It wasn’t until nightfall that the burning sensation on Liang Qiang’s face, as he stood on the city wall of the capital, finally subsided.
He laughed at himself mockingly.
Having come this far, he still retained a sense of shame.
When he heard those words earlier, he should have immediately bowed respectfully and flatteringly said: “This humble official is unworthy. Please instruct me, Young Master.”
How could he feel shame?
He should have been delighted that this young master stopped to speak with him. Never mind a single mockery—even if the young master had spat in his face, it would have been an honor.
He, Liang Qiang, could stand here today only by the grace of others. Otherwise, at this very moment, his family would still be doing forced labor in the border commandery.
Liang Qiang gazed into the night. If they were still doing forced labor at the border, they would probably be lying down to rest in their quarters right now.
Today was an even-numbered day, so dinner would have had some animal fat and an extra flatbread. With a full stomach tonight, they would sleep soundly.
He hadn’t slept soundly for a very long time. Looking back, the most peaceful sleep he’d had in these past few years was ironically on that earthen bed during his forced labor.
Liang Qiang mocked himself again. How absurd. What good was sleeping soundly in a labor camp?
But here he stood, surrounded by guards—what good was that?
In the labor camp, at least he knew whether tomorrow would bring digging trenches or building walls. He hadn’t known in advance that he would be here guarding the city, nor did he know if he would still be standing here tomorrow.
He suddenly wondered if Xie Yanfang would truly succeed.
As soon as news arrived of Yunzhong Commandery’s attack on the imperial troops, he received orders to reinforce the city defenses. Yunzhong Commandery was half a month’s ride from the capital at full speed, not to mention the countless cities, troops, fortifications, and checkpoints in between—
Why strengthen the city’s defenses and be on high alert now?
Did the Xie family believe that Empress Chu could fight her way here?
When he had stood before the Empress, he suddenly understood from her description who was behind everything—Xie Yanfang. Between that girl and Xie Yanfang, he had chosen Xie Yanfang without hesitation.
But now Xie Yanfang was so wary of that girl. Had that girl become powerful enough to stand as Xie Yanfang’s equal?
Amid his jumbled thoughts, a sudden cry rang out beside him.
“Beacon fires—”
Beacon fires? This shout in the sweltering heat of the sixth month sent a shiver through Liang Qiang. He looked up to see flames rising in the ink-black sky.
She’s here!
She came!
As flames continued to rise on the horizon, the ground began to tremble, as if thousands of troops were rolling forward.
“Enemy attack—”
“Enemy attack—”
……
……
Inside the imperial palace, shrouded in darkness, the outer city was typically quiet except for officials on night duty, but tonight there was a constant sound of footsteps.
Standing on the inner palace wall, one could see guards everywhere.
“As soon as fighting broke out in Yunzhong Commandery, the imperial city was immediately fortified,” one guard said. “Security has been at least doubled.”
Another guard, holding a spear, said: “Even with just the forces from Yunzhong Commandery, no one dares to underestimate them. After all, it’s the Empress.”
At the mention of the Empress, the first guard fell silent for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh: “I still remember when the Empress first stormed into the imperial city. Could this time also—”
The guard beside him coughed lightly, interrupting: “Don’t talk nonsense.”
After the Empress’s downfall, the imperial guards had naturally been replaced, and those Dragon Might troops had disappeared, replaced by new personnel.
They were already fortunate to have remained, so they mustn’t cause trouble.
Today, not only were troops reinforced in the outer city, but many more guards had been added to the inner palace, brought by that Young Master Xie himself, who was now stationed in the inner palace.
“Our duty as imperial guards is to protect His Majesty. We don’t concern ourselves with other people or other matters,” the guard said softly.
The first guard nodded and didn’t continue the topic, turning his gaze forward. Suddenly, he tensed.
“Something seems wrong outside—”
……
……
In the Emperor’s brightly lit chamber, Xiao Yu wasn’t diligently reviewing memorials as usual but was pacing back and forth.
The palace servants were absent. The masked young master sat on the footstool of the dragon throne, intently wiping mud from his shoes.
“Uncle,” Xiao Yu stood before him, lowering his voice, “is there no way?”
Xie Yanlai ignored him.
Xiao Yu turned and paced again, then stopped as something occurred to him.
“Uncle,” he said urgently in a low voice, “I have an idea. You could take me out of the imperial city to find my sister. This way, she wouldn’t have to fight her way here. Wherever I am is the capital, and I could restore her name.”
