Fang Jie's self-deprecating remark before going upstairs, "I can't even keep a low profile," was pure smugness. His choice to appear at the Red Sleeve Pavilion on his very first day after leaving the Imperial Guard's secret prison wasn't about keeping a low profile at all. His name hadn't been heard in Chang'an for half a year; he needed a high-profile appearance to reclaim his place in the gossip of the common people.
Having been out of the public eye for over half a year since entering the Martial Arts Academy, many in the court were speculating. Fang Jie's excuse of cultivating alone in the back mountains couldn't fool everyone. However, no one could see the truth, so it was all just speculation. Although he hadn't suffered much hardship during his six months in prison, Fang Jie had learned a great deal. Keeping a low profile was something only those with great achievements could afford; those without achievements craved a high profile.
How to be high-profile?
What could be more high-profile than appearing in the Red Sleeve Pavilion, a den of iniquity, and doing something others couldn't? However, the latter was clearly extremely difficult.
The moment he stepped into Hongxiuzhao, he had already aroused the envy of the other guests. The young but undeniably noble and aloof young manager had many guests personally coming downstairs to greet her. Perhaps only Fang Jie had flirted with her. Then, Aunt Xi called Fang Jie up to the third floor, which surprised the guests even more. Since Hongxiuzhao opened, very few men had ever dared to ascend to the third floor to enter Aunt Xi's bedroom.
Fang Jie wouldn't get much more from Aunt Xi, although he was certain she knew more. But since she wouldn't speak, Fang Jie couldn't force her.
However, following Aunt Xi's words, Fang Jie had a new idea. He had overlooked a crucial piece of information on his way here—a mistake he shouldn't have made. Daquan and the others were from the Shang Kingdom, which had been destroyed by the Sui Dynasty. Only Tie Nu and Ye Xiao were from a Southern Barbarian tribe, but they were still geographically close to the Southern Yan.
From this, Fang Jie wondered if he himself was also from the Shang Kingdom? But upon closer inspection, the timing didn't add up. The Shang Dynasty had already been destroyed several years before he was born, and Fang Jie was certain he couldn't possibly have any connection to the Shang royal family. If he wasn't a member of the Shang royal family, who else would have the power to coerce a group of people to protect him?
Furthermore, if that man were truly from the Shang Dynasty, the Sui Dynasty's conquest of Shang wouldn't have been so smooth. From Da Quan and Shen Qingshan's accounts, Fang Jie was certain that the man's cultivation was probably unmatched in the world. Even Luo Yao, the vanguard general who led the army to destroy Shang, would likely be far inferior. If that man were truly from the Shang Dynasty, he wouldn't have stood by and watched his country fall.
The seemingly clearer clues remained a jumbled mess.
Fang Jie shook his head, trying to shake off these troubling thoughts.
"Auntie, can you tell me about Prince Zhong?"
He asked. Xi Huamei fiddled with the ashes in the incense burner, remained silent for a moment, and then said softly, "You probably already know quite a bit about his story. Luo Weiran, the commander of the Imperial Guard, is his junior brother. Since you're imprisoned in the Imperial Guard, he must have mentioned Prince Zhong to you quite a bit. What I know is almost the same as what he knows, so there's nothing new to say. It's never been a story or legend that can be fabricated at will; he didn't leave much for people to know… If you're just curious about him as a person, there's no need for me to tell you again."
Fang Jie had been given the cold shoulder by Xi Huamei more than once. To be honest, Fang Jie knew that Xi Huamei didn't have any special opinion of him. Whether he rose to prominence or fell into decline, it had nothing to do with her. If it weren't for Prince Zhong, he probably wouldn't even be able to enter her room and sit face-to-face talking like this.
Fang Jie wasn't angry, nor was he offended.
This was simply the most normal phenomenon in this world.
If you have enough to back you up, you don't need to worry about others not taking you seriously. If you're just a penniless nobody, why should you expect to be treated like an honored guest by a wealthy family? Xi Huamei usually associates with figures like Master Xiao of the Yi Qi Guan and Minister of Rites Huai Qiugong. Fang Jie, a young man with little achievement, might seem like a meteoric rise to power to ordinary people, but in her eyes, he's still at the foot of the mountain.
Therefore, Fang Jie wisely abandoned his idea of asking Xi Zhuxin to perform a flowing sleeve dance, then stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "If Madam has nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Go ahead."
