Chapter 38: The Stone Shatters the Sky and Teases the Autumn Rain

  Xue Xiang smoothed out the chess pieces on the board, handed a teacup to An Weihong, and signaled for him to help himself to some water. An Weihong couldn't refuse, so he took the teacup and left. Xue Xiang laughed and said: "General, now tell me, what did you think I came here for today? It can't be just to cause a big slaughter, right?"

  The old man looked heartbroken and scratched his nonexistent beard: "What slaughter, anyway, I'm not in the mood today. For a moment, I didn't notice, and I fell for your trick. You won, I lost, so you can brag, but it's a pity that my reputation has been ruined this lifetime. Hmph, you young whippersnapper came to ask me for a favor, but I don't understand why you still dare not give me face."

  "General, since you invited me to play chess, it means you think highly of me. How dare I not take out my best skills and be fully prepared? It's just that I made a move too heavy-handedly, but I'm sure you won't treat me like an equal."

  "You little brat, you dare to come here and try to be clever with me? You've actually made me happy. Tomorrow, I'll take a look at your so-called 'ten times better' thing. Don't play tricks on an old man like 'hit one slap and rub three'. Quickly open the box you brought and let me see what's inside. What are you trying to show off in front of this old man?"

  "Alright, you'll see!" said Xue Xiang, opening the red wooden box and taking out a scroll. Old Wang had already moved the chessboard and teacups off the stone table and spread a yellow silk cloth on it. The old general took the scroll, carefully placing it on the cloth, untying the ribbon, and slowly unrolling it. The entire scroll was about four feet long and one foot wide, with a beautiful ancient calligraphy that was remarkably well-preserved, except for a small yellowish stain the size of a fingernail in the top left corner of the white rice paper. A poem written on the rice paper in a free-flowing style, with words flowing like clouds and water, pouring down without any stagnation.

  "Oh, precious! Oh, precious! An old man like me can live to see such a divine brushstroke, what more could I ask for in death? What more could I ask for in death!!"

  The old man was very excited, admiring the calligraphy for half an hour, and let out a long sigh. He shook his head, looked up at the sky, and rubbed his hands together, almost losing his balance, and Xue Xiang and Old Wang quickly came forward to support him.

  The old general gently pried open the hands of the two men, sat down: "I'm not old yet, I'm just too excited. Su Zi's calligraphy is indeed not inferior to Yan Zhenqing, and it's on par with Wang Xizhi. It makes people's hearts shake and their spirits soar, like navigating a small boat in the vast ocean, freely and effortlessly, seeing true mastery. Good kid, I won't ask you where this treasure came from, since you brought it here, it must be a birthday gift for old man, thank you! Although we GCD people don't usually hold birthday banquets with all that fuss, but family gatherings are necessary, when the time comes, I'll invite you to my home banquet, if you don't drink wine, just come and have a piece of cake."

  Xue Xiang was shocked, did this old man think that he could be bought off with just a piece of cake? Xue Xiang hastily said: "You misunderstand, you misunderstand. I've had this calligraphy by Dongpo passed down from my ancestors, but I've always been unsure if it's real or fake. I heard Wei Hong say that you're an expert in appraising paintings and calligraphy, so I brought it over for you to take a look. Who would have thought that it's actually a genuine work by Su Dongpo? I'm truly overjoyed! Thank you, thank you! You'll be hosting a banquet, I'll definitely attend, not just to eat cake, but also to offer a toast to your longevity. As a poor man, I couldn't afford to buy any gifts, so I'll sing a birthday song for you instead. Alright then, since you're busy with official duties, I won't disturb you anymore, I'll take my leave now." Having said that, Xue Xiang rolled up the scroll and pretended to put it away, as if he was about to leave.

  Xue Xiang didn't get up, so the old man became anxious and pressed down on the wooden box, laughing: "Sit for a while longer, I'm an old man with no official business. Alright, you can stop pretending too, what's going on?"

  Xue Xiang saw that Hua Shuai was no longer speaking in an official tone, so he briefed him on the situation with Xue An Yuan. The old general listened and smiled, saying: "You little scoundrel really has come to deliver sugar-coated cannonballs, following the old rules, I'll take the sugar coating, and you can have the cannonball back. Little Wang, take this and lock it in my study." With that, the old general handed a wooden box to Old Wang.

  Xue Xiang was stunned, never expecting the dignified General An to resort to such tactics. For a moment, he was at a loss for what to do and couldn't just go forward and snatch the thing back. Earlier, he could have pretended it was an appraisal, but now that the old man had tricked him into revealing his intentions, there was no way to take it back. Xue Xiang gazed blankly as Old Wang carried the wooden box away, his eyes not shedding tears, but his heart bleeding in silence.

  The old man glanced at Xue with a sideways glance, and his heart was greatly comforted. For a moment, he felt relaxed and refreshed, and the anger he had just suffered was all vented. He was now humming a tune, shaking his fan, and swinging his legs, looking like a "villain" who had finally avenged himself.

  Xue Xiang covered his face with both hands, gently wiping it, and the original frowning face instantly turned into a smiling face. The old man caught sight of this facial transformation skill, was shocked, and thought to himself: This kid has been hit so hard, yet he can still smile, what a character! This guy has changed back to his usual cheerful and mischievous appearance, I must be on my guard.

  Xue Xiangxiao said: "Red makeup is given to the right person, good things are naturally given to people who appreciate them. In my heart, you are a connoisseur, and the only one."