Xie Yanlai continued carefully removing the small stones from his shoes: “Your Majesty overestimates me. Take you away? I can’t even leave myself.”
He raised his head.
“Do you think I’m in charge of the Xie family? I’m only in charge when they let me be. When they let me be in charge, I am. When they don’t, I’m nothing.”
He pointed outside.
“Now, both you and I are in a cage.”
Xiao Yu murmured: “Then what can we do? How can we help my sister?”
Xie Yanlai lowered his head and continued cleaning his shoes: “You doing your best is already helping.”
Xiao Yu’s expression darkened. He would do his best in the future, never again being presumptuous or too clever for his good, but if his sister couldn’t return—
There were soft footsteps outside, and someone pushed open the door.
Xiao Yu quickly turned to see Eunuch Qi closing the door.
“Outside, something seems to be wrong,” he turned and said softly.
……
……
Tonight, the capital wasn’t as brilliantly lit as stars in a river or as bustling as daytime. After news spread that the Empress had ordered troops out of Yunzhong Commandery, a curfew was announced in the capital.
In the thick darkness, every household had its doors tightly shut, occasionally hearing the sound of hooves on the street.
The sudden curfew made everyone tense.
“It’s so far away, what’s there to fear? She can’t fight her way here in the blink of an eye. The Empress isn’t a deity.”
“You don’t understand. This is to prevent people from gathering and talking carelessly.”
“Right, I heard that some gambling houses have even opened betting pools on whether the Empress or the Xie family will win—”
Some mocked, some remained relaxed, and others criticized the absurdity. Amid the clamor, footsteps sounded on the street, and doors seemed to be knocked upon, accompanied by shouting.
“The Empress has entered the city—lock your doors—”
“The Empress has entered the city—lock your doors—”
The shouts were loud, coming from men and women, young and old, rushing past like the wind, penetrating every household.
In an instant, people inside their homes were stunned.
The Empress had entered the city?
The Empress had already arrived?
Was the Empress truly a deity who could shrink distances?
Along with the shouting, the streets filled with chaotic sounds of hooves and footsteps. The sounds of killing arose from all directions, and the smell of blood spread through the sultry summer night.
……
……
Standing on the city wall and looking back, the city was like exploding lamp flowers, dense with points of light, as if the entire Lamp Tray Mountain was ablaze.
“Rebel soldiers have already infiltrated the city,” Liang Qiang said.
The lieutenant beside him stood firmly, unmoved: “A few rats and snakes aren’t worth our concern.”
Liang Qiang looked toward the highest point of the illuminated city. He wanted to express concern for His Majesty, but mocked himself again—why should he worry? The imperial palace was surely heavily guarded.
“The rebel Chu troops are attacking!” a guard shouted.
Liang Qiang looked back toward the outskirts, seeing a gap torn in the burning sky, with clouds surging forward like a flood breaking through a dyke.
So fast!
How many troops had the Empress brought?
“Defend the city—” the lieutenant beside him raised his sword and shouted.
Following his cry, countless arrows flew toward the outside of the city. Oil ignited in the air, creating a sea of fire outside the walls that made night as bright as day.
Liang Qiang saw battle formations appearing in his view. They wore well-organized armor, their weapons gleamed, and their banners flew fiercely. On the great banner, a phoenix with spread wings seemed to come alive.
Under the screeching, flying fire phoenix, a woman stood with her sword, astride her horse.
She had truly come, not merely making empty threats or creating diversions—
She swung her long sword, and amidst the sea of fire came a whistling sound as countless flying stones were hurled toward the city wall.
“Attack the city—”
……
……
It seemed as if countless heavy hammers struck the ground, making the entire capital tremble. Children held in their parents’ arms inside their homes let out screams.
The sounds of fighting just outside their doors had disappeared, replaced by what seemed like distant sounds of combat, like a tidal wave engulfing everyone.
“Are we going to die?” the children cried.
The young children were experiencing this for the first time.
But the adults were not.
Many recalled the nightmare from a few years ago when many homes had been set ablaze and looted.
The adults held the children tightly: “No.”
This time was different from that time. That time, the riots had erupted suddenly; this time, the Empress had given warning.
In the darkness, under the cover of battle sounds, many people reassured their children without restraint, also comforting themselves.
“It’s the Empress punishing the wicked. She won’t harm us.”
