Chapter 234: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 234: Not Letting His Goodness Become Foolish Goodness
Before leaving the capital, Chang Suining had ordered Steward Bai to check the family’s private properties that could be sold. While taking people to inventory one of the storage rooms, Steward Bai accidentally discovered an old and mottled waist token.
That token was engraved with Chang Kuo’s name, showing his position as a deputy general in the Vanguard Battalion of the Xuanzhe Army.
Steward Bai told her that after losing this waist token, Chang Kuo had searched for it for a long time.
Therefore, when Chang Suining left the capital, she took it with her.
The item she showed to that White Captain along with the water pouch was precisely this Xuanzhe Army waist token engraved with Chang Kuo’s name.
She intended to “trade” for a horse—her purpose was to seek out Chang Kuo. Since she couldn’t say it openly at that moment, showing something that belonged to Chang Kuo was the clearest signal she could give.
If this item hadn’t worked, she still had half of the bronze tally given by Cui Jing to use.
Yet the man agreed at once upon seeing the waist token—proof that he not only sensed something unusual about the march, but also held deep respect and trust toward Chang Kuo.
Chang Suining’s heart eased slightly.
Though Cui Jing’s bronze tally had not been used, the reason she could even find this man was thanks to a list Cui Jing had given her earlier—according to Cui Jing, most of the people on that list were acquainted with both him and Chang Kuo, and could be trusted at critical moments.
It had now proven most useful.
Otherwise, along the march, for her alone to steal horses under so many eyes and then successfully escape the ranks—would have been nearly impossible.
Each army captain commanded around two hundred soldiers; though not a high rank, it was enough authority to arrange such matters.
When the main army finished resting and set out again, Chang Suining and her two companions mounted their horses and galloped away in the opposite direction.
Their absence was soon discovered, and the report quickly reached a deputy general.
“...General, three infantrymen have stolen horses and deserted!”
“Daring to desert right under my nose—tired of living, are they!” The deputy general, surnamed Qu, barked harshly. “Send a fifty-man team to chase them down. Bring them back—behead them all and display their heads to the troops!”
“Yes, sir!”
From horseback, the White Captain glanced once more in the direction where the three had fled. His fingers quietly tightened on the reins.
To maintain discipline, the army’s punishment for deserters was always severe—life and death alike disregarded when capturing them.
A unit of cavalry sped off in pursuit. Mounted crossbowmen raised their bows and loosed arrows toward the three fleeing figures ahead.
The three riders galloped at full speed, yet the arrows whistled past—swifter than hooves.
Riding foremost, Chang Suining flung a long saber backward. “Uncle Ren, catch!”
Chang Ren lifted his arm and caught it, slashing aside an arrow that flew toward them.
“Uncle Ren, follow me!” came the girl’s clear voice from ahead.
She pulled the reins tight, suddenly turned, and charged into the withered grass beside the main road, steering her horse over a half-dry ditch and onto a smaller side path on the opposite slope.
Chang Ren and the other followed close behind.
After twisting through several side paths, the three finally shook off the pursuers and the rain of arrows.
Confirming no one was hurt, Chang Suining found the main road again and took out a flag, tying it behind her.
It was a messenger flag used for delivering urgent reports—anyone who saw it along the road would never dare to stop them.
Chang Ren looked at the flag, then at the saber in his hand. “...”
So... when exactly had the young lady stolen that? Wasn’t she getting a bit too adept at this?
Not that he meant to question her—after all, a man with no ability to provide for the family could hardly complain about the one who did.
“Hyah!”
Without turning back, the girl tied off the flag and rode onward.
Chang Kuo led his light cavalry swiftly through Luzhou territory. That night, they camped on the spot in formation.
He sat by the fire studying a map of Hezhou’s terrain, when a captain approached hurriedly, saluting and speaking hesitantly:
“...Deputy Commander! Scouts report again—still no sign of the main army following behind!”
Chang Kuo frowned.
A deputy general sitting nearby, poking the fire with a branch, froze mid-motion and threw the branch aside. “...We handpicked good troops, and they’re still not catching up? What, did they run into ghosts?!”
If they rode fast, the distance from Shouzhou to Hezhou was only two days by horse—but five days for infantry marching. The rescue of Hezhou was already a race against time, and now the main army lagged behind—disastrous!
Gazing through the crackling fire toward Shouzhou’s direction, Chang Kuo’s eyes darkened.
“It is ghosts,” he said grimly. “They’re trapped by a ‘ghost wall.’”
The chosen troops couldn’t catch up—what else could it be but a ghost wall?
“What kind of ghost keeps getting sick like this!” the deputy general exploded, standing up. “Not only does it block the road, it’s a water ghost too, dragging us all down!”
