Zhu Yu – Chapter 112

Emerging from the central military tent, a young officer congratulated Fan Chang Yu: “The past few battles have greatly dampened the rebels’ spirits. With Long Xin Wang dead and the rebel prince Yuan Qing captured by the Marquis after Kang City fell, there was no one left in Chong Prefecture who can fight. If Captain Fan breaks through the city gates tomorrow and achieves this first merit, we’ll be left far behind.”

This seeming compliment carried a hint of sourness.

Fan Chang Yu’s roots in the army were still shallow, having gained the favor of superiors through several remarkable achievements. Many didn’t speak openly, but privately they were somewhat envious.

Fan Chang Yu only said: “It’s all thanks to General Tang and Master Li’s day and night strategic planning. We merely charge into battle with courage. How can this be called the first merit? The general is too kind.”

Once she brought up Tang Pei Yi and Li Huai An, the young officer didn’t dare say more and just agreed with an awkward smile.

Li Huai An came out of the central tent shortly after, having heard an unknown amount of their conversation. He smiled and said: “All the generals’ brave fighting against the enemy is seen and appreciated by His Majesty and General Tang. The peace of Great Yin still relies on all of you generals.”

The phrase “seen and appreciated” made the young officer’s face changed slightly, fearing his previous words had offended Li Huai An. He clasped his fists and repeatedly agreed.

Fan Chang Yu also clasped her fists and agreed, her expression neither servile nor arrogant.

Li Huai An glanced at her without saying more, only stating: “A great battle is imminent. All generals should go rest and conserve their energy. We must take Chong Prefecture tomorrow.”

Fan Chang Yu, along with the others, clasped her fists once more before preparing to return to her tent.

After walking some distance, she realized Li Huai An had been following her, neither too close nor too far as if he were just casually walking and happened to be going the same way.

During the meeting in the central tent, personal guards were not allowed inside. Other generals had come alone, so Fan Chang Yu couldn’t bring Xiao Wu to wait outside. Now she was also alone.

Being straightforward by nature, she frowned slightly before stopping and turning to ask directly: “Does the Master have something he wishes to instruct this subordinate?”

Li Huai An was caught off guard by Fan Chang Yu’s sudden question. He paused for a moment before shaking his head with a wry smile: “You with your ‘Master’ and ‘this subordinate’ – you’re getting more and more distant each time.”

Fan Chang Yu said: “Propriety must not be neglected.”

Li Huai An’s expression became slightly serious. He suddenly asked: “Is this how you address the Marquis as well?”

Fan Chang Yu remained silent, not answering.

Li Huai An realized he had misspoken. His brows furrowed tightly, perhaps annoyed at himself for saying such words despite his usual composure and self-restraint. He said: “I spoke out of turn. Miss Fan, please don’t take offense…”

But at this moment, Fan Chang Yu raised her head, her expression firm yet calm: “The Marquis’s status is noble. Naturally, this subordinate cannot be disrespectful.”

This time, Li Huai An was stunned for even longer.

Fan Chang Yu said: “If the Master has no other matters, this subordinate will take her leave now.”

Li Huai An stopped her: “You’re blaming me for Master He’s situation, aren’t you?”

Fan Chang Yu said: “This subordinate wouldn’t dare.”

Li Huai An gazed at her for a long time. He was standing in the shadow of a military tent, half of his robe gently swaying in the night breeze under the bright moonlight. His eyes and brows were hidden in darkness, concealing that mask-like gentle smile on his face. Instead, he seemed more genuine.

He said: “The secret Miss Fan’s parents are guarding might be the key to bringing down Wei Yan. Wei Yan has usurped imperial power for years. Only by removing the Wei faction can we restore clarity to the Great Yin court. Master He could conceal it out of loyalty, but Huai An cannot. If Miss Fan blames me, Huai An has no other choice.”

Fan Chang Yu pressed her lips tightly and said: “The Master’s words are too heavy. The Master is upholding the law, and this subordinate has no right to comment. But the Master used this subordinate to uncover Master He’s wrongdoing, causing my benefactor to fall into his current predicament, yet still expects this subordinate to have no misgivings. The Master is indeed making it difficult for this subordinate.”

Hearing her speak this way, Li Huai An seemed somewhat surprised and said: “So you know everything.”

Fan Chang Yu didn’t respond.

The night wind blew his loose scholar’s robe, outlining his bamboo-like figure. His voice was low, almost like a sigh: “Wei Yan’s assassins all perished at Miss Fan’s home. Huai An was originally ordered to thoroughly investigate this matter in Ji Prefecture. Meeting Miss Fan on the mountain road was a coincidence, but as of today, sincerely wanting to befriend Miss Fan is true. Regardless of how Wei Yan’s side might deal with Miss Fan, the Li family will ensure Miss Fan’s safety.”

Fan Chang Yu only said: “This subordinate will repay the Li family’s great kindness in the future.”

Though she spoke of repaying kindness, wasn’t the Li family’s willingness to protect her also for the sake of dealing with Wei Yan?

Hearing these words, even Li Huai An felt ashamed and somewhat amused.

Seeing her distantly and politely distancing herself from the Li family, Li Huai An couldn’t quite describe the feeling in his heart, but it was certainly not pleasant.

Perhaps thinking of something, he suddenly said: “Miss Fan should also be careful of that eunuch who came from the palace.”

