Rebirth of a Star General Chapter 79
Adolescence
Back then, when Xiao Jue took the Nanfu[southern] soldiers to Jing Province. Although the world knew that the second son of Xiao was excellent in both martial and civil/politics/literature, but in the end, the young can not afford to take up the heavy responsibility. Zhao Nuo was an official envoy of Jing province, who was lustful and greedy for money, without any learning, and was skillless. When Xiao Jue first arrived in Jing province, he did not take Xiao Jue into consideration; he was often rude and made jokes about him. During the battle of Jing province, Xiao Jue led his troops to the battlefield while Zhao Nuo was in the rear. Fearing for his life and death. He commanded wrongly and delayed the battle, causing many soldiers to die innocently. Seeing him so rampant/insolent, Xiao Jue had him tied up and taken down.
Zhao Nuo’s father was the head of the War/military affairs. He himself had stayed in Jing province for many years. Naturally, countless people interceded. There was no shortage of high-ranking officials and nobles. They threatened and lured Xiao Jue, who was young and was unaccompanied[didn’t had friends] here.
“He is the official envoy of Jing province. His father is the minister of the revenue/financial depart. Don’t you know, many people in the court have good relations with the Zhao family, if you offend him, it will be difficult for you to move in the future!”
Xiao Jue was unmoved, only smiled contemptuously, “But the minister is so rampant, even if he’s a prime minister, this marshal will still behead him.”
Three days later, Xiao Jue led his troops to surround Zhao Nuo’s mansion and pushed Zhao Nuo to be beheaded under the monument hall of the fallen soldiers.
“The Zhao family was actually intimate with the Xiao family and the Cheng family,” Cheng Lisu recalled, “That Zhao Nuo, logically speaking, had some relatives with us. My mother wrote letters in person at the time asking uncle to open up and separate the line of work from personal.”
“But uncle didn’t listen to them.” He smiled, a little helpless, and a little proud.
“General Xiao acted in such a way, wasn’t he afraid of provoking His majesty?” He Yan thought for a while, “His Majesty would have been dissatisfied too, right?”
“As expected of my elder brother, asking the same questions as me.” Cheng Lisu said openly, “I also think my uncle’s move was a little too rash.”
After a long time later, when the young man had already put away his flirtatious way, turned into introverted, calm, and a high-ranking commander of the right army. Cheng Lisu asked, “Uncle, were you not afraid that His Majesty will be dissatisfied with you because of this?”
The young man was reading a book. He just smiled when he heard the words, and said indifferently, “He doesn’t dare.”
The emperor did not dare, no, rather the courtier was not afraid.
In fact, it was indeed the case. Even though the officials in the court had all said bad things about him, even the people from the mansion of the minister of revenue went to the golden palace asking for punishment one by one, but in the end, it was nothing. All because Xiao Jue took the Nanfu[Southern] soldiers and defeated the Nanban[southern barbarians] steadily.
At the time of hiring people, a dead envoy, or a talented officer who’s one in a million, Emperor Xuanwen was not blind, so naturally, he knew how to choose.
However, Emperor did not dare to convict Xiao Jue, does not mean that the gossip did not spread in the capital. Thus the feud between Zhao Tong, the minister from the Ministry of revenue, and Xiao Jue, was formed. People who had good acquaintances with Zhao Tong naturally did not see Xiao Jue well. And the people who had a good relationship with the Xiao family invariably alienated Xiao Jue.
For the reason, that he has a cold and harsh temperament, and he can even behead his own relatives without mercy. Secondly, he is arrogant, even his Majesty doesn’t pay attention to him, he will inevitably offend others in the future, and he may involve his relatives and friends around one day.
The Cheng family and the Xiao family were relatively close relatives, so they didn’t cut off their contact, but they liked to associate with Xiao Jing than Xiao Jue.
“My mother told me not to get too close to my uncle,” Cheng Lisu said, “She said he doesn’t care about family affection.”
He Yan thought for a while, “General Xiao is not that kind of person, right.”
“I know.” Cheng Lisu smiled, “I’ve always known.”
The two sons of the Xiao family, the eldest son of the Xiao family, was blessed with bright breeze[or you can say he was clear-headed], humble and gentle, and you can get along with him like a spring breeze[easily]. As he is more friendly and enthusiastic, and everyone loves him. The second son is outstanding in appearance and talent, but it was probably to be fair, the temper/nature is not very pleasing.
