Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Eighty,
Army Inspector

The dusk-yellow daylight seemed like an oil lantern about to burn out, lingering in the whimsical overlapping between day and night, layering the mountain ranges with a hazy glow as it wanted. The horizons would occasionally pass by with a few swallows returning to their nests, the tops of theirs heads would clash with the slightly frosty cool breezes, then like their entire bodies got startled, sudden tremble up and down in the air, then stabilize once again, shake their wings, and head off towards the young swallows crying while waiting to be fed in the nest.

The orderly steps from the patrolling guards by the side brought about a joyous rhythm, with a jingling, proud, progressive will and vigour. When passing by He Xuan, the line would stop, wait for He Xuan to nod his head, then walk forward in high spirits again. He Xuan was dressed in a bright armour, his hand was placed on the sword handle on the right side, subconsciously stroking it. The red tassel was blown up by unexpected winds, like a bright kindle, lonesomely burning along.

Lan Shou Yi came out from a tent, and walked to He Xuan’s side, then said, “Tomorrow’s assault has already been prepared.” He Xuan nodded his head, and extended his finger and pointed to a paddy field far off, “General Lan, look.”

Lan Shou Yi looked to where He Xuan was pointing, and only saw that what was originally the paddy field was already dried up, revealing backs of the cracked earth, all barren, like the scars on the back of a drought demon.

“Flats of paddy fields fly with white egrets[1].” He Xuan hung his hand down, and sighed, “Yet now……”

“Once Nan Liang is pacified, the matter of disaster relief can be brought forward.” Lan Shou Yi was a bit silent for the time being, “The commoners have it rough.”

“Let’s rest early today.” He Xuan spun on his heel, and the shoulders wearing armour appeared especially broad in it. There was one lamp lit inside the tent, with the melting glows casting over the sand tray on the table. The top was pierced with big and small flags, with some sort of aesthetic sprouted from the picturesque disorder.

Though tomorrow was the first battle, the most important thing was to determine the bottom line of the other side, it wasn’t to the point of either life or death where one sunk ships and burned cauldrons, so He Xuan was not that extremely nervous either.

He typically was good at scheming and planning, gaining decisive victories thousands of miles away, but always lacked some composure stability and without changing expressions while Mount Tai collapsed in front. From the time the royal tutor read the Book of Jin when he was young, he especially admired Si Ma Shi[2] the night prior to the incident at the Gao Ping tombs- while Zhao could not sit still, Shi slept away calmly as usual[3], but…… on this point alone, it was like he had nothing in common with it.

He Xuan gathered up the military books on the table, stacked them to one corner, and then when the servant outside the tent asked if he would like hot water, He Xuan agreed, then sat on the bedside waiting.

Next day, Feng Province.

Bai Xiao was, after all, Jin’s main general, his instructions were apt, possessed shocking muscle strength, and was one with the courage of many- He Xuan and their group could not take them down for a long time, dragging it on was merely a waste, so they could only withdraw the troops. The military medic who came along busied around, the injured soldiers supported each other, and those who were more seriously injured were carried, and orderly got sent into the tent for injured soldiers.

“General Lan, is there still no news from the eastern expedition?” He Xuan knitted his eyes while looking at the sand tray, with his voice all hoarse. At that time when they set off from Shang An’jing, their troops separated into two, He Xuan and Lan Shou Yi set off from the west together as advance troops, so their numbers were not many, just enough to assess the real situation. And afterwards, the eastern army led by Fu Ying Zhi would set out five days later, take Hui Province, then reconvene with them. Except, from the looks of it now, it was already several days past the period they arranged, yet there had yet to be news of the eastern expedition, the letters sent to the courts asking were like dirt cows in the sea, with no news for a long time.

Lan Shou Yi shook his head, his typically steady face also emerged with a sliver of anxiety, and answered, “No news yet, perhaps they were held up on the way.”

“Held up? Even if they were held up, they can just have someone send a letter with a fast horse over, why to the extent there isn’t even a bit of news!” He Xuan got in a rage with his hands, and the wooden table temporarily made slightly shook, swaying like it was going to break apart in the next instant.

He Xuan angrily ground his back teeth, suppressed the annoyance in his heart, then got up and took back his hand, and spoke with a forced calm, “Never mind, relying on those bunch of good-for-nothings is no use. Right now, we cannot take siege of city, Bai Xiao being attacked by enemies from the front and rear is a truth, we still have the advantage. Feng Province cannot compare to Qing Ling, their resources were originally not enough, as long as we block their supply route, and send troops to annoy them each day, they won’t hold for long.”

“Furthermore, there is a great drought this year, Nan Liang’s grains were originally not enough, even if they strengthen their bulwark and leave no provisions outside, just how long could they withstand it.” He Xuan hung his eyes down, and played with the flags in the sandbox, “At that time, when the reinforcements arrive……”

He Xuan’s forefinger lightly tapped the small dot representing Feng Province, and said with a deep voice, “We will definitely take Feng Province.”

In the evening, He Xuan drank rice soup and ate some ration biscuits, but his mind repeatedly tossed around the matter of the eastern expedition mentioned in the day. What he said in the day was said with certainty, but deep down, he knew it was merely a bluff, his heart was truthfully a big cave leaking with wind, never seen with a bottom. When killing enemies on the battlefield and holding an expedition tens of thousands of miles long, trust was the first priority- what those who led were afraid of was not the iron hammer of Tu Jue’s Khan, but the Son of Heaven sitting high in the dragon city. The people who are protected through the sacrifice of lives, were typically most capable of gripping onto your weakness.

