Broken Bonds

69

Chapter 69

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony of the palace, a group of singers and dancers perform before the important audience.

Beitang Ao sat on the left under the throne in the most respected position, ignoring the singing and dancing performances and the flattery courtiers. The emperor knew that Beitang Ao’s temperament was cold and had just returned with a little injury. However, this kind of banquet that catches the wind, even if one didn’t want to attend, one must at least show one’s face. 

Beitang Ao turned his head, saw his uncle smile at him, and raised his glass, shaking it and saying that he wanted him to offer a glass to the officials. Beitang Ao frowned and intended to not see it but saw his uncle gesturing at him again, implying that he could go back after the glass of wine.

He was used to attending such court banquets since he was a child and he knew the many rules, so he suppressed his impatience, raised his wine glass, and stood up.

The courtiers below stood up one after another, and even the dance music stopped temporarily.

“Beitang Wang pays respects to the emperor with a cup.” Beitang Ao said, drank it in one sip, and put down the glass. Then he said to the emperor, “Emperor, this servant is unwell and shall retire first.” 

The emperor was helpless, so he nodded and let Beitang Ao go. No one bothered to be so bold in his halls and probably only this haughty nephew, Beitang Wang.

Beitang Ao returned to his palace where the maids took off his big purple court clothes and changed him into some white clothes. He waved everyone out and entered the inner room. He took out a secret letter from his arms that he received at a station outside the city this morning before entering the city.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Beitang Ao turned over and smiled. Yan Feili. Yan Feili. You vowed to leave, why stay so close to me?

In the first six months after Yan Feili left Tianmen, he was alone and browsed all over the world, three mountains and five valleys, avoiding all the eyes of Tianmen. It was not until two years ago that he joined his good brother, Liu Qi.

And two years ago, the previous monarch of the Ming Kingdom died, and the regime was in civil strife. Beitang Ao helped his uncle, the youngest prince, ascended the throne. Then, he rectified military power and sent troops to incorporate several neighboring countries into the Ming Dynasty. Today, he finally had the large tracts of land in the north and southwest.

Because they often send troops out, and for another reason, Lin Yanyan and their sons had only left Tianmen for Beijing six months ago.

Although it had not yet reached the three-year period that Beitang Ao had set, his feelings for Yan Feili were beyond temporary affections. With a light sigh, Beitang Ao leaned on the couch, clenched his fists, and tapped his forehead lightly. After the experience of time, his feelings had exceeded his imagination. This was not a good thing, but one cannot deny the love born from one’s heart.

Now that his adventures had ceased temporarily, there was nothing in the court to arouse his interest. To the southeast, Dongfang Xi had quickly conquered the small states of the various borders with the help of wind and speed, expanded the strength of the Wen Dynasty, and at the same time consolidated his power. He had the military in his hand, and his people were all over the Wen court. 

Soon, Dongfang Xi will seize the throne, and Beitang Ao felt that it was sooner rather than later. Although Beitang Ao had a fellowship and a covenant with Dongfang Xi, he didn’t know whether Dongfang Xi can contain his ambitions. After all, this equal sharing of the world was not a long-term solution.

Beitang Ao frowned, resenting his rare peace, how could he think of these things again? He straightened his back as he sat up, affecting the injury of his left shoulder and causing a tingling pain.

He was injured by the Nan Kingdom’s famous weapon, the iron crossbow. Since it was an iron crossbow, it weighs more than tens of catties* and a single arrow can weigh one and two catties. Moreover, one arrow can wear two hundred catties of wild boar chest and lungs, which was of great advantage. Only the Nan Kingdom’s people who live in the northwest all year round can use it.

*”catties” is not “many cats” but a type of Chinese measuring scale. 100 catties = 50 kg or 110 lbs. I think this is the actual weight of the crossbow rather than the Powerstroke, or draw weight, of it. A modern average crossbow’s draw weight is between 35-55 kg or 75-125 lbs. 

At that time, General Yu lured the enemy into danger, and Beitang Ao led his troops to encircle and suppress. Everything on the battlefield was chaotic. Beitang Ao’s spear flew, but no one stood there. Seven iron crossbows came together. The targets were him and Yu Feiqing. His magical protection body was injured less than a minute, but to rescue Yu Feiqing with a silver whip around his waist at the last moment, he had to suffer from this arrow.

He had already used his internal force to vibrate the arrow, but he didn’t expect that there would be a mother and son arrow after that, piercing straight onto his body. Although his vital organs were avoided, they still pierced his shoulder blade.

Beitang Ao’s scapula was shattered and his injuries were serious. Whether he could heal was still a question. But he didn’t care much. Even if his left arm was scrapped, he was still proud!

He went to the stable and ask how his companion was doing. The horse groomer answered that his elder son was going to equip Moxue with another horse and that they were currently in the stable. Beitang Ao smiled and asked, “What do they know? What good horses will they choose? It’s just which one Moxue chooses.” 

Then he pondered for a moment and asked, “They are all selected from those horse farms?”

The groomer reported the names of several horse farms one by one. When Beitang Ao heard the name of Baiyun horse farm, his heart moved. He said to the groomer, “You see those horse farms, whose horses are worthy of Wang’s Moxue?”

The groomer thought for a while and answered, “Wang’s Moxue is a rare stallion. How can it be matched with ordinary horses? Although the horses sent by the few companies are good, I think they can only match the general good horses and not good enough for Wang’s Moxue.”

Beitang Ao nodded and said, “Tomorrow you will return these horses to them, and let them send three more horses in three days.” 

“Yes.”

The groomer left.

Beitang Ao walked to the window, staring at the crescent moon in the night sky and remembering a night a couple of years ago. Yan Feili wore a blue windbreaker, standing under the big tree in the Bamboo Garden. He recalled that he had Yan Feili after being drunk, but he didn’t understand his mind and said some things that hurt Yan Feili. He thought that it was ridiculous that at the time the anger at his departure had revealed his affection.

“No. No.” Beitang Ao murmured and smiled as if muttering to himself, “Are you really able to get away?” 

The voice became deep and silent.