Where the Mask Ends - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Wei Rao rode her horse for another lap. Having had her fill of fun, she made her way leisurely back to the Leisure Villa before the midday heat could set in.

No sooner had she dismounted than a man wearing coarse, short brown clothing emerged from the grounds. He was none other than the melon patch guard from her grandmother’s estate.

The guard stared at Wei Rao, who was still wearing her veiled hat, in total disbelief. This—this...

"This is the young lady of the household. Why haven't you bowed yet?" the gatekeeper reminded him from the side.

The guard remained dazed.

Wei Rao laughed. "I was just playing around and caused you to run all this way. Don't worry, I will explain it to Grandmother; she won't blame you."

With that, Wei Rao handed her horse over to the servant and walked inside.

The Lady of Shou’an had already guessed that one of the two "melon thieves" was Wei Rao, based on the guard's description. What she was truly curious about was the identity of that military officer.

Wei Rao washed her hands, wiped her face, and sat down beside her grandmother to truthfully recount her conversation with Qi Zhongkai.

The Lady of Shou’an sighed with regret. "Second Master Qi is upright and free-spirited—a good match for you. It is a pity that the Marchioness of Pingxi values reputation above all else; she would never agree to it."

Wei Rao replied, "Indeed. When I was watching the dragon boat race, I actually thought about marrying Second Master Qi. But before long, I saw the true colors of his mother. I could never endure a mother-in-law like that. By the way, Grandmother, there is talk of war on the border. Have you heard?"

Compared to marriage, Wei Rao was currently more concerned about the war on the frontier. Her restaurant was set to open in the middle of next month. If the border reports were all victories, it would be fine, but if the imperial soldiers suffered repeated defeats, Emperor Yuanjia would inevitably be displeased, and the entire atmosphere of the capital would grow heavy. In such times, what shop would dare to beat drums and set off firecrackers?

The Lady of Shou’an spoke in a low voice, "I have heard that an urgent dispatch arrived in the capital, but we will have to wait two days to know the specific details."

She was well-versed in the interpersonal relationships of every noble household, but she never pried into state affairs. She always waited until news had spread among the common folk before her own contacts would send word back.

"Wait patiently. If the situation is truly dire, you must open your restaurant quietly. It is better to make less money than to provoke the ire of the imperial court," the Lady of Shou’an instructed.

Wei Rao understood. She was not in urgent need of money, so the business could progress gradually.

Not long after, rumors about the war indeed began to circulate through the streets and alleys of the capital.

For the past twenty years, there had only been minor skirmishes between the grassland tribes and the Central Plains, with no major wars aiming for national annihilation, giving both sides a chance to recuperate. The Central Plains had only one emperor, Emperor Yuanjia, but the grassland had twelve tribes. They fought amongst themselves constantly—today you seize my territory, tomorrow I reclaim it. However, two years ago, the grassland had been unified under the U-Da tribe led by Khan Hulun, becoming one power.

Khan Hulun, ambitious as a fully-grown eagle, turned his eyes toward the fertile and wealthy lands of the Central Plains after consolidating the grassland. Not long ago, he led three hundred thousand iron cavalry, split into three prongs, to march south in an attempt to conquer the Central Plains.

To meet the challenge, Emperor Yuanjia dispatched the Shenwu Army and the Xiong Hu Army from the Upper Four Guards, leading several divisions of border garrison troops—a total of four hundred and fifty thousand soldiers—to resist the enemy.

The Marquis of Pingxi was the main commander of the Xiong Hu Army. Qi Zhongkai, itching for action, had personally requested the Emperor to allow him to march to the border with his father. As for the Shenwu Army, they were led by the near-sixty-year-old veteran general, the Duke of Ying, and his heir, Lu Zhuo. Lu Zhuo’s cousin had also joined the campaign.

With the fires of war concentrated on the border, the capital remained prosperous and peaceful, save for a few daring souls in the gambling dens who secretly set up bets on the outcome of the war.

Wei Rao naturally hoped her country would win. Ideally, they would destroy the U-Da, causing the grassland to fully submit to the Central Plains so they would never again dare to come and harass them.

