Chapter 75: Resonance
The generals of the Yongzhao Army gathered around He Mingpei to discuss when to launch their next attack.
Kong Fang lamented, "Sigh! Your Majesty, how long must we wait? Let's just attack at dawn tomorrow! I thought without Xia Mancheng, taking Yuanliao would be a sure thing! But this Yuanliao King isn't a pushover either! His swordsmanship is on par with Xia Mancheng's! If it were up to me, I'd let loose a couple of poison arrows and—"
"Kong Fang!" He Mingpei cut him off. "That isn't the conduct of a hero! His forces in Outer Bridge Pass are few. With our million-strong army, taking Yuanliao is only a matter of time!"
Guangda nodded in agreement. "Zhang Zhou's swordsmanship may not be as swift or vicious as Xia Mancheng's, but it's bold and powerful." He paused, then continued, "Besides, Zhang Zhou truly is admirable! He seeks victory, not lives. He doesn't even strike at his enemy's vitals. Today when I fell to him, I only suffered minor cuts."
Kong Fang bristled. "My lord, are you saying we should thank him for sparing our lives?"
Guangda replied coldly, "Exactly. You and I are both his vanquished! If it were Xia Mancheng, we'd already have lost our heads! Even if we attack forcefully tomorrow, it will be hard to overcome him."
Guangda's martial prowess was among the finest in the Yongzhao Army. Hearing him say this, the generals exchanged glances. After a long silence, everyone's gaze fell on Zhongshan.
Everyone knew that without Xia Mancheng, Zhongshan's pair of large hammers was unmatched under heaven. The Yongzhao generals all felt outmatched, yet they remained wary of him.
Zhongshan knew Zhang Zhou's skills better than anyone. If he wanted to capture him, it would be effortless. Zhongshan sat in the corner of the command tent, head bowed. His once warm and gentle temperament had vanished without a trace. He remained silent day after day, making him even more unapproachable to his fellow soldiers.
"The reason he showed mercy is because you let Mancheng go twice. So he returned the favor twice. Next time you fight desperately, your heads won't be so lucky." Zhongshan's tone was neither warm nor cold, as casual as if he were discussing what to eat.
"Tomorrow, I'll face him."
He Mingpei had been anxious and uncertain, but at his voluntary offer, he was overjoyed. "Excellent! General Cheng, if you defeat the Yuanliao King tomorrow, I shall enfeoff you as—"
"There's no need!" Zhongshan didn't even let him finish, flatly refusing. "Tomorrow I'll capture him. I only ask Your Majesty to grant me one request."
"What is it?"
"Do not harm his life." When Zhongshan said this, an inexplicable melancholy rose in his heart, his grief indescribable.
He Mingpei was puzzled. "General Cheng, didn't you... aren't you here to avenge your father's murder?" He paused after asking, watching Zhongshan's reaction.
Zhongshan's gaze was heavy and dark. His lips merely twitched, but he did not answer the question.
Hui Wu snorted coldly. "General Cheng, it seems to me you're not over your old master. You're hiding things from our army. That day at Jiudao Valley, if you had told us about that cave, we could have set fire to block their retreat route and captured that prince too..."
Fang Guangda whispered sternly, "General Hui, that's not right to say! If not for General Cheng, we would all have died at Jiudao Valley."
He Mingpei nodded. "Indeed. If we hadn't used General Cheng's strategy, how could we have taken Anqing and Pingbei so smoothly? General Cheng, you've rendered great service. I don't know how to thank you! Since you want to spare the Yuanliao King's life, I will certainly agree! Once I take Yuanliao, I'll release him immediately!"
A deafening boom suddenly shattered the air, startling everyone in the tent.
Bangs continued one after another. The generals rushed outside, only to see brilliant fireworks erupting into the sky from within Outer Bridge Pass.
Tang Shounian admired the colorful fireworks, laughing uproariously. "This Yuanliao King truly has refined tastes! He's even set off such magnificent fireworks for us to enjoy together! Third Brother! I have to admire him too! Hahaha..."
Guangda gazed upward and couldn't help but praise, "I've long heard that the firework craftsmen of Yuanliao City are supremely skilled. Indeed, the reputation is well-deserved! Second Brother He, have you ever seen such dazzling fireworks before?"
He Mingpei shook his head with a smile, but his eyes caught Zhongshan's heroic gaze glistening with tears as the colors shifted in the sky.
The heavens returned to desolation and peace.
Zhongshan gazed at the vast sky and said quietly, "It seems I won't need to fight Zhang Zhou after all."
He Mingpei stared at Zhongshan in shock. "General Cheng, what do you mean by that?"
"Your Majesty, you can now marshal the troops and go accept Yuanliao. Zhang Zhou has abandoned Outer Bridge Pass and taken the shortcut to Jianqing City." Zhongshan smiled, but infinite sorrow creased his brow. "Believe it or not, as you wish."
Mancheng led his yellow-brown horse forward and extended his hand to Lan Xing.