Fan Chang Yu asked: “Is His Majesty trying to deal with me?”

Li Huai An said: “The matter of Master He harboring your parents for seventeen years hasn’t yet reached His Majesty’s ears. But His Majesty has already issued an imperial edict betrothing the Marquis to the Princess. It’s been heard that the Marquis and Miss Fan were once a couple in distress when he was in trouble. They fear the Princess might take offense…”

He didn’t continue, but his meaning was already very clear.

Fan Chang Yu suddenly asked: “If I weren’t an official military officer now, just an ordinary civilian woman, would I already be dead?”

Li Huai An didn’t speak, seeming to confirm her statement.

Fan Chang Yu spoke as if she truly couldn’t understand, her voice extremely low: “Being born into the royal family allows one to view commoners’ lives as insignificant as ants?”

At the moment she heard this news, besides the sadness of Xie Zheng being betrothed, there was also a sense of bewilderment at suddenly not being able to see the path ahead clearly.

The Emperor, in the hearts of common people, was like the sky above their heads.

Fan Chang Yu had previously hoped to clear her grandfather’s name by establishing military merits, like those sung about in operas – presenting grievances before the golden hall, then having injustice redressed and good and evil judged.

But the reality before her seemed vastly different from the operas. In the operas, the high officials or emperors who ultimately judged good and evil were always impartial and just. In reality, even the Emperor could have selfish motives.

That Emperor, sitting firmly on the dragon throne thousands of miles away, didn’t even know of her grievances. Just because she might interfere with the Princess’s marriage, he wanted her dead.

Li Huai An saw that her expression was extremely poor. He wanted to offer some comfort, but those words that could cost one’s head couldn’t be revealed at this time. He only gave a promise: “General Meng has borne a bad name for seventeen years. If it was Wei Yan’s doing, the Li family would certainly help General Meng get justice.”

He didn’t say much about her father, seemingly also acknowledging that her father was Wei Yan’s man, having helped Wei Yan frame her grandfather years ago.

Fan Chang Yu only numbly expressed thanks, then said she was tired and would return to her tent to rest.

Li Huai An watched her retreating figure for a long time, muttering to himself: “How foolish, why did I tell her about the Emperor’s betrothal at this time?”

Perhaps… he disliked her polite yet distant attitude towards him.

But after telling her and seeing the sadness that momentarily surged in her eyes, his heart didn’t feel much better either.

In the end, Li Huai An gave a self-mocking smile.

After Fan Chang Yu returned, she had never felt so exhausted before. Her whole body felt heavy as if all the fatigue from the past month had accumulated to this moment.

Lying down on the military bed fully clothed, she felt even breathing was laborious. A sense of suffocation enveloped her, making her feel as if she had fallen into a swamp, hands, and feet being pulled down, unable to struggle free no matter how hard she tried.

She turned her head to look at the deerskin wristguard tied to her sleeve. After untying it, she wanted to throw it away but couldn’t bear to. She placed it on the low stool beside the bed where clothes were kept. Enduring the dull pain in her chest from breathing deeply, she exhaled a long breath of turbid air, then covered her eyes with one hand to sleep.

There was still a hard battle to fight tomorrow; she needed to rest well.

But in the darkness, her trembling breaths betrayed her emotions. The moisture from the corner of her eye, seeping into her hair at the temples, had gathered enough to dampen the pillow.

When he left that day, he had spoken so clearly and so resolutely. The Emperor’s betrothal meant he could gain more power to deal with Wei Yan by marrying the Princess. It was a good thing for him; he probably wouldn’t refuse.

Even though she saw everything clearly, she still couldn’t control the sadness in her heart at that moment.

Fan Chang Yu’s hand remained covering her eyes. She silently told herself that she was only allowed to be sad for this one night. After tonight, that person’s affairs would no longer have anything to do with her.

The Emperor wasn’t good in her eyes, but she shouldn’t let the common people endure more warfare. She would fight well in tomorrow’s battle.

Moreover, it was precisely because she had become a military official of the court that the Emperor didn’t dare to openly move against her. She needed to be wary of the eunuch the Emperor had placed in the army and climb even higher herself.

The advisors she had invited had explained to her the current balance of power in the court. The Emperor wanted to eliminate Wei Yan so badly, yet still had to consult Wei Yan on all state affairs because Wei Yan held great power.

Those who could be easily eliminated were only so because they didn’t have enough power in their hands.

Even now, Fan Chang Yu still doesn’t like fighting for so-called power, but if that thing concerned the lives of herself and those around her, she would fight for it with her life.

The next day when Fan Chang Yu woke up, her eyes were swollen as expected.

Xie Wu saw her and was startled: “Captain, your…”

Fan Chang Yu lied without blinking: “There were many mosquitoes last night. My eyes were bitten.”

Xie Wu opened his mouth, then closed it again, only agreeing: “The mosquitoes are quite numerous.”

Fan Chang Yu was no longer tied to the deerskin wristguard Xie Zheng had given her. She fastened the fine iron vambrace that matched her armor with one hand and said: “Choose a few from the several dozen men I’ve personally trained and place them by Chang Ning’s side, under Xiao Qi’s command. Have them escort Chang Ning and Madam Zhao back to Ji Prefecture.”

