Chapter Sixty-Six: Princess of the Great Ming (Part 1)

Fang Guohuan remarked, "Actually, it is already difficult enough for Sister Lian. Being the female leader of the Union is no easy task in itself, let alone orchestrating such a massive undertaking, which is beyond what an ordinary person can bear. It is also due to Sister Lian's benevolent and kind heart that she wishes to spare the common people of the world from the miseries of war, and even more so, cannot bear to see the heroes of the Union suffer any further misfortunes." Hearing this, Sun Qi nodded and said, "Brother Fang speaks with reason; perhaps that is indeed the case. With General Leader Lian at the helm, the Union will naturally face no unexpected upheavals."

At this moment, voices were heard from the courtyard, and it turned out to be Luo Kun and Bu Yuan coming in search of them. Upon entering and seeing Fang Guohuan, Bu Yuan smiled and said, "I knew it! Where else could Worthy Younger Brother have gone? If not with the General Leader, he would surely be with Master Sun." After Bu Yuan and Luo Kun exchanged pleasantries with Sun Qi, Luo Kun said, "Ying'er heard that Elder Brother Fang had arrived on the island, so she personally prepared a banquet. She invites Elder Brother Fang over right away." Fang Guohuan then bade farewell to Sun Qi and departed with Luo Kun and Bu Yuan.

In the year 1628 AD, Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, and Gao Xianzhong in Shaanxi successively revolted, igniting a grand-scale peasant revolutionary movement. In 1635, leaders from thirteen provinces and seventy-two camps of various armed forces held a conference in Xingyang to discuss grand strategies. By that time, although the Union had branched out, its core faction alone accounted for seven provinces and fifty-four camps, a matter to be elaborated later and omitted for now in this book.

Fang Guohuan temporarily settled on Union Island, quietly awaiting news from the peerless eunuch master Li Ruchuan. Having learned of Lu Ziyun's death, Fang Guohuan felt profound grief and remained dispirited day after day, though he frequently visited Gong Ying'er's quarters to check on Ping'er, entrusting Gong Ying'er to take good care of her. Since Master Kuyuan, Monk Zhishan, and Lu Ziyun had all perished by Li Ruchuan's ghost-chess technique, Fang Guohuan's determination to defeat Li Ruchuan on the chessboard was all the more intensified. Though the outcome remained uncertain, this resolve grew firmer with each passing day. Every night, he sat quietly in contemplation to cultivate his chess state of mind.

Since Fang Guohuan's arrival on Union Island, Bu Yuan, Luo Kun, and Lü Zhufeng had never left his side, accompanying him in drinking and protracted conversations, yet Fang Guohuan remained unhappy. Members of the Union frequently came to pay their respects upon hearing the news, and Fang Guohuan received them all. Seeing that Fang Guohuan remained melancholic over the incident involving Lu Ziyun, Lian Qiying hosted a banquet for him every day to lift his spirits. Unwilling to rebuff everyone's enthusiastic hospitality, Fang Guohuan forced a cheerful expression during the banquets. Taking this in, Lian Qiying silently shook her head and sighed repeatedly. As for the affair concerning Zhuge Rong, no one had the heart to bring it up again. Sun Qi frequently invited Fang Guohuan to play chess and sought his guidance, and Fang Guohuan wholeheartedly instructed him in the art of chess.

On this day, Lian Qiying hosted another banquet for Fang Guohuan. More than a dozen banquet tables were set up within the grand hall, filled to capacity with the heroes of the Union. Everyone raised their cups in joyful toasts, reveling in utmost merriment. Luo Kun performed a sword dance while Sun Qi sang loudly, pushing the atmosphere to a climax. For the moment, Fang Guohuan forgot all his troubles and beat time to the rhythm to add to the festivity. Seeing this, Lian Qiying smiled faintly with satisfaction, turned her head, and whispered a few words to a maidservant. Understanding the instruction, the maidservant walked behind Fang Guohuan, leaned down, and whispered softly, "Elder Brother Fang, the General Leader says that after the banquet, she requests your presence at Union Pavilion for a meeting." Fang Guohuan nodded in assent.

By now, Luo Kun had finished his sword performance, withdrew his posture, and stood upright, winning a burst of applause from the assembled heroes. Luo Kun smiled and bowed as he retreated to the side. Bu Yuan then stood up and said, "My virtuous brother Lü Zhufeng—his iron bamboo sweeps across the world through a united front, skills entirely forged from his days of herding cattle. How about letting him treat us to a performance?" "Agreed!" the heroes instantly cheered in unison.

