The messenger scurried across the large square with its countless steps and platforms, ducking behind the massive lanterns that provided light at dusk.
The imperial court was gigantic and although the palace of the imperial general was simpler and smaller than that of the ruler, it was easy to get lost in the countless houses, halls and corridors.
Xiao Xiang yu, wearing a multilayer robe of high-quality silk embroidered with a red and gold phoenix, stood in front of a map that took up an entire palace wall and traced his finger over one of the thousands of paths leading to Tianda. When the messenger reached the door to his quarters, the guards stood at attention and announced,
"General Xiao Xiang yu, a messenger for you!" Xiao Xiang yu looked up. At twenty-six years old, he had a remarkably young face. High cheekbones and full, broad lips that curved into a benevolent smile. His dark eyes sparkled as he threw back his long braid and admitted the messenger. When the small, stocky man entered and immediately threw himself to the ground before him, his smile abruptly faded.
"What has happened?" he asked sharply. "Where is my brother?" The messenger swallowed. Xiao Xiangyu was known for his honesty, his righteousness and his talents in the art of war. But the officials at the imperial court also knew something else about him. His unwavering love for his older adoptive brother. Qing Lai.
And it was this brother who should have just stepped through the door.
"We have just received a letter from Chaisang. The caravan your brother is accompanying did not arrive as agreed," the messenger quickly explained.
Xiao Xiang yu dug his fingernails into the worn wood of his desk. The desk that his father had used for countless years and on which he and Qing Lai had jumped around as children.
On the upper right, where ink and paper had always been, the initials Q and X were engraved, barely visible. When they had received their names and learned how to write them, they had made a game out of immortalizing themselves on their father's desk.
Xiao Xiang's gaze lingered a second longer before he looked at the messenger. All warmth had drained from his eyes.
"My brother wouldn't let himself be stopped by a few looters!" he said softly, threateningly. But what really annoyed him was the fact that he wasn't Qing Lai's top priority.
If the caravan had been attacked on the way, it would be natural for Qing Lai to take care of the surviving fugitives first, instead of sending him a letter. The messenger cleared his throat and there was a tremor in his voice.
"According to the report, it is unusual for the entire caravan to disappear along the way. Normally, some survivors always reach Chaisang to report!" he explained.
Xiao Xiang yu frowned. He had heard that the trade routes in the big cities had become more dangerous. That's why they hired mercenaries. But he knew that no mercenary force could match his brother.
So something else must have happened to prevent him from coming to Tianda. Xiao Xiang yu leaned on the table and looked at the map.
"Which route did my brother take?" he asked. The messenger seemed confused at first, but then he quickly went over all the information he had carefully gathered in his head.
"Uh, he took the western trade route from a small town called Uidong towards Chaisang. The journey takes about a day from sunrise to dusk," he said hastily.
Xiao Xiangyu knew the map by heart, he didn't even have to search for the road for long. It was surrounded by dense forest and mountains.
There had been problems with looters in the past, but these had been easily dealt with by a few armed mercenaries, and those who could, bought their freedom from the road.
He would have liked to claim that there were no such problems and corruption under the rule of Wang Cheng hui, but the truth was different. Of course, it was possible for any governor to petition the royal house, but what could the emperor do?
He couldn't possibly send his army to solve every small problem. Besides, everyone had to deal with their own corruption, and the odd raid was quite lucrative for some.
"I will go there and see for myself!" Xiao Xiang yu decided. The messenger looked up, confused.
"I beg your pardon, General?" he asked, perplexed.
"I will ask the emperor personally to let me investigate the matter. If the barbarians have become such a big problem that not even my brother could handle the situation, the imperial court needs to take action," he decided.
With that, he turned on his heel and disappeared into the back rooms of his chambers. The messenger blinked a few times in confusion, but then seemed to realize that he was dismissed and made his way back to the palace to pass on the latest gossip to the officials.
Xiao Xiang yu threw his robes over the coat rack and selected a garment that was clearly part of the royal court attire, but not overly formal.
A hanfu made of dark blue silk with a golden phoenix above the heart and flaming embroidery. His sword dangled from his hip, a tassel with the seal of the imperial court and the family crest of the Wu.
He wore his hair up and tied on his leather headband, a gift from his brother for his coming of age a few years ago. He packed a few of his belongings.
Essentially, he didn't need much. Except for a little money and medicine. He probably wouldn't need it himself, but knowing his brother, he would surely pick up someone on the road who needed it urgently.
He sighed as he tightened his belt and took a last, scrutinizing look at himself in the mirror. His brother was strong; he still thought of him as the strongest person in the world.
Even as a teenager, he would outstrip their father and always stand up for what was good. Xiao Xiang yu emulated him, putting all his strength and obsession into his training. Even though there was no one in all of Tianda who could hold a candle to him, his brother's talent remained unrivalled.
From the moment of their adaptation, they had done everything together. They ate, slept, studied, and trained together. They went into battle together and returned together. Where one was, the other was never far away.
When Qing Lai decided to leave the imperial court and with it him, Xiao Xiang yu's world had collapsed. He had never sought friendships or comrades. Back then, it wasn't just his brother leaving, but his best friend, the only person who, besides his father, was really important to him.
He respected Qing Lai's decision and followed in his father's footsteps, being appointed as the new imperial general. Should Qing Lai want to return, he would make room for him at any time.
He would gladly hand over the general's robes with the phoenix and personally return the sword to his hand. He sighed. But he knew his brother well enough to know that his decision was irrevocable. He had turned his back on war and the battlefields. Xiao Xiangyu was not even sure whether Qing Lai would follow the call of the emperor if he demanded it.
After sealing his chambers, he made his way to the emperor. As always at this time of day, the emperor was in the palace hall with his advisors and had to listen to all kinds of problems.
When Xiao Xiangyu entered, it took only a single scrutinizing glance for him to know what was going on. He sighed and raised a hand to silence the officials.
His Majesty Wang Cheng Hui was in his early thirties, although his face and posture made him appear older. He had propped his head on one hand and drummed his fingertips against his temple as he listened to his general's request.
The officials snorted indignantly; for them, it was unthinkable that the supreme general of their imperial army would go on a solo trip. But Cheng Hui silenced them with a glance.
"I see no problems with this, General," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "I know that even if I wanted to, I couldn't really stop you from looking for your brother," he laughed.
"These are peaceful times, the borders are secure and safe, and we have no disagreements with neighboring countries. I agree with you that we should take care of our internal problems. If we continue to tolerate the attacks on the trade routes in Tianda and its cities, the country will collapse from within, without the help of our enemies," he explained his decision, leaving the stubborn officials to look angrily at the ground.
When Xiao Xiang yu had bowed and left the hall, the emperor sighed and looked reproachfully at his advisors.
"You are all such wise old men, so tell me, what would happen to our beautiful Tianda if something were to happen to Wu Qing Lai? Or if General Wu Xiao Xiang yu were to lay down his sword?" he asked.
The officials exchanged desperate glances. Even though the imperial general was part of the court, they had to admit that the country's greatest pillars could not simply be ignored, so they remained silent.
"That's what I thought," Wang Cheng Hui sighed and slid forward on his throne.
"Let's continue!"