Chapter 141
As noon drew near, Cui Su left the Left Camp of the Imperial Guard, planning to slip back into the palace for a nice, free meal.
Cui Sheng had been swamped day and night lately, so it had been ages since he had cooked at home. His only breaks were to sneak into the Palace of Delicate Blossoms to prepare a couple of dishes for the pregnant Cui Lanyin.
Ever since the new recruits—scions of distinguished military households—had been placed under his charge, Cui Su had barely stepped foot outside the camp, drilling the ragtag group through last-minute crash training.
The food in the camp was far from bad, but Cui Su’s palate had been spoiled by Cui Sheng’s cooking. After just a few days of camp rations, he felt his mouth was on the verge of turning completely tasteless.
That morning, he had run into Geng Dayou at the palace gate, and learned that Cui Sheng would be heading to the Palace of Delicate Blossoms to cook at midday. That was when the idea had popped into his head.
While he was putting his men through their drills that morning, he had even jotted down a whole list of dishes he was craving.
Apart from Cui Sheng’s signature recipes, he had added several of Lei Fu’s best specialties to the list, determined to treat himself to a truly satisfying feast.
As he walked, he spotted a green-curtained carriage by the roadside, no doubt another young lady from a noble house come to see her lover off.
Ever since those military scions had moved into the camp, young ladies had been showing up every day in their carriages, waiting outside the gates for the drills to end, so they could share a tender moment and hand over tokens of their affection.
For no reason he could name, Cui Su’s mind drifted to a beautiful face with apricot eyes and peach-blushed cheeks. By now, the girl must have married someone, he thought glumly. Even if she hadn’t, she would surely be betrothed.
A vague melancholy settled over him. That bright, lively girl would make a good life for herself no matter who she married. Would she even remember a rough soldier like him then?
After walking a good distance, Cui Su realized something was off. That very same carriage was creeping slowly along behind him.
He stopped short, turned around, and called sharply to the driver, "Which household do you belong to?"
The coachman pulled the carriage to a halt right away, and the curtain was drawn back to reveal the very apricot-eyed, peach-cheeked beauty he had just been thinking of.
"What are you doing here?" Cui Su asked, striding over to her. He did not even realize his own face had broken into a far brighter, warmer smile than usual.
Gu Ying, however, was not as bold and open as she had been before. She stammered awkwardly, "I was just passing by, and happened to see you coming out..."
There was no way anyone would be "passing by" this far out from the camp. The excuse was too flimsy to be believed.
Cui Su glanced toward the camp gates, and a thought clicked. He tilted his head in that direction and teased, "There's someone you like there, isn't there? You haven't confessed your feelings yet, so you came to drop off a gift but were too shy to go in?"
"It's not like that," Gu Ying mumbled, twisting the hem of her sleeve. "We're just acquaintances. I thought it only right to come see you off."
"So you don't like him that much then," Cui Su said, his tone lightening. "Wait a minute, I thought you had a soft spot for handsome scholars. All the men in there are rough soldiers. When did you change your mind? You're far too fickle."
"I haven't changed my mind at all," Gu Ying shot back, pouting stubbornly. "I told you, I'm just here to see off a soldier who's fighting for Great Ying. He deserves my respect."
Cui Su knew right away there was never any romantic spark between her and that hypothetical someone. He held out his hand with a grin. "Hand it over."
Gu Ying stared at him, confused. "Hand what over?"
"Your parting gift," Cui Su said. "I'll keep it safe for you. When he comes back alive, and if your feelings haven't changed, I'll make sure it gets to him."
Gu Ying hesitated for a moment, then pulled an exquisitely embroidered pouch from her sleeve, stitched with a soaring great peng bird. "Fine. But hide it well—don't let anyone else see it."
Cui Su took the pouch, and felt a hard, solid object inside. "I need to check what's in here first, don't I? Otherwise we might get our stories mixed up later."
He fished out a square token from the pouch, carved from dark aloeswood in the pattern of bamboo shoots and peace wishes. A hint of sharp, unplanned sourness crept into his voice. "You're this generous to someone you're only casually acquainted with? If you ever met someone you loved with all your heart, would you hand over your entire dowry to them? Does your mother even know you're this reckless?"
Gu Ying was immediately riled. She reached out to snatch the pouch back. "Forget it, I don't need you to do this anymore."
Cui Su tucked the pouch into his own sleeve. "I was only asking because I didn't want you to get tricked by some smooth-talker." He paused, then added, "But since we've agreed on this, you have to follow through. Don't go getting engaged or married while I'm still holding onto your gift for you."