  "You little scoundrel, you're really getting on my nerves! Instead of saying 'a precious sword for a brave warrior', you have to say something about rouge. I think you're thoroughly rotten, with a belly full of dirty water."

  "You also said I, you receive gifts but don't take action, isn't that a bit too much?"

  "I've accepted bribes? Who can prove it?"

  "Alright... I guess I underestimated you, no wonder the National Army couldn't beat you back then. You win, kid."

  "This is called strategy, it's wisdom! You'd better go back and read more of Mao's Selected Works, instead of thinking about flattering and currying favor all day, taking the back door."

  Xue Xiang couldn't reason with him anymore. He had run into a first-class old man who accepted gifts but didn't do anything, and even gave others big lectures in a self-righteous tone. Xue Xiang also didn't want to go around in circles with the old man anymore, as it was making his own head spin. Xue Xiang spoke seriously: "As for the matter of the calligraphy and painting, I won't bring it up again. It was originally given to you, just because I had nothing to ask of you, but also to show respect to you for contributing to my current happy life, shouldn't that be considered filial piety?"

  "This still sounds like a flattering phrase, although it's even more exaggerated. However, the listener feels comfortable hearing it." The old man took a sip of tea and said with narrowed eyes. It seems that he hasn't let his guard down against Xue Xiang, defining this heartfelt remark as fawning words.

  Xue Xiang smiled helplessly and said, "To be honest, shouldn't the organization handle my uncle's matter?"

  "How many things in this world can be done with a clear conscience?" The old man stopped teasing and turned two chess pieces in his hand.

  "Are you afraid of offending someone?"

  "Nonsense, old man is afraid of who! Now is a sensitive period, the one behind your uncle is even more sensitive. If I make any move, it will bring them catastrophic consequences. Hmm, why am I telling you this, kid? Do you understand?"

  "Alright, it seems I was too rash. Are you also in a dilemma now?" Xue Xiang saw that the matter with his uncle could not be helped, so he shifted the direction of the conversation, astonishingly.

  "What's wrong with me?" The old man stopped shaking his fan, his eyes fixed on Xue Xiang, as if he wanted to see into his heart.

  At this moment, Xue Xiangcai felt the mighty power of the old soldier's head rolling out of the bloody sea like a vast tide. His heart suddenly tightened, and he sat up straight: "The smoke on the battlefield has long been extinguished, and the sword is hidden in the Xuanwu Gate."

  A single sentence comes out, and the stone breaks through the sky.

  With a loud "bang", General An slammed the teacup on the table, shattering it and spilling water everywhere. Just then, An Weihong brought tea to Xue Xiang, and Old Wang also returned from the study. The two saw that the atmosphere here was somewhat abnormal, the tabletop was in disarray, and just as they were about to enter the pavilion, General An waved his hand to stop them: "You two go to the main hall first, and tell Little Liu to withdraw to the outside."

  An Weihong and Old Wang retreated with orders. As they left, An Weihong took a deep look at Xue Xiang, not understanding what words this fugitive had used to attract Grandfather, without even letting himself hear them. After a while, the bamboo forest, pine array, and rooftop were in an uproar, Xue Xiang looked up to see that it was soldiers wearing various camouflage uniforms retreating. Xue Xiang was greatly shocked in his heart, when he came from the bamboo forest and pine array, he didn't even discover that there were so many armed guards hidden there. However, thinking about it, it should be this way, General An being at the center of military power, what he wore was extremely important, how could the guards be simple?

  "Alright, now it's just the two of us here, tell me, who sent you?"

  "Can't you see I'm trying to save a relative?"

  "Save relatives? Hehe, how could a little brat like you utter the three words 'Xuanwu Gate', can't even come up with a decent excuse to deceive people?"

  "When you're in it, you can't see it; when you're out of it, you can."

  "I'd like to see what kind of bystander you are, come on and say it, if you can't then please take yourself to the military court."

  "This...this isn't right, is it? I'm not a soldier, I came to give you a birthday gift. What kind of host treats guests like this?"

  "This is a military strategic location, don't you know? You still dare to speak loudly here, can't even give a reason, killing you would be enough."

  "Alright, don't try to scare me. You just want to see who's backing me up, right? No need for this charade."

  "Alright, you're clever, speak up."

  "There's really no one behind me. Think about it, my uncle is still in labor reform, and his relationship with that leader is well-known to all, others want to test you, how could they choose me? You're being overly cautious."

  "Hmm... what you said makes some sense too. Alright, I believe you're here to save your kin. Tell me, what's going on with the Xuanwu Gate?"

  "The old general's body probably can't hold on for much longer, right?" Xue said with a quivering voice, his eyes fixed tightly on the old general, sweat streaming down his forehead like a small brook.

  The old man did not slam the table or scold, but calmly looked at Xue Xiang and asked, "How did you know?" In fact, his heart had already turned over a hundred times, he really didn't dare to believe that such a major secret would come out of a child's mouth. At this time, he didn't dare to scold, fearing that the words on Xue Xiang's lips would be scared back again.

  Xue Xiang saw that the old man did not have the furious anger he had imagined, and carefully said: "Don't worry, I thought of it myself. Such a big thing in April, and the old man didn't show up at all. That person who took over the State Council in January and became the deputy head of state in April, isn't that too hasty?" He would not say that history books were written early, but could only entrust his own natural talent.

  "I didn't expect it, I didn't expect that the kind of people the ancients called Gan Luo and Yan Shifan would be someone like you!" General An said after a long silence, suddenly letting out a sigh of emotion.