131 Matters of the Heart

The Han army achieved a great victory in this battle, once again routing the massive forces of the Yellow Turban rebel Bo Cai and beheading over 30,000 of the enemy.

Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, Luan Yi, and Cao Cao combined their forces and pursued the enemy southward. Wherever the great army passed, the rebels either fled or surrendered. With a string of consecutive victories, the regions of Runan and the Chen Kingdom were successively recovered, and the lands of three commanderies were brought under control.

October 10th, the date originally set for Luan Yi’s grand wedding, passed by, thwarted by the catastrophe engulfing the Han Dynasty. A month prior, Luan Tao and Luan Miao had anticipated that the war in Yingchuan would intensify and that it was highly probable Luan Yi would be unable to complete his imperial duties or return home to marry by that date. They had drafted a letter to Cai Yong and Wang Yun, explaining the situation with high-sounding justifications such as, "In times of national crisis, matters of the state must take precedence over family affairs."

Cai Yong and Wang Yun were, of course, quite understanding. In truth, they privately hoped Luan Yi would remain busy with affairs of state. In this way, he would gain the Emperor's trust, and as he rose to high office and immense power, they would share in his prestige and feel a sense of pride. "Look at my disciple," or "Look at my son-in-law"—such were the natural sentiments of men. Therefore, not only did they pay no mind to the delay, but they also granted Luan Tao full authority to choose a new date, stating clearly that the wedding would take place whenever Luan Tao decreed.

Luan Tao was advanced in years, and if he had one weakness, it was his vanity. By all rights, Cai Yong was an eminent Confucian scholar and tutor to the Emperor, and Wang Yun held the position of Zhonglang Jiang—both were illustrious figures in the Han Dynasty. The Luan family, by contrast, were merely merchants of no social standing; there was no reason for them to have a say in a marriage between such families.

Yet, the reality was that the Cai and Wang families had entrusted the entire wedding to him. He felt as if his face had been gilded with gold. His gait changed, his belly protruded with newfound pride, and he began to bark orders at his relatives. The kinfolk knew that the family's growing prosperity was largely due to Luan Tao’s efforts, and now that he had raised a grandson as accomplished as Luan Yi—a man who had brought fame to the entire clan—they shared in the glory. They walked with chests puffed out, boasting everywhere: "Our Luan family is no longer just merchants; we are a scholarly lineage, understand? We have officials in the family! My grandnephew is the General Who Conquers the East. What? You don't know the General Who Conquers the East? Do you know Luan Yi? He is known to the world as the Savior of the People, Luan Ziqi! Ha, that is my grandnephew."

The clan’s growing influence made the collateral branches increasingly reverent. Thus, the relatives took no offense at Luan Tao’s arrogance; instead, they remained humble and deferential.

Luan Miao, a man of steady character, feared his father might become intoxicated by this sudden success and grow reckless, so he and his wife, Lady Diao, frequently reminded him to stay grounded. After observing him for a time, they realized that while the old man loved prestige, he had spent decades in trade and was a seasoned figure in Yingchuan; he was not like some petty man who had suddenly struck it rich. Though old, his mind remained sharp; he knew exactly when to puff out his chest and when to bow. Reassured, Luan Miao and his wife often took the old man out to see the scenery of Jinan, attend services at the church, or accompany him to the countryside to distribute alms.

The old man lived a happy life, his spirit growing stronger by the day. In his own words, "I’m not in a hurry to die! Even if I do, I must see my second grandson become a general and a minister before I can close my eyes!"

A general and a minister? Lady Diao dared not dream of such things. She only hoped that Luan Yi would remain safe and healthy, and that he would eventually have a house full of children. She prayed he would never return to the battlefield; the mere thought of it made her heart ache.

She wondered if the autumn in Yingchuan was cold this year. It had been chilly by this time in previous years. If it was cold, would Yi’er remember to add layers? The boy was so carefree; he could never take care of himself. She remembered when he was little, playing in the snow with Fengxiao and the others during the dead of winter, returning soaked to the bone without ever thinking to change his clothes. When Luan Fu found him, he was steaming with heat. That little one... he had been so headstrong then! And now, he was a general. How time flies...

Dian Wei, his nephew, would surely take care of him and see that he kept warm. But Dian Wei was a simple soul; although he was the older brother, he often couldn't persuade Yi’er. *Sigh... it is truly worrisome. After all, he is still just a child.* "I wonder where Yi’er is fighting now? He should be home soon, right?"

As Lady Diao gazed at the moon and yearned for her son, three other women in Luoyang and Yecheng harbored the same longing. Whether curled by a desk or standing in a garden, they all looked toward the moon.

"The people of today do not see the moon of the past, yet the moon of today once shone upon the ancients. Both the ancients and the people of today are like flowing water, all watching the same bright moon." In the courtyard, Cai Yan, plucking at her zither strings in a distracted manner, saw the full moon and suddenly recalled the lines Luan Yi had once recited. She whispered softly, "'All watching the same bright moon.' Is the moon in Yu Province just as round? Ziqi, are you also entrusting your longing to this full moon? Do you know... how much I miss you?"

