Chapter 26

Sujou Governor’s Mansion.

In the front courtyard’s grand study, Xun Xun was leaning back in the imposing master’s chair behind the massive camphor wood desk. Bookshelves rose all around, and the ever-bright candle on the side had not been lit, casting a dim gloom over the room. Xun Xun sat with furrowed brow for a long time, pacing back and forth a few times before finally giving the order: “Bring the messenger hawk.”

He quickly returned to the desk and began to write at a furious pace, ultimately deciding to record the details of the recent events in Sujou in full. Notifications were, of course, necessary, but unless it was a resounding victory, most would avoid going into too much detail, not wishing to undermine their own reputation; yet after weighing the risks, Xun Xun chose to recount the entire process of Xun Rongbi’s death with meticulous precision.

The outcome regarding Xie Ci had caught him off guard. Xun Xun was concerned that this might adversely impact their current operations as well as the future balance of the northern frontier. To prevent endless future trouble, he resolved to tell their partner the truth in detail.

He slipped the letter into the silver tube attached to the hawk’s leg and, opening wide the lattice window, let the bird loose. With a sharp cry, the hawk beat its wings and soared into the blue sky, heading east until it vanished from sight.

Within a day, the messenger hawk arrived at the Andong Protectorate.

“Grand Marshal, a letter from Sujou.”

A middle-aged man was writing at his desk as the chief attendant strode in briskly.

The Andong Protectorate commanded the troops of Fanyang, Fangzhou, and Luchuan, and the rank of second-class Grand Protector, with concurrent command of these regions’ military as well as the posts of transport commissioner and regional governor. Lu Xinyi, dressed in a simple stone-blue, round-collared robe, was not tall but extremely vigorous, with a dignified bearing and sharp, authoritative features.

Lu Xinyi raised his head, took the letter tube, and, upon reading the contents, immediately frowned. “Useless fools—can’t even kill a child!”

Xun Xun had been tasked with cleaning up the aftermath, but who could have predicted he’d bungle even the simplest task, leaving them with this mess.

Lu Xinyi promptly gave orders in a cold voice: “Speed up—finish off the Qin family matter at once, no more delays! Send word!”

“And also, find Xie Ci. Go yourself!”

The attendant answered swiftly and hurried out to deliver the message.

At this moment, Xie Ci and Gu Wan were on their way to Lingzhou, having spent almost the entire end of the year on the road.

Gu Wan actually understood why the Xie family had been framed. Xie Xinchong was a courageous and righteous commander, a man who inspired absolute trust, and the sons of the Xie family were all men of steel. Yet, after what she had seen and heard in the northwest—and recalling the brief conclusion in the original book—Gu Wan realized that Xie Xinchong must have blocked the interests of all.

With the local recruitment edict, the Governor’s Mansion, the military governors—since the “Mi Liang Rebellion,” even the interior provinces had their own military governors. The old fubing system was ending, replaced by the recruitment decree, and for many reasons, this shift placed military and financial powers in the hands of these border generals. Some even held concurrent posts as civil governors.

These great commanders on the frontiers gradually gained the power to build their own fiefdoms. In Sujou, Xun Xun dared to move against Xun Rongbi precisely because he had paved the way, confident he could inherit his father’s position. After so many years of life and death, holding such power, how many would want to keep and cultivate it forever?

Xie Xinchong, loyal to the state, saw the danger and, deeply troubled, repeatedly submitted remonstrations and imposed both leniency and discipline. In the end, he obstructed everyone’s interests.

No, that’s not quite right either. Like attracts like, and those under Xie Xinchong’s command still included a group of loyal generals and confidants, who remained steadfast in their beliefs or loyalty even now.

Xun Xiao once said, “The old Xie family forces and their rivals are still evenly matched.”

Aside from the northern army’s silent neutrality or cold indifference, the Xie family still had former subordinates holding out, or at least worth rallying. But if Xie Ci did not hurry, the outcome could change!

If the Qin family fell, the Xie family’s old forces would be utterly scattered and crushed—then, they would truly have to start from nothing.

Xun Xiao’s eyes gleamed with mockery, and he sneered, but Gu Wan knew he was right. If not for the collapse of the dynasty in the original trajectory, Xie Ci would hardly have had a chance to rebuild the northern army.

Gu Wan thought for a moment but decided not to reveal her suspicions to Xie Ci—premature intervention would do more harm than good.

