A Step into the Past

Book 25 Chapter 02 - Preparing For A Rainy Day

With his hands behind his back, Xiao Pan was standing in front of a large window in the study. With his back facing the door, Xiao Pan plainly state: “Guaren wishes to speak with Great General in private. The others can wait outside the door.”

Li Si and Lord Changping obediently acknowledged his order and retreated from the room. Upon their exit, the attendant closed the study door at the back of Xiang Shaolong.

Without paying his respects, Xiang Shaolong nonchalantly strode over to the back of Xiao Pan, enquiring in a low voice: “Is Crown Prince the mastermind behind the Great Fire of Handan which killed a few hundred people?”

Xiao Pan sighed with a breath of air: “Guaren didn’t have a choice; otherwise, right now, it wouldn’t be Guaren executing someone but someone executing the both of us.”

Xiang Shaolong did not know how to counter him.

From a practical point of view, Xiao Pan’s cruel method is indeed necessary and effective. Even he himself could not think of a better or cleaner way to wrap this up.

Xiang Shaolong felt directly responsible for the hundreds of lives lost.

If he did not get Xiao Pan to impersonate Yingzheng, perhaps this calamity can be avoided.

He is now deep-seated with regrets!

Maybe this is fate.

This is the first time he is feeling remorseful for personally grooming this one in a million Qin Shihuang.

Xiao Pan gently coaxed: “Presently, Master is my only kin. Please do not be upset with me. Without Great General’s support, Guaren will be so lonely.”

By addressing Xiang Shaolong and himself as Master and me, followed by Great General and Guaren, Xiao Pan has unconsciously generated an extremely dramatic effect.

Within that split second, Xiang Shaolong experienced Xiao Pan’s astounding development from a mischievous kid to the earth-shattering Qin Shihuang, causing his mind to turn turbulent.

Activating his immense willpower to suppress his churning emotions, Xiang Shaolong openly declared: “Today, subordinate is here to say goodbye to Crown Prince. Later in the day, subordinate shall return back to the farms and await patiently for the coronation ceremony.”

Xiao Pan violently quivered: “Till now, Great General is unable to comprehend Guaren’s difficulties?”

Shaking his head, Xiang Shaolong laughed: “Why would I blame you? In fact, on the political stage, you have done much better compared to all the kings in the past. Under the sky, who can hold a candle to you?”

Exhaling a heavy breath of air, Xiao Pan turned around and his royal eyes were glowing with a never-seen-before aura. In a frantic tone, he insisted: “There is four months to go before I will be officially crowned. If Master is willing to forgive me, then please assist me in getting rid of Lu Buwei and Lao Ai’s factions.”

His heart softening, Xiang Shaolong sighed: “With Wang Jian around, am I, Xiang Shaolong, still needed?”

The corner of his mouth curling to form an attractive and charming smile, Xiao Pan shook his head and clarified: “Master is mistaken. I summoned Wang Jian back because it is time to have him back anyway. Moreover, should Master meet with misfortune in Qi, Guaren can instantly get Wang Jian to avenge Great General.”

After a short contemplation, Xiang Shaolong explained: “Subordinate wishes to return to the farms because I wish to get some respite and also spend time with my wives and son. Crown Prince can refrain from thinking otherwise.”

Xiao Pan was amused: “In this world, only Great General has the guts to tell Guaren to refrain from thinking otherwise. If it was somebody else, he would not have the courage to say so.”

Subsequently, he interrogated with a serious demeanor: “Is Great General intending to migrate to the northern borderlands after Guaren’s coronation?”

Suspiciously eyeing the overbearing aura radiating from Xiao Pan’s royal eyes, Xiang Shaolong maintained in a deep voice: “This is subordinate’s greatest dream. Crown Prince had better not get in my way.”

Xiao Pan bitterly laughed: “Great General is the only person Guaren dare not offend. What else can Guaren say? For the time being, Guaren only has one request: I want you to get rid of Lu Buwei and Lao Ai for Guaren.”

Xiang Shaolong concluded: “All right! Subordinate shall return to Xianyang in one month’s time and begin preparing for a showdown with them.”

With Jing Jun and Teng Yi accompanying him, Xiang Shaolong rode to the top of the tallest hill overlooking the farms. Varying his gaze from near to far, he relished in the scenery of Spring.

Wherever he looked, it was as beautiful as a painting. Camels, horses, cows and goats are roaming freely on the vast grasslands, contentedly consuming the bountiful, thick grass and clear water the fertile soil provides.