She gently rubbed her flat stomach. If the child had lived, he would have been born by now. Poor little thing... he never saw the faces of his father or mother before passing away. He didn't even have a name! He was my child with Ziqi. Ziqi would have loved him, surely! It was all my fault... I didn't protect him well enough. He left this world without even seeing the full moon. Ziqi once said that every child is a gift from the Holy Mother to those who love each other. Why, if the Holy Mother had bestowed such a gift, did she have to snatch it away? "Oh Heavens! How unjust you are to me!"

Thinking of this, Cai Yan wept uncontrollably.

In a boudoir at the Wang residence, Diaochan idly flipped through the pages of a book. It was *The Recorded Sayings of Ziqi*, newly compiled by Cai Yan that year. It contained almost every thought-provoking word Luan Yi had spoken during his conversations with her. The verse she had just recited was included there, along with other poetic and deeply affectionate lines exchanged between the two.

Cai Yan had meant well; thinking that since they were like sisters and both enamored with the same man, it was only right for them to understand Luan Yi fully to ensure harmony in the future. Once the book was printed, she had sent a copy to Diaochan.

However, Diaochan did not see it that way. She felt it was a provocation—a deliberate display of evidence of their mutual affection meant to humiliate her.

The more she thought, the angrier she became. She snatched the book and tore it to shreds, scattering the pages across the floor. But once done, she felt a pang of regret. After all, these were words spoken by her dear Luan Lang; to tear them was to desecrate him. Her head spun. "Absolutely not! No one may desecrate Luan Lang, no one!" She summoned all the servants in the courtyard to pick up every single scrap of paper. She would glue the book back together, just as she sought to mend her own shattered heart.

"No one may desecrate Luan Lang, no one!" she chanted over and over.

In distant Yecheng, Zhen Mi, whose family had fallen from grace, was tougher than any woman of her age. By day, she disguised herself as a man to help her brother manage their business, and by night, she took on the duties of the lady of the house, handling all domestic affairs. She was busier than her brother, constantly urging him to marry a wife to share the burden, but he always replied, "Wait, just wait!"

Zhen Mi knew her brother wasn't waiting; he had someone in his heart. But that person was of high status, and given the Zhen family's current position, they could never hope to climb so high! Unless... unless she herself married into a good family.

On this point, Zhen Mi had great confidence in her own beauty. Thus, she began to put her plan into action, gathering information on young men of high-ranking, influential families in Luoyang. After analyzing them, she felt deeply disappointed. Their fathers were indeed prominent figures in the Han, but the men themselves were mediocre—lacking talent, ambition, and courage. They could elevate the Zhen family's status for a moment, but not for a lifetime.

Having learned from this, Zhen Mi became more discerning. She began to seek out men of talent who currently held modest status but possessed immense potential—those who, given the chance, could soar to great heights. Clearly, no one surpassed Luan Yi in this regard. Once Luan Yi ascended to high office, his future would be immeasurable. The only pity was... Luan Yi was already betrothed. If she were to become close to him, she could only be a concubine. But then again, the Zhen family were merely merchants, the lowliest of the low; anyone she married into a high-ranking family would likely make her a concubine anyway. If she was destined to be a concubine, she might as well marry Luan Yi!

Thus, Zhen Mi did everything in her power to get close to him. She first had her family engage in large-scale, unprofitable transactions with the Luan family, then tacitly allowed her family to convert to the Holy Mother Faith. Finally, she traveled to the Jinan Kingdom herself to captivate him with her beauty.

Clearly, Zhen Mi had achieved her goal. However, she vaguely sensed that since returning from Jinan, she had felt as if she had lost her soul, as if she had misplaced something vital.

"What did I lose?" She had pondered this question more than once. It took a full month, with a hint from Zhen Po, for her to find the answer.

Her heart—her heart had been stolen... by that man clad in silver armor who, to rescue an unknown, fake follower of the Holy Mother Faith, had risked his life to charge into the heavy encirclement of the rebels, blocking spears and arrows for a stranger until he was gravely wounded. Then, they had both fallen into the water, and then, and then...

At the thought of this, Zhen Mi’s face flushed scarlet. He had seen her body; how could she ever face anyone again!

She remembered clearly the sinking feeling in her heart when she learned that Luan Yi was going to suppress the rebels in Yan and Qing provinces—a feeling exactly like the one she had now. "In the past, Master Ziqi could always turn danger into safety. He was so brave and strong. Surely... it will be the same now! Where has the war reached? The rebels in Ji Province are still fierce, confronting the Northern Zhonglang Jiang at the border, but what of Yu Province? With Master Ziqi there, it must be nearly pacified! Master Ziqi... would it be alright if I called you 'Brother Yi,' as the Bishop does? Brother Yi... *giggle*, Brother Yi..." She suddenly put away her smile, her expression turning melancholy again. "Brother Yi, when will you finally come to Yecheng?"