A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 101.2

Gu Xie was hanging a small brazier, preparing to brew wine and tea like a recluse in the wilderness.

Her long hair was tied into a bun, and she wore a plain hemp garment made of the coarsest raw hemp, a Zhan Cui (mourning attire). After Yao Jifeng died, she rode a fast horse to retrieve his body, buried him, and had worn mourning clothes ever since.

“A-Yu, what’s the rush? What happened?”

Li Yujing said, “A group of people dressed like those from the grasslands barged into the Pavilion of Leaning Wind (Yifeng Pavilion) a few days ago, smashing things up and demanding the Steward hand over General Chen. I found it suspicious, so I kept an ear out and learned that the General had killed the younger brother of the Xi Ma Nou leader and was thrown into the death cell by the Emperor. I heard he would be executed after the autumn. I finally managed to take advantage of the Steward being drunk today, bribed the pimp, and rushed here to find you. The Eldest Princess went to the Grand Temple last month to offer sacrifices to Empress Huixian, and since then, there has been no news. The General has also been thrown into the death cell. Is the imperial court about to change?”

“Executed?”

“You didn’t know?”

Gu Xie’s hand trembled, and the copper poker stirring the small brazier shook.

She knew that Chen Liangyu had been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice for killing a diplomatic envoy. She had also heard that Lady Wu’an, Yan Nian, rushed back from Zhudong, bringing the old Marquis and the armor of the Marquis of Wu’an, kneeling directly outside the palace gate to plead for Chen Liangyu.

Could the Emperor truly execute Chen Liangyu for the sake of a few Xi Ma Nou people?

Li Yujing lowered her voice and said, “Yesterday, several officials came to the Pavilion of Leaning Wind. I overheard a few words during their conversation. It seems they want to seize power from the Eldest Princess.”

“That makes sense.”

Unless the Emperor was certain that there was some unspoken alliance between Chen Liangyu and the Eldest Princess, once the Eldest Princess’s authority over grain taxes and Chen Liangyu’s military power formed a mutually dependent bond of ruler and subject, the Eldest Princess would one day become the true ruler of the Great Lin. The Emperor might become a puppet.

Thinking this way, it was indeed possible for the Emperor to execute Chen Liangyu.

Li Yujing held her palms, which were sweaty. “Can you think of any way to relay the court news to the Eldest Princess so that she can make a decision sooner?”

Gu Xie lifted the teapot and extinguished the charcoal fire in the brazier.

“Gu Nü.”

Gu Xie called out. Soon, a girl in a short jacket and two hair buns ran from outside the corridor. “Greetings, Teacher.” Her voice was crisp.

Out of habit, Gu Xie asked about her schoolwork. “How is the copying coming along?”

Gu Nü said, “I have copied three volumes, and there are still three left to copy. Teacher, when is Sister Dai Qing getting married in the grasslands?”

Gu Xie calculated, “In the sixth month.”

Gu Nü lowered her head and counted on her fingers. “I have enough time to copy.”

Gu Xie nodded approvingly and then instructed her, “Go and tell Daomi and Xiaoshu to saddle the horses, go to Yueyang Tower to pack some good wine and food, and come back quickly.”

“I’ll go right now.”

Gu Nü performed a proper salute and ran like the wind from under the corridor. Li Yujing said, “I’m not hungry yet.”

“It’s not for you,” Gu Xie said. “I’m going to see an eccentric old man, and I need to bribe him with some good wine and food.”

The residence of Marquis Xuanping did not deprive Jiang Bojin of food, yet he always had a gleam in his eyes when he saw wine and food, as if he had been starving for decades. After eating his fill, he wiped his mouth and sighed with satisfaction, “The taste is good.”

Gu Xie stood aside, waiting for Jiang Bojin to finish his meal, and then poured him a cup of warm tea. Jiang Bojin lowered his head, slurped the tea in the cup, and rinsed his mouth. “Thank you for the treat.” With that, he leaned back in his reclining chair and went to sleep.

Gu Xie bowed to him.

“Master, I have a favor to ask.”

Jiang Bojin closed his eyes, face up, and soon began to snore. When he woke up, Gu Xie was still there. With a groggy head, Jiang Bojin stretched his amputated arm over his head. “If you have something to say, just say it. Why wait so long?”

Gu Xie said, “I didn’t dare disturb your rest.”

In reality, she knew that Jiang Bojin had already guessed why she had come and what she was asking for. As a student of Duke He, he was exceptionally sensitive to the slightest changes in the court situation, especially after so many major events had successively occurred.

Jiang Bojin was a dragon confined to a cage, his scales scraped off, his claws cut, powerless and without an army, forced to lie down all day long.

Gu Xie could tell he was unwilling.

Jiang Bojin said, “You are the only one who still calls me Master. That little brat from the Chen family… I don’t want to mention her. Pour me another cup of tea.”

Gu Xie quickly poured the tea and handed it to Jiang Bojin’s mouth.

“Just for the sake of this cup of tea, this old man will go to the Grand Temple for you. Coincidentally, this old man also wants to see an old friend again.”

Jiang Bojin traveled to the town at the foot of the Grand Temple Mountain and found that, sure enough, Imperial Guards with cloth-wrapped scabbards were everywhere. Although they wore civilian clothes instead of bright armor, the shape of their horizontal swords was too recognizable.

He wore a straw hat. His amputated arms were too conspicuous, and not wanting to attract attention, he quickly slipped into a tavern. He spotted a corner table and sat down.

Early in the morning, the tavern had few customers.

The tavern waiter quickly ran over to serve him.

Jiang Bojin said, “I heard you have wine brewed by a monk here?”

The tavern waiter replied, “Master Jing Jue’s wine from the Grand Temple is the best. Some pilgrims come here just for that sip of wine. Master Jing Jue only comes down the mountain every few days, and the wine barrels are empty before noon. If you come late, you won’t get any. Today, you are lucky, honored guest; the wine was just delivered to the backyard.”

“Doesn’t sound like a proper monk. Bring a jar.”

“Coming right up.”

The waiter left for a while. A man resembling a monk came out of the backyard and settled the bill with the accountant.

The shopkeeper was talking to a guest at the next table.

“This monk is aloof. Every time he comes down the mountain, he just delivers the wine, takes the money, and leaves without saying a word. I don’t know if he’s mute.”

Monk Jing Jue settled the bill, picked up his flat cart, and left through the back door of the tavern to deliver wine to the next location.

The waiter brought the wine jar and poured a large bowl full.

Jiang Bojin took a sip, grabbed the wine jar, and chased along the cart tracks. When Monk Jing Jue came out of the next tavern, Jiang Bojin was squatting against the wall. “Wine seller, your wine isn’t mellow.”

Monk Jing Jue heard this, put down the flat cart on his shoulder, and walked towards Jiang Bojin. The monk’s pace was obviously hurried, looking like he was ready to fight. The tavern waiters thought the monk was going to hit someone, and one after another, they turned their heads to watch the show.

The monk reached him, grabbed the wine jar from Jiang Bojin’s embrace, and took a big gulp. It was no different.

Just another drunkard who liked to tease people.

He stuffed the wine jar back and picked up his flat cart again.

“Zhu Shan, your craftsmanship is not as good as before.”

Jiang Bojin slowly raised his head. The brim of the straw hat lifted, revealing an old face underneath.

Monk Jing Jue stood frozen for a long while, his eyes shifting. The empty sleeves dangling by the sides of the man under the straw hat were particularly glaring.

In the blink of an eye, three or four lines of tears streamed down simultaneously.

“Commander-in-Chief.”