Chapter 656: Three Goblets of Wine For Worldly Affairs, A Pot of Tea For Lifetime Achievements
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yun Yang kept quiet for a bit before saying, "Marshal Wu, I'm rather at a loss to comment about what you've just said. Tell me, what should I consider you as? A self-deceiving crook?"
"I'm indeed self-deceiving. I am a real crook as well. Nonetheless, I am also a strong, powerful crook. My abilities, at least for a substantially long period of time, cannot be replaced by anyone," Wu Ying said casually.
Killing intent glinted in Yun Yang's eyes. "Do you know that once a person dies – no matter how irreplaceable they are, they are still dead. Even when their deaths caused a significant upheaval, they no longer exist in this world! As for the world itself, nothing changes."
"Lord Supreme Cloud is determined to kill me. This, I've guessed as much," said Wu Ying.
During the entire conversation, he had not once addressed himself as "this official", "this general", "this lower official", or "this reputed one" – he addressed himself with only "I". Evidently, he no longer considered himself as Yutang's official or the military's marshal.
Yun Yang was well aware of this, but had still addressed him as "Marshal Wu". After all, Wu Ying had truly done a lot for Yutang throughout the years. This person's contribution was pivotal in the stabilization of Yutang's territories. Despite their opposing views, his contributions and achievements spoke for themselves.
"Bi Zhongliu has died," Wu Ying spoke unhurriedly, "Back then, he kept saying that his abilities could bring peace and stability to the country – to the world. Even if disaster were to befall the empire, if there was no hope left, he could defend the nation against the tide of calamity should he be given a chance – he could save the country. That's why he called himself Bi Zhongliu1."
"I wonder if he can still call himself Bi Zhongliu when he arrives at the underworld," said Yun Yang. His tone was indifferent but he was internally surprised.
The name Bi Zhongliu was very familiar. Many years ago, there was a high-profile case that shocked many people; at the heart of the story was a man called Bi Zhongliu…
Yun Yang wondered if that Bi Zhongliu was this Bi Zhongliu…
Wu Ying ignored the implied mockery in his words and continued speaking, "There must be something you want to know since you have refrained from attacking the moment you arrived. Isn't that so, Lord Supreme Cloud? Since I'm already speaking, I'll explain it to Lord Supreme Cloud."
He heaved a quiet sigh and said, "Do you know that the number of words I've uttered in these twenty years can't even come close to what I've said today…"
There was a sharp glint in Yun Yang's eyes when he answered, "I've long heard that Marshal Wu is laconic, heard the praises of Marshal Wu being terse and concise. Your orders and commands regarding military affairs are strictly obeyed as well; rarely were there cases of impartiality. However, about being so wordy… maybe it's because you won't have much chance to talk anymore after today!"
Wu Ying let out a chortle and said, "Lord Supreme Cloud is powerful, of course, rarely missing the target when you kill, but you may have a wrong estimation of my abilities. I admit that I won't be able to kill Lord Supreme Cloud nor am I a worthy opponent. However, I am quite confident that I can slip away from your grasp. Bi Zhongliu has never seen you before his death. It was his deepest regret and it's necessary for me to complete this wish for him."
"If so, there's no need for more rubbish. I believe Marshal Wu knows what I want to find out as well. Speak of what you know, why'd you need me to raise the question?" said Yun Yang.
Wu Ying laughed hoarsely and said, "Lord Supreme Cloud is right, but before I begin the story, I have to say that this conversation will take a long time. What about having tea with me, Lord Supreme Cloud?"
It was easy to deceive anyone else other than one's self. Wu Ying held his opinion regarding his own actions very strongly; at this moment, he had mentioned about his grave mistake verbally, but he actually did not think too much about his sin. If it were not for Bi Zhongliu's matter as his baggage and his intention to escape, Wu Ying's resolve and headstrong attitude were actually the most unusual among the Four Seasons Tower's men whom Yun Yang had come across.
Before his words echoed and before Yun Yang could speak, Wu Ying shook his wrist, brandishing pieces of furniture and laid out a tea set on the ground. They were set out neatly; there was even a long, lit candle on the tea table. A wave of mystical Qi swept across the space abruptly, the wind making billowing noises, but the flame of the candle did not flicker one bit.
"Lord Supreme Cloud, please have a seat."
Wu Ying picked up the teapot and said with a smile, "Three goblets of wine for worldly affairs, a pot of tea for lifetime achievements. People think that this saying is quite a flashy one, and they have countless interpretations of it. I have one of my own too."
"I would like to know what Marshal Wu thinks," Yun Yang replied as he sat down.
"To me, three goblets of wine for worldly affairs… It means that anyone, when they've experienced this worldly realm, can memorialize the person with three goblets of wine."
"As for a pot of tea for lifetime achievements… the saying means that no matter how many achievements one has made, no matter how meritorious, when he dies, when people talk about him, the time to drink a pot of tea is all it takes to be informed of that person."
