Part 4, Chapter 5

Jiangou in the aftermath

Ch 5

Jianyu sat with his brother sharing several bottles of wine.

“I wish it could have been some other way,” Jianyu said. 

Jiangou’s weeping had finally subsided and he stared emptily into cup. 

“Jiangou?” 

“Don’t,” Jiangou said. “Don’t speak. Don’t move. Just… don’t.”

Jianyu nodded, hating his brother’s pain and knowing that there was nothing that could have been done. They sat in silence for a long time, Jianyu poured and Jiangou drank. Eventually Jiangou broke the silence, his voice broken with exhaustion, pain, and drink.

“My daughter… I have a daughter…”

“She’s safe,” Jianyu reassured him. “My mother and Xidi are there to care for her. My mother is hard, but she wouldn’t harm a child.”

Jiangou nodded. “What… what’s her name?” 

Jianyu looked at him helplessly. “I don’t know. No one ever said.”

Jiangou let out a harsh, bitter laugh. “She was the entire focus of the rebellion. All those lives lost to bring her to the throne and no one even gave her a name. My poor baby…”

Jianyu poured his brother another drink, “That means it’s up to you, what will you call your daughter?”

“Beishang (�™伤 - grief),” he said after a long moment.

“Such a sad name,” Jianyu said. 

Jiangou took another drink and let the silence fill the tent once more.