While she stayed at the Leisure Villa, her cousin, Huo Jue, had hired a shrewd and capable manager named Manager Song for her. Manager Song regularly sent progress reports on the restaurant’s preparations. The four head chefs had collectively come up with twelve signature dishes, eight of which were rarely seen in the major restaurants of the capital. The kitchen apprentices and the front-of-house staff were all trained, and contracts had been signed for the supply of vegetables and meat.

As the auspicious opening date drew closer, a victory dispatch that Wei Rao had been waiting for finally arrived from the border: in a recently concluded battle, the Shenwu Army had slaughtered thirty thousand U-Da cavalry, severely denting the momentum of the U-Da northwestern forces!

Wei Rao could not see the situation inside the palace, but the common people of the capital were overjoyed by the news. Manager Song came up with a brilliant idea: on the day of the opening, he would rebrand the "Grand Opening Discount" to "Celebrating the Victory at the Border," effectively borrowing some of the auspicious cheer from the news.

Three days after the restaurant opened, Huo Jue returned to the Leisure Villa and smiled, telling Wei Rao to rest easy.

Business at the restaurant was even better than the siblings had anticipated, especially the "Charcoal-Roasted U-Da Lamb," which became a must-order dish for almost every table. In truth, the "U-Da lamb" was simply a breed of sheep introduced from the grassland that had long been raised in the Central Plains; it wasn't actually transported from the grassland at that moment. But the diners were so happy about the border victory that as they ate the mutton, it felt as though they were contributing to the effort to crush the enemy’s spirit.

Wei Rao stayed at the Leisure Villa until the end of the sixth lunar month. Before the Old Madame Wei could urge her, she obediently returned to the Cheng’an Earl’s Mansion.

The weather was no longer as scorching as it had been in midsummer. Wei Rao had eaten and slept well at the villa, and when she returned to the manor, her face was fair and glowing with a rosy tint. The Old Madame hadn't seen her granddaughter for nearly two months, and upon their reunion, she felt that the peony bud of a granddaughter had bloomed even further. Even with subtle makeup, it was hard to conceal her radiant, stunning beauty.

"Grandmother, I heard a new restaurant opened in the capital with some delicious signature dishes. Won't you take me to try them?" Wei Rao cooed, acting spoiled.

The Old Madame smiled, leaning in to whisper in her granddaughter's ear, "Did you open it?"

Wei Rao could not hide the surprise in her eyes.

The Old Madame tapped her forehead. "Do you think I’ve truly gone senile? Every time your cousin visits, you two whisper in the corridor, and you’ve always been someone with plans. You’ve already bought the land—what else would you do but open a shop?"

Wei Rao conceded; she had thought she could give her grandmother a surprise.

"Wait a while longer. If we suddenly suggest going to a restaurant, your aunts might grow suspicious. Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, we can use the excuse of going out to enjoy the lantern display and have a meal there," the Old Madame arranged.

Wei Rao had no choice but to wait patiently.

War reports from the border continued to trickle back to the capital—some worrisome, some joyful. As long as the imperial court didn't suffer consecutive defeats, the common people in the streets were still able to laugh and chat.

On the morning before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Old Madame summoned her son, the Earl of Cheng’an, and said that they would go out to see the lanterns that night, and that they might as well eat dinner out as well. She told him to book a restaurant in advance.

The dutiful Earl asked, "Mother, is there a specific restaurant you would like to visit?"

The Old Madame replied, "I heard that the newly opened Guangxing Pavilion is quite good?"

The Earl smiled. It was said that the chefs at Guangxing Pavilion were invited from other regions and specialized in signature dishes rarely seen in the capital. Having only been open for two months, it had already become a hotspot for the wealthy to host banquets; it was as if one wasn't keeping up with the latest trends in the capital if they hadn't tasted the food at Guangxing Pavilion.

The Earl himself had once been hosted by a colleague at Guangxing Pavilion, and the food was indeed excellent.

"I will go book it. I hope they still have tables available."

Manager Song had received word from Wei Rao early on and had specially reserved a private room. At dusk that day, Wei Rao accompanied her grandmother and her uncle’s family to visit her own restaurant for the first time.

While the high officials of the capital were enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival, on the grassland, Qi Zhongkai led his troops in a night raid on the U-Da cavalry camp.

Lu Zhuo led five thousand elites on a detour to the only path the retreating U-Da forces could take, preparing an ambush.

