The capital city.

"Mr. Gu! I finally finished the assignment you gave me. Look! What do you think?"

Tao Yi excitedly ran out of his room, holding a pile of test paper about half a palm in thickness in his hands, so slovenly that he looked like a primitive man who had been living in some cave for years.

"Mr. Gu is otherwise engaged. What took you so long? Something big has happened in capital city," a school friend told him.

"Was it that Marshal Yuwen finally returned?!" asked Tao Yi in excitement.

His school friend looked at him as if he was a weirdo. "Tao Yi..."

"What's the matter?" Tao Yi had no idea why the man was giving him that look.

"Marshal Yuwen isn't back."

"He isn't? Is it possible that something happened and he was kept? Do you think Country Wan by any chance has gone back on their word and decided to go to war?!"

His school friend shook his head. "That's not the case. An envoy of Country Wan arrived a couple of days ago. The imperial court is consulting with Country Wan on the details of a peace agreement."

"Then why didn't Marshal Yuwen come back?" Tao Yi fell perplexed.

"The very day you went into your room to start writing your article, news spread that Marshal Yuwen didn't return to capital city but went to look for his betrothed!"

"What? Marshal Yuwen is engaged?! Who's his betrothed? Which family is that lady from? What does she look like? Is she a match for Marshal Yuwen?" asked Tao Yi emotionally, who nearly threw away the wad of test paper.

His school friend looked at him with a weird smile. "I guessed you would act like this some time ago. I know the reason why you specially came back here ahead of schedule was that you wanted to behold the elegant demeanor of Marshal Yuwen, but you might want to prepare yourself for what I'm going to tell you next."

"Is it because that lady is awful? But it can't be. I mean, how would a man like Marshal Yuwen come to be engaged to an awful lady?!"

"It's not a lady that he's engaged to."

"Ah?"

Tao Yi failed to get the point. 'What does he mean by 'not a lady?"

"He's engaged to a man."

Tao Yi nodded. "Oh... What?! A man?!"

His school friend sighed, "Yeah. It is rumored that their engagement was concluded twenty years ago, that it was the grandfather of Marshal Yuwen who made that decision."

"Old General Yuwen concluded the engagement? But why did he betroth Marshal Yuwen to a man?" Tao Yi felt that his mind was not big enough to hold so many astounding news.

"Word has it that Marshal's betrothed wasn't even born yet at that time."

"Then the engagement is invalid. How can a man marry another man?"

On hearing this, the school friend looked at Tao Yi with an amused expression, as if silently telling Tao Yi that he was too naive. "You forgot that the consort of Emperor Gaozu was male. From the times of Emperor Gaozu, the tradition and social mode of our country has been increasingly open and tolerant. There have been a lot of precedents for a gay marriage during the past few hundreds of years. The most recent one is the Governor of Sheng Zhou, Governor Xu, who married a man last year."

As if in a trance, Tao Yi gave a nod. "I did hear about that. Governor Xu is the youngest governor in our country, full of talent and having boundless career prospects. He suddenly married a man. Even residents of capital city gossiped about it for a long time. Everybody speculated that Governor Xu would never get another promotion, that he might even be demoted."

"Tell me about it. But it's been such a long time, and His Majesty still hasn't done anything to him so far. Governor Xu has been in office for three years. Sheng Zhou is such a key area. Three years is more than enough for him to get established. I think his position is secure. As regards a promotion, I'm afraid it'll remain a pie in the sky."

Tao Yi also heaved a sigh. Suddenly, he recalled the unanswered question. "Well, you still haven't told me which man Marshal is engaged to!"

The regretful expression on the face of his school friend was instantly replaced by that weird countenance. Watching Tao Yi, he said, "I think you know him."

"I know him?!" Tao Yi gave a jump. "Who?!"

"He's from Tanyang, your hometown. His surname is Ling, and his grandfather's name is Ling Xingzhong. Rumor has it that his grandfather is that very Assistant Minister Ling who took office twenty years ago but only stayed in that position in the Ministry of Rites for a very short time, a flash in the pan. Oh, what is the name of that Marshal's betrothed again? Ling Zhang! Yeah, that's his name. Tao Yi, you traveled thousands of miles to get here, but I guess it'd never crossed your mind that Marshal was actually in Tanyang, the same city that you were in at that time, right? Tsk, tsk. You literally brushed past him. I feel sorry for you, really."