Fang Guohuan smiled at Luo Kun beside him and said, "Elder Brother Bu has always found it curious that virtuous brother Zhufeng could herd cattle and yet develop such divine martial prowess, while regretting that he himself was too playful in his childhood and failed to herd sheep or pigs for anyone." Luo Kun smiled and replied, "Elder Brother Bu also possesses innate divine strength; very few people can draw his Overlord Bow. I heard that this bow was won by Elder Brother Fang from a game of chess. Earlier, when you were nowhere to be found, Elder Brother Bu was staring blankly while holding the bow, and unable to restrain his restless temperament, he fired a flurry of random shots. On one occasion, he almost injured the General Leader. Although the General Leader didn't mind afterwards, Elder Brother Bu was left shaken with lingering fear for over half a month." Hearing this, Fang Guohuan shook his head and laughed.

At this moment, Lü Zhufeng had already begun flourishing his eighteen-section refined steel heavy iron bamboo staff before the dais. Lü Zhufeng possessed no formal martial arts stances for the iron bamboo; he relied entirely on the chaotic and arduous training of his youth, inadvertently creating his own unique school of "bamboo techniques." As Lü Zhufeng danced with increasing vigor, the fierce wind stirred up by the iron bamboo swept through the surroundings. Everyone seated felt the chill of the gale brushing against their faces, and the timid hastily retreated, leaving the entire assembly astonished. Bu Yuan suddenly picked up a cup of wine and flung it toward Lü Zhufeng. Unexpectedly, the moment the wine left the rim of the cup, it was beaten back by the turbulent wind generated by the iron bamboo, splashing all over him. Seeing this, the heroes burst into thunderous cheers. Bu Yuan shook his head, sat back down, and watched with a smile. Lian Qiying, Sun Qi, Fang Guohuan, Luo Kun, and the others looked on in sheer amazement.

After the banquet, the heroes dispersed fully satisfied. Remembering Lian Qiying's appointment, Fang Guohuan briefly bid farewell to Luo Kun and the others and made his way to Union Pavilion. A maidservant led him directly into Lian Qiying's study, where Lian Qiying was already waiting inside. Fang Guohuan hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Sister Lian, what instructions do you have for calling younger brother here?"

Lian Qiying stood up to welcome him and said, "Brother Guohuan, please sit down first; I have something to tell you shortly." A maidservant served tea and, upon withdrawing, pulled the door shut behind her. Having just consumed alcohol, Fang Guohuan felt thirsty and unceremoniously picked up the teacup to drink. Lian Qiying poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, saying, "This is freshly brewed hot tea. Drink slowly and do not rush." Fang Guohuan replied, "It is no matter," and proceeded to drink several cups in succession. Lian Qiying shook her head with a smile and waited quietly to one side.

After several cups of hot tea settled in his stomach, Fang Guohuan finally felt more comfortable. Noticing that Lian Qiying's expression seemed burdened with worries, he put down his teacup and asked, "Sister Lian, why do you look so unhappy?" Lian Qiying sighed softly and said, "Today, Zhuge Rong sent someone to deliver another confidential letter, once again urging me to lead the Union in an uprising and rebellion."

Hearing this, Fang Guohuan shook his head and remarked, "Mr. Zhuge is truly meddlesome. Rebellion! Rebellion! Could it be that he wants to rebel against Sister Lian herself?" Lian Qiying shook her head and replied, "For now, he does not dare." Buoyed slightly by the lingering effects of the alcohol, Fang Guohuan let his bold nature take over and said, "In younger brother's view, since the Union has already gained momentum, Sister Lian should simply go ahead and rebel. Once you win the empire in the future, anyone can sit upon the dragon throne."

At this, Lian Qiying looked up toward the ceiling and sighed wistfully: "Brother Guohuan, the truth is something you do not know. If rebellion were possible, your sister would have revolted long ago. But how could I possibly rebel against my own Zhu family's realm?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Guohuan was jolted with a sudden shock. Most of his intoxication vanished instantly, and he stared at Lian Qiying in utter bewilderment, blurting out, "Sister Lian, what... what did you just say?"

