The slaughter continued from dark night until daybreak.
Standing on high ground looking out in the daylight, the carnage was horrifying to behold.
The troops of Prince Zhongshan, who had originally broken camp and retreated, had resumed their attack—no one would give up resistance when others raised their blades in frenzied slaughter.
Outside the city walls, corpses piled up—both soldiers and civilians.
Stepping over the mutilated remains, the Capital Camp troops charged toward the city. From the city walls, besides arrows flying like rain, civilian laborers also hurled down wood and stones. Compared to the troops protected by battlements, shields, and armor, these civilian laborers were like naked targets. Many had barely stood up to throw stones when they were shot dead by arrows from outside the city.
But they couldn’t not stand up, because if they retreated, they would be shot dead by arrows from inside the city.
Bodies continuously tumbled down below the walls.
“Your Majesty,” a general came galloping up. “Scouts report that more reinforcements for Prince Zhongshan have arrived.”
After speaking, the general glanced at the child sitting in front of Xie Yanfang. The little Emperor gripped his blade but was oblivious to his surroundings, his eyes wooden, not speaking—
“Divide troops to engage them,” Xie Yanfang said. “This city must be taken at any cost.”
Xie Yanfang’s words were His Majesty’s words, an imperial decree. The general responded affirmatively and was about to have the war drums signal the troop division when the sound of withdrawal horns came from the distance.
The ground rumbled—it was the reinforcements approaching from afar, once again blowing the withdrawal horns.
At the same time, withdrawal horns also sounded from within the city.
The general couldn’t help but be startled. Again? He involuntarily looked at Xie Yanfang.
Xie Yanfang acted as if he hadn’t heard, only saying: “Attack.”
This time he not only gave the order, he also spurred his horse forward with the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, come with me to personally assault the city. Your Majesty will capture Xiao Xun with your own hands.”
The general hastily moved to follow, but the next moment, mournful horns sounded again. This time it wasn’t withdrawal, but the removal of armor.
Removal of armor.
This wasn’t just retreat—it was surrender.
They were actually surrendering?
With the horn sounds, the noise of soldiers on the city walls throwing down weapons and armor landing clearly reached their ears.
This—if they surrendered, they couldn’t continue beating war drums and killing, could they?
The general stood dumbfounded. Xie Yanfang gazed at the troops and city walls so close at hand, gripping his reins tightly.
Along with the horns came rolling shouts.
“Your Majesty—Your Majesty—Prince Zhongshan’s heir is unruly and insubordinate, having caused great disaster—”
“Your Majesty—Prince Zhongshan failed to properly teach his son. He removes his princely crown and robes, tearfully pleading for clemency. He begs Your Majesty for redemption—”
……
……
Daylight brightened fully. In the capital, spring was in full bloom. The streets were bustling, but without the joy of previous spring days. Many of the people walking about were disheveled, dragging families along with worried expressions. Even beggars had increased in number.
“They’re all refugees.”
“Prince Zhongshan’s heir and the Capital troops have been fighting. Cities and villages have been reduced to ashes—it’s terrible.”
“Heavens, does that mean they’ll fight their way to the capital?”
These words made the people in wine shops and teahouses somewhat restless, but soon someone conveyed new information.
“Don’t worry, His Majesty went personally. Prince Zhongshan’s army was repelled twice and is cowering, not daring to come out.”
“I heard the situation seems unfavorable—that Prince Zhongshan’s side is retreating to advance, luring His Majesty step by step into a trap?”
“You’re really underestimating Third Master Xie. Would Third Master Xie be easily deceived?”
“This official isn’t underestimating Lord Xie—it’s that who knows how many troops Prince Zhongshan still has hidden—”
Amid the noisy arguments, troops galloped through the streets—postal soldiers. The people automatically made way, and those in wine shops and teahouses leaned out to look, nervous, anxious, yet hopeful—would this be good news?
This time the postal soldiers didn’t leave the people guessing. Holding up the dispatch in hand, they shouted loudly: “The Empress has achieved great victory—Prince Zhongshan has submitted a plea for clemency and surrendered his princely seal—”
The street fell quiet for a moment, then erupted. Prince Zhongshan had confessed! There would be no more fighting!
Some applauded, some laughed loudly, others wept.
“His Majesty is mighty!”
“Lord Xie’s action was indeed formidable. Once His Majesty arrived at the front, he was unstoppable.”
“Although His Majesty is young, his dragon authority cannot be ignored. The late Emperor can rest in peace.”
But amid the joyful confusion, some people came to their senses, remembering what had just been said—
“Wait, didn’t they say it was the Empress’s great victory?”
The Empress.
Previously, a group of women in the city had praised the Empress’s martial prowess daily, until the Chu Lan family fled and their voices had diminished somewhat.
But when people in wine shops and teahouses denounced Chu Lan’s crimes and mentioned the Empress—there was no helping it, after all Chu Lan was the Empress’s uncle, how could family be separated—there were still a few young women who rushed out declaring, “You just wait, things are definitely not like that.”
At the time they had said something like, “The Empress is leading troops from the border commandery to besiege Zhongshan Commandery. She will definitely pacify Prince Zhongshan’s rebellion.”
No one had taken it seriously, and some had mocked, “The Empress should guard the border commandery well before talking about other things.”
Then Lord Xie had led the Emperor on the expedition, and the Empress was mentioned even less.
Who would have thought—
Had the Empress actually conquered Zhongshan Commandery and made Prince Zhongshan confess?
