Chapter 30: 16.4: 16.4

It was the voice of a young man. A Zhi and Changyi were stunned, and cheered: “Brother A Da is here!” 

The two went out of the room like a wisp of smoke1disappear in an instant, and the servants also hurriedly followed. 

Teng Yuyi pushed open a slit of the window, and saw two men surrounded by the servants in the courtyard. The man on the left had a familiar face, and it was precisely the crown prince she saw not that long ago.

The other was tall and had a strangely handsome appearance. It was strange that this person was only wearing the green robe of a seventh-rank official, yet he was followed by a bunch of servants.   

A Zhi and Changyi hurriedly ran towards those people: “Brother crown prince! Brother A Da, have you just come from the Dali Temple?” 

Teng Yuyi was a little but astonished, almost did not recognize that it was Lin Chengyou. 

 Lin Chengyou patted the heads of A Zhi and Changyi, turned his head to ask the maid in front of him: “Are you mute? What are you sneaking around here for?” 

The maid lowered her head and said: “Replying to the prince’s words, this maid came to find the young lady of the General Teng’s family in the name of my lady. I heard that Princess Changyi and Princess Jingde were inside Lady Teng’s room so this maid did not dare to go in, and could only wander around here. This maid has accidentally disturbed the His Highness the prince and the crown prince, and is only asking His Highness for a light punishment.”  

The crown prince was always gentle and calm: “Whose family is your lady from?” 

“The daughter of Li Changmao, the provincial governor of Suzhou. When my lady used to live in Yangzhou, she had already befriended Lady Teng, and knowing that Lady Teng was in the neighboring courtyard, my lady asked this maid to send some snacks to Lady Teng.” 

This was indeed true. The maid was holding a silver-colored lacquer tray. 

Teng Yuyi frowned as she had never seen this person before. 

However, she did have some impression on Li Changmao’s daughter. Li Changman was a deputy general under father in his earlier years. When she was still in Yangzhou, Li Changmao’s wife had once brought her daughter over to the mansion as a guest. 

Little Lady Li’s maiden name is Li Huaigu, taking the meaning of “Huaiyang is eternally strong”. She had played with Li Huaigu once or twice, but it couldn’t quite be said that they were good friends. 

A contemptuous smile escaped from Lin Chengyou’s mouth: “From Yangzhou?” 

The maid’s face was faintly flushed, yet she answered in a calm manner: “It is true that my lady’s birth place is Yangzhou, but my lady has only lived with the lord for three years.” 

A Zhi snorted heavily. Lin Chengyou turned his head to look at her, with a ridiculous tone: “What are you laughing at?” 

A Zhi raised two fingers: “Two.” 

Lin Chengyou did not ask what the “two” meant, and said mockingly: “How about you ask for bother, what is the nickname of her lady?” 

When he spoke to A Zhi, his voice was softer and less fierce, and instead was more gentle and patient. 

The face of the maid became even redder. 

A Zhi pouted: “My brother has already asked about it so you can open your mouth to talk about it.” 

The maid said: “The lord has never specifically given a nickname to the lady, but because my lady is ranked third in the household, she has been called the third lady since youth.” 

Lin Chengyou snorted and laughed, no longer paying attention to the maid: “The crown prince said he wants to look for you two when he arrives. I was wondering where you two have been? Have you played enough? Go and pay respect to your aunt first.” 

The crown prince looked at Changyi: “Big brother has brought A Da here for you. You always clamor for A Da to tell you stories. You can ask him to tell you stories till you are full today.” 

Changyi said angrily: “I am still angry. Brother A Da, why did you lie to us!” 

Lin Chengyou smiled and said: “I am wronged. When have I ever deceived someone?” 

“You still say that you haven’t. Last time with the bird’s nest matter, you deceived us so cruelly.” 

“What bird’s nest? When was there such a matter?” 

A Zhi pouted her lips: “Brother, you still refuse to admit it!” 

The crown prince glanced towards the inner of the room, and seemed to be hesitant. However, Teng Yuyi’s room was as quiet as ever, and no one came out so he just said to the maid: “No need to kneel, you can get up.” 

The group was just about to leave when because of kneeling for so long, that maid’s legs were numb, and when she got up, she sprained her ankle. An object fell from her waist with a “pop”. That object was as round as a ball and as shiny as silver, rolling directly straight to A Zhi’s feet. 

The maid had a panicked expression, and hurriedly went over to pick it up, but Changyi had already ordered a servant to pick it up. It turned out to be a silver-colored sachet. 

“A Gu.” Changyi tilted her head to identify the words on it. 

Lin Chengyou stopped, and turned around to take a look. 

“What is this?” A Zhi was curious and went to Changyi’s side, “Weird, how can there be someone called A Gu?” 

The maid hurriedly knelt down, and said: “Replying to Your Highness’s words, this is an item that belongs to our family’s third lady. Because my lady’s maiden name has the word ‘Gu’ in it, the word ‘A Gu’ is engraved in small words.” 

A Zhi wanted to hand the sachet to Lin Chengyou, but Lin Chengyou refused to take it: “Didn’t you say your lady’s nickname is third lady? Why is she called A Gu again?” 

The maid hurriedly said: “The third lady is my lady’s nickname, but Huai Gu is my lady’s formal name. When the lady was born, my lord was ordered to protect the grain transportation of the two roads of Huaiyang. In order to seek a good meaning, my lord decided to name the lady, Li Huaigu.” 

“Huaigu, Huaiyang is eternally strong…A Gu.” Lin Chengyou had a strange expression on, “Has your lady ever come to Chang’an when she was young?” 

The maid lowered her head: “The lady has indeed come to Chang’an several times before.” 

“Was also here during the eighth year of Long Yuan?” 

Teng Yuyi secretly pondered. Could it be that Li Huaigu was the female little girl who saved Lin Chengyou when he was a child? 

The eighth year of Long Yuan was also the same year that her mother died. She and father supported the coffin and returned to Chang’an. The roads were worn-out. She cried endlessly because she missed her mother, and not long after arriving, she ended up suffering from a strange illness. 

She heard from her aunt that once she had a very high fever and would end up fainting from fear. If it weren’t for the fact that they hired an imperial doctor to prescribe medicine, she was nearly unable to be saved. 

“This…” The maid shook her head, “This maid can’t remember clearly. This will have to be talked about with the lady and madam.” 

