CH 13

Xue Houyang invited Teng Shang for a drink but didn’t set a banquet in one of the tents. Instead, he set up a fire in an open field, and put a small table next to it. There were several simple side-dishes and quite a selection of large jars of wines.

The table was very low, but Xue Houyang didn’t ask people to bring chairs, he just sat down there on the ground next to the table. Teng Shang might look like a scholar but he wasn’t the pretentious type. After all, he was a man grown on the battlefields and had shed blood of his enemies. Teng Shang also followed suit and sat down on the ground. 

Xue Houyang cracked open the sealing clay on the wine jar and filled a very large bowl to the brim, then said, “Tomorrow, we’re already going to enter the Capital City, I haven’t had time to entertain Minister Shang properly.  I hope Minister Shang doesn’t blame me?”

“How would I blame you?” Teng Shang smiled as he took the large bowl and gulped down the wine, “Someone who offers to have a farewell drink before my execution can be considered a special friend. How could this Teng blame such a friend?”

Xue Houyang stilled for a moment, then filled Teng Shang’s cup again before saying, “I see, you are already aware what this wine is for.”

“I’ve always been self-aware. Having Marquis Wannian bidding me farewell, now my whole life has been worth it.” Teng Shang said calmly. 

It was mid-autumn, a few days before the 15th day of the 8th month. The weather was getting colder and colder. There were no trees in this part of the capital city’s outskirts; the blowing wind brought a thick dust with it, making the fire dance frantically. There was a sense of bleak desolation in the night.

Teng Shang wasn’t a person who made a fuss over small inconveniences; he didn’t mind the dust and dirt soiling the food and drinks.

Xue Houyang watched the other man for a long time, until Teng Shang noticed and looked down to examine his clothes. Teng Shang said, “Is there something wrong with me?”

“No… It’s not that.” Xue Houyang drew back his gaze. The two men, after three rounds of drinks, had started to get a little drunk. The weather itself was not too cold, but the strong liquor warmed them up.

Suddenly, Xue Houyang said, “Does Minister Shang, remember, many years ago… King Teng had organized a hunting party, and you saved a little child from being accused as an assassin.”

Teng Shang was stunned when he mentioned it. Obviously he didn’t remember it, but after thinking about it carefully, he seemed to have some impression and said with a smile: “How does Marquis know about that? Do you perhaps have clairvoyant  eyes? It’s been a long time ago… At that time, the previous King Teng was still alive. A child had mistakenly run into the Imperial hunting grounds and was going to be put to death. I was also soft-hearted at that moment……”

“Minister Shang  shouldn’t have had such a soft heart.”

Suddenly Xue Houyang spoke very coldly. Teng Shang seemed to feel that he’d had too much to drink. His head was throbbing and his mind was sluggish. He said, “Why do you say that?” 

Xue Houyang stared at the other man, pondered for a while, before saying, “Minister Shang’s moment of kind heartedness  has cost the death of many of your soldiers. I’m just afraid you’ll regret it, when I say it.”

Teng Shang stared at the other person; his sight was blurry because of the wine. After staring at Marquis Wannian for a long time, an answer slowly came to his mind, making an uncomfortable feeling spread across his heart. His voice was hoarse as he said, “Why?”

Xue Houyang had a knowing look in his eyes. He stood, and with his back to Teng Shang he added, “I don’t know if  Minister Shang had heard about this. Once, a wandering fortune-teller had said that my character was ruthless, that I would bring a disaster someday. At that time, I was still very young, my temperament had not matured yet. In a fit of anger I ran away, but I would’ve never expected to meet you, Minister Shang.”

Teng Shang let out a bitter  laugh. He also wouldn’t have expected saving a child, and later meeting him; finding he’d grown into the enemy’s Great God of War.

Teng Shang had no idea what to say.

Xue Houyang turned around, bent over to pick the large bowl of wine and proceeded to drain it in one go. Then he threw the cup on the ground laughing, “Did Minister Shang think that I dragged you here for a drink to prevent you escaping, actually it is on the contrary, I wanted to send you off… You can go.” 

Teng Shang also stood up. The wine rushed through his head, making his limbs unsteady he almost fell. He laughed, “Go? Where would I go? The Marquis wants to let me go, but I don’t have anywhere to go… You might think I am being stubborn and pedantic, but Marquis put yourselves in my shoes; for the repayment of saving you, right now I want you to change sides and lead your 5000 elite soldiers to face and kill Xue Junliang, will you be willing?”

Teng Shang might be drunk, but his voice wasn’t small. Beside the open field they were standing, there were some soldiers on night patrol. At Teng Shang’s words, the soldiers stopped walking and alertly pointed their sharp spears towards the bonfire.

With a shallow smile, Teng Shang said, “How can I be willing, when you also are not willing… But I thank Marquis for the good intentions.”

Xue Houyang only gave a deep look at Teng Shang and said nothing. The two people continued drinking large bowls of wine, empty jars of wine piling next to them. 

——-

Teng Yun didn’t close his eyes that night, yet Xue Junliang seemed to fall asleep rather quickly. Teng Yun kept staring at the wall and didn’t dare move; his back was starting to numb due to the lack of movement.

He didn’t know how long he’d stayed like that when suddenly he felt something heavy fall upon his waist. Xue Junliang apparently had placed one arm over Teng Yun’s waist and had leaned his whole body against Teng Yun’s back.

