Zhu Yu – Side Story: Little Sister

The blizzard raged like flying cotton, with howling winds reminiscent of ghostly wails and wolf howls.

Wei Yan lay with his eyes closed on a pile of withered grass, inwardly amused. He truly was an old man dwelling on the past now, as the wind’s sound outside the prison made him feel as if he were back in the northern frontier.

It had been many years since the old man had taken him to the Qi family’s military camp, where he and Xie Linshan had guarded the northern border together.

Those were indeed good times.

Old General Qi was still alive then, Rong Yin hadn’t entered the palace, and Linshan and the Crown Prince hadn’t died in Jinzhou…

Those days held the greatest joys of his half-century of life.

As his eyelids grew heavy, Wei Yan allowed himself to drift off to sleep amidst the howling wind and biting snow.

In his hazy state, someone approached and draped something over his body to shield him from the bitter wind that seemed to strip away one’s flesh.

Wei Yan wondered if it might be a prison guard.

But as a mere criminal, guards wouldn’t readily provide him with extra clothing or blankets. Perhaps the guard had received instructions from Imperial Tutor Tao or Xie Zheng?

As he pondered this, the person who had covered him didn’t leave. Instead, they hesitantly reached out a hand, as if wanting to touch him. Wei Yan faintly caught a scent reminiscent of both orchids and camellias.

Years of treading on thin ice had honed his alertness, causing him to instinctively grab that hand. His piercing phoenix eyes snapped open.

What he saw was a person he could only encounter in midnight dreams.

The woman wore a white pear blossom jacket embroidered with thousand-petal lotuses. Her shoulders were as if carved, her waist as slender as a ribbon. Her countenance was like a landscape painting come to life. The hand he gripped showed both alarm and embarrassment at being caught. Biting her lip, she said, “I saw Third Brother sleeping here and brought you a cloak…”

Wei Yan had an elder brother who died young and a half-brother above him, making him the third child in the family.

The Qi and Wei families were close, so Qi Rong Yin had called him “Third Brother” since childhood.

He stared at the woman before him for a long while before speaking: “You haven’t entered my dreams for many years. Have you come specially tonight, knowing my end is near?”

Qi Rong Yin frowned, forgetting her embarrassment. The hand Wei Yan held pressed gently against his forehead as she murmured, “Why is Third Brother speaking such nonsense? Could you have caught a cold and developed a fever?”

The skin she touched was indeed burning hot. Qi Rong Yin’s expression immediately changed as she called out to her maid waiting at the corner of the city wall: “Lan Yue, quickly fetch the army physician! Third Brother has caught a cold!”

Wei Yan looked up at the starry sky and the “Qi” family banner illuminated by the fire basin atop the city tower. Only then did he realize he was sleeping against the city wall, surrounded by soldiers clutching weapons as they slept. The blood on their faces and bodies hadn’t yet dried, indicating they had just been through a fierce battle.

He felt this dream was too vivid, truly identical to his experiences in the northern territory years ago.

As Qi Rong Yin was about to stand, Wei Yan grabbed her hand again.

Confused by his strange behavior since waking, Qi Rong Yin asked uncertainly, “Third Brother?”

Wei Yan spoke slowly: “Don’t go. Let me look at you a while longer. For eighteen years, every time you’ve appeared in my dreams, you’ve never properly spoken with me…”

“What is Third Brother saying? What eighteen years?” Qi Rong Yin grew more perplexed but still tried to reassure him, “I’m not leaving. I’m just going to get some water to wipe your face.”

Due to the cold, Wei Yan’s head was indeed throbbing with pain. He raised his other hand to press against his temple.

Seeing this, Qi Rong Yin gently pulled her hand from his grip and went down the city wall to fetch water.

Wei Yan’s gaze instinctively followed her, afraid she would disappear. A general covered in blood and sweat, feigning sleep beside him, opened his eyes with a smile: “It seems good fortune is coming Wei Zhonglang’s way, isn’t it?”

Wei Yan remembered that when he was in the Qi family’s military camp, he had held the position of Zhonglang General, and his comrades often addressed him as “Wei Zhonglang.”

The man before him looked unfamiliar. After squinting and studying him carefully for a while, Wei Yan finally recognized him as the future Protector-General of Shaanxi. They had indeed shared a brief camaraderie in the Qi family’s camp.

But later, they had grown distant.

How strange, Wei Yan thought. It was one thing to dream of Qi Rong Yin, but why would he dream of this person?

Vaguely, Wei Yan sensed that tonight’s dream was different from the others.

He tried to stand, supporting himself against the wall when a sharp pain shot through his hand. Looking down, he noticed his palm was wrapped in a blood-stained bandage.

Earlier, upon opening his eyes and seeing Qi Rong Yin, his mind had been so preoccupied that he hadn’t even noticed the pain in his hand. Now, as he gripped his palm again, a fine, needle-like pain returned, and Wei Yan finally realized something was amiss.

Could pain in a dream feel this real?

Qi Rong Yin returned with a basin of water, leading the army physician to the city wall. She spoke softly, “Wei Third Brother has developed a high fever. With Father and brothers away pursuing the enemy, the Third Brother must not fall ill. Please, physician, examine him.”