……
……
Officials at the front lines knelt one after another. They announced their names—they were all officials from Zhongshan Commandery. Behind them, generals and soldiers also removed their armor and knelt, raising high the princely crown and robes in their hands.
But Xie Yanfang said not a word. Capital troops stood densely like a forest, blocking them outside.
These officials could only repeatedly plead for clemency and request an audience with His Majesty.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Those kneeling generals glanced at each other with grave expressions, their hands on the ground reaching toward their sides—
Earlier, after ceasing battle and retreating, this side had still pursued and attacked without stopping. Now that they had laid down arms and confessed, if there was still intent to kill, they would not truly submit without resistance.
In the anxious moment, another general came galloping from the distance.
“Here is Prince Zhongshan’s plea for clemency.” He held up a scroll in his hand, saying loudly, “The Empress has already reviewed it. We request His Majesty to examine it.”
The Empress! The commander was startled. Before he could recover, a child’s voice shouted nearby.
“Sister Chu!”
“It’s Sister Chu!”
The commander turned to look and saw the previously dazed little Emperor instantly come back to life.
The Emperor even raised his hand pointing at that general, shouting loudly: “I recognize you—you’re Captain Bai!”
There weren’t many people around Sister Chu, but he firmly remembered every single one.
Xiao Yu threw down the long blade in his hand, grabbed the reins, and without asking Xie Yanfang, urgently spurred his horse. The horse neighed and charged forward.
The general no longer hesitated and loudly ordered the military formation to part.
Xie Yanfang said nothing more, sheathing the long blade in his hand. In his ears, only Xiao Yu’s voice echoed continuously.
“Captain Bai, did Sister Chu defeat Prince Zhongshan?”
“Captain Bai, did Sister Chu send you?”
“Where is Sister Chu now?”
“Sister Chu—is she injured?”
“Is she alright?”
……
……
Xiao Xun walked out from the hall. He didn’t want to show weakness, but his gaze still froze for an instant, as if he had been confined underground in perpetual darkness for a lifetime and suddenly saw the world outside—unable to adapt.
He hadn’t been confined for a lifetime, nor had it been perpetually dark. He had only suffered a momentary defeat, not a lifetime defeat!
“Where is Chu Zhao?” Xiao Xun raised his eyes and asked.
Many people stood in the government office courtyard, just as he had sensed while inside the hall. However, the atmosphere was different now.
The generals no longer showed anger, the soldiers no longer radiated ferocity. Their expressions were all bewildered, as if they had been confined for a long time, unaware of worldly affairs.
Hearing the name Chu Zhao, another group of people in the courtyard walked over, led by a young woman.
“Is the Empress’s given name something you can call directly?” she said with a snort.
Xiao Xun looked at her. He had never seen this girl before, yet she didn’t seem unfamiliar—probably because he could see traces of Chu Zhao in her face.
Someone ran over with thumping steps and pounced toward that girl. “Sister Xiao Man!”
That great general who had killed him, subdued Tie Ying—the evil child called Little Rabbit.
The evil child failed to jump onto that girl, being kicked away by her raised foot, landing to the side with a grinning laugh.
All were Chu Zhao’s people.
Xiao Xun asked coldly: “What has the Empress done to my father?”
Xiao Man said lazily: “The heir can rest assured—Prince Zhongshan is doing very well.”
He too had been doing very well bound in the flower hall—except for having his mouth stuffed with rags and being slapped by that lowly maid Chu Tang. Xiao Xun looked coldly at these people—besides petty thieves and scoundrels, there were also some people from Prince Zhongshan’s estate and officials from Zhongshan Commandery.
Seeing him look over, those people all said, “The heir can rest assured, the Prince is perfectly safe.”
Xiao Xun didn’t ask them, lifting his foot to leave.
“Hey, Heir—” Xiao Man called out, “Where are you going?”
Xiao Xun looked at her: “Since Her Majesty the Empress has gotten what she wanted, naturally I’m going home to see my father.”
Xiao Man smiled at him: “That won’t do. You can’t return to Zhongshan Commandery. You must go to the capital.”
The capital! Xiao Xun was startled, then retreated backward, but it was still a step too late.
“Bind him!” Xiao Man said.
With this sentence, Little Rabbit, who had been standing beside her, and an old servant who jumped out from the flower hall, pounced over in the blink of an eye. Xiao Xun only felt his vision blur before he was pinned down, a rope coiling around him like a swimming snake.
This rope wasn’t unfamiliar either—it had only just been removed from him not long ago.
“You—” Xiao Xun shouted.
The generals and soldiers in the courtyard stirred restlessly. They shouted, but their steps hesitated. No one surged forward to cut down these petty thieves and scoundrels.
“What?” Xiao Man shouted loudly, her expression displeased. “I’m not the one binding you—this is your Prince’s order.”
The Prince’s order?
Father?
Xiao Xun looked at Xiao Man, then at the officials and generals standing in the courtyard. No, he didn’t believe it!
Ning Kun stepped forward. He too had been released earlier. Now he held an unfolded letter in his hand—even through the back, one could see the bright red seal.
“Heir,” his expression was complex as he said, “The Prince has ordered that you, the Heir, enter the capital to await—disposition.”
Told him to enter the capital? Father told him to enter the capital? Was Father abandoning him?
Xiao Xun looked at Ning Kun, then at the officials and generals in the courtyard, and stopped struggling, standing up straight.
“It should be so,” he said. “I have caused trouble for Father. I should go present myself to His Majesty bearing thorns to plead guilty.”