Chapter 52

On this day, Lou Mingxuan, Xiao Guimu, Li Muwen, Jiang Hong, Purple Rose, and Agui finally reached the farmhouse outside the southern city gate of the capital. The moment Lou Mingxuan put down her luggage, she began inquiring about news of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Red Rose told them that the Northern Expeditionary Army had set out more than half a year ago. Upon hearing this, Lou Mingxuan and the others felt deeply dejected at having arrived too late to catch up with the expeditionary forces.

In truth, when Lou Mingxuan and Xiao Guimu first saw the imperial court's proclamation for the Northern Expedition, the army had already been dispatched to the front lines for over two months. After setting off from the coastal ancient town, Lou Mingxuan had insisted that all six of them travel together, saying they could look after one another along the way. However, because Xiao Guimu and Purple Rose still held the status of "bandits," they dared not use the official highways. To avoid government checkpoints, the six of them stuck exclusively to minor paths. Not being very familiar with these trails, they lost their way several times and took numerous detours, turning what should have been a three-month journey into one lasting over four months.

Seeing the dejected expressions of the group, Red Rose promptly handed each of them a cup of hot tea. The tea was osmanthus tea brought by Gu Yusheng during his last visit, and the water came from the deep well at the farmhouse.

While sipping her tea, Lou Mingxuan said to Xiao Guimu, "Lassie, once we finish our tea, Muwen, Jiang Hong, and I will head over to Osmanthus Garden. You and Purple Rose stay here at the farmhouse to rest, and we will bring you word if there is any good news."

Xiao Guimu hurriedly set down her teacup and said, "Granny, Osmanthus Garden is my own home. I want to go home."

Lou Mingxuan quickly stopped her, saying, "You are still considered a bandit right now; you cannot enter the city."

With tears glistening in the corners of her eyes, Xiao Guimu said, "Granny, Osmanthus Garden truly is Guimu's home..."

Hearing the words "Osmanthus Garden" twice in succession finally jogged Red Rose's memory. She hurriedly ran into the main hall, retrieved a yellow silk imperial decree, and handed it to Lou Mingxuan with a face full of shame and embarrassment, saying, "Old Madam, look at my memory! I almost forgot such a major event! Chief Councilor Lu sent someone to deliver this a few days ago, with strict instructions to hand it over to you the moment you arrived here!"

Lou Mingxuan unfurled the decree and read it, only to discover that the imperial court had appointed her youngest son, Li Muwen, as the Deputy Vanguard Commander of the Northwest Army, while appointing Jiang Hong, Purple Rose, and herself as Deputy Military Commanders of the Northwest Army.

Lou Mingxuan read through the decree in detail once more, wondering to herself, "How is it that Xiao Guimu's name is not in here?"

Tucking the yellow silk into her bosom, Lou Mingxuan said to Li Muwen and Jiang Hong, "I must go directly to Chief Councilor Lu's residence right now. The two of you, along with Guimu and Ah Zi, are to stay here and rest. You are not to go anywhere; just wait here for my return." With that, she told Agui to saddle a horse quickly.

After Lou Mingxuan left the farmhouse, Xiao Guimu asked Red Rose, "Sister Red Rose, what is written on that yellow silk?"

Red Rose lowered her head and replied, "Third Chieftain Xiao, because it is an imperial decree, Red Rose never dared to read it in detail. But I did catch a brief glance; it seemed to decree that Madam Lou, Young Master Li Muwen, Granny Jiang Hong, and Younger Sister Ah Zi have been appointed as military generals of the Northwest Army."

Anxiously, Xiao Guimu asked, "Could it be that you truly did not see my name, Xiao Guimu, inside?"

Red Rose first nodded, then shook her head.

Xiao Guimu felt as though her heart had plunged into an ice cellar.

Li Muwen, Jiang Hong, and Purple Rose felt quite pleased within. Purple Rose, in particular, was already blooming with joy inside, though she knew better than to show it in front of her cousin. She walked over to Xiao Guimu's side and said, "Sister, don't worry! You are already a General Suppressing the South appointed by the imperial court; for the court to issue another decree conferring titles would just be redundant!"

Li Muwen had always been indifferent to the fact that Xiao Guimu had used his name to participate in the martial arts examinations. Offhandedly, he said to Purple Rose, "Younger Sister Ah Zi, that military rank of General Suppressing the South was bestowed by the Retired Emperor upon the newly minted Top Martial Scholar 'Li Muwen'!" The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took it to heart. Xiao Guimu was in a terrible mood right now and assumed Li Muwen was mocking her. She shot him a fierce glare, hoisted the luggage she had only just put down a moment before, and asked Red Rose, "Sister Red Rose, where is your luggage?"

