Chapter 40 | A Fish in the Net

The journey from Jiangling to Luzhou spanned over a thousand miles. Riding the swift horse gifted by Xiao Huan, Li Jing traveled downstream along the river in silence, arriving at the outskirts of Luzhou by dusk on the third day.

Gazing at the familiar city walls, Li Jing felt as though he were in a dream. The promises made by Xiao Yan and his nephew were undeniably tempting for a young man like him. Although the era was not as free as the Warring States period, where talents could freely move between states, it was not uncommon for northerners to serve in the south or vice versa. For instance, Liu Ji, hailing from the Nanyang Liu clan, had ancestors who served as high-ranking officials in Liang before fleeing during the Hou Jing Rebellion. Similarly, Lai Hu'er, originally from Jiangdu under Chen's rule, now served in the Sui military. During the heyday of the Liang dynasty, the court valued both aristocratic families and common scholars, attracting talents from the north and fostering rapid cultural and economic growth, which contributed to Liang's prosperity.

However, Li Jing knew that his future was still dictated by his uncle or father. In truth, Xiao Yan and his nephew were more interested in Han Qinhu's prestige and military power. Without Han Qinhu, Jiangling would never have offered Li Jing any official position. Though unspoken, Li Jing was well aware of these intricacies.

Upon reaching the southern military camp, Li Jing dismounted and announced his name, asking the guards to inform his uncle. One soldier rushed inside, and soon, twenty armored soldiers emerged, surrounding Li Jing. The leader declared, "By military order, detain Young Master Li!" Without further explanation, they seized his horse, disarmed him, bound his hands with ox sinew, and escorted him into the camp.

Knowing it was futile to argue with the soldiers, Li Jing decided to wait until he could speak with his uncle. He was taken to the training hall, where a man in full armor stood with his back to the table. With a wave of his hand, the soldiers placed Li Jing's Lone Star Sword on the rack and withdrew. The man turned slowly, revealing himself to be Lai Hu'er.

Li Jing was startled. This was his uncle's camp in Luzhou. Why was Lai Hu'er here?

Noticing Li Jing's composure, Lai Hu'er nodded slightly. "Brother Li, you've grown more composed and capable through your trials. However, I have orders to detain you for questioning. Please don't take it personally."

Li Jing asked, "General Lai, where is my uncle?"

Lai Hu'er replied, "Commander Han has gone to Chang'an to report to the Emperor... The Luzhou camp is temporarily under the command of General He Ruobi. Due to his busy schedule, he has entrusted me with the interim military affairs of Luzhou."

Li Jing instantly understood: the so-called "reporting" was likely due to the incident involving Xiao Tiangang, and the Emperor had summoned his uncle for questioning. However, despite safely escorting the Emperor's illegitimate son to Shu, why was he being detained?

Lai Hu'er clarified, "Commander Han will explain everything to the Emperor. As for you, until he is cleared of charges, you are not to act independently."

Li Jing suddenly recalled Lai Hu'er's earlier warning after the shipwreck, advising him to stay away from Meiniang. Lai Hu'er served under He Ruobi but seemed to be a trusted agent of Prince Yang Guang. Given Yang Guang's cunning, how could he not know about Li Jing's relationship with Meiniang? Remembering the bloodshed in Zongyang, Li Jing was well aware of the second prince's ruthlessness—Lai Hu'er's personal involvement in his detention likely meant secret orders to eliminate him.

Calmly, Li Jing said, "General Lai, there's no need to hesitate. If you're following orders, I will comply. Will you act now, or will it be a secret execution in the cell?"

Lai Hu'er looked uncomfortable, pacing back and forth. Finally, he sighed. "Brother Li, when the royal family demands punishment, we subordinates have no choice. I warned you by the river that day, but what followed was beyond my control... To be frank, your father's position in Zhao Commandery has been replaced, and though he retains his title of Duke of Yongkang, he has retired. As for Commander Han, despite his achievements, it's uncertain whether he can keep his position. I admire your loyalty and bravery at such a young age, which is why I'm being candid with you. However, I cannot let you leave the camp."

Li Jing felt a pang of sorrow, looking up at Lai Hu'er. "Even if you're fabricating charges, there must be a reason. What crimes have I committed?"

Lai Hu'er listed, "Three crimes: First, harboring a fugitive, setting fire to a ship, and causing the deaths of over a hundred people, equivalent to treason. Second, conspiring with rogue swordsmen to kill sixteen Sui soldiers, equivalent to rebellion. Third, colluding with enemy forces and leaking Sui naval secrets, equivalent to betrayal. According to the Kaihuang Code, you've committed three of the 'Ten Abominations,' and given your age and height, each charge carries the death penalty. Combined, there's no hope for pardon."