She remembered the original book and felt a chill—none of the named great generals under Xie Ci seemed to be surnamed Qin! “Quick! Let’s hurry—”

The north wind howled, and snow whipped against her face, freezing to the bone. Gu Wan was beside herself with worry, terrified they’d arrive too late.

Their party pressed on at full speed, barely stopping to rest, galloping through the icy New Year for four days and three nights. On the afternoon of the fourth day, they finally reached Lingzhou.

For many years, the powerful Wei Empire had attracted tribute from all nations, and its trade routes west and north were thriving. Though somewhat diminished now, Lingzhou’s towering, majestic city still bore traces of past glory.

The city walls were high, the moat deep, arrow towers looming. Within, the dense crowds and orderly dwellings towered in various heights, extending far beyond the city to the outskirts, where courtyards and villas of all sizes dotted the landscape—some robust in the northern style, some refined like those in the south. Within these walls, one almost felt transported to the heartland, not the border.

When the four of them arrived in Lingzhou, the case against the Qin family—accused of smuggling and collaborating with the enemy—had reached a critical point.

The Governor’s Mansion and yamen had been sealed, and the imperial envoy had arrived just yesterday. If the preliminary hearing found the evidence conclusive, the Qin family would be convicted and sent to the capital for a public trial, following the same path as the Xie family before them, even facing nearly identical charges!

The entire city was abuzz, with people everywhere discussing the affair. Gu Wan and her group quickly learned that the Qin family’s womenfolk had been forced to move from the mansion to an old two-courtyard house in the western city. Last night, Madam Qin, with her daughter and young son, had gone to the envoy’s lodging to plead their case on their knees, but before they could even approach, they were dragged away on the grounds of disturbing the envoy and interfering with his judgment. In the scuffle, Madam Qin was struck, her head bloodied, and she lay unconscious.

The people of Lingzhou were divided—some suspicious, others recalling the old Xie family, saying that since General Qin was Xie’s trusted commander, the Qin family could not be clean either!

Xie Ci’s hands, resting at his sides, clenched tightly. Gu Wan quickly caught his fist in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“What should we do now? We need to contact the Xie family women first, right?”

This was the fastest, best, and safest way to learn the full story and all its details.

They hurried out of the teahouse, Gu Wan lowering her voice as she spoke. Flecks of leftover snow clung to the branches overhead; the post road beneath their feet was a muddy mess. Xie Ci pursed his lips and nodded—indeed, that was the way!

“It’ll be hard on you,” he said.

Gu Wan replied, “It’s nothing.”

The two led the way, mounting their horses. Gu Wan always carried her cosmetics kit from Sujou. Xie Ci pressed down his bamboo hat, his sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings.

Their disguises changed constantly—they’d started as soon as they left Ping County, knowing the mastermind would surely suspect their movements. They didn’t even rent inns, instead finding a vacant house and, using a corner of the back wall, set about remaking themselves.

Gu Wan dumped out all the supplies she’d bought along the way, scrutinized them, and began mixing adhesives. She carefully trimmed dyed lamb’s wool and attached a short mustache to Xie Ci’s upper lip, adjusting and drying it, blending the makeup until it looked seamless—even a tug wouldn’t pull it off.

She moved on to his eye and face makeup.

Xun Xiao vaulted over the wall, arms crossed, watching coldly. Though he’d seen this many times, it was rare for him to show any interest in other matters these days.

Gu Wan ignored him, knowing he wouldn’t help further.

Soon, Xie Ci had transformed into a haggard farmer in his fifties. Dressed in peasant garb and wearing the bamboo hat, he adjusted his posture until his movements were perfectly convincing.

Gu Wan disguised herself as a farm boy. Once finished, she waited at the fork in the post road, quickly buying a cart of freshly charred wood from a farmer heading into town.

The “grandfather and grandson” pushed the charcoal cart into the city, heading west, hawking their wares as they went.

When only half the charcoal remained, they knocked on the back gate of the Qin family’s old residence.

Knock, knock, knock.

Gu Wan lowered her voice, calling out in a boyish, hearty tone, “Freshly charred good charcoal—straight from the kiln this morning! All from big, solid wood—”

Xie Ci knocked hard. The door opened quickly, revealing a young girl with swollen, red eyes. Her voice was hoarse: “We don’t need any. Please go.”

Her hair was a mess, streaked with ashes; in her hand was a medicine bowl, and behind her, the kitchen stove smoked in disarray.

This was Qin Xian’s second daughter, Xie’s second sister-in-law’s cousin, named Qin Wenxuan. Her features were delicate and refined, usually composed, but now she was bedraggled and frantic, hoarse from crying, anxiously tending her injured mother herself, as the loyal servants had all gone out.