Tao Yi stood speechless.

Finally, he failed to keep his hold on the wad of paper, which dropped with a rustle and scattered all over.

"What?!"

He let out a roar of shock. Even people in the distance were startled and looked in his direction, wondering what had happened.

"You–You're overreacting. Why did you yell so loud? Have you no shame?" His school friend hurriedly drew him aside.

Shame? Tao Yi watched him, face full of disbelief. This had gone beyond shame. He felt he was deeply hurt!

'Ling Zhang is such an asshole. No wonder...No wonder he declined when I invited him to come to the capital city with me. I could tell a mile off that he liked Marshal very much, and I wondered why he seemed totally uninterested in coming to the capital city. It turns out that he and Marshal have long ago...'

"That can't be true. I'd never heard about Marshal's arrival in Tanyang when I was there. And there'd been no particular reaction in Ling family either. They didn't look like they had an honored guest in their home."

The school friend observed, "I have no idea why that was the case. I just heard that Marshal departed for the capital city a long time ago. He was supposed to arrive here more than half a month before. Do the calculation yourself."

After calculating the time, Tao Yi had an urge to burst into tears. 'Why did I come back here so excitedly?! I should have stayed in Tanyang!!'

"No. I'm going back to Tanyang right now!" Tao Yi immediately turned around, intending to leave.

His school friend grabbed him. "Wait. Pick up your test paper! By the way, word has it that Marshal will return soon. So what's the hurry? Oh! There's yet another more serious issue."

Tao Yi looked at him in disbelief. 'There's another thing that is more astounding than the fact that Marshal is in Tanyang and is engaged to my bosom friend?'

"Yesterday morning, His Majesty suddenly ordered the house arrest of Concubine Shu and the Sixth Prince. It is rumored that half of the troops of the Garrison Battalion and the Reserve Battalion stationed in southern city were dispatched before daybreak yesterday, and nobody knows where they have gone to," said his school friend, a grim look on his face.

On hearing this grave incident, Tao Yi quickly calmed down. "What do you think has happened?"

His school friend shook his head, craned closer to him and told him in a quiet voice, "It was unmistakably because the Sixth Prince did something and angered His Majesty that has led to such large-scale troop movement, but there has been no related news so far. Everybody in the capital city is speculating about it. And this is also the very issue that Mr Gu is occupied with. He should know something."

Tao Yi observed disapprovingly, "Mr Gu intends to get involved? If by any chance–"

"Rest assured, it's not that Mr Gu is trying to involve himself in the competition between the princes but that His Majesty summoned him. He has gone to the imperial palace with a couple of lords. I don't know any details either."

Tao Yi heaved a sigh of relief, then knitted his eyebrows with a serious countenance. "Let's figure out a way to make some inquiries. So many troops were suddenly dispatched. There's got to be someone who knows about their destination."

...

At dusk on that very day. Near the Yellow Sand River.

"Li Chong is in jail, and his troops are also under control, which means the waterway of Yellow Sand River has been rid of safety risks. Where's the secret entrance to the Grand Mang Mountain that you mentioned?"

Dai Cheng was the commander of the Garrison Battalion stationed in southern capital city as well as one of the emperor's henchmen. Tall and stalwart, he struck people as a simple-minded tough hombre, but actually he was a cautious precisian who was loyal to the imperial family and deeply trusted by the emperor.

"Ten miles ahead along this river," responded Yao Yi in a bland tone of voice.

Dai Cheng flicked a glance at him. "Yao Yi, may I ask why you are willing to serve under Yuwen Tong as a mere captain of guards? I mean, you're clearly competent to be a marshal."

Yao Yi replied calmly, "A second marshal is not needed, and there is but one who is marshal to me. All others, including myself, are insignificant in my sight."

Dai Cheng said in a regretful tone, "What a pity. You should know that His Majesty thinks the world of you, and there has been more than one occasion when he said to me that your choice was regrettable."

"I feel very much honored to be in good graces of His Majesty, and I appreciate General Dai's kind offer, but my decision stands unchanged, and it won't change in the days to come."

Dai Cheng unnoticeably knitted his brows and observed, "Yao Yi, why are you being so stubborn? Serving under Yuwen Tong is not going to get you anywhere."