Li Jing found it almost laughable. The ship fire was orchestrated by Chen generals Xiao Moho and Wang Shanke; the deaths at the mountain temple were caused by the Wushan fisherwoman and Gu Musheng; as for the Wang Ship Manual, Sui had obtained a copy through his efforts—how was that leaking military secrets? The only real crime was his chance encounter and mutual affection with Meiniang, which had incited Prince Yang Guang's jealousy and desire to eliminate him.

He managed a bitter smile. "General Lai, you know the truth. I won't bother defending myself. By law, I should be taken to Chang'an for a thorough investigation by the Dali Temple. It seems you don't have the authority to decide my fate."

Lai Hu'er replied, "This is a military matter, and military law applies." He paused. "Even if it were handled by the Dali Temple, do you think you'd make it to Chang'an alive? And even if you did, do you think the judges would let you live?"

Li Jing said gloomily, "General, you're a straightforward man, and there's no one else here. Just tell me the truth—are you acting on Prince Yang Guang's orders to ensure my death?"

Lai Hu'er remained silent.

Li Jing laughed bitterly. "Now that Meiniang is Prince Yang Guang's consort, what more does he want? Thank you for being honest, General. At least I won't die in ignorance."

Suddenly, Lai Hu'er barked an order. Two soldiers entered, placed heavy shackles on Li Jing, and escorted him to a cell in the northwest corner of the Luzhou headquarters.

With no active warfare, the prison held only a dozen or so soldiers who had violated military orders. Though young, Li Jing was tall and was thus placed in a high-security cell with heavy shackles. He had accompanied his uncle on inspections before but had never seen the prison. The filth, maggots, and stench were overwhelming, with not even a dry straw on the ground. Once the iron door closed, Li Jing was plunged into complete darkness—the cell had no windows.

In the darkness, Li Jing's hands trembled uncontrollably. He had faced countless dangers while escorting Yuan Tiangang to Shu, but he had never felt such fear. Now, trapped in this cell, hearing only his own heartbeat, he was terrified. He cursed his cowardice and banged his head against the wall, but the hard stone only caused pain. His uncle's fate in Chang'an was uncertain, his father had been dismissed, and now he was imprisoned with no one to turn to. Any soldier could kill him, leaving him with nothing but despair.

He closed his eyes, trying to recall happier times—his childhood in Sanyuan, his rigorous training under his uncle, Yuan Tiangang's innocent smile... But no matter what he thought of, Meiniang's teasing expression always surfaced. After being escorted by Lai Hu'er, Meiniang had stayed with Yang Guang until Jiangxia. Connecting the dots, Li Jing realized Meiniang had likely orchestrated the capture by Wen Shihong to help Yang Guang obtain the Wang Ship Manual. Moreover, Yang She's massacre of Xie's crew and the pursuit of Xiao Tiangang were all Yang Guang's orders. There were three possibilities: Lai Hu'er had informed Yang Guang, Zhang Ke had done so, or Meiniang herself had revealed the details. Given Lai Hu'er's actions, if he had wanted to kill Li Jing and Xiao Tiangang, he could have done so earlier without such elaborate schemes. Zhang Ke was too mild-mannered and had even considered betrothing Meiniang to Li Jing, making it unlikely he would harm them. As for Meiniang... Li Jing dared not think further, yet he couldn't stop himself.

From Meiniang's actions, she was clearly intelligent and resourceful. At Liu Village, she had feigned enjoyment when Yang Guang harassed her, yet after the ship fire, her feelings for Li Jing seemed genuine, especially during their vow at Star Pool... Li Jing couldn't make sense of it. "If you wanted to marry a prince, why deceive me? If you pledged yourself to me, why marry another?" In the darkness, Li Jing heard a voice speak. Startled, he realized it was his own muttering and couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

As he pondered in the cell, the world seemed full of riddles. These riddles formed a net, trapping him like a small fish. Not just him—his uncle, his father, they were all fish. And the ones weaving the net were the imperial powers above: Yang Jian, Yang Guang, Empress Dugu. Meiniang had once compared herself to a fish at Star Pool, yearning to escape the confines of the pond for a larger world. But could she truly be free? Xie Kangtu had painstakingly built his shipping business over a decade, only to have it destroyed in an instant—he, too, was a fish. The Wushan fisherwoman, despite her martial prowess, was ensnared by love—wasn't she also a fish? Even Changsun Sheng, who could achieve great feats and awe the northern deserts, was bound by the Emperor's orders to weave nets of intelligence. Without this net, he would be worthless—wasn't he also trapping himself? The Yuan brothers of Qingcheng trained over a hundred elite warriors, making Qingcheng an impregnable fortress, but outside its mountains, they were powerless. Xiao Yan and his nephew in Jiangling plotted to restore their kingdom, while the Wen family of Qingjiang and Master Puzhao secretly wove their own nets. Yet, reversing their fortunes seemed an impossible task...

Trapped in the dark cell, Li Jing could only stave off fear through relentless thought. But the more he thought, the more tangled his mind became. Shackled and unable to sit properly, he leaned against the cold stone wall, forcing himself to sleep. Yet hunger, thirst, and anxiety made sleep elusive. He alternated between standing and sitting, exhausting himself until he finally dozed off.

