RP Chapter 1 - Chang Feng - Part 7
Chapter One - Part 7
At this moment, beside the Duxiu Peak Canal, the officers who had been digging the canal were sitting on the high ground side by side. They just gazed at the rushing torrent, totally exhausted.
"Count the number of people and let’s go down the mountain."
"General, there are thirteen people missing. They were all swept away by the torrent because they couldn’t climb up in time."
Jingyun was silent for a moment and looked around. He suddenly felt uneasy and called to his bodyguard: "Where is Master Han?" {He refers to her as Han-Gongzi, Gongzi is usually a word used for a young gentlemen, so something like “Young Master Han”, I’m not sure if the soldiers actually think she’s a guy as I assume she’s dressed in male clothes, or just using this title as a respectful title as she’s the one behind the scheme so she’s the overseer so to speak, although she’s joining them in doing the actual work as well.}
"Master Han... is also among these thirteen people."
Jingyun was stunned and suddenly shouted: "No one is allowed to leave! Find Han Weisang!"
The final battle at the General's Mansion had ended.
When Jiang Zaichu first entered the mansion; soldiers stood in the courtyard carrying well water and washing buckets to clean the blood from the ground.
His expression seemed to be unchanged but when he stepped into the study, he looked at the bluestone in front of the threshold and was slightly stunned for a moment.
"Commander, Old General Wang's body has been cleaned up properly."
"Give him a generous burial." Jiang Zaichu breathed out softly and reached out to push open the closed window. He felt the heavy pressure on his heart that was suffocating.
"Has Jingyun come down?"
"General Zuo is still on the mountain..." The guard's eyes flickered slightly.
Jiang Zaichu frowned: "Why hasn't he come down yet?"
"It is said that when the canal was dug, some people got washed away and they’re still searching for them."
"Who was involved, did General Zuo say?" Jiang Zaichu already had an answer in his mind but it was vague and unbelievable.
"General Zuo didn't go into details. He just sent someone with the word that... he would get that person back."
Jiang Zaichu stood up and strode towards the door. When he was about to step out, he took his steps back and stood there. Unknowingly, veins popped out in his right hand that was leaning on the scabbard, and he said word by word: "Send the order to Jingyun, just forget it if he can’t find it. Tell him to come back!" {He doesn’t actually say “it”, the sentence he says does not refer to him/her or they, more like “just forget it if you can’t find” - but that doesn’t make sense grammatically in English so I added “it” as it sounds the most vague like the original sentence but just to be clear he’s not referring to her or anyone else as an object.}
Compared to the things to be concerned about during battle, once the battle was over they became a lot more trivial and complicated.
Normally, the cleaning of the battlefield would be left to Meng Liang, while the military rectification and security of the occupied areas would be left to the relatively cautious Lian Xiu. The Commander stayed up all night at the General's Mansion.
The Commander’s decision making today was less decisive than in the past. It often took him a moment to react before he came to his senses. However, the more this happened, the more the generals under his command became fearful. They always felt that they were in the wrong and, when a cold light appeared in the slightly raised phoenix eyes, they felt as though they were being stabbed by sharp knives.
"General Zuo is back." The guard opened the door and announced.
Jiang Zaichu paused with the pen in his hand and slowly put it down, "Allow him to pass."
When Jingyun came in, he was exhausted, his hair was tangled and his clothes were covered with mud. He said in a hoarse voice: "Commander, congratulations for capturing Changfeng City."
Jiang Zaichu looked him up and down and for a moment he didn't know what to say.
Jingyun, on the other hand, looked at him with the same expression as usual and continued: "I just brought everyone down. Some of the people who were washed away were also found."
Jiang Zaichu nodded. His eyes fell on the tip of the pen again and he said calmly: "Okay, go and rest."
After greeting his colleagues, General Zuo Jingyun, who gained the nickname "Mason", exited the study. But when he turned around, he looked at the Commander again, hesitated for a second but in the end gently closed the door. {I’m guessing they’re calling him this because of his contribution to building the canal.}
Standing in the courtyard, Jingyun took the wooden bucket from the sergeant's hand. It was full of cold well water. He tilted his hand and dunked it over himself with a splash. The mud on his body was washed away and he suddenly felt much more relaxed. However he couldn't help but feel frightened when he remembered the scene just now on the mountain.
