Transmigration: of Mysteries and Songs

Chapter 35: Autumnal Ombre

Days passed, and autumn slowly crept into the air. Maple leaves have fallen outside Chang'an, blanketing the earth in a swathe of red. This day, an army of three thousand cavalries and five thousand footmen marched towards Chang'an, their steps in unison. There was no sound, save for the snorting of the horses and the clinking of their armour. The soldiers puffed their chests out and held their heads high, their movements sharp and quick. At the front of the army was Situ Muye, clad in his personal armour. On orders of the Emperor, they were to patrol and quell the small pockets of unrest in the Great North. He had left Chang'an in the first breaths of summer, and now autumn traced his returning footsteps.

Giving orders for his troops to set up camp five miles away from the capitol, Situ Muye set off for the palace with his two lieutenants beside him. The rest of his troops would set off later to join the main army in the heart of the kingdom - a protocol to protect against any sudden usurping of the throne. There were already five thousand palatial guards in the city and twenty thousand troops stationed around the capital; any sudden influx of troops in the area will cause unrest and perceived as a threat to the Emperor.

To avoid attracting attention, Situ and his two lieutenants avoided the Northern Gate, where civilians normally awaited the return of troops. Instead, they skirted over to the Southern Gate, and headed straight for the palace via one of the main streets. At a crossroads where several important avenues met, they saw a crowd gathering around a shop. People were jostling to be first in line, their faces eager and excited.

"Did a new shop open over there?" Situ turned to his one of his lieutenants.

The man's face fell. "General, I've been spending my days with you out there in the wilderness! How will I know what is happening in Chang'an?"

Situ Muye shot him a sideward glance and quickened his walk towards the palace.

The other lieutenant quickly gave the man a hard shove. "How could you speak to the General like that! Don't be so careless!"

The tanned lieutenant rubbed his tired looking face and laughed nonchalantly. "I was only speaking the truth! The General doesn't mind how we speak to him anyway."

The other lieutenant rolled his eyes at his witless companion, and quickly caught up to Situ Muye.

When the trio left the palace again, it was already 3 in the afternoon. Instructing the two lieutenants to take control of the troops outside the city, Situ walked alone on the streets, still clad in his armour. Coupled with his usual cold demeanour and expressionless face, he emanated a threatening aura. Save for the few young girls that had recognised him and giggled to themselves as they watched him from far away, pedestrians hurried away when they passed him.

He passed by the same junction as he did that morning and was surprised to see the area still crowded with people. Curious as to what was causing the commotion, he glanced in the direction of the crowd and saw the words "Autumnal Ombre" written in a flowing script on a signboard.

With a start, he realised that the words were that of Jiang Moyin, a script that he was familiar with. Although Jiang Moyin was a scholar, his calligraphy showed a hint of his unyielding determination underneath his neat and clean script. His strokes were decisive, but not over-confident.

Situ was puzzled by what he saw. Moyin's calligraphy is pretty rare to see in Chang'an, what with him always saying that his words are only gifted to those fated to receive them. I'm sure they aren't bought with silver. Situ walked towards the shop for a closer look. With his height advantage, he saw over the heads of the crowd and into the furnishings of the shop.

Autumnal Ombre was a liquor store, it turned out. However, the furnishings were vastly different from the dingy stores that most liquor establishments were. It was decorated with classy furniture, aesthetically pleasing to anyone who happens to walk near. Only when one was close did could the aroma of the wines be smelled - the thick fragrance wafted through the air, so strong and pure that one could almost taste it.