Wu Ying shook his head and continued faintly. "Just like how we're about to talk about Bi Zhongliu's life, right now. No matter how introspective and intelligent he was, how impeccable his calculations were and how gifted he was, how influential he had been as a civil mandarin and a force in the martial world… a pot of tea –"
"A pot of tea is all the time it takes for you to understand everything about him from me," he said, lifting his head to look at Yun Yang.
Wu Ying chuckled and poured a cup of tea on the ground, muttering softly, "Brother, this is your achievement."
Yun Yang was overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of absurdity. It was his first time hearing such an interpretation of the saying. In spite of this, it had to be said that the sophistry seemed… to make sense. After all, sophistry would need an argument to become rational.
"Bi Zhongliu and I were childhood friends. Not only do we know each other since we were children, we're sworn brothers. We studied together in our youth and learned from the same martial master. He's older than me, so I called him elder brother. Even though we looked out for each other throughout the years, in truth, he has helped me more."
"That year, he was resolute to serve the country, to show the world what he had. He entered the capital for the examination, intending to emerge as Tiannan's elite. Before he left, I, failing the test, held a farewell for him. He said that… if he could receive the attention of a brilliant superior, he would soar among the clouds; the world would be his, he would toil to unite the empires."
"He had done it, with his renowned reputation in the civil aspect. Once he entered the capital city, he was recognized by a high ranking official who married his daughter to him. He had even achieved the top rank in his scholar's division. His fame then was unparalleled."
"However, it was when his life, his career as an official gained momentum, right when he was about to shine, he was framed, without any foretelling sign. He was accused of conspiring against the state."
"What caught him off guard was that the one who framed him was actually his newlywed wife. His starting career had been ruined, and his mistress initially… Sigh, I won't mention this. After I knew what befell him, I had to do something, of course. I killed every single person in the family of his in-laws and another high-ranking official who was involved in the case. Then, I slipped into the prison and extricated him."
"He was deep in the mire then, because of the incident, his entire existence only dependent on his one love. Blinded, his mind was full of only his wife, yet when I killed the people, his wife was already seven months pregnant…"
Wu Ying recounted the story slowly while he made tea, "We were brothers. No matter how anguished he was, he would have believed me. Unfortunately, his biological younger brother was in the picture as well, pointing his finger at me, claiming that I was the culprit behind his case. He told him that I wasn't content with his wife. I was so furious then, so, so furious, that I left."
"After that, I unintentionally got to know that his younger brother was involved in framing him as well. Fueled with rage, I went to kill him in the night. Right as his head fell from the slash of my blade, Bi Zhongliu, somehow, appeared by the door."
"No matter how I tried to explain it, it was useless. We had no interaction from then on," Wu Ying sighed softly.
Yun Yang sighed as well, listening to his story.
It was no small thing to kill someone's pregnant wife and his biological younger brother right before his eyes. Even after that, it was only the severance of any form of interaction, but they did not become enemies. The grudge and the kinship between them were indeed indescribable.
Wu Ying's narration of the past was incredibly simple, retelling it in a nonchalant and unaffected tone, without any pauses. However, Yun Yang could paint the picture in his head – of how terrifying and nerve-wracking it had been.
With Sir Bi's mental capacity, what sort of plan must he have had to survive and flourish now, despite being framed back in the day? Thinking back to Wu Ying's impeccable corresponding skill, what sort of plot must it have been for him to kill a person which had been witnessed by Sir Bi, the one who should be the furthest away from seeing the murder?
The entire matter was filled with absurdities – the unfolding events were, even more, terrifying the more thought was given to it.
Yun Yang had heard of the case back then as well; he had even studied the dossier. However, many documents were already missing, given the amount of time that had passed. The case was reduced to an unsolvable mystery that could no longer be untangled.
Wu Ying was obviously a player in this case; he could even have been a litigant, but he had only mentioned it in passing earlier, without explaining himself further. Yun Yang could discern that he was reluctant to mention the case. It was just that this event was unavoidable since he was to narrate Bi Zhongliu's life.
"Actually, I know that Bi Zhongliu knew about everything that transpired. He just didn't want to face the truth, especially after I killed those people."
"Perhaps, by not facing it, he felt that it was a way of standing up to it."
"The both of us… he didn't really want to break ties with me. Even though we didn't interact, it didn't mean that we were strangers. All these years, he's been following me closely. I did the same as well. If we were to break all ties, why did we continue to follow up on each other?"
Translator Note:
1Bi Zhongliu (毕中流bì zhōng liú): Sir Bi's name with Bi as the family name and Zhongliu as the first name. Understanding it on a word-by-word level, it means to stop the tidal wave; in the story, it is his name but it is also used as a homophone to highlight his ability to stop the disaster.