Slightly obscured by the thin mist that forms every dawn, the outline of the faraway mountains is faintly discernable. Coupled the rising and falling landscape of the nearby hills and valleys, on top of their lush greenery, it resembles some kind of 3D effect. Once a while, a waterfall is sighted in between the hills and their cascading water breathes even more life into the picturesque view.

Peering at a flock of birds flying across the horizon, Teng Yi sighed: “They are finally coming home.”

Gazing at Ji Yanran, Lu Dan’er, Shan Lan and the other ladies riding horses and having fun below them with Xiang Bao’er and the other children, Xiang Shaolong was comforted: “Venturing out to war this time round, my biggest takeaways are not the accomplishments on the battlefield but it was learning two important lessons of life.”

An enthusiastic Jing Jun probed him to go on.

Xiang Shaolong begun: “Firstly, I have learnt how to make peace with defeat. Just when you thought victory is in your grasp, the unexpected can always happen and reward you with defeat instead.”

Still feeling apprehensive, Teng Yi agreed: “Li Mu is truly the God of War. With him around, our armies can forget about invading Zhao.”

Xiang Shaolong sighed: “On the battlefield, Li Mu is invincible and even Wang Jian may not be his match. Nonetheless, an open attack is easy to defend but a hidden weapon is hard to guard against. There will come a day when he will meet his demise at the hands of his own muddle-headed king and traitorous officials. Such is the never-changing end result for generals who have achieved the most merits for their kingdoms.”

Teng Yi was incredulous: “Shaolong seems to be speaking with a great deal of emotion. Can you enlighten us further?”

Xiang Shaolong added: “That is exactly what I learnt from my Lin Zi trip and also the second lesson. In politics, there is no code of brotherhood. For the sake of one’s survival and State, even the best friends and buddies can be betrayed.”

An expression of deep contemplation was revealed on the faces of Teng Yi and Jing Jun.

Xiang Shaolong advised: “As a result, we must make preparations for a rainy day. Otherwise, when disaster strikes, we would end up losing all our hard-won possessions due to our state of confusion. The circumstances are ever unpredictable and life is full of ups and downs. It is better to be safe than sorry.”

At this juncture, a lone Ji Yanran was riding up the hill to join them and coincidently overheard the last two sentences of Xiang Shaolong. She praised: “Hubby’s two sentences are truly thought-provoking and comprise deep connotations. Yanran can put my mind at ease after hearing it!”

His heart swelling with limitless tenderness, Xiang Shaolong looked over to Ji Yanran who is approaching his side. With his heroic aura increasing by leaps and bounds, he swore: “We must finish our last fight with a bang. Not only must we take out Lu Buwei, we must also extract ourselves from here in one piece and proceed to the borderlands, living in tranquility for the rest of our lives.”

Teng Yi cautioned: “However, if Crown Prince has the intention to get rid of us, he can do so without any reservations. Countering him is not going to be easy.”

Jing Jun was flabbergasted: “Is there really such a possibility?”

To Xiang Shaolong, Ji Yanran guided: “I think Hubby should honestly tell Little Jun why this is a possibility! Otherwise, Little Jun may not comprehend the actual danger and it may give rise to unforeseen danger.”

His face losing colour, Jing Jun stammered: “In this case, the rumours must be true.”

Xiang Shaolong slowly nodded his head and told him about Xiao Pan’s heritage. He instructed at the end: “You must preserve this secret at all costs. Little Jun must not breathe a word of it to anyone else, including Dan’er.”

Exhaling a breath of cold air, Jing Jun recounted: “Thinking of that day when Crown Prince angrily beheaded Qian Zhi, I am more than convinced that he will sacrifice anything in order to maintain his hold on the throne.”

In a deep voice, Xiang Shaolong wondered: “For my entire life, people have been constantly deceiving me and I suspect Crown Prince is guilty of that as well. Have the three of you heard of the story: Cunning hares gone, dogs are cooked?”

Even Ji Yanran who is well versed with all kinds of literature does not know about the story. In a daze, she asked: “What is it about?”

Xiang Shaolong secretly scolded himself for divulging too much of his modern knowledge. He explained: “When all the wild hares have been hunted and devoured, the hunter would have nothing to hunt and would cook the hunting dogs to satisfy his hunger. Presently, we are embroiled in a similar situation. When the factions of Lu Buwei and Lao Ai are annihilated, we would become the hunting dogs. To make it worse, we are the ones who knows about Crown Prince’s secret background and will pose a threat to the stability of his rule.”

