#161: “Wuyi” (1)

At the end of March, Gu Juhan, who was in Shangjing, received a letter from Jiangzuo.

The messenger who delivered the letter to the Duke’s residence was someone he recognized—a fifth-rank official from the Ministry of Works. Though they weren’t particularly close, the official unexpectedly visited the mansion that day, stating that he had a letter for General Gu to review and another item as a gift.

In truth, Gu Juhan hadn’t been in the mood to receive visitors during those days.

Since his father’s health had deteriorated following the disastrous northern campaign, the Gu family’s fortunes had taken a nosedive. With Zou Qian relentlessly pressing them, Gu Juhan felt overwhelmed and acutely realized that the court was far more perilous than any battlefield.

He had initially intended to decline the visit, but the official was persistent, refusing to leave the entrance of the Duke’s residence and insisting on seeing him. Left with no choice, Gu Juhan reluctantly invited him into the study.

The official handed over a letter and an old-looking wooden box.

Gu Juhan raised an eyebrow and opened the box first.

Even though Gu Juhan had weathered countless storms in his life, what lay inside left him utterly speechless.

…It was enough wealth to sustain his entire army for a full month.

Stunned, he immediately unfolded the letter. It contained only a few words: “Who says we have no clothes? We share the same armor. The king raises an army, repairs our spears and halberds. Together, we face the same enemy.”

“Wuyi,” a poem from the Book of Songs: Qin Wind.

The letter bore no signature, but the handwriting was bold and sharp, like swift slashes of a blade, exuding both elegance and an underlying aura of warfare—undoubtedly the hand of Qi Jingchen of Liang.

Qi Jingchen…

The poem originally celebrated the camaraderie and unity of soldiers facing external threats in times of war. By sending this letter along with such a vast fortune, his intentions were clear…

Gu Juhan’s gaze darkened.

He slowly set the letter down and then looked up at the official from the Ministry of Works, his expression as cold as frost. “So you’re a spy from the Southern Court. You’ve boldly revealed your identity to me, assuming I won’t report you to the emperor?”

The official bowed, his demeanor calm, and replied, “Since I came north, I never expected to leave alive. If General exposes my identity, it would simply be my fate.”

Gu Juhan narrowed his eyes. “You’re not afraid of death?”

The official answered, “Once one enters the枢密院 (Privy Council), life and death are pledged to the greater cause. My superior’s orders cannot be disobeyed, and this letter had to reach your hands.”

Gu Juhan scrutinized him and asked, “Why deliver it to me? How do you know I’ll fulfill your superior’s wishes?”

“I don’t know,” the official replied. “I only follow the orders of Chancellor Qi without question.”

Gu Juhan let out a cold laugh and pushed the wooden box toward the official. “Even if it means betraying his country?”

The official was momentarily startled but quickly averted his gaze, refusing to look at the contents of the box. Bowing deeply, he said, “We firmly believe that our superior has his reasons.”

That was genuine, heartfelt conviction.

Gu Juhan’s eyes grew colder still, and he said nothing further.

After the official left, Gu Juhan sat alone in the study until late into the night.

Qi Jingchen.

For years, he had considered this man his greatest adversary, believing he understood him completely. Yet now, he realized he had misunderstood Qi’s true intentions.

He had always assumed Qi was a loyal and devoted servant of the Southern Court, willingly bearing all calamities to protect their decaying dynasty from the iron hooves of Wei.

But he never imagined Qi Jingchen would… betray his own nation.

By entrusting such an astonishing fortune to him and gifting him “Wuyi,” how could Gu Juhan fail to understand his meaning?

Qi Jingchen was urging him to reignite the war.

The Wei court was well-informed about the affairs of Liang. Gu Juhan knew that Qi Jingchen was now in grave danger. After the Southern Court’s triumphant northern campaign secured a ten-year truce, their ruler had turned on him, seemingly determined to crush the Qi family entirely.

Qi Jingchen was now walking a tightrope between life and death.

Just as the Southern Court viewed Gu Juhan as their greatest enemy, the Wei court saw Qi Jingchen as a thorn in their side. He was the greatest threat to Wei. If he were eliminated, the Southern Court would become a defenseless prize, ripe for Wei to devour once they had recovered their strength in a few years.

The ruler of their Liang dynasty had clearly lost his mind, willingly tearing down the last bastion of his own defense. This was naturally welcomed by those in the northern lands—and by Gu Juhan himself. He wished to see Qi Jingchen erased from existence, not out of personal animosity, but simply because it was each man serving their respective masters.

At this point, the situation for the Qi family was dire. Their sovereign harbored murderous intent toward Qi Jingchen, and the power struggles among the great families of Jiangzuo were notoriously brutal. Qi Jingchen must have been left entirely isolated. His decision to reach out to the north now was undoubtedly driven by the need to provoke a war. He understood that the main obstacle preventing Wei from restarting hostilities was the lack of resources and provisions. By offering such a vast fortune, he was effectively solving Wei’s most pressing problem. And once war broke out, the new emperor of Liang would have no choice but to reinstate Qi Jingchen—there was no one else capable of standing against Wei’s mighty forces. Men like Han Shouye were simply too mediocre.

He had betrayed his own nation without hesitation—all for the sake of saving himself and his family!

That land, which he had defended for so many years… He could abandon it just like that, in the blink of an eye.

Truly… a heart of Asura.

But how could Gu Juhan bring himself to help him? He wanted Qi Jingchen destroyed more than anyone else.

And yet…

…just like Qi Jingchen, he also desperately needed a war.

