ChangNing’s Imperial Army

“Leng, are you scared?”

Chen Ran asked, squatting by the bank of Taihu. He did not lift his head; he was looking at the reflection of the moon in the water.

“I am.”

Shen Leng’s reply was direct.

Chen Ran picked up a pebble and tossed it into the water. “I remember from my conversation with my father a while ago that he said that it’s hard to find anybody from Yulin town who became a platoon commander at my age. My father praised me, saying that I’ve always been sensible since I was a child and that he has always known that I have a bright future. Actually, I’m only sensible because you were the one who taught me…Leng, if you say that you’re scared, I will be scared too.”

Shen Leng looked far into the distance. He seemed to have muttered, “Sensible since you were a child…there is nothing more cruel than those words.”

Chen Ran did not understand.

“I have no choice but to be sensible. In your case, you’re fortunate to have your father.”

Shen Leng kicked Chen Ran in the butt. “Don’t be so emotional and pessimistic. On the contrary, I feel that things are pretty good right now. When I was younger, I never knew what reckless and wilful was. Now, I have that tinge of feeling…isn’t it great to be in the military? Our lives right now are unbelievably good. We fought for it, but we were also lucky. That is why we are scared. Precisely because we are scared, all the more we cannot allow others to casually take something we learned from experience away from us.”

Chen Ran swung his hand down like a knife. “We will kill anybody who tries to do that.”

Shen Leng earnestly explained, “Don’t worry. Even if this matter blows up, it will not be bigger than the emperor himself and our backup happens to be the emperor this time. General Zhuang said that all along, His Majesty feels most regretful about the combat soldiers who were wronged, as well as those that died, in the battle at Feng Yan Tai in the northern border. They sacrificed their lives for His Majesty, but did not receive any rightful acknowledgment. His Majesty feels very guilty…it’s the same for us this time. Besides, His Majesty is not the same person he used to be.”

Chen Ran said, “I don’t understand what you just said. Just tell me where to charge, and I will charge in that direction.”

Shen Leng lifted his hand and pointed to the front. “There’s no way to retreat, we can only charge forward.”

Winter in Jiangnan had already started to become so cold that it made people not want to move. It made Shen Leng suddenly wonder how cold it would be in the northern border. That fella, Meng Changan, did not have a friend like Chen Ran, and all the more, he did not have a person like Mr. Shen to guide him. He also did not have a girl like Master Cha who he loved dearly. He was destined to not have much friends. With a character like his, not many people could warm his heart.

When would be the next time they would meet?

“The all-military competition?” Shen Leng suddenly muttered to himself.

Chen Ran turned around. “Did you say something?”

Shen Leng smiled and shook his head. “Nothing. My mind was wandering.”

There was a pavilion not far from where they were at. The platform leading to the pavilion extended all the way from the island itself. The pavilion was approximately thirty meters away from the island. The good thing about it was that there was absolutely no way anybody could eavesdrop their conversation there. Zhuang Yong and Dou Huainan were both in the pavilion. All the people on the platform were Zhuang Yong’s soldiers. Security was very tight – their swords were unsheathed, and the arrows were on the bows.

“How do you think His Majesty will deal with this matter?” Zhuang Yong asked Dou Huainan.

Dou Huainan pondered deeply for a while before answering, “Actually, I have thought of countless kinds of possibilities. However, I could not think of a situation where we don’t win or lose. Both Bai Shangnian and Mu Xiaofeng are dead. Come to think of it, it’s not that we did not gain anything, but precisely because things are this way, it is inevitable for the imperial court to get thrown into chaos. Be it you or General Shen Leng, none of you will gain anything from this. Instead, I’m afraid some people might not let you go…when we don’t win or lose, it’s the most tormenting thing ever.”

“When we don’t win or lose, it’s a loss.”

When Zhuang Yong said that, he had such a sorrowful tone that it made one’s heart ache.

“Not exactly.”

Dou Huainan suddenly laughed. “Perhaps, it might be better this way instead. His Majesty wants to settle everything that has to be settled in the imperial court before the northern expedition. No matter what, even if he’s been making arrangements for several years, it still seems rather hasty and not stable enough. It other people apart from the great scholar truly get implicated, the northern expedition that His Majesty wants to carry out might not be able to become a reality.”

“How did you know that His Majesty wants to carry out a northern expedition?”

“It was a guess.”

