Farewell

Section Seven: Farewell

"Where did you hear that?" Zichuan Xiu turned pale, looking as though his secret had been exposed.

"My lord, stop pretending. We asked Miss Zichuan Ning all about it. You are the fifth and final disciple of Zuo Jia Ming Wang, the foremost martial artist among humans. You have inherited all his skills and mastered the Ripple Divine Skill, Lightning Saber, Thunderous Foot, Iron Head Skill, Dugu Nine Swords, Buddha's Palm, Sunflower Manual, Divine Turtle Shockwave, Super Saiyan Generation 3—anyway, you're unbelievably amazing!"

"Sigh, hadn't I told Ning not to go around telling people?" Zichuan Xiu knew women were like children: if you wanted them to spread a piece of news far and wide, the best way was to remind them repeatedly, "Don't tell anyone!" Sure enough, the effect was immediate. Before the next day, Roger and the other two had arrived wearing sly grins. And rumors multiplied on their own as they spread, becoming ever more vivid until they finally settled into: "Zichuan Xiu is Zuo Jia Ming Wang's personal disciple!"

"Sigh, things have come to this, so I suppose I have no choice but to admit it. That's right! I am Zuo Jia Ming Wang's fifth disciple!"

"My lord, don't worry, we'll keep your secret! We only have one small request..."

"Oh, I see. You three want to learn martial arts from me!" Zichuan Xiu suddenly understood.

The three nodded like chickens pecking grain.

"You know, this is rather difficult..."

Shirakawa produced a thick stack of banknotes, while Roger hauled out a pile of pornographic magazines. Zichuan Xiu sighed. "You always do this. What choice do I have?"

"Fine. Since you are this sincere, I shall teach you the most profound martial arts of our Zuo Jia school!"

※※※

Two days later, in the Xiu Battalion encampment, the three Guard Captains were exchanging insights from their training.

Shirakawa began reciting the internal cultivation formula, loudly enunciating each word: "Om mani padme hum!"

Roger asked, "What's that? 'I'll coax you around'?"

Changchuan said, "You idiot! That's Buddhism's six-syllable mantra!"

Shirakawa continued reading, "Soldiers, fighters, all arrayed before me!"

Roger asked, "And this is?"

Changchuan said, "The Daoist nine-syllable mantra." He sighed in admiration. "Commander Axu is truly learned. He combined the strengths of Buddhism and Daoism!"

Shirakawa sang, "Three circles left, three circles right, twist your neck, twist your butt, get up in the morning and exercise!"

Roger turned to Changchuan. "What's this one?"

Changchuan said, "Don't ask me!"

Shirakawa sang, "Ali, Alibaba, Alibaba is a happy young man!"

Roger said, "..."

Changchuan said, "..."

"You're like... a flame! ...The abyss sinks, the sea lies still, love is a faith that brings you back to my side... The dantian is like a furnace... Young people vanish into the birch forest...

Qi flows through the eight meridians, force bursts from the four limbs... Azure Dragon sinks into the abyss, White Tiger gathers at the crown... All things are at ease, only great enlightenment remains... I love La Fang!... An'erle, caring consideration in every detail...

Seemingly moving yet still, observe the slightest and see the utmost, the body nowhere to be found... Sincerity forever, we have always been striving... Because of love, so love; thank you for your love, love you ten thousand years... Supreme yang, supreme hardness, evil demons retreat! Ha!"

At the end, Shirakawa thrust out her palm. With a crash, a large hole appeared in the wall.

Roger gaped. "It actually works! My inner strength has really increased!"

Shirakawa said angrily, "That idiot! He makes us recite the entire formula every time we strike! It's such a pain! There can't be any martial art more cruelly teasing than this!"

"Who says there can't?" Roger and Changchuan protested in unison, looking ready to cry. "Compared to ours, yours is still good!"

※※※

The first thing Li Qing, the Red Guard Captain from the Commanders' Office internal affairs department, saw when he entered the Xiu Battalion camp was Guard Captain Roger. He was squatting like a toad, facing the rising sun with his mouth wide open, muttering what seemed to be a formula: "I am a stupid donkey... I am a stupid donkey... I am a stupid donkey..."