Wei Yan frowned upon hearing this. General Qi and the young general were both away chasing the enemy.

In his memory, there was only one time when General Qi had misinterpreted military intelligence, leading to him and his sons pursuing the enemy together. It was during that very pursuit that the Qi family’s father and sons had all perished on the battlefield.

As the army physician took Wei Yan’s pulse, he remained lost in a haze of confused thoughts.

After checking his pulse, the physician took a silver needle from his kit: “The city has run out of medicines to treat cold diseases. With the Zhonglang’s high fever not subsiding, this old one can only use the method of bloodletting at the Shangyang acupoint to provide some relief.”

The silver needle pierced his fingertip, and the pain became even clearer.

It felt too real to be a dream!

A guess formed in Wei Yan’s mind, like a sharp sword cutting through the layers of fog in his mind. A wild joy surged through him.

As the physician withdrew the silver needle, Wei Yan ignored the stinging in his fingertip and tightly grasped Qi Rong Yin’s hand. His usually cold eyes showed a hint of tears: “Rong Yin, Rong Yin… It’s you…”

His grip was so strong that it made Qi Rong Yin’s handbones ache.

Her eyebrows, like distant mountains, furrowed slightly: “Of course it’s me. What’s wrong with Third Brother? You just took a short nap on the city wall, but since waking, you’ve been speaking nonsense…”

The Qi family were important border defense officials. With the Northern Xue invading, Qi Rong Yin had personally led the family physicians to the city gate to treat wounded soldiers.

Wei Yan laughed hoarsely, a mix of dejection and joy.

Qi Rong Yin and the soldiers on the city wall exchanged confused glances.

Wei Yan quickly pulled himself up using the city wall and said to Qi Rong Yin: “I can’t explain much to you now. Quickly gather three thousand elite soldiers to leave the city with me!”

If he had truly been reborn, this was the battle where General Qi and his sons, upon seeing the Northern Xue prince retreating, went to pursue and capture him, only to fall into an ambush and die in the great desert!

Qi Rong Yin, having followed her father and brothers in this border region, was also keenly aware of military matters. She immediately sensed something was wrong: “Are my father and brothers in danger?”

Wei Yan, enduring the headache caused by his jumbled memories, didn’t answer directly but asked: “How long ago did they leave the city?”

Qi Rong Yin replied: “It’s been about two hours.”

Wei Yan’s face grew solemn. He wasn’t sure if he could still change the fate of the Qi family’s demise, but since Heaven had given him another chance, he had to put forth his utmost effort. He commanded in a deep voice: “Gather the troops, prepare the horses!”

Qi Rong Yin’s heart began to race. She sensed something was wrong.

On the battlefield, having even a quarter or half hour’s advantage could determine the outcome of a battle.

With her father and brothers’ safety at stake, she didn’t have time to ask too many questions. She quickly ordered the deputy general left in charge of the city to gather all able-bodied soldiers.

Unfortunately, the city’s troops had just been through a fierce battle. Most of the elite soldiers had gone with the Qi family to pursue the enemy. Even counting the wounded who could barely fight, they only managed to gather three thousand men, most of whom were exhausted.

Embarking on a long-distance pursuit now, even if they caught up to rescue the Qi family, facing the wolf-like Northern Xue barbarians might be like sheep entering a tiger’s den.

But Wei Yan remembered that in his previous life, Xie Linshan had received news of Yanzhou being besieged and was on his way with the Xie family’s iron cavalry from Huizhou.

In his previous life, Wei Yan had fallen ill with this cold. By the time Xie Linshan arrived with reinforcements and learned that Yanzhou had won the battle and that the old general and his sons had gone to pursue the defeated enemy and capture the Northern Xue prince, they had waited long for General Qi’s return. When they went to investigate, following the traces of the army’s roundabout route, they had made a big circle before finally seeing the blood-stained “Qi” banner and dead soldiers scattered all over Ma Wang Slope.

The Northern Xue’s ambush point was at Ma Wang Slope. If he marched at full speed now, he could save a lot of time that had been wasted circling following hoofprints. If he could just delay for an hour or so and send scouts to find Xie Linshan’s troops, once the Xie family’s iron cavalry arrived, the Northern Xue’s plot would have no chance of success.

As Wei Yan rode out of the city, he called his trusted aide and ordered him to ride at full speed towards the road from Huizhou to Yanzhou, instructing him to direct Xie Linshan to Ma Wang Slope upon meeting him.

Hearing the order, the aide asked confusedly: “Master, how do you know General Xie will bring reinforcements?”

Wei Yan shot him a cold glance, making the aide’s spine tingle. He dared not ask further and quickly saluted: “This subordinate will go deliver the message at once!”

With that, he slapped his horse’s rump and galloped towards the Huizhou road.

Wei Yan pulled on his reins but momentarily lost focus. Yes, before the Jinzhou bloodshed, people around him still dared to speak to him so carelessly.

Later, those who followed him all died. The new people chose to be by his side and never dared to speak to him recklessly again.

Thinking too much made his heart bitter. Wei Yan collected his thoughts and was about to order the army to set out when he heard an urgent call from the city gate: “Third Brother!”

