Chapter 61: Old Matters from Years Past Part 2

He saw nothing wrong with his words. After picking up his chopsticks, adding a slice of lotus root to the plate, and eating two bites, he realized Wei Tingxia was staring at him.

“What is it?” He looked up at Wei Tingxia’s curved eyes.

“Nothing,” Wei Tingxia shook his head. “Did the Emperor summon you?”

“Not yet. There should be an audience tomorrow.” At this, Yan Xinfeng paused. “The Emperor might keep me for lunch in the afternoon. Want to come along?”

“Me? I’m no imperial relative, nor do I have military merits. What would I be doing there?”

At this, Wei Tingxia remembered something. “How come no one’s clamoring to chop off my head?”

Yan Xinfeng frowned. “Why would they chop off your head?”

“Because I defected,” Wei Tingxia said. “You forgot?”

Oh. That.

Yan Xinfeng tentatively picked some vegetables into Wei Tingxia’s bowl, saying casually, “They don’t know about it.”

Wei Tingxia’s expression changed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I didn’t report it. In the capital, they only think I fell gravely ill two years ago. But because of that, I couldn’t report your merits either, to avoid giving others leverage.”

He said it lightly, then picked two more leafy greens into Wei Tingxia’s bowl, trying to figure out what Wei Tingxia liked by comparison.

But Wei Tingxia paid no attention to the greens.

His voice rose. “—You didn’t report it?”

“Keep your voice down,” Yan Xinfeng glanced around and nodded. “I lost my head at the time, too hasty. But on second thought, it was just between you and me, not affecting others, so I decided not to report it.”

“…”

Wei Tingxia did not know how to respond. Instead, after Yan Xinfeng finished, he pondered for a moment and suddenly set down his chopsticks.

“You did your best back then.”

He said, his brows and eyes gentle yet firm in the candlelight.

“You advised me many times, told me we couldn’t fight anymore, but I didn’t listen.

“I… was truly mad.”

…

Year seven of Yongkang.

A biting winter.

Yan Xinfeng sat before the military map, pondered for a moment, then advanced the artillery to block ahead of Pancuo Pass.

Fu Chi would surely try to escape through there next. If they intercepted from the middle and sent the two vanguard units to charge, even if they could not annihilate them all, they could at least eliminate over sixty percent of their forces.

The only thing to consider was the counterattack after the interception.

But what could the counterattack do? Fu Chi was bound to die at Pancuo Pass this time. Even if the Shuo Kingdom felt humiliated, they would have no choice but to swallow it.

Sooner or later, there would be no more people from the Shuo Kingdom in the Northern Border.

Yan Xinfeng adjusted the positions of the two cavalry units when sounds of argument came from outside the tent.

“…Let me in!”

“Physician Wei, the commander said no one can disturb him. You can’t go in…”

“Get out of my way! You dare to block me? Make way…”

Wei Tingxia’s voice, even in the cold winter, still evoked thoughts of something bright and warm.

The tent flap was suddenly flung open, and cold wind carrying snow particles poured in, making the candle flames flicker wildly. Yan Xinfeng looked up and saw Wei Tingxia standing at the entrance, his face pale, lips pressed tightly together, a cold flame burning in his eyes.

He coughed lowly and waited for Wei Tingxia to approach.

“Yan Xinfeng.” Wei Tingxia’s voice was hoarse, even omitting the honorific, “You can’t pursue them anymore.”

Yan Xinfeng met his gaze, his expression unchanged: “Get out.”

“Do not pursue a desperate enemy!”

Wei Tingxia stepped forward, his knuckles white from clenching, “Fu Chi is already a defeated general. If you exterminate them all, what good does it do besides making the entire Shuo Kingdom hate you to the bone? Then the border will never know peace, and the people on both sides won’t be able to live in tranquility!”

Yan Xinfeng stared at him and suddenly let out a cold laugh: “So?”

Wei Tingxia faltered.

“So I should let him go? Let him recuperate, then lead troops south in three years to burn, kill, and plunder?” Yan Xinfeng stood up, his voice low and each word like iron, “Wei Tingxia, are you teaching me how to fight a war?”

Wei Tingxia’s chest heaved violently. After a long moment, he gritted his teeth: “…I’m not teaching you how to fight a war. I’m teaching you to weigh the pros and cons.

“You drive them to the north, where they have nothing to survive the winter with. When they need to rob, they still will! Do you think you can stop that just by fighting? Unless you kill them all!”

At those words, Yan Xinfeng’s gaze turned cold.

But Wei Tingxia pressed on regardless: “Once Fu Chi dies and they can’t survive the winter, the Shuo Kingdom will surely seek revenge with the whole nation. Then the war will drag on endlessly, and more people will die! You—”

“Enough.” Yan Xinfeng cut him off, his tone icy, “Men.”

Two personal guards entered the tent immediately.

“Escort Physician Wei back.” Yan Xinfeng lowered his head to the deployment map again, his voice calm to the point of cruelty, “Without my orders, he is not to leave his tent even half a step.”

Wei Tingxia jerked his head up. The flame in his eyes seemed extinguished by ice water, leaving only cold desolation like ashes.

“…Yan Xinfeng.” He called his name in a hoarse voice, as if his last shred of hope had been crushed, “You’ll regret this.”

Yan Xinfeng did not look at him again.

The guards stepped forward and half-supported, half-restrained him, trying to take him away. But Wei Tingxia had no intention of submitting. After forcefully breaking free, he strode to Yan Xinfeng, raised his hand without a word, and delivered a resounding slap.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the command tent. The guards were stunned. Yan Xinfeng remained motionless with his head turned, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth to the ground.