Lin Chengyou looked at that maid, and just as the crown prince was about to speak, there was a servant that came over from the gate of the courtyard: “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness the Prince, the Empress invites you to come.” 

Not long after they left, the Empress invited all the females to the Yun hall to fast and copy scriptures.

Following the orders of the Empress, everyone needed to copy ten scrolls of scriptures each. In addition, everyone also could not touch any meat or fish for the three days at the temple.

After fasting in the evening, Teng Yuyi clasped the volumes of scriptures that were bestowed by the Empress and came out. There were attendants everywhere, and detouring around the winding corridor, her surroundings suddenly quieted down.  

Teng Yuyi knew that there were guards standing inside and outside of the Dayin Temple, just like a city that is strong and well-defended. However the temple was remote and heavy which would inevitably make one feel frightened. She quickened her pace and walked through the corridor. At the corner, a person suddenly appeared. 

Teng Yuyi’s volumes of scriptures nearly all fell to the ground. That person offered a hand to help, and then immediately released his hand: “Lady Teng.” 

Teng Yuyi stabilized her state of mind, and bent her knees to salute: “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”  

The crown prince said calmly: “General Teng asked me to deliver a few words to you. I reckoned that you would pass by here so I waited here for a while. I forgot to tell you about this matter beforehand, did I scare you badly?” 

Teng Yuyi said: “Replying to the words of his Royal Highness, I am not frightened badly. It’s just that one does now what my father had said.” 

However, her heart was full of speculation. Why would father take the initiative to ask the crown prince to deliver a message?

The crown prince said: “General is currently in the west camp, dealing with military affairs at the moment. When I went there, he was just about to find someone to return to the city to deliver a letter to you, but the military matters were urgent, and all the troops were waiting for him to give orders. I saw that his hands were tied up2means being very busy and not have time to deal with other things so I said that I will also be going to the Daying Temple today, and I can help convey the letter for him.” 

“Your father then asked me to tell you that he will not leave the capital for these two days for the time being, but by the time you leave the temple, he will most likely have already left. Recently the rebel army has frequently been causing trouble around, and there was a messenger who was ambushed in the morning today. In the next few months, he will not be in Chang’an city, so you should be careful when going out.”

Teng Yuyi quietly listened to these words, and nodded: “This child keeps it in mind. Many thanks to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for passing on the message.” 

The crown prince smiled: “That year when I accompanied the army on an expedition to the west, General Teng had once saved my life. After going on this expedition for half a year, I was often taught by him. I selfishly have already recognized General Teng as a teacher so it is also the duty of a student to pass on the words on the behalf of the teacher. Since the words have been said, Lady Teng can go back to her room to rest.” 

These words were modest and frank, which not only explained the reason, but also dispelled the doubts in Teng Yuyi’s heart. Teng Yuyi said: “Have troubled3polite way of thanking someone for the trouble, used when asking a favor or after having received one His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. This servant is extremely grateful, and if there is nothing else, this servant will take a leave first.” 

The crown prince nodded, and took the lead in taking a step. After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around: “You now have official documents in your hands so it is also convenient to enter the palace. If you encounter any tricky situation, you can have someone come find me with the documents.” 

Teng Yuyi was silent for a moment, and was just about to find a way to refuse when a narrow shadow of a light appeared on the wall, seemingly like someone was coming. 

Teng Yuyi and the crown prince both stood in a silent corner without even a single servant by their sides. If one was to directly bump into this, it could make people mistakenly believe that they were having a private meeting. 

Teng Yuyi did not want to be involved with the crown prince, and looked left to right, thinking about getting out as soon as possible. However there were corridors on both sides, and unless one jumps from the railing, there is simply nowhere else to hide. 

Seeing that the shadow of the light was getting closer and closer, the crown prince signaled for Teng Yuyi to keep silent, and pushed her into the empty room behind her, but he did not go in himself and instead helped close the door for Teng Yuyi from the outside.  

Teng Yuyi’s heart jumped. This was not necessarily a good idea, but there was no trance revealed at all so she could only go with this. 

The sound of footsteps got closer, and the sound became louder. 

“Aunt heard that the A Gu that year has been found, and has already prepared rewards. Who knew that it would be another imposter. Brother, how do you know that there is a problem with that Li Huaigu?” 

Lin Chengyou said: “I went to the Eastern Market to investigate a case, and after casually asking around, I already knew. Two days ago, there was someone who went to cast a batch of small belongings, from combs to fragrant sachets, everything required the two words ‘A Gu’ to be engraved on. However the mold that was originally taken was engraved with the two words ‘third lady’ which shows that this person’s nickname originally is ‘third lady’. Isn’t the sudden change of ‘A Gu’ specifically done for that scene today.” 

A Zhi was stunned: “Ah, This, Lu Huaigu, is too evil, but brother, aunt have already punished her. Why are you insisting on having her change her name?” 

Lin Chengyou said: “Is she worthy of being called A Gu A Gu?” I’m in a bad mood today. This surnamed Li happened to bump into me today. Aunt has fasted and worshiped Buddha so I should also do a good deed today. I kindly changed her name to Li Huaisan on her behalf, doesn’t this name perfectly match with someone like her? If she is not satisfied, it is also fine if she calls herself A Mao or A Gou4BTW this ‘Mao’ means cat btw and this ‘Gou’ means dog so it is basically calling one a cat or a dog. Anyways, just don’t let me hear her call herself A Gu again.” 

 A Zhi naively smiled for a while, and then asked again: “Brother, how do you know that they are not that A Gu from back then?” 

Lin Chengyou said: “You just said that you want to find a bird’s nest so how about brother takes up to the tree to fly around?” 

A Zhi cheered: “Oh, yes!” 

Soon after she said again: “No, no.” 

Lin Chengyou seemed to be holding back a smile: “Why not?”

A Zhi huffed and said: “I know now, I understand! Every time I want to ask someone, as long as brother does not want to answer me, you would deliberately change the subject.” 

Lin Chengyou said in a low voice: “A Zhi, listen. Aren’t there birds chirping above?” 

“Brother, you are doing it again.” A Zhi stomped her foot, “Brother, can’t you just tell me!” This time, you can teach me, and then next time, you won’t need to personally expose them.” 

