The heavily guarded prisoner cart rolled mechanically across the winter-hardened soil of Yongping, its sound mechanical and hollow.
Passing countless market towns, countless fortresses, countless garrison camps, countless pairs of eyes.
At every populated gathering place, the Xiao family-affiliated commanders would order men with long spears to strip away Di Yiwei’s covering cloak, making everyone “take a good look at this woman who confounded yin and yang, deceived the entire army, and collaborated with enemies to betray the country.”
As the prisoner cart passed various military camps, crowds of people remained silent as death, heads bowing like grass bent by wind.
Soldiers were ordered to line up and watch the prisoner cart pass. Everyone kept their heads down, fists clenched, not daring to raise their heads to face that woman suffering unimaginable humiliation.
She was their Commander—the person they looked up to and respected. Today she suffered such public trampling. When would the bowed heads of the Yongping Army be able to lift again!
Anger mixed with dejection shrouded every military camp on each night the prisoner cart passed.
The entire Yongping Army’s morale visibly crumbled.
Some people uneasily told Huang Ming that while it was necessary to trample Di Yiwei and destroy her pride, using morale as the price was excessive. With recent unusual movements from both Western Rong and Liaodong, if warfare broke out while morale was low, it would cause great trouble.
Huang Ming scoffed at this.
“She’s just a woman—what can she influence? She deceived the world and betrayed the country, so those foolish men should see her true face clearly. Once they see clearly, they won’t risk their lives for her anymore. As for warfare, Western Rong and Liaodong can’t even take care of themselves. The more severe the border disturbances, the more they’re just bluffing—you don’t even understand military strategy! Even taking ten thousand steps back, if there were some small battles, we have Commander Lou, a veteran of many years, and the Deputy Commander will arrive soon. With two stars presiding, what’s there to fear!”
After spraying down all those who came with advice, he sat alone in his tent smoking an opium pipe, saying to his companion, “You know what, no wonder Di Yiwei liked smoking—this stuff is quite invigorating.”
More importantly, smoking required opium pipes, and the particulars of pipes were numerous. Since he began smoking, he had received many exceptional pipes—pure gold ones weren’t rare, ones carved from flawless jade, ones inlaid with ivory and colored gems, each worth a fortune.
“Di Yiwei was just stupid, using that old bamboo pipe year-round, not knowing how to profit from it!”
The small companion stuffed tobacco for him, fawningly saying, “Some people still treasure that pipe. Commander Lou won’t let anyone touch it—he took it back himself.”
Huang Ming snorted through his nose, “A man with eyes and heart full of nothing but women—what kind of commander is that? How many days can he be commander? Once our Young Master Xiao arrives…”
The small companion said, “Master, the Central Army Marshal could perfectly well be the Commander—why must he first settle for Deputy Commander?”
“It’s because of that old dog He Zi. Taking advantage of the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebrations, with tributes coming to the capital from everywhere—apparently causing some disturbance to the people and triggering some minor incidents—he seized the opportunity to unite a bunch of sour scholars and the Imperial Academy, submitting thirty-two articles point by point targeting the Xiao family. They said the Xiao family indulged clan members in oppressing villagers, colluded with officials for personal gain, the Xiao family’s old residence cheated and killed traveling merchants from other regions, broke dikes to release floods harming downstream people, and attempted to frame the innocent. They also mentioned Xiao Chang leading troops from the capital to surround and kill the heir as treasonous acts, plus that matter of Xiao Bi’an’s naval forces colluding with pirates that had been suppressed—the plaintiffs had been directly sent away, but unexpectedly that old dog kept another hand, separately arranging another group of witnesses to come ashore and directly petition the Three Judicial Offices… Point by point directly accusing the Empress Dowager of indulging clan members, manipulating court politics, overturning proper order, and harming people’s livelihood… It made the Empress Dowager so angry her headache condition flared up. She had to order this year’s birthday celebrations be kept simple, all tribute-bearers return to their regions, and summon Xiao family members to the capital for confrontation. Along with Xiao Bi’an’s matter, a group of high officials who usually fawned over the Empress Dowager like lapdogs suddenly all put on stern faces demanding strict punishment…”
Huang Ming spoke with spittle flying everywhere. The small companion was his own grand-nephew—eunuchs having no offspring loved cultivating their own people to care for them in old age, so he carefully explained all the connections to his grand-nephew.
The small companion listened with continuous clicking sounds of amazement.
“…This matter grew bigger and bigger. That old dog united a group of people, periodically releasing one incident after another, making all the capital’s people lose heart for their daily work. Their appetites were raised sky-high, spending all day in teahouses waiting for more Xiao family follow-ups. Then those sour scholars actually wrote poems, lyrics, and books with implications, spreading and singing them everywhere daily, making it known to all. Gradually more people went to petition against the Xiao family. The Empress Dowager had no choice but to take Xiao Bi’an and demote Xiao Chang…”
The small companion clapped his hands together, “The Empress must have been furious!”
