Volume 2 Chapter 25: Night Talk Around the Fire
Tang Zimu was stunned and said, "This is the first time I've heard this line of poetry. The first two lines have the word 'Bin Wang', and the last two lines have the word 'Xiao Yu'. It's very clever."
Luo Binwang said woodenly: "Alas, it's just that things are very different . I naturally can't realize my ambitions back then, but Lin Xiaoyu has dyed his red robe with the blood of his soldiers. I'm afraid he has already achieved his lofty ambitions and enjoyed fame and wealth."
Tang Zimu smiled noncommittally and said, "Really?" He turned back to Lin Jianlan and said, "Mr. Lin, now that you know Elder Dazhi's original lay name, do you have any clues?"
Lin Jianlan murmured, "More than a decade ago, when Xu Jingye was demoted to take up his post, he passed through Yangzhou. He and Tang Zhiqi, Luo Binwang and others who were also demoted to the south planned to raise an army to oppose the current emperor. They called themselves the Sima of Yangzhou and used the slogan of restoring the Tang Dynasty as their slogan. Their army was unstoppable. His right-hand man Luo Binwang also issued the "Exhortation to Punish Wu Zetian". The whole country was indignant, and countless people joined the army. The morale was high. Later, the current emperor sent troops to suppress and eliminate them many times. Xu Jingye was finally defeated, and his brothers were all killed."
Although Luo Binwang's face was calm, his eyes were slightly moist. Tang Zimu said, "What Master Lin said about the past is generally correct. At that time, Xu Jingye was entrenched in the south of the Yangtze River, which was considered to be a geographical advantage. Luo Binwang wrote a manifesto and won the hearts of the people for him. It can be said that he should not fail. What's more, he has 'Luan Song' and 'Feng Zhu' by his side?"
Lin Jianlan looked at the man in white. He looked quite old, about fifty years old , but he was not as sad as Luo Binwang. There was a kind of determination in his eyes. Tang Zimu said, "In the folk song, Qiumei and Fengzhu both had names, but Luan Song was the only one whose real name was unknown. No one knew when he joined Xu Sima to discuss the great cause. As for why he was as famous as Luo Binwang and Lin Xiaoyu, Xu Jingye's think tank, I'm afraid the two of you from Yukou Division should have some experience."
Yun Mengzhen said proudly: "When I arrived at the Yukou Division, the rebel's uprising had already failed. However, there are some records that the Yukou Division had continuously sent people to assassinate Xu Jingye during the year of war. Countless masters from the general office to the internal offices were dispatched, but they were all defeated by 'Luansong' and returned empty-handed. Hehe, if it were me, I might not be able to defeat this Lord 'Luansong'!" After saying that, he looked directly at the man in white, his eyes full of provocation.
Tang Zimu said: "Master Yun is an outstanding martial artist, handsome and romantic, naturally he is not comparable to the old man before him. But this 'Luansong', in addition to his own outstanding martial arts, has also trained a group of death warriors for Xu Jingye, specializing in some strange formations, one to protect Xu Jingye, and secondly, to be used as the vanguard of the army who dare to die at critical moments, often with unexpected effects. Xu Jingye escaped from death several times, and it was only because of his guarding that he was able to turn danger into safety, until Xu Jingye was defeated in the war. A deserter named 'Luansong' escorted him to Runzhou and tried to escape to Goryeo by sea, but Xu Jingye was captured and killed by his subordinates. That 'Luansong' fought to the death with hundreds of defecting subordinates, and finally disappeared. He can be compared with the ancient knights, and is no less inferior. Whenever I think of this, I can't help but praise him as a 'hero'!"
Lin Jianlan thought: "He has always been loyal to his master. No wonder Luo Binwang tried his best to protect him after recognizing his voice."
The man in black remained silent, just staring at "Luansong" thoughtfully: "From what he said just now, he has evil intentions. I'm afraid he is lurking in Chang'an and acting secretly. It's a pity that he covered his face and I can't see clearly, otherwise it would be a great achievement." He looked at Yun Mengzhen again and saw that the corners of his mouth were slightly raised and his expression was a little disdainful. He knew that he was competitive again. Thinking that this extremely simple task was done so awkwardly tonight, he sighed in his heart. He had made mistakes too. Later, he was always just a little bit away from success, but still failed.
Luo Binwang said: "That person once said: 'Martial arts moves, battle formations and military tactics have something in common. Although Luan Song doesn't talk much, his wisdom and strategies are not inferior to you and me. Especially his hidden and forbearing skills, which are beyond our reach.' More than ten years ago, I was forced to become a monk in exchange for a miserable life. At first, I hoped that you might come to rescue me, but I never saw you. So I finally gave up and thought that you had died in Runzhou. Seeing you again today is like a dream."
