The man in the blue robe stood at the window, not watching the dazzling dance on the ornately decorated stage inside the Red Sleeve Pavilion. He looked out the window, as if something on the horizon was attracting his attention. A cold wind swept in from the open window, ruffling his slightly faded blue robe.
Perhaps because the wind was too cold, Aunt Xi, sitting in the chair, couldn't help but shiver.
Only she knew that even the strongest wind wouldn't have made her feel cold. She was cold because of what the man in the blue robe had just said. He said he was going to the Great Snow Mountain, and it was those words that chilled her to the bone. It was an irresistible cold, penetrating to her marrow and her heart.
"You must go?"
She asked.
Aunt Xi wasn't old at all. Although there were some fine crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, her face was still exquisite, especially her eyebrows and eyes, which were beautiful to the extreme. Her eyebrows were like weeping willow leaves, and her eyes were like pools of water. Without a doubt, if she wanted to marry now, men lining up outside Fangu City would be lining up.
Fang Jie, though the landlord of Hongxiu Tower, had only met Aunt Xi once.
That one time, however, made it hard for Fang Jie to forget Aunt Xi's eyes and brows.
It wasn't that he was lustful, but rather that her eyes and brows were simply too beautiful.
Aunt Xi's name was Xi Huamei, but her eyebrows weren't painted on. She was born with unforgettable eyebrows and unforgettable eyes. A subtle, natural charm emanated from her, neither intense nor pretentious. Since she was a young girl, she had captivated countless men. Many men were willing to go bankrupt for her, and many were willing to face death for her.
But she fell for him.
Her nemesis.
"How is Xin'er?"
He didn't answer Xi Huamei's question, but instead asked another.
"Very good... It's rare that you still remember her."
Xi Huamei watched his retreating figure and said, "Ten years ago, you abandoned Xin'er with me and left, your fate unknown for ten years. In these ten years, Xin'er has asked me more than once where you were. Only in the last two years have she asked less, perhaps because she believed the answer I gave her. But how could your heart be so cruel? For that obsessive thought in your heart, you even disregarded her?"
"What did you say to her?"
The man in the blue robe still didn't answer Xi Huamei's question.
"I said you were dead."
Xi Huamei bit her lip and said.
"That's fine."
The man in the blue robe turned around and smiled: "Let her think I'm dead, so she has no more worries or concerns. That might not be a bad thing for her. In another ten years, perhaps she will completely forget me. Without me in her heart, her days will be happier and more carefree. It seems that none of the memories I gave her are worth remembering."
"I must go."
He suddenly answered her first question.
The man in the blue robe looked again at the gray sky, his eyes calm yet burning with a fierce fighting spirit: "This world is full of obedience and humility. Someone has to try to do something. Someone sets the rules, and gradually people get used to them, thus taking it for granted to be subservient… gradually forgetting they are human beings."
"Human, a character composed of two strokes, should stand tall and upright."
She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
"My heart isn't cruel."
He answered her second question: "If my heart were crueler, I wouldn't have let that person go ten years ago. If he hadn't left, there wouldn't be so much injustice in this world. If my heart were crueler, I shouldn't have hesitated because I cherished my remaining life, allowing his disciples and followers to take him far away. I spent ten years recovering from my injuries, and he spent ten years too… But you know, he has many miraculous medicines, so he should recover faster than me. If I don't go now, I'll have even less of a chance."
"Since you know this, why can't you wait until you're absolutely certain?"
Xi Huamei shouted sharply, her chest heaving more violently.
"Furthermore…aren't you afraid of causing a catastrophe?"
Hearing this, the man in the blue robe was clearly taken aback, then shook his head, his tone calm: "A catastrophe will come sooner or later. It's better to have it come sooner than when it's too late to fight back. At least people will have a chance to survive."
"The master won't agree to you going."
Xi Huamei thought of one last reason to stop him. "You're wrong."
