Chapter 30: A Farewell

Qin Yong laughed heartily and incessantly. Hu Bao scanned the pages quickly and joined in with a loud, shrill, and somewhat jarring laugh. Yet, Qin Yong felt no discomfort; he felt this was exactly how Hu Bao should react—sharing in his joy and his sorrow.

It had only been twenty days, and the gift Xiao Zhi sent to the Northern Barbarian King had already reached the royal court. Wanyan Zhengyu had certainly moved fast, pushing his horses to the limit, covering nearly two hundred li a day. However, Wanyan Zhengyu could never have imagined that the gift Xiao Zhi sent would turn into a catastrophe for him. Upon returning to the Northern lands, Wanyan Zhengyu met with the Northern Barbarian King, reported on the situation in the Great Chu, and presented the state gift. To convince the King that Great Chu truly possessed the "Hand-held Thunder" weapon, he naturally brought out the box Xiao Zhi had sent.

The Northern Barbarian King would not open the box himself, but a yurt made of sheepskin could only be so large. As soon as the box was opened, plumes of blue smoke began to rise. Xiao Zhi, worried that the newly made fuses might be unreliable, had used three of them; as soon as the box was opened, they were pulled, igniting the explosives. Seeing the smoke, Wanyan Zhengyu’s hair stood on end. It was too late to warn the King, so he could only focus on saving his own life.

With a deafening roar, the yurt flew into the sky like an exploding bun. Inside were the nobles of the Northern Barbarian court. The shrapnel and stone fragments mixed into the black powder flew everywhere, killing several people. The Northern Barbarian King suffered only minor injuries but was nearly deafened, remaining dazed for several days before recovering. This was merely black powder; had it been TNT, the entire Northern court would have been wiped out, for Xiao Zhi had sent a very large crate.

The next morning, when Mu Weihu and the others arrived, Xiao Zhi began to get dressed, his legs feeling weak and jelly-like, making him want to lean against the wall to walk. Conversely, the sisters Jiang Zhu and Jiang Yun were rosy-cheeked, wearing triumphant and arrogant expressions. Is it not said that a woman’s first time leaves her walking awkwardly? Those who write books are all damn liars.

"My Lord, should we delay for a day?" Mu Weihu looked at Xiao Zhi with a strange expression, assuming he was ill, though he found it odd that the two sisters looked so happy.

Xiao Zhi replied, "Do you understand the meaning of 'orders are absolute'? Let’s move out."

From Xiao Zhi’s five-courtyard mansion to gathering his forces at the Imperial City Guard headquarters, and then marching out through the northern gate, they were bound to pass the streets where the Six Ministries were stationed. Even if they hadn't, Xiao Zhi would have made a detour just to circle by. Xiao Zhi and Mu Weihu rode at the front, while every officer and soldier behind them rode a fast horse. In just a few days, the Imperial City Guard had bought up all the fine horses around the capital, causing prices to more than double, making their collective deployment to the border common knowledge.

The unit looked majestic, everyone clad in identical black tactical gear. Many onlookers were puzzled by why their legs were wrapped, though they certainly looked spirited. Leg wraps had their merits: they relieved fatigue, prevented insect bites, and could serve as emergency bandages in battle. Not clean? Stay alive first, then worry about that.

"Yo, isn't that Master Shi Weigong? What was the name of that physician who was joking with you last time? When I return from my trip outside the city, I’m going to ransack his home. Bah, dog!" Xiao Zhi held a grudge, and the thought of that pompous rooster-like man irritated him.

Shi Weigong looked up at Xiao Zhi on horseback and sneered, "I hope Master Xiao isn't ruined by the winds of the border. Make sure you come back in one piece."

