After Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng led Datong’s army to attack Ping’an, it was not like the rumored bloody execution at all. After tracking down and arresting Pingnan’s high officials and their family members, they carried out the aid and comfort measure step, beginning with providing the civilians with what they needed whether it was money or food. Towards those people who had served as Pingnan’s lowest officials was also to forget and not bring recriminations1. Very quickly the situation in Ping’an had stabilized.
Ping’an City was basically the Southern Region’s most flourishing trading town, once the situation stabilized, the market conditions also resumed to their former days of bustling business in no time.
“Lao Wang2, give me two bowls of soy milk, one steamer full of buns.” Lao Wang represented the commoner of this Ping’an City. He opened a homemade snack shop inside the City. Although it was only a business with little capital, the business was not so bad.
“Waiter, go make the soy milk, then take a steamer full of buns.” Lao Wang told the new waiter he hired just a month ago. Regarding this waiter, he felt at ease in his heart. This waiter had a neat and tidy appearance, body build was also healthy and strong, he only wanted to manage the food and lodging without wanting any salary. To find this kind of waiter was truly like the Heaven had dropped upon him a huge portion of pastry.
The young man who was called as waiter orderly served the customer their soy milk and buns, then quietly cleared away the dirty bowls and chopsticks on the other table. His upright face was without whatever expression.
Nobody would have known, this completely without any special trait waiter could be the once shook the world, the mighty General of Pingnan, Duan Shun Jie.
When he returned to Ping’an from the inn, Pingnan’s defeat already couldn’t be redeemed. The retreating remnants of the defeated troops had fled southward to the forest in the mountain, however, it was already very difficult to stage a comeback to recover the former glory days. Feeling that he already had no face to see his old friends, Duan Shun Jie also didn’t choose to join with his former subordinates, but just stayed in Ping’an City.
Of course, there was one more reason that caused him to do so, that was to wait for an opportunity to rescue Ouyang Si Qi and several of Lord Pingnan’s Commanders and Officials who were captured and taken as prisoners by Datong’s army.
Even if it was said that Ouyang Si Qi was conceiving Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s child, however, Duan Shun Jie doubted the Cruel Prince would treat her well for this reason. There was too much hearsay regarding this mysterious Prince within Ping’an City. Among those, his unrestrained behavior was what people took the most delight in talking about. They said that his current wife was praised as Tong’an’s utmost beauty, the daughter of the Left Prime Minister, already gave him two sons. Amidst the rumors it was also said the women he was involved with, their number couldn’t be counted, yet never had heard anyone who could gain and monopolize his favor.
Inside his heart, he was very clear that the current Ouyang Si Qi definitely hated him to the bone, but in the end, she was Duan Shun Jie’s one and only remaining blood relative in this world. His feeling towards his cherished sister who was unfortunate and miserable was complicated.
Although he had been jealous of her and Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s relationship, but when the cruel reality unfolding before him, at that time he had just suddenly realized that both brother and sister were merely miserable people who were played with by this cruel fate.
Wishing to rescue Ouyang Si Qi, wishing to grant his sister a brand new happy life was the only goal supporting Duan Shun Jie to live on. The wound in his still dripping blood heart hadn’t formed a scab yet from being cut open. The feelings he once had for Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng had become an infected rotten wound to the point that he himself had no courage to face it, with no power to cure it, could only look at it spread day by day, ulcerated, until it eroded the whole of his life.
While Datong’s army still immersed in the joyousness of victory from successfully wiping out Pingnan’s troops, the guard on the captured prisoners of war was not tight at all. However,Duan Shun Jie from beginning to end restrained himself and didn’t take any action. He was afraid of the possibility of running into Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng. He didn’t know what kind of expression he should wear, what kind of feelings should he use to face the already deceived him for countless times man.
But what made him afraid the most was, even if things had come to this point, he himself who was still unable to hate Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng. He was afraid once he faced him, he would drown in his sweet speech and honeyed words, thus once again cause the people around him a calamity.
From far, a male teenager in an attendant’s attire hurriedly went to their direction. Looking in all directions for a while, he walked to the front of the snack shop, interrupting Duan Shun Jie’s train of thought.
“Owner, give me ten buns, also ten bowls of soy milk. Ask someone to come with me to deliver it.”
A great business was in front of his eyes, Lao Wang’s face in an instant bloomed into happiness, quickly he ordered the still busy Duan Shun Jie.
Duan Shun Jie quickly put down the bowls and chopsticks he was washing and rushed to the shop. Using the clothes on his body he wiped his hands and got ready to attend to the customer. When the four eyes met, he and the youth at the same time were dumbfounded.
“... Chang Er?”
“Gen...” A complete word hadn’t had the chance to escape his mouth, Chang Er smartly covered his mouth. Then he watched him using his utmost speed to prepare the ordered things and left together with him.
Walking to a secluded area very far from the shop, Chang Er finally dared to open his mouth to ask: “Heaven, General, It is actually you! How could you become a snack shop waiter?”
Duan Shun Jie had nothing to say in reply, could only shake his head, sighing while speaking: “It is a long story.”
