Chapter 181 - Calming the Turmoil

For several years, Shen Wei and Bai Cha had been married in name only, each harboring suspicions about the other's true identity. During those years, Shen Wei had repeatedly warned himself not to feel pity. They had a son, and Bai Cha, choosing from a selection of precious names, settled on "Zechuan." They followed the customary rituals for a banquet, looking into each other's eyes without any trace of malice, as if they genuinely loved one another.

Shen Wei was a bastard son who had endured much before rising to become the sword of the influential family. He believed he was sharp enough, so much so that he dared to kill even the crown prince to prove his loyalty. However, he soon discovered that it was futile; he was destined to be abandoned once more. The aristocrats looked down upon him, regarding him as nothing more than an insignificant ant struggling on the other side of an insurmountable divide.

At times, Shen Wei would sit in the courtyard, watching Bai Cha play with their son beneath the eaves, momentarily deceived into believing they were a celestial couple. There were moments when Shen Wei lost himself, for Bai Cha's gaze was sincere, making him believe he was the man Bai Cha admired most.

But these were fleeting illusions.

Shen Wei would always acknowledge the truth: he was scum. He refused to live his life as a dog, and Bai Cha was one of the chains binding him. When faced with a choice once again, he hesitated only briefly before ending her life.

He was a blade.

One that ultimately shredded itself.

Jing Zechuan resembled Bai Cha so much that Shen Wei wished to slay him. They were not father and son; they were a testament to a negligible affection. Shen Wei's vulnerability lay in Jing Zechuan's eyes, making it unbearable for him to bear the boy's gaze. However, despite contemplating countless times throwing Jing Zechuan to a pack of wolves, Shen Wei never actually did.

Jing Zechuan was the son of Shen Wei and Bai Cha, inheriting a cold bloodline from both parents. Shen Wei drank heartily in celebration, keeping this son only to cast him away. He taught Jing Zechuan nothing, an act of retaliation.

The object of revenge was both Bai Cha and Shen Wei.

"Yet..." Chen Yang broke the silence, cautiously inquiring, "If Shen Wei had become a Scorpion before the military defeat, why would he have chosen self-immolation? With the Border Sand cavalry arriving in Dunzhou, he had fulfilled his mission. His only chance at survival was to continue following A'mur eastward."

Shen Zechuan could not fathom the reason, which was precisely where his initial disbelief in Ji Lei had stemmed from. Unacquainted with Shen Wei, he was utterly clueless and could only remark, "It's beyond my speculation. Were the Jianxing Palace still standing, perhaps we might uncover some elusive traces within."

"How many men do you have with you?" Xiao Chiye asked Hyrigu.

"I cannot reveal…" Hyrigu sighed upon meeting Xiao Chiye's gaze. "Only eight hundred remain. There were over a thousand at the beginning, but life in hiding was unbearable, so many left one after another."

"You seized Lei Jingzhe's supply wagons," Shen Zechuan said, "but then you returned them."

Hyrigu, under the watchful gaze of the guards, slowly raised his hand and innocently stated, "I have no land, I live in a narrow alley in Dunzhou. These supplies are too heavy for me to hide; we only have eight hundred men."

Gu Jin thought to himself that they didn't seem to think that when they plundered the wagons with their eight hundred men.

"My mother always said," Hyrigu said earnestly, "that one should return what doesn't belong to them. Those supplies weren't mine."

Xiao Chiye mercilessly exposed Hyrigu's words, casually remarking, "It's more like returning things you don't know how to use."

Hyrigu wore an expression that seemed to say, "That's all there is to it."

"When did Yan Heru give you something that made you so loyal to him?" Shen Zechuan tilted his head, and Xiao Chiye knew he was about to bargain.

Hyrigu spoke sincerely, "He's good-looking."

Shen Zechuan realized that this desert scorpion was quite adept at disguising himself. He appeared naive and easily deceived but was actually rather shrewd.

Shen Zechuan asked, "What do you want by following me?"

"Promises," Hyrigu said. "I owe a debt of gratitude to White Tea, so I'm willing to believe in you. In return..."

"I'll give you another chance." Shen Zechuan held up his index finger and spoke gently.

Hyrigu fell silent for a moment before honestly saying, "I want land—a piece of land that belongs to someone like me."

"What are you going to offer in exchange?" Shen Zechuan drawled. "I don't need eight hundred men like you."

"We're the ones your mother left behind," Hyrigu said. "You can think of us as elite soldiers."

"Bai Cha is Bai Cha," Shen Zechuan said. "I've never bestowed any favors upon you."

"We can talk about sentiment," Hyrigu said, raising his hand again as he spoke earnestly to Xiao Chiye. "I mean gratitude. You're Bai Cha's son, and for that, I'm willing to serve you."

"If I were Yan Heru," Shen Zechuan quipped, "I'd believe you."

Hyrigu had relied on Yan Heru's support to maneuver against Lei Jingzhe in Dunzhou. The reason he was still alive was that he was smart. Clever people seldom dwelled on old affections; they knew how to weigh their priorities. If Dunzhou had not fallen into Shen Zechuan's hands, Hyrigu would never have thought of Bai Cha – the person he wanted to protect on Fuxian Peak was Yan Heru.

Xiao Chiye said solemnly, "My wife is very astute."

Hyrigu had no choice but to alter his strategy. "You killed Lei Jingzhe and disrupted A'muer's plans in Zhongbo. He won't easily give up on the region. Cavalry will soon converge outside Duanzhou City, so you must establish walls here swiftly. But Dunzhou lacks defensive troops, and you can only divert some from Cizhou's garrison. However, Cizhou is also threatened by Qidu, leaving you short-handed and lacking troops."

