The Bird And The Dragon
"Hmm." Si Ning doesn't know what to say since an unexpected statement was thrown at him out of nowhere but his lips curled up in a small smile when he heard Qiu Bai called him a great General without any hint of sarcasm. "And yet this great General does not know why an important guest graced my house?" He prayed Qiu Bai finally get his hint to start talking about the main purpose of his visit.
Since Qiu Bai was staring at the bird emblem so much, Si Ning slightly stretched his neck to take a better look. It was just like the flag Shen Yu's army carried but Si Ning could see the bird emblem wasn't entirely blue, it had some red, green, and gold in it. It looked like a peacock but Si Ning knew it wasn't a peacock, it was a strange bird he had never seen.
"Well let's see, am sure you are well aware of the stories of the great war ninety years ago between the Phoenix bird and golden dragon." Qiu Bai flipped the hand fan closed and placed it on the table.
Pheonix bird? golden dragon?
To make Qiu Bai go straight to the point was harder than Si Ning thought and one way or the other Qiu Bai smoothly directed their discussion to mythology. Si Ning was a little annoyed that Qiu Bai would not go straight to answer his question and he was about to ask what he meant when he remembered the strange bird emblem and the golden dragon emblem representing Xiu nation. He smiled when he came to the conclusion that Qiu Bai meant the war between Xilie and Xiu.
"I do." Si Ning lied. He had no idea of the war between Xiu and Xilie ninety years ago. He waited for Qiu Bai to continue talking but Qiu Bai only spread his hand fan open and continue to stare at it like it was the first time he would be seeing the hand fan. Si Ning quickly took a sip of his tea to get his hands busy before he mistakenly gives Qiu Bai a flying punch for not getting straight to the point and kept talking confusingly.
"Ever since then the mighty bird and the golden dragon had been engaging in a lot of battles over time and I think it is time to settle it once and for all or what do you think about this General Si Ning?" Qiu Bai asked and folded his hand fan then he returned to staring at Si Ning.
"It is a good realistic idea." Si Ning quickly agreed. "Is that why Prince Qiu Bai came to Xiu?" He had had enough about war and the one he participated in was more than enough. If Xiu and Xilie made peace then he would have time to enjoy his life without thinking of war.
"I did not come for a peace treaty nor to create a genuine everlasting alliance. Do you know why I am here General Si Ning?" Qiu Bai asked as he narrowed his eyes.
Si Ning does not know if he was asking why he came to visit him or came to Xiu. He decided to go with the latter. "To take General Shen Yu with you?" It was hard trying to keep up with people that act smart that their behavior would give nothing away.
"I could care less about a General that could not fulfill his purpose at war." Qiu Bai gave him a knowing look before opening his hand fan.
Si Ning was now annoyed when he remembered how much he suffered at the camp, not having a decent bath, sleeping on a hard bed, not having enough sleep, and forming a lot of strategies because they were short of men. "His purpose to capture me."
It was confirmed that Shen Yu's purpose was to capture Si Ning and because of that Si Ning lost thousands of men at war. He was not a fan of killing but he knew he would never be happy if Shen Yu was set free, he would rather see his head roll on the floor. Xilie's plan was ridiculous but Si Ning knew if he was captured and Xiu Zhicheng decided to meet any exorbitant demand of Xilie to save him then Xiu Zhicheng would be nothing more than an incompetent ruler but Si Ning was glad their plan failed because if Xiu Zhicheng paid a handsome price to save him then he would be very glad of being saved and not even see him as an incompetent ruler which automatically makes him being in debt to the Emperor.
"That is far from my purpose but that is my Imperial brother's suggestion and I also think I need General Shen Yu to take you so that I can see you." Qiu Bai told him without blinking as he flipped his hand fan close.
"You quite took a long roundabout way to see me." Si Ning said sarcastically. "Just to see me you cut down half of my army." He said between gritted teeth.
In this world, life could be worth nothing, especially the soldiers and the commoners life but to Si Ning, every life was precious and him losing a great number of troops means he was now weaker and he doesn't like that idea.
"You can not blame that on me but on my Imperial brother the Crown Prince who is now six feet under." Qiu Bai said and took a sip of his tea.
Si Ning's eyes widen. "How did he die?" He asked reaching for his teacup since his mouth felt a little dry. It was none of his business to know the details about Qiu Bai's brother's death but he was a little interested in knowing how the man that gave the ridiculous order of his caption died.
"I changed my fate as coming second into this world, just like the advice the Imperial tutor Si Ning would give the Second Prince. I recall you will advise him to do anything he wants and happiness will come to him." Qiu Bai pointed at him taking another sip of his tea.
Si Ning's hands shook a little as he quickly placed his teacup on the table. He knew Qiu Bai saw him waver a bit but Si Ning couldn't help it since he was sitting across a dangerous man that just told him he killed his brother, the Crown Prince of Xilie without blinking.
Shouldn't that be a crime? Didn't Qiu Bai just confess to the crime?
"My brother wanted to capture you to negotiate about the western region which Xiu procured from Xilie twenty years ago and because Xilie is in far north making things hard when it comes to farming so that was the solution my Imperial brother came up with. To get back to the western region to farm. That makes him weak so I disposed of him because Xilie needs a strong Emperor, Xilie needs me. My vision is much wider than my Imperial brother. I do not want part of Xiu, I want the whole of Xiu." Qiu Bai declared.
Si Ning's eyes widen as a cold sweat rolled from the nape of his neck down his back. What was this? Did he just enter a historical drama?