Daughter-in-law of a Noble House

Yuan Pond*

鸢(yuān) - kite (small hawk); 池(chí) - pond; reservoir; moat

The soldiers from Xiliu Camp are providing protection, and everyone's anxious hearts have finally started to settle a bit now.

Ruochan sat on the bed, continuously drinking water.

Gongyang Gui walked over, took her water cup, and said, "Why drink so much water? To calm your nerves, you should drink wine."

Ruochan glanced at him and said calmly, "If I drink wine, I'll fall asleep. What if more troublemakers come?"

Gongyang Gui looked down at her, his expression a mix of guilt and tenderness.

"Let them come," he said. "I'm here."

The corner of Ruochan's lips twitched, as if she wanted to let out a mocking smile, but it never materialized.

Gongyang Gui fetched a piece of clothing and draped it over her, sighing softly. He murmured, "If you're this afraid, why put on a show of strength earlier? It would have been better to just stay hidden."

"You didn't hear? Those thugs were not only after me, they also planned to set the building on fire," Ruochan said.

"Will you be safe if you come out?"

"At least if I come out, I can hold them off. And you promised you would come find me," Ruochan said with conviction.

Gongyang Gui looked at her, didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, but there was depth in his gaze. He held Ruochan's hand, saying nothing.

I watched them, holding Ah Mi, sitting quietly on the side.

The calm after the tension, many people were now exhausted beyond measure.

The servants of Ningxiang Pavilion, Ah Yuan, and the wet nurse had all gone to sleep. Ah Mi was also sound asleep on the bed. I sat by, not a bit tired, and began to ask Gongyang Gui about Wei Tan's situation.

Gongyang Gui didn't hold back either, and he began to recount everything to me in detail.

The Southern soldiers excel in naval warfare, while the Northern strength lies in land battles. Liang Wen is in a hurry to head north and plunder provisions. Wei Tan, on the other hand, decided to feint an attack, aiming to lure the enemy deeper, creating an encirclement, and capitalizing on their own strengths against the enemy's weaknesses.

This matter is of utmost importance and has been kept highly confidential. Wei Tan went to Xin'an, ostensibly on an inspection rather than a military campaign. Under the pretext of conscripting men and collecting provisions, he fortified the area around Runan and Taiyang, adopting a scorched earth strategy. He sent me letters at irregular intervals, firstly to reassure me and secondly to demonstrate his reluctance towards warfare.

Liang Wen's nocturnal ambush was actually intentionally provoked by Wei Tan. That very night, taking advantage of the darkness, Wei Tan dispatched the majority of his forces to set up an extensive defensive formation in the rear. With only five thousand men creating a façade of a formidable defense at the water fortress, he aimed to lure Liang Wen's entire army inside, planning to annihilate them in one fell swoop.

"Da Sima's strategy was meticulously planned. He even conducted night drills, claiming that the Northern people aren't accustomed to naval warfare, and had their war junks chained together," Gongyang Gui explained, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Liang Wen grew impatient, thinking he could pull off another trick like he did in Qiling. Cui Ting couldn't stop him. This plan was indeed impeccable, but as fate would have it, just as Da Sima was in the midst of retreating, his own ships were suddenly ambushed. Thankfully, Si Gongzi had prepared hidden compartments for fire isolation when the ships were built, and the crew were also skilled in watercraft. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster."

As I listened to his words, I could feel my heart racing.

"You mentioned that the plan was meticulously executed," I said, "but he was ambushed during the feigned retreat. It seems there was still a leak somewhere."

Gongyang Gui nodded. "No matter how secretive Da Sima is, Wei Zhao is still Er Gongzi, so he would still be aware."

I remained silent, the sequence of events becoming clear. After Wei Tan was ambushed, he turned the tables and feigned his own demise. Amidst the chaos of battle, the raging fire consumed his war junks. Lü Zheng, convinced of his death, rushed back to Yongdu to report the loss to Wei Zhao. I thought of Lü Zheng's tearful and grieving appearance, along with the wounds on his face. It made me inwardly scoff. The performance was quite convincing; it even managed to coax a few tears from me.

"What happened next?" Zhou Shi and Mao Shi couldn't sleep either, and they came over to ask, "Why haven't they returned?"