Wei Yan reined in his horse and turned to see Qi Rong Yin, wrapped in a snow fox cloak, running urgently towards him through the snowy mud.

Her cheeks were flushed from the cold wind due to her haste.

Wei Yan pulled his reins, turning his horse towards Qi Rong Yin and galloping over. He stopped the warhorse five paces away from her, its front hooves rising high and shaking off snow.

Qi Rong Yin handed him a safety charm with tassels: “Third Brother, take this charm with you. You must return safely!”

She didn’t know why Wei Yan suddenly wanted to lead troops out of the city, but she could sense he was heading into danger.

As Wei Yan leaned down to take the charm, he also tightly grasped Qi Rong Yin’s hand, which had turned red from the cold. His face still bore blood stains from the previous battle, and he gazed at her with a look Qi Rong Yin couldn’t understand—deep, filled with pain and sorrow: “Rong Yin, when this battle is over, will you marry me?”

The young woman, barely sixteen, froze in place. After a moment, she curled her lips into a smile and said, “Alright.”

The wind-induced blush on her face concealed her shyness.

Wei Yan squeezed her hand once more before taking the safety charm. He turned his horse and shouted: “March at full speed to Ma Wang Slope!”

The maid opened an oiled paper umbrella to shield Qi Rong Yin from the falling snow. She advised, “Young Miss, let’s return to the city.”

Qi Rong Yin’s delicate white hand pressed against her chest as she watched Wei Yan lead the city’s three thousand remaining troops into the distance. A worried expression clouded her brow: “Lan Yue, I don’t know why, but ever since Third Brother said he wanted to lead troops out of the city, my heart has been uneasy. The third Brother was acting strange when he woke up. He must be hiding something from me…”

As the army approached Ma Wang Slope, they saw corpses strewn everywhere.

The accompanying soldiers were stunned by the sight of another fierce battle’s aftermath.

Had their pursuing army fallen into an ambush?

Seeing this scene, Wei Yan felt his blood run cold. However, years of holding high positions had trained his composure, making his emotions hard to discern. He commanded in a deep voice: “Find where the commander’s banner is!”

His men hurried to search for the banner among the battlefield’s corpses.

A moment later, they reported back: “Zhonglang, the Qi family’s banner is not here! We also couldn’t find General Qi and the others!”

Wei Yan felt the enormous weight on his chest lighten somewhat—if the commander’s banner wasn’t here, and the Qi family members weren’t among the dead, it meant they were likely still alive.

They must have broken through the encirclement but were still being pursued by the Northern Xue.

He shouted: “All scouts, move out! Follow the horse tracks around the battlefield.”

The army’s scouts rode out in all directions to investigate.

Soon, one scout rushed back: “Zhonglang, there are chaotic hoof prints beyond the hill!”

Wei Yan dug his heels into his horse’s flanks, his cold face turning almost ferocious: “Pursue!”

As they ran over a gentle slope, they could faintly hear the thunderous sounds of battle from the other side of the hill.

The army sped up and crested the ridge. Wei Yan stood on the steep slope, seeing the Qi family’s troops below, desperately holding out against the Northern Xue’s ever-shrinking encirclement.

The army that had left the city with over ten thousand men now appeared to have only a few hundred remaining.

The Qi family’s military banner stood firm in the center, protected, but the Northern Xue circled them in a Taiji formation on horseback. As they ran along the encirclement, they used the momentum of their horses to cut down layer after layer of soldiers guarding the outermost ring.

Pushed to this point, the Qi family’s troops were exhausted and knew there was no hope for survival. They had no strength left to counterattack and were almost at the mercy of their enemies.

The accompanying deputy general watched anxiously and said to Wei Yan: “Zhonglang, we must go rescue the General and the others quickly!”

Wei Yan clenched his jaw, staring intently at the Northern Xue army below as they continued to tighten their circle. He shouted: “Adjust our formation. Use these three thousand men to occupy the entire hilltop in front of us. Plant military banners throughout the bushes in the rear, and set up all the war drums.”

He had brought three thousand battle-worn troops. Charging down like this would be nothing but a suicide mission.

Only by creating a show of force and intimidating the Northern Xue troops first could they have a chance of victory.

Hearing this, the deputy general hurried to make arrangements.

Seeing the war drums set up, Wei Yan ordered again: “Sound the horns.”

The soldiers with bronze animal horns hanging at their waists raised them, took a deep breath, and blew: “Woo— Woo—”

The long, deep horn sound immediately spread across the battlefield below.

Fortunately, this mountain valley had a trumpet-like terrain, and as the north wind carried the horn sound down, it seemed to echo from all directions.

The Northern Xue army, still trying to tighten their encirclement, slowed down and looked up towards the slope.

“Beat the drums!” Wei Yan commanded again in a deep voice.

The soldiers standing before drums as tall as a man immediately swung their mallets against the drum faces.

“Boom—”

“Boom boom—”

The drum sound was heavy, like thunderclaps striking the ground.

There was obvious unrest in the Northern Xue formation below. At first glance, the entire slope seemed covered with Great Yin reinforcements, with military banners standing throughout the bushes at the rear. The Northern Xue couldn’t tell how many troops had arrived and were inevitably shaken.