……
……
When the sounds of fighting began in the city, Xie Yanfang had just finished taking his medicine and was about to fall into drowsiness. At that moment, his dim eyes brightened.
“So quickly,” he said.
Master Cai looked at the rushing Seventh Master Xie, also somewhat incredulous: “Is it a bluff? How many troops? It can’t be tens of thousands!”
Seventh Master Xie didn’t speak, but Xie Yanfang was already shaking his head: “How could it be? Once she makes her move, she’s determined to succeed.”
Seventh Master Xie said angrily: “Even if she arrived at the capital undetected, she has no chance of succeeding!”
Master Cai asked curiously: “How did she come? Who helped her?”
Xie Yanfang paid no attention to their subsequent words, lying on his pillow, his eyes dimming again: “What a pity, I can’t see it with my own eyes—”
Before he could finish, he fell silent.
Seventh Master Xie called out anxiously, “Yanfang—”
Master Cai arranged Xie Yanfang’s clothes and bedding, saying softly: “The young master is asleep.”
Seventh Master Xie was aware of Xie Yanfang’s condition. Despite having thousands of talents, when the time came, he had to sleep, even if heaven and earth were collapsing.
“This is all that Empress Chu’s fault!” he said hatefully, looking at the young master’s peaceful sleeping face. “If not for the injury at the hunting grounds, the young master would personally raise his sword and slay that Empress Chu right now.”
Just as he had slain the Third Prince with one stroke amid the chaos of battle.
Master Cai suddenly laughed.
What was there to laugh about at a time like this? Seventh Master Xie turned and glared at him.
“I feel that tonight is similar to that night,” Master Cai said with a smile, his expression somewhat melancholic. “It’s hard to tell which night is which.”
Seventh Master Xie hadn’t forgotten that night. It wasn’t a pleasant memory for the Xie family. All their plans had collapsed with the death of the Crown Prince and Princess.
“Tonight will not be like that night.” Seventh Master Xie stood up, looking outside, his eyes cold, saying viciously, “This time, she’ll be the one to experience collapse!”
The Empress merely relied on the Emperor’s position. Without the Emperor, what would she be? Nothing but an insect!
The Xie family was different. Even without the Emperor, they could still overturn heaven and earth!
……
……
Layer upon layer of palace walls couldn’t block out the sounds of battle. The entire city was ablaze from all four sides.
Eunuch Qi stood on the steps outside the hall, gazing into the distance, feeling the tremors in the ground. It seemed as if thousands of troops were charging against the city, or perhaps it was just the guards in the imperial city rushing about.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Eunuch Qi turned to see Xiao Yu wearing the imperial robe and holding a dragon banner.
“Your Majesty, what are you doing?” Eunuch Qi hurried forward.
Xiao Yu said: “Eunuch Qi, I’m going out like this to rally everyone to welcome the Empress. Those who bravely join me will be rewarded with the title of Ten Thousand Household Marquis!”
Eunuch Qi looked at the youth, whose height nearly reached his shoulder, his eyes bright in the darkness. He was no longer the child who had once cowered trembling in the shadows.
“Your Majesty, you must not act rashly,” he said kindly.
Xiao Yu was about to speak when a cold laugh came from behind.
“Give it up.”
Eunuch Qi and Xiao Yu turned to see Xie Yanlai walking out.
“You don’t need to do anything. You can’t rally anyone,” Xie Yanlai said, reaching out to take the dragon banner from his arms.
As he spoke, the footsteps outside the palace gate grew heavier.
“Your Majesty—we have come to protect you,” a shout came from outside. “Please open the palace gate.”
The guards from the outer city had arrived, and a squad of guards from the inner city also came running.
“Your Majesty, the rebel Chu forces are attacking the city gate,” the leading officer said. “Please retreat to safety quickly.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yu didn’t retreat but couldn’t help moving forward—
“Really?” he asked.
But the next moment, someone grabbed him and threw him backward. At the same time, something flashed before his eyes, and with a thunk, Xiao Yu saw the dragon banner plunge into the chest of the approaching officer.
The officer’s expression was one of shock as he uttered, “You—” and the next moment, the sword he had hidden behind his back fell to the ground with a clang.
What was happening?
It all happened very suddenly.
