151: Defiing orders to remain in the war

Shen Xiaochuan stood before the camp gate, holding a mahogany box in his arms. His hand rested on the wax seal, motionless.

Five thousand soldiers stood in place, no one speaking. Aminos sat on his horse, gripping a halberd, looking from the imperial decree to Shen Xiaochuan.

"General," he began, "what do you intend to do about the imperial court's order?"

Shen Xiaochuan did not answer. He looked down at the bandages on his ribs; a dull pain throbbed from the wound, as if something were pressing down on it. He took a breath, held the box, and turned to walk back to the main tent.

"Battle readiness remains unchanged," he stopped at the tent entrance and said, turning back. "Proceed according to the original plan."

The messenger immediately ran off to convey the order. The troops began to mobilize; armor clattered and hooves moved. Many people looked back at the main tent.

Inside the tent, Shen Xiaochuan placed the imperial decree on the table with the wax seal facing up. He pulled open a drawer, took out a map, and spread it out. Pingyang had already been taken, the waterway at Fengling Ferry was clear, and the altar at Duanshi Pass had been shut down—all three cities were empty, the garrison had fled, and supplies were insufficient; it was the perfect opportunity to attack.

His finger tapped on the last city, "Black Cliff Fortress," lingering for a few seconds before he pulled his hand back.

The Personal Guard lifted the curtain and entered, asking in a low voice, "General, should we summon the commanders for a meeting?"

"No need," Shen Xiaochuan shook his head. "Don't spread the word yet. Only you need to know about the imperial decree. Don't let Aminos hear about it."

"But he will find out sooner or later."

"I know," Shen Xiaochuan sat down and rubbed his temples. "But he cannot retreat now. Once he retreats, all the territory we've taken will be for nothing. The common people have just opened their doors to welcome us, and if we turn back, they'll have to close them again to hide for their lives."

The Personal Guard was silent for a moment. "There is already wind of this in the imperial court. The imperial messenger who delivered the letter privately told the cook that some officials have accused you of 'holding onto military power and defying the royal command'."

Shen Xiaochuan sneered, "Half a month ago, no one cared about us. Now that we've won, they come to talk about rules?"

"They say you are using your own flag."

"What's wrong with the blue gear flag? The people I saved belong under my protection. I don't believe a single decree can wipe away the territory that three thousand men fought for with their lives."

The Personal Guard lowered his head and said, "But defying an imperial decree is a grave crime. At best, it means stripping you of military power; at worst, it means the total destruction of your family and clan."

Shen Xiaochuan did not speak for a long time. He stood up, walked to a chest in the corner, opened the bottom layer, and felt for a copper gear pendant, wiping it gently. This was something his parents had sewn into his cuffs, and he had always carried it with him. Last night, he had tucked it into an urgent letter as a secret signal, wanting his father to know he was still alive. But now... with this imperial decree here, he feared it could never be sent out.

He gripped the pendant tightly, his hand turning white.

"I am not trying to rebel," he whispered. "I am just not backing down."

The next morning, the first golden plaque arrived.

The purple-robed messenger knelt outside the camp gate, holding the golden plaque with both hands: "Urgent order from the Imperial Capital! Shen Xiaochuan must return to the capital immediately! No delays allowed!"

Shen Xiaochuan stood outside the tent, staring at the golden plaque.

He took the golden plaque, did not unseal it, and carried it straight back into the tent to place it alongside the imperial decree.

At noon, the second golden plaque arrived. By evening, the third.

Each one was more urgent than the last, each one heavier than the last. Three batches of messengers had been replaced, and each one said, "The previous one hasn't even been unsealed, and the next one has already arrived. Your Majesty is full of Life Qi."

On the night of the third day, twelve golden plaques were lined up neatly on the table, like a row of cold, icy blades.

Shen Xiaochuan sat under the lamp, his expression heavy, flipping through the battle reports page by page. News came from the northern front: the garrison at Black Cliff Fortress was less than five hundred, the granary was empty, the city gates were shut tight, and the common people were trapped. If they didn't attack within seven days, enemy reinforcements would arrive from the west.

He closed the battle report and looked up at the tent ceiling. The oil lamp flickered, casting a shadow that looked like a hand reaching out for help.

He suddenly stood up, put on his outer coat, and walked out of the camp tent.

The wind was cold at night, and the camp was quiet. There was only the sound of patrol footsteps and the snorting of horses. He walked past several rows of tents and arrived at the place where Aminos stayed.

The tent curtain was lifted, and warmth rushed to meet him. Aminos was sitting at the table with a wine pot in his hand, and two bowls in front of him.

"I knew you would come," he said.

Shen Xiaochuan walked in and sat down opposite him.

"Have you heard?" he asked.

"The twelve golden plaques." Aminos poured a bowl of wine and handed it over. "It's being rumored all over the city that you are defying the imperial decree and intend to become king yourself."

Shen Xiaochuan took the wine but did not drink. "Do you believe it?"

"I don't," Aminos looked at him. "If you really wanted to rebel, you wouldn't have let me lead the team on the first day. You would have taken command yourself, captured the cities, and replaced the flags with your own. But you didn't. You let me lead the vanguard, making the common people recognize me, not you."

Shen Xiaochuan lowered his head and smiled.