All the showmanship had been done; what remained was only a fight to the death.

Wei Yan dug his heels into his horse’s flanks and charged down the hill at the forefront, wielding a crescent moon blade made of fine iron that cut through the cold northern wind. He let out a long roar: “Charge!”

The three thousand troops behind him followed closely, galloping down from Ma Wang Slope.

The charge of three thousand men couldn’t create the earth-shaking effect of tens of thousands of horses galloping, but with the thunder-like war drums covering for them, it still frightened many Northern Xue soldiers.

With this initial advantage, Wei Yan quickly tore open a gap in the Northern Xue’s encirclement.

However, the damage that three thousand exhausted troops could inflict was limited.

Although their show of force had caught the Northern Xue off guard, once their commanders realized that the number of men and horses wasn’t as great as it appeared, they quickly adjusted their formation. They moved the troops that had been routed earlier to the rear and had the left and right-wing forces close in from both sides, intending to trap this sudden reinforcement within their encirclement as well.

The deputy general realized the Northern Xue’s intention and said to Wei Yan during the fierce battle: “Zhonglang, these barbarians want to trap us inside too!”

From the distance, someone in the tightly surrounded Qi family troops shouted hoarsely: “Wei Zhonglang, the General orders you to retreat with the reinforcements!”

Wei Yan cleaved through a Northern Xue junior officer blocking his path, a hint of bloodlust in his eyes, as he continued to charge forward and kill.

The deputy general gritted his teeth and said to Wei Yan: “Wei Zhonglang, let’s retreat! Don’t act on impulse! If we keep these fine young men alive, won’t we be able to make the Northern Xue pay for this debt in the future? Once the barbarians completely close the gap, we’ll just be throwing our lives away!”

Wei Yan, eyes red with battle fury, turned and shouted at the deputy general: “Reinforcements are coming! Hold on for another quarter hour!”

The deputy general knew that the Qi and Wei families were close friends with deep ties. He thought Wei Yan was just lying because he wanted to save old General Qi, and was so anxious he wanted to curse.

But then the ground beneath the horses’ hooves began to tremble, and the mountain’s loose stones shook. This time, it truly felt like the earth was moving and the mountains were shaking.

Amidst the deep drum sounds, a roar like a tidal wave came from behind: “Charge!”

The sound alone was enough to make one’s eardrums ache.

The deputy general turned back in panic and saw a vast army of black iron cavalry, like a great flood sweeping across the land, charging down from Ma Wang Slope.

Where the snow met the sky, a “Xie” family banner fluttered in the wind, approaching with the black iron flood.

At the forefront, a young general on a silver-saddled white horse had a face like a deity but the air of an Asura. The scarlet cape behind him fluttered in the white furry north wind, shaking people’s souls.

The Northern Xue at the bottom of the hill, still trying to tighten their encirclement, heard the roaring battle cries from behind. Turning to see this sight, they were terrified. Before they could adjust their formation to counter-attack, the Xie family’s iron cavalry, like a sharp awl thrusting down from the mountain, completely tore through their battle array.

The Qi family troops, trapped in the center of the enemy formation and exhausted to their limits, saw the “Xie” banner and were almost moved to tears of joy: “The Xie family’s iron cavalry! General Xie has brought reinforcements!”

Someone let out a long roar, and though their arms were numb from wielding swords for so long, they still raised their blades and continued to fight the Northern Xue, slowly moving toward the reinforcements.

When Wei Yan saw the Xie family’s military banner, the great stone weighing on his heart finally fell. His body, weakened by high fever and several major battles, made him feel somewhat dazed.

The deputy general asked in surprise: “Zhonglang, how did you know General Xie’s reinforcements were behind us?”

Wei Yan didn’t answer and continued to charge toward the Qi family troops’ encirclement with his blade.

When the two armies met, he immediately saw old General Qi protected in the center by his guards. However, General Qi was clutching his waist, his hand stained red with blood.

He was severely wounded.

Wei Yan’s heart tightened. He rode forward and called out: “General!”

Old General Qi’s hair and beard were grizzled, his appearance imposing and dignified. However, his lips were now pale, and he could only stand steadily with the support of his eldest son.

Seeing that it was Wei Yan who had arrived, his expression relaxed slightly, and he said: “You and Linshan have come.”

Wei Yan dismounted and looked at General Qi’s unceasing bleeding wound. He could no longer maintain his composure, and his eyes stung with emotion: “How… how were you wounded?”

To Wei Yan, old General Qi was both a teacher and a father figure.

In his previous life, it was because of his careless words that the old Emperor, already wary of the Qi family, decided to eliminate them to clip the Crown Prince’s wings.

It wasn’t until the Northern Xue attacked Jinzhou again, and the old Emperor, having no choice, returned military power to Xie Linshan, that they slowly uncovered the truth about the Qi family’s deaths at the hands of the old Emperor.

Coming back once more, was he still unable to save General Qi?

Qi Xianhun, the eldest son of the Qi family, supported old General Qi, his eyes bloodshot: “That dog traitor Xu Ce! Even though he fell from his horse and was trampled to death in the chaos, it still can’t quell the great hatred in my heart for this sword wound he inflicted on Father!”

