Chapter 167 (Part 1) Ming Yue Cheng's promise
The three parties attacked at the same time. One could guess even with their toes that there was a conspiracy behind this. Someone certainly threaded a needle between these people and let the three parties reach a pact. So, this matter was so coincidental. Who was it? This was too sudden, causing people to get caught by surprise. The information wasn't fully collected. There was no way to know who was behind this.
Now, the only fortunate thing was that Nan Feng didn't participate. Otherwise, Bei Zhou would have been surrounded by enemies from all four sides. By then, even if those in power didn't panic, the citizens would definitely panic.
Dong Lu sent the army because of Xia Yun Xi. Xi Qi's excuse was because of Yandang mountain. Then, Jurchen tribe's reason, could it be for the shame of ten years ago?
"Wangfei,1 the Jurchen tribe had disappeared for ten years. There must be a reason for their sudden reappearance. Our information should be delivered within the next two days. This is all the previously collected information of Jurchen. Please, take a look at it!"
Nalan Xin took out the information he’d already prepared and handed it over to Feng Qi Qi. It was thick as the height of half a human.
"Su Mei, Su Yue, stay here and help me categorize the information. Single out the most important information that is also related to war. List them separately. Nalan Xin, our Moyu will go find out about Xi Qi. Dong Lu's information is for your Fo Sheng Men. I want to know all the intelligence and information about Dong Lu's sending out the army! Senior Jin Mo, prepare adequate medicine. Wangye2 may personally lead the army!"
Everyone was won over by Feng Qi Qi's arrangement. However, the last sentence surprised everyone.
"Junior sister, was wangye already prepared to lead the army?" Jin Mo had also guessed that Feng Cang may lead the army. He just didn't know which side he (FC) would go.
"Wangye didn't say it. I guessed it. The three sides are surrounded by enemies. Wangye can't go to all three sides at the same time. He would go to one. You, go prepare first lest there's no time."
"Good!" When Jin Mo and Nalan Xin was ready to leave, Feng Qi Qi added, "Senior brother, trouble you to pay attention to Ming Yue Cheng's move in the capital! Although Nan Feng hasn't taken action yet, but it doesn't mean that our area in the south is safe. I will also let Moyu's people pay attention to Nan Feng!"
"Good!" Seeing that Feng Qi Qi didn't put her guard down against Nan Feng just because Ming Yue Cheng was in Yan capital, Jin Mo nodded. "Don't worry!"
Feng Qi Qi browsed the information about Jurchen tribe all night long.
From the information, Jurchen tribe was a nomadic ethnic group and divided into four big tribes. The life of the Jurchen tribe was very simple at the vast grassland in the north. They grazed in the spring and in the summer. In the autumn, they would plunder the south and go back to recuperate in the winter.
During the former Qin, the Jurchen tribe was a headache to the Qin. Although Qin had used marriage, food and silk in exchange for peace and tranquillity, but the Jurchen tribe wasn't weakened by this. Instead, they became more arrogant.
Then, ten years ago, Feng Cang led the soldiers to the north and penetrated deep in the grassland. It took a year and half. Not only was Jurchen tribe utterly defeated, he also took down Jurchen tribe's Khan, Ji Sanggu Khan's head. Since then, the Jurchen tribe disappeared from the north and moved into the desert.
However, after a lapse of ten years, the Jurchen tribe called a hundred thousand men and went to the south. Ji Sanggu Khan was gone. Could it be that his children were leading the soldiers?
When Feng Cang returned to Tingsong building, Su Mei and Su Yue were still reading the information. Feng Qi Qi was so tired that she’d laid down on the rocking chair. She held the information in her hand, but she’d already fallen already asleep.
"Shh!"
Feng Cang gestured for Su Mei and Su Yue to be quiet. He came softly and quietly to Feng Qi Qi.
Looking at her appearance, she must be very tired. Feng Cang gently kissed Feng Qi Qi's forehead, feeling heartache.
Just as he was about to cover Feng Qi Qi with the silk quilt, Feng Qi Qi woke up.
"Cang, you've returned!"
"Mm! I came back to wash up. In a moment, I need to go to the palace again! Sleep more!"
