Chapter Sixty-Six: The Princess of Great Ming (Part 2)

Lian Qiying then sighed, "During my lifetime, if I can stabilize the Heba Alliance for a day, I will do so for a day. That can be considered fulfilling my filial duty to our ancestors. As for the affairs after my death, let them be; I cannot manage that much anyway. Nowadays, my imperial brother grows increasingly fearful of the growing strength of the Heba Alliance and seeks opportunities to eradicate us. I am currently both helping him and guarding against him, praying only for peace."

Fang Guohuan sighed with emotion, "It is truly difficult for Sister Lian! Such a feat is something even an extraordinary man could not accomplish. Maintaining it to this extent, I wonder how much of Sister Lian's mental and physical energy it has cost? The current emperor is extremely fortunate to have a princess sister like you. It is a pity that Sister Lian was not born a man; otherwise, had you truly become emperor, you could have naturally brought peace and harmony to the world. The ways of Heaven are unfair to have led to this!"

Lian Qiying smiled bitterly, "Since ancient times, the rise and fall of dynasties have not been a matter of gender. Only those who govern with virtue are embraced by the masses. Even with absolute power in one's hands, if one cannot control oneself, political chaos and public resentment will arise, leading to disaster. This is simply the cyclical way of Heaven."

Fang Guohuan sighed, "The ways of Heaven are unfair! Good people face countless trials while villains run rampant. Although good and evil eventually meet their retribution, retribution only arrives after every imaginable evil has been committed—how can this be called justice? Furthermore, there are villains who die without ever facing retribution, which shows that talk of cause and effect is mere nonsense. If there is no retribution in the present life, who cares for retribution in the next? Right now, the grand master eunuch Li Ruchuan has caused so much harm through his chess. Even if he were to be struck by lightning and killed right now, the retribution would still be far too light to make up for the murders he committed on the chessboard."

Lian Qiying said with emotion, "The affairs of the world are like a game of chess! The events on a chessboard naturally share some similarities with the affairs of the world. I wonder how the next move should be played?" Fang Guohuan replied, "Assess the situation and judge the currents; once the timing arrives, on no account let it slip by, or a single miscalculated move will result in the loss of the entire game." Lian Qiying shook her head and said, "Although the changes on a chessboard are complex, with a brilliant move-maker like Brother Guohuan, you can naturally handle them with ease and do as you please. However, the changes in worldly affairs are unpredictable and are often swayed by emotions."

Fang Guohuan echoed, "This is identical to the changes on a chessboard. As long as one moves in accordance with the grand trend, without fretting over gains and losses in a single localized spot, and devoid of any obsession with victory or defeat, with a will as firm as a mountain and a mind as tranquil as water, there can be no reason for failure." Lian Qiying smiled bitterly, "Among the chess players of the world, how many are like Brother Guohuan? It is not something everyone can pull off."

Fang Guohuan then said, "Things have reached this point, Sister Lian should find a way to make Zhuge Rong extinguish his ambitions of rebellion, so as to avoid being constantly harassed by him." Lian Qiying replied, "One must not forcefully suppress a person's ambitions, or it will produce the opposite result. In short, let him be. As long as I am here for a day, I will not move, and he will not dare to act rashly. Although this man possesses wild ambitions, he also understands the greater picture and the weight of matters. Presently, with Mr. Sun Qi assisting me, we can ensure that the Heba Alliance remains safe and undisturbed for decades. Mr. Sun is cautious in his actions and considers the overall situation; we owe much to Mr. Sun, otherwise I would be in an even more difficult position. In addition, Zhuge Rong is currently recruiting and gathering talented and extraordinary individuals. Especially regarding Brother Guohuan, you should guard against him somewhat."

Fang Guohuan smiled and said, "Sister Lian, rest assured. Mr. Zhuge cannot play this chess piece of mine. Even if he fancies himself strong enough to pick me up, I am merely a spent piece on the chessboard; I can move around on the board, but outside the chessboard, I am completely useless."

