A motley group plodded slowly along the long mountain road. This strategically important road ran right through the towering Taihang mountain range, connecting the Si and Bing Provinces.
Unlike the other nearby passes, Taihang Pass coiled around the mountains, winding back and forth up steep slopes like sheep’s intestines. Ancient, withered trees reached for the sky beside narrow, slippery stone paths. One couldn’t afford the slightest moment of inattention on this path, for one misstep, and you’d find yourself falling hundreds of meters off a sheer cliff.
Having grown up in Tongdi, Jiang Da knew about this winding road, of course. Back in the day, in the battle between the kingdoms of Qin and Zhao, the Qin armies had taken this ancient path to ambush Zhao Kuo’s main forces at Changping; thence, they achieved a decisive victory and massacred four hundred thousand Zhao soldiers. About a hundred years ago, Emperor Wu of Wei once lead his armies across this road to attack Gao Gan and conquer Bing Province. But the historic reverence was thin as smoke in the wind when he himself was walking on this road in the depths of winter. All he felt was anxiety and exhaustion.
Even so, the refugees followed them docilely as ever, making not a peep of complaint, for the sole reason that none of the guards at the previous checkpoints had given them any trouble.
It was inordinately difficult to enter even ordinary cities, to say nothing of a strategic pass like this. It was only expected that they would be driven away at spearpoint, or forced to surrender all their possessions, or captured and sold as slaves. To refugees, guarded passes were forbidding as the gates of hell – those who valued their lives took another route, one on which they’d find themselves at the mercy of wild beasts or bandits if they were unlucky. But it hadn’t taken the Liang Estate’s soldiers more than a word to grant them safe passage through the checkpoints. So what if it was dangerous? They’d get through it in a day. And within three, they’d reach the fabled city of Gaodu. How could they not be hopeful?
That was why no one grumbled or griped. Like the soldiers in front of them, they silently hugged the mountainside, hoping to reach the end of this perilous path as soon as possible.
“Careful!”
Perhaps lost in thought, Jiang Da lost his footing, but was instantly caught by the person behind him. Frightened, panting, and soaked with cold sweat, he quickly regained his balance.
“Are you tired, Doctor Jiang?” Zhang He asked carefully as he steadied him.
Jiang Da hurriedly shook his head, “I’m not. I can handle it.”
“Alright then. Another five kilometers, and we’ll reach Taihang Pass. We’ll be able to take a break once we get there.”
Unable to help himself, Jiang Da quietly asked, “The soldiers, they won’t stop the refugees?”
“Relax, they’re on orders from their commanding officer. The master’s already made arrangements too,” Zhang He said easily.
Jiang Da’s heart warmed at those words. He gritted his teeth and continued forth.
The mountain path was too treacherous. Four hours later, short city walls finally came into view. This pass was known not only as Taihang Pass, but also as Tianjin Pass, because of the three bottomless wells that sat there. The pass, located north of the wells, was a natural barrier. Though the walls themselves were humble, the rugged terrain they loomed over made them seem indomitably imposing, as if one man could defend it against tens of thousands.
Zhang He rode up to the walls first and said something to the guards. Shortly after, the gates creaked open.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Ah, we couldn’t have done it without General Wu’s assistance.” After the recent incident, Wu Ling was sure to be promoted, so it wasn’t too early to address him as “general.”
Zhang He turned to introduce Jiang Da, “Doctor Jiang, this is General Wu’s trusted aide, Lieutenant General Liu. We owe him gratitude for his aid as well.”
The lieutenant general casually waved it off and peered curiously at Jiang Da, “You’re Jiang Da, the sage healer from the medical center in Jinyang?
Surprised that he knew of the Jinyang medical center, Jiang Da answered, “Yes, it is I.”
“My wife’s from Jinyang, so thanks for all your hard work in fighting the plague. My general’s even ordered two volumes of ‘The New Treatise on Cold Damage’ from the Liang Estate,” Lieutenant General Liu said affably to Jiang Da.
The name of the book evoked Jiang Da’s eagerness, “Is that the medical text that the Liang Estate printed? Could you allow me to borrow it for a moment?”
Caught off-guard by Jiang Da’s fervent reaction, Zhang He explained hastily to Lieutenant General Liu, “Doctor Jiang’s been trapped in Luoyang recently. He’s only just escaped, and hasn’t gotten a chance to see Imperial Physician Jiang’s medical text yet….”