Xie Wu keenly sensed something: “Captain, are you worried Miss Chang Ning might be in danger?”

Fan Chang Yu didn’t hide it from Xie Wu, but she didn’t say much either, only: “Prevention is better than cure.”

Whether it was Wei Yan or the Emperor, they both saw her as a thorn in their side.

Fan Chang Yu wasn’t afraid of them dealing with her, but she feared they might stoop to harming Chang Ning.

Once she was on the battlefield, she would be stretched thin. At present, Ji Prefecture is still He Jing Yuan’s territory. Sending Chang Ning and Madam Zhao back to Ji Prefecture would be relatively safer for them.

Having received these instructions, Xie Wu didn’t waste time and immediately went to make arrangements.

Returning to the battlefield, and as the commander of the vanguard, Fan Chang Yu felt little fear in her heart, but rather a heaviness.

So many people had entrusted their lives to her. She wanted to win this battle while also ensuring that those soldiers whose names she couldn’t even remember could return home alive.

Tens of thousands of troops tightly surrounded Chong Prefecture.

Fan Chang Yu was responsible for attacking the East Gate. The cavalry and infantry under her command had become very coordinated through this period of training and small-scale battles.

But as she led the vanguard towards the East Gate, entering the shooting range of the rebels’ archers, the Chong Prefecture soldiers on the city wall appeared very panicked. A few were trying to shoot arrows but could barely draw their bows.

Behind these soldiers, several larger built troops were whipping them. Some of the smaller soldiers even knelt, seemingly pleading.

Fan Chang Yu, riding on her galloping warhorse, looked at the opposite city wall, confusion rising in her eyes.

The archers behind her, seeing they had reached the range to shoot at the city wall, immediately shouted: “Release arrows!”

Arrows flew like locusts towards the rebel soldiers on the city wall. Wails arose as a group of soldiers in Chong Prefecture uniforms scrambled on the narrow walkway of the city wall, not even knowing to use the battlements for temporary cover.

Someone on the city wall cried out hoarsely: “Don’t shoot! We’re all civilians from the city…”

As the shrill cry echoed, the person wailing was immediately beheaded by the ruthless Chongzhou soldiers behind them. However, it seemed that only a minority of the Chongzhou troops were guarding the civilians. More and more people on the city wall disregarded the pressure from the Chongzhou soldiers, crying out that they weren’t Chongzhou troops, but merely civilians from the city forced to fill the ranks.

Fan Changyu harshly reined in her horse. Her warhorse neighed and reared up on its hind legs. She made a gesture to temporarily halt the arrow fire and shouted, “Shoot the Chongzhou soldiers standing in the back rows!”

Xie Wu, following closely beside her, acted as both her personal guard and signal officer. He immediately began signaling with flags from horseback.

On the battlefield, shouts filled the air, making verbal commands difficult to hear, but flag signals were visible.

The archers behind them stopped firing en masse and instead aimed at the more robust-looking soldiers on the city wall.

Since most of the people filling the battlements were civilians with no combat experience, Fan Changyu and her elite troops crossed the most dangerous arrow range with little effort.

Upon reaching the base of the city wall, as soon as the siege ladders were placed against the battlements, the real Chongzhou soldiers seemed to panic. They hurriedly whipped the civilians, forcing them to lift stones and throw them down.

Fan Changyu, hugging the wall to avoid falling rocks and logs, shouted upwards, “Listen, civilians of Chongzhou on the city wall! You’re all being coerced. After the city falls, the imperial court won’t punish you. The rebels’ luck has run out. If you help the imperial army defeat the enemy, you’ll be rewarded when the city is taken!”

The civilians forced onto the city wall had been driven there at swordpoint. They dared not resist the Chongzhou soldiers, partly due to their ingrained respect for officials and soldiers, and partly because they didn’t know if they’d be executed as rebels along with the others when the army outside breached the city.

With Fan Changyu’s words, even though most civilians remained timid, some hot-blooded men roared, seizing weapons from the rebel soldiers and turning on them.

As chaos erupted on the city wall, it became easier for the Jingzhou troops below to climb up the ladders.

After climbing up, Fan Changyu cut down several Chongzhou soldiers as easily as slicing vegetables. Seeing how few people remained behind the city wall, she realized something was wrong. Scanning the area, she spotted a fully armored general-like figure about to flee. Fan Changyu cut through the few soldiers blocking her path, and before she even reached him, her eight-foot-long black iron blade flew through the air.

The commander was pierced in the calf, howling in agony. He tried to pull the large blade from his leg but touching the wound only intensified the pain.

By this time, Fan Changyu had caught up. She stepped on the commander’s injured leg and picked up her blade, asking, “Where is the eldest son of the Prince of Changxin?”

The young commander cried out in pain, “My leg… my leg…”

Fan Changyu eased the pressure and coldly barked, “Speak!”

Seeing that Chongzhou had fallen, the young commander, disregarding everything else, spilled the truth, “The Young Master left the city gates last night.”

Fan Changyu’s face changed dramatically. She pointed the tip of her blade at his throat and shouted, “You’re lying!”

The young commander begged repeatedly, “My lady, whether I’m lying or not, just look at how few soldiers are left in the city. It can’t be false, can it?”

This was true. The East Gate, Chongzhou’s main gate, barely had enough soldiers and civilians in military uniforms to man the entire wall. It didn’t look right at all.