“Exactly. Those two were the young, capable Xiao family members holding military power. With both gone, only Xiao Xueya remains, and he’s disobedient. The Empress Dowager worried for days without sleeping well, hating Di Yiwei who moved against Xiao Bi’an. The Second Assistant then acted. The Xiao family had to preserve military power—looking around, they could only take Di Yiwei’s. Who told her to dare oppose us… Xiao Chang still serves as Central Army Marshal but can’t continue, so he’ll come take over the Yongping Army’s burden. Though it seems like a demotion, it’s actually quite beneficial.”
The small companion stroked his chest, “Our Grand Secretary still has the best strategies. As long as military power is in hand, what’s there to fear from those sour scholars?”
Huang Ming lit his pipe bowl, saying, “At first we were puzzled—He Zi, an old sour scholar who hadn’t emerged from retirement for so long, where did he get such evidence? Later we learned it was all the Crown Princess’s doing!”
“Oh, that useless Crown Princess?”
“Useless nothing—she’s formidable! Our family doesn’t know the details, but the Empress Dowager was furious for quite a while, and the Emperor has been avoiding her recently. They say all these matters were uncovered by her step by step, and she personally went to Yueli to invite He Zi out of retirement, incidentally also trapping Xiao Chang and the old residence… It sounds somewhat unreal—is this still that Crown Princess who smiled at everyone in the palace without standing out? Maybe she found some expert to help then put it on her own head to build her reputation?”
The small companion solemnly held his chin, “Possible.”
“They told me the Crown Princess very likely is somewhere along the Yongping line. This time I had people search but didn’t find her. Lou Xi said Di Yiwei previously secretly sent a team to Western Rong to gather intelligence—only he knew about this. I suspect the Crown Princess was in that team.”
“Should we pursue her to Western Rong?”
“Stupid. Isn’t waiting by the stump for rabbits better? She’ll eventually return. If she knows such a big incident happened here, she’ll definitely return quickly. Then we can close the door and beat the dog.” Huang Ming laughed disdainfully, “What useless or not useless, what phoenix hidden in heaven or dragon lurking in abyss, what complete benevolence, wisdom, and courage… A group of old dogs protecting the imperial family desperately praised her—watch our family strip her skin!”
…
“Let’s die together!”
In the ice lake, Murong Yi’s long hair spread like black mist in the water. Beneath the black mist were his pale fingers, deadly gripping Prince Da’an’s throat.
Behind him countless hook-sickle spears shot forth. He paid no attention, determined to perish together with Prince Da’an.
“You biased old dog, you disgusting things who bullied and trampled me… all go die!”
Among broken ice and accumulated snow, his eyes were blood-red, looking mad and demonic.
Suddenly came a soft “hiss.”
Underwater, from Prince Da’an’s sleeve, light flashed, then brought up a sheet of deep red.
Murong Yi’s fingers suddenly loosened.
With a splash, Prince Da’an kicked Murong Yi away and climbed onto the ice surface, gasping heavily.
Murong Yi’s body trailed a deep red bloodline as he retreated rapidly, hitting the jagged ice cracks behind him like sharp teeth, pain making him bend deeply at the waist.
Countless hook-sickle spears struck toward his heart like lightning, about to pierce his heart with ten thousand spears.
Prince Da’an gripped the ice edge, eyes flickering, suddenly saying hoarsely, “Stop!”
The hook-sickle spears suddenly halted, the fastest spear’s tip only a hair’s breadth from Murong Yi’s heart.
The spear point gleamed cold blue light, not withdrawing, aimed at Murong Yi’s back. With just a slight push, it could finish him.
Murong Yi seemed completely unaware of the killing intent behind him, coughing continuously as the ice lake around him rippled with circles of deep red.
Prince Da’an stared at him with complex eyes.
He said, “Rebellious son.”
Murong Yi stopped coughing, looked up at him, wet black hair flowing around his forehead, his forehead and face snow-white.
He smiled, “Flattery.”
Prince Da’an also began coughing.
Attendants wanted to help him change out of wet clothes, but he pushed them away, still staring at Murong Yi, saying, “Killing brothers and attempting patricide—what was it all for?”
Murong Yi spread his arms, leaning against the edge of the ice hole in a relaxed posture, a smile at his lips, “Why ask so much? Come on, kill me.”
Prince Da’an stared at him fixedly.
Murong Yi crooked his finger at him like teasing a dog, “Kill me, and in the next life I’ll be your father—then you’ll understand.”
Prince Da’an: “…”
After a long moment, he took the cloak handed by attendants, threw it over himself, turned away with an iron-blue face, and said coldly, “Drag this rebellious son up. Don’t let him die yet. Send him to the secret prison and interrogate him thoroughly. Ask what other conscienceless deeds he’s done!”