Su Yi looked at Wanyan Xu. He looked at this man who he felt both high esteem and deep hatred for. He looked at this man who was born to be the bitterest enemy he would ever encounter but who was also the most intimate confidant that he would ever have in his life. He looked at this man who had originally wanted his life, but who now persistently tried to have his heart. At this moment, a feeling, one that he could not describe with his voice nor make sense of with his brain, slowly started to emanate from the bottom of his heart.
The feeling he should obviously have towards this man was one of bone-deep hatred that would cause him to grind his teeth at the very thought of him, so why was it that when he now saw Wanyan Xu, the first thought that came to his mind was the tenderness he had shown Su Yi during the humiliating ordeal last night, when he had tried so hard to restrain himself so as to make things easier on Su Yi. But if what he should do was to fall in love with this man, who would henceforth be the master of Su Yi's future, then why did the old grudge he bore against Wanyan Xu for destroying his country and taking him prisoner still loom so large in his thoughts? He stood still, not moving from his spot, and kept looking at Wanyan Xu's face intently, trying desperately to puzzle out the numerous and disorderly thoughts and feelings that were coursing through him, but the more he tried to puzzle them out, the more puzzled he became.
"Zi Nong, I [1]... do I have rice on my face?" Wanyan Xu rubbed at his face anxiously. This is so strange; Su Su usually did not care to spare him even a single extraneous glance but Su Su was actually peering at him intently today. At this time, the only reason that Wanyan Xu could think of for his unusual behaviour was that there was something not quite right about his appearance.
As Su Yi looked at Wanyan Xu --- still rubbing his face self-consciously --- unbidden, his mind suddenly began to vividly imagine this man, who embodied the honour of the supreme ruler and the might of the imperial throne, going to a tiny hall in a small auxiliary palace and using both the carrot and the stick, entreated a bunch of ordinary citizens to cooperate with him in putting on a show, all for the sake of swindling someone into marrying him. He also imagined how Wanyan Xu might have looked as he paid each one of them their fee of ten taels of silver after the show. That unforgettable scene in the martial arts square, still carved in his bones and engraved in his heart, had always caused him gut-wrenching pain whenever his thoughts wandered to it. But when he recalled the scene now, for reasons that were a mystery to him, the pain seems to have been substantially diluted. Actually, when he thought of how Wanyan Xu had managed to give such a virtuoso performance on that day, he even found it very funny. As these thoughts were running through his mind, he couldn't contain the laugh that escaped from his lips.
Oh good heavens, what the hell was happening? Wanyan Xu stood stock still, as if he had been stunned by lightning exploding near him. Was... was this a joke, Su Su... Su Su he... he was actually smiling at him. He... he was really smiling at him. Overwhelmed by a rush of bliss, the sensation was too heady, rendering him immobile and he could feel nothing. His heart was filled with only one sound, the precious sound of Su Yi's laughter, and all he could think was that if he really did have rice on his face, then all he wished for was for more rice to appear there.
Su Yi also became immediately aware of his gaffe. Mortified, he gave a huffy "hai", and his whole face flushed a brilliant scarlet. He must be really ill, faced with this nemesis who had destroyed his country and forced Su Yi into marriage, he could actually laugh out loud. He found his own behaviour altogether inexcusable. Utterly perturbed with himself, he tossed his head and turned to go but his steps were dogged by Wanyan Xu who had finally recovered his wits. Su Su this, Su Su that, he incessantly babbled as they walked on.
"Wanyan Xu, is there nothing else that needs your attention? Why are you so idle? I don't believe that the world has suddenly become so peaceful." Since he couldn't shake Wanyan Xu --- who followed at his back like a piece of cow skin candy [2] that had adhered to his robes --- off, Su Yi finally turned back and questioned him with frustration. But unfortunately the man behind him had already taken leave of his senses because of that one laugh. As if his very soul had been bewitched by Su Yi, the besotted expression he was wearing caused even Zi Nong to feel ashamed on behalf of her master when she saw it.