Lieutenant General Liu said understandingly, “Why of course. Just wait for a moment while I retrieve it.”
Because “The New Treatise on Cold Damage” was free and contained numerous methods to combat epidemic – controlling disease was a military priority as well – Wu Ling had unashamedly asked for a few from the Liang Estate. When he had the leisure, he had people decipher it for him; he’d even left a spare copy at the pass. Sure enough, Lieutenant General Liu came back shortly after, book in hand, “This copy’s a bit worn, begging your pardon, Doctor Jiang.”
Too frantic to bother about decorum, he snatched the book out of his hands, his eyes reddening when he saw the cover. Aside from the words “The New Treatise on Cold Damage,” his grandfather’s name was there as well, lettered in Liang Zixi’s handwriting. He’d personally transcribed his grandfather’s work and printed it as a book!
Jiang Da’s hands shook even more violently after opening the book. The production quality was excellent, and not only was it punctuated, it was divided into chapters, and its headers and content were differentiated by font size, so that it was impossible to misread. Every detail was crafted with meticulous thought. Jiang Da choked up as his eyes scanned across sentence after sentence of concise information and line after line of familiar medical cases, “This, this book, it is known even here?”
“Oh not just here,” Lieutenant General Liu sighed, “It comes complimentary with every purchase of the ‘Diamond Sutra.’ The county magistrate must’ve bought at least a dozen in the last year alone! It’s probably spread all the way to Si Province already.”
Jiang Da wept haplessly, unable to maintain his composure any longer.
This was his grandfather’s life’s work! Liang Zixi had actually printed it at cost, engraving his grandfather’s name in the annals of history! How could he ever express his gratitude for his tremendous magnanimousness?!
Jiang Da clumsily wiped his face and sputtered, “Hurry, let’s make for the Liang Estate.”
Zhang He quickly put a stop to that notion, “Doctor Jiang, it’s almost dark now, and we’ve just spent a whole day on the mountain roads. It’s best to rest the night first before setting out.”
Lieutenant General Liu agreed, “It takes half a day to get to Gaodu from here, and even longer to get to the Liang Estate. Plus, the snow’s gonna freeze overnight. You really should wait till tomorrow.”
The two of them doggedly dragged Jiang Da back into the light of reason. Then, they cleared out a barracks to stay in. Jiang Da fell asleep hugging the book in his arms, exhausted from the physical exertion and the fit of sobbing.
The next day, the group continued their travels. After descending the mountain, half of the soldiers left to escort the refugees to Gaodu. Then, Zhang He spurred his horse and galloped towards the Liang Estate with Jiang Da.
Hastening at full speed, they finally reached the Liang Estate as the sun was sinking in the west. Jiang Da’s eyes widened when he saw the massive gatehouse and the dense crowd of shacks outside it.
“It’s only been a few short months since I last came, how has it changed so, so…” Jiang Da couldn’t find the words to describe it.
Zhang He chuckled, “It’s all due to the master’s hard work, of course. He’s got to have taken in hundreds of refugees by now. The militia’s also gotten a lot bigger than before. Ah, that’s right, we fought a battle not too long ago… If you were there, Doctor Jiang, you might’ve been able to save a few of them…”
The horsemen rode through the gatehouse and past the outer walls. When they approached the main residence, a figure came into view. At the sight of him, Jiang Da immediately clambered off his horse, strode up to him, then fell to his knees in solemn salute.
Having already received the news, Liang Feng had specially come to greet him. He startled at the sudden prostrating, then rushed over to him and said, “Ji’en, what’s the meaning of this? Please, stand!”
“My lord, I beseech you to accept my obeisance!” Jiang Da said tearfully, his head still lowered.
He had indeed referred to Liang Feng as “his lord” before the refugees. He hadn’t said it just to beguile them; he truly meant to swear his allegiance. No matter whether it was for his teachings on disease prevention, or saving him from Luoyang, or printing his grandfather’s medical text, he owed Liang Zixi too much already. Only his servitude might suffice to repay this debt. Who knew how many emotions were contained in that salute!
The moment he heard him speak the words “my lord,” Liang Feng understood what Jiang Da meant to do. There was no way he could refuse such a request. Thus, he gathered his sleeves, bowed to him, and said gravely, “You’ve had a difficult journey, Ji’en. In the future, I’ll be entrusting the Liang Estate’s medical affairs to you.”
