BST - Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Who Is the Future Great General Liu?
Noble Lady Zhang laughed when she heard this. "I simply did not want to die from falling out of favor. You needn't think so highly of me."
Noble daughters of great clans could float wine cups along winding streams and chant verses on the snow. What could she do? All she knew was how to paint her eyebrows and sing.
Killing Sima Yao had been an even greater accident.
"Then before you made your move and killed him, did you think of a way to save yourself?"
The shackles on Noble Lady Zhang's wrists gave a faint clink as she raised a hand to smooth the hair at her temple. "...I did."
Here and now there were only the two of them, she and Wang Shen'ai. There was no reason at all for her to lie about this.
"Of course I thought about it."
Her gaze grew distant for a moment. "Dying for killing the emperor, and being cast aside like a worn-out shoe and then killed by him, are to a vulgar person like me no different at all. If there were any chance of clinging to life, who wouldn't want to live?"
"Indeed," Wang Shen'ai agreed softly, "if one can live, living is naturally better."
Noble Lady Zhang shot her another strange look. "You really are an interesting one. I thought that you scholars would at least keep the words 'death may be weightier than Mount Tai' on your lips. How is it that you speak of wanting to live so plainly?"
"It seems I am the one asking the questions at the moment," Wang Shen'ai reminded her.
Noble Lady Zhang gave a snort of laughter. "Some things go without saying. With the court in such a state, there are always those who would love nothing more than for the late emperor to hurry up and die. My life is worth no more than grass; whether I live or die is of no consequence to certain people. He ought even to thank me for doing the thing he meant to do himself, and not insist on killing me."
"Besides, from the time I won the late emperor's favor until now, I had amassed a good deal of gold, silver, and valuables. Grease a few palms here and there, get people to turn a blind eye, and letting me go would not have been hard. Only I never expected..."
She never expected that this thing called the Heavenly Screen would suddenly appear.
It had not merely blocked her way. It had blocked the way of certain others as well.
So when she was dragged before the palace, she could not be bothered to say another word, and simply laughed.
If she had to die, at least she would earn a line in the histories recording that she had murdered her ruler. Perhaps she had not lived in vain.
Noble Lady Zhang returned to the subject. "I still don't understand why you would save me. It can't be that you saw how boldly I act and wanted to win me over, can it?"
Even as she spoke, she amused herself first and broke into a laugh.
But the plain, youthful face before her held no trace of jest. "Do I not look as though I have come to recruit talent?"
"..." Noble Lady Zhang thought she might still be asleep. Otherwise, how could she be hearing the words "recruit talent"?
But after that first shock, she could not help thinking that perhaps this Heavenly Screen was not so bad as she had imagined.
In order to resist the "future" broadcast to all by the Heavenly Screen, the fate of men had gained an extra measure of possibility.
For instance, Wang Shen'ai before her, who by rights should have gone on, obedient and rule-abiding, to become empress.
For instance...
The youth wrenched free the sharp arrow that had struck his arm, quickly cut away the dead flesh around the wound with the heated silver knife in his hand, dug a packet of wound medicine out of the bundle at his waist, and dusted it over the wound.
His deep-set, handsome features were at once contorted by the searing pain, and a fine film of cold sweat broke out at his temples.
But he still clenched his teeth, daring not to make too much noise.
Once the wound was bandaged, he quickly buried everything he had left at the site, then set off and continued on his way.
In the haste of his flight he could not help cursing once more.
"Damn this Heavenly Screen!"
Five years ago, Tuoba Gui had taken the field against the Xiongnu Tiefu tribe and all but butchered the whole clan. Only he survived, because he had been out hunting and had the luck to slip away from the cavalry of Wei.
At first he had thrown in his lot with a neighboring tribe; when he discovered that they intended to hand him over to curry favor with Tuoba Gui, he took to the road again in flight, and in the end found a post to earn his living under the great Qin general Moyi Yu.
Over those five years, for the sake of the hope that one day he might fight his way back to his homeland, he had suppressed the warlike cruelty in his very blood and bone, playing the part of a modest and courteous young officer, and step by step won Moyi Yu's trust.
Half a month ago, Moyi Yu had even hinted at something. He did not care where this youth came from or what family he had; in consideration of his "shrewd speech and keen wit, fine looks and fine bearing", he was prepared to give him his daughter in marriage and cultivate him further.
Yet only a few days later, the Heavenly Screen had appeared.
What had the immortals on the Heavenly Screen said again?
Ah. It said that, as a survivor of the Xiongnu Tiefu tribe, he would use his looks to become a great Qin general's son-in-law and rise to prominence. In the end, rather than bring his father-in-law good fortune, he would kill him, seize command of his troops, and found a state of his own.
