The Tale Never Ends Chapter 191 Zhang Zixiang

Slow recognition went off like a bomb as the name "Zhang Zixiang" resounded in my mind! The glimmer of inspiration that flashed through me earlier finally made sense! "'Zhang Zixiang', 'Shaanxi' and the 'County Magistrate!' I should have known! I am in Mizhi County of Shaanxi! Bian Dashou is here!"

According to Chen Yixuan, Zhang Zixiang's actual name was Li Zixiang! He was the older brother of Li Zicheng. Hence this magistrate office in front of me could only be the Mizhi County Magistrate building and the County Magistrate serving here would be none other than Bian Dashou himself! The keeper of the Dragon-slaying Blade!

Excitement swelled in me, burgeoning quickly that it made me leaped to my feet and I flew over the walls of the building. In the frenzy of my elation, I had not thought about how I even manage the jump. Next thing I knew, I was already speeding after Zhang Zixiang who was already being led inside.

With a small jog, Zhang Zixiang cantered into the inner cloisters, still cradling the leaf-wrapped bundle. He came to an antechamber where a man was waiting for him, seating at a table while sipping at some wine. Despite the creased face and the grey stubble of beard growing from his chin, I recognized him almost instantly. It was Bian Dashou indeed, despite his aged and wearied looks from before! Zhang Zixiang came in and Bian Dashou stood up. "You're here, Brother Zixiang! Come, have a seat!" He sat down and filled a cup for his guest.

Zhang Zixiang sank into his chair, his face curling with a smile as he unfurled the leaf wrappings of the bundle and unveiled a crusty-coated and succulent roast chicken! He laid it on the table, pus.h.i.+ng it closer to Bian Dashou, saying amiably, "Come, have a taste of this! I bought it specifically for you, Brother Dashou! It's a lotus-leaf baked chicken! Come, come, come!" He lifted his cup, clinked it with Bian Dashou's and gulped down its contents.

Bian Dashou's eyes betrayed a devilishly hungry look as he gazed at the chicken. He reached a hand and tore a piece of flesh as he sipped at his wine. I retreated to a corner and sat quietly as I tried to rake out the recollections of what old Chen Yixuan had told me: At this time, Bian Dashou was maintaining the facade of being close and intimate with Li Zixiang. They were even addressing each other as brothers in private. It was a ruse Bian Dashou had devised since receiving his orders from w.a.n.g Qiaonian, the Governor of Shaanxi; to get close to Li Zixiang, the brother of Li Zicheng, and indulge him with wine and women to portray himself as a corruptible ally.

With three rounds at the back of their heads, Bian Dashou finally spoke, "There has been word yesterday that the Das.h.i.+ng King—Li Zicheng, that is, shall be invading Tongguan County! It will not be far till the day the Ming Empire falls and the Das.h.i.+ng King shall sit upon the throne not far thereafter!" Zhang Zixiang grinned cheerfully, obviously pleased with the prospects as being brother to a king in the making when Bian Dashou clapped his hands suddenly and the door of the antechamber was flung open at once. A man walked in, bearing a tray covered with a piece of red fabric, much to Zhang Zixiang's suspicion. But as he teetered with hesitation, Bian Dashou dramatically drew the cloth and Zhang Zixiang froze. It was a tray full of silver-white ingots.

The glimmering tray of silver immediately dawned upon me what was happening! Bian Dashou was trying to keep Zhang Zixiang away now while he would travel to Mount San Feng Zi! More people came in, bringing in a large chest. When it was opened, the whole room shone with the brightness of the silver ingots filling the chest to the brim. Bian Dashou explained, "With the Das.h.i.+ng King's success at hand, I need your help, Brother. Please bring all twenty of our sworn brothers to Tongguan County tomorrow. You will first bring our brothers to join the Das.h.i.+ng King in his endeavor and please send the 7,000 taels of silvers to him and mention to my support for his cause. Please help me win his favor, for my future. I will come as soon as I have settled all my business here."

Zhang Zixiang beamed proudly at the news and could have not agreed more readily. "Very well! I'll depart tomorrow! Rest a.s.sured, Brother, that your contributions will make a lasting impression upon the Das.h.i.+ng King himself!" He left immediately, leading the porters lifting the chest of silver away.

I inched quietly into a chair at Bian Dashou's table, looking at him and the man who was still holding the tray of silver. He waited for Zhang Zixiang to wander out of earshot and he said to him, "Follow them tomorrow and make sure they indeed join the Das.h.i.+ng King and the rebel army, then report back to me." With a grunt of acknowledgment, the man turned and left. If old Chen Yixuan's accounts turned out to be correct, then this man could only be Jia Huan, Bian Dashou's most trusted subordinate.