Han Weisang was indeed swept away by the torrent before she could climb to the high ground. When Jingyun ordered the soldiers to search all over the mountains and plains, he actually did not hold out much hope. In his heart, he even vaguely felt that it would be really good if this woman died. The Commander’s heart had already died once three years ago so, if it was to die again now, he would probably only be sad for a little while and then would be fine again.
In the middle of the night, the Commander’s order came from the bottom of the mountain, saying simply, "Just forget it if you can't find it."
After carefully considering these six words, General Zuo, who had not slept all night, wiped the mud on his face and growled: "Whether she is alive or dead, dig her out!"
Following the torrent sweeping down, Han Weisang was finally found at the branch between two branches.
It was a stroke of fate that prevented her from being swept away by the torrent because her body was stuck between two boulders.
Although it is a tributary, the current is very fast and so the soldiers were momentarily distracted looking for ropes to save people. After such a long ordeal, Jingyun's heart felt strung up. He thought about the past events one by one. As an outsider, he didn’t know whether he wanted her to live or die.
"General, I'm going to rescue this person." The guard tied a rope around his waist but Jingyun snatched it away and said quietly, "Let me do it."
After groping his way to the other side of the fork in the river and climbing up the boulder, Jingyun first stretched out his hand to check Weisang's breathing. When the warm air flowed over his fingertips, he suddenly felt relieved. He then leaned over and hugged Weisang's waist and pulled her out with a strong tug.
Weisang was already unconscious. Originally, she thought she was going to be swept away by the water. So she reached out and grabbed whatever she could and refused to let go. Jingyun took a closer look and saw that it was the root of a giant tree in the mountains, which was as thick as a child's arm. It seems that when she was washed away, she reached out and grabbed the root of the tree to support her until now.
After being soaked by the torrent for so long, the skin on her body was wrinkled and her fingers were swollen several times thicker than before.
Jing Yun swung the short blade in his hand, cut off the roots of the tree and pulled her out.
Han Weisang, who was curled up in his arms, suddenly opened her eyes. She raised the corners of her lips and smiled: "Am I still alive?"
"You can't die." Jingyun held her in his arms and stepped back into the water step by step. He raised his head proudly and squared his jaw. "Princess, I didn't expect your desire to survive was so strong."
Han Weisang laughed, grabbed Jingyun's arm hard and murmured: "Although I am tired of living, I can't die yet."
Han Weisang felt as though she’d been asleep for a good few hours and woke up in a daze. In her daze, she was always thinking about one thing or another. In the end, she still couldn’t rest easy, so she finally forced herself to open her eyes.
"Miss, are you awake?" A strange maid came over briskly, helped her sit up, put a brocade pillow behind her back to support her and handed her a cup of tea.
Taking a sip from her hand, Weisang said in a daze: "Why isn't it ginseng tea?"
The maid was startled, then her hand relaxed: "Here... there is no ginseng tea."
However, Weisang reacted, shook her head and smiled: "What time is it?"
"Miss, you’ve been in and out of consciousness. Many days have passed."
"How many days?" Weisang looked down and saw that he had indeed changed into light summer clothing.
She joined the general’s household in early spring and now, after experiencing the Changfeng Battle, more than three months have passed.
"What's your name?" Weisang looked at the girl in the bronze mirror. Although she was not extremely beautiful, she was still delicate. When she smiled, her lips showed pear dimples, making her look friendly and approachable.
"Miss, please give me a name." The girl said with a smile, "I was sold into the general’s household when I was very young. I always did chore work and was called “Three” or “Four”. But now I’ve received instructions from above that I will serve Miss from now on.”
Weisang raised her head and saw that a peach tree in the courtyard was still intact, with dark pink and light white covering the branches. She smiled softly: "The tree is still full of flowers and continues to bloom. Shall I call you Weixi?" {Weixi means “not few”.}
"Thank you, Miss. This name sounds really good." Weixi was overjoyed. She busied herself tying Weisang’s hair and said with a smile, "Today is already June 6th. Does Miss still want to dress up in men's clothing? It's very lively outside today.”
"It's June 6th?" Weisang was surprised, "Where is the Commander?"
"The Commander is always occupied these days discussing matters in the study room in the back courtyard. It’s hard to see him." Weixi said with a smile. "Miss, let's have something to eat first."
Weisang didn't even take time to take a sip of porridge. She immediately hurried to the door of the courtyard, only to find that she was heavily guarded by soldiers and could not even take half a step outside.
"Please send word that Han Weisang wants to see the Commander." Weisang saluted the guard and waited at the door of the courtyard.
