The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Expressing Gratitude

Xuzhou Pengcheng, leaning against Weishan Lake in the north, bordering Suzhou in the west, and facing Lianyungang in the east, has been a strategic location for military strategists since ancient times. Three hundred years ago, a famous battle known as the “Battle of Pengcheng,” where a smaller force triumphed over a larger one, took place here. Nowadays, this area belongs to Northern Qi. Emperor Wenxuan built the renowned Northern and Southern Xiangtang Grottoes here. It even houses the Cizhou Kiln with abundant magnetic ore. The firing of porcelain began in Northern Qi, so the magnetic ore transported from here brought considerable wealth to the Northern Qi court.

As the saying goes, “A thousand miles of Pengcheng, a peck of gold a day,” this is the place.

Gao Changgong was ordered to be stationed here, firstly to defend against the Southern Dynasty’s invasion and secondly to protect the magnetic ore here.

It was already the third quarter of the Xu hour, a night with a bright moon and sparse stars. In a residence not far from the Xiangtang Grottoes, Gao Changgong stood by the window with his hands behind his back, seemingly troubled by something. His handsome, somewhat feminine face bore a deep sense of loneliness and helplessness.

“Prince—” A voice suddenly broke the serene and cold silence. A guard came before him and reported, “Prince, as you instructed, after severe interrogation, those men have confessed.”

Gao Changgong turned around and gestured for him to continue.

The guard continued, “The jade token in the hands of the leading assassin indeed belongs to His Majesty, but this token was given to Lady Lu by His Majesty when he was drunk and playing around with the palace maids on a whim.”

Lady Lu was Lu Lingxuan. Originally, she was just the daughter of a criminal official and was confiscated to the Imperial Household Department. Later, she was favored by Emperor Gao Zhan and became the wet nurse of Prince Gao Wei. Afterward, she gradually gained Gao Zhan’s favor with her clever words and a royal magnetic merchant under her control. From a mere maid, she transformed into a Fourth Rank Outer Lady. Gaining such honor as a maid was truly unprecedented and unheard of.

Now, the Emperor was neglecting his duties, indulging in drinking and pleasure every day. The Northern Qi court had been thrown into chaos by this woman, along with He Shikai and Empress Hu. It was an open secret that Empress Hu and He Shikai were having an affair, but Gao Zhan turned a blind eye to it and favored He Shikai even more than before.

Thinking of this, Gao Changgong sighed inwardly, “So, these assassins were sent by Lady Lu. What grudge does she have against those two young masters, why would she send people to kill them?”

“This… Reporting to Prince, I didn’t ask in detail, and those assassins didn’t say much. Should I go and ask again now?”

The guard was about to leave after saying that, but Gao Changgong waved his hand and said, “No need, it’s too late to ask now. So, have you found out the identities of those two young masters?”

The guard showed a look of shame and replied, “No, I only found out that those two young masters are not from Pengcheng. They seem to be from Yingyang. Other than that, there’s nothing else.”

“Don’t know their names, nor where they went?” Gao Changgong asked again.

The guard lowered his head even further and shook his head again, “Yes, I’m useless. The people I sent to follow them lost track of them. Prince, should I… send more people to search the entire city?”

The guard tried to ask, but Gao Changgong waved his hand again, “No need, they’re just passersby. I was just asking casually.”

“Yes, Prince!”

After the guard retreated, Gao Changgong sat down beside a low table. Outside the window, tree shadows swayed, and faint, clear moonlight spilled in through the window lattice, casting a light haze over the clean white bed curtains.

The bright moon above his head, his hometown in his heart. At this moment, Gao Changgong had no other way to express his melancholy and helplessness except for drinking. No wonder Qu Yuan once said, “I would rather die and wander than live in such a state.” The so-called state of exile and indulgence was just because he hadn’t encountered a wise ruler who could give him hope.

After finishing a cup of wine, Gao Changgong smashed the empty cup on the ground. Just as he was about to stand up, he seemed to catch a glimpse of a figure flashing past the window in his peripheral vision. So, Gao Changgong grabbed his sword and rushed out to the courtyard.