Hastily, Red Rose asked, "Third Chieftain Xiao, what are you doing?"

With tears welling in the corners of her eyes, Xiao Guimu said, "I'm going back to Bright Moon Island to be a bandit."

Knowing that Xiao Guimu was merely speaking out of anger, Red Rose glared at Li Muwen and said to Xiao Guimu, "Third Chieftain Xiao, please don't be like this! If anyone is going back to Bright Moon Island to be a bandit, I, Red Rose, can go back alone! You have always wanted to contribute to the Northern Expedition; why are you changing your original intention now?"

Casting a sideways glance at Li Muwen, Xiao Guimu said, "Sister Red Rose, it is not that I have abandoned my original intention; rather, what the imperial court wants is a superficial young master who has strictly followed the rules and observed a long period of mourning! They do not want people of bandit origins like us. Are we supposed to stay here just to make fools of ourselves?" With that, she picked up her riding whip and moved to lead her horse away.

In a panic, Red Rose stretched out both arms to block her path, pleading, "Third Chieftain Xiao, if we are going to leave, we must at least wait until Madam Lou returns..."

Knowing that Xiao Guimu was putting on a show for his benefit and was still blaming him for what he had just said, Li Muwen could only keep his mouth shut. Jiang Hong remained silent as well, knowing that adding her voice would only pour oil on the flames.

That evening, Lou Mingxuan returned, bringing along Gu Datong, Qi Wei, and Yin Yuanyuan—the three of whom had also arrived late and missed the Northern Expeditionary Army.

The imperial court had likewise appointed Gu Datong, Qi Wei, and Yin Yuanyuan as Deputy Military Commanders of the Northwest Army.

Lou Mingxuan informed Xiao Guimu that although the Northwest Army had now been formed, discussions were still ongoing both inside and outside the imperial court as to whether troops should actually be dispatched to the northwest to fend off the Tartars. Lou Mingxuan added that Chief Councilor Lu had told her all of this.

Lou Mingxuan further told Xiao Guimu that the current Emperor not only intended to reinstate Xiao Guimu's rank as General Suppressing the South and appoint her as the formal Vanguard Commander of the Northwest Army, but also planned to clear Xing Fannian's name, rescind the warrant for the "remnants" of Peach Blossom Stronghold, and restore the good-citizen status of the residents of Bright Moon Island. However, because Xiao Guimu's case was a decree personally issued by the Retired Emperor, it required a formal edict from the Retired Emperor himself. The reigning Emperor was currently exerting every effort to sway the Retired Emperor, and results were expected very soon.

Finally, Lou Mingxuan said to Xiao Guimu, "Lassie, just wait patiently! If the Retired Emperor gives his consent regarding your affairs, I reckon that the day your father and mother are fully vindicated and cleared of wrongdoing is not far off either!"

With tears in her eyes, Xiao Guimu gave Lou Mingxuan her consent.

That night, the farmhouse outside the southern city gate of the capital was exceptionally lively. Red Rose prepared a feast to entertain Lou Mingxuan, Gu Datong, Qi Wei, Yin Yuanyuan, Xiao Guimu, Li Muwen, Jiang Hong, Purple Rose, and Agui.

At the foot of the Great Wall—the battlefield of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Following the capture of Yitian Pass by strategic ruse, Tongcheng had effectively become an isolated city: surrounded on all sides and with its supply lines cut off, it was no different from a dead city.

Yet Gu Aishi, the defending general of Tongcheng, refused to resign himself to defeat. Relying on the strength of the city walls and a remaining stock of provisions, he stubbornly held out and refused to surrender.

When Gu Aishi and Gu Keshi had originally surrendered to the Northern Zhen Dynasty, two subordinates had followed them: one named Fan Zheng, a native of Qiantang, and the other named Zhang Xiao, a native of the Southern Province. Both now served as deputy generals under Gu Aishi's command. Over the years, following Gu Aishi, Fan Zheng and Zhang Xiao had enjoyed wealth and glory in the Northern Zhen Dynasty. Yet, being Southern Han people at heart, they were living under another's roof and had endured many frustrations. Long separation from their homeland inevitably stirred deep nostalgia. What Fan Zheng missed most was the small tributary of the Qiantang River that flowed past the doorstep of his old home. In his childhood, Fan Zheng used to ride the tidal bores and catch fish and shrimp there every day. That little river held countless childhood memories and joys. What Zhang Xiao yearned for most was his elderly mother back in the Southern Province. Having been separated from her for over twenty years, he did not know whether she was still alive in this world. He longed to see her, often meeting her in his dreams. He deeply regretted his youthful ignorance, failing to heed his mother's loyal advice, indulging in luxury, abandoning himself to endless play and amusement, living a life of idle dissipation, sybarite luxury, and endless merrymaking. Chasing extravagance, he had been bewighted by Gu Aishi and embarked on the path of treason and defection to the enemy. Now, he found himself with a country he could not return to and a home he could not revisit. Therefore, once the Northern Expeditionary Army besieged the city, both men harbored a desire to turn away from the darkness and embrace the light.