"Guard Captain Roger, what are you doing?"

"...I am a stupid donkey. Don't disturb me. I'm practicing martial arts and absorbing the sun's vital essence... I am a stupid donkey... Once I master it, I'll be invincible under heaven!"

Li Qing stuck out his tongue. "Then may I ask where Commander Xiuchuan is?"

"...I am a stupid donkey... Go through the gate and turn right. I am a stupid donkey... The room with a naked woman's picture posted on the door is his!"

"Thanks." Li Qing walked inward after thanking him, only to hear Roger gather his breath behind him and unleash a roar that carried for miles: "I AM A STUPID DONKEY!"

"I know! You don't have to say it so many times!" Li Qing did not look back.

※※※

"Guard Captain Changchuan, what are you doing now? You're on all fours on the ground, your tongue hanging out, panting heavily, with one leg propped up on a utility pole. You look just like a... a... one of those mammals!"

Changchuan's refined face reddened, and he hurriedly climbed to his feet. "Oh, this is the latest natural therapy!"

Just then Shirakawa walked past, staring straight ahead and muttering, "Eat grapes without spitting out the skins; don't eat grapes and instead spit out the skins... One is one, ten is ten, fourteen is fourteen, forty is forty! Don't call one ten, and don't call ten one..."

The two watched blankly as Shirakawa recited and walked away. Changchuan gave an awkward laugh. "Shirakawa has recently been planning to switch careers and perform comic dialogue."

※※※

When Zichuan Xiu saw Li Qing come in, he rose warmly to greet him. Li Qing was Zichuan Ning's close friend, and they had always gotten along well.

The moment they met, Li Qing said, "Axu, when did the Xiu Battalion become a mental hospital?"

Zichuan Xiu said, "What are you talking about? At least I'm perfectly normal!"

Li Qing wore an amused half-smile. "Someone reading a pornographic magazine first thing in the morning dares claim he's normal?"

Zichuan Xiu hurriedly shoved Cangchun Pavilion beneath his buttocks and gave a dry cough. "Red Guard Captain Li honors us with his presence. What brings you here?"

Li Qing put away his smile. "Lord Zichuan Xiu, I am here under orders from the Commanders' Office. Assemble your men so I can read the order aloud... Hey, why did you snatch my order away? Don't open it, don't open it... Sigh!" He complained, "I'm an imperial envoy. You're making me lose face!"

"'The Xiu Battalion is to depart immediately for Gollum Fortress and await the command of Commander Fang Jin.' How strange. Didn't they say the newly recruited militia would have one month of training? We've only had two weeks! And they haven't even issued all our equipment. Several companies don't even have enough winter tents."

"This is President Commander Luobo Minghai's intention. Officially, it's because the war in the Far East is pressing and Sterling needs support immediately. But the real reason is that Deputy Commander Zhibu Shao, the Imperial Capital official, went crying to Luobo Minghai and said:

"'As long as the Xiu Battalion remains, the Imperial Capital will know no peace.' Get that bunch of beasts out of here! Axu, do you know how the people of the Imperial Capital evaluate your troops?"

Zichuan Xiu said solemnly, "When the citizens of the Imperial Capital watched the mighty army of the Xiu Battalion march past, every one of them sighed sincerely: 'Mighty and magnificent, an army of justice—truly worthy of Lord Xiuchuan's command! Strict discipline, peerless conduct!'"

Li Qing smiled. "You really can make things up! You know perfectly well that people are saying: 'The Imperial Capital's three scourges: flies, rats, and the Xiu Battalion!'"

Li Qing rose to leave. "All right, that's all. Deal with anything you still need to handle as soon as possible. For any equipment you haven't received, come find me. You should know that in order to get rid of you as quickly as possible, the logistics department is sparing no expense. This is your chance to squeeze some extra benefits out of them."

"One more thing. I have a letter for Sterling. Since you're going to the Far East, please take it with you."

