But situations changed fast. Emperor Mingzong passed away, and the court was soon thrown into turmoil. Shi Jin…
But situations changed fast. Emperor Mingzong passed away, and the court was soon thrown into turmoil. Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun to the Khitan in exchange for military support, then turned his army toward Luoyang. The capital fell into chaos, and civilians fled in droves. Amid the uproar, Wang Dayan did the unthinkable, returning to the capital."Ye Buxiu! Ye Buxiu!" he called, his voice hoarse with desperation. In the distance, the Black Tortoise Tower was burning, and his worry deepened.
"*Coughs*... I'm here..." came a faint, familiar voice from somewhere near the moat. Who else could it be but Ye Buxiu?
Soaked and shivering, Ye Buxiu was hauled from the water. But instead of expressing gratitude, the first thing he did was check the paper parcel clutched to his chest. Only when he was sure the chess manual inside, was intact did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"How in the world did you end up in the moat?" Wang Dayan asked.
"Don't bring it up! I was rushing out through the city gate, got shoved in the chaos, and splashed. Bad luck, really. Good thing I wrapped the manual in oil paper. And I can swim. So, yeah. Managed to hold on until you showed up. Anyway, thanks!"
The sincerity in his voice threw Wang Dayan off balance. He scratched his ear, awkward as ever, "I didn't come to save you. It was for the chess manual. You know that."
Seeing Wang Dayan being so stubborn, Ye Buxiu couldn't help but laugh heartily, stopping only when it was getting too much. Then he said with a serious look, "Dayan, this isn't the time to be playing chess. We need to find a ruler worthy of these manuals and bring this chaos to an end."
To his own surprise, Wang Dayan agreed. They had no martial skills, no great wealth, but they had youth and ambition. So the two set off in search of a worthy ruler, pressing forward through hardships and hunger. They didn't like Shi Jingtang, so they headed south, only to meet one dead end after another. Eventually, news reached them of a rising hero in the Jin Dynasty named Wang Qing. Full of hope, they turned north again. But they were too late. By the time they reached the Jin border, word came: Wang Qing was dead. And so, after years of drifting and missed opportunities, they had already passed the age of Enlightenment. At last, they found a new hero: Emperor Guo Rong (Emperor Shizong) of the Later Zhou Dynasty. His northern expedition army had already marched to Qinghe, right where they were. But years of hardship had worn Wang Dayan down. He fell ill. And when he finally opened his eyes, he found himself in a place he didn't recognize.