One day, Fan Zheng went to visit Zhang Xiao at his home and said to him, "Brother Zhang, I hear that the Northern Expeditionary Army has already breached Yitian Pass, and Aheida, the premier warrior of Northern Zhen, has lost his head. It appears that Tongcheng will soon fall into the hands of the Northern Expeditionary Army. And the day the city falls will be the day of our execution."

With tears streaming down his face, Zhang Xiao replied, "Death is nothing to fear; it's just that having betrayed our country and defected to the enemy, we truly have no face to face our ancestors after we die."

Fan Zheng said, "Brother Zhang, since that is the case, what are we waiting for? Let us immediately plot to take Gu Aishi's head, present it to Marshal Gu Yuren, and open the city gates. Having performed such a merit, I believe the Southern Han court will not hold our past transgressions against us."

Zhang Xiao told Fan Zheng, "Zhang Xiao will follow Brother Fan's lead in everything."

The next day, Fan Zheng wrote a letter and had a trusted confidant named Chen Tuo disguise himself as a refugee and smuggle it out of the city. Upon meeting Marshal Gu, Chen Tuo presented the secret missive. After reading it, Marshal Gu told Chen Tuo, "Go back and inform Generals Fan Zheng and Zhang Xiao that their worries are groundless. This Marshal guarantees that once the deed is done, the court will not only pardon the two generals for their past mistakes, but will also bestow honors upon them."

Upon his return, Chen Tuo recounted Marshal Gu's words word for word to Fan Zheng and Zhang Xiao. That night, Zhang Xiao and Fan Zheng struck together, luring Gu Aishi to his death before flinging open the city gates to let the Northern Expeditionary Army flood in, capturing over ten thousand Northern Zhen soldiers alive.

Tongcheng was finally returned to Southern Han.

Soon after, the reigning Emperor issued an edict pardoning Fan Zheng and Zhang Xiao for their past crimes, bestowing honors upon them and retaining them for service within the Northern Expeditionary Army. At the same time, he ordered Marshal Gu to command the troops and continue pushing northward, crossing the Great Wall in a bid to unify the realm under a single banner.

In the northeastern lands of early autumn, the sky was a brilliant azure and wild geese flew southward; mountain ranges intertwined with lush green vegetation, refreshed by a crisp morning breeze.

Draped in crimson armor with the Lou family long sword at his waist, Gu Yuren sat atop a spirited steed, riding amidst the lengthy column of troops.

To his left was General Dianyuan Qi Qiongqiong, with a baby girl strapped to her back; to his right was Princess Zhaoyue Duan Zhaoyue, with a baby boy strapped to her back; behind them were General Zhenxi Qi Yaoyaodan, Cavalry General Guan Yi, General Xuanwei Gao Yong, and Right Cavalry General Gu Yuru, along with more than a thousand other military generals of the Northern Expeditionary Army. Crossing the Great Wall, they marched toward the Northern Zhen capital.

Riding in the saddle, Qi Qiongqiong finished munching on a piece of baked flatbread, looked back along the rear of the column, and asked, "Sister Guan Yi, that flatbread you baked last night was both soft and delicious—do you have any left?"

Slapping her empty rations pouch, Guan Yi replied, "None left! You ate every last piece!"

Duan Zhaoyue said, "Sister, I haven't touched mine yet." With that, she swiftly pulled two flatbreads from her rations pouch and handed them over.

Qi Qiongqiong took them, stacked the two flatbreads together, took a massive bite, and began to chew slowly.

Glancing sideways at his wife's manner of eating, Gu Yuren reined his horse closer and asked, "My lady, I've noticed lately that you are constantly eating without stopping. Have you contracted the disease of gluttony?"

Shooting Gu Yuren a sideways glare, her heavy bosom rising and falling with a jolt, Qi Qiongqiong scolded, "You're the one with the disease of gluttony! Look at you—our little daughter Wumei needs to be nursed multiple times a day; can I possibly march without eating something?"

Squinting his eyes, Gu Yuren said, "I've been keeping an eye on the two of you for days now! Every time you nurse Wumei, Zhaoyue does the same for Sibao, yet she doesn't go stuffing her face nonstop the way you do!"