In the middle of the eighth month, the autumn night on the grassland already carried a chill. Lu Zhuo and his men hid behind mountain rocks; no one spoke, only the whistling of the mountain wind could be heard.

Sounds of slaughter erupted from the U-Da camp in the distance—Qi Zhongkai had begun the raid.

Lu Zhuo observed closely and saw the torches within the U-Da camp suddenly light up simultaneously along the perimeter. Like a giant, fiery python, they connected head to tail, tightly surrounding a cluster of torches in the center.

What did this mean?

It meant that the U-Da camp had been prepared for this night raid all along! They had deliberately shown a weakness to lure Qi Zhongkai and his men deep inside before surrounding and slaughtering them!

"Move out!"

Lu Zhuo spurred his horse into the darkness, leading his five thousand elites to rescue Qi Zhongkai’s trapped forces.

Lu Zhuo did not order his men to light torches. Before approaching the U-Da camp, he commanded his soldiers to shout in unison to transmit a message to Qi Zhongkai: "General Qi, do not worry! Twenty thousand Shenwu troops are arriving momentarily!"

It was deep in the night, and no one could clearly see anything. Hearing that twenty thousand Shenwu troops—who possessed fighting power far exceeding that of ordinary imperial soldiers—had arrived, the morale of the U-Da warriors wavered, and their encirclement immediately weakened. Meanwhile, the Central Plains soldiers trapped within heard the news, their morale soared, and they fought with even greater valor.

Only Qi Zhongkai knew that the reinforcements were likely just Lu Zhuo's five thousand men. Combined, they numbered barely over ten thousand—hardly a match for the fifty thousand cavalry inside the camp.

Winning through a surprise strike was no longer possible. Qi Zhongkai only prayed to carve a path of blood and minimize their losses.

As soon as Lu Zhuo’s reinforcements arrived, Qi Zhongkai tacitly led his troops to attack the U-Da encirclement near Lu Zhuo’s position.

The two forces coordinated inside and out, using feints and true attacks, and surprisingly managed to open a gap. As soon as the two sides met, they immediately turned to charge back the way they came.

The U-Da main army realized what was happening, and without panic or disorder, they whistled and gave chase.

"Loose arrows!"

A thunderous command suddenly rang out among the U-Da cavalry. Qi Zhongkai whipped his horse into a frenzy while looking back, but it was pitch black, and he could see nothing.

"Damn it! The plan was perfect—how did they turn the tables on us?" Qi Zhongkai couldn't fathom it.

Lu Zhuo replied, "Someone leaked the intelligence."

The imperial court had already had the upper hand in this war. At a time like this, those vile, small-minded people were acting for their own profit, hoping to steal the glory.

While they spoke, the shrill sound of arrows piercing the air came from behind, a volley so dense it made one's scalp tingle.

"Split up!" Lu Zhuo ordered coldly, leading his men to charge off at an angle toward another direction.

"Lu Zhuo, don't you dare die before me!"

The cold wind howled, and the whistling of the arrows drowned out the buzzing. Qi Zhongkai cast one last look in Lu Zhuo's direction, roaring with a laugh.

Qi Zhongkai’s voice was naturally loud, and he shouted with deliberate force, his roar like thunder echoing across the grassland.

However, the man he had challenged did not respond.

Qi Zhongkai suddenly felt a pang of trepidation.

In truth, Lu Zhuo was more serious than he was and often ignored him, but on this battlefield where the chances of survival were nine-to-one, Qi Zhongkai feared Lu Zhuo’s silence.

"Lu Zhuo, I’m waiting to return to the capital to drink at your wedding feast!"

Qi Zhongkai shouted once more in the direction his friend had gone, though he did not forget to continue fleeing for his life.

Finally, a cold, indifferent voice came through, albeit unclearly: "Shut up!"

Shouting mindlessly while facing a barrage of arrows—was he afraid the U-Da archers wouldn't be able to aim?

Hearing that familiar voice, Qi Zhongkai felt comforted. He stayed silent, leaned forward, and spurred his horse to run for his life.

With a dull thud, a man riding beside him fell with his horse.

By the sound alone, Qi Zhongkai knew that the U-Da forces were using wolf-tooth arrows, lethal projectiles as deadly as spears!

Cold sweat rolled down Qi Zhongkai's back, chilling his very bones.

It was over. He might truly be unable to return alive to see the Fourth Young Lady again!