White Horse, Silver Spear, Grand Commandant Gao

Chapter 124 The Building Will Collapse

The fifteenth day of the eighth month in the third year of the Qingtai era, the day of Xinwei.

While Gao Xingzhou was inflicting a major defeat on the enemy at the walls of Taiyuan, the Mid-Autumn Festival was being celebrated in Luoyang.

Before the Tang Dynasty, there was no such thing as the Mid-Autumn Festival, because the Pingshuo calendar was used.

The new moon is the first day of the month, the full moon is the day the moon is at its fullest, and the last day of the month is the day the moon is at its darkest.

The syllabic calendar assumes that the sun and moon move at a constant speed, which differs from their actual orbits. Therefore, the date of the full moon is not fixed; it may be the 15th or the 16th, hence the saying that the moon is fullest on the 16th.

Later, the Taoist priest Li Chunfeng modified the armillary sphere, combining the ecliptic of the sun, the celestial sphere of the moon, and the celestial equator of the earth into three celestial bodies. He measured the orbits of the sun, moon, and stars, adopted the method of determining the new moon, and formulated the Linde calendar.

Then, the method of advancing the new moon was invented, which advances the new moon day when a solar eclipse occurs in the evening to the new moon day of the previous month, thus solving the problem that the moon's movement is uncertain or slow, and that the calendar cannot be aligned with the heavens.

Therefore, from the Tang Dynasty onwards, the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month became the true full moon day.

The Mid-Autumn Festival also has a deep connection with several emperors of the Tang Dynasty.

During the reign of Emperor Gaozu, Li Weigong returned victorious from his campaign against the Turks. The palace held a grand banquet on the night of the full moon to celebrate, and a merchant from Turpan presented him with flatbread.

Li Yuan was overjoyed and, pointing to the moon, composed a poem: "We should invite the toad with sesame cakes."

Eating sesame cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival has since become a popular custom.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival of the fifth year of the Xianheng era, Emperor Gaozong of Tang bestowed honorific titles upon seven ancestral temples, calling himself the Heavenly Emperor. At that time, he did not yet have a name, and Empress Wu, who had been given the title Meiniang by the previous emperor, was called the Heavenly Empress.

The title "Emperor" spread to Japan in the East, and Yelü Abaoji, more than two hundred years later, was also influenced by it. (Note 1)

During the Kaiyuan era, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang felt that the name "Hu Bing" (胡饼, literally "Hu Bing") was not pleasant enough. Yang Guifei, who was eating cakes with him, jokingly suggested, "How about calling it 'Yue Bing' (月饼, literally "moon cake")?"

Emperor Xuanzong praised her, then leaned against the concubine's chest, resting his head on two plump mooncakes, and fell into a deep sleep.

In a dream, I ascended to the Pure Land of the Moon, where I met the fairy Chang'e and recorded and reproduced the "Rainbow Feather Robe Dance".

Later, Emperor Xizong of Tang, who had a similar experience to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and was driven out of Chang'an by Huang Chao, also fled to Shu. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, he ordered the imperial chefs to wrap mooncakes in red silk and bestow them upon the newly appointed scholars.

That night, the curfew in the capital was not lifted, and officials, nobles, and ordinary people alike enjoyed the moon in their own courtyards.

……

Luzhou.

The Gao family moved in at the beginning of August, and missed meeting Gao Xingzhou almost immediately.

Gao Huaixuan wore a light-colored and elegant dress. Her beautiful hair was combed into two sections, tied into a bun, wrapped with red silk, and tied into a drum shape. A strand of hair was left hanging down naturally at the end, which was called a double-hanging bun.

Mooncakes and fruits were arranged on the altar, and a straw mat was laid out. Gao Huaixuan lit three sticks of incense and placed them in the incense burner. Facing the bright moon hanging high in the sky, she bowed gracefully.

The custom of moon worship has a long history. There is a story of Diao Chan worshipping the moon during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. Unmarried women often use this custom to pray for the well-being of their families.