He looked at Aminos, frowning as he said, "But you are in a difficult position now too. The imperial court is summoning me back, and if you stay, you need a reason. You are only an F-rank deity with no background and no backing. If you disobey the order and stay today, tomorrow the history books might write that you are a traitorous minister."

Aminos was silent for a moment, picked up the wine bowl, took a sip, and sighed after a long time. "Reputation, of course I care about it."

"I know you care," Shen Xiaochuan put down his bowl. "But what do you care about more? How future generations write about you, or whether the people alive today can sleep soundly?"

Aminos looked up at him.

"Yesterday I went into the city to check on the wounded," Shen Xiaochuan said. "An old woman grabbed me and told me her son died at the hands of demons, and her daughter was dragged into a cellar and only crawled out after three days. She knelt on the ground and begged me not to leave. She said, 'If you leave, we will have to live like ghosts again.'"

Aminos gripped the rim of his bowl tightly.

Shen Xiaochuan looked at him, his tone firm. "You say the hearts of the people are important. But the hearts of the people are not an imperial decree; they cannot be eaten, nor can they block a blade. But in my heart, they are heavier than these twelve golden plaques."

Aminos did not speak, looking down at the lamplight reflected in the wine, swaying slightly.

After a long time, he spoke, his voice low but powerful. "When I was a child, I studied in a village school. The teacher talked about loyalty and righteousness every day, saying that loyalty to the sovereign was the most important thing, and one must not violate it even in death. Later, there was a famine, and the county magistrate refused to open the granary, saying he had to wait for orders from above. As a result, more than three hundred people died, and children were so hungry they gnawed on tree bark. I went to beg him to open the granary, and he told me to recite the 'Book of Rites'. I couldn't recite it, so he gave me twenty strokes of the board."

He looked up sharply, his eyes filled with anger. "That night, I burned that 'Book of Rites'. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I don't regret it. Because some things are more important than those dead rules."

The tent was very quiet; even breathing could be heard. The wick of the lamp suddenly popped with a "crackle," sending out a spark.

Shen Xiaochuan watched him, not speaking.

"You say the imperial court talks about rules," Shen Xiaochuan said. "But rules are made for people. The common people are not numbers; they are not 'two thousand enemies killed' on a battle report. They are living people. If we retreat one step today, a thousand people die. If we retreat tomorrow, ten thousand die. In the end, who will remember that you kept your hands clean? They will only remember that you didn't stop it."

Aminos looked down at the surface of the wine.

"I also studied in a village school when I was a child," he suddenly said. "The teacher talked about loyalty and righteousness, saying that loyalty to the sovereign was a major matter, and one must not violate it even in death. Later, there was a famine, and the county magistrate refused to open the granary, saying he had to wait for orders. More than three hundred commoners starved to death, and children gnawed on tree bark. I went to beg him, and he told me to recite the 'Book of Rites'. I couldn't recite it, so he gave me twenty strokes of the board."

He looked up, his eyes shining. "That night, I burned that book. I know I was wrong, but I don't regret it. Some things are more important than rules."

Shen Xiaochuan watched him, not speaking.

"You say the hearts of the people are important," Aminos stood up slowly. "But the hearts of the people cannot be eaten, nor can they block a blade. But in my heart, they are heavier than the golden plaques."

He drew his short sword and drew a line on the ground.

"This line," he said. "I stand on this side. If the city is not taken, I will not retreat. Even if I lose my life, I will not leave."

Shen Xiaochuan stood up, walked to his side, and looked at the mark on the ground.

"Good," he said. "I will stand on this side too."

The two looked at each other and said nothing more.

Aminos put away his sword, picked up the wine pot, and filled the two bowls.

"To those who do not want to live like ghosts anymore," he said.

Shen Xiaochuan picked up his bowl and clinked it against the other.

"To them."

The wine was very spicy, making one squint as they drank it. Outside the tent, the wind stopped, the clouds scattered, and the moonlight shone in, falling on the twelve golden plaques, which shone coldly.

At dawn on the fourth day, a scout reported: The south gate of Black Cliff Fortress had opened, and it seemed that some common people wanted to escape.

Shen Xiaochuan stood before the table, where the twelve golden plaques were still there, not a single one unsealed. He picked up the map, rolled it up, and tucked it into his clothes.

"Pass the order," he said. "The whole army is to assemble. Target: Black Cliff Fortress. We take the city today."

The Personal Guard acknowledged the order and left.

Soon, the sound of drums echoed through the camp. The sounds of putting on armor, picking up weapons, and chariots starting up followed one after another. Five thousand soldiers finished lining up, waiting for their commander to come out of the tent.

Shen Xiaochuan walked out of the main tent, sunlight shining on his face. He did not look at the golden plaques, nor did he look back in the direction of the Imperial Capital.

He swung onto his horse and raised his hand in a wave.

"Move out."

The troops set off, dust rising into the air. Aminos rode alongside him and asked, turning his head: "What if the imperial court sends a large army to capture you?"

Shen Xiaochuan gripped the reins, looking ahead: "Then let them come. I, Shen Xiaochuan, do not rebel against Heaven or Earth; I only protect those who should be protected. If they want to kill or execute me, they can wait until I have taken this city."

The sound of horse hooves rolled forward, trampling across the wilderness. Behind them, the main tent swayed gently in the wind, and the twelve golden plaques lay quietly on the table, with no one looking at them again.