Zhu Yu – Chapter 155

Due to the snowfall, darkness descended earlier than usual. When Xie Zheng led Fan Changyu into the study, the light had already grown dim, and only after lighting the lamps could they make out the room’s furnishings.

Xie Zheng retrieved a map from the bookshelf and spread it out on the desk, pointing as he explained to Fan Changyu: “The Li family failed in their plot against Wei Yan, and instead fell into his trap. Our only chance now is to control the entire capital and support the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne. The towers at the Palace Gate are no lower than the city gates. Though the Li family cannot easily storm it by force, they’ve established themselves in the capital for years – we can’t be certain whether they have infiltrated the Imperial Guard.”

“Since Wei Yan has pushed the Li family to this point, he must have prepared countermeasures. However, with me still in the capital, both the Li and Wei families will try everything to drag me into their conflict first, fearing I might benefit from their struggle.”

As Fan Changyu listened to Xie Zheng’s analysis of the situation, her hand gripped the desk ever tighter. She looked up and asked, “Is that why the Li family moved against you first, ordering the Five Army Corps to surround the Xie residence?”

Xie Zheng’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “This is merely the opening act.”

Just then, the guard stationed outside came to report: “Master, the Five Army Corps outside is demanding to search the residence. They claim witnesses saw escaped prisoners from the Court of Justice entering the mansion last night.”

Fan Changyu cast a worried glance at Xie Zheng, who simply replied to the guard: “Tell the Five Army Corps that if they dare break down the gates of my Xie residence, they’re welcome to enter and search.”

After the guard withdrew, Fan Changyu asked, “Did we truly leave traces?”

The candlelight danced in Xie Zheng’s eyes, though it revealed little warmth: “This is merely Wei Yan’s scheme to entangle me. When we broke into the prison and let the Li family believe Wei Yan had freed the prisoners, Wei Yan likely began plotting. Last night, when the Blood Shadow Riders intercepted the Sui family’s steward and discovered both the murdered strategist who had recanted and the location of hidden correspondence between the Li family and Qi Min, how could the Li family remain idle with such evidence in my possession? Whether there are witnesses or not, they would find an excuse to surround the residence.”

Fan Changyu understood that the Li family had reached the point of no return. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat as she asked, “Qi Min knows Bao’er is still with us. Could the Ministry of State Affairs be surrounded as well?”

Xie Zheng nodded: “With the Five Army Corps’ strength, surrounding the Ministry of State Affairs would be trivial.”

Fan Changyu immediately frowned: “General Tang and Madam Zhao are still there…”

Xie Zheng raised his eyes to meet hers: “This is what I need you to do next.”

Fan Changyu’s expression grew more serious.

Xie Zheng’s long finger traced the palace gates on the map: “The Five Army Corps consists of five divisions and seventy-two guards, with no less than twenty thousand troops. Four divisions might serve the Li family, but Commander Shen Shen of the Left Army is on good terms with me. The Shen family has always been loyal to the throne. Xie Thirteen will take my token to him and have him prevent Wei Yan from deploying the Divine Machine Regiment. However, we need bait to divert both Li’s and Wei’s attention. I’ve already given you the command token for the Blood Shadow Riders – lead all of them from our residence to rescue those at the Ministry.”

Fan Changyu’s head snapped up: “If I take all the Blood Shadow Riders with me, what about you?”

Xie Zheng’s phoenix eyes swept toward the snowy window, his manner both casual and calculating, as if he had long awaited this day: “They won’t believe I’ve given you all the Blood Shadow Riders. They’ll assume I still have forces hidden in the capital.”

He lifted the corner of his mouth slightly and looked at Fan Changyu: “When false appears true and true appears false, who would dare stake everything on an uncertain outcome?”

Fan Changyu remained concerned: “Even if the Li family only commands four main divisions, that’s still over fifteen thousand troops. How will you handle them?”

Xie Zheng simply replied: “Both the Li and Wei families are holding back reserves. They won’t commit all their forces to engage me. Even in the worst case, if it comes to a fight to the death, the few hundred Xie family troops I brought to the capital will make them pay dearly.”

As Fan Changyu slowly processed his words, she suddenly asked: “Why send your men to stop the Divine Machine Regiment instead of the Li family’s forces?”

Xie Zheng raised his hand to lightly touch Fan Changyu’s cheek: “The Imperial Guard answers directly to the young Emperor. Wei Yan and the young Emperor are in the same boat now, so the Imperial Guard will surely serve him. Combined with the three thousand elite troops, he can hold the palace against the Li family for a while. But with the Divine Machine Regiment’s artillery and weapons, even the Five Army Corps’ superior numbers would be reduced to mere flesh and blood under the cannon fire.”