“What do you keep in that little melon head of yours? Where in the world are there so many things that need to be gotten to the bottom of? You just said that there is nothing delicious to eat in the temple so while there is no one around right now, brother will go outside to buy you some snacks. Did you like those white tipped noodles last time?”  

A Zhi let out her temper: “Don’t want, don’t want. I don’t want to eat anything!” 

“Okay, then brother is leaving.” 

A Zhi hurriedly said: “Brother!” 

The crown prince stiffened his scalp and walked forward: “A Zhi, don’t you already know your brother’s personality. As long as he refuses to say, then no one should even think about being able to get an answer.” 

A Zhi was surprised and said: “why is Brother Crown Prince here?” 

The crown prince coughed: “Just came out from the head of the temple’s office, and was just about to return to the palace.”  

A Zhi said: “Brother Crown Prince, you are so smart. Can you figure out what is exactly going on?”

The crown prince was absent-minded: “It has already been so many years. Is there anything that your brother can recognize at a glance? Hairpin? Bracelet?” 

A Zhi said: “No, no. I think it must be something that is fun, and is only something that only A Gu has.”

The crown prince laughed: “A Da, you listen. A Zhi’s tone of voice is already becoming more and more similar to yours.” 

Lin Chengyou smiled: “Don’t dare to compare. She is much more troublesome than me.” 

“A Zhi, this place is too windy. If you have anything you want to know, go over to the side and ask.” 

A Zhi said: “If brother refuses to tell me, then I will think about it here for the entire night.” 

Lin Chengyou smiled: “Okay, I will go back to yamen5衙门, yamen = well-known name for a government/administrative office in China. You can stay here, and properly reflect on your mistakes in front of the wall!” 

A Zhi cried out loudly, and Lin Chengyou paused his steps, as if he was hugging his younger sister: “Are you really afraid now? Don’t cry anymore. If you really cry again, then brother will really leave.” 

The crown prince hurriedly went to help out the situation: “I will punishingly question your brother for you. Don’t stay here anymore, and beware of catching a cold.” 

Just to hear A Zhi say: “Aunt said that it was related to some kind of rag doll, but rag dolls all look the same. How could it be used to identify a person? Brother, you quickly tell me, okay?”  

Lin Chengyou said: “Look at this ugly look of yours when crying. Go back to your room first, then brother will tell you.” 

A Zhi was overjoyed at the turn of events: “Today I actually saw a very strange rag doll, and that person has also lived in Yangzhou before, but she is not called A Gu.” 

Lin Chengyou let out a long sigh: “That person knows that you are my blood-related younger sister so she happened to let you see the rag doll, taking the initiative to say that she is not called this name. I have seen a lot of these types of methods before. Recently my head has been getting bigger.” 

Teng Yuyi angrily listened behind the door. What does this have to do with her?

The crown prince said patiently to A Zhi: “Don’t blame your brother for being annoyed. Recently, the imperial officials have changed, and many foreign officials have also come back to the capital to report their duties. Father and mother dearly love your brother, and this is something that all the officials in the imperial court know. If father knew that a daughter of a certain official saved your brother before, there would definitely be deep respect for that person. In this way, there would be an extra dependence during the election period so recently, a lot of people have been self-proclaiming themselves as A Gu, even asking the court councilors to pass on the message to the palace…” 

Their voices got quieter and quieter. 

Teng Yuyi waited in the room for a while until there was repeated silence outside, and only then did she come out. 

Getting out of the Xuanpu Pavilion, Chun Rong and Bi Luo were still painstakingly waiting outside. The two had very red noses which made it clear that they were freezing. The three of them, master and servants, returned to their rooms to rest, and were silent that night. 

For the next two days, Teng Yuyi followed the Empress to worship Buddha everyday. Everything was the same as before, except for Changyu and A Zhi who seemed to have been strictly restricted, no longer running around everywhere. 

After three days like this, it was time to leave the temple on the fourth day. At daybreak, Teng Yuyi was still sleeping soundly when suddenly someone pushed her in her dream.

She half-consciously opened her eyes, and was faced with the panic-stricken faces of Chun Rong and Bi Luo.  

“Lady, quickly wake up!” 

Teng Yuyi’s sleepiness started to disappear. These two maids have been following her for many years, and have always been careful and calm. To lose control like this, she did not know what had happened. She suddenly sat up and said: “What’s wrong?” 

The two silently sobbed: “Something happened to the Lord.” 

Teng Yuyi was stunned. 

Bi Luo was terrified and uneasy: “When the Lord was on the way to court today, he was ambushed by a group of rebels at the Jiafumen. Cheng Bo just hurriedly came to deliver the message, even the Empress was startled. 

Teng Yuyi’s heart was beating rapidly, and during the time of feeling frightened, she was supported up by someone. Only then did she find that her hands and feets were numb like a log of wood. 

She pushed away the two of them, lowered her head and carelessly put on her shoes: “You guys most likely heard wrong. I want to ask Cheng Bo in person. No, Father is still in the West Camp. I will directly go to the West Camp to find father.” 

Chun Rong and Bi Luo were trembling while helping Teng Yuyi get dressed. The three of them, master and servants, packed up to leave. The sky was unclear, and the snowflakes were endlessly floating down. There was a sense of misty emptiness in the world. 

Teng Yuyi choked on a cold breath of wind before realizing that she forgot to wear an overcoat. However she couldn’t care less, and ran to the gate of the courtyard in a panic, bumping into a group of people. 

The person in the front was wearing a gold flower-shaped hairpin and an elegant dress. It was precisely the Empress who had a group of attendants behind her, all following each in a dazed manner with a faint look of uneasiness. 

The Empress saw Teng Yuyi and quickly went to face her: “Lady Teng.”

Teng Yuyi had a sense of intense inauspiciousness behind her, barely being able to preserve her etiquette: “Pay respects to the Empress…”  

The Empress supported Teng Yuyi’s arms: “No need, quickly get up.” 

The Empress’s hands were even colder than Teng Yuyi’s, and in a deep voice: “The carriage is ready. Your father is leading the troops on the left, and the Emperor has already sent all the palace attendants over, and is currently doing everything to provide critical care. Child, don’t be afraid. Your father has a heart dedicated to serving the country, and will turn misfortunes into blessings.”   

Teng Yuyi’s voice trembled: “What exactly happened to my father?”

