Love in Red Dust - Chapter 92

Chapter 92

The sky darkened bit by bit. Bonfires were set up around the camp, the pine resin crackling and popping as it burned.

Guan Zhaojing came out of the tent carrying a change of clothes and saw someone squatting on the open ground. The figure looked exactly like their Princess. He had no idea what she was busy with; he only saw her holding a tree branch and sketching on the ground.

He leaned in to take a look. "Are you planning a military formation?" Upon closer inspection, it didn't look like that at all; it seemed she was drawing little people.

She looked up and smiled. "I’m drawing Xian’er. It’s been almost four months since I left the capital." She gestured with both hands. "He was only this big when I left. Children grow quickly; he should be able to sit up by now."

Guan Zhaojing gave an "oh" of realization. "So, this is a picture of the young master sitting?"

She nodded, patiently pointing it out for him. "These are his legs, these are his arms."

Guan Zhaojing thought to himself that her artistic skills were truly lacking. He bent down to examine it carefully. "What’s that, then? Looks like a copper coin."

"This? These are his eyes. People of the Yuwen clan all have a golden ring in their pupils. It’s truly beautiful."

You should probably stop drawing, he thought. Even if it is beautiful, it shouldn't look like this; you’re ruining it. Guan Zhaojing gave a sheepish smile. "I know you miss the young master, but don't worry. This campaign won't last long. The Vanguard Camp has already made contact with the Sain Noyan tribe. I reckon in another month or so, we’ll be returning to the capital in triumph. It gets cold at night; you should go inside. The Master is finished with his work now; you can go and keep him company."

What more was there to say? The more they spoke, the more attached she became, and she feared she would no longer be able to set out on the road. She shook her head. "The scenery outside is lovely; I’ll squat here for a while to clear my head."

Guan Zhaojing smacked his lips. "Well, alright then. Do take care not to catch a cold. The doctors here are all 'Mongolian doctors'—I find their medical skills rather dubious; if you fall into their hands, they treat you like livestock."

She smiled and acknowledged him. "You go on and get busy, don't worry about me."

Guan Zhaojing answered in the affirmative and walked away with the clothes. After walking some distance, he looked back and saw the Thirteenth Prince approaching with a guard. Their Princess dropped her drawing and stood up to greet them.

She lifted the curtain to let them in. The Royal Tent had two layers: the inner chamber for discussing state affairs, and the outer chamber for waiting on orders. She took the tray from the guard's hand and smiled at the Thirteenth Prince. "Thank you for granting me this, Thirteenth Prince. Even if I go to the underworld, I will remember your kindness."

The Thirteenth Prince nodded. "Originally, I should have gone in with you, but I was afraid of making the Twelfth Brother suspicious, so I will wait outside. Twelfth Sister-in-law, you are truly righteous and kind; as a younger brother, I admire you. But this is a matter of life and death, after all. You must consider this carefully. There is only one cup of gold-dusted wine; once it is granted, someone must die. If you spill it, it won't count. Furthermore, even if the Twelfth Brother escapes the death penalty, he will still face punishment. You still have a son—do you really want to trade your life for his?"

She took a deep breath and nodded. "You know my background. If I can use my humble life to trade for his, it is well worth it. Please rest assured, I will make sure you have an easy time fulfilling your orders. In the future, I trust you will look after our Master. If you could put in a good word for him with the Emperor, I thank you in advance."

She bowed, and he made a gesture of support, saying, "Rest assured, Twelfth Sister-in-law. With me, Old Thirteen, around, one day I will certainly clear the Twelfth Brother’s name of these false accusations."

That was enough. She could now set off on the journey with peace of mind. She gave a joyful smile, said no more, and turned to enter the inner tent.

Hongce was biting his lip, picking up the small flags on the sand table and moving them from one hilltop to another, still studying his strategy. She placed the tray on a side table, walked over with the cup, and nudged him with her shoulder. "Drink a cup of wine to warm yourself up."

He was somewhat surprised. "Drinking is not permitted while on a military campaign. That is a military order."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You are talking to me about military orders? Military orders also forbid bringing women along, yet am I not right here by your side?"

He thought about it and started to laugh. "You certainly have an answer for everything."

There were two cups of wine, one on the left and one on the right. The left was filled with gold-dusted wine, and the right was shao-daozi (strong liquor). They stood face to face. He reached out to receive the cup, and while he was expecting the one on the left, she handed him the one on the right.