"I'm not that kind of person," Gu Ying huffed, rolling her eyes up to the sky. Then a flicker of worry crossed her face. "Actually, maybe you shouldn't keep it. What if you meet a girl you like, and carrying this thing around causes a misunderstanding? It would mess up your chance at happiness, and I'd feel terrible."
"I'm off to war, fighting through blades and spears. A girl I like? I won't even dream of one out there," Cui Su laughed, as if she had told him the silliest joke he had ever heard. Then he teased her gently, "Don't worry. When I come back, I'll bring you all sorts of nice treasures I plunder from the Tartars, and I'll give you a grand wedding gift. I'll even come to your wedding to see you off."
"I don't want any of that," Gu Ying said, her face flushing bright red with embarrassment.
"Don't be shy. After all, we've got that old partnership between us."
Gu Ying was too flustered to say another word, and reached to yank the carriage curtain shut.
Cui Su did not stop her. He stepped back and said, "Go on home now. Don't hang around outside the military camp like those other girls."
"As if I'd ever come back here again," Gu Ying's muffled voice huffed from inside the carriage.
The coachman flicked the reins, and the carriage started moving. Cui Su stood there smiling, watching it go, until it suddenly rolled to a stop a little way down the road. Gu Ying pulled the curtain aside and shouted toward him, "Take care! You have to come back in one piece, all right?"
Cui Su's heart jolted. He bounded after the carriage, tore the short dagger from his own waist, and called out, "Take this. Swords and spears have no eyes. If the worst happens and I don't come back, you won't be able to say I stole your gift. This is the only thing on me worth any real silver, it's more than enough to make up for what you gave me."
Tears welled up in Gu Ying's eyes. "Don't say such stupid things. For the sake of all the people waiting for you at home, you have to—if you don't, I'll come find you every single day to pester you for what you owe me."
Cui Su shook his head, pretending to be terrified. "Fine, fine, I'm scared of you. I promise I'll come back completely unhurt, not a single hair out of place."
Gu Ying was not about to let him off that easy. She reached her hand out to him. "It's a deal."
Her slender, white, jade-like hand was stretched out right in front of him, glowing soft and luminous, with the little dimples on her knuckles so cute he ached to poke them.
Cui Su secretly swallowed hard, shoving all the messy, inappropriate thoughts out of his head. He wiped his hand on the hem of his armor twice, before he reached out to take hers.
Her skin was as smooth and soft as if it had no bones. Cui Su's heart skipped a beat. "It's a deal." Afraid he would let his flustered state show, he quickly pressed the short dagger into her palm and stepped back two paces.
Gu Ying held the dagger gently in both hands, and looked at him openly with a soft smile. "You're right. For the sake of our old partnership, when you return victorious, I'll be there to congratulate you."
The carriage rumbled away again, but Cui Su stood rooted to the spot, lost in a daze for a long time.
He mumbled softly to himself, "Such a soft-hearted girl, crying just for the sake of a casual acquaintance."
***
At the East Water Gate Wharf, the golden sun rose high in the sky, and battle flags snapped loudly in the morning breeze. Soldiers in full armor, with long blades slung over their backs, stood in neat ranks before the wharf, ready to set off.
The deep, rousing thud of war drums boomed out, accompanied by the long, low wail of bugles. The emperor, clad in black armor, led his retinue to the large table placed at the very center of the platform.
He personally drew his long blade to slaughter the three sacrificial animals for the flag ceremony. Once the offerings were arranged on the table, he took the ceremonial battle axe and called out, "Where is the General of the Northern Expedition?"
The emperor's voice was no louder than it was when he spoke in court, but it carried so far that even the crowds gathered to see the troops off could hear every word clearly.
"Here, Your Majesty!" Xu Xian, also clad in black armor, stepped forward loudly and bowed before the emperor.
"I entrust the entire army to you. I pray that on this campaign, you will drive back the invaders, wipe out the bandits, and show the whole world the might of Great Ying!" The emperor placed the ceremonial battle axe into his hands.
"I will go through fire and water, and face a thousand deaths without hesitation. I shall never fail Your Majesty's great trust!" Xu Xian raised both hands high above his head, and received the battle axe.
Xu Xian had not expected that the Emperor would travel north alongside the troops, and would personally take up the ceremonial battle axe, making it crystal clear to every soldier and general that he was the top commander of this campaign. Overwhelmed with excitement, Xu Xian raised his arms and shouted at the top of his lungs, "We will not return until the Tartar invaders are driven out!"
"We will not return until the Tartar invaders are driven out!" Two hundred thousand soldiers took up the chant in unison. The wave of their roar crashed like a landslide and a tidal wave, surging straight up to the clouds, making the very earth tremble.
Their battle aura towered like a great mountain. It had been far too long since the Great Ying's officers and soldiers had displayed such fiery, unyielding will to fight!