"Ah, there were indeed some urgent matters, but I have already dealt with them all." After his trusted servant gave him a poke in the ribs, Wanyan Xu finally recovered some ability to think rationally and began to diligently give a report to the Empress about what he had achieved in the political arena: "Things are better now than they were in the past, most matters have been put back on track. It's not like when I first started to rule this land; that was such a messy time. I don't want to speak ill of a dead man, but I think that the Qi Emperor probably only knew how to eat, drink and make merry. His predecessor left a flourishing empire to him, but under his rule scenes of devastation played out all throughout the land, and the administration was in chaos. I managed to get things in order, first I lowered the taxes that the peasants had to pay in various regions, they had been raised to exorbitant levels by the Qi Emperor..."
He meant to continue enumerating his astute decisions so as to win Su Yi over, but he was interrupted by Su Yi, who only commented blandly: "Is that so? Then I would like to take a good look at how well you have governed the Great Qi for myself. Noon is fast approaching, why don't we leave the palace incognito and have our lunch in the city? It's been five or six years since I left Dou Yan, I wonder if beef noodle shop that used to be my favourite is still open for business."
When he said that, Zi Nong promptly understood that he still had some doubts as to whether Wanyan Xu could really do as he promised and accord the same rights and privileges to the citizens of the Great Qi that the people of his own ethnicity enjoyed and thus, he wanted an excuse to leave the palace so that he see with his own eyes how his people were living under Wanyan Xu's rule. Although they had passed through the city incognito when they first arrived, their route had been planned long in advance, if Wanyan Xu had wanted to plant agents to put on a show to cheat Su Yi, it would not have been impossible. Even taking into account Xu Jinhua's testimony, it was still hearsay.
But Wanyan Xu took his words at face value and got even more excited. While continuously nodding his head, he said: "Good idea, good idea. Su Su, although you are now the Empress, but I certainly would not condemn a person like you to the life of most consorts, where 'walking through the palace gates is like sinking into the ocean' [3]. I won't treat you like a woman and keep you locked up. I'll have people make arrangements right away and we can set off now. Don't worry, even if that shop has closed, I shall definitely track down the owner and set him up in business again."
The three people chatted as they left. After they were gone from sight, a slim figure stepped out from behind a tree, it was none other than Zi Yan. A look of deep loathing marred her face and she muttered to herself: "Just as I thought, if this Su Yi is not eliminated, the fate of Jin Liao as a nation would be in jeopardy. It seems that Lord Yu's plan must really be put into motion, it's not complete yet but fortunately it's just the details still need to be fine-tuned." Her mind made up and her course set, she also turned and left.
Du Yan was a large metropolis, and as the chosen seat of power for five dynasties, it had a rich history. The tyrannical Qi Emperor had brought this huge city to the brink of destruction, dealing it blow after blow with his self -serving policies, leaving its economy in ruins and its people insecure and panicked. But when Wanyan Xu assumed rule over Dou Yan, the situation immediately became more stable and in time, the resilient and historic city began to flourish and prosper as it had in the past.
As Wanyan Xu, Zi Nong, and Su Yi wandered through the bustling streets, they could see that shops were open in great numbers and were doing brisk business. People thronged everywhere. Dou Yan did not seem to be the capital of a country that had just been defeated at all. Su Yi shot the man at his side a quick glance, remembering how he had crowed about his own accomplishments so enthusiastically. He couldn't say why, but although Wanyan Xu's fulsome praise for himself was extremely unseemly, when Su Yi saw that the common people were thriving under his reign, he did not even feel the slightest bit of distaste for his boastful behaviour. The found the beef noodle shop that Su Yi had frequented and sat down for a meal. While they were enjoying their meal, they also kept an ear out to listen to the gossip of the other patrons.
Whenever the gossip occasionally turned to the topic of the Jin Liao Emperor, all the three could hear were comments of admiration and praise for him. Wanyan Xu grew even more pleased with himself, only to hear Su Yi say suddenly: "Didn't you say that you have released all the hostages you had captured that time? Since we are free today, it is a good opportunity for me to go visit them. I can still remember clearly all of their addresses."
End of Chapter 47
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[1]: Wanyan Xu uses the royal "I/Me" throughout this chapter when he is speaking.
[2]: A type of sticky chewy candy made out of sugar, fructose and starch and usually coated with a layer of sesame seeds.
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War Prisoner
Historical Fiction|Original Author: 梨花烟雨(Li Hua Yan Yu) /Lê Hoa Yên Vũ| General Su Yi is knowledgable in both art and war and has both honor and fidelity. His only downfall as a general is the king who he serves. Su Yi has neither food nor finances despite persistent...
