The General

Liu Renqing is a far cry from the serious man he was portrayed as in the drama as we walk back towards the city. He is joking, laughing, holding my hand as we walk. I feel bad for Feng Yu, but if I had to choose right now, I would probably choose Liu Renqing. Wait. I shouldn’t choose at all! That’s not what I’m here for! That’s actually the opposite of what I should be doing! Maybe I’ll ask the queen to make them concubines after all. Locking them up together for a while ought to get them together, right?

“You look deep in thought.”

“I was thinking about how to remove the explosives without alerting the enemy.”

At that, Liu Renqing’s expression turns serious. I feel bad. I should’ve let him enjoy himself a little while longer.

“That is indeed a problem… Until earlier, I didn’t even know someone was planning to attack Xiyang. Your secret source didn’t have any clues?”

I shake my head. “We’re piecing it together as we go. To be honest, I wish I was wrong, but I’m glad I was paranoid.”

“Me too, believe me. Let me try to find records about the tribes to the north, so we can narrow it down. The ability to create a veritable army of monsters is not something common.”

“That’s a good idea. I will try the same on my end. Maybe Huoyun Sect has information which isn’t available anywhere else. And if we don’t find anything, I have to contact the queen. This is bigger than both of us.”

“Alright, then we—”

Liu Renqing stops mid-sentence, frozen in place. I follow his line of sight to see an armed soldier standing next to the city gate, leaning against the wall. No, not a mere soldier. Their armour is more elaborate and the long, blue coat gives them an aura of gravitas.

“Mother…” Liu Renqing whispers.

As she comes closer, I can see the well-kept uniform glinting silver in the sunshine and notice the token of the general dangling from her belt. She walks with a long spear, from which hangs a white tassel, the metal polished so much, it's shining. Then Liu Zixuan stands before us, upright and imposing. She is even taller than her son, her hair all drawn up into a bun, fastened with a silver guan. Her eyes are just as silver, sparking with anger. If this woman ran towards me on the battlefield, I would flee without a second thought. Next to me, Liu Renqing balls his hands. After everything he confessed to me, I can’t stand this woman. But it won’t help him if I fight with her. I bite my lip.

“Liu Renqing. Where have you been? Why aren’t you wearing your armour? You’re still on duty.”

“I was investigating.”

“Investigating, huh? Together with that orphan girl? I told you to forget her.”

Oh, I see how it is.

“Yes, investigating. I can’t talk about it out in the open.”

“I’m sure you can’t. Sneaking off with a woman in the middle of the day… I wish I could say I thought better of you, but that would be a lie.”

“General Liu—”

Liu Renqing grabs my hand and I fall silent. He shakes his head.

“But—”

“Leave her. Come with me,” Liu Zixuan says, but then halts.

In an instant she is behind me and reaches for my head. As she pulls out the hair needle with much more force than required, my updo unravels and my hair falls openly around my shoulder.

“That’s… A-Yi’s… Renqing!! What’s the meaning of this? Why does she have this?”

Liu Zixuan holds the hair needle with her right hand and with the left, she grabs her son’s wrist. Her spear falls to the floor with a loud, metallic clang. While Liu Renqing twists in pain, his mother narrows her eyes at me.

“These are her robes too! What did you do??”

“That’s none of your business,” Liu Renqing spits out and earns a slap to the face with the hand that has been holding the hair needle, the metal leaving a deep scratch along his cheek. Blood wells from it, bright red, dripping down his face.

“You’re coming home right now. If I don’t see you kneeling in front of your sister’s shrine in five minutes, you will regret it.” Liu Zixuan picks up the spear, and points it at me. “If I see you wearing these clothes again, I don’t care whose protection you’re under, I will rip them off your body. You’ve been warned.”

She walks away, heavy steps kicking up dust. The guards at the gate make way for her instinctively, clearly valuing their life. I stare at her back until she disappears, then turn to Liu Renqing. His expression is hard, the blood on his cheek dripping down to his neck.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

“You have nothing to be sorry for!”

“I should’ve never given you these clothes. I was wrong. Please get rid of them when you get home. I need to go.”

“Shixiong…”

“I’m not your shixiong any longer. I’m the general's son.”

Liu Renqing faces away from me as he walks away, so I can’t even see his face as he leaves me behind, alone outside the gate. I clutch my basket and stand there for a long time, staring at the gate while the sun sinks beyond the horizon.