What’s more, after the beheading of Zhao Nuo, Xiao Jue’s reputation for “Jade-faced Governor, Young Killer General” spread, and others did not dare to look up. Of course, Zhao Tong contributed to this, but Xiao Jue himself also left a lot of rumors. For example, when his parents were buried, he didn’t shed a single tear, and he was busy going to the Golden Palace to argue for military power, and even the first seven days didn’t pass, when he left, Xiao’s first son to clean up the mess.
Every time his relatives get together on New Year’s, just because he doesn’t like to talk to people, he just hurries to the meet and leave.
Cheng Lisu still remembered that it was a summer day, and his eldest aunt Bai Rongwei was entertaining relatives from the Cheng family in the mansion for a summer banquet. The Xiao family was now sparsely populated, and it was rare to have such a lively time.
Cheng Lisu also went with her. At that time, Xiao Jue had been rewarded the title of General Fengyun and had just returned to Shuojing shortly after his eighteenth birthday.
The female relatives were all eating snacks and drinking tea together in the hall, while the men were discussing current affairs with Xiao Jing. Cheng Lisu looked around but didn’t see Xiao Jue.
He was extremely naughty when he was a child and hated ghosts. The teenagers around his age didn’t like to play with him, so Cheng Lisu had fun on his own. He ran to the backyard of Xiao’s house and saw a beautiful orange cat at the entrance of the ancestral hall. He chased the cat and ran all the way behind the screen/fence/wall in the ancestral hall.
It was summer, and the weather changed at the drop of a hat[fast]. In the evening, there were already dark clouds pressing up on the city, thunder bursting, and suddenly heavy rain poured down.
He held an orange tabby cat in his arms and wanted to go out. When suddenly, he heard people’s footsteps and someone came in.
Cheng Lisu secretly poked his head out from behind the screen, and saw his uncle, who was like a dragon, walking in.
The young man wore a round-necked robe of stain with raven green clouds and a golden crown on his head. His appearance was as beautiful as jewels. When he was a teenager, he liked to wear white robe, elegant and beautiful, but now he only likes to wear dark clothes as he became older, which makes him look more cold and unpredictable.
Xiao Jue walked into the ancestral hall, picked up three sticks of incense from the side, lit it, and slowly put it on.
Cheng Lisu’s eyes widened.
There were probably all kinds of rumours about Xiao Jue, and Cheng Lisu has heard that Xiao Jue never goes to offer incense to his parents, and was a ruthless person. But now it seems that the rumors were not entirely true.
He moved slowly, but very carefully. First, he wiped the dust off the incense burner carefully, wiping it clean with a cloth, then lit the incense, inserted it into the incense burner, as the green smoke curled up from the incense burner and dispersed in midair. But he didn’t leave, nor did he spoke, he just stood with his eyes down, not knowing what he was thinking.
The summer was hot and humid, the water vapor came in from outside, making the room sticky and greasy, and the thunder became even louder. But the youth constricted his eyes and looked calm. The rainstorm outside washed the eaves, but the house was incredibly quiet. Cheng Lisu didn’t understand what was happening but felt the atmosphere strange for some reason. He didn’t dare to get out of the atmosphere. He held the cat and sat behind the screen and sat with his cold little uncle for more than half an hour.
After a long time, the rain stopped and Xiao Jue left the ancestral hall.
From the time he entered the ancestral hall to when he left, he only had three sticks of incense. He didn’t say anything, didn’t do anything, just waited quietly. But it was these three incense sticks that allowed Cheng Lisu to perceive the completely different softness beneath his uncle’s harsh appearance.
He was not the ruthless person that people say he is.
There are many people in the world whose sincerity is always hidden under the appearance of coldness, but it is not like they’re without them. They are just not good at expressing themselves, making light of their feelings.
Others always say that Cheng Lisu is still like a child, innocent and naive, but in the eyes of a child, he can actually distinguish between good and evil. He doesn’t think that his little uncle is as mean as his mother said. He likes this uncle, more than the first son of Xiao’s.
“My uncle is very good,” Cheng Lisu looked into her eyes seriously and said, “If you spend a long time with him, you will also like him.”
He Yan laughed and couldn’t help but rubbed his head, “I know, I’ve known that for a long time too.”
…
Thousands of miles away, in the capital, today’s Chun Lai river, was also full of stars and sparks.
The water lantern reflected by the water lit up the water surface, and it was difficult to distinguish between the earth and the sky[which was is the real light]. Today, it was also drizzling, so a small paper cover was made on the water lantern to save it from being extinguished by the rain.
Someone was offering incense in the ancestral hall of Xiao Mansion.
Since the death of Xiao Zhongwu and his wife, the number of subordinates in the general’s mansion has been reduced. There were only two sons. Xiao Jue has not been in the mansion for many years. In the end, there are only Xiao Jing and his wife, and there was no need for so many people to serve. It was clean on weekdays, but only occasionally, it is a bit deserted.