The man in the blue robe turned around, looking at Xi Huamei gently. "You don't understand Master. If I don't go… he'll go sooner or later. When Master has no choice but to go, the real calamity will be upon him. You know his position; there will always be many inconveniences. Therefore, Master won't object to me going."
"Would he just stand by and watch you go to your death?"
"No."
The man in the blue robe said softly, "Master will burn incense and scatter paper money for me."
Silence.
Both of them fell silent. Perhaps to break the irritating silence, the man in the blue robe asked curiously, "There was a young man sitting below watching the dance, dressed in black, the one being dragged away by several border soldiers... Do you know him?"
"Yes... His name is Fang Jie, the owner of this building, the landlord of Hongxiuzhao."
"Such a young age, yet he's quite remarkable."
"He's very good at making money."
"He's dying."
The man in the blue robe took a sip of tea, speaking of something completely unrelated to him. He was simply curious about the little fellow, yet disgusted by what was inside him. Only he could see through such cruel methods, and only that person could use them.
"Let him die."
Xi Huamei's mind wasn't on this matter at all, and in her view, while she didn't dislike the young man, what did his life or death have to do with her?
...
...
Stepping out of the dungeon, Fang Jie took a deep breath of the crisp, cold air outside. The damp, musty smell of the dungeon was unpleasant, and the darkness and cold were even more so. Spending too much time there made him feel as if something was stuck in his chest.
The Northern Liao man named Wanyan Liyao was a clever fellow, and Fang Jie could tell that he held a high position within the Northern Liao tribe. Although the other Northern Liao people pretended to be indifferent, their respect for Wanyan Liyao was undisguised.
He wondered just how harsh and cold that place must be.
Remembering Wanyan Liyao's words about the extreme cold of the Ten Thousand Mountains, Fang Jie couldn't help but shiver. He tightened his fur robe, thinking with frustration that if he could practice martial arts, he could be as impervious to the cold as Mu Xiaoyao and Daquan. Winters in Fangu City were already unusually cold, yet Mu Xiaoyao still wore only a thin long dress. As for Daquan… that guy wore a fur robe with fur trim, but he wasn't wearing any underwear underneath…
As he walked out of the dungeon courtyard, Fang Jie suddenly remembered something.
If this matter is resolved, his military merits will be sufficient. All Li Xiaozong needs to do is send a letter of recommendation to the Ministry of War, and he can participate in the Martial Arts Academy's entrance exam. If he successfully enters the academy, at the very least, he'll become a captain. While he has practiced martial arts year-round without interruption, he won't be highly valued in the army because he can't cultivate martial arts.
However… the Martial Arts Academy, after all, prioritizes martial arts.
Of course, if he performs well in other areas, he might be able to stay at the academy as a minor official. Fang Jie is quite confident in his abilities in mathematics and music.
As long as he can stay at the Sui Dynasty Martial Arts Academy, even if those who have been hunting him for so many years have the audacity to cause trouble in Chang'an, would they dare to go there? Even if they dare to enter Chang'an, would they dare to cause trouble at the academy?
Thinking of his exceptionally bright future, Fang Jie felt much more at ease.
In a good mood, he wanted to go to Yunji Dog Meat Hot Pot.
He was the most unusual person in Fangu City, so while all eight hundred border troops were assembled for battle, he could idly stroll the streets. Unable to find anyone to accompany him, he reluctantly devoured a steaming pot of fragrant dog meat stew all by himself.
When Fang Jie arrived at Yunji, Su Tugou was butchering a dog.
His hands, covered in blood from skinning, saw Fang Jie approach and wiped the blood from his hands on his apron, standing up with a grin and saying, "Brother Fang, you're patronizing my business again."
"Actually, I came to see your wife," Fang Jie shamelessly replied, then stood aside watching Su Tugou skin the dog. He discovered that although Su Tugou was honest to the point of being cowardly, he had an artful way of killing and skinning dogs. The dogs killed for Yunji Dog Meat weren't domestic dogs, but wild dogs from the Wolf Milk Mountains, as ferocious as wolves. In winter, prey dwindles in the Wolf Milk Mountains, and packs of wild dogs frequently descend to attack livestock.