Lian Qiying smiled, "You underestimate yourself too much. Both Mr. Sun Qi and Mr. Zhuge have said that you possess the ability to determine the fate of the world through chess, and especially on the battlefield, a single man can match a million soldiers." Fang Guohuan smiled, "A single flower is a world, and a chessboard just over a foot wide is another world. Your younger brother can only find his way around within this universe. Using chess to deal with military affairs is extremely dangerous; in the future, I would never dare to act so recklessly again." Hearing this, Lian Qiying smiled.

Having confided the secrets of her heart to Fang Guohuan, Lian Qiying felt a sense of relief. The two conversed for a while longer, growing in mutual respect. Seeing that dusk was approaching, Fang Guohuan stood up to take his leave, and Lian Qiying personally escorted him out.

At that moment, a maid in the courtyard was playing with a five-year-old boy. Upon seeing Lian Qiying, the child cried out happily, "Auntie!" and ran over flying. Lian Qiying stepped forward, picked him up, kissed him, and said, "Xiaoshan, come greet Uncle Fang. He is an old acquaintance of your father."

Fang Guohuan was momentarily stunned, wondering which old friend this child belonged to. The little boy stared at Fang Guohuan with wide, bewildered eyes and timidly called out, "Uncle!" Fang Guohuan smiled and responded, "Good boy! Who is your father?" The child said, "My father is Hong Jinshan. Didn't Auntie say Uncle knows my father?"

"Hong Jinshan!" Fang Guohuan was startled upon hearing this. Lian Qiying waved her hand to instruct the maid to take the child aside to play, then let out a long sigh and said, "He is the son of Alliance Leader Hong Jinshan, named Xiaoshan. After the battle outside Dushikou Pass, Alliance Leader Hong heroically gave his life to protect the Tianyuan position. I adopted him afterward—such a pitiful orphan!"

Fang Guohuan could not help grief welling up inside him, and he said, "As time passes and things change, the bloody battle of Tianyuan still remains vivid in my mind. Had Alliance Leader Hong not led men to desperately protect the Tianyuan position, leaving Mr. Sun and me time to mobilize the Grand Heavenly Dragon Array to remedy the critical danger, the consequences would have been unimaginable. By the way, among the heroes of the Heba Alliance who desperately guarded the Tianyuan command platform at the time, there was an alliance leader whose name I cannot recall, nor do I know which branch he belonged to. At that time, dozens of Jurchen soldiers climbed onto the high wooden platform, pressing straight toward the top in an extremely critical situation. It was this alliance leader who leaped onto the wooden framework at the risk of his life, desperately beating back those Jurchen soldiers one after another, halting their advance and buying enough time for Brother Bu and the others to arrive in time to lift the siege, allowing Mr. Sun and me to turn danger into safety and continue directing the Tianyuan Array securely. However, this alliance leader was tragically pinned to the wooden frame of the Tianyuan platform by the arrow of a Jurchen general, dying a heroic, tragic, and stirring death!"

Lian Qiying sighed and said, "That heroic alliance leader was named Gai Yunyan. Alliance Leader Gai was the leader of the thirty-first branch in Shanxi. The brothers of the Heba Alliance still remember him fondly today."

Fang Guohuan sighed again, "Although the Battle of Tianyuan repelled the powerful enemy and we returned in victory, we also lost many heroic and gallant men." Lian Qiying sighed, "Through this single battle, the casualties were severe. Even the Great Bow King Chang Changjiu died of severe injuries, and the Heba Alliance lost dozens of alliance leaders, incense masters, and over a thousand brothers. I can no longer bear to see any unexpected changes befall the Heba Alliance, lest I fail the fallen brothers and their wives and children even more."

Hearing this, Fang Guohuan nodded and said, "Your younger brother admires Sister Lian's wise decision to stabilize the Heba Alliance in order to stabilize the realm. Although Sister Lian lacks the title of sovereign, you possess the bearing of a ruler and an even greater heart of benevolence, which no one in the jianghu can match."