Had he been Moyi Yu, he would have slaughtered this ungrateful wolf first thing.
The Xiongnu youth named "Bobo" fought his way out and fled. Taking an arrow in the body, he at last burst through the encirclement.
Now only one question remained: where could he go?
In the north there was no longer any place for him.
After Murong Chui's death from illness, the prestige of Tuoba Gui of Wei had grown by the day. This overlord, who commanded armies in person and harbored ambitions to devour the realm, would not accept his surrender, but would only finish the extermination he had left incomplete all those years ago. Should he set foot on Wei soil, he would surely die.
His "father-in-law", and the ruler above his father-in-law, likewise would not want a traitor branded by the Heavenly Screen.
Further to the northwest, the state of Liang seemed still able to hold a corner of the realm for itself, but in Bobo's eyes it was no more than a cicada shrilling in autumn, one step from death. If he went there, with bad luck he would be handed over as a gift; with good luck he would only gain a few more years of life.
At the thought, he could not help gazing at the great river surging before him, and fell into deep thought.
Into the waters of the Yellow River, Tuoba Gui had once thrown more than five thousand of the clansmen and kinsmen of his Tiefu tribe. Whenever he passed by, he could smell the blood that turned his stomach.
The Heavenly Screen hung faint and far off at the edge of the heavens. Plainly it was not so very vast, yet it was like a cage that blotted out the sky and the sun, determined to drive him into the muddy waters and drown him.
But then, all at once, a strange idea sprang up in his mind. Wild as it was, it grew and swelled, until it filled all his thoughts.
It was as if in a single instant he had broken free of the whirlpool in the river before him.
"...My surname is Liu too, isn't it?"
If he remembered rightly, the Heavenly Screen had one more line, which said:
[Great General Liu, who was loyal to Emperor Yong'an.]
So why could he not be this "Great General Liu"!
In years gone by the Xiongnu had stood in awe of the might of the Han and knew how deeply Han culture had taken root in men's hearts; they had taken "Liu" as their surname, including Liu Yuan, who had once founded the Liu Han (Han Zhao) regime.
He was of Liu Yuan's kin, so of course his surname was "Liu" too!
The Heavenly Screen said only that he would murder his father-in-law, usurp power, and set himself up as ruler. It did not say that when Emperor Yong'an, who was able to bring north and south to heel, marched his armies northward, he, as the ruler of an independent regime, would be trampled to death under iron hooves, or would simply dissolve his regime and surrender.
In any case, In Xiongnu custom, when a man could no longer remain a chieftain, serving as another man's general was no big deal.
Perfectly normal.
What if he was the Great General Liu who could carry the advance northward on Emperor Yong'an's behalf and break Wei?
Or even if he was not, before the Heavenly Screen appeared again and disclosed everything, could he not use his own abilities to make others believe that he was that "Great General Liu"?
Liu Bobo knew exactly how much ability he had; had it been otherwise, he would never have won his "father-in-law's" favor.
That gave him ever greater confidence in carrying out this plan to march south.
...
When the pursuers followed the trail, they found only a few scattered pieces of wood on the north bank of the Yellow River. The Xiongnu youth they hunted had already spent all his strength and waded across the river.
...
Meanwhile, another man who had narrowly escaped with his life stood before Wang Shen'ai.
Liu Laozhi, nearing forty, was, just as Sima Daozi had suspected, very possibly the Great General Liu named by the Heavenly Screen.
His face was flushed a vivid purplish red, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, and his beard thick and bristling. Sturdily built and steady of temperament, he looked every inch a capable commander who could lead independently.
It was no wonder that after he had been recruited into the Beifu Army, he had quickly stood out, rising on military merit and even being enfeoffed as a marquis.
It was a pity that he had suffered a crushing defeat against the veteran general Murong Chui and had also failed in a relief operation...
At this moment he held neither office nor title, only the marks left by years of campaigning and the wounds from his recent exchange of blows.
He gave Wang Shen'ai a deep obeisance, clasping his fists and bowing to the ground, his tone utterly solemn. "This commoner thanks the Crown Princess for saving his life."
Though Liu Laozhi had grown up in a martial house, since Xie Xuan's death he had lost his backing; and after the affair of his dismissal he had been reduced to a commoner, no different from a village rustic.
At most he had a bit more strength than other men.
How could he have imagined that when he saw the Heavenly Screen he had not dared so much as connect himself with the "Great General Liu", and yet the Prince of Kuaiji, Sima Daozi, thought so highly of him!