Xiao Jing was dressed in a jade-colored robe, he was as tall and gentle as a green bamboo, standing with Bai Rongwei beside him, and everyone was admiring the fairy couple. The incense curled up, the autumn rain was lingering outside, and the cool breeze was blowing. He took off his cloak and put it on Bai Rongwei, and said warmly, “It’s cold, be careful of the cold.”
“I’m not cold.” Bai Rong Weismiled slightly at him, worrying, “I don’t know what the weather is like in Liangzhou.”
“Tonight is the Mid-Year Festival,” Xiao Jing looked at the drizzle in the yard and said, “It would have been nice if Hua Jin was in the house…”
“He won’t come to the ancestral hall,” Bai Rong Wei shook her head slightly, “he never enters the ancestral hall.”
“He will enter.” Xiao Jing replied very positively.
Bai Rongwei looked at him in surprise, “But I have never seen him…”
“It’s raining today, there is thunder,” Xiao Jing smiled, “He will enter.”
“Dear, I don’t understand.” Bai Rong Wei was slightly puzzled.
“When Huai Jin was very young, he was taken to the mountains by father to be taught by scholars/masters.” Xiao Jing took her hand and whispered, “It is rare for us to see him a few times throughout the year. He is so proud and our mother didn’t like him dancing with swords and sticks. In fact, the relationship between Huai Jin and mother has never been good.”
Mrs. Xiao was the [empress dowager’s]queen mother’s niece. The marriage was given to him by the queen mother. Xiao Zhongwu was handsome and mighty, and Mrs. Xiao liked him very much. But after getting married, the contradictions between the two gradually emerged. Mrs. Xiao was a delicate flower that grows up in the house and cannot bear the slightest grievance. In the end, Xiao Zhongwu was a military commander. He was not as careful and thoughtful as a family member. Although he has never accepted a wife or concubine, he sometimes made Mrs. Xiao dissatisfied.
The two of them quarreled the most during the years was also due to the matter of Xiao Jue.
Mrs. Xiao didn’t want her two sons to take up martial arts. She had no eyes on the battlefield. She didn’t like killing and blood and believed in Buddhism and kindness. In the beginning, Xiao Jing missed the best time to practice martial arts due to physical reasons, so he had to do avoid it. As for Xiao Jue, Xiao Zhongwu has always regarded him as his future successor since he was a child.
Mrs. Xiao didn’t want her son to follow Xiao Zhongwu’s old path, but for the first time Xiao Zhongwu, who was obedient to Mrs. Xiao, did not listen to his wife’s dissuasion.
The son has been separated from his mother for too long, and even if he has blood ties, he was still a bit distant. Moreover, Xiao Jue was not as good and docile as Xiao Jing when he was a child and occasionally showed a shameless side. Facing this cold and arrogant son, Mrs. Xiao also didn’t know how to get along with him.
Mrs. Xiao showed good wishes to Xiao Jue, and Xiao Jue’s performance was also light/indifferent. Madam Xiao likes tea and poems, but Xiao Jue likes to practice sword and horse riding. Although Xiao Jue was also very good in poems, but in the end, it was Xiao Jing who accompanies Madam Xiao.
“My mother told me in private that she was actually a little afraid of Huai jin.” Xiao Jing seemed a little funny when he said this. “She didn’t deliberately go to Huai Jin to talk afterward, and the two of them were always very polite when they got along.”
“Huaijin is actually very pitiful.” Xiao Jing’s smile became sad.
“My father had a cold temperament and was not half tolerant towards Huaijin. I learned later that he had suffered a lot in the mountains. He didn’t say, we all thought he had a very good life. If it were me, I probably wouldn’t have lasted long, and it won’t be long before I would’ve escaped/fled.” He laughed mockingly.
Bai Rong Wei patted his hand comfortingly, “Nonsense, you can do just fine.”
Xiao Jing remembered the year Xiao Jue had just come down from the mountain. He asked this younger brother, “How was the mountain?”
The boy stretched his waist and smiled lightly, “Not bad.”
The three words “not bad” hid all the hardships he has suffered, and the only thing left outside was a high-spirited Young Master Xiao.
“Others say that my father is strict while my mother is loving, but my mother didn’t always stay with him. He finally came back, but she was too polite because she was afraid of him. My mother thought he liked sweets, so she often made them for him. Huai Jin ate those sweet-scented osmanthuses every time, even I was deceived. Later, his close followers told that Huai Jin never eats sweets.”
“Because this was the way his mother expressed his love for him, so he ate. Even if he didn’t like it, even though no one has ever asked him what he likes to eat.”