Xi Huamei said calmly, "Your friends are still waiting for you. I'll inform Xiao Dingdian that your expenses at Hongxiuzhao today are waived; consider it a welcome-back feast for your release from prison."
"Thank you."
Fang Jie didn't refuse, although he really wanted to.
Everyone has pride.
It's just a matter of where that pride is used.
Fang Jie walked out of Xi Huamei's room and couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. He recalled his reflections from his time in prison, muttering to himself, "Life is like a play," before a smug smile played on his lips as he slowly descended the stairs. To others, he appeared to have just had a remarkably harmonious and amusing conversation with Aunt Xi.
Therefore, the guests below were even more envious.
Upon reaching the second floor, Fang Jie approached Little Dingdian, shamelessly sniffing her before praising, "They say girls change a lot as they grow up. Back in Fan Gu, you smelled like a baby, but now you exude the fragrance of a beautiful woman."
"Fang Jie! Are you looking for trouble?!"
Little Dingdian glared at him fiercely, her face flushing red.
Fang Jie sat down next to Xiao Dingdian, leaned closer, and lowered his voice, saying, "There's a business I'd like to discuss with you."
Xiao Dingdian was taken aback, glancing instinctively upstairs. "Why not tell Auntie?"
"You can tell her."
Fang Jie sighed slightly. "In front of her, let alone discussing business, I can't even speak properly. Since you're now in charge of Hongxiuzhao, it's the same if I talk to you."
"But I still need to consult Auntie!"
Xiao Dingdian said, "I really don't know what's wrong with you. When you're thick-skinned, you're impenetrable. When you're thin-skinned, you're as coy as a woman!"
"No rush."
Fang Jie smiled. "It'll take about a month. We can discuss this slowly."
...
...
A private room had been specially prepared on the second floor, and Fang Jie invited Luo Weiran to sit in the head seat. According to official rank, Luo Weiran was the highest. According to seniority, regardless of whether it was the real or fake Luo Weiran, he was his senior uncle. Zhuo Buyi and Fang Jie sat down on either side of Luo Weiran. Soon, the ordered food and drinks were served in a continuous stream. The chef at Hongxiuzhao was hired at a high price, reportedly poached from a very famous restaurant in the capital. This chef's specialty was Jiangnan cuisine, which was less intense and more delicate than northern dishes.
Fang Jie filled Luo Weiran's and the others' glasses with wine, then filled his own and raised his glass in a toast, saying, "I must say thank you. Without the Commander and Mr. Zhuo's care, I wouldn't have had such a comfortable time in prison. Cheers!"
He downed his glass in one gulp, and Luo Weiran and the others followed suit.
"You'll enter the palace first thing tomorrow morning. His Majesty has already instructed you to pay your respects at the East Warm Pavilion."
Luo Weiran replied, "I don't need to instruct you on the proper etiquette; just remember your duty as a subject."
Fang Jie nodded, "I understand."
Luo Weiran hummed in agreement and poured himself a full cup of wine. "The war in the Northwest is not going well, and His Majesty is also displeased. This morning, an urgent report on the Northwest's military situation was sent to the Taiji Palace, and His Majesty hasn't left his room all day… Five thousand Right Valiant Guards were almost wiped out in the battle at Langru Mountain and Qingxia. Although they killed more than twice the enemy, such a large loss is something our Great Sui hasn't experienced in a long time."
He sighed, "Back when we destroyed the Great Shang, hundreds of thousands of troops marched south, sweeping through everything and reaching the walls of Yongzhou City…" General Luo Yao led his troops straight into the capital of the Great Shang Dynasty, capturing over a hundred members of the Shang royal family alive, and then executing them all at Caishikou. Only one remnant of the royal family escaped—the current Emperor of Southern Yan, Murong Chi. After defeating Eastern Chu, the imperial army advanced in three routes, sweeping through the land with unstoppable momentum. In less than a month, they captured nine prefectures and thirty-one counties of Eastern Chu, turning a large portion of its territory into the territory of the Great Sui.
"If the five thousand elite troops had marched south, they would have been enough to frighten Murong Chi into begging for mercy, but this time… in their first battle against the Mongols at Qingxia Gorge, they were almost completely wiped out. His Majesty was very displeased, issuing an edict to compensate the dead and wounded soldiers and reprimanding General Li Yuanshan for the inadequate support. He also ordered Prince Xu and Minister Mou Liangbi to submit a detailed report to further discuss the faults."