Looking at him whole face troubled, Chang Er also didn’t insist on asking him, instead, he let out a very excited face and said: “Good timing! Let me take you to meet someone. I guarantee you will be happy if you see him!”
While talking, the two people already approached an ordinary shaped small house with a courtyard. As if he couldn’t see Duan Shun Jie’s doubtful expression, once entering the house, Chang Er opened his mouth to call out: “Sir3Guo, Sir Guo hero, quick come and see whose come!”
Hearing his voice, immediately three men with tall and sturdy statures came out from a room. Upon seeing the Duan Shun Jie who was following behind Chang Er they let out a taken by surprise as well as pleasantly surprised expression.
Duan Shun Jie’s whole face was also delighted and in a daze. “Good Heaven, Third Brother4, Fifth Brother4, Ninth Brother4, how can it be you all?”
He had been in Mount Zhongnan5 from his childhood until grown up. The Brothers under the same Master had regarded him no different with their own blood brothers. He had never thought that he actually at this time and this place could see the separated for a long time old acquaintances, making his earlier terribly cold heart all of a sudden become warm.
After the four people deeply moved and sobbed together for a while, the Third Brother Cui Xia suddenly slapped his own head and said: “See, I am being too excited, the Master is still waiting inside. If he saw the Seventh Brother, truly couldn’t guess how happy would he be!”
“Master also came?” In an instant, innumerable complicated feelings swept over Duan Shun Jie’s mind. Not wasting time to clarify, he had rushed to the inner room. Once he had entered the room, he threw himself towards the familiar figure.
“Master!” Throwing himself into Lord of Zhongnan’s bosom, Duan Shun Jie was like a child, crying and laughing. In that moment, he could only feel that his lost and helpless heart had a new place to rely on. That kind of meeting of a dear person feeling, even his own father, Ouyang Fa De, was unable to grant him such a feeling.
Patting the shoulder of the special disciple who he personally raised since small until grown up, Guo Yue’s feeling was somewhat moved too. With Duan Shun Jie already many years hadn’t met, this time ascended the mountain, aside from the intention to rescue the daughter of his old friend, Ouyang Si Qi, searching for the reported missing during the war of Ping’an beloved disciple was actually his main purpose.
Never thought that arriving in Ping’an only for several days, Duan Shun Jie would just appear on his own in front of him, how could he be not be deeply happy.
At the time when the Master and disciple’s feelings calmed down with much difficulty, the coming together of ten brothers of the same Master one by one came in to greet the hadn’t met for long time Duan Shun Jie. Talking and laughing boisterously for a period a time, everyone could finally talk over their sad feelings caused by parting, then settled down and sat orderly according to their rank of seniority.
“Shun Jie ah, Master heard that when Datong’s army defeated the city, you actually disappeared from the camp. Originally I was worried that you had been captured in secret by Datong’s army, but now I see it wasn’t the case at all. Do tell, what was actually happened?”
When meeting with the brothers, Duan Shun Jie had known he certainly would be faced with this interrogation, but even until now, he still couldn’t figure out what was the best answer to give.
Guo Yue saw him whole face hesitating, his face became solemn at once: “Shun Jie, you can honestly tell Master. I heard that you are in close association with the Datong’s Seventh Prince. And Jingling, Ping’an, the falling of both cities, Ouyang Fa De’s assassination, Ouyang Si Qi’s taken as prisoner, was the doing of this Seventh Prince. To the point there was a rumor that you, for the sake of high position and great wealth, had sold Pingnan to him. At first, Master would never have believed no matter what, but today, seeing you like this...”
Duan Shun Jie’s heart tightened for a moment. He didn’t have the courage to think and guess how his former subordinates in Pingnan’s army would evaluate him, an incompetent General who for the second time disappeared from the frontline at a critical juncture. All the more he didn’t know that he was rumored to have already sink down to a shameless person who would sell his own father and sister to the enemy for the sake of high position and great wealth.
Things had come to this point, what excuse could he say.
Trampled on by Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng to the point he was not even worth the dust on the soles of the feet, why did he have to care for other people’s opinion. However, he and Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s relationship, what kind of words should he use to explain for other people to clearly understand...even if facing his closest person in this world, his Master, who had brought him up to be a good person, he still absolutely had no courage to narrate the whole facts.
Looking at Duan Shun Jie wore a complicated expression on his face, Guo Yue also became reticent.
He watched Duan Shun Jie as he grew up, of course he would know that he would never betray his people merely for his own glory and position. Certainly there were some facts or circumstances he wished to hide. But why even only half of the truth he also didn’t dare to leak out, thus it was a given if he caused people to have doubt.
The bad-tempered Second Brother, Jiang Cheng Zhao, already couldn’t stand it and sprung up: “Seventh Brother, you better talk! Everybody knew that that Cruel Prince was brought by you into Ping’an City. He killed the Lord of Pingnan, also captured Ouyang Si Qi, you surely have to present your account to justify yourself!”
Seeing Duan Shun Jie in anguish expression, the always had the best term with him Fourth Brother, Feng Hui Zhong, already couldn’t bear it then came to his defense. “Second Brother, when Seventh Brother became acquainted with that Seventh Prince, he didn’t know his real status. For this matter, actually he is not to be blamed!”