Fan Changyu said with a grim expression, “All four main gates were heavily guarded. How could the rebels inside have escaped the city?”

The young commander pleaded, “The main force inside the city withdrew from the West Gate last night. Where the West Gate guards went, I truly don’t know!”

Fan Changyu knew she wouldn’t get any more information from this rebel commander. She had him bound and quickly sent scouts to report to Tang Peiyi.

The rebels escaping from the West Gate last night without making a sound was no small matter.

Outside the four main gates, beyond the range of arrows and catapults from the city walls, five thousand troops were stationed.

For the Prince of Changxin’s eldest son to escape with his army, he’d have to fly or burrow underground.

Fan Changyu’s mind was in turmoil. She ordered Xie Wu to watch the city gate and strictly commanded the entering Jingzhou troops not to harass the city’s civilians. She then captured a Chongzhou soldier, ordering him to lead the way as she and her men headed for the Prince of Changxin’s mansion.

Upon arriving at the mansion, they found only servants remained. Fan Changyu interrogated several people, all of whom said Sui Yuanhuai had fled the night before.

Unable to find Yu Qianqian and Yu Bao’er, Fan Changyu questioned more servants. She learned that months ago, Sui Yuanhuai had brought back a mother and child. The woman was indeed surnamed Yu, but they didn’t know her full name. They only knew she was Sui Yuanhuai’s concubine, and the child was born after she had escaped.

Hearing this result, Fan Changyu remained silent for a while.

After coming to her senses, she ordered her soldiers to detain the people in the Prince of Changxin’s mansion, then sat inside the room, lost in thought for quite some time.

She realized she had been slow. Since Chang Ning mentioned meeting Yu Bao’er at the Prince of Changxin’s mansion, she should have guessed Yu Qianqian’s identity wasn’t simple.

Although she hadn’t known Yu Qianqian long, it was clear she was a strong-willed person. Having escaped once, she likely wasn’t willingly serving as Sui Yuanhuai’s concubine.

The trouble now was that both she and Yu Bao’er had been captured by Sui Yuanhuai, and all the servants in the Prince of Changxin’s mansion knew about his son.

Fan Changyu worried that if Sui Yuanhuai was eventually caught, Yu Bao’er might also be implicated.

Rebellion was punishable by the execution of nine generations of one’s family.

A knock at the door interrupted Fan Changyu’s thoughts.

“Commander, General Tang has entered the city with the main force and urgently summons you for a meeting,” came Xie Wu’s voice.

Fan Changyu replied, “Alright, I’ll go right away.”

When Fan Changyu arrived at the meeting hall, she found the atmosphere, as expected, extremely tense.

Tang Peiyi sat at the head with a grim expression, while the officers below all hung their heads. Fan Changyu also lowered her head as she took her place in the last row.

But having arrived late, her entrance caught Tang Peiyi’s attention. He asked her directly, “Commander Fan, I heard you went to search the Prince of Changxin’s mansion after the city fell. Did you find anything?”

Fan Changyu stepped forward, saluted, and reported, “In response to the General, only about a hundred servants remained in the mansion. They all said the Prince of Changxin’s eldest son left the city last night. I’ve ordered the mansion to be sealed and all the servants to be detained for now.”

This news didn’t improve Tang Peiyi’s mood. He waved for Fan Changyu to step back.

As soon as Fan Changyu returned to her place, Tang Peiyi violently overturned the table in front of him. The tea cups crashed to the ground along with the table, scattering shards everywhere. Everyone in the room was startled and grew even more tense.

Everyone knew this was absurd.

For tens of thousands of rebel troops to abandon the city so brazenly after being besieged, it was unclear how to even write this in the battle report to the capital.

If the Emperor became enraged, it was uncertain whether Tang Peiyi, the newly appointed commander of the Jingzhou army, would keep his head.

Li Huai’an entered the hall, saw the scene, and calmly said, “General Tang, please don’t be angry. We’ve uncovered the details of how the rebels escaped from the West Gate last night.”

Tang Peiyi finally looked up and asked, “What happened?”

Li Huai’an answered, “The Weiweizhou Colonel guarding the West Gate, Lu Dayi, was an old acquaintance of an advisor under the Prince of Changxin. They had been in secret communication. Lu Dayi’s recent military achievements were all due to this advisor secretly informing him of the rebel force deployments. Last night, after you decided on today’s attack, the advisor hurriedly wrote a letter of surrender, attached it to the city’s defense map, and shot it by arrow outside Lu Dayi’s camp as proof of his sincerity. He promised to open the city gate at the Hour of Zi, helping him take Chongzhou without losing a single soldier and claiming the first merit.”

Tang Peiyi, his eyes almost red with anger, shouted, “That fool believed it?”

Li Huai’an nodded gravely, “To claim this first merit, Lu Dayi feared that troop movements might alert the scouts, so he withdrew the scouts near the West Gate. At night, he led the guards outside the West Gate into the city, following the advisor’s instructions. They were ambushed and killed by arrows in the dark alleys inside the city. The rebels then used this opportunity to escape.”

“Lu Dayi had a strategist who, upon seeing the letter last night, advised him against such a risky move. Lu Dayi thought the strategist was cowardly and feared he might ruin his plans, so he tied him up and left him in the tent. I led men to investigate the situation at the West Gate earlier and only then discovered him.”