He Xuan faintly had an ominous speculation, yet could only pray he was merely overly suspicious. He swallowed the final mouthful of rice soup, then called in a servant to clean up the dishes, and stared at the shadows on the wall in a daze.

A few days later, they finally received news of the east expedition.

“They said because they met with a giant rock sealing the path on the way, they were delayed for some time, his Majesty especially sent an army inspector to first deliver an imperial order, urging on an important matter.” He Xuan’s features grew with anger again, and once Lan Shou Yi was the only one left in the tent, he said, “There was no response for so long, yet to have no hint of apology, truly is impudent.”

“Please calm down, your Highness.” Lan Shi Yi consoled, “There is news after all, this is considered a good thing too. These few days we could only shout in the frontlines, and Bai Xiao could only coop up in the gates……”

“Bai Xiao is well-experienced and astute, I think he just wants to polish morale is all.” Lan Shou Yi paused, “With how I understand him, he would definitely not wait in vain, and would search for a plan to break the stalemate.”

He Xuan’s right hand gripped into a fist, he used a bit of strength, and the joints made a slight cracking sound, “En, let’s play by ear then.”

Just as the two were speaking, Adjutant Qiu Jia He lifted up the curtains, and said, “Your Highness, General, the army inspector has already arrived.” He Xuan always was close to Lan Shou Yi this entire way, so there was no gap for Qiu Jia He to slip into so whether it be in public or private, he would search for some opportunity to get close. He Xuan coldly looked at him, seeing him ask if they should go out right to welcome them, he lightly laughed, “What? For a messenger from the Son of Heaven, do Ig have a reason to not welcome them in?”

Qiu Jia He repeated said he did not dare, but He Xuan long already passed him and walked outside the tent. His features withdrew some of its annoyance, and changed into a calm expression. He did not wear armour today, only a regular long-sleeve, and at this time, after slightly smoothing the folds, he distantly already could see that inspector come down from the horse, with a face of haughtiness while looking at the troops all around.

Officials cause havoc to the country since times of yore[4], this was not just a wild remark. He Xuan knitted his eyebrows and coldly observed for a while, up until Lan Shou Yi lightly patted his shoulder, and urged him, “Why isn’t your Highness going over?” He Xuan then pulled out a smile with a slight bit of ridicule, and lifted his chin, “Does General know this person?

Lan Shou Yi narrowed his eyes and carefully looked, then shook his head, “This old one is normally not in the capital, and does not know many of the people in the palace.”

“Here, Xiao Wen An. Someone that Father newly promoted these two years. Now, he is already an imperial grand eunuch.” That Xiao Wen An highly lifted their head, their hand held a horse whip and pointed and ordered a row of soldiers at the front, He Xuan’s face went dark, and lifted his leg to go forward.

“So it’s Inspector Xiao, the journey must be very tiring.” He Xuan gripped the horse whip in Xiao Wen An’s hands with his hand, lightly pulled it, with the corner of his lips curling with a spurious smile. Within Xiao Wen An’s astonished gaze, he placed the horse whip back into his hands, and hoarsely said, “If there isn’t anything else, Inspector, first come sit in the tent, we will hold a banquet for Inspector in the evening.”

Xiao Wen An got choked up by He Xuan for a bit, and could only swallow back the words he wanted to teach the troops with just now. He was a person personally taught by He Heng, and did not help either He Xuan or He Yang- in his eyes, he only recognized people who could give him power and position in the present.

“Thank you, your Highness.” Xiao Wen An bowed, then followed He Xuan and Lan Shou Yi into a big tent.

“Inspector Xiao, this is the bedding we’ve prepared, the blanket and pillowcase are all newly changed, there is a towel and face-wash basin, Inspector, see if there is anything else you need.” The one following was He Xuan’s young private soldier, Gu Cheng Ping. He long heard that the newly-arrived Lord Inspector was not easy to serve, and often used his nostrils to look at people. Before coming, he already complained constantly, and was afraid he’d find a mistake, and get hit by the military cane for no reason at all.

Xiao Wen An looked here and there with his hands behind his back, and found this simple bedding and furniture was extremely unpleasing to the eyes, and clutched his throat and shrilly complained, “What? Has the money given by the courts all entered the stomachs of you rice buckets? You dare use these worn and ragged things to fool this one?”

As he spoke, he reached out to shake open the thin blanket, and used his fingertip to hold it up in disgust, with the other hand covering over his nose, and clicked his tongue, “Look at this, look at this, what a stale smell, you bunch of ruffians, don’t think this one is easy to bully!”

Gu Cheng Ping couldn’t think up of any excuse, resources for an expedition were extremely rare, these were already things that their Highness used, soldiers like them underneath could only sleep on a single wide bed. Gu Cheng Ping was mostly fearful of He Xuan due to respect, but could not find a sliver of respect for this eunuch, so he secretly scolded inside, this old castrated crook, how unreasonable!

“What is it? Is Inspector not satisfied?” Just when Gu CHeng Ping thought of He Xuan, he then saw the crown prince normally dazzling like a star dressed in black robes, with the waist tied with a short sword, lifting up the curtains to come in.

Xiao Wen An pouted his mouth, and said, “Though it is said it is crude, but this one also sympathizes with the expedition’s hardships, I will just bear with it, thank you your HIghness for even coming especially to visit.”

“Oh? Lord Inspector is quite noble and of high integrity Ig am quite envious.” He Xuan smirked and glanced at Gu Cheng Ping shrinking to the side, and said, “Dinner is ready, we’ve especially prepared good dishes for Inspector, it is not good for the army to drink wine, so Inspector will have to make do for a bit.”

“Thank you, your Highness.”