He paused briefly: “By sending Shen Shen, it’s less about stopping the Divine Machine Regiment and more about various factions competing for their weapons. Do you understand?”

Fan Changyu finally grasped the importance of this deployment. She said: “After rescuing General Tang, I’ll temporarily place all available forces under his command. I’ll personally go to the Western Gardens – if Commander Shen fails to stop the Divine Machine Regiment, I will!”

The Divine Machine Regiment’s weapons were stored in the Western Gardens outside the palace.

Xie Zheng stared at her for a long moment. Fan Changyu frowned: “You don’t think I can stop them?”

Xie Zheng pulled her forcefully into his embrace: “If you can’t stop them, then don’t. Just come back to me alive.”

Fan Changyu looked up: “That’s not how you should instruct a general.”

Xie Zheng lowered his head slightly, his loose hair casting a faint shadow over his eyelids, concealing the tenderness hidden in his deep, cold eyes: “You are a general to thousands, but you are also my wife. I speak now to my wife.”

Despite the urgency of the situation, Fan Changyu’s heart skipped a beat at his words. She pressed her lips together and fixed him with an intense gaze.

She said: “I’m leaving.”

At the doorway, she suddenly turned back, strode forward, and forcefully grabbed his collar, pulling him down to plant a firm kiss on his lips. Lowering her long lashes, she muttered: “I know what you must do.”

With that, she flung open the door and strode away.

Xie Zheng stood rooted to the spot, watching her retreating figure, dark emotions brewing in the depths of his eyes: “If any harm comes to her, none of you need return.”

A shadow seemed to slip away from the room-

With the elite Blood Shadow Riders leading the charge, the Five Army Corps branch surrounding the Xie residence posed little challenge. Fan Changyu quickly tore open a path and rode straight for the Ministry of State Affairs.

Being New Year’s, most shops along the street were tightly shuttered – whether the merchants had gone home for the celebrations or were frightened by the day’s massive military movements was unclear. Common households along the street had also barred their doors.

With Fan Changyu’s group serving as such a conspicuous target, part of the Five Army Corps surrounding the Xie residence broke off to pursue them, successfully ignoring the scouts who rode off in the opposite direction-

The Ministry’s main gate had already been broken open, with a commander standing in the courtyard, hand on his sword, shouting: “Search everywhere! Any male child found is to be killed on sight!”

Tang Peiyi, He Xiujun, and other commanders emerged at the commotion. Seeing Five Army Corps troops, they dared not confront them directly. Tang Peiyi clasped his hands and asked: “May I ask, Commander, what brings the army to storm the Ministry so suddenly?”

Though the commander’s rank was several levels below Tang Peiyi’s, he merely sneered: “The Three Judicial Offices have determined that the rebel mother and child who escaped from the Court of Justice are being harbored here. I am here on orders to search the premises.”

Tang Peiyi was straightforward by nature, and his face showed displeasure at the commander’s contemptuous attitude. The more perceptive He Xiujun immediately said: “If you’re here to search, Commander, please show us your warrant to avoid any misunderstandings or ill will.”

Unable to produce a warrant, the commander declared: “Once we find the suspects, you can view the warrant at the Court of Justice!”

He Xiujun exchanged knowing glances with Tang Peiyi and Zheng Wenchang.

He Xiujun smiled amiably: “Commander, there must be some misunderstanding. Since being summoned to the capital, we haven’t left the Ministry except when called by His Majesty. How could escaped prisoners be hiding here? Let your men search – it’s cold out, why don’t you come inside to warm yourself by the fire and have some tea?”

As he spoke, he moved to take the commander’s elbow.

The commander’s eyes flickered, about to refuse, when He Xiujun suddenly struck. The hand gripping the commander’s arm twisted backward as He Xiujun swept the man’s feet from under him, forcing him to his knees with his arms pinned behind him.

Zheng Wenchang, moving with perfect coordination, drew his sword and pressed it against the commander’s throat, shouting at the soldiers who tried to advance: “Stand back!”

The commander, realizing his carelessness, gritted his teeth and glared at Tang Peiyi: “If you let us find and take the person we seek, we can all part peacefully. But if you insist on wading into these troubled waters, escaping won’t be so easy.”

Tang Peiyi stared at him for a long moment before simply saying: “Bind him!”

Guards immediately came forward with ropes, securing him tightly.