Guo Yue didn’t interfere, he only watched his disciples all talking at once making noise with each other. Waiting until everyone had stopped their mouths, by then he turned to face Duan Shun Jie to ask him: “Shun Jie, then, when did you find out about that Cruel Prince’s real identity?”
Duan Shun Jie’s heart since earlier was in disorder as if numbed by the noise his brothers made, there was no way he could have even half the courage to play the fool. In an instant he respectfully bowed his body to answer: “Your disciple only found out the night when Datong invaded Jinling.”
“It was said that that Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng after coming to Ping’an6, resided in your mansion. With your sharpness, how could you not even the slightest bit of the spider’s threat6 and horse’s track6 also couldn’t see?”
Duan Shun Jie shook his head, became silent. The him at that time had been blinded by love, how could he think of doubting his heart’s most beloved person.
“It was due to my foolishness, I never sensed it.”
Guo Yue was unable to make up his mind for a while, in the end he nodded his head. He also knew very well this disciple of his always valued feelings the most, never having doubts towards his precious good friend was not strange at all.
“Then I ask you again, after the war in Jinling, have you ever met with him again?”
This one sentence stabbed straight to Duan Shun Jie’s heart’s sore spot. His face in that instant turned deathly pale, indeed he wouldn’t dare to deceive his most respected Master.
“He... Before he attacked Ping’an, indeed he came to meet me.” After a period of time, he finally admitted it with a soft voice.
Guo Yue’s face became stern at once. His eyes were sharp as knife stabbing straight to Duan Shun Jie’s dimmed eyes.
“What did he say to you? What benefit did he promise you to make you retreat and not join the war, to let them take Ping’an City, to bow and give way7 for them to take the many years established Pingnan?”
“He... He... “He wanted to say Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng actually didn’t need to promise him anything, he was such an idiot who would even willingly give his life to him. Nevertheless, in front of Guo Yue and his brothers, he truly didn’t have the courage to confess about this only could be described as lamentable and ridiculous feeling. Duan Shun Jie could only choose to be silent.
“Then, could it be the truth that you because he promised to give you a great position thus you sold Ping’an City and Si Qi?” Guo Yue’s face had become extremely strict. Probably, if Duan Shun Jie nodded his head, he would dispose of his regarded as betrayal disciple at that very moment.
“No. I did not. I really did not... I ... I don’t know...” His grievance already reached the utmost point, if not facing GuoYue, Duan Shun Jie truly would never be willing to explain even if he had to die. The last meeting with Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng was his life most of the most unbearable to recall memory. Every time he recalled he had the urge to kill himself on the spot, so how could he bear to speak of it to them.
“Then why did you disappear before the battle? To the point the country was ruined huddling up like a turtle drawing in its head and leg8 in a corner pretending to be peaceful like nothing had happened!” The Second Brother was obviously unable to stand his hum and haw8 manner, sprung up to criticize him.
“I...I...” Had no way to speak out the truth, also couldn’t afford to lie to his Master, Duan Shun Jie’s heart was really conflicted and hesitated to the greatest point. He knew that his wanting-to-speak-yet-stop caused people’s suspicion the most, but he really didn’t have the face to reveal the truth.
Looking at the whole face furious Jiang Cheng Zhao and Duan Shun Jie’s hesitating and flinching eyes, after a good while, Guo Yue finally heaved out a long sigh, spoke with a cold and strict tone: “Shun Jie, Master also knows that you surely will never because of whatever glory, splendour, wealth and rank betray the entire Pingnan. But other people wouldn’t think the same. By now, Master could only give you one chance to atone for your crime by doing a meritorious act. Only if you personally kill that Cruel Prince and rescue Ouyang Si Qi, to avenge the Lord of Pingnan, other people absolutely couldn’t have anything to say anymore. If not... could only wish you don’t blame Master for being heartless!”
Duan Shun Jie, upon hearing this, knowing that even the Master who always had believed firmly without any doubt9towards him already suspected him, suspected that he had betrayed Pingnan for Datong, from the bottom of his heart, he was filled with agony at once. When he wanted to distinguish truth from falsehood, he saw that his Master had closed his eyes and waved his hand, signaling him to withdraw.
Knowing that insisting to tell the truth was useless, if he delayed killing Xuan Yuan with his own hand for one more day, the more people would suspect that he and him were villains colluding together10. However, killing Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng with his own hands, no matter how, it was something he couldn’t do...
Parting with his Master and leaving the small house, the whole heart lost not knowing which way to go Duan Shun Jie finally realized that he originally had nowhere to go. Shilly-shally for half a day, in the end he headed back to direction of that small snack shop.
Upon his return, Lao Wang inevitably blamed him for leaving for such a long while, but seeing his face color was not right, he finally didn’t say anything anymore.
The snack shop profit was slight, life of course was not easy. The time when Duan Shun Jie finished tidying up and clearing the table from the last group of guests, the sky was already pitch-dark. He casually fetched some water to wipe his body and change into clean clothes before he climbed into his bed.
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