Zichuan Xiu's heart jolted. He had always known that Sterling loved Princess Kadan. If it had not been mentioned, he would have forgotten that Li Qing was Sterling's fiancée in name.

"Remember, hand it to him personally!"

He silently accepted the letter. "All right." Yet inwardly he sighed. Women were so naive. She thought going to the Far East was like going into her own backyard. She did not know that the Far East battlefield spanned nearly a million kilometers, while Sterling's troops moved unpredictably. How could he guarantee that he would meet Sterling in such a vast region?

He escorted him to the camp gate. Li Qing turned around and gazed deeply at him, speaking with meaningful emphasis. "For Ning's sake, take good care of yourself."

Zichuan Xiu was shaken, but he gave nothing away. "Right. For the sake of the family's next Commander-in-Chief, I certainly should take care of myself."

Li Qing's delicate brows drew together slightly, as if dissatisfied with his answer, but he said nothing and turned away.

※※※

"Brother, you're back?" Zichuan Ning was especially delighted by his sudden appearance. "You bought flowers... Wow, Brother, you're wonderful! I thought you'd forgotten my eighteenth birthday!"

Today was Zichuan Ning's birthday! Zichuan Xiu jumped in surprise. He had bought the flowers merely to set the mood for his conversation with Zichuan Ning, never expecting to hit the mark by accident—today really was her birthday. Seeing how happily she hugged the bouquet, he was at a loss for words. Was he really going to have that conversation with her at a time like this?

Kadan came out of the room. "Let me see... Who gives flowers as a birthday present?"

"Ah, that's true! My brother is always so absentminded, honestly!" Zichuan Ning complained, but her expression was blissful. As long as Zichuan Xiu remembered her birthday, she would have been overjoyed even if he had picked a handful of grass from the roadside.

Roger, Shirakawa, and Changchuan had also come to the birthday gathering. They claimed, "We came for friendship and blessings!" But Zichuan Xiu saw at once that they had come for free food. Shirakawa gave her a music box, while Roger and Changchuan—two "stinking men who were broke by the end of every month"—pooled their money to give her a bag of sunflower seeds.

Zichuan Ning was in a wonderful mood, and she sincerely thanked everyone no matter what she received. Zichuan Xiu knew that she had been born into a great family, had exquisite tastes, and normally looked favorably on very few things.

The food and wine were lavish, leaving the few country bumpkins from the Far East wide-eyed. Kadan said with a smile, "It's almost as grand as the palace banquets we used to have."

During dinner, Zichuan Ning raised a toast to Zichuan Xiu, wishing Brother Axu "victory at the first battle and a safe return." Only then did Zichuan Xiu learn that Li Qing had long since told Zichuan Ning he was heading to war. Without a word, Zichuan Xiu drained his cup. Everyone joined him, and even Kadan and Shirakawa, who normally did not touch alcohol, drank until their pretty faces were flushed red.

Everyone was in high spirits. Roger specifically toasted the beautiful women. One moment he proposed a toast to Sterling in the Far East, the next to the family swiftly suppressing the rebellion, and less than three minutes later to the safe return of those departing for war. His eagerness made Zichuan Xiu suspect his motives. Was he trying to get the ladies drunk so he could fish in troubled waters and do something improper...? Then he relaxed. Impossible. Roger was too stupid to think of that; if it were Changchuan, then it would be suspicious.

Their conversation kept returning to the war in the Far East. Through her friend Li Qing, Zichuan Ning had learned much news from there. For example, the Commanders' Office intended to establish a unified command headquarters for the Far East Theater, but they had yet to settle on a supreme commander. Judging by military achievements, both the Commanders' Office and the Commander-in-Chief favored Sterling. However, Sterling's seniority as a commander was too shallow. If he became supreme commander, he would likely struggle to control Ming Hui, that seasoned veteran of equal rank. If they wanted someone above both Sterling and Ming Hui in rank, only President Commander Luobo Minghai was suitable.