"Good!" Feng Qi Qi was very tired. She wanted to sleep very much. Just as Feng Cang covered Feng Qi Qi with the quilt, dropped a kiss on her forehead and was ready to leave, Feng Qi Qi opened her eyes and stopped him.
"Cang, ten years ago, when you killed Ji Sanggu Khan, did you miss his children?"
"Ji Sanggu Khan had two sons and one daughter. The eldest son was eighteen years old. He had already been killed by me. That year, the daughter was eleven years old. She’d almost died under my sword. As for his youngest son, I didn't see him. He had been taken away. It was said that his youngest son was only six years old that year. Now, he must be sixteen years old."
"Oh…," Feng Qi Qi nodded. "I just thought that without Ji Sanggu Khan, who could unite the four great tribes and send an army? Who would be the one leading Jurchen tribe's people this time?"
"It must be Taji Guli, Ji Sanggu Khan's daughter."
"Oh?" Originally Feng Qi Qi was very sleepy. Now, she heard that a woman led the army. Her spirits immediately went up. She sat up and wanted Feng Cang to talk about this Taji Guli.
"Since young, Taji Guli had been raised like a man. At three, she could ride a horse. At five, she learned equestrian archery. At seven, she shot a white bird of prey. At nine, she captured a white wolf in the desert and was known as the pearl of Jurchen tribe. Ji Sanggu Khan once said that this daughter of his was comparable to three sons. He also said, that if he passed away, he would pass the Khan's position to Taji Guli."
Feng Cang sat behind Feng Qi Qi and let her lean on him. He massaged her back and shoulders to soothe Feng Qi Qi's muscles.
"Can a woman inherit the Khan's place?" Hearing Feng Cang say that Feng Qi Qi was very curious about the Jurchen tribe. Although, from the history of the previous life, there was also a Jurchen tribe, but it seemed that the two Jurchen tribes were very different, ah!
"The Jurchen tribe had always admired heroes. The reason why Ji Sanggu Khan was able to unify the four tribes was because he was very powerful when he was young. He was also matchless at equestrian archery and very brave. Taji Guli was even more powerful than her father. At a very young age, her prestige far outnumbered that of her older brother’s in the Jurchen tribe. It could be seen that the color blue is made out of indigo but is more vivid than indigo."
The color blue is made out of indigo but is more vivid than indigo: the student surpasses the master"That year, if it wasn't because she’d faked her death and let me put my guard down, in this mainland, there may no longer be a Jurchen tribe."
What Feng Cang said, Feng Qi Qi had already learned from the information.
Taji Guli's muscles and bones had been injured by Feng Cang during that battle. She’d simply faked her death by lying on the ground. Later, when no one noticed, she killed a soldier of the eagle troop, took his horse and escaped. Although Feng Cang tried to catch up with her on horse and shot her in the back, but in the end, she still escaped. He didn't expect that the little girl had survived and led the rest of the Jurchen tribe into the desert to hide.
Had to say, when she looked at the information, Feng Qi Qi admired Taji Guli very much. An eleven-year-old girl could actually be so strong, so tough and so unwavering. It seemed that she was a strong enemy.
"Cang, if the one who is leading the Jurchen tribe is really Taji Guli, then presumably she came here for revenge. However, now it's spring. Spring was generally their time to rest, feed the horses and herd. Why didn't they wait until fall when the horses are strong before going to the south? By then, they could also plunder and go back to spend the winter. Wasn't this always their custom? Now, they're coming to the south in spring. Isn't this very disadvantageous to them?"
Feng Qi Qi asked so many questions in one breath. Feng Cang laughed softly. It seemed that she really had read that information.
All that information, she must've looked at them the whole night! This little woman really didn't know how to take care of herself! It was just, that she was able to see the critical point at a glance made Feng Cang had a feeling that he'd gotten a confidante. Usually, women only knew the four corners of the roof and fight and scheme against each other. However, his woman actually knew so much. To get such a woman as a companion, how lucky was he?!
Thinking till here, Feng Cang's voice got gentler, "Qing Qing, giving up the grazing time of the spring and summer to come to the south, presumably, it's for two reasons. First one is that Taji Guli was impatient to get revenge and wanted to take revenge for her father and brother. So, she didn't care for those. As for the second…."