"I’ve been in Khalkha for several days, and we haven't had a proper drink together. You are always busy, but no matter how busy you are, you must take care of yourself." She brought him to sit down, looking at him fondly in the lamplight. Her eyes were veiled in a layer of mist, making them appear even brighter. She softened her tone as much as possible, earnestly urging him, "Don't go to sleep too late at night. The General says victory is in sight, so you can finally relax. When you return to the capital, bring Xian’er by your side; if we are apart for too long, he won't be close to us."

He gave an "um" of agreement. "I will listen to you in everything. After this, I don't intend to meddle in state affairs anymore. I will follow the Seventh Brother's example and become an idle prince."

She smiled. "The Seventh Prince isn't having an easy time right now. His wife is strict in managing the household, and he is serving in the Grand Council."

He didn't seem surprised, leaning against a cushion and saying it was just as well. "He should improve himself, lest he be scolded by the Imperial Father all the time."

She lowered her head with a faint smile and whispered, "Our son is already born, but we haven't yet performed the wedding ceremony. Let’s skip all the other worldly rituals; let’s drink this nuptial cup today, and consider it as me having married you."

A glimmer of light welled up in his eyes, and he looked at her with extreme focus. "It is I who have wronged you. After we return this time, I will certainly arrange everything properly and compensate you for all that I owe you."

She nodded and said "good." With the cup hidden in her sleeve, she crossed her arms through his and began to sing softly: "The wedding flowers are plucked and worn in the hair; the wedding wine is poured into the cups; the magpie lands upon the eaves of the chamber..."

She closed her eyes and drank the wine in one gulp. All the hesitation and sadness from before vanished. The heavy burden was lifted, and her heart felt strangely light. To wait for death was nothing more than this. She took the cup from his hand, stood up, and placed it back on the tray. She lined the two cups up side-by-side, then thought for a moment—fearing that dying in a hideous way would cause him sorrow, she decided it was better if it didn't happen in front of him.

"I’ll send the cups out, and later I’ll call someone to bring water for you to wash up." She turned back, smiled, and walked toward the door, step by step.

However, the Thirteenth Prince walked in at that moment. He glanced at the cups and the corners of his lips curved upward slightly. "Twelfth Sister-in-law, you shouldn't be running around at this time."

So, they need to confirm I've stopped breathing for it to be over? She stood still, helpless, and had no choice but to turn back.

"Twelfth Brother, did your wife tell you about the Emperor granting the gold-dusted wine?" The Thirteenth Prince sat down in an armchair, crossing his fingers and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Today is the final day. As a younger brother, I have to fulfill my orders; I have no choice."

Hongce frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't panic, Twelfth Brother." He glanced at Dingyi. "After all, I remember our bond as brothers—how could I bear to watch my own kin die? Today, Twelfth Sister-in-law came to find me to ask for one thing. You know that there is never a second serving of the gold-dusted wine; in other words, someone has to die by it. Twelfth Sister-in-law is a good woman; she was willing to take your place, and I would have had an excuse to give when returning to the capital. The Emperor cannot order your death again; at most, he will order confinement and command the Imperial Clan Court to investigate thoroughly. The Imperial Clan Court is in my hands, so you don't need to worry about that, Twelfth Brother..."

Hongce was struck as if by a heavy blow; he almost vomited blood. He never expected she would come up with such a plan. What was this? Self-sacrifice to save her husband?

He turned to look at her. She was standing alone in the lamplight, tears in her eyes, yet her face did not show despair. She must have no regrets, he thought. But what about him? How could he accept such a reality? He stumbled over and embraced her. "Dingyi... if you die, I cannot live alone. What do you take me for? Even now, you are still lying to me!"

She cradled his face, wiping away his tears, and murmured an apology. "My mind is slow, and I couldn't think of any other way to save you. Don't blame me. In this lifetime, I have never been as proud as I am in this moment; I have finally been useful for once, and even if I die, it is a death worth dying. It is only Xian'er—you must take good care of him. I have left nothing behind but this son. Find another mother for him, and don't tell him who his biological mother was. Don't let him know the taste of sorrow from a young age."

He could not listen anymore. Trembling, he reached for her wrist to take her pulse, his heart in such turmoil he had no direction.

He knew the cruelty of this poison—it was impossible to neutralize; there was only a dead end. He couldn't detect anything from her pulse, but what else could he do now? He had risked life and death for the imperial court, only to end up with such an outcome. The past twenty-something years seemed like a dream. Now that he had stepped out of the fog and seen everything clearly, he couldn't curse, couldn't howl—there was only a boundless, stifled sob.