Had the Crown Princess and Wang Xun not joined forces to put Sima Daozi to death, and had they not happened to learn of this from him and sent men at once to his rescue, his life would long since have been lost.
He did not care whether Wang Shen'ai had done this to cast her nets wide, seeking a way to survive for the Wang clan, which the Heavenly Screen had foretold would suffer disaster. He cared only about the result: his life and the lives of his whole family had been saved by the Crown Princess.
Since he owed a debt of gratitude, he ought to repay it.
Wang Shen'ai reached out and raised him to his feet, then asked: "I heard from my clan uncle that, years ago, when the Murong clan of Yan attacked Linqiu, Xu Hanyuan, the Administrator of Gaoping, sent an urgent plea for aid. You saw how badly outnumbered you were and chose not to send troops to relieve the city, focusing instead on its defense. Is that why they dismissed you, accusing you of cowardice and fear of the enemy?"
Liu Laozhi froze for a moment, then nodded gravely. "It is so!"
It was the truth, and he could not deny it.
So even though he had no idea why Wang Shen'ai should suddenly bring this up, he had no other answer to give.
As she helped him to his feet, he looked up and saw a faint smile on her face, not a look of reproach.
"Then may I ask General Liu, if you were given command of troops once more, could you wash away this charge of cowardice?"
Liu Laozhi's ears rang. As he followed Wang Shen'ai's steps outward, he nearly believed he was walking on air.
Yet the sword wound still throbbed, reminding him how narrowly he had escaped death the day before. He had not misheard her.
And when he looked into the distance where Wang Shen'ai pointed, he saw a sea of familiar uniforms and battle flags, with horns calling the troops into formation.
They were the Beifu Army, transferred from Jingkou, which had arrived two days ahead of Liu Laozhi and encamped at the foot of the imperial city.
Wang Shen'ai gazed at the fluttering banners and spoke slowly. "Though Sima Daozi and his son Sima Yuanxian have been executed, Wang Guobao, Zhao Ya, and the rest who plotted with them are still in command of troops outside and harbor disloyal hearts. The Beifu Army is urgently needed to march against them. With the Heavenly Screen revealed and all quarters in turmoil, the Huan clan still has not come to court to request an audience. I fear they too are plotting no good, and crack troops are needed to guard the imperial city."
"There are many in the court able to command troops, but few truly worthy of the name general. I wonder whether General Liu would be willing to lend me a hand?"
Liu Laozhi hesitated only an instant before giving his answer. "This humble general would not dare disobey!"
How could he be unwilling?
To be restored to his former post and command troops once more had been the wish of his heart for years.
Who the enlightened lord of the future might be hardly mattered at all!
At least for now, the Crown Princess was the one in authority, with both great courage and a keen eye for talent.
On hearing that Wang Shen'ai intended to select a body of picked men separately from the Beifu Army to serve as her personal guard, he at once straightened his back, took up the bearing of a commander from his northern campaigns, and called out from the Beifu Army below his former lieutenant, Sun Wuzhong.
Liu Laozhi let out a long sigh. "I have been away from the Beifu Army these several years. If good officers and picked men are to be recommended, he must be the one to do it."
Though Sun Wuzhong found it somewhat strange that with the emperor dead, it was the Crown Princess commanding the Beifu Army, seeing Liu Laozhi's attitude he promptly replied: "Before noon tomorrow I shall select two hundred crack troops from the army and present them for the Crown Princess's inspection. As for the commander of these picked men, I should like to recommend one man today, for you to look over."
Seeing Wang Shen'ai nod in assent, he waved at once to those below.
A leader wearing a tube-sleeved cuirass and a five-colored cap came at a quick trot up the city wall toward them.
Liu Laozhi narrowed his eyes and studied the figure.
Before his dismissal he had had no impression of this man, but seeing his striking appearance and great height, and the trained sinew beneath the armor, he could confirm at once that Sun Wuzhong recommended him not merely out of friendship, but because the man truly had ability.
Wang Shen'ai too observed this man's appearance, and asked the soldier before her who had just saluted: "What is your name?"
Suddenly summoned into the presence of so great a personage, the soldier showed no alarm, and answered in a ringing voice: "My surname is Liu, my single name Yu, my courtesy name Deyu. I am a staff officer under General Sun's command."
Sun Wuzhong brought a hand down on his head. "Never mind this Deyu business. In the Beifu Army we don't stand on that sort of formality."
It suddenly struck him that he was under the gaze of a personage of rank, and sheepishly he took his hand back, forced an easy smile, and turned to Wang Shen'ai.
"Just call him by his childhood name, Jinu. He is diligent and good in battle, a useful talent." ①
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