Upon hearing about the destruction of the Great Shang, Da Quan's expression subtly changed. However, he was drinking with his head down, and no one noticed the unusual look in his eyes. He glanced at Fang Jie and the others while raising his glass for a drink, and seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"The fighting was so fierce?"
Fang Jie was taken aback, his mind naturally turning to the five hundred elite infantrymen under Li Yuanshan's command. But then he thought, Li Yuanshan would naturally save such elite troops for the most crucial moments. If the elite infantry were deployed in the first battle, and their strength were nearly revealed to the enemy, it would not be a good thing for future battles.
"The one leading the initial battle is Li Xiaozong."
Luo Weiran said this, glancing at Fang Jie.
Fang Jie smiled, seemingly unbothered by the name: "Your Majesty's choice was wise. Emperor Xiaozong spent three years in Fangu; no one understands the Mongols at Wolf's Milk Mountain better than him. I could guess he was leading the troops, hence my surprise… With Emperor Xiaozong's abilities, it seems unlikely the battle would end like this."
Luo Weiran said, "I heard that the Mongol general Mandulang of Nirvana City rallied tens of thousands of herdsmen to besiege the city, along with two thousand elite Mandu Banner cavalry, resulting in such a fierce battle… which is understandable. In any case, while this battle wasn't exactly spectacular, at least it didn't tarnish the undefeated reputation of our Great Sui Dynasty."
Fang Jie wanted to say something was amiss, but he swallowed his words. Although everyone at the table was trustworthy, some things couldn't be said carelessly.
The vanguard's fierce battle with the Mongols outside the valley couldn't have lasted only an hour or two. What about the reinforcements? Fang Jie didn't know about others, but he knew that Li Yuanshan's Right Valiant Guard had a cavalry unit! Moreover, these were powerful, heavily armored cavalrymen. The march from Fangu to the opposite side of Langru Mountain should have taken no more than two hours. Why hadn't reinforcements arrived?
Why was the first battle, which should have been fought steadily, fought so hastily?
No one at the front line could control the situation!
Fang Jie suddenly realized this and couldn't help but feel a chill.
The Emperor had appointed Prince Xu, Yang Kai, to oversee the Northwest, with Minister of War Mou Liangbi in charge of logistics. It seemed that Yang Kai, as a member of the royal family, would have no difficulty gaining the respect of the troops. But one had to understand that those generals enfeoffed in the provinces were all arrogant and domineering. And then there were the governors-general of the three Northwest provinces involved—the interests within were intricately intertwined! Prince Xu, Yang Kai, hadn't participated in court affairs or led troops for a long time, and his prestige in the army was already low. Mou Liangbi, on the other hand, had only been appointed by the Emperor before the great battle; previously, he had been imprisoned and had even less authority.
These two men, seemingly of noble status—one the Emperor, the other a Minister—could not control those regional officials at all! This first battle was so brutal that Li Yuanshan and Li Xiaozong would be punished, but His Majesty's anger was most directly vented on Prince Xu, Yang Kai!
This is a conspiracy!
Fang Jie's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of intense anger.
A conspiracy at the cost of five thousand lives—if Yang Kai and Mou Liangbi didn't compromise with those powerful officials, such losses would continue, and someone might even deliberately suffer defeat! If there were a series of setbacks, His Majesty's first target would be Prince Xu, Yang Kai. Those generals and governors had private dealings; how could they allow two newly appointed officials to interfere?
His Majesty trusted his ministers too much and hadn't considered the conflict of interest involved!
The generals were fighting; if they won, the credit would go to Yang Kai; if they lost? The blame would naturally fall on Yang Kai and Mou Liangbi!
Thinking this, Fang Jie was startled.
Something's not right! "Is it that His Majesty trusts his ministers too much... or is there someone stirring up trouble behind those generals?"
Seeing Fang Jie's constantly shifting expression, Luo Weiran smiled and said, "The reason I brought up the war in the Northwest with you is to make you think more about it. If His Majesty sees you tomorrow morning, he will definitely ask for your opinion on the war in the Northwest. Remember... be smart when you need to be smart, and be foolish when you need to be foolish. Say what you can say, and don't say a single word about what you can't say..."