"I don't know what I have done wrong. Perhaps the greatest mistake was being born into the imperial family." He gripped her hand tightly. "Don't be afraid. Even if I go to the underworld, I will accompany you. We have been separated for too long, and no sooner have we reunited than this happens. I am tired of it, too; I want to rest. How are you feeling? Is there any pain anywhere?"

She shook her head, saying there was none. She pulled him to sit down and brushed aside the hair that had fallen over his forehead. "Don't let me sacrifice myself in vain. Even on the road to the underworld, I don't want you to accompany me. Between the two of us, one must remain to look after Xian'er. If we both die, he truly becomes an orphan."

They spoke in gentle voices. They were not wailing or embracing in tears, yet the scene was exceptionally heartbreaking. Hongxun pounded the table, finally unable to endure it any longer. "I can't watch this anymore! Why was I the one tasked with this? It's a wicked deed!"

His sudden outburst made both of them stare at him in confusion. He wiped his face, gave a sheepish laugh, and pointed at the empty cup. "That was just ox gallstones prepared by an ancient method. After a while, it forms a shiny layer on the surface, making it look like gold dust." Expecting a shocking reaction, he was surprised to see neither of their expressions changed. He became a bit anxious. "Don't you understand? What Twelfth Sister-in-law drank was not gold-dusted wine, but ox gallstone wine... although that wine is for treating convulsions, it does no harm to a normal person to drink a cup."

Hongce walked toward him. Terrified, the Thirteenth Prince took a large step back, stretching out both hands. "Twelfth Brother, don't be angry, don't kill the loyal and righteous... I am not the mastermind, I am only an accomplice. If you want to settle accounts, go to the Emperor! It was his idea, they were the ones who directed me to do this..." Fearing for his life, he stood on his tiptoes and called out to Dingyi, "Twelfth Sister-in-law, it wasn't my intention to tease you! Please save me, don't let Twelfth Brother get physical."

Dingyi was stunned. The situation had shifted in an instant—how could it turn out like this? She stood up and carefully felt her body; indeed, there were no anomalies. But wasn't playing such a joke a bit too far?

"You said there were people at court impeaching the Twelfth Master." She stared blankly at Hongxun.

"That's right, there are." Hongxun swallowed his saliva. "And not just one; everyone is speaking with certainty."

"Then what about the treasonous documents you showed me? Weren't they written by the Twelfth Master?"

He was pushed to the edge of the felt mat, hiding behind an armchair. "They were written by the Twelfth Brother. Those were letters he wrote to the leader of the Khalkha tribe, ordering them to coordinate in battle. You couldn't read them, so they just happened to be useful for this... Don't, don't... dear brother, don't lose your temper, just listen to me."

Hongce was beyond listening; he was almost infuriated to death. Was what happened just now a child's game? This was the first time he had been fooled so thoroughly. Was their purpose to make him sad, to make him feel as if he were dying of grief?

"You come here. I’ll make sure to hold back my strength so I don't beat you to death." He crooked his finger. "Come here."

Hongxun wasn't stupid and firmly refused to come over. "That's right, I've been following Twelfth Sister-in-law since she left the capital. How else could she have escaped the wolf's mouth in the Gobi? How could she have blended into my camp so easily? I protected her all the way to your side—you should be thanking me... If you want to blame anyone, blame that stunt you two pulled earlier, which was reported to Father. Father said this girl’s background was shady and that she was only playing on the Twelfth Brother’s kindness to use him to overturn the Wen family case, and that she didn't truly love him. The Second Brother said that wasn't true—he had long been swayed by the Empress’s pillow talk—so he spoke up for her. Father didn't believe it, and the two of them got into a row. In the end, they decided to set a trap and let someone walk right into it..."

Hongce threw a book at him, hitting him square on the head. He let out an "ow" and held his forehead. "The child! Xian’er! It was Sha Tong who leaked the secret! He has been watching the Shan Lao Alley every single day. He didn't come to the northern desert this time; he's looking after the child at the Wen estate! And Old Seven—he had a part in it too! You can't blame me alone. I’ve been holding it in harder than anyone! Now it’s all over, the incident has passed, and I’ll write a letter back to the capital. Twelfth Sister-in-law was willing to die for you, and Father will have nothing left to say. And that... I had to test you, I was worried too. Twelfth Sister-in-law, please forgive any offense; I have doubted you too, but you did well. You are more righteous than most men; I bow to you."