After a while, the guard came to report: "Master Han, the Commander said he would not see any guests today."
"What about General Jingyun?"
"General Jing went on inspection outside the city." {I’m just translating what the author wrote. I think the author forgets if she named him Zuo Jingyun or Jing Yun sometimes…}
"Then I'll wait here for the Commander." Weisang smiled helplessly and stood quietly in the gate.
The gentle sunshine in early summer penetrated the hazy sky and fell through the dense branches and leaves of the elm trees, leaving round spots of light on the dark soil. The city has survived the carnage and bloodshed at that time, and is now peaceful.
Weisang didn't know how long she stood there. The sun moved from the east to the center. She heard a guard lower his voice: "Master Han, you'd better not wait any longer... The Commander left the house early in the morning."
Weisang felt that the soldier looked familiar and then she remembered that they had gone up the mountain to dig ditches together that day. She realized that he was trying to help her. Weisang thanked him and turned around to leave. She pondered for a moment, why… would he want to leave the house without telling anyone?
"Weixi, can you make a snail bun?" Weisang was anxious so she took down her hair and untied her robe, "Also, are there any women's clothes here?"
"Miss, take your time. Everything is ready." Weixi picked up the hairpin and rolled Weisang's long hair deftly with her fingertips, curling it calmly, "Miss, do you want to go out?"
Weisang walked out of the house and was caught by the sunlight for a moment, squinting her eyes. She originally thought that the walls of Changfeng City must be shattered and that everything would look devastated. However she didn’t expect that, within just a few days, the war was over and life was restored. On the central axis road, residents in the city were constantly coming and going, while soldiers on the distant city wall were repairing the wall. The two groups didn’t disturb each other and everything looked very harmonious.
She walked along the road until she reached the side of the river that ran through the city. She saw many people standing smiling and throwing their pet cats and dogs into the river. The cat and dog fell into the water and hurriedly swam back to the shore, shaking off water drops all over their bodies.
The so-called custom of bathing cats and dogs on June 6 has not ceased.
Weisang was about to get closer and take a closer look when she suddenly saw a young man standing on the shore.
Wearing a dark blue heavy brocade robe with curling moiré patterns, his back has broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His long hair was tied back with a jade crown. He stood quietly but his aura was firm and calm, like an immovable mountain. Although the material of his clothes was expensive, it was not woven with gold which showed that, although his status was noble, he was being deliberately low-key. She stared in silence for a long time, struggling in her heart, and finally decided to turn around and leave quietly.
By chance, a big yellow dog swam ashore and shook off the water droplets on its body. A large splash of water flicked to and fro. The young man did not dodge and was splashed with water. The owner of the dog on the side quickly stepped forward to apologize. The young man just waved his hand, turned sideways and said calmly: "Now that you are here, do you plan to leave so quietly?"
Weisang paused and turned around. She saw that Jiang Zaichu's face was covered with water and a few drops were still clung to his long eyelashes. As they were about to fall, they reflected the brilliant light of the noon sun and, in the light, the eyes looked deep and elusive.
She didn't look much and just handed him a brocade handkerchief.
Jiang Zaichu took it but only held it in his hand with a smile on his lips: "It's June 6th."
"Young master, have all your books and clothes been taken out to sun?" She raised her head slightly and the curvature of her jaw was soft and beautiful. Her eyes curved when she smiled.
Jiang Zaichu turned his head very slowly and his eyes flashed across her current appearance; with narrow goose-yellow robe, green trousers tied with red thread and soft shoes adorned with silver bells on them. It made a tinkling sound as she walked and, when people heard it from a distance, they would know that she was coming. His eyes were slightly dazed and he seemed to see another Han Weisang running up to him with a proud expression; her skin as white as snow and a bright red phoenix tail huadian on her forehead. She said happily: "Just now, my father, brother and sister-in-law all praised me. They said their family’s Ah-Wei is so cute.”
He had never seen a girl who liked to boast about herself so much, but he also thought right now her ice and snow appearance was indeed really beautiful, so he deliberately turned his face away and said, "Humph, it’s far worse than the girls from my Jin Dynasty."
It's just that time continues to flow ceaselessly, passing by without a sound.
Now, he squinted his eyes and searched his memory bit by bit. Finally, he found the sword mark on the other side of his memory. With a sneer, blood spattered into his pupils and made them turn scarlet.
He closed his eyes, smiled silently, and stretched out his hand to her: "Let's go."
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