Eunuch Qi didn’t hesitate, holding Xiao Yu and shouting, “Protect His Majesty—”
This shout also brought the guards behind the fallen officer out of their stupor. No longer concealing their intentions, they drew their swords: “Kill—”
The dragon banner waved, swords flashed, and in the blink of an eye, the imperial yellow dragon banner was dyed red.
Xiao Yu, held by Eunuch Qi, showed no fear and even reached out to support the old man, his eyes fixed on the flying dragon banner.
Indeed, as Xie Yanlai had said, they were both in a cage, and now the keepers were slaughtering their prey.
Xiao Yu watched Xie Yanlai fighting among the guards, one hand waving the dragon banner, the other wielding a long sword, rolling like a dragon among hunters. The dozen or so guards who had initially surrounded them had all fallen.
But no matter how valiant a dragon might be, one person could only face ten. What about twenty, thirty, or a hundred?
Xiao Yu looked around at the chaotic footsteps, countless guards rushing over. He opened his mouth, not knowing what promise could make people fight to the death for him.
The flying dragon banner was planted among the corpses on the ground. The banner, now a banner of blood, was held by someone who removed his mask.
“I am Xie Yanlai—” he shouted, looking at the approaching guards all around. “—Where are the Imperial City guards?—”
Xie Yanlai?
This name made the guards pause.
Especially a few guards running at the back.
They didn’t know what had happened. Why had fighting suddenly broken out in the inner palace? Were these the Empress’s troops, or someone else’s?
The night was chaotic, and their minds were in turmoil. They didn’t know whether to stop or continue running forward, and if they did rush forward, who should they kill?
Until they heard this shout, this name, they suddenly came to their senses.
“Xie Yanlai!”
“It’s Commander Xie!”
“But didn’t Xie Yanlai die?”
They looked ahead at the young man standing amid the corpses, leaning on the bloody banner, his face illuminated by the firelight.
Fire, blood banner, pale face, phoenix eyes, cold brows.
“It’s Xie Yanlai—” a guard murmured.
He had never forgotten this man.
Once, Xie Yanlai had also been an imperial city guard. On a night like this, he had stood on the city wall, waving his long sword, shouting—
“Imperial City guards, protect the Son of Heaven.”
That guard instinctively felt his spirit rise, and he shouted along, “Those who dare to invade are all traitors—”
More guards, with a dazed look in their eyes, murmured, “Commander Xie’s spirit has manifested—”
Whether spirited or dazed, they unhesitatingly ran toward Xie Yanlai.
The guards were still running, but unlike before, they had divided into two forces. One side aimed their weapons at Xie Yanlai, while the other turned around, their backs to Xie Yanlai.
“Protect His Majesty—”
“Commander Xie’s orders, protect His Majesty—”
……
……
Countless arrows flew over the city wall. Guards who couldn’t dodge in time instantly fell. Along with the arrows came ropes and iron claws, accompanied by whistling sounds.
The whistling was like waves crashing against the city wall, and the solid wall seemed to tremble.
Liang Qiang looked down with his sword in hand, seeing countless guards at the foot of the wall. Many fell, but many more climbed up using soft ladders and wooden frames.
He looked back at the city wall, where corpses lay everywhere amidst fire, giant stones, and arrows. The guards used arrows and various tools to pour down upon those below the wall.
He looked further into the distance. The sounds of fighting in the city had grown louder, especially near the imperial city.
“General, their siege engines are coming—” a guard shouted.
That meant they were about to ram the city gates. Liang Qiang gripped his sword and turned, running down toward the base of the wall.
“Follow me and kill the enemy—”
Some guards instinctively followed, while others hadn’t yet reacted. The next moment, more arrows and flying stones came. Some fell, some dodged, and the city wall was once again thrown into chaos.
Guards were also running at the base of the wall.
Compared to above, the area below the gate, protected by the wall, was no safer.
Attacks kept coming from within the city, intermittently, stealthily—impossible to completely overcome yet impossible to exterminate. The guards couldn’t leave the gate but had to divide their attention.
“Open the city gate—” Liang Qiang suddenly shouted, rushing toward the gate first. “Follow me and kill the enemy—”
The guards at the gate and those following him were somewhat confused. “Follow me and kill the enemy” was understandable, but “open the city gate” seemed wrong.
Liang Qiang had already reached the gate. Two guards instinctively moved to stop him, but Liang Qiang raised his sword, and they fell to their knees.