Hunters usually bring their hunted wild dogs to Yunji.
"Come on in, it's cold outside,"
the taciturn Su Tugou said with a simple smile.
"Brother Tugou, you kill dogs every day, don't you have nightmares?"
Fang Jie suddenly asked very seriously.
Su Tugou put down his knife, paused for a moment, and replied earnestly, "Perhaps I've killed too many. Even the most vicious wild dogs, if they turned into ghosts, wouldn't dare enter my dreams. If they did, I'd just kill them again."
His tone was calm, yet it sent a shiver down Fang Jie's spine.
"That makes sense."
Fang Jie nodded thoughtfully and turned to walk into Yunji.
"Brother Fang…"
Su Tugou suddenly called out to Fang Jie, hesitated for a moment, and said, "You should drink more wine these days."
"Why?"
Fang Jie asked. Su Tugou chuckled awkwardly, "It's cold."
Fang Jie held up his middle finger, "Has your wine sales been down lately?"
Entering Yun Ji's shop, Fang Jie didn't see the pity in Su Tugou's eyes. Su Tugou squatted down and continued skinning the meat, muttering to himself as he worked, "It's just that you've spent a lot of money and drunk a lot of wine at my place, so I feel it's a pity to lose such a big customer... I wonder who used such a ruthless method, drinking more wine might improve blood circulation, otherwise..."
...
...
Just as Fang Jie ordered a dog meat stew at Yun Ji's, a guest arrived at the study of Li Xiaozong, the military commander of Fan Gu City.
This person wore a fur robe, with a fur-lined hat covering his head and face. After entering Li Xiaozong's study, he took off the thick hat and placed it by the stove. Soon, the hat was steaming, emitting wisps of white smoke.
This person was extremely thin; even his face was almost devoid of flesh. His eyes were deep-set, his cheekbones prominent, and his face resembled that of a monkey, complete with a goatee. He looked somewhat comical, but Emperor Li Xiaozong dared not laugh upon seeing him. He respectfully poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, standing to the side with his head bowed.
"Although you are a collateral descendant of the Li family, or even a son born out of wedlock... the General still values you highly."
The man took the teacup, glanced at Li Xiaozong, and sighed with disappointment at his lack of ambition: "That's why I had to travel hundreds of miles in this cold weather to advise you... The Ministry of War and the Court of Judicial Review left Chang'an a month and a half ago, handling over a dozen cases along the way, executing four generals of the rank of Yajiang and above, and even a fourth-rank Langjiang... This time His Majesty is truly enraged; you must be careful."
"You should know that His Majesty detests officials who embezzle... especially those in the military. If it's verified, you won't have a chance of survival. Don't think that just because you're skilled, you can be complacent. You should know that among the people from the Ministry of War and the Court of Judicial Review this time, there are at least three experts of the sixth rank or higher, and one talisman master who broke through ten years ago..."
"This humble servant dares not harbor any illusions."
Li Xiaozong lowered his head, his face pale.
Beyond the fifth rank is considered a breakthrough; experts of the sixth rank or higher are certainly highly valued in the army. Although he had broken through to the Breakthrough Realm a year ago, he was no match for the combined attack of three Breakthrough Realm experts. Moreover, among those who came this time was a particularly troublesome talisman master.
"I heard that the reason you became greedy is because of a man named Fang Jie?"
The man with the goatee asked in a hoarse voice.
"Yes!"
"General, I heard that a spy from the Mongol Empire infiltrated Fangu City, attempting to bribe and win over the Fangu border troops… but was exposed by General Li Xiaozong. This matter… the General will truthfully report to the Ministry of War and the Court of Judicial Review."
"This humble servant…"
Li Xiaozong swallowed hard, his mouth full of bitterness: "This humble servant understands."