Wei Yan suddenly looked up: “It was Xu Ce who wounded the old General?”

Qi Xianhun gnashed his teeth: “That traitor ambushed Father!”

Looking at old General Qi’s face, growing ashen due to excessive blood loss, he was so angry his lips trembled. He turned his face away, barely holding back tears in his eyes.

In his previous life, Wei Yan had only discovered that it was Xu Ce from the Qi family army who, under the old Emperor’s instructions, had falsely reported military intelligence and lured the Qi family to pursue the enemy despite knowing of the Northern Xue’s ambush. He hadn’t known that the fatal wound on old General Qi’s body was also Xu Ce’s doing.

Anger surged through his body along with his blood. He forced himself to stay calm and said: “Let’s return to Yanzhou City first. The General’s wound needs immediate treatment.”

The Northern Xue also knew when to cut their losses. Seeing that Great Yin reinforcements had arrived and that the Xie family’s iron cavalry was unstoppable, they realized there was no hope of trapping the Qi family’s troops. They immediately sounded the gong to retreat.

When Xie Linshan came over in his blood-stained armor and saw old General Qi’s ashen face, his expression also turned grave: “The General is wounded?”

Wei Yan looked up at the bright and spirited young general, his eyes, made sore by the cold north wind, showing a hint of redness. He called out: “Linshan?”

Eighteen years of cold moons and warm suns had worn on this man’s life. He could barely remember what his old friend looked like, only recalling how his corpse looked when it was transported back from Yanzhou – the wounds from swords and axes all over his body, the blackened arrow holes, and his chest and abdomen that had been torn open and sewn back together…

This was the young military talent that even old General Qi had once declared would surpass him after a few more years of tempering. Yet he had met such an end!

Now, it truly felt like seeing him again after a lifetime.

Xie Linshan, seeing Wei Yan’s reddened eyes, thought he was worried about old General Qi and immediately asked: “Yigui, who wounded the General?”

Wei Yan barely composed himself and said: “There was a traitor in the Qi family army. It’s a long story, but the General’s condition is urgent. Let’s talk after we return to the city.”

Xie Linshan also knew that old General Qi’s wound couldn’t wait. He nodded.

By the time Wei Yan and Xie Linshan escorted the remnants of the Qi family army back to Yanzhou City, it was already dusk.

Qi Rong Yin, who had been watching from the city wall, saw the army returning victorious and ran down. Seeing her brother’s blood-stained face and old General Qi being carried back on a stretcher made of tree branches and vines by his guards, her face instantly paled.

She lifted her skirts and stepped forward, forcing herself to remain calm as she asked: “What happened to Father?”

Qi Xianhun’s throat choked up. He couldn’t utter a word of comfort to his sister and only turned his face aside, forcefully holding back his sorrow.

It was Wei Yan who spoke: “The General was wounded by the traitor Xu Ce. Let’s have the army physician examine his injuries first.”

The group carried old General Qi into the governor’s mansion. As the army physician came to treat him, Qi Rong Yin and her brother stood by the bedside, not moving a step away.

Servants came in with basins of water and soon left with basins of bloody water. No one said a word and the atmosphere in the room was extremely oppressive.

Everyone knew that old General Qi’s condition was not optimistic.

Wei Yan and Xie Linshan stood with folded arms at the doorway. Xie Linshan glanced at the Qi siblings standing guard in the inner room and said to Wei Yan: “Yigui, may I have a word with you?”

Wei Yan knew what Xie Linshan wanted to ask. He nodded and left with him.

In a quiet place, Xie Linshan went straight to the point: “Yigui, how did you know I was leading troops to Yanzhou? And how did you know the Northern Xue’s ambush point for the General was at Ma Wang Slope? When we returned to the city, I sent scouts to check the terrain. The General had been led in a big circle by the Northern Xue before reaching Ma Wang Slope.”

Although this rescue was timely, Xie Linshan was very clear that if Wei Yan hadn’t sent someone to inform him in advance and direct him straight to Ma Wang Slope, by the time he had followed the army’s marching traces to find them, it would have been too late no matter what.

Wei Yan looked at his friend, many complex emotions flashing in his eyes. Finally, he said: “Linshan, you know I don’t believe in ghosts and spirits, but something truly supernatural has happened to me.”

“After a fierce battle, I was overcome by fatigue and closed my eyes for a brief rest on the city wall. At that moment, as if watching scenes flashing by, I saw the events of the latter half of my life. Was today’s dangerous situation for old General Qi and his sons truly just planned by Xu Ce alone?”

Xie Linshan heard the underlying meaning and his eyes sharpened: “Is it the Jia family?”

Imperial Consort Jia was in high favor, and the Jia family was rising with her. The sixteenth prince was attempting to compete with the Crown Prince for the position, and the Jia and Qi families had been openly and secretly contending for quite some time.

Wei Yan shook his head. After two lifetimes, he finally confessed the guilt that had tormented him for most of his life to his old friend: “It was my words about ‘abdicating the throne’ that reached His Majesty’s ears.”