Tang Peiyi took the surrender letter the advisor had written to Lu Dayi from Li Huai’an and cursed, “Lu Dayi deserved to die! This good-for-nothing! Who can bear the responsibility for such a catastrophe?”

Li Huai’an raised his amber eyes slightly and said meaningfully, “Lu Dayi was recommended by the Prime Minister.”

Hearing this, Tang Peiyi slammed the armrest of his chair even harder, shattering the well-made chair into pieces. “Wei Yan has wild ambitions! Lord He entrusted the Jingzhou military power to me, and Lu Dayi was so eager to claim merit—was he trying to help Wei Yan reclaim control of the Jingzhou army?”

He turned back to the table angrily, gnashing his teeth, “Even if this general is willing to be flayed alive, Wei Yan won’t be able to stay out of this!”

Li Huai’an lowered his eyes and said, “The most urgent matter now is to find the rebels’ next destination.”

Tang Peiyi blurted out, “Lu City! If the rebels go further north, they’ll enter the territory of Marquis Wu’an’s Xie family army, which would be suicide. The hometown of the Prince of Changxin’s wife in Kang City has also been taken by Marquis Wu’an. The rebels can only go south now. Between Tai and Jing Prefectures, Tai Prefecture’s army hasn’t moved, while all of Jing Prefecture’s forces have rushed to Chongzhou. If they break through Lu City, the gateway to Jing Prefecture, the rebels can march south unimpeded!”

His teeth were chattering uncontrollably as he said, “Deploy troops to Lu City immediately.”

Li Huai’an shook his head, “The rebels moved at the Hour of Zi last night. Even if our main force pursues at full speed, we probably won’t catch up. We can only send scouts ahead to report and dispatch a cavalry unit for support first.”

Tang Peiyi, his mind in a frenzy, hurriedly said, “Yes, yes, let’s do as you say, nephew.”

Zheng Wenchang, a native of Jing Prefecture and nurtured by He Jingyuan, immediately stepped forward and said, “General, I humbly request to lead the cavalry back to Lu City for support!”

Fan Changyu, knowing that He Jingyuan was likely too injured to fight again and worried about Chang Ning and the others she had sent back to Jing Prefecture with Xie Qi earlier that morning possibly encountering the rebel army on the road, also stepped forward and said, “I am also willing to go to aid Jing Prefecture.”

Tang Peiyi looked at the two of them, aware of their martial prowess and deep respect for He Jingyuan. He immediately said, “You two will lead three thousand cavalry to Lu City first!”

But at that moment, a shrill voice came from outside, “Wait—”

A eunuch who had previously come to the military camp was being supported by a young eunuch as he slowly crossed the threshold and entered.

When Li Huai’an saw this eunuch, his brow twitched.

At this moment, Tang Peiyi was in a state of distress. Seeing the eunuch, he couldn’t muster a pleasant expression. “May I ask what brings the Honorable One here?”

The eunuch who had come to deliver the imperial edict, his face caked with thick powder, smiled insincerely, his face creasing into layers of wrinkles. “When His Majesty sent this humble one to comfort the soldiers of Jizhou, he also bestowed upon me the title of Imperial Inspector. General Tang, I trust you’ll heed my words here?”

He was already using his status to pressure others. An Imperial Inspector held supervisory authority in the military. Tang Peiyi could only reluctantly reply, “How could I not, Honorable One? It’s just that the current military situation is urgent, and I…”

“This humble one came specifically because of the urgent military situation,” the eunuch interrupted Tang Peiyi.

As his gaze swept over Fan Changyu, she felt as if she had been struck by a poisonous snake’s tail – that cold and slimy sensation made her feel both nauseated and terrified.

Fan Changyu pondered the words Li Huai’an had spoken to her the previous night, wondering if this wretched eunuch was about to set some trap for her.

Sure enough, the next moment, the eunuch spoke slowly, “General Tang has besieged Chongzhou city for days with tens of thousands of troops under his command. Capturing the rebels should have been as easy as catching a turtle in a jar, yet it has come to this. The three thousand cavalry sent to Lucheng – it’s uncertain whether they can catch up with the rebels. Even if they do, can just three thousand men repel nearly twenty thousand rebel troops?”

His wrinkled eyelids drooped halfway, giving him an appearance of detachment as he continued unhurriedly, “This humble one must report the frontline situation to His Majesty promptly so that the Ministry of War can dispatch troops and make preparations south of Jizhou as quickly as possible.”

Hearing his words implying that Jizhou couldn’t be held, Tang Peiyi’s face filled with barely concealed anger. He replied coldly, “If the Honorable One wishes to return to the capital to report to His Majesty, by all means, do so. This official will lead his subordinate commanders and spare no effort to rush to Lucheng’s aid.”

The eunuch seemed to have heard a joke and smiled, “This humble one will surely put in a good word for General Tang’s loyalty and patriotism before His Majesty. However, if this humble one were to set out just like this, I fear I might encounter rebels and be unable to deliver this news to His Majesty.”

Changing his tone, he finally revealed the purpose of his visit: “General Tang, assign two thousand of your cavalry to this humble one, to escort me back to the capital to report.”

Tang Peiyi’s eyes bulged with rage. “Two thousand? If you take away two thousand troops, what am I supposed to use to rush to Lucheng’s aid?”