"I do lack troops," Shen Zechuan admitted, "but I don't lack funds." He continued, "My people will station themselves in Dunzhou, establishing a new order and swiftly reorganizing the garrison."

"Can ordinary soldiers withstand the Border Sands elite?" Hyrigu queried. "Perhaps your... spouse knows better."

A flicker of something passed through Xiao Chiye's eyes, but he responded casually, "Hason leads the Border Sands elites on the northern front. The southern forces are confronting Qi Zhuyin. A'muer has no remaining elites to deploy in Zhongbo."

"That's just a diversion," Hyrigu declared confidently. "The southern battle is difficult. Tianfei Pavilion and Lock Heaven Pass tightly seal off Qidong. Qi Zhuyin can field an army of 120,000 against the Border Sands cavalry as long as he stays within the border province. As long as Qi Zhuyin doesn't leave, the cavalry can't breach his defenses. A'muer is stretching his frontline to deceive the Northern Iron Riders – his true target is Zhongbo."

Indeed, Xiao Chiye had made the same conjecture.

Amur had assembled his Scorpion Unit but kept them hidden here without deploying them to the northern front immediately. This was to catch their enemies off guard. Lei Jingzhe's infiltration of Dunzhou was meant to seize the region quietly so that the Border Sands Calvary could launch a sudden assault on the camp located between the north and south.

Hason would be replaced.

Xiao Chiye surmised.

Once Hason left the battlefield in Linbei, it would signify that the Scorpion Unit had taken over Hason's position. The Linbei Iron Cavalry would have to devise a strategy to counter the Iron Hammer before then. At the same time, Shen Zechuan would need to establish defenses in Zhongbo before that, or they would both fall prey to the Border Sands' assault.

"I want to see your eight hundred men before I leave Dunzhou," Shen Zechuan concluded the discussion for the night. "Then we can talk about other matters."

* * *

The night breeze was cool as Shen Zechuan lay with his head on Xiao Chiye's chest. His right hand had been bandaged, and Xiao Chiye had held his wrist gently before dozing off.

Neither of them spoke, appearing to have fallen asleep.

Xiao Chiye rubbed Shen Zechuan's nape and thought to himself as he gazed at the ceiling.

Shen Zechuan opened his eyes and said, "Yan Heru earned his fortune in Zhongbo through blood and sweat. The winter clothing for Liubei will be his way of making amends."

"Are you planning to pluck him clean?" Xiao Chiye released his grip, pinched Shen Zechuan's cheeks, and whispered, "Lan Zhou."

"The merchants' goods can be transported to the mutual market during winter and traded with Yan's tribe," Shen Zechuan gazed at Xiao Chiye, who was so close. "By the end of winter, the trade route will be fully established."

"In that case, I'll have to wait until next year to marry you," Xiao Chiye chuckled.

"That's too long," Shen Zechuan murmured. "I'll propose to the King of Liubei this New Year."

The two exchanged a silent kiss. Shen Zechuan nestled into Xiao Chiye's embrace as Xiao Chiye turned over and pressed his forehead against his. Enveloped by Xiao Chiye's gaze, Shen Zechuan reached out and stroked his lover's cheek.

The investigation into the Zhongbo military defeat had been laid bare, and Shen Zechuan faced not only the threat from the eastern cavalry but also the challenge of standing up under the name of Shen Wei. As soon as Shen Zechuan raised his banner, the military defeat would become a shackle.

"When I was in Duanzhou, I thought if I ever grew up, I'd change my surname to Ji, like my master, and become a petty officer just like my older brother in Duanzhou," Shen Zechuan's fingers glided gently. He felt trapped, like a moonbeam in Xiao Chiye's arms. "But later on, at the Temple of Expiation, I realized that even if I changed my surname, I would still be Shen Wei's son."

He had a face resembling Bai Cha's, and the traces of Shen Wei seemed wiped away by his mother. But they were hidden within his body, turning into a different kind of madness. If Shen Zechuan hadn't met Qi Huilian when he crawled out of the Tea Stone Pit, he might have been even more insane. His teacher's teachings weren't just about literature; they also included "Lan Zhou." Lan Zhou emerged from Shen Wei's shadow, becoming a part that truly belonged to Shen Zechuan. It was this part that preserved his sanity, allowing him to survive the nightmare of the Tea Stone Pit without being destroyed. Because of this, Xiao Chiye could complete the bond, becoming the scabbard to Shen Zechuan's blade.

"When I was little, all I wanted was to fly," Xiao Chiye flicked Shen Zechuan's forehead. "I wondered why Xiao Fangxu was my father, always tossing us around and growing so tall and strong."

Shen Zechuan smiled.

"They all say that I resemble your father," Xiao Chiye looked at Shen Zechuan. "When I was in Qidu, I thought it was a punishment because I had once been proud of it. In Qidu, I tried to shed the part of me that belonged to Libei. I didn't tell anyone how much I loathed Ce An back then; its pairing with 'Chiye' held my fangs in check. I drank the finest wines with Li Jianheng, but I couldn't sleep at night. Even with my eyes open, I would still think of Hongyanshan."

It was a tormenting pain, and during that period, Xiao Chiye did not even know who he should hate. He knew his father and elder brother were not at fault; he could only hate himself. Shen Zechuan saw in Xiao Chiye an intangible reflection, while Xiao Chiye saw in Shen Zechuan an illusory moon and water within reach. Only Shen Zechuan understood his suffering — those gazes alleviated his restless nights, and at that moment, he wanted to possess Shen Zechuan.

"You're Shen Wei's son," Xiao Chiye murmured, "but you're mine."