After searching around the courtyard, he indeed saw the boy lying on the eaves of the octagonal pavilion.

Unlike the tight-fitting, left-lapelled Hu attire he had seen during the day, the boy was now wearing a very loose white robe, his long hair half draped over his chest, making him look extremely lazy and somewhat unrestrained, with a carefree and self-assured air.

He really didn’t look like a child in his early teens.

However, Xianbei people matured early, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to get married at the age of twelve or thirteen.

“How did you get into my residence without making a sound?” Gao Changgong asked first.

The boy jumped down from the eaves of the pavilion and slowly walked up to him, saying, “Prince of Lanling, the guards in your residence are not very strict, and you are considerate of your soldiers, not having too many people standing guard in this residence. This, from another perspective, is also due to your lack of strict military discipline. It is said that Prince of Lanling treats his comrades with deep affection, even sharing fruits. However, if military discipline is not strict, relying solely on passion and loyalty, it will be difficult to dominate the battlefield. There may be temporary success, but there will never be such good luck all the time.”

“You even understand military strategy?” Gao Changgong asked in surprise.

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The boy smiled, “We Xianbei people have always been known for our bravery. Why should we learn those hypocritical Confucian ways? Womanly benevolence will only cause trouble. These are just my humble opinions.”

Prince of Lanling smiled and asked, “More than just humble opinions, your words have enlightened me. What brings you here today?”

“To thank you for saving my life today!” The boy said, throwing something into his hand, “Take a look for yourself! This is something my Qing Gege gave you. There’s also a pill inside. My Qing Gege said it might save your life someday.”

After speaking, the boy didn’t linger. He jumped onto the eaves of the pavilion again, grabbed a slanting branch, and leaped towards the outside of the residence.

At this moment, the guards rushed over. Seeing the figure flashing through the air, they hurriedly went to chase after him.

Gao Changgong immediately stretched out his hand to stop them, “Don’t chase, let him go!”

“Prince, what kind of assassin is that?” His close attendant hurriedly knelt down and said, “I have failed in my duty and alarmed the Prince!”

“No, he’s not an assassin.” Gao Changgong explained briefly, then said no more, “You all go back!”

“Yes!”

Just as the guards were about to leave, they heard him say, “Oh, right, starting tomorrow, intensify your training, don’t slack off!”

“Yes!”

The guards answered in unison again and retreated.

Gao Changgong returned to his room and opened the brocade pouch under the candlelight. He took out a very thin piece of silk and saw that it was written in extremely elegant handwriting:

Honor, position, and wealth are like passing guests, not permanent possessions, and their departure cannot be prevented. The powerful will fall, the illustrious will perish, just like spring flowers, withering in an instant. Why rejoice in gaining them, why grieve in losing them? A hundred regrets, anxieties, and fears, words cannot express, not worth it. Take care, my lord! I offer you a pill as a token of my gratitude.

After reading it, Gao Changgong’s expression changed slightly. At the same time, he took out a round pill wrapped in a black lacquer shell from the brocade pouch.

Gao Changgong’s attendant was puzzled and couldn’t help but ask, “Prince, what is this? And this letter…”

“The Divine Physician is indeed worthy of the name. She not only heals illnesses but also understands people’s hearts. This letter is warning me that fame and fortune in this world are just fleeting illusions, not only not worth pursuing but also likely to bring about fatal disaster. This pill is a gift to protect my life.”

After Gao Changgong finished speaking, the attendant chuckled and covered his mouth, then said, “Prince, do you believe such words? Could it be that this Divine Physician, like the Secretary Supervisor of the Bureau of Astronomy, can read the stars and predict fate? I don’t believe it anyway.”

Unlike the playful expression of his attendant, Gao Changgong’s eyes were deep as he muttered to himself, “It doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not, and she wouldn’t care either. What matters is that I believe it.”

“Ah? You really believe it, Prince?”

Gao Changgong didn’t say anything more but smiled enigmatically. He returned to the table, put the pill and the silk back into the brocade pouch, and thought to himself: Who is she? Should I send someone to follow her and investigate her identity?

After a moment of thought, he shook his head: No, that’s not what a gentleman would do. If fate allows, we will meet again.