Yao Yi inexplicably flicked a glance at him. "Have I not distinguished myself already? I mean, even His Majesty thinks highly of me. Who else's recognition do you think I have to win to count myself as outstanding?"

The question let Dai Cheng at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say? That it was not enough? Wouldn't that be synonymous with disrespectfully stating that someone else's recognition outvalued that of the emperor?

"Yao Yi, you know that's not what I mean."

"Let's just drop it, General Dai. If you keep talking about this, I might suspect that you're trying to drive a wedge between me and the Marshal. You should know that in our eyes, the Marshal matters more than our own lives. If it weren't for the Marshal, we wouldn't have still been breathing."

Dai Cheng let out a laugh and said, "Don't overthink it. I just feel it a pity that you're wasting your talent. I mean nothing else."

Yao Yi slid a sideways glance at him. "Maybe it's better that General Dai concentrates on how to get so many men onto the Grand Mang Mountain without alarming those bandits. If you cannot even handle this matter and have to bother me with it, I will lay scorn on you."

Dai Cheng gave a smug smile. "All you have to do is lead the way."

"Is that so? Let me get this straight beforehand – if by any chance you alarm those bandits on the Grand Mang Mountain and Zhang Chong and botch up this favorable situation, then you'll have to clean up all the mess in the wake in Tanyang. Our marshal is not going to intervene and get shit on his shoes," observed Yao Yi flintily.

The corners of Dai Cheng's mouth involuntarily twitched. "I won't bother Marshal Yuwen if that's the case."

"Make sure you don't," said Yao Yi.

Dai Cheng fell speechless with embarrassment.

As night fell, after traveling ten miles by boat along the Yellow Sand River, an army quietly went ashore at a secret dock and entered the Grand Mang Mountain.

The silent Grand Mang Mountain was shrouded in the dark night. The only audible sounds were occasional bursts of weird caws coming from the distance, which made people's blood freeze.

"There are bandits on guard ahead. The only way to get through without alarming others is to eliminate them quietly. If any of them sends word back, we'll be in deep shit," observed Yao Yi.

Ever since Dai Cheng saw that there was indeed a secret route leading to the capital city, his face had been tense and grim all along. "I know. You're familiar with this area. Just tell me the approximate positions of those on sentry duty."

Yao Yi flicked a glance at them and felt an urge to sarcastically tell him to go and find it himself, but then it occurred to him that time was short, so he forbore from satirizing him and provided Dai Cheng with information about the positions of bandits that he was aware of.

Dai Cheng listened carefully, summoned his henchman and made arrangements for those hidden bandits to be handled.

Tanyang was also very quiet on this night. Since a burglar intruded into the Prefecture Yamen and even threatened Lord Tao a few days before, all residents in Tanyang were left afraid to go outdoors at night. All doors and windows were tightly closed, and those of Ling family were no exception. Only few rooms had oil lamps still ablaze.

"Young Master, please go to sleep. It's getting late." Xia Feng tried to persuade Ling Zhang.

There was a candle still on in the room. Ling Zhang was not sleepy at all. According to Yuwen Tong's deduction, Yao Yi should lead the army back to Tanyang on this night. If the army managed to get over the Grand Mang Mountain, their plan would be smoothly carried out. If the army got stuck in the Grand Mang Mountain, he and Yuwen Tong would be thrown into grave danger in Tanyang.

"Young Master?" Seeing that there was no reaction, Xia Feng called Ling Zhang once again.

Ling Zhang rose to his feet. "I can't sleep. You may leave and hit the sack. I'll take care of myself."

Xia Feng intended to make another attempt to convince him, but Ling Zhang started walking towards the door. He hurriedly followed in his wake and asked, "Young Master, it's cold out there. Where are you going?"

"Next door," Ling Zhang answered without turning his head back.

Next door? With a slightly weird look on his face, Xia Feng halted.

Ever since he saw Ling Zhang and the one living next door hugging and also presumably... Xia Fen, though a rather poised man, had been somewhat in confusion about where he was supposed to stand with these two men. On such occasion when his young master went next door to meet Lord Yuwen at such a late hour of the night, should he dissuade him or wink at it?

After dithering for a few moments, he made a choice, hurriedly went back into the room, found a cape after some fumbling, ran outside and called, "Young Master, it's cold. You should put on this cape."