At that, several family officers laughed. Luobo Minghai's ignorance of military affairs was famous. Changchuan told everyone a joke about Luobo Minghai: once, when he was commanding a battle, Liufeng Family cavalry was about to charge into headquarters, yet Luobo Minghai remained seated without moving or saying a word. Seeing their commander so calm and confident, his subordinates' courage soared, and they drove back the enemy in one fierce push. Only after everyone cheered "Long live!" did Luobo Minghai secretly pull over an orderly and ask, "Did we win or lose?" The joke was not particularly funny, but everyone laughed themselves silly.

※※※

Kadan secretly tugged at his sleeve. Zichuan Xiu understood and walked out into the corridor. Kadan handed him a letter.

"Please give this to him..." That "him" meant Sterling.

Zichuan Xiu numbly nodded and accepted it. His heart sighed, but he made up his mind. "Could you call Ning out for me?"

Kadan looked at him teasingly. "Ah, you're going to whisper secrets! Fine, I'll call her."

Before long, Zichuan Ning came out. "Brother, what's so mysterious?" Whether from the wine or some other reason, her cheeks were rosy.

Zichuan Xiu smiled without answering. "Wait a moment." He drew his saber and flung it at the corridor door. The blade easily pierced the door panel, and Roger and Changchuan cried out behind it.

Only then did Zichuan Ning realize they had been eavesdropping, and she bent over laughing.

※※※

Zichuan Xiu used his inner senses to check the surroundings again, making certain no one was truly listening. He took a deep breath. The conversation ahead required courage.

The night sky was clear, with stars scattered across it like countless curious eyes peering down at the human world. A cool night breeze swept past, sobering those who had drunk.

"Brother, I feel like you're not very happy tonight. You've hardly said anything." Zichuan Ning's voice had become much clearer.

Zichuan Xiu slowly began, "Ning, I still remember how, when you were little, you were afraid of the dark and loved to cry. Your tears never seemed to stop. Before your father, Lord Yuanxing, passed away, he told me to take care of you. But your brother was no good for anything; several times, you ended up taking care of me instead."

"Brother, why say such things between us? You've always protected me in secret. How could I not know? That year, during the Imperial Capital riots, my father wasn't home. Fierce-looking rioters broke into the Commander-in-Chief's Mansion, and even the guards ran away in fright. I was crying in bed, terrified. You were only eight, yet you held a sword and guarded my bedside all night. I still remember secretly peeking out from under the covers—your silhouette looked so heroic!"

Zichuan Xiu scratched his head. "Don't mention it. The first person who entered your room got an 'ah!' and a sword slash from me. Then he kicked me, and I rolled away like a gourd. It turned out to be your father returning home. I was bedridden for a full week."

Zichuan Ning giggled. "But I thought even the way you rolled looked handsome!"

Remembering those days, both were overcome with emotion. Zichuan Xiu smiled. "In the blink of an eye, that little girl with snot running from her nose has grown so much. I can finally say I did not fail Lord Yuanxing's trust. Ning, let us be good brother and sister for our whole lives, all right?"

Zichuan Ning opened her eyes wide. "We've always been good brother and sister!"

Zichuan Ning did not understand what he meant, so Zichuan Xiu could only sigh and approach it from another angle. "Ning, in a few days, I'll be going to the Far East. I may be gone for a long time."

Zichuan Ning said calmly, "No matter how long, I'll wait for you."

Zichuan Xiu forced himself to say, "I might not come back."

The girl's eyes shone bright as stars as she looked at Zichuan Xiu's handsome face. "You will. I'll wait for you."

Zichuan Xiu was so desperate he nearly wanted to kill himself. Why was she so slow to understand? He stammered, "Yes, we're good brother and sister, so of course you'll wait for me! But while you're waiting, you can do other things too. For example, for example..."

Zichuan Ning looked at him in confusion. In her memory, this graceful and composed elder brother had never been so flustered.

Zichuan Xiu gathered his courage. "For example, go out more and meet boys your own age. I've noticed that you seem to have no friends of the opposite sex. That isn't very normal for a girl of seventeen or eighteen."

Zichuan Ning said in surprise, "I have lots of male friends! Brother Sterling, Roger, Changchuan—they all get along very well with me."