The Empress was silent for a bit, and untied the snow-white fox fur coat on her body and tied it on Teng Yuyi’s body: “That group of traitors failed to assassinate several officials last time so they put the target on General Teng. It should have been planned out long ago, even with General Teng’s skills…” 

The Empress has seen strong winds and waves6meaning great disruptions and complex struggles in society, idiom, but her tone and manner was still far away from her usual calm-self. It can be seen that the assassination of the imperial councilors this time nearly shocked the entire court and society. 

Teng Yuyi could not stop trembling, and walked away with her heart hanging7‘heart hanging’ – means having very unstable and anxious feelings. The Empress’s heart was filled with concern, and personally sent Teng Yuyi out of the inner courtyard.

Cheng Bo was covered all over in blood. As soon as he saw Teng Yuyi come out, he knelt down. When he knelt, many of the guards of the Teng Mansion, including Duan Fu, all knelt down. 

“This lowly servant deserves death. By the time this lowly servant arrived, the Lord was already seriously injured.” Cheng Bo’s tears and mucus overflowed. 

Teng Yuyi numbly stepped forward to help support: “Tell me precisely everything that happened on the road today.”

Teng Yuyi got into the carriage, and Cheng Bo and the others followed along on their horses: “In the past few days, the military situation in the front is very urgent, and Chang’an is not very peaceful and secure. When the Lord went out, he specifically increased the number of personal guards. After finishing with the military affairs, we will go into battle tomorrow. In the morning, the Lord brought his personal guards and passed by Jiafumen. Suddenly there was a thick fog rising around him, and it was very malicious. If one were to breathe in it for a long time, they would faint. At that time, the Lord said while being surrounded by the fog: Beware of ambush. As soon as he said this, there was a group of assassins coming from all directions.”

“The patrol officer heard these movements, and hurriedly went over. Most of the guards were killed on the spot, only one luckily did not die. That person only had a breath left after being rescued, and before he died, he said that someone among the assassins knew evil sorcery, obviously being able to hear the sounds of swords in the fog, yet there was nowhere to hide. The Lord’s military skills are excellent, and was able to kill most of the assassins. In the end, he still inevitably suffered serious injuries, and the wounds on his chest and abdomens are bleeding continuously right now. The doctor is currently thinking of a way to stop the bleeding.”

Teng Yuyi tightly grasped the handrail. He is still being treated, proving that there is still hope. Father has a strong body so the situation should not be as bad as she thinks. 

She rushed to the left-leading troops with that glimmer of hope. Some soldiers said that General Teng was settled down in the central  hall. Teng Yuyi anxiously walked towards it, and along the road, she only saw a great number of sword and weapon stands, not a single official was seen. 

When she arrived at the central  hall, it was crowded with people on the inside. The officials were either heavily sighing and shaking their heads or were anxiously pacing around. 

Not knowing who spoke: “The daughter of General Teng is here.” 

Many eyes swept towards Teng Yuyi. Teng Yuyi walked over, and the officials all automatically parted to the sides. 

Teng Yuyi first saw her father’s boots, and then his dark ochered-colored robe. 

When she got closer, only then did she see that her father was wearing a navy-colored full gown. At first glance, she mistook it for a dark ochre color, because her father’s whole chest and calves were stained with blood. 

Teng Yuyi’s legs were soft. Several people rushed up from behind, and firmly helped support her up. 

She unsteadily walked over, and suddenly caught a sight of her father’s face. She had never seen such a deathly pale face before which was even whiter than paper, yet his eyebrows and eyes were unusually black, black like ink. If it weren’t for that unusual face, it would look exactly like a painting of a person.   

She moved to the front, and carefully held her father’s ice-cold hand. 

Teng Shao opened his eyes, and was already out of breath.

Teng Yuyi said softly: “Father.” 

The soldiers and officials began to cry in low voices. 

Teng Yuyi looked at both sides at a loss: “What is the meaning of this? Why isn’t there medicine given to my father?” 

A few elderly seemed to be the physicians from the palace, and with faint tears in their eyes, they cupped their hands, and said: “General Teng died due to his serious injuries. We are incompetent. Please forgive us for not having the ability to reverse the situation.” 

Cheng Bo’s tears flowed down. His shoulders were low, and desperately kowtowing with a thumping sound. 

Duan Fu and the others opened their mouths. Without saying a word, they all lowered their heads and knelt down. 

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A young soldier cried and said: “Those traitors! It is not an exaggeration to  publicly entrap such a loyal and faithful general! It is not too much if they died a hundred times! From today on, I will hunt down these murderers day and night! When I capture these traitors, I  will definitely behead them.” 

“General Teng has led troops for decades, and has captured countless traitors, knowing people’s ability as well. Who wouldn’t have admiration! Now that General Teng has been killed by crafty scoundrels, how can we be at ease and comfort? If revenge is not taken, then one vows not to be human!”8this means swearing that a certain goal must achieved, and if it is not achieved, then one is ashamed of life

“If revenge is not taken, then one vows not to be human!”

Teng Yuyi gently shook her father, but her father did not respond in the slightest. She felt despair to the extreme, and was at a loss like a log of wood. 

The scene of her father’s words that night was still vivid, but in just a few days, her father became an ice-cold body. 

She said in a low voice: “Father, I’m here.” 

“Quickly wake up. Wake up to see your daughter.” 

The people on the side saw that there was something not right with Teng Yuyi, and tearfully tried to pull her away, but Teng Yuyi just stood there motionlessly. This pair of father and daughter are both equally stubborn. Teng Shao’s eyes opened unyieldingly, making it clear that there were a lot of words he wanted to say.  

The lead troops wailed continuously. Someone went to the palace to report the death, and someone else wanted to move Teng Shao into a coffin. 

“General Teng’s eyes can’t close.” 

That person shedded tears: “There is an unfulfilled ambition! General Teng, you can rest assured. You have traveled thousands of miles in this life, made countless accomplishments, and now have died for the country. Your meritorious name will last forever.” 

Someone reported outside: “The people from the palace are here.”