Gao Huaixuan closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, silently prayed for her wishes, softly recited the blessing, and performed two bows.

Bow, rise, bow again, then rise.

Just as she was about to stand up, Gao Huaide came over and squeezed onto the mat to also offer his prayers.

Gao Huaixuan pushed him away and said reproachfully, "There's a saying that men don't worship the moon and women don't worship the stove god. Haven't you heard of that?"

Gao Huaide didn't care about these customs; he was just following along out of curiosity. Since his sister wouldn't let him worship, he let it go.

He asked Gao Huaixuan what wish she made.

"What else can we do but pray for Father's safe return?"

Gao Huaide disagreed. Since he could remember, when had Gao Xingzhou ever gone into battle without returning unscathed? He was sure Gao Xingzhou would be fine.

"I hope it's as you say."

Gao Huaixuan sighed softly. Boys and girls are different after all. Gao Huaide will inevitably have to go to the battlefield like his father in the future. She only hopes that her family can live a peaceful life.

Seeing that his sister was a little down, Gao Huaide asked her to play a piece: "With such a beautiful moon and scenery, how can we be without the sound of the zither to enhance the mood?"

Gao Huaixuan knew that if she didn't agree, her younger brother would definitely start making trouble again.

"Let me make it clear beforehand that although 'Guan Shan Yue' is appropriate for the occasion, its meaning is inauspicious, so I don't want to play it. 'Liang Xiao Yin' is elegant and tranquil, while 'Qing Ye Yin' is lonely and melancholic. You can choose one yourself."

"It's just a line: 'A battlefield since ancient times, where no one ever returns.' Sister, you're overthinking it."

Gao Huaide may not have been a scholar, but he was very knowledgeable about music and requested another piece.

"How about 'Spring River Flower Moon Night'? This piece is delicate and elegant; I'm sure you'll like it."

"You've got a good choice. Alright, I'll play this piece."

Gao Huaixuan instructed Xiaoling to bring the guqin. Her fair hands stroked the strings, and she began with the opening lines, "The spring river rises with the tide, and the bright moon rises with the tide." A melody flowed from her fingertips, instantly creating an atmosphere of a clear river and sky, with a solitary moon shining brightly in the sky.

She had only intended to appease her younger brother, but as the music began, she gradually became immersed in it.

This piece is hailed as a masterpiece that surpasses all others in the Tang Dynasty. As Gao Huaixuan played it, his state of mind and artistic conception became one with the music, and the two brothers, Gao Huaide and Gao Huailiang, listened attentively.

A white cloud drifts leisurely by, an overwhelming sorrow lingers on the shores of Qingfengpu. Whose boat is that tonight? Where is the moonlit tower, a place of longing and yearning?

With a soft "Ai Nai," the zither music gradually faded, like a great river flowing eastward without ceasing, and the setting moon returning home with lingering emotions.

"Is the moonlight in Jiangnan really that beautiful? I'd like to go and see it for myself."

"Didn't Father say that Wang Yanzhang wished to take an iron spear to Jiangnan before he died? I wonder when the opportunity will come."

Gao Huaide complained, "I have to bring it with me every time I move; it's such a burden."

Two years passed in the blink of an eye. His strength had increased, and although he could no longer wield them, he could now lift those two heavy iron spears weighing a hundred pounds each.

……

South of Taiyuan City, at the Jinci military camp, a victory in one battle boosted the morale of the entire army, giving them hope of breaching the city.

In one of the barracks, several soldiers were chatting idly.

"Many brothers died during the previous bridge-building and siege attack. It's truly remarkable that Brother Guo was able to come back alive."

Guo Wei rolled down from the city wall, which was several meters high, and miraculously, apart from some minor scrapes and abrasions, not a single bone was broken. He flipped over and leaped up, becoming a vigorous and healthy man again.