Xie Linshan’s pupils constricted as he suddenly turned to look at Wei Yan. “The one who wanted the Qi family dead was His Majesty?”

Wei Yan closed his eyes heavily and said, “The Qi family held significant military power. The one in the palace was wary of the Crown Prince to such an extent. When he learned of my ‘abdication’ remarks from the Eastern Palace’s guest official, to deal with the Crown Prince, the first to be eliminated had to be the Qi family. Without military power, no matter how high the Crown Prince’s reputation among the people, he would ultimately remain just a ‘Crown Prince.'”

After hearing this, Xie Linshan fell silent, his expression terrifyingly grim.

Wei Yan continued, “If everything unfolds as I saw in my dream, the entire Qi family dying in battle is just the beginning. When the Crown Prince discovers the truth, the unworthy ruler on the dragon throne will eliminate the Crown Prince, the Xie family, and Wei Yan in one fell swoop.”

Xie Linshan frowned, “Since His Highness was established as the Crown Prince, he has always been kind and virtuous. Even after being suppressed several times by the Sixteenth Prince and the Jia family, he never acted rashly. Even if your careless words reached the palace, what fault could he find to bring down the Eastern Palace and the Wei and Xie families in one go?”

Recalling what the old emperor had done to the Qi family, Xie Linshan’s expression turned cold. “Did he frame the Crown Prince with treason?”

Throughout history, only the great crime of treason could completely eradicate a Crown Prince’s power.

Wei Yan smiled bitterly, “It’s worse than what you’ve said.”

Xie Linshan was stunned, unable to think of a crime greater than treason.

Wei Yan said, “Soon, the Northern Xue people will invade Jinzhou again. With the Qi family gone, you will replace them in guarding Jinzhou. That foolish ruler will have no choice but to transfer the Qi family’s military power to you. Imperial Consort Qi will fall gravely ill. To prevent the Qi family from losing all influence in the harem after her passing, leaving the Crown Prince isolated, he will summon Rong Yin to enter the palace. The Sixteenth Prince, envious of the Crown Prince’s popularity among the people, will incite the common folk to build a shrine for him. That foolish ruler will use this opportunity to punish the Crown Prince and strip him of his power to oversee state affairs.”

“The Crown Prince, seeking a way out, will volunteer to lead the northern campaign. He will discover the truth about the Qi family’s demise among the Qi family troops. The foolish ruler, cornered, will devise a plan to delay the reinforcements transporting supplies to cover up his misdeeds. In the end, Jinzhou will fall, and you and the Crown Prince will die by the Northern Rong people’s blades. The responsibility for delaying the supplies and the loss of Jinzhou will all be pinned on me.”

Xie Linshan listened, his hair standing on end, and exclaimed, “Preposterous!”

After a moment, he asked, “Is there any evidence? Proof that Xu Ce was acting on orders from the palace?”

Wei Yan replied, “Xu Ce has already died on the battlefield, but in this year’s spring imperial examination, his son will rank among the top ten of the first rank. Xu Ce’s son lacks great talent. If Linshan is interested, look into some of his usual poems and essays, and you’ll know the depth of this person’s scholarship.”

The old emperor’s methods were meticulous. In their previous life, Wei Yan and Xie Linshan couldn’t easily trace it back to Xu Ce. After all, Xu Ce, the Qi family father, and son, along with over ten thousand soldiers who pursued the enemy that day, all died in the Northern Xue people’s ambush and were posthumously honored as loyal martyrs.

It wasn’t until later, when the Crown Prince suffered repeated suppression from the old emperor and volunteered to come to Jinzhou, that his remaining supporters in the capital, no longer in the emperor’s favor, tried to gather a few more loyal officials from among the court officials to be their “ears” and “eyes” in the capital. That’s when they screened Xu Ce’s son.

Ranking in the top ten of the first rank in the spring imperial examination was considered quite an achievement anywhere.

At that time, although Xu Ce’s son was just a Hanlin Academy Editor, if he had ambitions, there would be many opportunities for him to make a name for himself in the future. His father was also a loyal general of the Qi family. After careful consideration, they thought approaching Xu Ce’s son would be most appropriate.

Unexpectedly, it was during the detailed investigation of this person that they discovered his mediocre talent, which by no means should have allowed him to enter the first rank.

Following this lead, they finally uncovered the truth about the deaths of the Qi family father and son-

With a month left before the spring examination results were announced, Wei Yan and Xie Linshan discussed and decided to temporarily keep this information from the hot-tempered Qi Xianhun.

Old General Qi was severely injured and barely clung to life. He could no longer engage in military affairs. Fearing it would break the old general’s heart, and lacking concrete evidence, the two did not inform the old general before everything was settled.

But they had already begun investigating Xu Ce’s son.

When the spring examination results were announced, the imperial edict summoning them to the capital for appointment also arrived.

Old General Qi was injured and couldn’t make the long journey, so his son Qi Xianhun went to the capital on his behalf. The old general, knowing he was getting on in years, even entrusted the tiger tally to his eldest son, asking him to return it to the emperor on his behalf.

The old emperor’s ascension to the throne had relied entirely on the Qi family’s military power. Although Old General Qi could no longer take to the battlefield, Qi Xianhun was still standing.