The court eunuch was covered in dust: “When the Emperor suddenly heard the news of the death of General Teng, the Emperor cried bitterly in the court, and issued a decree: General was not afraid of evil and strong. He was loyal and righteous, and is to be respected in life and lamented in death. The entire country mourns, and he is to bestow an honorary title after death, establishing a historical monument with the great achievements that have passed down through the ages. The daughter of General Teng is calm and filial, and suddenly lost her father. Zhen9朕, Zhen = means ‘I’, used by the Emperor to refer to himself , just like when the Empress uses Bengong to address herself) feels extremely pitiful, and bestows a title as Princess Zhen’an. Bestow unlimited food and three thousand residences. From the Emperor himself.”  

After the court eunuch finished announcing the imperial edict, he looked at the deceased body of Teng Shao, and couldn’t help, but say: “General Teng, in order to comfort a loyal soul, the Emperor vowed to capture every last of those traitors hidden in the capital. The matter of suppressing the armed forces of Huai Xi will even more not be hindered as a result of this. When the people in the world are sincere and safe, the name, General Teng, will definitely be honored in the meritorious deed book. With such a solemn funeral, General Teng should close his eyes10Dying without closing one’s eyes would signify having unresolved grievances.” 

The soldiers gently put their palms on the face of General Teng, and then moved away, but General Teng still had his eyes open. 

“This, how can this be good?” 

“General Teng clearly still has some unfulfilled wishes.” 

Cheng Bo looked at Teng Yuyi, understanding it in his heart, and cried: “The Lord sees that the lady is lonely so is reluctant to leave. My Lord, this old servant will fight with his life to protect the lady. You can go with reassurance.” 

Duan Fu hasn’t said a word since the incident. At this time, he waved his sword and slashed at his palm. Both of his hands were dripping with blood, holding the blade high: “My Lord, Duan Fu is here to protect the lady!” 

All the guards of the Teng Mansion swore in a blood alliance: “This guard is here to protect the lady!” 

Teng Yuyi gently stroked her father’s face. Those eyes were still open as if waiting for a reply. 

Her throat sounded, and tears slowly flowed down: “Father.” 

Teng Shao quietly looked at the beam of the roof. 

Teng Yuyi’s tears fell onto her father’s cheeks: “Father, I know that you can hear. I will listen to you, and will take good care of myself. Although I will be alone in the future, I will live well. Father, you can go rest assured.” 

She sobbed and couldn’t make a sound anymore. She trembled and gently stroked those pairs of eyes. They finally closed this time. 

Teng Yuyi bitterly cried, and leaned over her father’s body. Her cheek touched the cold and hard blood stain that had long dried up. The sadness was infinitely amplified, and was deeply pressed into her heart. The father and daughter have been at disagreement for too many years. There were still many words that she didn’t have time to say to her father, but he left just like this. How can she accept it, how can she be willing to.

She was worried that her father would be reluctant to leave, and did not dare to cry too loudly, but the grief and despair were like a boulder pushing down on her, causing her to gasp for air. 

Someone helped Teng Yuyi up, and then her memory became blurry. She was like a walking corpse, numbly cupping her hands in front of the coffin and mourning everyday. 

Teng Shao’s funeral arrangements were arranged as the rank system of a  first-rank lord. There was no ancestral hall as another ancestral shrine was used. 

The new ancestral shrine was located in the south of the city. The number of common people and officials who came to offer condolences were endless. During this time, the crown prince came. Teng Yuyi kowtowed11Kowtow = traditional greeting, esp. to a superior, involving kneeling and pressing one’s forehead to the ground to return the politeness.  

The crown prince stood quietly in front of her for a long time, and then finally took off a jade pendant that he carried with him, and handed it to Cheng Bo: “A heroic soul is hard to find, and an orphan is pitiful. Duke Jin was my teacher before death, and after death, he is my greatest teacher. In the future, if Lady Teng encounters any tricky matters, there is no need to worry, and you may immediately send someone to come find me.” 

Cheng Bo complied with tears in his eyes. 

After Teng Shao was buried, the soldiers escorted Teng Yuyi back to the Teng Mansion. 

The Emperor was worried that the rebel traitors would come to find trouble with Teng Yuyi, and specifically a group of guards to guard outside of the Teng Mansion. 

The weather was getting ever more bitterly cold. The battle at the Huai Xi province was intense, and the west camp was in urgent need of armed troops. Soon after, all the parties of hidden traitors in the capital were captured, and the Emperor issued an imperial decree for all of them to be beheaded. 

The soldiers tied up the numerous rebel traitors, and dragged them all the way to the south of the city, beheading the rebel traitors in front of Teng Shao’s memorial tablet. 

As soon as the rebel traitors were eliminated, the world was clearer. The common people of Chang’an were all happy, and the guards outside of the Teng Mansion withdrew, feeling reassured. 

That night, Teng Yuyi was sorting out her father’s relics in the study room when Cheng Bo spoke outside: “Princess Jingde sent someone here to deliver an invitation card, inviting you to the Cheng Mansion tomorrow for a chat.” 

Teng Yuyi was silent for a moment, realizing that it was A Zhi. Her father had passed away a month ago, and hearing the name, Princess Jingde, there was a sense of a thing from a previous lifetime ago.  

“Say that I am not feeling well, and refuse it on my behalf.”

Cheng Bo sighed and said: “Princess Jingde seems to have some urgent matter, saying that if the lady does not come, she will personally come to the mansion herself. Lady, forgive this old servant, but after the Lord left, Lady closes the door all day, and does not come out. The food has also not been used well. If the Lady continues to shut the doors all day, your body will not be able to take it. Since Princess Jingde sent an invite, the Lady might as well go out to take a walk, only taking it as trying to relieve boredom.”  

Teng Yuyi put her father’s letters into the drawer: “Although father has been buried, there are still a lot of miscellaneous tasks to take care of. Besides, I am in my filial piety period of time12used to refer to the mourning period (100 days) when a grandparent, parent, or husband who died shortly after their death, also having to wear filial clothing so I ought to not go have fun, and amuse oneself. Reply to Princess Jingde for me, it is not suitable for me to go out in the near future, and if Princess Jingde has any urgent matters, invite her to the mansion.” 

Cheng Bo complied, and after a while, he turned around: “The servant says that she understands. The princess is very happy because ‘she has helped her brother find that person’. Tomorrow she will come with another person, saying that there is something that needs to be verified with the Lady in person.”

Teng Yuyi frowned. What is the meaning of this? A no clue and no root sentence. 