With a solemn expression, Lian Qiying said, "Brother Guohuan, you once saved my life and turned the tide of the Union's destiny at a critical juncture. Therefore, there is a secret I do not wish to keep from you: I do not actually carry the surname Lian, but rather Zhu. I am a princess of the imperial house of the current Great Ming Dynasty."

"A Princess!" Hearing this, Fang Guohuan was struck dumb with astonishment.

Lian Qiying sighed softly and continued, "Your sister was originally named Zhu Ying. The reigning Wanli Emperor, Shenzong Zhu Yijun, is an imperial brother born of the same mother as myself. When I first descended into this mortal world, a physiognomist in the palace named Shao Yuanjie declared that I bore the miraculous physiognomy of supreme sovereignty. Yet, because I was a princess, if not for my gender, I would certainly have been the heavenly designated heir to the imperial succession. He warned that if I remained within the palace, it would inevitably give rise to events akin to those of Wu Zetian and Princess Taiping of the Tang dynasty. The late emperor believed this completely. Fearing that I might one day disrupt the dynastic code and become a female sovereign, yet finding it too cruel to have me killed, he abandoned me among the common people. Later, by a fortunate turn of events, I encountered the former Lu General Leader of the Union and his wife. They adopted me and gave me the surname of the late Lu General Leader's wife, naming me Lian Qiying. The late Lu General Leader subsequently uncovered my true origins and the reason for my abandonment outside the palace. Filled with deep sympathy, he once remarked, 'Since you cannot be the female emperor of the Great Ming realm, serving as the female General Leader of the Union is hardly a humiliation for you.' The late Lu General Leader then instructed me in martial arts and literature, painstakingly nurturing me until he pushed me to succeed him as the General Leader of the Union. When the late Lu General Leader was still alive, my current imperial brother was locked in a struggle among various princes for the position of crown prince and found himself at a disadvantage. Remembering that he and I were brother and sister born of the same mother, the late Lu General Leader mobilized the power of the Union to help my imperial brother ascend to the position of crown prince. As a result, the Union established ties with the imperial court. After my imperial brother ascended the dragon throne and became emperor, the late Lu General Leader severed all contact with him. To this day, my imperial brother remains entirely unaware that the General Leader of the Union is his own flesh and blood sister. It was only on his deathbed that the late Lu General Leader entrusted this secret to me alone, and it was then that I realized how tortuous my destiny had been. For the sake of the Great Ming realm, I have led the Union to frequently perform deeds beneficial to the imperial court, hoping to fulfill my meager duty. Now that Zhuge Rong repeatedly urges me to raise the banner of rebellion, how could I possibly bring myself to revolt? This is the Great Ming realm conquered by the Taizu Emperor himself!" By this point, Fang Guohuan was listening in stunned silence.

Lian Qiying went on to sigh, "It seems the vital energy of the Great Ming realm is truly nearing its end. Corrupt officials run rampant, the people cannot live in peace, yet this imperial brother of mine remains muddle-headed and devoid of virtue, believing the world is entirely at peace, never once deigning to look closely at this empire riddled with a thousand holes. This is Heaven destroying the Great Ming; no wonder people choose to rebel. At present, I can only do my utmost with my meager strength to seek temporary peace for the world. Although I know this cannot last, what other recourse do I have? Could you truly expect me to rebel against my own ancestral state?" Having said this, Lian Qiying sighed endlessly.

Amidst his shock, Fang Guohuan felt a profound sense of sorrow and emotion, saying, "Sister Lian, your background is so bitter! You have truly suffered greatly. I never imagined that my sister is actually a Great Ming princess!"

Lian Qiying shook her head and smiled desolately. "What good is being a princess? Bereft of parental love in my early youth, tasting the full measure of hardships in the pugilistic world, and now trapped in a dilemma between advancing and retreating, I truly know not what is best." Regaining her composure, Lian Qiying continued, "This secret has remained buried deep within my heart for many years, dared not be leaked to anyone for fear of what unforeseeable disasters might ensue. Unburdening it all to Brother Guohuan today has made my heart feel somewhat lighter. Brother Guohuan, keep this to yourself and take heed; on no account let others know, lest it give rise to idle complications."

Fang Guohuan replied, "Younger brother understands these things. I only wonder how I might help relieve Sister Lian's anxieties." Lian Qiying shook her head with a smile and said gratefully, "Thank you. Such is the will of Heaven; there is nothing to be done."