Dou Huainan felt a little embarrassed. He said, “Pardon me for making myself a laughing stock by recklessly speculating His Majesty’s plans.”

Zhuang Yong did not mock him for it.

Dou Huainan was not one of the people who was close to His Majesty. He had been confined to Yanping Island for the past several years to supervise the construction of the project. Naturally, he was not exposed to any information pertaining to the imperial court. By deducing that His Majesty was purging the imperial court of hidden dangers because of the northern expedition, it was evident that he was not a simple person.

“Are you willing to stay in the Navy in the future?”

“I am not very willing to do so.”

“Oh?”

Zhuang Yong did not expect Dou Huainan to reject him. He could not help but be curious. “Then, where do you want to go?”

“I want to give sincere advice to the emperor, and achieve peace and security for the people. Ultimately, I am a scholar. Of course, the place I want to go the most is Changan city…What the brave wants is a general’s armor and a long lance. What I want is a purple qipao gown (Note: worn by officials), the ability to stand in the imperial court, the ability to declare His Majesty’s decree and listen on behalf of the civilians. I want to become the cornerstone of Great Ning throughout all ages. That is my dream.”

Zhuang Yong sighed, “Ultimately, I can’t keep you in the Navy. I will put forward that suggestion to His Majesty. But I’m sure you also know what kind of place you will be entering. It is not going to be easy.”

He was referring to the cabinet.

“Which is why for the time being, I still cannot go to Changan city.”

“Why?”

“Because the cabinet cannot be overturned from the inside. It has to be done from the outside. I will remain in the Navy for another three years. If within three years, those people get kicked out of the cabinet, I will go to Changan city then.”

“Alright.”

Zhuang Yong laughed, “Then in that case, you shall stay by my side and work on things.”

“It’s still better for me to be close to the battlefield. Earlier on, you asked me what His Majesty will be planning; the best thing to do is to slow down and take a breather, and step aside. The people in the imperial court will force His Majesty to give them an explanation of some sort. The great scholar lost his son, it was akin to a huge group of people losing their father…hence, if it is like what I expected, His Majesty will send the Navy down to the south, to Pingyue. The people over at Pingyue are the men who are close to His Majesty. Those people in the imperial court will not be able to criticize too much. Furthermore, the Commandant of Justice’s men are able to do as they wish in Pingyue. According to what I know, they are the people who are watertight – they do not allow external influences to affect them. Those civil courts hate them to the core. When it comes to loyalty, the four borders and depositories, the imperial guards, the Navy and the Commandant of Justice and his people are loyal to His Majesty…moreover, if the Navy were to fight a great battle in the southern border and return in honor and glory, who would dare to speak ill of it in the imperial court?”

“Since it’s Pingyue, naturally, the people we will be fighting against are the Qiuli people. I am more willing to look at what the Qiuli people look like at a close range and expose myself to weapons and blood at a close proximity. If I were to stay by your side, I will not be able to experience all these vividly. It cannot be compared to being at the front line…I would like to request to join Shen Leng’s army.”

“Why him?”

“Gamble.”

“Gamble?”

Zhuang Yong was even more baffled.

“Shen Leng is only eighteen, and yet he’s already a Class A Fifth pin Yongyi General. Even though killing Mu Xiaofeng puts him at the heart of the struggle, if His Majesty really sends the Navy to the south, you are not the only person who gets protected. If he were to protect you alone, Shen Leng would then be executed, and it would shut those people’s mouths. But if I’m lucky and managed to guess it right, that His Majesty sends the Navy to the south, things are going to get interesting for that young man…”

Dou Huainan continued, “In my opinion, staying by your side naturally allows me to be one step closer to being noticed by the emperor. However, I really want to see how that young man is like, such that His Majesty is willing to protect him. If I gambled right, perhaps it will be faster for me to rise the ranks compared to staying by your side.”

He looked at Zhuang Yong and said earnestly, “I am not very good with words, and I don’t really know how to communicate with others. General, you are a big figure, who has a great foresight. You need to contemplate and think about what I say, but Shen Leng seems like a very straightforward person. When I’m over there, perhaps he will listen to more of what I say.”

Zhuang Yong could not help but be somewhat vexed. “You are so frank with your words, aren’t you afraid I will make things difficult for you? You barely said anything nice about me.”

“Commander, too many shackles.”

Dou Huainan let out a long sigh. “Before I enter the cabinet, I don’t exactly want to suffer and become so worn out…”

“Honing your strength to enter the cabinet?”