“Open the city gate—kill the enemy—”
Although he owed his position to the Xie family’s support, and his bravery might be fake, his rank and status were real. Military orders were absolute, and no matter how strange, the guards rushed forward one after another.
“Liang Qiang, you treacherous dog!” an officer shouted, pursuing from behind. “—Seize him—”
But it was too late. The city gate was slowly pulled open.
Liang Qiang seized a horse and galloped out.
“The city gate is open—welcome the Empress into the city—” Liang Qiang shouted, raising his sword.
He could already see the phoenix banner flying behind the siege engines.
That woman was there.
If, when she had questioned him in the imperial city, he had told her about meeting Xie Yanfang in the restaurant, would he now be at her side, fighting alongside her?
If, even earlier, at the border, when she saved his arm from the blade, he had told her the full truth about what had happened, would he have long been at her side, fighting alongside her?
Liang Qiang watched the approaching phoenix banner, seeing the woman’s figure. She rode on horseback, sword in hand, blood on her blade.
Since that meeting in the restaurant, she had grown increasingly valiant, increasingly unstoppable.
While he had retreated step by step.
“Empress Chu—Liang Qiang welcomes you into the city—” Liang Qiang shouted again.
But before he could finish, arrows flew toward him. He instinctively raised his hand to block them, and with the horse’s neigh, he fell.
“The Empress has entered the city—surrender your weapons and you won’t be killed—”
“The Empress has entered the city—surrender quickly—”
Guards marched, shouts thundered, siege engines rumbled, splitting mountains and cleaving seas.
Chu Zhao looked ahead.
“It seems someone was shouting something just now,” Little Man said softly. “Surrendering?”
Chu Zhao said calmly, “Do I still need to surrender now? Ignore it.”
She looked at the city gate that had already been rammed open.
Troops poured in like a tide.
Countless shouts also poured into the city.
“The Empress has entered the city—surrender your weapons and you won’t be killed—”
……
……
The sounds of fighting continued, even more fiercely than before. Houses seemed to shake with it, but the people inside were no longer as terrified as before. Instead, they couldn’t help but listen intently.
“Listen—”
“The Empress has entered the city—”
“The Empress has entered the city—”
People held their children in their arms, gently rocking them.
“It’s alright now, it’s alright.”
……
……
The fighting in the city hadn’t ended; battles were taking place everywhere.
“If we can’t take the imperial city, we must secure households,” Ding Dahui shouted. “Your Majesty, otherwise we won’t be able to hold on.”
The city had long been filled with troops arranged by the Xie family, visible forces and hidden formations, step by step throughout the city.
Chu Zhao looked ahead: “The most advantageous position is the imperial city.”
Ding Dahui certainly knew this, but that would surely be where the Xie family’s troops were most heavily concentrated, and also—
“Your Majesty, if we storm the imperial city now and something happens to His Majesty,” he said softly, “then you—”
In that case, the realm would truly be in chaos, and in such chaos, the title of Empress would not be advantageous.
Chu Zhao looked ahead, then suddenly smiled: “It won’t happen.”
It won’t?
Before Ding Dahui could speak, Chu Zhao had already spurred her horse forward, heading straight for the imperial city.
“Ding Dahui,” Little Man held a sword in her left hand and said, “You’ve been seriously wounded once, and your courage has shrunk.”
Ding Dahui’s face reddened: “No, it hasn’t—”
“No? Then why are you thinking so much about this and that?” Little Man snorted. “At this point, what’s there to think about? Just do it—”
With that, she swung her sword and galloped forward to follow Chu Zhao.
Laughter erupted around them. Ding Dahui glared at the men: “What are you laughing at! Didn’t you hear the orders? Go kill them!”
The men howled and charged forward chaotically.
……
……
Fighting through street after street, compared to the boiling city, the imperial city sat in a pocket of silence.
The high walls were shrouded in darkness, silent and still, like a place of death.
The approaching troops involuntarily slowed their pace.
“It looks like—” Ding Dahui couldn’t help but start to speak again.
But Chu Zhao’s speed didn’t slow at all. She galloped straight toward the city gate, looking up and calling out loudly.
“A-Jiu—”
The woman’s voice echoed at the silent palace gate.
One call after another.
Her voice was hoarse and dry, not particularly pleasant to hear.
The figure shrouded in darkness on the battlement seemed unable to bear it any longer. His legs swung, and he stood up.
“Why are you shouting?” he said, looking down at the gate. “The door is open.”