Teng Yun stiffened. He shifted to the side a little bit, but the other person followed the movement. If not for the even breathing of the person behind him, he’d thought Xue Junliang was deliberately sticking close to him. 

Teng Yun didn’t dare to move a little while, waiting until he felt the other person stopped moving, then he shifted again. The person behind him actually followed him again.

Suddenly, Xue Junliang chuckled. Sure enough, he wasn’t asleep either. His arm tightened around Teng Yun’s waist and pulled Teng Yun closer and into his embrace. He laughed, a warm breath blowing ambiguously into Teng Yun’s ear, and said, “What’s so wrong with me that makes Aifei so disgusted with me ?”

His low whisper sounded loud and clear inside the silent bedchambers, but Teng Yun didn’t answer; pretending not to hear Xue Junliang’s question, he  closed his eyes. He’d already retreated to the farthest side of the bed and there was nowhere else to go.

Xue Junliang didn’t take offense, instead he put one hand under the blanket to pat Teng Yun, as if coaxing a child to sleep. Gently in a warm voice, he said, “Just sleep.” 

Early next morning, Jiang Yu called out for the Emperor from outside the room several times, but he didn’t hear Xue Junliang’s voice. When the time was running short, he called out again louder, still no one responded.

When the Emperor was inside his concubine’s chambers, no one dared to go inside. But the people outside had started to get anxious. Today was, after all, the day Teng Country’s Eldest Princess entered the Palace. Early this morning, Marquis Wannian had led his elite troops into the Capital and had already entered the Palace. Now he was waiting for Xue Junliang to arrive at the morning court.

In fact, Xue Junliang had been awake for a long time. Only he did not move, still holding Teng Yun in his arms, as if he had all the time in the world.

Teng Yun was also awake, in fact he hadn’t slept a wink last night. As time passed, Jiang Yu’s voice got louder and louder, indicating his anxiousness. Yet, the person beside him didn’t make a move to get up. 

Teng Yun had already guessed what the other person was playing at, so he also didn’t say anything..

Xue Junliang purposefully got up late, as it served dual purpose — one was to make the envoy from Teng Country wait and secondly letting everyone know that yesterday the Emperor spent the night in the Empress’ palace, indulging in pleasure until he forgot his duties. In His Majesty’s eyes, a little princess from an insignificant Teng Country wasn’t important; she was nothing special.

After waiting for another moment, a drum suddenly sounded from outside. Only then, Xue Junliang slowly woke up and called Jiang Yu in.

Jiang Yu hurriedly rushed inside, ringing the drum was not a trivial matter. 

In the Palace of the Xue Country, there was a very big drum. When it sounded, it could be heard even from the most remote corners of the Forbidden Palace.

The drum was used for diligent administration. When the King does not attend the morning court even after one shichen, the officials would sound the drum to remind the King of his duties. The drum would be played again once every one incense time. After the drum was played three times, the King would be abolished and replaced by a new King.

But Xue Junliang took his time; giving Jiang Yu a hard time. He got people to help Emperor Xue wash his face and rinse his mouth and change his clothes. Meanwhile he rushed to arrange for the sedan chair to be ready at the main hall gate.

Before he left, Xue Junliang also instructed Xiu Yao to take good care of the Empress; the medicine should be had in time and the soothing ointment should be applied regularly; if the medicine was too bitter, let the kitchen make some sweet dishes for the Empress. 

Xiu Yao was grinning from ear to ear and every time she looked at Teng Yun she would smile knowingly. She giggled and said tentatively, “Empress… Your body… Um, are you feeling okay? Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable? This slave servant thinks you look a little pale, are you tired? This slave servant will prepare a bath for you.”

Initially Teng Yun didn’t find anything wrong, but looking at Xiu Yao’s ambiguous smile, made him feel that her words were very weird. Xue Junliang must have said something ambiguous to Xiu Yao, and she must’ve definitely misunderstood something.

“No need for a bath, I’ll just simply wash my face and rinse my mouth.”

He had taken a bath only last night. Although Teng Yun’s body was now a woman’s body, he didn’t feel the need to bathe too often; it might be bad for the delicate skin. 

Xiu Yao was taken aback, “No need for a bath? Your Majesty.. that.. If you don’t bathe, you… You need to clean it properly… It….”

Teng Yun felt a headache coming. He did look pale, but it was because he was tense all night and didn’t sleep. With Xue Junliang sleeping next to him, how could he relax?

——–

Xue Junliang eventually made it to the morning court. He received Teng Country’s envoy, Teng Shang, and arranged a newly built palace for Teng Country’s Princess. The palace actually had been built for some time, but it was never lived in, so he assigned the palace for the new consort. 

The new palace wasn’t very far from the Empress’ Yunfeng Palace.

Though Teng Yun wasn’t close with the Eldest Princess, they were after all blood-related. He thought about seeing Teng Qianyi, but he didn’t dare to. He didn’t know what identity he should use to meet this relative of his.

——–

The marriage was scheduled for two days after the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

And these two days, Xue Junliang often stayed at Yunfeng Palace, which was good for the new consort; it was very convenient for her if she wanted to inquire about any information.

Teng Yun’s existence became one of Xue Junliang’s Qi pieces, helping him maintain the relationship between Xue and Feng Countries, also keeping Teng Country in check.

It could be said that though Xue Junliang was not  good at cultivating his own moral and spiritual character, he was indeed good at playing Qi in real life. His moves were systematic and careful in defeating his opponents.