wei family, tasked with executing the plan, would likely be erased from history years ahead of schedule.

Wei Ba paced back and forth, weighing the pros and cons and analyzing every possibility. Before he knew it, it was noon. Previously, when he was under house arrest at the relay station, he only ate twice a day and meditated at noon. Now, as a general, he ate three times a day, and there was no time for meditation—only for lunch.

"Young Master, it’s time for lunch." Peng Xiaoyu walked in with a light step. Seeing Wei Ba frowning in deep thought, she chuckled, "Still worrying about those women?"

Wei Ba raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Yes. Do you have any good ideas?"

"I told you, there’s no rush. We have plenty of time to resolve it." She pushed him toward the door. "Let’s go. I had the kitchen prepare a feast. Commander Tian and Commander Xu are waiting for you."

Wei Ba acknowledged this, pushing her out with one hand while closing the door with the other. Peng Xiaoyu’s eyes narrowed, and her smile stiffened for a moment, a flash of disappointment crossing her face. She could tell from that gesture that even she would no longer be allowed to enter this room freely. Back in Hanzhong, Wei Ba had even let her read official documents and help him analyze their hidden meanings, but now, she couldn't even enter his study.

"What's wrong?" Wei Ba noticed her expression. He was so preoccupied that he hadn't realized his casual action had caused her distress.

"Nothing." She patted her forehead to cover her reaction. "I must be hungry; I felt a bit dizzy."

"Hehe, is it that time of the month? Are you anemic?"

Peng Xiaoyu blushed and lowered her head. "No, I just didn't eat much this morning."

"You've worked hard. But starting today, your young master has money. No need to skimp; eat well." Wei Ba’s expression then dimmed. "It’s a pity that I have to cultivate the Dao now and can no longer enjoy your cooking like before."

Yes, things couldn't be the same as before. Peng Xiaoyu sighed inwardly, suddenly feeling a hollow void in her heart.

At the table, Wei Ba ate with Tian Fu and Xu Ran, discussing the inspection of the surrounding areas. They had already received orders from Xiahou Mao and offered suggestions for the route. Finally, Tian Fu said, "General, how is your horsemanship? If it’s decent, we can ride horses to save time."

Wei Ba replied, "My horsemanship isn't on par with yours, but I can manage."

"That’s perfect. I’ll gift the General a fine horse as a mount," Tian Fu said with a bow and a smile. "Just a small token of greeting; I hope the General will accept it."

Wei Ba knew full well that Tian Fu wasn't being kind—it was just the custom of officialdom—so he accepted with a smile. Xu Ran also presented a gift, which Wei Ba accepted as well.

...

The next day, Wei Ba left Peng Xiaoyu to guard the house and, accompanied by Dun Wu, Tian Fu, and Xu Ran, left Chang'an to begin his inspection of the surrounding passes. The first stop was Ziwu Pass, at the northern end of the Ziwu Valley, southwest of Chang'an. This was the same route Wei Ba had taken when he escaped Hanzhong. Ever since the Baoxie Road had opened, the Ziwu Valley had been neglected for years. Aside from a few old soldiers, there was nothing left but ruins and rubble—hardly a sight to behold.

However, Wei Ba inspected it thoroughly. He even walked five or six li into the narrow plank road until it became impassable due to rotted wood. Tian Fu and the others, accustomed to riding, were uncomfortable on the narrow cliffside path, and their horses were so nervous they risked falling into the abyss. They couldn't understand why Wei Ba insisted on moving forward.

"General, the path ends here. Is there any need to continue?"

"No need." Wei Ba pointed at a long stretch of cliff face where only a row of stone holes remained, and suddenly laughed. "Do you know? My forced escape from Hanzhong had something to do with this Ziwu Valley."

"Is that so?" Tian Fu knew Wei Ba had escaped but didn't know the details. Hearing him bring it up, he was curious.

"Yes. My father and I proposed a 'Ziwu Valley Plan' to Zhuge Liang, suggesting a surprise attack on Chang'an with ten thousand men through this valley. He disagreed, and that’s how we had our falling out."

"Through the Ziwu Valley?" Tian Fu paused for a moment before he couldn't help but laugh. "General, you certainly have a bold imagination."

"You mean to say I was being delusional?"

"I wouldn't dare." Tian Fu closed his mouth, though his eyes were full of mirth.

"In truth, it was delusional." Wei Ba carefully turned his horse around. "I was young and impetuous, convinced it was a brilliant strategy. When Zhuge Liang refused, I pleaded with him repeatedly, trying to persuade him. It wasn't until I escaped through this valley into Guanzhong and walked this path myself that I realized how absurd I had been."

Tian Fu remained silent, but his expression showed he fully agreed with Wei Ba’s conclusion. Launching an attack from the Ziwu Valley? It was preposterous. If nothing else, one would have to repair the plank roads first, and the moment you started repairs, the element of surprise would be gone. Ziwu Pass, though dilapidated, was still monitored occasionally. Unless one could repair the path overnight, Chang'an would have plenty of time to react.

However, Tian Fu did not know that the path hadn't been destroyed by nature. When Wei Ba had escaped, the road, though old, was still passable. The reason not a single piece of wood remained was that Zhuge Liang had ordered it cleared—precisely to prevent anyone from repairing it. By bringing Tian Fu and the others here, Wei Ba intended to convince them that the valley was entirely impassable, ensuring they would lower their guard.

"Indeed. However, the stones at Ziwu Pass are still useful," Wei Ba added, pointing at the wood underfoot. "These timbers can be dismantled and used to reinforce the city walls or as firewood to boil pitch for city defense."

Tian Fu nodded repeatedly. "That is a sound point, General. A wise observation."