The eunuch looked at him with half-closed eyes, “General Tang, you’re merely deceiving yourself now, thinking that Jizhou hasn’t fallen yet. Let me ask you, if Jizhou falls, what can your three thousand cavalry do once they reach Lucheng? Give this humble one two thousand, and I can take a detour through Taizhou to return to the capital and report, getting the news back first.”

Tang Peiyi shouted, “If you want to go back and report, no one’s stopping you. But you’re not getting my two thousand cavalry. No way!”

The eunuch snorted coldly, dropping the smile from his face. “Tang Peiyi, are you defying an imperial order?”

Tang Peiyi, already dizzy with anger, no longer wished to humor this powdered-faced eunuch. He bellowed, “Today, I am defying the order! You castrated good-for-nothing, it’s one thing to wag your tongue in the palace, but bringing that nonsense here? Today, even if I kill you and report to His Majesty that you died at the hands of rebels, what can you do about it?”

His bandit-like aura truly intimidated the eunuch.

Li Huai’an spoke up at the right moment, “General Tang, don’t be rash.”

Tang Peiyi brushed Li Huai’an aside and ordered Fan Changyu and Zheng Wenchang, “You two, lead the troops to Lucheng immediately!”

Fan Changyu knew that the current situation was beyond what she and Zheng Wenchang could handle. As long as Lucheng was held, Tang Peiyi wouldn’t be punished, and the civilians in Jizhou could be spared from the ravages of war. She and Zheng Wenchang immediately saluted and left.

The eunuch was still shouting behind them, “Tang Peiyi, how dare you treat an imperial envoy like this…”

Tang Peiyi looked back at the eunuch and ordered those around him, “Tie him up! Throw him in the pile of corpses, let him see how many people have died in this battle!”

He glared at the eunuch with fierce eyes, his jaw clenched, and said, “The message will be sent back to the capital by my men. You, Honorable One, can stay here with my fallen soldiers!”

With that, he shouted, “Army, move out!”

After he left the hall, Li Huai’an glanced at the eunuch who had been tied up like a dumpling and was being dragged away. With an indescribable expression, he caught up with Tang Peiyi and said, “General Tang, why trouble yourself like this?”

Tang Peiyi, a man eight feet tall, had once again reddened his eyes because of today’s events. He said, “Nephew, look, the peace we risk our lives for is nothing but a matter of words for those around His Majesty.”

He grinned, “It’s not that I look down on scholars. Since ancient times, pretty words have always been spoken by scholars. Whether they have integrity or not, I don’t know. But those white bones on the battlefield, having spent all their flesh and blood, can hardly hope for their names to be remembered by future generations.”

“That eunuch thinks Jizhou must be lost, but I know Lord He. Even if he has only one breath left, he will hold out until reinforcements arrive.”

“Those two youngsters leading the cavalry to provide aid first are also full of loyalty and courage. If they can delay for even a moment longer, our chances of victory increase.”

Li Huai’an thought of the grand plan devised by this grandfather and the imperial grandson to overthrow Wei Yan and suddenly felt an endless guilt in his heart. He said, “If Jizhou falls, perhaps the situation won’t be as bad as we fear. We can always recapture it.”

Tang Peiyi looked at him, his face stern, and said, “How can warfare be taken lightly? When Jinzhou was lost to foreign invaders years ago, how many years passed, how much blood of Da Yin’s sons was spilled before we recaptured it?”

Just then, a personal guard came hurrying over, saluted Tang Peiyi, and said, “General, the army has begun to move, and your warhorse has been brought!”

Tang Peiyi then said to Li Huai’an, “I’ll entrust Chongzhou to you, nephew.”

Li Huai’an watched his retreating figure, striding like a tiger, his thoughts in tumult.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Jizhou would have already been taken by Sui Yuanhuai by now.

He wasn’t worried about the civilians in Jizhou because he knew Sui Yuanhuai was the imperial grandson and wouldn’t harm innocents.

This was just a play. A battle that was originally certain to be won had turned sour because Wei Yan’s subordinates had messed things up, allowing the rebels to escape from the resource-depleted Chongzhou and occupy Jizhou.

Not only would the court be enraged, but the entire nation would be incensed. Wei Yan would become the target of public criticism.

Soon after, Jizhou would be recaptured, and the “rebels” would be brought to justice, confessing everything. They would reveal that their escape from Chongzhou wasn’t due to Wei Yan’s subordinates seeking glory, but because they had reached an agreement with Wei Yan. Wei Yan had helped them escape the heavily blockaded Chongzhou, and in return, they had helped Wei Yan prolong the Chongzhou campaign, preventing his military authority from being recalled too quickly.

As for the death of Lu Dayi, it would naturally be attributed to Wei Yan silencing witnesses.

To make this play convincing enough, it was necessary to keep Tang Peiyi and others on the chessboard in the dark. Only with enough deaths could this matter be blown up to the desired proportions.

Perhaps it was because of Tang Peiyi’s words, but Li Huai’an suddenly felt extremely uneasy.

He kept asking himself one question: Was it right or wrong to devise this plan to overthrow Wei Yan?

Once, he believed that with Wei Yan controlling the court politics of Da Yin, there would be no future for Da Yin as long as Wei Yan remained in power.