Xiao Zhi nodded. "Rest assured, I haven't ransacked your home yet, so I won't be dying." With a light flick of his reins, Xiao Zhi headed toward the North Gate. Shi Weigong snorted, thinking to himself, *Farewell, brat.*

Perhaps because the Northern Barbarians were to the north, the North Gate was built with exceptional height and grandeur. Seeing Xiao Zhi’s party from afar, the gate guards dragged their spears and retreated, as if Xiao Zhi and his men were a plague. Once outside the gate, Xiao Zhi nudged his horse to pick up speed, only to pull the reins and stop shortly after.

Not far away, Princess Changping stood in the wind, her face veiled, her white robes fluttering. Xiao Zhi felt a pang of regret for having left a letter for the Princess. Upon closer reflection, he realized something was amiss and looked at Mu Weihu. Mu Weihu gave a sheepish grin. "My Lord, I was afraid I’d forget, so I had someone deliver it last night." No wonder the Princess had time to see him off. He really should discipline Mu Weihu; the man had done it on purpose. But... that was fine too.

For the past half-month, Xiao Zhi had not hidden his feelings for the Princess. He cooked delicious food for her, drew comics for her, and told her stories. He had done everything a devoted suitor could. With it being so obvious, how could the Princess not know? With him about to leave the capital, perhaps lifting that hazy veil between them was not a bad thing. If she were meant to be his, his heart would have accounted for it long ago. If not, one should not harbor delusions.

"My Lord, what did you put in the box for the Princess?"

"Get lost," Xiao Zhi snapped.

Aside from the sequel to his comics, Xiao Zhi had copied a poem for the Princess, changing only the final line. *This parting cuts all ties for half a year, a thousand knots of sorrow in my heart. Hard to meet, easy to part, the jade tower blossoms like snow. Secret longing, nowhere to speak, melancholy in the misty moonlight. Thinking of this deep affection, tears fall upon the scroll.*

Mu Weihu turned to his officers. "What the hell are you staring at? Move out! Are you waiting for me to give you a lashing?" The officers rolled their eyes—taking his frustration out on them—and turned to bark at their subordinates, "Are you all deaf? Ride fast!" The Imperial City Guard sped away, tactfully leaving the private moment to Xiao Zhi.

Xiao Zhi approached the Princess and looked down at her. She gazed up at him from the ground, much like a young girl looking up at an older brother from next door. After a long while, the Princess said, "I want to ride." Xiao Zhi reached out, and after a moment’s hesitation, she took his hand. Her body was soft and warm, and the lingering scent of her hair brushed against his face in the rushing wind.

By the side of a small river, Xiao Zhi pulled his horse to a stop. Once the Princess was mounted, neither spoke. At that moment, nothing needed to be done, nothing needed to be said. Xiao Zhi loosened the reins, gently wrapped his arm around her slender waist, and let the horse wander through the grass. She looked toward the horizon, leaning back slightly against him. He gazed at her, utterly enchanted.

As the sun climbed higher, the horse trod through the river, indifferent to the romance of the man and woman on its back. The breeze softened, stirring their clothes and plucking at their heartstrings.

"You should head back; I have serious business to attend to." The Princess murmured a soft acknowledgement.

Xiao Zhi blew a whistle, and before long, the sound of hooves echoed in the distance. The two dismounted, and two officers along with forty or fifty men stepped forward to await orders.

"Take a squad and escort the Princess."

"Where are you going?" the Princess asked.

"To sacrifice a flag!"

Xiao Zhi mounted his horse, and the Princess asked urgently, "When will you return?"

"When I return, I will go find your Imperial Brother," Xiao Zhi smiled.

"No, absolutely not!" The Princess’s face turned deathly pale.

Xiao Zhi was utterly perplexed. By the standards of this era's ethics, since they had ridden on one horse and he had held her waist, they were already considered to have had intimate contact. It was getting late, and he couldn't keep his men waiting while he lingered in romantic sentiments. Since he now understood the Princess’s feelings, there was no need to dwell on these trifles; future matters would be discussed later. Taking one last deep look at Princess Changping, he turned his horse and led his men charging back toward the capital.