Tang Peiyi, He Xiujun, and Zheng Wenchang shared quarters, so Tang Peiyi knew with certainty they weren’t harboring any male child. Fan Changyu, being a female general, resided in a separate courtyard. Tang Peiyi wasn’t sure if Fan Changyu had actually broken someone out of prison, or if these troops were simply using it as a pretext to capture Yu Bao’er.

They escorted their captive commander toward Fan Changyu’s courtyard. The searching soldiers, wary of their commander’s capture, dared not move but kept their weapons trained on Tang Peiyi’s group, waiting for an opportunity.

In Fan Changyu’s courtyard, they found Xie Five holding a sword one-handed while protecting an elderly couple behind him.

With only one functioning arm and two elderly people to protect, he was clearly at a disadvantage. Blood stained his clothes, and all the side rooms’ doors stood open, apparently already searched by the soldiers.

Tang Peiyi immediately shouted: “Stop!”

The soldiers surrounding Xie Five exchanged glances upon seeing their captured commander and eased their assault.

Tang Peiyi caught He Xiujun’s eye, who immediately took two guards to help the elderly Zhao couple. He Xiujun personally supported Xie Five, lowering his voice to ask: “Where is the young master?”

Xie Five replied: “The General secretly took him away.”

Relieved at this answer, He Xiujun turned to question the Five Army Corps commander: “We are residing here by Imperial decree. Without a warrant to search, let’s see who stands in the right when we report this to the Court of Justice!”

The commander insisted: “The rebel’s son rescued from the Court of Justice is hidden in the Ministry. By harboring rebels, have you also turned traitor?”

Tang Peiyi’s expression had grown extremely dark.

After He Xiujun gave him a subtle nod confirming Yu Bao’er was no longer present, Tang Peiyi patted the bound commander’s face and sneered: “Then let your men search. If they find nothing, you’ll leave a hand and foot here.”

Hearing this, the commander looked around, noticed Fan Changyu’s absence, and shouted: “Has the rebel’s offspring already been taken away by the Cloud Banner General?”

Just then, urgent, chaotic hoofbeats sounded outside the Ministry, followed by the clash of weapons.

As Tang Peiyi’s group escorted their captive toward the front courtyard, they had barely passed through the hanging flower gate when they saw a soldier flying through the air at the main entrance, crashing into a flower bed and coughing blood.

Fan Changyu, in a battle dress with a long sword across her back, fought her way in. Seeing Tang Peiyi’s group had captured the commander, she relaxed slightly and called out: “General Tang!”

Through the main gate, Tang Peiyi glimpsed the Blood Shadow Riders engaged in fierce combat with the soldiers outside. He quickly asked: “Niece Changyu, what’s happening?”

Fan Changyu parried an attacking soldier’s strike and replied concisely: “The Li family is staging a rebellion!”

Tang Peiyi and He Xiujun’s expressions changed drastically at these words.

Without pausing to wipe the blood spatter from her face, Fan Changyu strode forward and addressed Tang Peiyi: “The Great Yin Dynasty is about to change hands. What does General Tang intend to do?”

A rare look of gravity crossed Tang Peiyi’s rugged face. After a moment, he asked Fan Changyu: “What does the Marquis plan?”

Blood trickled from a wound on Fan Changyu’s temple down to her jaw. Her gaze was cold and resolute: “The one on the dragon throne is an incompetent ruler. The one the Li family wishes to install though descended from Crown Prince Chengde, lived for seventeen years in the Sui family as the eldest son of Prince Changxin. It was he who conspired with the Li family to trap Wei Yan. The siege of Lu City and Lord He’s death all stemmed from this. If such a person ascends to the throne, he will be no benevolent ruler.”

Only now did Tang Peiyi and his companions learn these hidden truths. After their initial shock, anger arose on their faces.

So the poisonous scheme to empty Chongzhou City and besiege Lu City instead was conceived by the Li family and the Crown Prince’s grandson?

Tang Peiyi looked at Fan Changyu: “Isn’t the child you’ve been protecting descended from Crown Prince Chengde?”

Fan Changyu replied: “That child is the Crown Prince’s grandson’s son.”

He Xiujun glanced at their Five Army Corps captive, a cold smile crossing his usually refined face: “So the Five Army Corps suddenly surrounded the Ministry because the Crown Prince’s grandson ordered the child’s death?”

Fan Changyu nodded gravely.

Before Tang Peiyi could respond, He Xiujun, bearing the weight of his father’s death, harbored a deep hatred for the Crown Prince’s grandson. He was the first to stand with Fan Changyu: “I will support the Marquis in installing the Crown Prince’s great-grandson!”

