Chapter 58 - The Winds Rise

Ying Gutong rode in a carriage, his expression changing with the flickering shadows, shifting in the dark.

Even though he was the Three Armies Grand Marshal of the Ruen Dynasty, he didn't have many impressive military achievements because there were few major battles. After all, the dynasty was stable now, not like its early days a century ago.

He fought many small battles and frequent skirmishes with Northern Qiang each year, but both sides maintained their probing stances, never escalating the conflict.

Now over sixty years old, Ying Gutong was in his twilight years with a full head of white hair. Yet, the martial vigor that belonged to him as a soldier could not be hidden.

As a minister, he was successful. The country and the people had not been affected too much by war. In a few years, he could retire with his merits, lay down his armor and return to the countryside, bringing a lifetime of wealth and fame back home to enjoy his old age. But the restlessness in his heart reminded him... he was unwilling to accept this.

As a soldier, and more so as the Grand Marshal, he considered himself a failure.

He did not care about successfully retiring with wealth and fame. Deep down, he desired to leave a lasting name in history. Even if it meant dying on the battlefield, he hoped to be remembered.

So what he truly needed was a great battle, a memorable battle that would make future generations remember his name. So when Qi Zongbi approached him today, he agreed to the proposal.

Thinking of Qi Zongbi, he sighed. The coachman turned his head to wait for orders, thinking that something was wrong. Ying Gutong silently waved his hand, and the coachman turned back around.

Actually, Qi Zongbi’s intentions were not difficult to understand. Ying Gutong mentally recalled every word said by the external prime minister.

The ultimate goal of war was still peace, but even as the Three Armies Grand Marshal, he could not be certain whether the war would end in victory or defeat. No matter what, Qi Zongbi, who strongly advocated war, openly defied the emperor. Regardless of the result of the war, his fate was sealed.

Ying Gutong closed his eyes. He had agreed to lead a war in order to leave his name in history. What could Qi Zongbi’s reason be?

After thinking for a long time, Ying Gutong could only think of a reason that seemed normal but was also patently absurd. Could it be that Qi Zongbi mutinied to bring peace to the dynasty?

Qi Zongbi was a special type of person. You might not like him, but you cannot help but respect him.

To attain the position of the Prime Minister of the Right, Qi Zongbi was no fool. He must have detected Ying Gutong's hidden aspiration to leave a lasting name, which is why he chose to approach.

It was also rumored that the emperor’s health outlook was not optimistic, as he had missed the morning court for a week. With support from both leaders of the civil and military officials, war seemed inevitable.

Ying Gutong’s mouth twisted into a smile, his eyes gleamed brightly in the darkness, revealing his uncontrollable excitement.

The carriage stopped, and the coachman softly reminded, "My lord, we have arrived." He then lifted the curtain of the carriage.

Ying Gutong stepped out of the carriage, and above him, the characters "Marshal’s Residence" shining brightly in the midday sun.

***

Luzhou was very lively today, as the renowned scholar Li Muxian was marrying off his daughter to the winner of an open entry martial arts competition. The bride was even Li Muxian’s adopted daughter, Chi Nanwei, who was said to be a rare beauty.

Strangely, the Li family, which usually favored literature over martial arts, chose to use a martial arts competition to find a groom. In fact, it was rumored that the Li family and the governor’s residence were using the competition as a tool for their alliance. In the end, all the fighting would serve as a way for the governor’s son, Zhou Yi, a legitimate reason to marry the beauty.

However, the people of Luzhou did not care whether the fights were staged. As long as there were exciting fights to watch, why should they care?

The stage was set at the entrance of the Li residence. At this moment, the governor’s son, Zhou Yi, stood on the stage, bowed elegantly to a burly man who was groaning on the ground on the other side of the stage. He said, "Thank you for the match!"

Zhou Yi's face was polished jade, his demeanor dignified, and his clothes fluttered in the wind. To the crowd, he resembled a great martial artist. The burly man was carried off the stage, and the crowd erupted into applause.

Inside the Li residence, a maid gently opened Chi Nanwei’s room door and saw Chi Nanwei sitting listlessly on the edge of the bed. A bright red wedding dress lay untouched at the foot of the bed.

The maid couldn’t help but remind her, "Miss, the water is ready for you. Please hurry and bathe and change, or else Master and Mistress will surely punish me."

Chi Nanwei glanced at the maid, nodded, and said, "Alright, I understand... go and reassure them. I’ll be over in a moment."

The maid curtsied, closed the door for Chi Nanwei, and left quietly.

Once the maid left, Chi Nanwei changed into a neat and practical outfit and retrieved a pre-packed bundle from under the bed. She then picked up the Tang blade beside the bed, examined it carefully for a while, and placed it in the bundle.

Chi Nanwei went to the window and looked out, feeling dizzy from the three-story height. Her gaze shifted and landed on her bedsheet.

Chi Nanwei twisted the bedsheet into a long rope and carefully lowered the sheet out of the window. She gauged the distance...

The drop was still too far, so Chi Nanwei pulled the makeshift rope back up. Feeling frustrated, she sat on the bedside and tried to figure out a way out.

Another knock came from the door, and the maid outside called out, "Miss, the water is getting cold. Are you ready?"

"Ah, I’m coming, I’m coming," Chi Nanwei said hurriedly, stuffing the bedsheet and bundle back under the bed, "I’ll be there soon, don’t worry."

The noise outside the door ceased, and Chi Nanwei let out a long sigh of relief. She changed back into her previous clothes, adjusted her collar, and walked out the door.

As she was closing the door behind her, she inadvertently glanced at the bright red wedding dress at the foot of the bed, and a new plan emerged in her mind.

Wang Erhu was a Luzhou local and considered himself to be skilled in martial arts. He watched the fight on the stage in silence and disdainfully curled his lips. It was a distinct contrast from the other people around him who were passionately cheering.

"Brother..." Wang Erhu felt someone behind him tap his shoulder. He turned around to see a young man dressed plainly, with a simple bundle over his shoulder. From his patched linen clothes and travel-worn appearance, it was obvious that man wasn't from around these parts.

The young man pointed at the stage and asked Wang Erhu, "What is this?"

"This?" Wang Erhu gestured at the people fighting on the stage. "What else could it be? It’s a martial arts competition!"

"A martial arts competition?" The young man scratched his ear in confusion. "Why is it in front of the Li residence?"

"Hey, you must be from out of town so it's no wonder you don’t know," Wang Erhu patted the young man’s shoulder and revealed, "This is a martial arts competition for a bride!"

"A martial arts competition for a bride?"

"That’s right," Wang Erhu nodded and lowered his voice to say, "Actually, they say the champion of this martial arts competition will win a bride, but it’s really just a gimmick for the governor’s son to marry the Li family’s daughter.

"Look up there; that’s the Governor’s son Zhou Yi. His skills can fool people who don’t know martial arts. Anyone with a bit of experience can see that those fighting on stage with him are all hired actors from the governor’s residence."

The young man was stunned. "But, I haven’t heard of Scholar Li having a daughter..."

"Oh, that’s a different matter," Wang Erhu said, seeming to know the local gossip well. "The Li family’s daughter is actually Scholar Li’s adopted daughter, her surname is... what was it again? Ah, I remember now, her surname is Chi, her name is Chi Nanwei!"

"What?!"