Lan Xing, however, stepped back.
"Lan Xing?" Mancheng said in surprise. "Give me your hand, Lan Xing!"
"General! Her Highness the Queen is waiting for you at Rongxi Garden!"
Mancheng's eyes went wide. He could scarcely believe his ears!
"General, take her with you. Without her, the Yuanliao army at Jianqing City will face catastrophe! And His Majesty will have no retreat!"
Mancheng hesitated for a moment, then said, "Lan Xing, then you must promise me—you won't do something foolish like my sister."
Lan Xing nodded, forcing a smile. "How could a servant compare to the princess? Rest assured, General. I'm just a servant. No one will give me trouble."
"Stop calling yourself a servant." Mancheng smiled gently. "Wait for me. I'll come back for you. And then, I'll give you a proper position."
Lan Xing froze, then knelt to the ground, tears streaming. "I'll wait for you... As long as I can be by your side, even if I must be a servant for the rest of my life, I'm willing..."
In the desolate Rongxi Garden, a wine-colored glow brushed the edges of the silent pillar, gently reflecting loneliness and despair, passing over a pale and delicate face.
Wei Yang drifted through the room like a silent specter, floating back and forth...
A faint creak pierced the silence of the night. Hurried footsteps approached.
It's just my imagination again, isn't it? Wei Yang leaned against the wall,垂眼扯弄着丝帐--how long has it been? Day after day, just wandering alone in this room, wasting away.
"Wei Yang!" Mancheng grabbed her suddenly, calling out, "Wei Yang!"
Wei Yang startled, slowly turning her head. Her gaze gradually focused on the face before her. After a long moment, she parted her lips: "Man...cheng..."
This name she had cried out日夜夜 in her heart—why did it sound so strange when it left her lips?
Guilt surged in Mancheng's heart. He shook her shoulder. "I, I've come to take you away!"
"Away? Go where?" Wei Yang's dazed gaze lingered on Mancheng's face, like in a dream, she asked, "Are you going to elope with me?"
Mancheng frowned, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the door. He said as he walked, "The Yongzhao Army is about to break through! We're retreating to Jianqing City. Your brother is already there!"
A spark ignited in Wei Yang's hollow eyes. She gathered all her strength and wrenched free from Mancheng's grip, shouting, "I won't go!" She turned and ran back into the room.
"Wei Yang!" Mancheng chased after her. Wei Yang had already pulled a gold dragon-and-phoenix hairpin from her hair and pressed it against her slender neck. Mancheng froze in shock, quickly stopping in his tracks.
"Is he there too?" Wei Yang wailed, "You're using me again! You all want to use me! I'd rather die than let you see him! I love you... I won't let you two be together! I'd rather die than..."
Mancheng panicked. Just as he was about to speak, he couldn't stop coughing. He hastily covered his mouth, and coughed up blood.
Wei Yang watched the blood on Mancheng's hand, watch it drip from between his fingers onto the ground. She stopped her cries immediately. Stunned, her heart ached even more.
Mancheng calmed down considerably. He caught his breath and wiped the blood away with the back of his hand. He walked sideways and sat down nearby.
"Wei Yang, what do you love about me? My face?" Mancheng gazed at her, speaking calmly, "Then if I ruin it, you won't love me anymore!" He drew his sword.
"Don't—" Wei Yang screamed. But Mancheng had already slashed hard across his own cheek. Blood flowed freely.
"Don't!" Wei Yang dropped the hairpin and threw herself forward, her fingertips touching his wound. She cried, "Why? Was it all for him? Was it necessary? Does it hurt? Does it hurt?"
Mancheng, battered by pain and sorrow, couldn't hold back his tears.
"This... what does this mean? For him, I gave everything I could, and things I shouldn't have, too. And he still thought it wasn't enough... After Zhang Shun slaughtered the Ruyi Palace, he sent envoys to demand him from me. He said if I sent him back to Yuanliao, he would never attack Anqing. So many people begged me to let go... But I stubbornly kept him by my side. For him, I handed over the Xia dynasty that had stood for hundreds of years to Zhang Shun. When we reached Dudong, for his future, I shamelessly lay with those men, let them debase me, all just for a promise from him: 'When I become king, I'll be with you every day.' To be with him, to fulfill his wish, I secretly harmed others, secretly turned myself into a demon... I... I killed Yingyou, I killed Daochun, I killed my sister, I killed Man Du, and now..." Mancheng's heart ached like it was being cut by knives. One name crashed through his mind--
"Zhongshan! Zhongshan has left me too... Zhongshan!" Mancheng covered his eyes, tears falling on his wound, but the pain had numbed him to consciousness. "Zhongshan! Zhongshan... Even you... don't want me anymore..."
Wei Yang knelt beside him, her tears finally spent. Mancheng reached out again and took her hand, pleading, "Wei Yang, I only have Zhang Zhou left now. I beg you, help him, help me..."