In any case, they had all conspired to play a trick on them. Dingyi felt a sour taste in her mouth, but seeing Hongce in a rage, she had to go up and persuade him to calm down. "We can't blame everyone for doubting me. It’s because I didn't do well enough, so it’s reasonable for them to test me."

However, Hongce’s anger had not yet dissipated. "Even so, shouldn't it have ended after the wine was drunk? What was the meaning of the words he spoke afterward?"

Hongxun stammered, "I wanted to see how deep the feelings between the two of you were... I was wrong, I shouldn't have laughed at you. But Twelfth Brother, have you ever thought about why the Emperor had Twelfth Sister-in-law come to find you? It is not our place to speculate on the Emperor’s will, but... blood is thicker than water. Let me offer a word of advice: after this battle is won, do not return to Beijing."

Hongce calmed down and said slowly, "I was thinking the same thing. The fake gold dust was nothing but a warning; the next time, it will be real. The court cannot purge all of my supporters at once, not with my Second Uncle still there. Leaving me to guard Khalkha is effectively an exile, but it allows the Emperor to provide an explanation to all parties."

Hongxun sighed. "Those of us in this position... we call ourselves brothers, but look at the reports we submit—who doesn't address himself as a 'servant'? There's no other way; we have to make a living under someone else’s roof, so we have to be the scapegoats at critical moments. You are a perceptive man, Twelfth Brother. The Emperor has treated you well—he sent your wife all the way here. As for the child, you don't need to worry; he is still young, and he might be taken to the Changchun Garden to be raised. When he is older and his health is stronger, you can bring him to Khalkha."

Hongce turned to ask Dingyi, "What do you think?"

Staying here was actually exactly what she wanted. She was a humble person and could not integrate into the circle of imperial relatives. Having a home in Khalkha and being with the man she loved was enough. It was only Xian’er that she could not let go of. The child was the apple of her eye; she had missed him so much she couldn't sleep at night these past few months, and the thought of being separated for years filled her with dread.

But she could not ask for anything more. With reddened eyes, she said, "I will follow you in everything. Xian’er is too small; I fear he could not endure thousands of miles of travel. It doesn't matter where I go, as long as I am with you. As for my Master and senior brother, I ask that the Thirteenth Prince look after them for me. And Hailan... my heart aches for her too. I often thought of leaving the capital, but now that I truly am not going back, I feel as if I have left many things behind."

"That doesn't matter. Whatever you lack, I will send to you. Besides, your fief is here, so it is not a true exile. You still have your estate as the Prince of the First Rank in Beijing; no one can stop you if you want to go back and visit." The Thirteenth Prince seemed a bit wistful, his hands behind his back, head held high, muttering to himself, "I wish I could have a wife and a son, hide out in Khalkha, and never go back. That capital... it’s a giant vat of dye! Stay there too long, and sooner or later, you start to rot."

He walked away with a sigh at every step. Dingyi and Hongce looked at each other, truly feeling as though they had survived a great disaster.

Let it be this way; it was already better than he could have imagined.

"After the fighting is over, I will take you to my old estate, right by Lake Khövsgöl. The place is beautiful; in summer, you can see flocks of waterbirds, and at dusk, there is the smoke from solitary chimneys and the setting sun over the prairie, along with herds of cattle and sheep." He smiled softly, as if the beautiful scenery were right before his eyes. "In autumn, I will pick sea buckthorn for you—that’s the little fruit I told you about. When I first came to Khalkha, I used to sit on a dirt slope and could eat a whole basket in a day. In fact, the most beautiful memories of my life in the past were all related to Khalkha. Returning here now, I feel more at ease than I ever did in the capital. Here, no one calls me a 'barbarian,' and there is no need to watch anyone’s face to know how to act. With the mountains high and the Emperor far away, we can finally live freely."

She looked at his smiling face as the ice and snow melted away, and her heart felt brighter as well.

A person's life, through many twists and turns, breaking through thousands of waves, perhaps only happens to meet that one right person. Once met, having tasted both the sweet and the bitter, that is what is called fulfillment. If you were only allowed to be happy without learning to cherish it, that wouldn't be good. Therefore, Heaven arranges things so that this part is difficult and that part is more comfortable; if the two balance out, that is the greatest joy of all.

—The End—