Lian Qiying shook her head and smiled bitterly, "Brother Guohuan flatters me too much. I now feel that my strength falls short of my ambitions, and I truly wish to cast away all troublesome worries and find a paradise away from the hustle and bustle to live in seclusion." Fang Guohuan smiled, "When that time comes, Sister Lian must not forget to call upon your younger brother, so that I may fetch water and chop wood for you." Lian Qiying smiled, "You must not regret it when that time comes, for there will be no one to play chess with you." Fang Guohuan smiled, "Your younger brother will simply seal away his Go pieces forever." The two looked at each other and smiled.

When Fang Guohuan returned to the Heba residence, Luo Kun, Bu Yuan, and Lü Zhufeng had been waiting for some time. Bu Yuan asked, "Why did Younger Brother return only now? You kept the three of us waiting for a long time."

Fang Guohuan replied, "Sister Lian kept me behind for a chat, which is why I was delayed." Bu Yuan said, "Ever since the General Alliance Leader returned from beyond the pass, she seems to have some heavy worries on her mind, and is often melancholy and unhappy." Fang Guohuan sighed softly, "Sister Lian has her own difficulties." Bu Yuan nodded and said, "With such a massive enterprise as the Heba Alliance, it is already hard enough on the General Alliance Leader. In the future, the rest of us should do more to share the burden for her."

Luo Kun said, "Indeed, the General Alliance Leader's kindness to us is as heavy as a mountain, treating us all without distinction. Everyone must pull together and assist the General Alliance Leader in revitalizing the Heba Alliance, to repay her kindness in recognizing our worth." Hearing this, Fang Guohuan felt deeply gratified.

The four brothers then sipped tea and chatted idly. Bu Yuan said, "Luo Kun and Zhufeng, my two younger brothers, I truly concede to you both. One almost fasts the world into starvation, while the other goes without rice for several days—the two of you really make quite a pair."

Luo Kun smiled and said, "My master once told me that occasionally fasting for a few days to cleanse the intestines and stomach is beneficial to one's health. However, Brother Zhufeng's appetite is enormous, and the General Alliance Leader has had to specially assign two cooks for him, not only to ensure he eats his fill, but also to eat well."

Hearing this, Fang Guohuan nodded and smiled, "Sister Lian was right to do so. Think back to those days outside Dushikou Pass, when Brother Zhufeng held his staff horizontally across his saddle, anchoring the entire Tianyuan Array and beating the Jurchen soldiers to the point where almost no one dared to approach him. In the end, he charged into battle single-handedly, slaying generals and seizing flags, striking terror into the hearts of the Jurchen people!"

Luo Kun nodded and said, "True. Afterward, Mr. Sun Qi said that Brother Zhufeng and Han Mengchao, the peerless warrior with the golden spear, were the two vital pivots of the Tianyuan chess array, and neither could do without the other." Bu Yuan smiled, "To be able to eat and to be able to fight—that is the true heroic nature of Brother Zhufeng." Lü Zhufeng spoke up gratefully from the side, "If not for Elder Brother Fang bringing me to the Heba Alliance to earn free meals, your younger brother would probably only have been a half-starved fellow all his life." As soon as these words were spoken, Bu Yuan, Luo Kun, and Fang Guohuan all burst into hearty laughter.

Fang Guohuan then said to Luo Kun, "I've been here for many days, how is it that I haven't seen Elder Brother Du Jian? Has he taken up a post elsewhere?" Hearing this, Luo Kun sighed with emotion and said, "Ever since my father-in-law was heavily wounded and died, Du Jian and several former stronghold leaders cut off all thoughts of the jianghu, resigned from their positions under the General Alliance Leader, and went into seclusion. I heard they are living in seclusion in a fishing village on the shores of Lake Tai. During festivals, they often send people to bring gifts to me and Ying'er, and have even passed word that if Ying'er and I can no longer stay in the Heba Alliance, we should go to Lake Tai to find him. He is truly mindful of old friendships. Fortunately now, after the Guandong green forestmen joined the Heba Alliance, the General Alliance Leader established three new branches, all placed under my command. She treats everyone as her own and takes great care of us. My father-in-law's move back then was indeed insightful." Hearing this, Fang Guohuan nodded.

The four brothers chatted until nightfall before dispersing, agreeing to take a boat ride on Poyang Lake the next day.