It was both a promise and an answer, and an expression of his unwavering trust. Jiang Da pressed his forehead to the ground once more and said weepily, “Thank you for your acceptance, my lord; I will do my utmost!”
“Alright, you can stand now.” Formalities done, Liang Feng leaned over and helped Jiang Da to his feet.
Liang Feng appraised him thoroughly and sighed, “It hasn’t been easy for you these days, Ji’en.”
His spirited vigor had crumbled into pallid feebleness. His easygoing demeanor had vanished without a trace. Jiang Da’s face was etched with woe, and perhaps because he was burdened by heavy thoughts, the hair at his temples was streaked with white. It seemed he had suffered much from his trip to Luoyang.
Jiang Da’s eyes wettened again at his concern, “If it weren’t for you, my lord, I would have already starved to death in Luoyang. Though I have one more thing to beg of you. When my grandfather suddenly passed, I, his unfilial grandson, was far from home on a distant venture. Would you permit me ten days, my lord, to visit my family and pay my respects before coming back to the estate…. ”
Liang Feng patted Jiang Da’s arm and said, “It is only right that you should do so. How could I fault you? In a few days, the New Year will be upon us. You may as well recuperate at home, Ji’en, and take care of your household affairs before you return to the Liang Estate. I have already arranged an ox-pulled carriage for you. After all your toils on the road, I thought you would find it more comfortable to go home in a carriage.”
Finding that he’d even prepared a carriage for him, a lump formed in Jiang Da’s throat. He bowed deeply to him again. What more could he ask for, with a lord like this?
Instead of staying and resting, Jiang Da embarked at once on the ox-pulled carriage. Worried that he might overtax himself, Liang Feng sent a maidservant, as well as a troop of cavalry to accompany him home. He couldn’t resist sighing as he watched the carriage depart. That was one load taken off his mind now. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing that his relationship with Jiang Da had changed from equal-status friends to lord and servant. Having a capable doctor in this era meant having better chances of survival. Plus, a lifesaver that was guaranteed to stay by his side was no small reassurance.
The administration of his estate was already on the right track. Was the chaos in Luoyang finally over?
※
To Liang Feng, the second year of the Tai’an era was coming to an end. But to others, it was early yet.
After several days of plunder, Zhang Fang headed back to Chang’an, tens of thousands of captured slaves in tow, to aid the Prince of Hejian in repelling the armies of the provincial governor of Yong Province, Liu Shen. At that time, Sima Ying departed from Ye City to attend the New Year’s Rites in Luoyang. Following the Prince of Chengdu’s arrival, the deadened city of Luoyang finally regained some semblance of vitality.
But before stability was restored to the palace, Sima Ying raised his butcher’s blade aloft and beheaded a great many military officials that had supported the Prince of Changsha. Anyone who had ever spoken a word on Sima Ai’s behalf was indiscriminately put to death. Then, pulling the strings of the puppet emperor, he accorded himself twenty more commanderies, appointed himself Counselor-in-Chief, and commanded the court.
The new Counselor-in-Chief rewarded Sima Yue, who had played a valorous part in opening the city, with the title of Imperial Secretariat. He also bestowed upon Sima Yong the offices of Grand Preceptor, supreme regional commander, and regional governor of Bing and Yong Provinces. Even Zhang Fang, who had looted the imperial palace, received honors.
Even after all this, the court was absolutely silent, save for songs of praise.
The author has something to say:
Little Jiang has finally returned home *pats him reassuringly~~*
Leaving is the best option for people, if they can find somewhere to go.
Thank you for the update ☺️
Now that Bing province has been awarded to the bastard Sima what will happen to Liang estate in the future?!
The first part of this chapter was very warm and satisfying. Thank you
Thanks for the chapter! In a way, it’s sad to see him loose a friend. He really needs some!
Unfortunately, civilians always get caught up in the crossfire of war. Liang Feng is definitely trying his best to make his territory the best it can be without being unrealistic in a Holy Mother type of way. Alas for him and his people, permanent peace is not yet achieved.
Thanks for your hard work translating!
Now that there’s that other Sima guy who “looks over” the Bing province… I feel like more trouble is on its way :’D
Thx for the ch (ㅅ˘ㅂ˘)
I’m so happy that Jiang Da is now safe and sound. Our dream team getting bigger and bigger! Good! Thank You for the new chapter 💛
I’m so sick of these nasty Sima dogs. Can they finish eating each other already?! And that Zhang degenerate…. 🤢