If he truly reclaimed the tiger tally, it would reveal his intention to discard his loyal subjects to all the court officials. The old emperor wouldn’t be so hasty as to lose the hearts of his subjects.

Therefore, the tiger tally would most likely still be handed to Qi Xianhun-

After the three arrived in the capital, Wei Yan and Xie Linshan often visited various taverns together, much to Qi Xianhun’s displeasure.

In the past, the three were good brothers in the army. How could they suddenly become so distant upon returning to the capital, not even inviting him for drinks?

Qi Xianhun gave them the cold shoulder for a few days, but to his frustration, the two seemed completely oblivious. Angered, Qi Xianhun practiced his spear skills, smashing several bluestone floor tiles in the Petition Office.

He observed for two more days and found Wei and Xie’s behavior very suspicious!

They would even change carriages midway when they went out, acting extremely secretive!

Qi Xianhun decided to follow them secretly and discovered that the two were frequenting brothels together.

Enraged, he barged into the brothel and kicked down the door.

Taking after Old General Qi, he was tall and strong. His powerful kick not only knocked down the door but also its frame.

His voice was even more thunderous, shaking the tea on the table: “Wei, I’m telling you! You want to marry my sister but dare to visit brothels? Do you think we can’t find a suitable husband for her among the hundred thousand soldiers of the Qi family? No wonder you two have been avoiding me these past few days, so this is what you’ve been up to!”

Wei Yan and Xie Linshan, who had been secretly investigating and planning, were caught off guard by this sudden outburst. They quickly sprang into action, one pulling Qi Xianhun into the room to avoid attracting attention, while the other covered his mouth.

After much struggle, they finally managed to get Qi Xianhun into the room.

The brothel manager, seeing the situation was not right, came out to control the scene. He dispersed the onlookers, joking that it was just a big brother-in-law catching his future brother-in-law visiting a brothel and flying into a rage. He also ordered quick-witted servants to guard the nearby entrances to prevent eavesdropping.

Wei Yan went to prop the dismantled door back in place, while Xie Linshan pinned down Qi Xianhun and cautiously removed his hand from Qi Xianhun’s mouth.

Qi Xianhun craned his neck and yelled, “Don’t think you can drag me down with you! I’m a married man! I must remain pure!”

Xie Linshan promptly stuffed his mouth with a tablecloth.

Qi Xianhun mumbled angrily, his eyes practically shooting flames.

Xie Linshan said, “Brother Xianhun, my apologies. Yi Gui and I came here not for pleasure, but to discuss important matters. The Petition Office has too many eyes and ears, so we had no choice but to resort to this method.”

As he spoke, he placed a stack of writings in front of Qi Xianhun, “Please take a look, Brother Xianhun.”

Qi Xianhun flipped through a couple of pages and shouted, “I’ve hated reading all my life. Why are you showing me these poems and essays?”

Wei Yan said, “Doesn’t Brother Xianhun find it strange that someone who can only write such crude verses and poor essays ranked among the top ten in the first class of this year’s spring examination?”

Qi Xianhun furrowed his brow, “Did this person cheat in the imperial examination?”

Wei Yan said, “This person is Xu Ce’s son.”

Qi Xianhun’s face immediately contorted with anger, “That traitor Xu Ce, I’ve already written a war report on behalf of my father and submitted it to His Majesty. How dare a criminal’s son attempt to enter officialdom by cheating in the examination?”

Wei Yan and Xie Linshan exchanged a glance, both falling silent for a moment.

Xie Linshan said, “The palace examination is personally overseen by His Majesty. There’s no way to cheat.”

Qi Xianhun finally realized after a delay, “Did His Majesty help him achieve this rank?”

This conclusion exceeded his understanding. He looked up at Xie and Wei, asking, “Why? Why would His Majesty help a traitor’s son cheat?”

Wei Yan finally said, “The war report accusing Xu Ce of treason has been temporarily withheld by the Crown Prince. It hasn’t reached His Majesty’s eyes yet.”

Qi Xianhun’s mind was in utter chaos.

His Majesty didn’t know about Xu Ce being a traitor, yet he helped Xu Ce’s son cheat…

A chill crept up his spine as Qi Xianhun said, “Was Xu Ce His Majesty’s man?”

Neither Xie nor Wei responded, which was as good as confirmation.

Qi Xianhun slammed the table hard, cursing, “Absurd! The Qi family risked their lives for him, how could he…”

He was about to shout louder, but Wei Yan quickly covered his mouth, “I know Brother Xianhun is grief-stricken and angry, but even this Hanying Pavilion isn’t entirely without ears. We must be cautious with our words.”

Qi Xianhun finally calmed down.

Seeing that he had quieted, Wei Yan removed his hand from Qi Xianhun’s mouth.

Qi Xianhun’s temple veins were bulging as he suppressed his anger and hatred, asking, “What’s your plan?”

Wei Yan and Xie Linshan exchanged a glance before saying, “His Highness already knows about you and the Great General nearly dying in Yanzhou. You have the tiger tally commanding the Qi family’s hundred thousand troops, and Linshan has the Xie family army from Huizhou. Now we’re just waiting for His Highness to give the nod.”