Teng Yi nodded: “Hearing these thoughts of Third Brother, I, Second Brother, can put my mind at ease. Should we try to leave earlier? Without us, Lu Buwei will still meet a terrible ending.”

Xiang Shaolong disagreed: “If we were to leave at once, I guarantee none of us will be able to meet Big Brother alive.”

The three of them were instantly stunned.

Shifting his gaze to the faraway horizon, Xiang Shaolong bitterly smiled: “I personally raised him and no one knows about his willpower as much as I do. Back when he was just a teen, he hatched a plan to kill Zhao Mu with his own hands and afterwards, he would still brag about it. If I am not mistaken, within our Wu Family, there must be someone who cannot resist the temptation and has agreed to become his spy. As a result, none of our activities can escape his detection.”

His eyes blazing with a chilling aura, Jing Jun cursed: “If I discover who is the traitor, I will kill him at once without any hesitation.”

Ji Yanran suggested: “Deceit can run both ways. If we manage to find out who is the spy, we can use him to mislead our enemy.”

Xiang Shaolong reasoned: “The best time for us to run away is the heaven-sent day when Crown Prince is away in Yongdu fighting against the rebels. After that day, trying to escape will be much more challenging.”

Teng Yi burst out laughing: “My sentiments exactly.”

Xiang Shaolong deliberated: “Crown Prince’s main concern is me as an individual. As long as I am here, he would not obstruct the others from leaving. Let’s exploit this circumstance and send most of our people away to the borderlands, including Tingfang and Bao’er. Crown Prince will find it hard to disagree because at least, on the surface, he has promised to let me leave.”

Ji Yanran frowned: “But when it is time for us to leave, it would not be so easy.”

Xiang Shaolong questioned Jing Jun: “How many warriors are we left with in the Wu Family?”

Jing Jun replied: “Adding the men from my village and subtracting those who perished on the battlefield, we have about two thousand and one hundred men. We will require substantial manpower to protect the women and children on the way to the borderlands. There won’t be much warriors left!”

Xiang Shaolong was delighted: “The more men we have, the harder it is to flee. Three hundred men will suffice. However, they must be the cream of the crop and their loyalty must be above question. Second Brother and Fifth Brother, please see to it! If our forces are limited, Crown Prince may lessen his guard against us.”

Ji Yanran muttered: “Hubby, did it cross your mind that when dealing with those rebels, Crown Prince would certainly activate the fierce army of Qin and completely surround the perimeter of Yongdu and Xianyang? With our limited numbers and faced with unanticipated changes, how can we hope to successfully exonerate ourselves?”

Xiang Shaolong plainly rationalized: “If Crown Prince wishes to kill me, he has to do so himself. Do you think he can simply instruct Fourth Brother, Lord Changping, Huan Qi or the others to come after me? What would be his excuse? The only way is to push the blame to Lu Buwei or Lao Ai. For example, he can get Mao Jiao to indirectly get rid of me as he is supposedly working for Lao Ai. When left with no other choice, he would personally lead an army after me. After taking me down, he can easily falsify a criminal act on me.”

Teng Yi warned: “Third Brother’s analysis is very thorough. However, if Crown Prince is bent on killing us and we have a spy among ourselves, we will be at a serious disadvantage.”

Out of the blue, Xiang Shaolong changed the topic: “Can we arrange some secret preparations around the farm? In case of contingencies, we could retreat here and hide ourselves before finding another way to leave? Firstly, we can avoid the ambush of the Qin military and we can also trick Crown Prince into thinking that he can secretly kill us over here.”

Ji Yanran sighed: “Digging a tunnel is the best way to escape. The problem is, how do we keep it a secret?”

Suddenly, her petite frame lightly shuddered: “Yanran has found a way.”

The three men joyfully look at her.

Pointing to the southeast corner edge of the farm where there is a mausoleum which houses the tablets of Lady Ni and the others ladies. Ji Yanran proposed: “Using renovating the mausoleum as an excuse, we can secretly build a tunnel as long as we only engage the men from Little Jun’s village as well as the followers of Yanran. Except for the deities and spirits, no one would be wiser.”

Xiang Shaolong was troubled: “The problem is, Crown Prince is aware of our brilliant strategizing skills. If he were to position scouts at the nearby hilltops before attacking us, they could easily spot and catch up to us. Moreover, there is only four months until the coronation and there is insufficient time to build a tunnel that is really long and useful.”

Jing Jun offered another plan: “This is easily resolved. In the past when I was still a kid, we would hide in a cave whenever we lose in a fight against the kids from the neighbouring village. In the same context, after we come out from the tunnel, we can hole up in a secret hiding place for a few days. Once the invading army has retreated, we can quietly slip away. You can count on me to take care of this.”