Tang Zimu sighed softly, "Xu Jingye is wasting your talents by using you as his bodyguard. The person who said this must be Mr. Lin's father."
"Luansong" said: "I am not as good at writing as Luo Binwang, and I am not as good at military affairs as Lin Xiaoyu. If several people hold their own opinions when leading troops to fight, it will only make the commander waver and lose his will. Since we are of the same mind, we should get rid of this greed for merit. Why should I add more trouble?"
Tang Zimu said: "Your Excellency is broad-minded and does not care about fame and fortune. I really admire you."
Lin Jianlan nodded and said, "As three gentlemen, they naturally have extraordinary abilities and are incomparable to ordinary people." Although he admired this "Luansong" very much, after Tang Zimu finished talking about the first two people, he started talking about his father, and he was a little absent-minded when he spoke.
Tang Zimu said, "Mr. Lin mentioned Xu Jingye's defeat earlier. The inside story is not widely known. After many years, many things have been forgotten. Elder Dazhi's hatred for your father has not disappeared for more than ten years. It was because of the failure of this uprising, which was caused by the 'Wind Bamboo'."
Lin Jianlan was in Ci'en Temple before, but he thought that his father might have betrayed his friends for wealth and fame. Now he slowly listened and found that it was related to the anti-Wu incident that year. When Tang Zimu told him directly, he was so shocked that he couldn't speak.
Seeing his expression change drastically, Tang Zimu shook his head and said, "Back then, Xu Jingye raised the banner of the Restoration of Tang. Although the emperor sent troops to suppress him several times, he was defeated again and again. On the contrary, people in the army kept defecting and joining him to boost his prestige. He was the most powerful man in the world for a while. It was time to fight back to Luoyang and Chang'an, but for some reason he chose to march south instead. He suffered several defeats in a row, and finally suffered a crushing defeat in the Battle of Gaoyou."
Lin Jianlan trembled and asked, "What does this have to do with my father?"
Tang Zimu said: "Among the three, Fengzhu is the youngest, but he is extremely intelligent and calm, without the usual arrogance of young people. It is rumored that he was favored by Sima Xu after meeting him once at the Slender West Lake. In addition, Elder Dazhi and Luansong highly praised him, so he became the chief military advisor of the Yangzhou righteous army before he was thirty."
At this point, Tang Zimu looked at Lin Jianlan and said, "There are some other things. Although they are not very relevant, they are very precious to Master Lin."
For the first time since meeting Tang Zimu, Lin Jianlan felt that he was so considerate and not as hateful as he thought. He choked up a little and said, "Thank you, Brother Tang."
Tang Zimu said: "Mr. Lin is very friendly to everyone who sees him. I'm afraid his appearance is very similar to 'Feng Zhu'. Your Excellency is handsome and makes people forget the world when they see him. He is very friendly to everyone, regardless of their status. It is said that many women are interested in him, including Sima Xu's daughter."
Lin Jianlan was stunned for a moment, not knowing whether the daughter of Sima Xu that Tang Zimu mentioned was the "she" mentioned by Elder Dazhi, and asked anxiously: "But when my father left home, he already had my mother... and me, didn't those women know?"
Tang Zimu smiled and said, "Of course, Feng Zhu deliberately concealed the fact that he has a family, but he only hurt those young girls. However, the more he concealed it, the more it showed that he cared about you and your mother. He knew that if he failed, his family would be implicated, so it would be better for him to be a kite with a broken string. Even if something happened to him, no one could find you, and you could still live in peace. Mr. Lin, let's not talk about what kind of person he is, but he really has good intentions for you."
Lin Jianlan had endured till this moment, but he was finally moved by Tang Zimu's words, and tears fell. A handkerchief was handed out from the carriage, and he reached out to take it, wiped his tears, and then heard Tang Zimu say: "If Xu Jingye succeeds, he will be the first meritorious official of the Tang Dynasty. His daughter is beautiful and talented, so naturally there are many young men pursuing her. However, she only cares about Feng Zhu, but she is a beautiful woman with a tragic fate. I heard that she jumped into the river and died in the battle of Gaoyou."
Luo Binwang remained silent for a long time, and finally spoke: "Why bring up these trivial matters..."
Tang Zimu said, "Just now, 'Luansong' once said that when leading troops to war, if several people hold their own opinions, it will only make the commander waver and lose his will. Since they have won victory after victory according to 'Fengzhu's' strategy, the team has become stronger. He is also good at boosting morale in the barracks. He is strict but also humane. Therefore, later on, 'Fengzhu' became the person Xu Jingye relied on the most. The ballad put him at the last place because he was young, but in fact, at that time, his status was the highest among the three. Am I right, you two?"