Gongyang Gui explained, "There are two reasons. Firstly, Liang Wen is cautious in his actions. After crossing the river, he didn't rush deep into our territory. He dispatched scouts to explore and searched various villages and towns for provisions. To lure him in, Da Sima scattered supplies in every village, creating an illusion of defending troops and fleeing villagers. Liang Wen, facing a shortage of supplies, probed for many days before finally ordering the majority of his troops to cross the river and attack. As for the second reason," he glanced at us and continued, "he suspects that there may be individuals in the court colluding with Liang Wen, and he fears that revealing himself could lead to a leak of information."

Zhou Shi, Mao Shi, and I exchanged glances. We all had a clear idea of who the collaborator in the court might be.

"Da Sima is aware of the mourning in Yongdu, but the situation on the front lines is critical," Gongyang Gui's expression carried a significant weight of meaning. "The move to assassinate during the chaos of battle was a brilliant move by Er Gongzi, but his actions afterwards were rather foolish. While he was arranging the mourning, he also intended to take charge of the front-line troops and continue the fight against Liang Wen. However, Da Sima had cut off all communication, and there was no response from the front lines. Er Gongzi panicked, thinking the soldiers were in revolt. Coupled with Liang Wen's approaching forces, he began contemplating relocating the capital with Guo Cheng and establishing a new power base. It's another pity, he not only had a Jiufu, but also a Shufu, and ended up stirring up fire only to burn himself."

"They don't worry about us? Not even a word of news," Mao Shi complained, "It's just terrifying, like today."

"In Yongdu, there's the Xiliu Camp, the most elite force in the court. Da Sima once commanded Cheng Mao to ensure the safety of Yongdu at all costs," Gongyang Gui paused and continued, "As for the information blockade, it was a necessary measure. Given the current situation, if news of Da Sima being alive were to leak, when Guo Furen left tonight,she would have surely taken a few of you Furens with her as hostages."

Mao Shi nodded slightly and fell silent.

I pondered and said, "Why did Er Shu abandon the city? Wei Kang must have had treacherous intentions, intending to enter the city and seize the Emperor. Er Shu knew that Xiliu Camp would fight with all their might to defend it, and then…"

Gongyang Gui nodded. "Reaping the benefits without making a move."

"Evil spawn!" Zhou Shi cursed vehemently.

"Now what?" Mao Shi inquired, "What will they do next?"

"One doen't know," Gongyang Gui looked out at the gradually brightening sky, giving a faint smile. "It all depends on whether Er Gongzi can hold his ground."

Before I fell asleep, Cheng Mao came to Ningxiang Pavilion to see me. He was dusty and his armor and sleeves were stained with blood, indicating he had fought through the night. Despite this, he still appeared energetic.

He reported to me, stating that Xiliu Camp had already taken control of the entire city. The city gates and the palace were all under their control, and the marauding bandits had been completely eliminated.

He also told me that Wei Kang, in his attempt to flee, was shot dead by the crossbows mounted on the city walls made by Wei An.

This news was undoubtedly uplifting. Although there was still danger looming, the temporary stability and the confirmation that Wei Tan was alive allowed me to breathe a long sigh of relief.

I slept soundly through the night, and when I woke up, it was already in the afternoon.

After all, Ningxiang Pavilion was not a place to stay for long. Zhou Shi, Mao Shi, and I discussed and decided it was best to return to the Prime Minister's residence to see how things were.

As we were getting ready to leave, I saw Ruochan standing by the window on the second floor, gazing in our direction.

I handed Ah Mi over to the wet nurse and went upstairs.

"I'm going back to the Prime Minister's residence," I said when I saw Ruochan.

She gave a faint smile and replied, "En."

"Did you sleep well last night?" I looked at her unadorned face and asked.

"It's the same whether it was good or not," Ruochan adjusted the bun on her head and gestured with her hand. "In the past, staying up late for feasts and banquets was common. I've gotten used to it."

I smiled.

"And Gongyang Gongzi? Where is he?" I asked.

"Where else could he be?" Ruochan leaned on the soft couch, tilting her chin towards the window with a playful tone. "He's busier than the Emperor, managing a thousand tasks a day."