What they were nodding to was unspoken but clear.

The old emperor could no longer tolerate the Qi family and wanted to kill the entire clan to reclaim military power. Without the Qi family, the Crown Prince would be nothing.

The emperor had already put a knife to the Crown Prince’s throat.

Wei Yan knew that given the Crown Prince’s gentle nature, he would struggle with this decision for a long time. But after the struggle, he would only have one path to take.

After all, giving in again would mean sending the Eastern Palace and the Qi family to their deaths once more.

Although Qi Xianhun had just been shocked by the news that the emperor wanted to kill his entire family, after hearing Wei Yan and Xie Linshan calmly state their plans, he still felt a chill run through his body.

Treason was a crime punishable by the execution of nine generations of the family. One misstep would mean the slaughter of the entire clan.

But thinking of the Qi family soldiers who died on the battlefield, and how he and his father had barely escaped death, if Wei Yan and Xie Linshan were willing to risk everything, what did the Qi family have to fear?

Qi Xianhun quickly clenched his fists and said, “Such an unworthy ruler doesn’t deserve the Qi family’s blood spilled on the battlefield!”

He looked at Wei Yan, “Besides the Five Army Camp, the Divine Machine Camp in the capital is also a tough nut to crack.”

Wei Yan said, “Leave that to Linshan and me.”-

After this discussion, regarding the “abdication” of the old emperor, the Xie, Wei, and Qi families essentially stood on the same side.

However, due to Qi Xianhun’s loud outburst that day, the news of Wei Yan and Xie Linshan visiting brothels still spread.

Many noble ladies in the capital cried their eyes red, unable to believe that the capital’s “Twin Jades” were men who frequented brothels!

The next day, when Wei Yan met Qi Rong Yin at the Petition Office and was about to speak to her, Qi Rong Yin didn’t even look at him. She coldly walked past him, holding a round fan.

When Xie Linshan came to find Wei Yan, he was awkwardly holding a large bouquet of Western Mansion crabapple flowers. Seeing Wei Yan, he rubbed his nose embarrassedly and said, “A Wan heard about me going to the brothel and refuses to see me. Could you help me give these Western Mansion crabapple flowers to A Wan and… put in a good word for me?”

Wei Yan said, “You’ve reminded me. I should ask Xianhun to help me beg for forgiveness from Rong Yin.”

When Wei Yan found Qi Xianhun and explained his intentions, Qi Xianhun made a bitter face, “My wife has thrown all my things out of the room and even drafted a divorce paper for me to sign.”

Xie Linshan: “…”

Wei Yan: “…”

A sense of shared misery suddenly arose.

Qi Xianhun said with a headache, “Rong Yin cried all night with her sister-in-law, also saying she wanted to break off the engagement. The matter isn’t settled yet, so I didn’t dare tell them the truth. Today, the Duke of Qing’s mansion is hosting a Hundred Flowers Banquet. My wife took Rong Yin out, saying they also arranged to meet Miss Wei to go to the banquet together to choose suitable husbands.”

Wei Yan and Xie Linshan’s faces changed dramatically. They both cupped their hands and said, “We must take our leave.”

…

In late spring of the 16th year of Qishun, the old emperor fell “gravely ill.” The Sixteenth Prince and the Jia family attempted a rebellion but were captured by Crown Prince Chengde, along with Wei Yan, Xie Linshan, Qi Xianhun, and other important generals.

The previous emperor couldn’t bear the shock that his favorite concubine and most beloved son were so treacherous. He couldn’t “recover” from this blow and passed away.

The Crown Prince Chengde, the legitimate heir, ascended to the throne at the request of all officials, changing the era name to Qinghe.

In the same year, the new emperor arranged marriages for his two important officials, Wei Yan and Xie Linshan, and personally acted as their marriage witness.

Not long after, Northern Xue launched another invasion. Xie Linshan, accompanied by his wife Wei Wan, went to Jinzhou to guard the borders. Wei Yan remained in the capital, but feeling concerned for her sister, she transferred a capable family general, Wei Qilin, to Xie Linshan’s command to ensure Wei Wan’s safety.

Three years later, the northern borders were stabilized, and peace prevailed across the land. Xie Linshan returned to the capital with his wife to visit family, bringing along a charming and striking baby.

The child was born while Wei Wan was alone during his campaigns. A passing sage remarked that the boy possessed a remarkably strong fate, and since a common name might not suffice to contain his destiny, Xie Linshan named the child “Zheng.”

While Wei Wan was home for a short visit, Wei Qilin approached Wei Yan and said, “Madam, I have taken a liking to a young lady and would like to ask for your help in matchmaking.”

At that moment, Wei Yan, dressed in a graceful scholar’s robe and painting in her study, paused her brush and asked, “Which young lady?”

Wei Qilin replied, “The only daughter of General Meng Shuyuan, who serves under General Xie.”

Wei Yan looked up, surprised. “You wish to marry her?”

The robust general chuckled and said, “I intend to join their family.”

A gentle breeze flowed through the wide-open window, ruffling the Xuan paper on the writing desk.

Wei Yan seemed to smile as well, saying, “Very well.”