Xiang Shaolong was overjoyed: “Please act on it at once.”

That afternoon, under the leadership of Wu Yingyuan, a top level Wu Clan meeting was conducted. After finalizing all the details of their retreat, Xiang Shaolong emptied his mind and indulged himself in a lifestyle of happiness with his family.

His unfortunate encounters over the past two years felt like a dream.

Nevertheless, he is still in dreamland because whenever he thought of himself in the 21st century, he felt as if he is trapped in this amazing dream.

Three days later, Qin Qing came to visit.

Xiang Shaolong could not hold back and hugged her firmly in his arms to compensate her for her longing and pining.

Qin Qing was shy by nature and with Wu Tingfang, Zhao Zhi, Ji Yanran and the Tian sisters peeping at the side, it exacerbated the situation. Unable to struggle out of his bear hug, she was so embarrassed even the roots of her ears turned red.

Ji Yanran and the others understandingly left the inner hall and allow the two of them to have a chance to speak in private.

Releasing the enchanting beauty from his hold, Xiang Shaolong pulled her to a corner and sat down with her. Stroking her in an affectionate manner, he observed: “Sister Qin has grown thin!”

Qin Qing lowered her head: “I came specially to look for you because I have something important to tell you.”

Xiang Shaolong was in a daze: “What is so important?”

Batting her eyes once at him, Qin Qing put on a serious demeanor and articulated: “Recently, Crown Prince got his trusted follower to select a courtesan and began tutoring her in court etiquette. The entire process was extremely secretive. It was only pure coincidence that led me to discover it when I came across the royal tailors sewing new clothes for her.”

Xiang Shaolong frowned: “What is so special about that?”

Her face revealing an expression of fear, Qin Qing broke down in a quivering voice: “In terms of appearance and figure, this courtesan closely resembles Empress. Ah! Shaolong, I am so frightened!”

Xiang Shaolong opened his arms to envelope Qin Qing who is leaping into his bosom. His only reaction is a chilling sensation throughout his nervous system.

He instantly knew what is on Qin Qing’s mind.

Xiao Pan has decided to kill Zhu Ji but no matter what, Zhu Ji is still his birth mother in the eyes of the public. Killing her is neither a filial nor righteous act. Thus, he had to make a switch and replace the real with a decoy. In the future, he can simply confine her substitute within the palace and easily conceal this horrifying truth from the citizens of Qin.

Qin Qing is shocked out of her wits because she did not know that Zhu Ji is not the real mother of Xiao Pan.

Xiao Pan is no longer the Xiao Pan of the past. He has evolved into a brutal and merciless Yingzheng who will not hesitate to exterminate anything that stands between him and his goal.

Back then, he did promise he would not harm Zhu Ji. He is obviously reneging on his word.

What can he, Xiang Shaolong, do?

He still harbours immense feelings of guilt and emotions towards Zhu Ji.

Given the present scenario, what can he do?

Qin Qing lamented in a melancholic voice: “Crown Prince has changed a lot.”

Xiang Shaolong quizzed in a deep voice: “How does he treat you?”

Qin Qing answered: “He still treats me well and often chats me up. Nonetheless, I can sense a shift in his attitude towards you. In the past, he loves to talk about you in our conversations but ever since you came back from Lin Zi, he no longer brings you up in our discussions. Aye! Whenever he maintains his silence, I really cannot fathom what is going on in his mind.”

His heart turning colder than before, Xiang Shaolong enquired: “Does he know that you are coming to the farms to look for me?”

Qin Qing groaned: “It is impossible to conceal anything from him. He even instructed me to bring some cakes to you.”

Xiang Shaolong bitterly smiled: “I would rather die than eat his food.”

Qin Qing forcefully sat up with her back straightened. Her face losing colour, she probed: “Will he dare to harm you?”

Holding onto her fragrant shoulder, Xiang Shaolong gently consoled: “Don’t panic. The cakes are not poisonous. Tell me, if I am leaving for the borderlands, will you come along with me?”

Diving into his bosom again, Qin Qing wrapped her arms around his waist, declaring: “Even if you, Xiang Shaolong, has decided to go to the edge of the earth, Qin Qing will still want to be by your side. I will never have any regrets.”

Tightly hugging her curvaceous and aromatic body, Xiang Shaolong’s soul flew past countless rivers and mountains, finally stopping at the faraway fascinating and delightful vast grasslands.

Only there can he finally enjoy days of happiness that he has been waiting for for the past ten years.