Zichuan Xiu did not know whether to laugh or cry. "I don't mean every person of the opposite sex counts as that kind of friend... Oh, no, I mean not every friend of the opposite sex is that kind of 'friend.'"

After racking his brains, he finally thought of a good example. "For instance, that kind of 'friend' is like that shameless pair, Kadan and Sterling."

Zichuan Ning's eyes widened. "That kind of 'friend'?"

Zichuan Xiu affirmed, "That kind of 'friend'!"

"You want me to find that kind of 'friend'?!!"

Zichuan Xiu lowered his head and remained silent.

Kadan stared fixedly at him without saying a word. Her eyes gradually shimmered with tears, and her expression was impossible to describe, as if she were about to cry. Her slender body began to tremble.

With a heart of stone, Zichuan Xiu pretended not to see. He suddenly developed an intense interest in the roses in the garden and turned to study them closely.

The tense silence seemed as if it could stretch to the end of the universe. Just as Zichuan Xiu was about to lose his restraint and turn around, footsteps sounded behind him, gradually fading away.

Fading away with them was his first love with Zichuan Ning.

He turned around. In the darkness, a white dress was gradually receding. Suddenly, he thought of a word that could describe the girl's expression as she left: mournful.

He gave a self-mocking smile. Zichuan Xiu, you are a bastard. You deserve to go to hell.

He looked up at the sky. Amid the bright starlight in the distance, it seemed as if a pair of eyes was watching him.

A pair of stern eyes. Even the passing of time had not diminished their power over Zichuan Xiu. In his ears, thunderous roaring seemed to ring out once more: "Lin He, know your place! Gold plating will never be real gold!"

Zichuan Xiu's lips twitched. Yes, I know very well. How could such a lofty noble family ever be a match for an orphan with no background and no father? I also know that the surname Zichuan is merely a layer of gold plated onto me. At the slightest touch, the cold, shabby brass beneath becomes visible. No matter how they said they "treated me as their own," I was always an outsider to the Zichuan name.

Otherwise, why did you send me, only nine years old at the time, far away to the Far East Military Academy the moment you saw how close Zichuan Ning and I were? If I truly possessed the family bloodline, would Yang Minghua have dared seize me so brazenly without even requesting permission? With my abilities, how could the position of family Commander-in-Chief have fallen to Zichuan Canxing?

Gold plating will never be real gold! Lord Yuanxing, was this the result you wanted to see?

The starlight suddenly became like the tear-bright eyes of a young girl again. I'm sorry, Ning. Today is your eighteenth birthday. You are about to enter the most beautiful years of a woman's life. How many years can a woman remain beautiful? I do not want you to waste such precious youth on pointless waiting.

Farewell, Ning. Forgive my heart of stone. When your gaze is no longer confined by my shadow, you will discover that there are better men in this world, men worthy of your love. When one day you truly succeed as Commander-in-Chief, you will understand my intentions. When one day you walk into the hall of marriage with the man you love, I will bless you from afar. By then, will you still remember the person you once loved?

It is not because of the promise I made at Lord Yuanxing's sickbed that I will watch over you silently from far away. I need only hear your first call, and I will appear, no matter how many mountains and rivers lie between us.

My beloved girl, may you never grow old or die, and may you be happy and beautiful.

And I will guard you forever, with no regrets even if I die nine times.

※※※

The eight thousand officers and soldiers of the Xiu Battalion departed at midnight that very night, setting out for the Far East battlefield. Zichuan Xiu did not wake Zichuan Ning when he left. He merely left the living expenses and lodging fees for more than a year, along with the room key, on the table in the sitting room, then quietly departed from Zichuan Ning's estate.

Looking back, he saw only darkness in Zichuan Ning's room. He sighed, spurred his horse forward, and left the place where he had lived for over a year. He did not notice that, inside the darkened room, the curtains had been secretly parted by a slit, and a pair of bright eyes had followed his upright figure until his deep blue officer's uniform gradually disappeared into the light brown ranks of soldiers.

Zichuan Ning prayed softly, "God, my eighteenth birthday wish is this: please keep Brother Zichuan Xiu safe."

Pearl-like tears fell like rain.