Tang Peiyi looked at He Xiujun.

As the eldest and most stable among the younger men, He Xiujun bowed to Tang Peiyi and said:

“My lord, this decision isn’t driven by vengeance for my father’s death. The Crown Prince’s grandson, though contending for the throne, lacks compassion for the common people. Like the Li family, he attempts to fabricate great crimes against Wei Yan using the lives of countless soldiers. Publicly, he lacks imperial virtue. Privately, in his pursuit of the throne, he would even murder his only son – even wolves aren’t so cruel. If the Great Yin’s realm falls into such hands, how would it differ from Wei Yan’s control of the court? How could we face the soldiers who died outside Lu City?”

Zheng Wenchang immediately stood beside Fan Changyu, followed by several other Ji Province commanders who had come to the capital.

The bitter battle at Lu City remained a deep wound in these Ji Province generals’ hearts.

Tang Peiyi heaved a deep sigh and looked at Fan Changyu: “I don’t know if I’ll regret today’s decision, but neither Wei Yan’s puppet nor the Li family’s chosen one deserves the dragon throne. Whether we succeed or fail today, I, Tang Peiyi, will follow the Marquis in changing the heavens for Great Yin!”

Only after Tang Peiyi’s agreement did Fan Changyu feel truly secure.

With Tang Peiyi’s support, Xie Zheng’s chances of securing the capital tonight increased by thirty percent!

Outside the Ministry, the Blood Shadow Riders continued battling the Five Army Corps soldiers. A bloody head was thrown out through the Ministry’s main gate, rolling several times across the stone tiles before stopping.

Blood still dripped from Fan Changyu’s long blade. In the flickering lamplight, her eyes held the ferocity of a descending tiger. Her cold, clear voice cut through the night’s chaos: “Right Wing Army Commander Zhou Tong is dead. If you surrender now, tonight’s offenses will be pardoned!”

The capital’s Five Army Corps was divided into five divisions: Central Army, Left and Right Wing Armies, and Left and Right Scout Armies, with the Central Army being the largest.

The fighting soldiers, seeing the bloody head, gradually ceased their combat.

Tang Peiyi immediately announced: “I will assist the Marquis of Wu’an in arresting the traitors. Those who don’t surrender will be charged with treason for tonight’s siege of the Ministry.”

With their commander dead, this Right Wing Army unit, hearing these threatening words, became unsettled. After looking around uncertainly, they lowered their weapons.

Seeing the situation at the Ministry stabilized, Fan Changyu turned to Tang Peiyi: “General Tang, I leave this to you.”

Tang Peiyi asked: “You’re not accompanying us to the palace?”

Fan Changyu mounted her horse, the cold wind lifting the loose strands of hair that had fallen across her forehead during the fighting: “I’m going to stop the Divine Machine Regiment from reinforcing the palace.”

With just these words, Tang Peiyi understood Fan Changyu’s intentions.

He said: “Then take more men with you!”

He assigned several more soldiers to Fan Changyu, including Zheng Wenchang.

Fan Changyu didn’t refuse. From horseback, she saluted Tang Peiyi: “Thank you, General!”

Fan Changyu led Zheng Wenchang and the others, along with the Blood Shadow Riders, toward the Western Gardens.

After watching them leave, Tang Peiyi shouted to the surrendered Right Wing Army: “Follow me to ‘rescue’ the Emperor!”

Dusk deepened and the snowfall intensified, with a thin layer of snow gathering on the lantern covers hanging beneath the eaves.

The dim yellow light under the eaves cast swaying bamboo shadows on the lit windows of the side room, where two indistinct figures could be seen sitting on opposite sides of low tables, engaged in a game of Go.

One figure was thin and ethereal, with sparse hair tied in a small bun at the back of his head, secured with a long pin. He occasionally stroked the equally sparse long beard below his chin.

The other figure was muscular and strong, sitting straight-backed as a pine tree on his cushion, placing stones with the decisiveness of a warrior.

Both men resembled mountains – one with the elegance of flowing water over peaks, the other with the majesty of Mount Song.

As the elderly, thin man placed another white stone with his fore and middle fingers, Grand Tutor Tao looked at his opponent and sighed: “Yi Gui, you’ve walked into a dead end in this game.”

Gui, a jade ceremonial tablet. Yi Gui was Wei Yan’s courtesy name.

In the entire court, only the weathered old man across from him dared to address him thus.

Outside, the strong wind made the bamboo shadows dance. Wei Yan returned his black stone to the bowl and said: “Not necessarily. Perhaps by dawn, I’ll find a way to break through.”