Bai Rong Wei sighed slightly without speaking.
“Although I am his eldest brother, it seems that I have never helped him in anything. Others always say that he is ruthless and unrighteous, not as good as me, but I know that the reason why I can be the bright and beautiful young man today is precisely because he has undertaken a lot for me. I understand the truth, and he understands it too.” He smiled bitterly, “I now regret that my father didn’t let me join the martial arts. If I hadn’t become a civil servant, perhaps today who would have carried the burden of the Xiao family today would have been me. Huai Jin doesn’t have to be misunderstood by outsiders.”
“We all know that Huaijin has worked hard.” Bai Rong Wei said softly, “Father and mother will know too.”
Xiao Jing looked at the memorial tablet on the ancestral hall and said, “When he was a child, Huai Jin was not very close to his mother. He ran out in two days. In fact, he actually had her in his heart.”
“My mother was timid by nature, easily frightened, and most afraid of thunder. Every time when there was thunder, if Huai Jin is in the house, he will find a reason to sit in her mother’s room. Every time she sees Huai Jin, she thinks about how to get along with Hui Jin and forgets about the thunder. When the rain would stop, Huai Jin would leave.”
“I didn’t understand at first. But once there was thunder and rain, I was outside with him, and he suddenly said that he had to go back to his house as if he had something important. When he got back to the house, he said that he wanted to eat sweet-scented osmanthus candy, so mother was busy serving him. When she was cooking, I suddenly realized that Huai Jin, this guy, was just afraid that his mother would be frightened by the thunder, so he deliberately found an excuse to come back.”
When Bai Rongwei heard this, she also laughed, shook her head, and said, “Huaijin is really…”
“It’s a pity that when mother died, she didn’t know what Huai Jin thought of her.” Xiao Jing said in a cold tone, “If she knew it, maybe it won’t be the result today.”
Bai Rongwei squeezed his hand firmly, “Mother’s spirit in heaven will understand.”
“He was with his mother before his death, and after her death too. As long as he is in the house, he will come to the ancestral hall to accompany mother whenever there are thunder and rain.” Xiao Jing smiled slightly, “This is a secret, I didn’t tell anyone, I think Huai Jin doesn’t want others to know.”
Xiao Jue was too proud. He did these things like gentle spring rain, moisturizing things silently, but he didn’t exact any results. But in the end, after thinking about it seriously, he felt that he was the one who was owed the most.
“That’s why you said that if he were in the capital today, he would also come to the ancestral hall to accompany his mother.” Bai Rong Wei was slightly stunned.
“He is such a person.” Xiao Jing smiled.
The smoke in the incense burner floated into the air and slowly dispersed without a trace. The people of the past have become the past, those unexported care and companionship, from then on there was no longer a chance to explain.
“My dear, you need to know,” Bai Rongwei took Xiao Jing’s hand and said gently, “Huaijin did these things to keep the Xiao family. Now Huai Jin is far away in Liangzhou, and Xu Xiang’s party still regards Xiao’s family as such. Like a thorn in the eye, you must cheer up and don’t let Huai Jin’s efforts in vain.”
Xiao Jing was taken aback, then smiled, and he said, “I know it naturally.”
“I know you love Huaijin,” Bai Rongwei softened her voice, “but I also feel sorry for you. Huaijin has a lot of responsibility, so do you, right? Xu Xiangming has been suppressing the Xiao family secretly, looking for your mistakes, How can it be easy for you? You also have to be cautious in every step of yours.”
“Don’t worry,” Xiao Jing smiled, “The hardest time has passed.”
Bai Rong Wei was stunned for a moment, and then smiled, “You are right.”
The rain continued to patter, and the yard inside the capital was soaked. While thousands of miles away in Liangzhou, a person was leaning against the window. His blue silk hanging over his shoulders, like silk and satin, his expression faint. There was a low voice in the distance, not knowing who was playing the minor tune of his hometown. He listened and smiled softly.
This smile was a little self-deprecating, and a little lonely. After a while, he closed the window isolating the night outside.
The lights in the room swayed slowly, reflecting his star-like pupils. On the table, there was a long wooden plate with scattered rice grains. The rice grains were in different places, and small flags made of red angular cloth were placed.
The coaches Shen Han and Liang Ping were all in the room, gathered around the table, staring at Xiao Jue’s movements.
“Captain, these are the places where the flags were planted? Isn’t it too much?”
“Not much.” The young man with a jade figure was holding a chess piece, and pointed at the topmost red flag, “Seven days later, the battle for the flag will begin on the Baiyue Mountain.”
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