The people of Yingcheng who had come to see the army off were so swept up in the fervor that they trembled with excitement, and could not help but cry out, "The warriors of Great Ying are mighty!"
Amid this overwhelming, rousing momentum, the Emperor led all his officers and soldiers in a ceremony to offer sacrifices to heaven, earth, and the gods.
Afterwards, the Emperor looked over at the civil and military officials standing at his side, and said with a solemn expression, "Fill the cups for all our warriors."
Every civil and military official, noble lord, and high-ranking courtier present today had turned out for the occasion, save for those too infirm to walk, and the family of Chief Minister Li.
"Yes!" Grand Secretary Shen led the group in responding. Each of them picked up a jar of wine, stepped forward, and filled the wine cups held by the soldiers.
Within the ranks, officers of every guard post filled the wine cups for their own soldiers.
Once every single person held a bowl of the pre-battle toast wine, the Empress, clad all in crimson robes, stepped forward slowly. She took the wine cup, placed it in the Emperor's hand, then lifted the wine jar to fill the cup to the brim.
The Emperor raised his wine cup. "The journey ahead will stretch for thousands of miles through mountains and passes, and I will march alongside you every step of the way!" With those words, he drained the wine in one gulp and tossed his empty cup to the ground.
The soldiers followed suit, downing their wine in one go and shouting in unison, "Long live Your Majesty! Long live Her Majesty the Empress!"
The common people waiting by the roadside, their spirits soaring too high to contain, dropped to their knees as one and took up the cry: "Long live Your Majesty! Long live Her Majesty the Empress!"
The cheers echoed on and on, shaking the very mountains.
The Emperor waved at Xu Xian, who stepped forward and shouted at the top of his voice, "March out!"
As the command flags waved, ranks upon ranks of troops began to advance forward.
Among the procession, the team of noble scions led by Cui Su stood out the most. Especially Cui Su himself, with his horse-cutting saber slung over his back and clad in polished bright silver armor. At eighteen years old, this strikingly handsome young man cut a dashing, heroic figure. He was at the age where he should have been galloping on a silver saddle through the spring breeze, carefree and unburdened, yet he was already a young general, about to lead his men off to war.
The other noble descendants trailing behind him were only a few years older than Cui Su, most of them not yet married. This march would take them straight into the jaws of life and death, and it was all too possible they would end up buried forever on the battlefield.
Never before in the history of the Great Ying Dynasty had so many sons of esteemed families and scholar-official households donned armor and headed to the front lines together, led by none other than the Empress's own younger brother.
Up ahead, the Emperor and Empress were sharing their tender, reluctant farewell.
This was a campaign that the entire nation was marching into side by side, to be forged with flesh and blood. With all these people setting such a brave example, the hearts of the people were steadied. The people of Yingcheng stood there the whole time, watching row after row of soldiers board the ships. Tears streamed down their faces, but not a single one was willing to leave.
The Emperor raised his hand to brush away the tear at the corner of Cui Lanyin's eye. "I will be back by the time you give birth."
Cui Lanyin tried her hardest to put on a bright, pretty smile. "It's already May now. It won't take you that long to go and come back. Don't push yourself too hard. I have so many people here to look after me, so you don't have to worry. When the time comes, I'll bring the baby with me to meet you in Yancheng."
A sharp pang of pain pricked the Emperor's heart. "I left you completely unprepared when you conceived this child, and now I'm leaving you to go through this alone. If I'm not here by your side when you give birth, what kind of man would that make me? No matter what happens, I will come back to you."
Cui Lanyin could hold back her tears no longer. Not caring that thousands of people were watching them, she stood on tiptoe and cupped the Emperor's face in her hands. "Cousin, I want to look at you properly. I didn't get enough of looking at you last night."
The Emperor could hold back his emotions no longer either. He pulled her tight into his embrace. "Once we get to Yancheng, I'll let you look at me all day and all night."
After a moment of hesitation, he finally asked the question that had lingered on his lips several times lately. "Do you have feelings for me?"
"I want to wait for a perfect, moonlit, flower-filled moment to tell you, Cousin." Through her tear-blurred eyes, Cui Lanyin smiled like a blooming flower.
"Alright," the Emperor said with a soft smile, brushing a strand of hair from her face, before turning and striding off to join his troops.
Here I come [let me take a good look]
I live on the top floor. From two in the afternoon to nine at night, I'm sweating buckets even just sitting down. They say the temperature is 38 degrees Celsius, but it feels more like over 40. Even with the air conditioner and fan blowing right at me, I can't cool down.
Every year it gets hotter than the last. Summer is my least favorite season, I dread it so much [cracks up in distress]