Ling Zhang had walked far away some time ago. Hearing Xia Feng trying to catch up with him, he didn't pause but directly walked out of the courtyard gate, took a turn and headed for the Green Bamboo Mansion.

A guard on duty in the Green Bamboo Mansion was somewhat surprised to see him. "Childe Ling? Are you here to meet Marshal?"

"Yeah. Has he gone to sleep?" Ling Zhang paused and asked.

The guard shook his head and answered, "Not yet. He's waiting for the message to come. Please come in, Childe Ling. I'm sure Marshal will be very glad to see you."

Ling Zhang fell speechless.

Ling Zhang let out a cough in embarrassment and grunted, "Um."

As expected, after entering the house, he saw that Yuwen Tong was reading something wearing what he usually wore during daytime, as if he was ready to leave at any moment.

"You can't sleep?" asked Yuwen Tong at the sight of Ling Zhang.

"I'm a little worried. Have you had any news from Yao Yi?" said Ling Zhang.

Yuwen Tong put down the pamphlet he had been reading and looked at him meaningfully. "I thought that you would show some concern for me first, given the late hour."

Ling Zhang was sent into a brief trance. 'This guy is still in the mood for joking!'

"I'm here to talk with you about something sensible."

But Yuwen Tong replied in a very serious tone of voice, "What I'm talking about is also sensible. Your concern means a lot to me."

Such was the explicitness of Yuwen Tong's last remark that Ling Zhang was left at a loss for words for quite a while. What he found weirder was that he was unable to recall why he had come here in the first place after Yuwen Tong steered the conversation away.

"There has been no news from Yao Yi so far, which means that everything is going as planned, so we might as well just wait. There's no need to get anxious."

Eventually, it was Yuwen Tong who, after seeing Ling Zhang remaining silent for quite a while, curved the corners of his mouth and changed the topic.

Hearing this, Ling Zhang collected his thoughts and looked Yuwen Tong in the eye. Surprisingly, his cheeks burned somewhat. A moment ago, he had just criticized Yuwen Tong for being frivolous, but now it turned out that he himself was the one whose mind was wandering. 'No. It's all Yuwen Tong's fault. If it weren't for that remark of his... Forget it. In the final analysis, I'm too easily distracted by Yuwen Tong's words.'

Trying hard to get these miscellaneous thoughts out of his mind, Ling Zhang asked, "Aren't you ready to go out at any moment? I mean, you've already changed clothes."

"Preparedness averts peril. Besides, I'm a kung fu practitioner. It takes me only a few moments' meditation and Qi circulation to recover from fatigue," commented Yuwen Tong.

"Is my young master in there?" At this time, a faint voice came from outside. It was Xia Feng speaking to the guard.

Ling Zhang looked in the direction of the doorway.

Before long, Xia Feng walked inside, a cape in his hands. Seeing that Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong were just sitting there talking, he inexplicably felt a sense of relief. He gave the cape a shake unfolding it and then walked towards Ling Zhang. "Young Master, it's cold at night. You should put on your cape."

In the knowledge that Xia Feng was doing this out of his concern for him, Ling Zhang gave a bob of the head.

Xia Feng hurriedly walked up to Ling Zhang and put the cape on him.

Yuwen Tong glanced at the cape Ling Zhang was wearing and then cavalierly cast a look at Xia Feng.

Xia Feng sensed Yuwen Tong's blithe gaze, which was somewhat putting him under pressure, but for the sake of his young master, he still steeled himself and ventured, "Young Master, Lord Yuwen, it's getting late. Health is the most important. Please go to sleep."

Not having detecting any undertone in these remarks, Ling Zhang said, "Okay. You may go back first. I'll return and hit the hay in a short while."

"If you're tired, just sleep here. It's late. Why bother walking back?" offered Yuwen Tong.

Before Ling Zhang could make a reply, Xia Feng immediately responded, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Yuwen, but I'll wait outside and carry the lantern for Young Master on his way back."

Ling Zhang nodded.

Yuwen Tong watched as Xia Feng turned around, walked outside and stood waiting in the corridor. Then he said to Ling Zhang, "This servant of yours is somewhat being overprotective. Does he fear that I'm a monster capable of swallowing you?"

"Xia Feng is merely worried about me."

"But what is it that's causing his worry? Is he worried that you might encounter any danger in my place? Just sleep here if you're tired. The bed is broad enough."

'Is he inviting me to sleep with him?