Sometime later, Li Jing awoke from the cold, hearing the cell door creak open. Groggy, he saw a jailer place a bowl of water and a hard rice ball by the door like feeding a dog, then lock the door and leave. Li Jing shouted, "Sir... please remove the shackles..." but his voice was hoarse and went unheard. Furious, Li Jing thought that even if the Luzhou headquarters had changed commanders, these soldiers were still his uncle's men. At the very least, they should have removed the shackles upon imprisonment. How could they be so cruel?

He refused to eat or drink, but soon dizziness and weakness overcame him. Unable to hold it in, he soiled himself, feeling utterly helpless. Despair and endless darkness slowly eroded his spirit. Li Jing realized that in this prison, there was no need for torture—simply being locked in this dark room would drive anyone mad. He gritted his teeth and struggled, but the wooden shackles, weighing thirty to forty pounds and made of high-quality nanmu, were unyielding. Without a key, only a weapon like the Lone Star Sword could break them. Weak and trembling, Li Jing had no choice but to shuffle on his knees toward the door, groping in the dark for the food. No matter how hard the rice ball or how foul the water, he had to eat to survive.

Days passed, and Li Jing could no longer smell the stench. His body stiffened, and his old leg injury flared up. The will to survive reignited a spark of hope. He focused on the breathing techniques taught by the Wushan fisherwoman, gradually feeling a warm current flow through his body.

One day, the door suddenly opened, and a jailer entered, saying hoarsely, "Tonight, I have orders to end your life. Any last words?" He drew his sword and raised it, poised to strike.

Terrified, Li Jing soiled himself again but clenched his teeth and replied, "Please tell General Han that Li Jing will serve him in the next life. To my parents, I am an unfilial son. We shall meet again in the afterlife..."

The jailer asked, "No other regrets?"

Suddenly, Meiniang's beautiful face flashed in Li Jing's mind. Filled with unwillingness, he sighed, "I wish Sister Meiniang peace and happiness..."

A flash of cold light—the jailer's sword came down. With a crack, the blade split the shackles between Li Jing's hands, then severed his leg irons with precision. In the darkness, such accuracy could only come from a master.

Without a word, the man hoisted Li Jing onto his back and carried him out of the cell. In the dim light, Li Jing saw several bodies in the corridor, all dressed as jailers.

Outside the prison, the stars shone brightly. The man leaped effortlessly onto the high wall like a dry leaf. Suddenly, shouts erupted behind them, and arrows rained down. The man flicked his left sleeve, deflecting the arrows with ease, then jumped down, landing on a gray horse waiting below. The horse neighed and galloped into the night.

At a riverside village, the thick fog of early summer enveloped the area, and the croaking of frogs filled the air.

The man dismounted, helped Li Jing down, and laid a felt mat on the ground. From his bag, he took out a roasted lamb leg and a water pouch, handing them to Li Jing. "Eat and drink quickly. Once the pursuers arrive, it won't be convenient."

Li Jing found the man's voice familiar. Before he could thank him, the man removed his jailer uniform, revealing his face under the starlight. Li Jing felt as though he were dreaming.

It was Nie Yunfeng.

Nie Yunfeng said, "Brother, I should have come sooner. Sorry you had to suffer for two days."

Li Jing drank some water and knelt. "Brother Nie, your life-saving grace is something I will never forget..."

Nie Yunfeng replied, "Don't thank me. Thank General Lai. Arresting you was his duty, but finding me to save you was an act of mercy. Don't dwell on it. What are your plans now?"

Still shaken, Li Jing had no appetite for the lamb leg. "Please guide me, Brother Nie."

"You can't stay in Sui territory," Nie Yunfeng said, returning the Lone Star Sword to him. "As for where to go, think it over." His tone remained cold.

At that moment, a small boat emerged from the reeds, its oarsman drawing closer.

Li Jing recognized him—it was the old boatman, Zhen Shicheng.

Nie Yunfeng stood, listening intently. "The pursuers are less than three miles away. I'll lead them away on horseback. Farewell." He called out to the old boatman, "Old Zhen, until we meet again!" He mounted his horse and galloped toward Luzhou, disappearing into the fog.

Li Jing rolled up the felt mat as a makeshift bag and boarded the boat.

The old boatman said nothing, silently rowing toward Nanchao.

Half a year ago, Li Jing had escorted Yuan Tiangang onto a boat here and met Meiniang. Time had passed, and everything had changed. Sitting in the cabin, his thoughts drifted with the sound of the water, as dense and impenetrable as the fog. Was his uncle safe? Why had Lai Hu'er saved him? Where had Nie Yunfeng come from? And as a fugitive, where could he go?

He had no answers.

Perhaps life was like a small boat adrift on the river—where it came from and where it was headed, who could say?