He was one of the men personally chosen by Chang Kuo. When Chang Kuo broke out from his disguised confinement, these few had coordinated with him from outside. Fearing Li Yi’s revenge upon leaving camp, Chang Kuo had taken them all along.
“Send someone back to camp at once to investigate,” Chang Kuo ordered steadily. “Ask the commander—has something happened in the army?”
Though his face was grim, he showed no fury. After all, he had never been naïve enough to believe Li Yi would let him leave camp easily, even for Hezhou’s rescue.
A soldier soon left with the order.
“Deputy Commander, what now?” another deputy asked. “Should we wait for word that the army’s moving?”
Chang Kuo instinctively looked toward Hezhou.
Just half an hour ago, a Hezhou soldier had broken through the siege to seek help.
That soldier, covered in blood and tears, had knelt before him crying: the Prefect of Hezhou had fallen in battle, and now the city was defended only by his wife and two sons—one sixteen, the other just twelve.
After delivering the message, the soldier had collapsed, fevered and unconscious ever since—perhaps never to wake again.
Though still hundreds of li away, Chang Kuo could already smell the blood rising from Hezhou’s walls—the cries of terrified children, the desperate courage of men fighting to the last.
“To wait...” he echoed the deputy’s word, feeling the weight of a thousand catties in his chest.
Could they afford to wait?
Could they survive waiting?
He lifted his gaze toward the stars above. But this night in Hezhou, no one would have the heart to look at the stars. If no aid came, for a long time—perhaps forever—some would never again have the chance to raise their heads and look upon them.
As he wavered between decisions, a meteor flashed swiftly across the dark sky.
Moments later, the sound of hooves approached, like the meteor’s echo.
Chang Kuo rose instinctively to his feet.
Soon, a messenger came running.
“Deputy Commander, three soldiers have arrived, claiming to have confidential military matters to report directly to you!”
The three stood outside the camp, spears pointed at them by the night guards.
“Which unit are you from? Names? Where’s your token?” one guard demanded.
“...Chang Ren?!”
Striding forward, Chang Kuo recognized the man at once—utterly stunned.
“General!” Chang Ren exhaled in relief and bowed deeply.
The other man also saluted.
Chang Kuo glanced over. “Chang Mao!”
Then he looked to the third figure—and froze. “Ning...”
The deputy general behind him blinked—Sir? Why’s the Deputy Commander using an honorific?
“This is my personal guard!” Chang Kuo’s face changed several times before he spoke quickly. “All of you, come with me!”
The three followed in haste.
“You two, stand guard!”
In a secluded corner, Chang Kuo turned to Chang Ren and Chang Mao, then pulled the disguised girl before him.
“You child... how did you get here? You snuck into the army—do you have any idea how dangerous this is?!”
“Father, now isn’t the time for that,” Chang Suining said, tugging him a few steps farther away, lowering her voice. “We have more urgent matters.”
Chang Kuo: “?”
Chang Suining: “I know seeing me here startled you, but Father, you’ve been through countless battles—what storm haven’t you weathered?”
Chang Kuo: “...”
This kind, apparently!
Who ever expected to see their daughter—supposedly far away in the capital—appear in the middle of a military campaign!
Her words of flattery failed to soothe him. The shock was too great.
“Answer your father first—no digressions! This is the most urgent matter!”
Chang Suining: “It’s a long story...”
“I’ve got time!” he shot back, pointing to the resting soldiers. “We haven’t moved out yet!”
At such times, Chang Suining usually appointed a spokesperson.
So she turned and called, “Uncle Ren!”
Chang Ren, having just taken a drink of water, put away his flask and stepped forward immediately.
Chang Suining, exhausted from the chase, sat aside, eating dry rations and drinking water to recover strength.
Starting from when Chang Sui’an was wrongfully imprisoned, Chang Ren recounted everything up to Ming Jin’s beheading.
Chang Kuo’s heart turned cold with dread.
He’d heard about the case, of course—the Holy Emperor had sent someone to Shouzhou afterward, saying his son had merely been “falsely accused by the Chang clan and the Ming family,” and that the Holy Emperor had quickly restored justice by executing Ming Jin.
Only now did he realize—his foolish son had almost lost his life!
And the justice regained had been fought for by his daughter, nearly at the cost of her own!
Looking at the girl perched on a tree stump, chewing her dry biscuit, Chang Kuo’s anger and guilt surged to the brim.
“...While I was out here, you two suffered all that in the capital, and I knew nothing!”
Chang Suining paused in her eating. “You didn’t know because someone didn’t want you to know, Father. The fault isn’t yours.”