Luo Binwang and the man in white exchanged a glance, and after a long silence, he nodded and said, "That's right, when things are beyond redemption, it's in vain to feel resentful. Scholars are useless."
Tang Zimu said: "Your father played an indispensable role in Xu Jingye's success. I heard that when the decision was made, all the important figures of the army gathered together to discuss whether to go north to attack Luoyang or go south to take Changzhou and Runzhou first. Because it was an extremely important decision, the two opinions of going south and north each had their own opinions. Those who insisted on going south all believed that before the decisive battle, they could expand their forces as much as possible and gain a firm foothold. If there was any mistake, there was still a way out. 'Feng Zhu' rejected all the opinions. I don't remember the rest of his words. There is only one sentence that I still remember. He said: 'For a righteous act, what is there to fear? How can you act like a woman when you are about to accomplish a great deed? You should make a concerted effort and drive straight to Luoyang to return me to a peaceful world! I hope Sima will not forget the ambition of raising troops!' With this statement, the others were all impressed and decided to go north to Luoyang."
Lin Jianlan said: "Since my father has already proposed to go north to capture Luoyang, why should Xu Jingye's accident be blamed on him?"
Tang Zimu said: "The most fickle and easily swayed thing in the world is the human heart. When the army was ready in all aspects, Xu Jingye suddenly changed his mind and wanted to go south to attack Runzhou, and your father also agreed."
Lin Jianlan said to himself, "What if Xu Jingye is determined and cannot be persuaded? What crime has my father committed?"
Seeing him eager to explain, Tang Zimu held his shoulders and said, "Mr. Lin, don't worry, listen to me." Xu Jingye was not good at fighting, and he usually relied on Fengzhu's advice the most. Since it was a decision made by everyone, he would not change it easily. If there was a change, it could only be that Fengzhu proposed it to him again behind everyone's back, which shook his mind to go north. Although everyone was skeptical, it was not bad to capture Runzhou. However, they did not expect that Li Xiaoyi's army had already approached Yangzhou at that time. Xu Jingye called himself the Sima of Yangzhou and was very proud of this place where he started. However, he attached great importance to it and turned back from Runzhou to fight in Gaoyou. Li Xiaoyi had suffered several defeats at the hands of the rebels. Logically, even at this point, the outcome was still uncertain, and there was also "Feng Zhu" to consult with him. However, he was defeated step by step. It seemed that the enemy had known his previous strategies and deployments. In the end, Li Xiaoyi used fire to burn the food and grass. People who witnessed it said that the camp was a sea of fire. Countless people rushed to jump into the river, but the river water was also burning hot. After jumping in, they screamed and cried, and the sound was like entering hell. "
Although Yun Mengzhen and the other two followed orders, they still didn't know the reason. When they heard Tang Zimu's detailed explanation, they were extremely fascinated. They only stared at Tang Zimu, hoping that he would tell them everything about the past.
Lin Jianlan's heart trembled when he heard this, and he said, "Even so..."
Before he could explain, Luo Binwang interrupted him: "Donor Lin, please don't argue. He may have other considerations for leading the army south. If he makes the wrong decision, the defeat of the whole army will not be his fault alone. Although I am not talented, I know that battlefields are full of uncertainties and I will not slander him out of thin air."
He just looked at the fire, his eyes and face all reflected the red of fire, as if he was there himself, and said quietly: "After Sima Xu was defeated, he fled to Runzhou. Even if his army was completely defeated, he would not abandon his daughter. She just didn't want to leave. When she jumped into the river, she just stood in the fire, her hair was blown up by the flames around her, and her sleeves were also on fire. No matter who asked her to come out, she would refuse. If anyone wanted to go in, she would stab the dagger in her heart. In the fire, she only said: 'Why did I believe him, why did I secretly deliver such a letter for him? He said he would not harm my father, haha, hahaha.' We thought there was something else going on, so we asked her who asked her to deliver the letter and what it was, but she no longer answered, but looked around, muttering: 'Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu, where are you? I delivered the letter for you, why don't you stay with me?' The fire was getting bigger and bigger. If she was not saved, she would be burned to death. Luan Song rushed forward, but he was not as fast as her knife. Her chest was instantly soaked with blood, and then she fell into the river. For more than ten years, I have always had her face in my eyes, and there has always been an unsolved question in my heart, why can't such a fierce fire dry the two lines of tears on her face? "