The Gu family had already been cornered by the imperial in-laws. If they didn’t fight back soon, they would fall into complete decline. His father, his uncles and brothers, his younger sister—all of them would suffer immeasurably.

And even if he disregarded his own interests and those of the Gu family, Wei still needed this war.

In their recent catastrophic defeat, they had not only lost the territories they had painstakingly built up in Jiangzuo, but they had also suffered the loss of three northern provinces—a defeat unparalleled in Wei’s history. After such a devastating blow, unrest spread throughout the nation, exposing its deep-rooted flaws: corruption in governance, shortages of grain and funds, and the decline of commerce. Before the war, rebellions had already erupted across the north. If they did nothing to reverse this downward spiral and allowed the nation to continue decaying, they would be doomed forever!

They, too, needed a war—to redirect the people’s hatred toward the Southern Court and preserve their regime.

“Together, we face the same enemy…”

So it turned out that he and Qi Jingchen of Liang were bound together in a relationship of mutual dependence and opposition.

What audacity, what meticulousness—their lifelong greatest foe dared to entrust everything to him in such a precarious moment, confident that he had calculated every angle of the situation.

Oh, how Gu Juhan had wanted to burn that wooden box to ashes right then and there, refusing to let Qi Jingchen have his way. But…

…he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Even after sitting alone all night, he still couldn’t bring himself to destroy it.

Later, Gu Juhan brought the matter to his father, Duke Yan of Northern Wei, Gu Zhiting.

Since the great battle, the old duke’s health had steadily deteriorated—not from any specific illness, but rather as if his life force had been drained away by the crushing defeat. He remained bedridden, though his mind remained clear, and he continued to worry about his only son.

After hearing the details, he fell into a long silence before asking Gu Juhan, “Wenruo, how do you intend to decide on this matter?”

Gu Juhan sat by his father’s bedside, silent for a long while before replying, “…I don’t know.”

He didn’t want to help Qi Jingchen; he didn’t want to nurture a tiger that might one day turn on him. Yet it seemed he had no choice—if he didn’t act, both his family and his nation might face disaster.

The old duke sighed and said, “I cannot accompany you through life forever. It’s time for you to make your own decisions.”

There was a weariness in his tone that made Gu Juhan’s heart tighten. He looked up at his father and saw how much his once-towering figure had withered—he truly was in his twilight years.

He frowned. “Father…”

The old duke smiled faintly and said, “Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all part of life’s natural order. There’s nothing to fear.”

He straightened himself slightly on the sickbed. Though his eyes were clouded, they remained profoundly perceptive.

“Wenruo,” he spoke with deep feeling, “perhaps we’ve underestimated Qi Jingchen.”

Gu Juhan furrowed his brows and asked, “He betrays his country for personal gain. Does Father think this is commendable?”

The old duke chuckled and shook his head. “In times of chaos, actions aren’t judged by loyalty or treachery. Whether he betrays his country or acts wickedly doesn’t matter. What matters is having the courage to break and rebuild.”

“He came to you because he’s seen through everything, calculated every possibility. Without extraordinary resolve, how could he walk such a path?”

Gu Juhan’s frown deepened further, and he lowered his head, remaining silent.

The old duke gazed at his only son and smiled gently. “Right and wrong, success and failure—only future generations can judge. No one knows the outcome while walking the path. Take Qi Jingchen, for example. If he ultimately fails, his betrayal today will be deemed wicked. But if he succeeds?”

If he succeeds?

Gu Juhan sighed deeply.

If he succeeds… then he will be considered a hero of ambition.

“You’re no different,” the old duke remarked with a sigh. “If you refuse to ally with him and your family and nation crumble as a result, historians will call you obstinate. But if your family and nation endure, you’ll be hailed as a hero who understands the times and acts accordingly.”

He patted Gu Juhan’s shoulder, his gaze uncommonly gentle. “Only future generations can see the whole picture. For now, we can only take each step as it comes. I cannot make this decision for you—the future of the Gu family rests on your shoulders. It’s time for you to decide.”

He paused, then added with profound gravity, “Just as Qi Jingchen has done.”

At these words, Gu Juhan’s expression shifted, and he fell into deep thought.

Indeed… he was inferior to Qi Jingchen.

That man was already shouldering the burden of his family and making decisive choices for the fate of the world, while he himself still relied on guidance from his elders, unable to break free from the shadow of his family. He lacked the boldness and strength of will to enact great change.

He was a step behind.

Seeing his only son lost in contemplation, the old duke smiled with satisfaction. After a moment of thought, he added, “Though I cannot make this decision for you, I can offer you one piece of advice.”

Gu Juhan immediately grew solemn and bowed his hands respectfully. “Please, Father, speak.”

The old duke’s words carried great depth: “Success depends on human effort.”

Gu Juhan was taken aback.

Success depends on human effort…

Perhaps agreeing to Qi Jingchen’s proposal would leave him regretful later. Perhaps he would become a mere pawn in Qi Jingchen’s game, exploited for his own purposes. Perhaps missing this chance to eliminate him would eventually lead to Wei’s total ruin.

But… success depends on human effort.

Both Wei and the Gu family desperately needed this war. Even if it was bait laid out for them, he had no choice but to take the hook. As for who would emerge victorious in the end, that remained to be seen. He and Qi Jingchen—though they each desired the other’s death more than anything—now needed each other alive more than anyone else in the world.

With his resolve set, Gu Juhan’s expression became calm and solemn, like a warrior standing firm on the battlefield, sword in hand.

Unyielding, invincible.