But what happened next baffled me: Bian Dashou sat back down but he did not move for minutes as if he had been stuck in an ice block. "What's happening? Is he astral-projecting?!" I waited for minutes until I grew restless enough to light myself another cigarette as I waited. But the smell of my burning cigarette stung his nose as a great plume of smoke rose up in the wind and he sneezed! The sneeze seemed to have jerked him back from his stupor and he rose up at once, looking around strangely. Finding nothing, he sighed and he walked out of the chamber.

I flew up and sat atop the roof, watching the sun slowly descending into the arms of the mountainous horizons. Somehow I too began to see the pleasure and satisfaction Mother had always enjoyed looking at sceneries atop a roof. But from above, I also kept a close watch on Bian Dashou; the fire from the candle in his room had never once extinguished through the night. He was continually walking in rounds as if in deep thought. The following day, right before the break of dawn, a band of people quietly slipped out of the building. Almost immediately after they left, another man, disguised and packed for a journey, led a horse out of another side entrance and followed behind them like a shadow.

Bian Dashou waited until the twilight of dusk was hanging above the sky then he left with some men. They went to a village somewhere to the west of the river and they sought out a man.

When I finally caught up to them, Bian Dashou was unrolling a bundle. He showed the man the payment of silver he had brought and confessed he wished the man to be his guide. "This man must be Li Cheng," I mused, "the fellow townsmen of Li Zicheng who was present when the Das.h.i.+ng King's father was interred, if old Chen Yixuan's accounts are accurate!"

I would have thought that Li Cheng would decline the offer. But Bian Dashou might have tendered too enticing an offer for him or he could have been seduced by the sight of gleaming silver in the onset of darkness. With tremendous alacrity, he cried, "Of course! I'll take you up on your offer!" With Li Cheng at the forefront of the convoy, Bian Dashou and his men immediately rode with haste that night, riding out of Mizhi County and headed straight for their destination. Shaking my head with disgust at Li Cheng's avarice, I took into the sky. Fortunately, with my ability to fly, I had little to no effort in making sure I did not lose them. They rode non-stop for a night and a day, with hardly any stops to rest the horses. But that did not prevent the steeds and men from growing fatigue as their speed finally began to slow. But suddenly, a drop of snow landed on my head and melted like rain.

We must be nearing the foot of Mount San Feng Zi! The slopes of the mountain I had heard of so much was nowhere as steep and precipitous as I imagined it would be. In fact, I was rather downtrodden when I finally saw the place for myself. Mount San Feng Zi merely towered over the foothill of Yellow Soil Ridge, and by the fraction of a difference, rather than being a tall, lofty mountain with peaks being surrounded by mists and clouds of the sky. But before I could properly look upon Mount San Zi Feng, as if by the will of Heaven, the light snow had become a downpour of snow that quickly carpeted the entire mountain in white!

The snow was already more than 0.6 meters deep by the time Bian Dashou arrived. I would not have believed it possible if not for providence. Despite the winter, the falling of snow was simply too strong for me to believe it to be true. This could almost be considered a miracle that the snow could be falling this fast. But it was hardly implausible; Li Zicheng was destined to be king and Bian Dashou, although not against the wishes of Heaven, was acting in contrary to the laws of Nature. This could be Heaven's providence for Li Zicheng for his destiny, in spite of the torment and turmoil he might have brought to the nation if he was allowed to rule indefinitely. Then again, there was but another question: history would show that Bian Dashou succeeded in his endeavor and the Jurchens would take the country and establish the Qing Empire. Li Zicheng would merely enjoy a brief 18-day stint as Emperor before he was quickly stripped of his kings.h.i.+p with his dragon leys destroyed. But why was Bian Dashou not punished for his transgression in acting against the laws of Heaven? And if Li Zicheng was indeed destined to be king, how could Bian Dashou succeed with hardly any impediment or difficulty?

Prior to this encounter, I had always thought Li Zicheng was the one acting against the wishes of Heaven by trying to force himself upon the throne of the Emperor. But I seemed to be mistaken. In the later two days, I would realize that Bian Dashou's attempt to destroy Li Zicheng's dragon leys was hardly a simple task, but rather a perilous struggle that could have easily cost him his life!

I woke up from my deep train of thought. By now, Bian Dashou's convoy has stopped at the foot of the mountain and Li Cheng was screaming in the snowstorm. "The snow's too thick! The horses will not be able to make it up the slopy inclines of the mountain. We'll have to move on foot here!" I landed on the snow as well. But to my surprise, my feet did not sink into the snow and I was merely stepping as light as a feather on the frost leaving hardly any tracks or footprints!

Just when I was still caught up in my surprise, Bian Dashou roared his orders, "Relay my orders: Tie the horses here! We'll move on foot!"

End of Volume