To remove Wei Yan, this great traitor, what did the political maneuvering in the court matter? Over these years, as the Li family rose to power, how many people had they sacrificed to contend with Wei Yan? Why did he now feel guilt over those fallen soldiers?

Their deaths could lead to Wei Yan’s downfall, allowing all the people under heaven to live better lives.

Sacrificing the small self for the greater good – shouldn’t that be right?

Li Huai’an closed his eyes, unwilling to think deeper.

A carriage advanced along the winding mountain road, while a snow-white gyrfalcon soared in circles in the distant sky.

As the carriage stopped near the riverbank at the foot of the mountain, a young man went to fetch water but slipped and fell flat on his back. The other young men guarding the carriage burst into laughter.

The youth grimaced as he got up, noticing traces of cooking smoke hidden under weeds. He muttered, “The riverbank is fine, where did this fire pit come from?”

Spotting several areas covered by weeds that were distinctly different from the surrounding wild grass, he went over and kicked them open one by one, discovering fire pits underneath. Scratching his head, he wondered, “Strange, so many fire pits. How many people must have cooked here?”

A small head poked out from the carriage. Chang Ning, holding a fluffy yellow duckling, asked excitedly, “Are we going to cook?”

The young man was one of the personal guards Fan Changyu had sent to protect Chang Ning and Madam Zhao. He was the one who had given his money to Fan Changyu for safekeeping before his first battle, named Qin Yong.

He glanced at the sun and smiled, “Cooking here would save us the trouble of digging pits.”

Xie Qi, sitting on the carriage shaft some distance from the riverbank, hadn’t seen the fire pits. Hearing Qin Yong mention numerous pits near the riverbank, he instinctively became alert. Jumping down from the carriage, he asked, “How many fire pits are there?”

Qin Yong counted the pits by the riverbank and replied, “Just on this side, there are seven or eight, all covered with weeds.”

Xie Qi, having served as a scout in the army, was more attuned to environmental reconnaissance. He walked along the river valley for a while and, finding numerous fire pits extending for a mile or two on both sides, said with certainty, “An army of at least ten thousand people must have passed through here.”

At these words, the other young soldiers also became alert, hesitating, “The rebels are trapped in Chongzhou City, and General Tang is leading the Jingzhou army to eliminate them. Where could such a large army have come from at this time?”

Xie Qi didn’t answer, but felt the temperature of the ashes in the fire pits, muttering, “The ashes are cold. It’s nearly noon now, and large armies don’t light fires to cook at night, so it must have been this morning.”

Qin Yong, who had been fetching water, asked, “Could it be the Marquis’s troops heading to Chongzhou after taking Kang City?”

Xie Qi stood up from the fire pit and said, “Going from Kang City through here to Chongzhou would be a detour.”

His expression grew serious as he returned to the carriage to find paper and brush. He quickly wrote something, rolled it into a small scroll, and looked at the gyrfalcon soaring in the sky. He gave a long whistle, and the bird swooped down.

After placing the message in the iron tube attached to the gyrfalcon’s leg, he stroked its feathers and said, “Go find the master.”

The gyrfalcon spread its wings and flew back into the sky.

Qin Yong watched this scene with great admiration. The white gyrfalcon that had been following them in the sky was incredibly fierce, and apart from this brother called Xie Qi, none of the others dared approach it.

He asked, “Are you sending the gyrfalcon to find the Commander?”

Before Xie Qi could answer, Chang Ning’s lips had already turned down. “Where did Uncle Xiao Qi send the falcon?”

Xie Qi reassured Chang Ning, “The gyrfalcon will deliver a message and come back.”

Qin Yong was even more excited now, his respect for Fan Changyu growing even stronger. “Is it going to find the Commander? I didn’t know the Commander kept such a fierce bird.”

Xie Qi, having heard from Xie Wu about Fan Changyu’s special attention to this young soldier on the battlefield and even giving him a heart-protecting mirror, unconsciously cooled his expression and said, “The gyrfalcon is going to deliver a message to our Commander’s husband.”

All the young men perked up their ears.

Qin Yong stammered, “The… the Commander is married?”

Xie Qi raised an eyelid and said, “Of course.”

A nearby soldier asked curiously, “What kind of person is the Commander’s husband? Is he also from our army?”

Another soldier chimed in, “He’s from our army. I heard from the brothers who went to aid Yixian Gorge that the Commander joined the army to find her husband after he was taken by the conscription.”

The others hurriedly asked, “Is that true?”

Xie Qi nodded coldly yet proudly, saying with a hint of glory, “How could it be false?”

So the other young soldiers urged the one who knew some inside information to tell them more about Fan Changyu’s husband.

That soldier said, “I heard that the Commander’s husband was seriously injured in the battle at Yixian Gorge and is now half-paralyzed.”

The young soldiers sighed, secretly lamenting Fan Changyu’s misfortune.

Xie Qi, who had just opened his water bottle for a drink, nearly choked to death.

Madam Zhao, sitting in the carriage, couldn’t help but scold, “What nonsense are you talking about!”

Qin Yong and the others didn’t know who this old lady was to Fan Changyu, but seeing how respectful Xie Qi was towards her, they all shrank their heads and accepted the scolding.