“Did the princess say who the other person is?”

“The servant did not say.” 

Teng Yuyi said: “We will know tomorrow. Also have someone prepare tea and snacks in advance.” 

Cheng Bo complied, and spoke again: “Lady, the gift sent to the Lord’s former subordinates at the west camp has already been sent. General Bai and the others were very grateful, thanking the Lady for taking care of the females in their families. They will return victorious some other day, and will definitely come to the doorstep to thank in person.”

Teng Yuyi put the books that were on the table back on the bookshelf: “These soldiers have been by my father’s side for many years, and they are not young anymore. Forget about the high-ranked soldiers, the low-ranked soldiers receive a small salary, and will not worry about themselves when they go onto the battlefield, but will instead worry about their relatives in Chang’an so send some clothes and food to the families of those soldiers to help them get through the winter. When they leave for the battlefield, they will also feel more assured.” 

Cheng Bo’s glistening teardrops twinkled: “If the Lord is aware of Lady’s righteousness, one would not know how happy he would feel.” 

Teng Yuyi turned her head to look at him: “Tonight, those guards of the western camp have left. Those remaining evil traitors who have escaped the eradication will have heard of the news. Perhaps they will come to create trouble. How are the defenses inside and outside of the mansion set up?” 

Cheng Bo said: “There are three groups inside and outside, sixty people in total and all are brave and strong guards. They change shifts at zishi13子时, zishi = 11pm to 1am, and change again at yinshi14寅时, yinshi = 3-5 am. Duan Fu and this old servant will guard the outside of the inner courtyard, and will not dare to slack off even for a second.” 

Teng Yuyi nodded: “Cheng Bo, you are also tired these days. There is nothing to do at the moment so you can go take a rest.” 

“This old servant will go prepare the gifts that will be sent to each residence tomorrow. If the Lady needs anything, please call this old servant.” 

While saying this, he helped close the door for Teng Yuyi, bowed his head, and went out. 

Teng Yuyi tidied up the letters one by one. Looking back at the bookshelf, father didn’t like to show off his literary skills, and most of the books on the shelves were military books. 

She reclassified the clutter again, and stood in the center of the room while looking around. It was a huge study room, and except for the Six Secret Strategic Teachings, and Three Strategies of Huang Shigong classics15two of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China, the only thing that has the weight of the pastime was the guqin16guqin = a type of zither, chinese musical instrument left by mother back then.  

The body of the guqin was recovered with a woven patterned brocade, just lying down between one of the frames on the shelf with a lot of other treasures. 

Teng Yuyi stared at the guqin, and finally could not hold it back, stepping forward to take it off the shelf. 

The lacquer paint of the guqin looked as good as new, and the strings were also as flexible as ever. It can be seen that although father put it in the study room, he rarely took it down to play with it. 

Teng Yuyi’s fingers gently plucked the strings, and a pitch of water flowing lingered out from her fingertips. She listened to this tune, and her eyebrows gradually knitted. In the end, she nevertheless still felt uncomfortable, and put the guqin back in its original spot. Her right hand accidentally touched the side of the body of the guqin, making a slight gurgling sound. 

Teng Yuyi was stunned. Could it be that the slab on this shelf is uneven? Comparing left and right, the body of the guqin is indeed high on the right and low on the left. Touching the shelf again, there was unexpectedly a slight sliding feeling.  

She turned around, and put the guqin on the table, using her hands to attentively search the shelf. Sure enough, she felt a piece of slab that was unstable from the left to right. After a while, she still hadn’t found the mechanism so she took out a dagger from the drawer, prying open the narrow crack along the slab little by little. 

Soon after, she pried it open, and there was indeed a small shallow layer underneath. When she felt it out, it turned out to be a pile of letters. 

Teng Yuyi’s heart jumped abruptly. Where did these letters come from? They were actually hidden in such a concealed place by father. 

Moving to the front of the light, she used it to examine the letters carefully. The letters were already a little yellowish, making it clear that they were already quite old.

At the bottom of the first letter, there was a line of words. 

“Wu Mou asks17某, mǒu  = is used in place of a person’s given name, for anonymity purposes.” 

Teng Yuyi’s eyes were on fire. Could it be Wu Yingying? 

However this line of words were sturdy and stiff, and does not really resemble a woman’s handwriting. Moreover, if it is Wu Yingiyng, why did she call herself Wu Mou?

She hurriedly opened the letter, and on the top, it read: “Farewell from the Nanzhao Kingdom…” 

In the silence of the night, the study room was exceptionally quiet. She endured, and read a line when suddenly a scream was heard outside. 

Teng Yuyi tensed up, and put the letter back to its original place. She quickly walked to the front of the door, and leaned against the door, whispering: “Cheng Bo?”

No one answered. 

Teng Yuyi was extremely surprised, tied the fox fur coat around her neck, and cautiously pushed open the door. 

The wind and snow have stopped tonight, and there was a lonely and cold atmosphere in the world. The moon hung alone in the sky, and the gloomy moonlight spilled into the courtyard.  

Teng Yuyi stood in the corridor, carefully listening. She vaguely heard the sound of swords and armor colliding with each other. She panicked as it seemed that there were indeed traitors who came to invade and harass. Also where was Duan Fu?

She called out in a low voice: “Duan Fu.” 

Still the same as before, no one responded. Teng Yuyi was indescribably somewhat flustered. Duan Fu has always never been too far away from her. If she is in the study room, he would always guard outside of the courtyard. 

There was no one in the courtyard. She walked quickly along the corridor to go out. No matter what happens outside, the best plan is to return to the inner garden as soon as possible. 

She rushed out of the gate of the courtyard. Suddenly a dozen shadows of figures appeared on the ground in front of her. Teng Yuyi was frightened and startled. She looked back, only to find a group of strangely dressed people with masks appeared on the roof at some unknown point. 

Each of them held a dagger in their hands. The blade of the dagger under the moonlight was as glaring as a snow wave. Waving their dagger altogether, they jumped down the beam of the roof and started chasing over. 

Teng Yuyi broke into a run, and ran while shouting out in fear: “Duan Fu! Cheng Bo!” 

The sound of blades collided together, and the night became sonorous. Cheng Bo’s voice came from afar: “Lady! Quickly go back to the inner garden!” 