Zhuang Yong could not help but laugh, “If Shen Leng heard what you just said, I’m afraid he would assume that you called him a fool.”

Dou Huainan did not say anything; all he did was smile.

By the lake, Chen Ran asked Shen Leng, “You haven’t told me – ultimately, what will happen? What are the consequences?”

Shen Leng smiled, “Nothing much will happen. I kept thinking about it over and over again – Mu Zhaotong merely lost a son in vain and His Majesty did not achieve what he wanted to as well. Not long from now, we would be sent to the south – to Pingyue. Once we get to Pingyue, there is a huge screen protecting us. The commotion in the imperial court cannot get past the screen.”

“Screen? What is it?”

“The two Ye’s.”

Ye Kaitai and Ya Jingtian – the elders in Prince Liu’s residence. Nothing can get past them.

“We are actually going to the south.”

Chen Ran stood up and moved his four limbs about. “Going down to the south is good too. The sea breeze feels more comfortable, and we get to kill those black monkey-like Qiuli people. It feels a lot better than constantly fighting against our own people here.”

“Chen Ran, have you ever thought about why His Majesty cares so much about the southern coastal border region?”

“Probably because the Qiuli people are too arrogant and unbridled.”

“It’s not the Qiuli people, but the Heiwu people.”

“What has it got to do with the Heiwu people?”

“Pingyue, which was originally Nanyue, is very populous and affluent. The same goes for Hujian, Xidong and Dinghai. His Majesty wants to dispatch troops to the northern border, but it’s not enough if he depends solely on the national treasury and the forces in the north. By stabilizing the situation in the southern border’s territorial waters with the help of the Navy, such that the Qiuli people would not dare to invade or plunder the civilians living on the border, and for all we know we might even be able to vanquish Qiuli, the Navy would then be able to transport a steady flow of food and supplies from the south to the north. It cuts down the time taken by half, if we take the water route over the land route.”

Shen Leng exhaled a long breath. “His biggest worry is Heiwu.”

That said, Shen Leng did not expect His Majesty’s decree to be sent out that quick. Three days after the incident in Yanping Island happened, His Majesty’s decree had arrived. Due to the fact that the southern border’s situation was critical, the civilians were suffering unspeakable misery. The Qiuli people plundered the coastal area time and time again, causing His Majesty to be extremely indignant. The moment the decree arrived, the Navy stopped their drill on Yanping Island and departed for Pingyue immediately.

It was reasonable to say that the information from the inside intelligence box could not travel as fast, let alone Zhuang Yong’s memorial. His memorial reporting Bai Shangnian and Mu Xiaofeng’s death was still on its way. So why did His Majesty suddenly sent a decree ordering the Navy to head down south? That decree was sent before Mu Zhaotong made a scene. Could it be that His Majesty was clairvoyant and had a preternaturally good hearing? Such that he already knew about everything without receiving said reports?

Just as Shen Leng was thinking about it, a person wearing a Sixth pin civil official’s uniform walked into his tent. That person appeared to be rather refined, upright and honorable. When he saw Shen Leng, he bowed slightly. “My name is Dou Huainan. I was sent here under the orders of the commander.”

Shen Leng immediately narrowed his eyes. “I did not see that coming.”

Dou Huainan smiled and answered, “If you did not expect or understand this, then please do not think about me for the time being. His Majesty has already sent a decree for you to make a run for it. Do you still not understand, general? I came over from the commander’s tent. Since it’s my first time here, I can’t possibly come here empty headed. Hence, I requested for a gift.”

Shen Leng felt that he was an interesting person.

“Gift? What gift?”

“Help you run faster.”

Dou Huainan was all smiles. “For the Navy’s mission down in the south this time, you will be the one leading the vanguard. There is no need to wait for the supplies to be in order and preparations to be made. You will lead your troops and head to the south before the others, creating a path for the main forces. Hence, general, you truly must make a run for it. Fortunately, your regiment is already here, and so is the ship.”

Shen Leng’s chest tightened all of a sudden.

Master Cha and Mr. Shen are not back yet. How?

This was the fourth day since they had left. He missed Master Cha.

Dou Huainan thought to himself: Why is this young general taken aback? Is it considering something? Is it possible that he does not understand His Majesty’s clear favoritism towards him?

Little did he know that all the young general was thinking about was a beautiful girl.

Oh, and he casually thought about the beautiful girl’s “father” as well.