Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Eighty-one,
Defeat

Gu Cheng Ping waited for the two to exit the big tent, then wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead, and headed out as well.

To hold a reception for Xiao Wen An, He Xuan ordered the chef to go to the market to chop some meat and buy a chicken. It then got washed and defeathered, placed in with sliced ginger, star anise, leeks and apples, then cooked in the pot with a big fire to remove the foulness, and added with sauce and simmered with medium heat for half the day- the fragrance was so thick and rich, it congested the entire encampment with the night winds, making the bellies of the soldiers on night’s watch all rumble.

With He Xuan’s approval, the chef added water to the remaining chicken soup, and gave each person a bowl. In the cold night, hands held a bowl of hot chicken soup, pretty much pacified each eager appetite, and calmed each homesick heart holding their heads up to look at the moon[1].

Probably thanks to Xiao Wen An, it was the first time He Xuan smelled meat in these few months. Though he did not have much of a desire of food, but after having vegetarian for so long, the sliver of gluttony prostrating could not help but be enticed outside, to the point that even when looking at Xiao Wen An’s face that made people want to puke, he also had a few bowls of rice in a good appetite.

After a few cups of chicken soup went down the stomach, heat steamed up the seats. Xiao Wen An made a few burps, and spat out a foul breath mixed with the smell of meat, then slowly said, “Today in the afternoon, this one asked that young soldier applying the bedding, he said in this month, you guys only took the initiative to attack the city once, is there such thing?”

He Xuan played with a bronze goblet, his finger rubbed over the sharp right foot of the goblet, with a slight uninhibited pain. He sipped on a mouthful of crude tea, his eyebrows raised up, and coldly laughed, “What? Does Inspector want to bring the army for such crime?”

“This one is merely conveying his Majesty’s words, with so many people in the camp, another day delayed means there will be much more rations needed. They are merely a few traitorous thieves, could General actually be scared of them?”

He Xuan sneered inside, he heavily placed the bronze goblet on the table, with his gaze spinning around Xiao Wen An’s neck, so keen it seemed like he could cut off his throat, flowing out with ebbing blood along the blade.

“Inspector has long resided within the deeps of the palace, just how much do you know about marching and battling?”

“You!” Xiao Wen An got angry, once he was favoured by He Heng, even the favourite He Yang would fawn on him in every way, how had he ever been disgraced by another, and so he glared and angrily said, “Your Highness is right, this one naturally cannot compare to your Highness, then let this one see, just how long will the brave and peerless Highness be staying in the encampment?”

“It’s not your place to tell meg……” He Xuan could not bear the look of this castrated dog taking advantage of his influence with others and was about to open his mouth to ridicule him, but got blocked by Lan Shou Yi, and made things whole, “We all understand what Inspector is saying, but the matters of battle are not so simple, after we have some discussion, we will choose a suitable time to attack the city.”

“Fine, with General’s words, this one will be at ease.” Xiao Wen An was not willing to actually pull away facades with He Xuan too, so he went along with the words, and followed along Lan Shou Yi, “This one does not know how to speak, don’t take it to heart with this one, your Highness.”

He Xuan coldly humphed, drank all the tea in the cup, then left with a lift of the sleeves.

Since Father sent a trusted subordinate like Xiao Wen An over, it was clear his intentions were not that simple. After the previous emperor passed away, Father tightened his authority on the military all around- he was of an overly suspicious nature, and was not willing for military authority to be passed to others, so the army inspectors sent to various garrisons would be his hands and eyes, and when the generals were out fighting wars, they would have to listen to the army inspector. In recent years, though on the surface, it looked like the national power was at its peak, in reality, it long was like the embroidered pillows, with bugs growing inside.

He Xuan wrung the towel dry and hung it on the rack, his face was still hanging with a few drops of water, rolling down from the cheek to his collar, making it itch.

But he did not know what Father wanted to do. He Xuan sighed, he no longer thought about it, and spread open the blanket and placed it down, then slept inside. No matter what kind of monster it was, there would be one day it would reveal itself.

He could wait.

Each day, this Xiao Wen An would wake up early in the morning and patrol in the camp with hands behind his back, arrogant and impolite in his behaviour- if he encountered Lan Shou Yi or He Xuan, he would grumble on for a while about when they were preparing to attack the city and such, truthfully making the two a bit worried.

“General Lan, could it be that the words before were to muddle this one? It has already been this long, yet there is no sign of movement, this one will be going back to report to his Majesty……”

Lan Shou Yi’s expression immediately turned stern, and hurriedly said, “Please wait, Inspector, this matter cannot be hurried, once we plan in detail……”

“Plan? Just how much longer will you guys plan for? It is merely a mob of crows, yet it makes you people this nervous!”

Just when He Xuan was about to speak up to ridicule, he saw the adjutant hurriedly rush over, seeing Xiao Wen An at the side, he slightly paused, with a look of wanting to speak up.

“What? Can recognize the inspector? Speak.” He Xuan knitted his eyebrows, the horse boots he had on his foot impatiently stamped on the ground, and left a bunch of unruly marks.

“Your Highness, there seems to be movement in the city……”

“Oh?” Xiao Wen An’s face was of a happy one, and interrupted, “Bai Xiao and them finally cannot hold it in, this is such a great big chance, what are you guys waiting for, prepare for battle!”

“Shut up!” He Xuan pushed Xiao Wen An’s shoulder, this push of his was extremely powerful that it made Xiao Wen An stumble two steps back, Xio Wen An immediately froze from the rising imposition around He Xuan, and vacantly watched him, forgetting to speak.