Teng Yuyi’s scalp went numb18‘scalp goes numb’ = used to describe feelings of extreme fear or tension. It turns out that Cheng Bo has always been outside of the study room. Why is it that she wasn’t able to see him when she came out?

She followed the voice, and looked back, just in time to see Cheng Bo fall down from the wall. 

His limbs appeared to be somewhat distorted, and his skills were far less strong and healthy than usual. With just a few words, it seemed as if he was talking while someone was clenching his throat. 

Teng Yuyi ran a few steps, and felt that something was not right. She suddenly turned back again, and a layer of shudder suddenly appeared on her back. That group of masked people disappeared out of thin air. Cheng Bo and a dozen guards were fighting hand-to-hand in the deserted courtyard.  

“Cheng Bo! There is no one in front of you!” Teng Yuyi reminded them while running away, trembling in fear. 

Cheng Bo stumbled a few steps, and before he had time to turn around, that group of strange people suddenly rushed out from a diagonal direction. Cheng Bo didn’t even have time to change his move before he was stabbed in his right rib. 

He clenched his teeth, and held a sword in his hands, enduring the pain of the stabbing from the strange man in front of him. When the sword was drawn, a thin mist of blood splashed out, covering a large area. 

“Quickly go!” 

Teng Yuyi’s eye sockets were hot. She ran for her life. What is the origin of these people? Why can they perform such evil sorcery! 

Cheng Bo was still desperately fighting behind her back. There was a sound of fists clashing against each other ahead. With a beast-like-roar, there were suddenly two masked men thrown far away from the corner to the side of Teng Yuyi’s feet.  

Duan Fu was covered in blood, and madly rushed towards Teng Yuyi: “Lady!” 

Teng Yuyi kicked away the masked men besides her feet: “This group of people came prepared, and Cheng Bo is seriously injured. Did someone go out to deliver the news? If we can not find a way out of here in a short while, then no one will be able to leave the mansion!” 

“Cheng Bo risked his life and had two people leave just now so there should probably be people brought here soon.” As he spoke, a group of masked people chased over. Duan Fu did not say another word, and carried Teng Yuyi under his arms, running away at lightning speed. 

“They have unusual skills, and most of the guards inside and outside of the mansion were secretly ambushed. In addition, they seem to be very familiar with the people by the lady’s side. In order to lure this old servant away, they intentionally found a woman with a similar figure as you in order to lure this old servant out of the mansion. This old servant was nearly fooled.” 

No wonder she did not see Duan Fu and Cheng Bo when she came out. Teng Yuyi felt as if her heart was going to come out of her throat: “You killed those few. Did you ask who ordered them? Why do they want to kill me?” 

Duan Fu seemed to be trying to resist a cough with great difficulty with blood dripping down his lips: “This old servant was not able to get an answer, but the reason should be that they wanted to find something. As soon as they came, they targeted the Lord’s study room. 

Every time he said a word, his breath weakened. Teng Yuyi’s heart quickly sank: “Duan Fu, where are you injured?” 

Duan Fu’s temples were filled with beads of sweat: “This old servant is okay.” 

Teng Yuyi bit her lip tightly. Father had once said that Duan Fu’s internal strength is out of the ordinary, and there are few people in the martial arts world who are on the same level. However even Duan Fu was seriously injured so it can be seen that these people have even found a way to deal with Duan Fu in advance. 

Duan Fu jumped up and down a few times, and soon was able to climb over the wall of the inner garden. As long as they pass through the pond in front of the garden, then they will be able to flee away from the mansion. 

The pond was already frozen, and the ice surface was full of lights and shadows, reflecting the silver moon in the night sky. There was a weeping willow19Weeping willow = a species of tree that is native to dry areas of China in front of the pond, and the branches that laid on the ice surface were rustling and swaying. 

Duan Fu was injured, and his movements were not as light and convenient as usual. He climbed that willow tree while carrying Teng Yuyi on his back. Just as he was about to jump over the outer wall, a person appeared quietly in the dim light of the night. This person wore a pitch-black cloak, standing on the outer wall without making a sound. 

Duan Fu was taken aback, and almost fell to the ground. 

Teng Yuyi carefully looked at that person, and an intense sense of uneasiness rose in her chest. This person was tightly covered from head to toe, standing in the moonlight with a sense of loneliness. 

This person’s internal strength was obviously extremely high as even Duan Fu was not able to detect this person in advance. 

Duan Fu turned the palm of his hands into a fist, and struck as light as a feather towards that man’s chest. Teng Yuyi knew that this was a commonly used move by Duan Fu. Pretending to show a flaw while trying to lure the other party to make a move, and as long as the other party struck back, they will undoubtedly take a huge loss. 

Duan Fu has used it many times before, and has never lost.

That man faced that first without moving at all, but a hand stretched out from the cloak. With slender and thin fingers, an object ejected out at a thunderous lightning speed.  

The bright white light under the moonlight flashed by, and the sharp tip of a blade flew towards them. 

Duan Fu took Teng Yuyi, and dodged backwards, but that concealed weapon seemed to have been performed with some kind of sorcery. It was like wind, dividing into two out of thin air. Duan Fu only narrowly avoided one of them, and did not have enough time to avoid the other one. All of a sudden, it was buried into the right side of his neck. 

That person succeeded in the blow, raising one’s hand and lightly pulling. Duan Fu heavily groaned, and his head was pulled to the right. 

Teng Yuyi couldn’t help, but scream out in terror. It turns out that there was a silver thread in the man’s hand that was already buried in the flesh of Daun Fu’s neck. As long as he exerted strength, Duan Fu’s veins will burst, causing him to die on the spot.

Her blood rushed straight up: “Who exactly are you! You let my subordinates go, and I can give you the thing!” 

That person stood high on the courtyard wall, and seemed to smile silently. 

Teng Yuyi’s teeth could not stop trembling: “I know what you want. I found it when I was handling my father’s funeral, and that thing is now hidden by me in a village in the south of the city. If you want it, you just need to let go of me and my subordinates, and I will immediately take you to go find it. However, if you dare to hurt my subordinates again, then don’t ever think of being able to find that thing.” 

That person slowly raised his hand, and a cold sweat penetrated into Teng Yuyi’s heart in a split second. This person simply did not come to look for something, and clearly was here to take lives.

That person tightened the silver thread, seemingly plans to settle Duan Fu first, and then will settle her as well.  