"Having survived such a calamity, one is bound to have good fortune in the future. Guo Que'er will surely make a name for herself."

"Grand Commandant Guo, Chancellor Guo, once you've risen to prominence, I hope you'll give me a good promotion."

It turned out that the group of soldiers who had fought with Guo Wei lived together day and night and became comrades-in-arms after their fight, celebrating his survival.

Guo Wei recalled the general with a purple face and eyes that were mostly white with little black. He had been in charge of military records under Shi Jingtang. He remembered that the man's name was Liu Zhiyuan.

"Grand Tutor Gao's attack forced the enemy to stay inside their gates, and he killed at least a thousand of them."

"If we include those who drowned in the moat, there are probably two or three thousand people."

"If we fight a few more battles like this, we should be able to return in triumph before winter."

"Haha, you're still thinking about your lover, aren't you? Don't worry, by the time you get back, he'll definitely be married."

"Go to hell with your bad luck."

Guo Wei did not participate in the discussion. Thinking of Gao Xingzhou's methods, he realized that the generals who survived the struggle for hegemony between Jin and Liang and stood out were indeed worthy of their reputation.

Someone suddenly blurted out, "I heard that hundreds of thousands of Khitan troops are marching south and will soon arrive in Taiyuan. Is this just a rumor?"

The atmosphere in the barracks froze instantly, and the cool autumn breeze seemed to carry a hint of chill.

One of them forced a smile and said, "Hundreds of thousands of troops? That would stretch for dozens of miles. How many benefits would Shi Jingtang have to promise for the Khitan ruler to commit such a large force? I suspect this news is mostly false."

Another person countered, "There's no smoke without fire. After months of fighting, Taiyuan is at its wits' end. They've mustered able-bodied men to defend the city, and their supplies are probably almost exhausted. If Shi Jingtang doesn't ask for help soon, is he just waiting to die?"

Others joined the argument, and no one could convince the other.

"These insignificant military envoys all think they're generals? Who cares if the Khitan army comes or not? Preserving our own lives is the most important thing."

Guo Wei yawned and loosened his belt as he walked out: "Go wash up and go to bed early, I'm going to take a leak."

He went outside, randomly found a tree and started to release water. Before he could enjoy the water, he suddenly heard a loud bang behind him.

Guo Wei turned his head and was nearly scared out of his wits.

The barracks where they were standing moments before collapsed with a deafening roar, and those inside were buried under the rubble before they could escape!

He hurriedly fastened his belt, not even having time to wipe his hands clean, and immediately called for help. He rushed over himself, trying to pull the person out.

Soldiers from the left and right barracks rushed to help, clearing away bricks and rubble, and carrying out bodies covered in blood and dust, lifeless and devoid of vitality.

"This awful weather lately, with the autumn rains falling non-stop, causing the long embankment to collapse here and there. Now even the barracks have collapsed. Sigh."

"Whenever it rains, we're soaked in mud all day long; it's unbearable."

"These guys are really unlucky. Out of the whole room, only one managed to get out."

Guo Wei squatted on the ruins, listening blankly to the various discussions.

Just moments ago, his comrades were laughing and chatting, but now they are separated by death. He didn't know whether to be grateful for his good fortune or to complain about the cruel twist of fate.

"It's been raining a lot lately, and the foundation has become loose. Unfortunately, you happened to be there."

Someone patted Guo Wei on the shoulder: "Brother, you're lucky. There are more than a dozen people in the house, and you're the only one alive." (Note 2)

"Sigh, don't talk about others. Soldiers' lives are not their own; we don't even know how we'll die."

The chatter around him reached Guo Wei's ears, his head buzzed, and his thoughts became a tangled mess, until finally only one thought remained.

"My wife is still waiting for me at home. No matter what, I must survive!"

On the 14th day of the eighth month of the tenth year of the Tianxian era of the Khitan, the day of Geng

On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yelü Deguang personally led a large army south to aid Shi Jingtang.