xymnovel Chapter 13 Atonement
Chapter 13 Atonement
Shen Bai stood in the corner.
No one cares about him.
The Ministry of War's main hall was bustling with people registering, stamping documents, and receiving paperwork, but no one glanced at him. He stood there, head down, looking at his shoes.
The shoes were old and covered in mud.
He walked from the north to the south, covering hundreds of miles, wearing only these shoes.
"Have you heard? That person is from the Shen family."
Which Shen family?
"The one to the north. The one with Shen Ji."
"Isn't he dead?"
"They didn't die. They escaped. A few dozen people survived and came back."
Shen Bai didn't move.
He stood there, listening. The words passed by his ears like the wind.
His father died. His brother died. Tens of thousands of people died in the north.
He was the only one who came back alive.
Therefore, he was a defeated general.
"Next."
Someone is shouting.
Shen Bai took two steps forward and walked to the desk.
Behind the desk sat a fat man. He wore a green robe and an official's hat, his face was fleshy, and his eyes were squinted.
Wang Dechang.
"Chen Bai?"
"yes."
"The battle of the Northern Expedition?"
"yes."
"Your father and brothers both died in the north?"
"yes."
Wang Dechang's lips twitched.
"Considering the merits of your father and brothers, and considering that the annihilation of the entire army was not solely your fault, the Ministry of War has decided as follows."
His voice changed; it became official.
"Shen Bai is demoted to the reserve force. He retains his rank of colonel. He will redeem himself through meritorious service."
"Effective immediately, proceed to the southern part of Jiankang City to set up camp, train troops, and await further orders. The force size is three hundred."
Shen Bai stood there, his eyes lowered.
"Thank you, Minister of War."
The sound was very flat.
Wang Dechang pulled out another piece of paper and handed it over.
"This is your document."
Shen Bai took it and glanced at it.
The document reads: "Stationed south of Jiankang City. Original quota of three hundred, now fifty allocated. Shen Bai is ordered to go and train them, with a three-month deadline for formation."
Fifty.
His hand paused for a moment.
There were 300 places available, but only 50 were actually filled.
He didn't speak. He raised his head and looked at Wang Dechang.
Wang Dechang was also looking at him.
Those eyes were squinting, and something was moving inside them.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Shen Bai put the document into his pocket.
The movements were very steady.
Wang Dechang stared at him and suddenly laughed.
"Lord Shen."
His voice had changed; it was no longer an official tone, but a lowered voice that only the two of them could hear.
"What goes around comes around."
Shen Bai didn't move.
He stood there, head down.
It's like being lectured.
It's like admitting a mistake.
Wang Dechang stared at him, his eyes narrowed into slits, and something seemed to be moving inside.
It wasn't anger. It was that feeling of... the thrill of finally getting to this day.
"Alright."
He waved.
"Get out of here. In three months, I want to see the soldiers you've trained. If you can't—"
He paused.
"Bring me your head."
Shen Bai raised his head.
He looked at Wang Dechang. Wang Dechang also looked at him.
The lobby fell silent for a moment.
Then he reached out and slowly unfastened the knife from his waist, placing it on the table.
"I'll come to pick it up in three months."
He turned and walked out.
Just then—
A person came in through the door.
He wore a purple robe and a jade belt. A jade pendant, very white and smooth, hung from his waist.
Shen Bai stopped in his tracks.
He didn't look at the jade pendant.
He was looking at that face.
He was in his early forties, with a thin, long face, deep-set eyes, and downturned corners of his mouth.
Those eyes swept across the hall, over the people, and finally landed on Shen Bai.
It was just a fleeting moment.
But in that instant, Shen Bai's back stiffened.
Shen Bai's hand froze in mid-air. It wasn't that he didn't want to move—it was that gaze, like a needle, pierced his chest, pinning him to the spot.
That look—empty like a dry well. Like a stone. Like looking at a dead person.
"Master Cui."
Wang Dechang's voice suddenly changed, from harsh to obsequious. He came out from behind the desk and quickly went to meet him.
Cui.
Shen Bai clenched his fists tightly inside his sleeves.
Cui Heng?
Cui Heng shifted his gaze from him to Wang Dechang.
"Um."
Just this one word.
Then he walked past Shen Bai, his footsteps very light, and disappeared into the back hall.
---
Shen Bai stood still.
His fingernails dug into his palms, it hurt. But he didn't move.
It was three breaths later when he realized he was holding his breath.
He knew who it was.
Cui Heng. A person from the Ministry of War.
It was him, and he was involved in the deaths of his father and brother.
Father and elder brother died in the Northern Expedition. The Cui family was in the Ministry of War. Corrosion-inducing soldiers. Mysterious stone.
These things are connected.
He looked down at the large blue bricks. Each brick was laid flat and neatly.
One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths.
Then he moved.
He raised his head and walked outside.
His steps were steady. One step, two steps, three steps.
I stepped out of the lobby. The sunlight was blinding on my face.
Shen Bai squinted, as if needles were pricking his eyes.
Fifty people train three hundred. Three months.
Wang Dechang wanted him dead.
He clenched his fist, then relaxed it.
He will not die.
He turned and walked toward Iron Shield's residence.
---
Iron Shield was still lying in bed. His left arm was in a sling, and his complexion was better than a few days ago.
When Shen Bai pushed the door open, he was leaning against the wall, staring blankly at the roof beam.
Hearing the noise, he turned his head.
"You're back?"
"Um."
Shen Bai sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at the iron shield without saying a word.
Iron Shield looked at him but didn't say anything.
After a while, Shen Bai spoke.
"I'm going to set up camp south of Jiankang City."
"Stationed?"
"Hmm. Three months, for training."
How many people?
"Nominally three hundred."
"What about in reality?"
"Fifty."
Iron Shield remained silent.
He looked at Shen Bai's face. Shen Bai's face was expressionless, as calm as a still pond.
He looked at Shen Bai for a long time.
Then he slammed his cane on the ground.
"I'll go."
The voice was rough, like a roar.
"I can move again. My arm is useless, but I can still walk."
Shen Bai looked at him.
"Your injury hasn't healed yet."
"I've carried much heavier things than this."
Iron Shield's eyes were shining.
"Back in the day, I could squat in the snow for three days and three nights in the north and I was fine. This little injury is nothing."
Shen Bai remained silent.
He looked at Iron Shield's sling arm and his leg, which he could barely move.
Iron Shield was also looking at him.
Their eyes met.
Are you sure?
"nonsense."
Iron Shield's voice was harsh.
"I'll follow you. Wherever you go, I'll go."
He paused.
"Don't even think about leaving me behind."
Shen Bai looked at him.
He didn't speak.
But the corner of his mouth twitched.
It looked like I wanted to laugh, but I didn't.
He stood up, turned around, and walked out.
I stopped at the door.
"We're leaving tomorrow, taking Shen Anning with us."
The sound was very soft.
Get some rest.
Shen Bai left the courtyard and headed towards his residence.
A cool night breeze blew by.
Thirty li south of the city. Po Jun Village.
He had never seen that place before. But he knew—
That's not a military camp, it's a cemetery.
And he had to lead fifty people to crawl out of the graveyard.
He has to go and take a look tomorrow.
-----
(End of Chapter Thirteen)