Teng Yuyi has never been so desperate before. The silent surroundings were dreadful. One did not know if Cheng Bo and the others were still alive or not, but even if they were still alive, one would be afraid that it would be hard to even protect their own lives.  

When it was too late to speak, Duan Fu let out a low roar, and forcibly took the thread to meet with the right side. The sound of tearing flesh bursted in her ears. Teng Yuyi’s face became hot in an instant, and a large amount of hot blood splashed on her face. 

Her mind went blank. That person also seemed to be secretly taken aback. 

The blood on Duan Fu’s neck was still spraying, and his face was instantly submerged in blood. 

He was already no longer able to make a sound, and was fighting for his last breath to climb the wall while taking Teng Yuyi. Not far outside is the main street, and even if there was an invisible barrier set up, one can always run into an officer who is patrolling the streets. 

Teng Yuyi leaned on Duan Fu’s thick and broad back with tears pouring down her face. This old servant clearly could not survive, and having followed her for ten years, he would unexpectedly end up like this. 

He really has no other way. That strange person carries evil sorcery, and is viciously different from ordinary people. If they don’t do this, the two of them will both die under the hands of this strange person. 

That person quickly regained his senses, and slowly paced his way over this side. When the finger raised, it aimed towards the other side of Duan Fu’s neck this time. 

“Lady, go…”  Duan Fu spat out a few words indistinctly, and flinged Teng Yuyi onto the top of the wall. With his last trace of strength, he slammed his body into that person’s lower leg. 

(TL’s note: Duan Fu… ) 

Teng Yuyi looked at Duan Fu with sadness for the last time, and jumped down from the wall with tears in her eyes. However, before she could land on the ground, a strong force struck her back, and that person dragged her back again. 

Teng Yuyi stretched out her hand to grab that person, wanting to drag that person down with her, but that person was strangling Duan Fu with one hand side while using the other hand to lightly throw her towards the ice pond. 

Both her hands grabbed onto emptiness. She said frigidly: “Who exactly are you?!” 

With a plop sound, Teng Yuyi fell into the pond. The icy-cold and bone-chilling water choked into her lungs, causing her to quiver from head to toe. Her heart felt as if someone was firmly pinching it, freezing her thoracic cavity20horacic cavity = in simple words, it’s basically her chest. 

Every time she tries to grab hold of something, she will, because of the loss of center of gravity, sink back to the center of the pond. The snow-white fox fur coat is originally supposed to keep her protected from the cold, but once it is soaked in water, it becomes an inconvenience instead. 

She struggled desperately. The two people that were sent out by Cheng Bo should have already sent the news, and perhaps someone will arrive soon. As long as she holds on for a while, there is hope of being saved. She promised her father that she would live well. 

She floated in the water, and attempted to maintain consciousness. Her body was getting colder and colder, and her strength seemed to be drained, gradually struggling slowly. The fox fur coat seemed as if it had been fully absorbed with water, like a pair of huge white wings, holding her afloat in the water. 

The ice water is indeed very cold, and Teng Yuyi’s consciousness started to become blurry. While she was absent-minded, she had already returned to her childhood where she was in her mother’s arms. 

She joyfully stretched out hand to grab, but it was nevertheless still ice water in her palm. Where is that rag doll? It was also not by her side. 

She felt extremely lonely, and really wanted to submerge into a deep sleep. It was so cold, and cold air was blowing into every pore. Her heart also seems to be tired, and the sound of blood flowing in her eyes is also getting slower and slower. 

Suddenly, a strange sound was heard, as if someone was fighting on the wall of the courtyard. The person who came seemed to be very capable, not only was that person not secretly plotted against, but also actually knows how to deal with the evil sorcery of that strange man.  

Teng Yuyi had a faint hope in her heart. In order to get that person’s attention, she used all her strength to lift her arms up, but with just a single sweep, the fox fur coat seemed to be tangled in the water plants in the pond, dragging her down. 

The ice water choked into her trachea21trachea = a tube that connects to the lungs and carries air in and out) once again, and her heart started to contort. This time she really has no more strength, and weakly gasped for air. 

Someone ran towards the pong and jumped into the water. Judging from that person’s strong and vigorous skills, it is most likely a young man. 

It should be a warm-hearted good person. With such cold and icy water, he jumped down without hesitation. The youth swam very fast, and was about to grab her. 

The sky fluttered and sprinkled as it started to snow again. The front of Teng Yuyi’s eyes were getting increasingly darker, remembering the scene when her father and mother were holding her in the warm pavilion, watching the snow together. The sorrowful emotions in her chest spread. How many years has it been? How many years has it been since she has not seen the snow with her father and mother together?

She silently swallowed, and huge teardrops condensed in the outer corner of her eyes. 

The surrounding waves of water surged, and that youth got closer and closer to her. Just at the moment he grabbed her, she unhurriedly let out her last wisp of breath from her chest, and her eyes froze in her eye sockets.  

1disappear in an instant2means being very busy and not have time to deal with other things3polite way of thanking someone for the trouble, used when asking a favor or after having received one4BTW this ‘Mao’ means cat btw and this ‘Gou’ means dog so it is basically calling one a cat or a dog5衙门, yamen = well-known name for a government/administrative office in China6meaning great disruptions and complex struggles in society, idiom7‘heart hanging’ – means having very unstable and anxious feelings8this means swearing that a certain goal must achieved, and if it is not achieved, then one is ashamed of life9朕, Zhen = means ‘I’, used by the Emperor to refer to himself , just like when the Empress uses Bengong to address herself)10Dying without closing one’s eyes would signify having unresolved grievances11Kowtow = traditional greeting, esp. to a superior, involving kneeling and pressing one’s forehead to the ground12used to refer to the mourning period (100 days) when a grandparent, parent, or husband who died shortly after their death, also having to wear filial clothing13子时, zishi = 11pm to 1am14寅时, yinshi = 3-5 am15two of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China16guqin = a type of zither, chinese musical instrument17某, mǒu  = is used in place of a person’s given name, for anonymity purposes18‘scalp goes numb’ = used to describe feelings of extreme fear or tension19Weeping willow = a species of tree that is native to dry areas of China20horacic cavity = in simple words, it’s basically her chest21trachea = a tube that connects to the lungs and carries air in and out)

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