Of course he saw the game behind it—the Holy Emperor had already been ready to sacrifice his son, even the entire Chang family.
Turmoil filled his heart. His volunteering to lead troops against Xu Zhengye had nearly cost him both children.
He wanted to protect the land beneath his feet, even at the price of his life—but the one on the throne hadn’t even spared a shred of mercy for his children!
“Good child... you’ve done well.” His voice trembled as he forced the roughness from it. “It’s your father who’s been lacking.”
“You’re doing fine, especially since you’re safe and sound—otherwise my brother and I would’ve become fatherless.” The girl rose and patted his shoulder. “You guard the land and people; I guard our home. That’s our promise. You’ve done nothing wrong—others have.”
Before him stood the little girl from his memories—yet she now comforted him. His chest and eyes ached as though about to burst, almost bringing tears to his eyes.
After a pause, he raised his calloused hand and patted her head.
Everyone has a reverse scale—his, he knew, would never heal from this fear.
“Our Suining is a brave and decisive child... Leaving the capital was right.” Then, finally, he asked, “That foolish boy—where’s he healing now?”
Chang Ren had already mentioned finding him a place.
“Not far,” said Chang Suining. “In Xuanzhou.”
Chang Kuo nodded. “Xuan—”
Wait, where?!
“At the residence of the Grand Princess of Xuan’an,” she clarified.
“What?!” Chang Kuo nearly leapt up, as though a bucket of boiling iron had been poured over him—ready to evaporate on the spot.
Chang Suining quickly explained that the Grand Princess had also lent them aid, saying she was an old friend of his, and that Xuanzhou was stable and suited for recovery.
Chang Kuo’s vision darkened—he feared if that “healing” went on too long, that rascal of a boy might never come back!
He wanted to say more, but the girl cautiously asked, “Father... did I do wrong?”
“...Of course not!” Chang Kuo let out a laugh to hide his turmoil, giving a big thumbs-up. “Suining did perfectly—no one could’ve done better! Truly Father’s good child!”
“Right, you mentioned something... a ‘serious matter’? Let’s hear it.” He was half-trying to distract himself from panic.
“Father, look at this.”
Chang Suining took out the silk scroll and, in a whisper, repeated He Wei’s dying words.
“...It really was Li Yi!” Chang Kuo said in a low voice. “Quick, put that away!”
Chang Suining replied, “At the camp, I couldn’t discuss it openly with you, so I dared not show the decree.”
“You were right,” said Chang Kuo. “We must plan carefully—someone representing the court must come forward, or else the camp will surely descend into chaos.”
Chang Suining asked, “Now that we have the imperial edict, are you returning to Shouzhou to find someone to discuss and punish Li Yi?”
Chang Kuo didn’t answer immediately.
In the dark, the girl continued, “The main army has changed its marching route—they won’t follow you to Hezhou. It’s Li Yi’s scheme—he means for you to die there.”
“They’ve predicted that even if I don’t see the army arrive, I’ll still go to Hezhou...” said Chang Kuo. “If that happens, would you think your father foolish? Too stubborn? Seeking death?”
Her eyes brightened with pride. “I’d only think your integrity and reputation so strong that even rats in the gutter put their faith in it.”
Chang Kuo blinked—then suddenly laughed, his eyes stinging hot. “To have Suining say that... my life’s without regret!”
There are many twisted truths in this world.
A person’s so-called kindness or softness can become a joke—or the knife in their hand.
Knowing a path is perilous yet walking it anyway in the name of “goodness” can become true foolishness.
But even so, there was still someone who believed in his “foolish goodness,” even felt proud of it.
What he didn’t know was that this same person had resolved never to let his goodness become foolish.
A general’s goodness lies in his compassion for the people—and that makes it precious.
But a general’s goodness is also dangerous, for it endangers himself—and thus must be protected.
And this goodness of Old Chang’s, in a way, had been nurtured by her indulgence. So it fell to her to protect it—at all costs.
She asked, “Father, have you ever fought a battle you knew you couldn’t win?”
“Of course,” said Chang Kuo. “More than one.”
“Then that’s it,” Chang Suining said. “Li Yi expects you’ll go to Hezhou—let him be half-right. The rest, he doesn’t get to decide. We do.”
“Well said! How could such a short-sighted rat have everything go his way!” Chang Kuo no longer hesitated. “Then we’ll settle Hezhou first—then deal with that stinking rat after!”
“I’m going too,” Chang Suining declared. “This battle may not be unwinnable. I’ve thought of two plans on the way—I’ll tell you on the road.”
Chang Kuo straightened and blinked his big ox eyes. “Two plans? Then why not tell your father now?”
Chang Suining blinked back. “If I tell you now, would you still take me along?”
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