—Her father had died over a decade ago; Qin Xian was her uncle, now in his forties. Xie’s second sister-in-law’s brother, that is, Qin Wenxuan’s cousin, and her own brother—all three were now imprisoned in the Lingzhou military camp.

The loyal servants had run themselves ragged to no avail. Yesterday, her mother had taken her and her little brother to the envoy’s quarters, only to return injured. The siblings’ eyes were red from weeping, their hearts consumed by worry.

Opening the back door, Qin Wenxuan was caught off guard by the old peasant’s piercing gaze.

She froze.

Xie Ci swiftly drew Xie’s second sister-in-law’s handwritten letter from his breast and, tearing off the address, stuffed it into her hand.

Qin Wenxuan glanced down and was instantly shaken. She looked around anxiously, then opened the door wide and pulled aside the threshold. “Come in, quickly.”

The disguises of Xie Ci and Gu Wan had put her on edge, but her nerves were steady—she managed the whole sequence in just a heartbeat. She glanced up again, but as a general’s daughter, even in an old residence, she instinctively chose a location without any high vantage points nearby.

Once inside, Xie Ci and Gu Wan pulled off their hats, tore off the fake beard, and wiped their faces with cold water. Qin Wenxuan immediately recognized them. “Ah, it’s Xie Ci! And you’re Sister Gu.”

“Quick, tell us—what’s happened? What’s the current situation?!”

Now was not the time for nostalgia. The four of them hurried to the back corridor. A boy of seven or eight rushed out of the main hall, throwing himself into his sister’s arms, clinging tightly. Both siblings’ eyes were red from crying, and their mother was still unconscious within.

“Ever since your family’s disaster, my father and brothers have been anxious and angry, saying it was impossible!…”

After the Xie family was sentenced, the Qin family had quickly made arrangements in Tieling, transferring their subordinate Zhu Mingyou there as a military garrison commander, and sent word to the capital. But the Qin family had long guarded the borders, and the emperor’s verdict left them powerless. Then came news of Xie Ci’s prison break and the rescue of the entire Xie family.

The pressure on the Qin family grew immense. With the Xie family accused of treason and wiped out, everything fell on Qin Xian and another general, Zhao Heng. The treason case was not over—the enemy’s plot was clearly to round up all the main officers of the Xie family army.

At the same time, northern tribes were growing restless—a threat that continued to this day. Qin Xian juggled open military affairs, efforts to clear the Xie family’s name, and defense against those scheming in the shadows. With the loss of Commander Xie Xinchong, the balance was lost, and their enemies remained hidden. Qin Xian had already toppled several overt opponents and survived many overt and covert attacks, but last month, the smuggling investigation had finally led to him.

“The patrol that left the pass—all killed in Da Su Pit. There were signs of hurriedly withdrawn carts, ruts in the mud, and cavalry hoofprints. The patrol stumbled upon the smuggling and were all slaughtered by the Lingzhou cavalry who arrived—then their bodies were burned! Now, all evidence points to my father and brothers, or possibly the other two Lingzhou generals. They’re all imprisoned, but my father and brothers bear the greatest suspicion! The envoy will hold the first hearing tomorrow!”

Qin Wenxuan had heard her father and brothers say before—this was clearly a plot against the Qin family.

At seventeen, the daughter of Qin Xian and his wife, she had two brothers and a sister-in-law; her own brother had died in battle, and her nephew and niece were grown. She herself was the second daughter, born after her parents lost their first. Cherished beyond measure, she was always lively and radiant. Now, after disaster, she had cried herself hoarse, carrying the burden of brewing medicine and tending the household. She wasn’t afraid of hardship—only that no amount of hardship could save her family.

She was nearly in despair when Xie Ci and Gu Wan appeared.

She looked at them with all the hope she had left.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, go and put ice water on your eyes—get the swelling down!”

The situation was a bit better than they’d feared—at least there were three suspects, and the first hearing was tomorrow. If their innocence could be proven, the envoy had the authority to free two of them.

Gu Wan urged Qin Wenxuan to tend to her eyes. With no other options, she ran off at once. Xie Ci and Gu Wan quickly conferred and decided to split up. No matter what, tomorrow’s hearing could not let the patrol’s deaths be pinned on the Qin father and son!

That task fell to Gu Wan.

As for Xie Ci, finding the real smuggler—the one who had framed the Qin family—would be his charge.