Still not satisfied, Wei Tingxia grabbed Yan Xinfeng’s collar tightly and yanked him close, grinding his teeth: “Eight years! Yan Xinfeng! I’ve fought alongside you for eight years. Have I ever harmed you? Why won’t you listen? Why won’t you open your eyes and see!”

He was truly furious, his eyes rimmed red with extreme resentment, his gaze at Yan Xinfeng one of utter unfamiliarity.

Gazing into his eyes, Yan Xinfeng’s heart suddenly ached—whether from illness or something else, he did not know. He let Wei Tingxia vent his anger, only signaling the guards to pull him away when he felt he was about to spit blood.

“Take him away.”

The wind and snow howled. As the tent flap fell, Wei Tingxia’s figure was completely cut off outside.

Silence returned to the tent.

Yan Xinfeng casually grabbed a handkerchief to cover his mouth. Moments later, he removed it and stared at the bloodstains on it for a long time.

Wei Tingxia rarely got this angry, and he had not controlled his own temper either. They had both said things they should not have.

Perhaps they should have a proper talk after this, clear the air, and it would not be like this anymore.

They had known each other for eight years, shared hardships together. It was just some disagreement now, nothing major. After the battle, he would apologize personally. Even for the sake of his short remaining life, Wei Tingxia would surely forgive him.

Unfortunately, Yan Xinfeng remembered his life hanging by a thread but forgot that the world was full of uncertainties.

Half a day later, when the words “Wei Tingxia defects to Fu Chi” pierced his ears, he seemed to see all the mountains, rivers, and cities on the sand table twist into blood-red.

Amid the guards’ exclamations, Yan Xinfeng burst out of the tent without even grabbing his cloak.

He could no longer remember what he thought at that moment. He only recalled being enveloped in urgent panic, unable to even see the path ahead clearly.

Then he nearly died at Pancuo Pass.

Then they did not see each other for two years, almost separated forever.

…

…

The next day, an imperial edict truly arrived, summoning Yan Xinfeng to the palace.

The eunuch proclaiming the edict also mentioned that the Emperor had heard Yan Xinfeng brought back a physician with superb medical skills and wished to meet him.

Yan Xinfeng did not reply immediately but looked to the side, waiting for Wei Tingxia to decide.

Seeing Wei Tingxia nod, he then accepted the edict with thanks.

In the carriage to the palace, Wei Tingxia was very curious and kept trying to lift the curtain to look outside.

“It really is huge,” he said with a sigh, “and beautiful too.”

“Isn’t home beautiful?” Yan Xinfeng countered.

Wei Tingxia rolled his eyes: “I don’t even want to talk about that garden of yours. So big, yet empty like the Northern Border.”

Yan Xinfeng said calmly: “I’m not often in the capital. More people would be pointless. Besides, after me, the Yan family has no heirs. It will fall into ruin sooner or later anyway.”

Wei Tingxia sighed dramatically.

“Could it be that your family’s merits were too great, suppressing the lineage? When the Old Marquis was alive, there was at least you. How come with you, there’s not even one child.”

“Not necessarily.” Yan Xinfeng said, “Whether the Yunzhong Marquis Mansion has a next generation depends mainly on another person.”

Wei Tingxia let go of the curtain and stared at him: “What do you mean?”

Yan Xinfeng met his gaze steadily: “If he can bear them, any number is fine. If he doesn’t want to, or can’t, then I want none.”

He seemed to be talking about the man before him, yet not quite. His tone was ambiguous, elusive.

Their relationship had not yet reached the point of discussing children, but Wei Tingxia could not help muttering: “I can’t bear children.”

Yan Xinfeng was surprised: “Even demons can’t?”

The shock and regret in his tone seemed genuine. After asking, he followed up: “Really not?”

Wei Tingxia: “…”

Outside the carriage, the coachman suddenly heard a clatter from behind, followed by the dull thud of a body hitting the carriage wall. He grew worried and called out. The guards on both sides also approached.

Two breaths later, General Yan inside the carriage coughed: “We’re fine.”

The carriage stopped before the palace gates. Yan Xinfeng alighted first, then turned to offer a hand to Wei Tingxia. Wei Tingxia wanted to refuse but, seeing the solemn guards and eunuchs around, placed his hand on it.

“The Yunzhong Marquis has finally arrived.”

A grand eunuch in purple robes came forward with a respectful smile: “Your Majesty has been waiting a long time.”

Yan Xinfeng nodded slightly: “Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Gao.”

Eunuch Gao’s gaze shifted to Wei Tingxia, a glint of scrutiny in his eyes: “This must be the divine physician the Marquis brought back to the capital. Indeed, an extraordinary bearing.”

Wei Tingxia was about to speak when Yan Xinfeng subtly shifted to block him halfway: “Physician Wei is new to the palace and unfamiliar with the rules. I hope Eunuch Gao will look after him.”

“You overstate it, Marquis.” Eunuch Gao said with a beaming smile, “Your Majesty specially instructed that he and the Marquis have important matters to discuss. He told this servant’s young apprentice to take Physician Wei to the Imperial Medical Bureau for a tour. As the saying goes, a healer’s heart is benevolent. If Physician Wei gains something from exchanging with the court physicians, it will benefit the people when he returns.”

Yan Xinfeng’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He turned to Wei Tingxia: “Are you willing?”

Wei Tingxia blinked: “I haven’t seen the court physicians yet.”

“Then go.” Yan Xinfeng’s voice was low, “I’ll come find you after I’m done.”

Eunuch Gao summoned a young eunuch: “Little Shunzi, take Physician Wei to the Imperial Medical Bureau and attend to him well.”

Little Shunzi bowed in assent and led Wei Tingxia toward the western palace path.