"The second possibility is that she had absolute certainty! Someone surely went to the desert and contacted Taji Guli. The three parties agreed to send the army at the same time to let you be badly burned about the head and overwhelmed. Then her chances of winning would be much higher!"
Badly burned about the head: hard-pressed/ under pressure"Clever!" Feng Cang tapped Feng Qi Qi's nose. "Qing Qing said everything I wanted to say!"
"Cang, if it's really the second possibility, then the 'contact person' is really amazing! He instigated for Xia Jin to take revenge for his daughter and let Longze Jing Tian become the crown prince and instigated him to build his own merits to consolidate his position. Taji Guli was honing her strength for the revenge for her father and brother…. Cang, who do you think this person is? Could it be Misha?"
"Impossible."
Feng Cang shook his head, "Suppose Misha is Lian Sheng. Then, he only had the mind to look for Yi Lian now. A war wouldn't benefit him in any way. He also didn't have the opportunity nor the time to do this. Moreover, he's in Yan capital now. If he was the contact person, he wouldn't let himself stay in such a dangerous place. Besides, our people have watched over him for so long. If there was something unusual about him, we would've found out."
Feng Cang's analysis was justified. After hearing it, Feng Qi Qi nodded, "It was just, if it wasn't Misha, I can't figure out who has such a hatred towards Bei Zhou…"
Seeing Feng Qi Qi frown, Feng Cang reached out to flatten her brow, "Qing Qing, don't think too much! Hand these things over to me. What you need to do now is to go sleep! Yesterday, you didn't sleep for the whole night. I haven't hit your butt yet! Now, you're about to become a mother and you still don't know how to take care of yourself. Even if you don't consider for yourself, you should think about our child, ah!"
Hearing Feng Cang, Feng Qi Qi laughed shyly. She had been busy. She had forgotten that she was pregnant. No wonder she was so sleepy!
"Good! I'll listen to you!" Feng Qi Qi kissed Feng Cang's lips. "I and the child will wait at home for your return!"
"Good! I will wait till you're asleep before going to the palace!" Feng Cang helped Feng Qi Qi lay down and covered her with the silken quilt. His big hand gently patted on the quilt as though he was coaxing a child to sleep. Don't know if it was because Feng Qi Qi was too sleepy or that Feng Cang's technique was too hypnotizing, but in a moment, Feng Qi Qi was asleep.
Looking at Feng Qi Qi's calm and peaceful face, Feng Cang's heart became warm. The feeling of having a wife was so great!
He slowly pulled down the curtain and went to Su Mei and Su Yue, "You’ve also worked hard for the whole night. Go rest for a while! Don't tired yourselves out!"
"Yes!" Su Mei and Su Yue stood up. Along with Feng Cang, they retreated.
After closing the door, Feng Cang called Su Mei. Su Yue knew that guye3 had something to say to Su Mei. She took the initiative to leave Tingsong building first.
"Su Mei, you and ah Kang's wedding may be affected by the war. Ah Kang wants your marriage to be postponed first and have the wedding when the war is over. What do you think?"
Feng Cang said this with great difficulty. Wanyan Kang couldn't face Su Mei himself. So, he asked Feng Cang to be the middleman.
The moment she heard that it was Wanyan Kang's idea, Su Mei didn't think so much, "Wangye, tell him, I'm willing to wait for him! If he wants to go to war, I'm willing to follow him!"
"Good…," Feng Cang nodded.
When he went back to the palace, Feng Cang was immediately pulled aside by Wanyan Kang. "Cousin brother, how did the things go? Did little Mei er4 agree to postpone the wedding?"
"You, this brat is lucky. Not only did she agree to postpone the wedding, she also said that if you went to war, she's willing to go with you!"
The moment he heard Feng Cang, Wanyan Kang almost cried, "Cousin brother, this can't be! I was afraid of going to the battlefield. I…I was afraid of delaying her. So, I postponed the marriage. Why was it that you went to talk with her, it had become that she was going with me to the battlefield?!"
Wangfei: main wife/consort of the prince of first rank ↩ Wang/wangye: prince of first rank ↩ Guye: son-in-law, used by the servants of the female family ↩ Er: term of endearment ↩