Chang Ning, though young, knew that the husband they were talking about was her brother-in-law. She leaned on the carriage window, looking up to ask Madam Zhao, “Granny, what does ‘half-paralyzed’ mean?”

Madam Zhao spat twice before saying, “It means saying someone is a cripple.”

Chang Ning then defended Xie Zheng, “My brother-in-law is not a cripple.”

The soldier who had spoken earlier scratched his head awkwardly and said, “I… I just heard it from others in the army.”

Madam Zhao, unaware of the subsequent events involving Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng, feared that with Fan Changyu’s high official position, those around her might have many thoughts. She liked Xie Qi because she saw him as honest, capable, and without ulterior motives.

To prevent Xie Zheng from becoming a discarded husband, she deliberately said in front of everyone, “Changyu’s husband is quite handsome, well-educated, and skilled in martial arts.”

Qin Yong, being simple-minded, thought that since the Commander was so capable, her husband must be equally impressive according to the old lady. He immediately said, “Then our Commander’s husband must also be a colonel or a general?”

Madam Zhao didn’t know Xie Zheng’s military rank but remembered that when he came looking for Fan Changyu last time, he seemed to have a lower rank than Fan Changyu’s position as a squad leader. Not daring to exaggerate, she lowered her eyes and focused on entertaining Chang Ning, not answering the question.

Qin Yong, unaware that he had said something wrong, looked at his companions in confusion when Madam Zhao didn’t respond.

It was Xie Qi who finally said, “When you meet the Commander’s husband in the future, you’ll know who he is.”

This topic was temporarily put to rest.

As they stopped to rest and cook, Xie Qi gazed at the horizon where the gyrfalcon had flown, his expression still not relaxed.

He had written down the situation they had observed on the road and sent the gyrfalcon to find Xie Zheng.

The gyrfalcon recognized the Xie family’s military flag. If the army that had passed through here was Xie Zheng’s, they could only have traveled a few dozen miles in half a day, and the gyrfalcon should have been able to quickly return with a reply from Xie Zheng.

If it wasn’t for Xie Zheng, sending the gyrfalcon to deliver the message to him would at least ensure the timely delivery of military intelligence.

The black-armored troops flowed like molten iron through the winding mountains, the “Xie” character wolf banner stretched taut by the mountain wind, flapping loudly.

A clear falcon cry came from the sky. The personal guard riding close to a carriage in the military formation looked up and respectfully said to the person inside, “Marquis, it’s the gyrfalcon.”

The person resting inside the carriage opened a pair of cold, sharp phoenix eyes.

He had left the gyrfalcon with her. She wouldn’t use it to send him any messages; only Xie Qi or Xie Wu would.

Had something happened on her side?

A tickle rose in his throat. He raised his lips and coughed softly, suppressing a fit of coughing as he lifted the thick brocade curtain of the carriage.

Seeing him, the gyrfalcon circled down, its iron-like claws firmly gripping the edge of the carriage. It raised the foot with the message tube.

After reading the message, Xie Zheng’s eyes turned cold. He commanded in a deep, cold voice, “Change course, march at full speed to Lu City.”

The personal guard outside the carriage looked at the sky and hesitated, “Marquis, if we go to Lu City now, we might not arrive before dark.”

From inside the carriage came an unquestionable, cold voice, “Bring my warhorse. The cavalry will ride with me.”

The golden crow was setting in the west, the remaining sunlight like blood.

The entire wilderness outside Lu City’s gates was wrapped in a layer of brilliant golden red.

Fan Changyu had come to dislike sunsets at some point. The color was too vivid, always reminding her of blood on the battlefield.

Like now.

Having rushed back to Lu City with three thousand cavalry without stopping, seeing the fresh blood on the soil dyed that gorgeous color, her heart sank.

Lu City hadn’t fallen, but the pile of corpses at the base of the city gates was already thick, almost higher than the gates themselves.

Today, when attacking Chongzhou City, she had seen ordinary civilians forced onto the city walls at swordpoint by the rebels. But here at Lu City’s walls, she saw civilians voluntarily defending the city.

He Jingyuan, dressed in full armor, stood in the center of Lu City’s walls, like a mountain, deterring the attacking forces from advancing.

Just seeing that figure from afar brought tears to Fan Changyu’s eyes.

He had led the civilians to defend the city gates until now, despite Lu City’s severe shortage of troops.

Zheng Wenchang let out a hoarse roar, leading the cavalry to pierce through the rear of Chongzhou’s rebel army formation. Fan Changyu followed closely.

Whether it was because the rebels were exhausted from the prolonged siege or because their cavalry charge was truly divinely aided, they cut through to the front of the formation. The rebel side, lacking capable leaders beyond their human wave tactics, didn’t engage them head-on and temporarily retreated.

They successfully entered the city.

The defenders on the city walls cheered, weeping with joy. Fan Changyu followed Zheng Wenchang to find He Jingyuan on the city wall.

The deputy commander, looking at the elderly man whose stern eyes were fixed in the distance, excitedly said, “Sir, Lu City has held!”

The old man didn’t respond, his expression unchanged.

The deputy commander’s heart sank. He hurriedly reached out to touch the old man, finding his body already stiff, yet still standing upright, leaning on his sword.

The deputy commander cried out in anguish, “Sir!”

Fan Changyu and the others, who had just reached the top of the city wall, heard this cry and felt their hearts suddenly grow cold.