Chapter 84: Seeking Shelter from the Snow at Wuting (3)

Kong Sheng originally had no intention of exchanging names and pleasantries with a stranger, nor did he care to feign familiarity. Moreover, the fact that this young man in splendid attire tacitly allowed his servants to provoke and taunt him only deepened Kong Sheng's distaste.

Yet, as mere passersby, it was not worth turning enmity over a few words. Seeing the youth approach with such refined courtesy and striking up conversation step by step, Kong Sheng could not simply respond with cold indifference. He forced a faint smile, clasped his hands, and replied, "Young master flatters me. In Jiangning, men of learning are as numerous as carp crossing the river. I am but Kong Sheng, an obscure scholar of little renown."

He spoke offhandedly, not giving the matter much thought, and turned his gaze to the swirling snow. In the short time they had lingered, the footprints and hoofprints along their path had already been covered by fresh snow.

"What a rare, heavy snowfall—much like the great snow that blanketed Long last year," whispered the brothers Wu Xian and Wu Jie, leaning close to one another.

Mu Changfeng glanced back at them but ignored their murmurs. By now, he had sheathed his sword and stood at a distance, watching the servant named Li An. Their gazes met coldly, sparks of hostility flashing between them.

"Could it be that you are Kong Sheng, the esteemed guest of Prefect Yang Qi of Jiangnan, the laureate of Jiangning's Wangjiang Pavilion Poetry Gathering, the very author of 'The Song of Everlasting Regret'?" The youth in fine robes could not help but exclaim in surprise.

The phrase "esteemed guest of Prefect Yang Qi" made Kong Sheng uncomfortable, but for Yang Xueruo, who cared for him deeply, this was not entirely untrue. Since he was destined to become the Yang family's son-in-law, he could just about accept the title.

"'The Song of Everlasting Regret'... Yes, I did compose that," Kong Sheng nodded in acknowledgment. Seeing the youth's reaction, he realized the latter was already aware of his reputation and saw no need for false modesty.

The youth's slender hand, wrapped around a warming pouch, paused, and a sharp gleam flickered in his gaze toward Kong Sheng. Yet in the next moment, he concealed all traces of emotion, smiling with a hint of amusement. "So it is Brother Kong! I am Li Xuan, from Pengcheng in the north, and did not expect our paths to cross here!"

"Brother Kong, your talent is unparalleled, famed throughout Jiangnan. Though I reside far away in Pengcheng, Henan, I have long admired your name. They call you the Poet Laureate of Jiangnan, and upon meeting you today, I see your reputation is truly deserved!"

Li Xuan's sudden shift from aloofness to deference did not move Kong Sheng; he merely responded with a polite smile. "You are too kind, young master. I am but a simple scholar in white, unworthy of such an illustrious title."

"There is no need for such modesty, Brother Kong. If your renown spreads by word of mouth and throughout Jiangnan, your literary prowess must be extraordinary. The poem you composed earlier is proof enough." Li Xuan smiled, "I am a merchant, having traveled from Pengcheng with furs and wooden wares. I have lingered in Jiangnan for some time, and everywhere these past few days, I have heard your verses sung and recited."

"For instance, 'The Song of Everlasting Regret'—I am told that the famed courtesan Liu Xinru of Jiangning has set it to music, and it has become an essential piece in every brothel in Jiangnan. Even I, who seldom care for music, was compelled to listen once, and found it exquisitely moving—a lament for the ages. Such is your great talent, Brother Kong!"

A merchant?

Kong Sheng cast a sidelong glance at the youth calling himself Li Xuan, suspecting the name and occupation were both false. His discerning eyes saw that this person was likely a woman in disguise, carrying herself with uncommon grace and not a trace of merchant's manner. Claiming to be a trader could only be a cover.

He was nothing like a merchant. But whether he spoke truth or not, Kong Sheng found it of little importance. Once the snow stopped, they would part ways and remain strangers; there was no need to pry further.

"So, Young Master Li hails from Pengcheng in the north…" Li Xuan's origins piqued Kong Sheng's interest. "I've heard that An Lushan's Yan forces have already overrun much of the Henan Circuit, and the region is rife with chaos. Is Pengcheng still secure?"

Kong Sheng, well-versed in history, knew Pengcheng was present-day Xuzhou. At this time, Xuzhou had not yet fallen; Prince Guo, Li Ju, was leading the Tang forces in retreat to Xuzhou and the Yangtze-Huai region, rallying all loyalist troops along the Henan front to resist Yan. Of course, with the overwhelming might of the Yan army, more Tang generals and local officials were surrendering, such as Zhang Xun's nemesis, Linghu Chao.

Zhang Xun and Linghu Chao had once been neighboring county magistrates and knew each other well. Yet fate took its cruel course: one became a traitor, his life spared only to vanish into obscurity; the other, a loyalist, died a tragic hero's death. Such is the caprice of fate, leaving later generations to sigh in lament.

Li Xuan's lips curled with a faint, superior air as he replied, "That traitor An is but a petty villain, unworthy of great concern. The court is preparing for war, with Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi attacking on two fronts, and Prince Guo rallying the loyalist armies at Pengcheng. Before long, the rebels will be utterly crushed, and Henan will be restored."

"Or do you believe, Brother Kong, that An Lushan could still prevail?" Li Xuan's gaze sharpened as he posed the question.

Kong Sheng chuckled, "An Lushan's unrighteous army brings calamity to the Central Plains; evil can never triumph over good, and he will be destroyed without doubt. Yet at present, the Yan forces are strong. If the loyalist armies in Henan continue to fight separately, unable to unite and form an effective defense, the coming battles may bode ill."

He spoke partly out of idle conversation, partly from personal reflection. Having studied this period of history in depth, Kong Sheng believed that if Zhang Xun had abandoned Yongqiu earlier to join forces with Prefect Xu Yuan at Suiyang, and if Prince Guo had then seized Ningling rather than Xuzhou to support Suiyang, Zhang would not have suffered so bitterly in later days, nor would the city have fallen. Had that come to pass, the course and outcome of the rebellion might have been altered, and history itself rewritten.

Alas, at the time, Prince Guo sought only to preserve his strength, withdrawing to Xuzhou—a fortified, strategically important city with easy access to the Yangtze and Huai rivers—thereby allowing Zhang Xun's forces to be slowly worn down by the rebels, culminating in the tragic sacrifice of thousands of heroic souls.

Zhang Xun's subordinate, Nan Jiyun, twice journeyed to Xuzhou for aid, but Li Ju ignored every plea. Was this not worthy of resentment?

In Kong Sheng's mind, Prince Guo Li Ju was a narrow-minded, shortsighted scion of the imperial clan. Though he commanded great armies and held sway over Henan, he failed to play the role history demanded of him.