The leader of the Crane Control Army had a slender figure, clearly a woman.
Upon hearing that Lou Mingyue was the new family head, her gaze suddenly softened. “I am the Tian Jia Captain of the Divine Martial Army.”
Captain was an official rank, below the Deputy Commander. Tian Jia was the unit number within the Crane Control Army.
Lou Mingyue keenly noticed the change in the other’s attitude but didn’t respond to it. “I apologize for my impatience. If you’re not in a hurry, please come sit for a while at our humble abode.”
“Alright,” the Captain said.
Lou Mingyue led them to the main hall of the estate.
After they were seated, she skipped the pleasantries and said directly, “I assume you’re also from the Lou family?”
The Crane Control Army Captain nodded.
Lou Xin’s expression changed slightly, anger in her voice, “If you have Lou’s blood flowing in your veins, why did you abandon us in our time of need? We sent out a message even earlier than when we sought help from the Mei family! If you truly wanted to help, how could you only arrive now? Is it because the Emperor…”
“Aunt!” Lou Mingyue interrupted sharply.
Lou Xin was straightforward and hot-tempered. Having held back for days, she was full of resentment. If she vented, she might speak recklessly.
The Crane Control Army Captain didn’t blame her. Her mood also became somber. “Initially, we thought it was an epidemic and secretly sent two physicians. However, those two were ambushed and killed halfway. The higher-ups ordered the Crane Control Bureau to be locked down to search for spies.”
“Even the Crane Control Army has spies?” Lou Mingyue asked in disbelief.
The Crane Control Army was considered the protective shield of the Song Dynasty’s heart, responsible for guarding the last line of defense and the Emperor. If even the Crane Control Bureau had been infiltrated by enemies, the Song Dynasty was in grave danger.
“According to the rules, I shouldn’t have been the one to come this time,” the Captain said. The Crane Control Army had regulations against excessive contact with one’s own family. Although this order had been repeatedly violated, it hadn’t been abolished. “It was precisely because of the spy issue that the Divine Martial Commander allowed us to return. But unfortunately…”
Even if the shadows from the Lou family harbored resentment towards their clan, they wouldn’t go so far as to annihilate their entire lineage. Moreover, the loyalty of Lou’s women was well-known, making them the least likely to be suspected as spies. Letting them return first to provide support was the most appropriate course of action. If the Crane Control Army had only focused on catching spies behind closed doors, they would have truly fallen into a trap!
If the Lou family faced disaster and the Crane Control Army didn’t send support, how would other families view this? Was the annihilation of the entire Lou family the Emperor’s will? Even if this wasn’t the Emperor’s intention, such an attitude suggested he eagerly awaited the disappearance of the four great families.
Currently, the trust between the Emperor and the four great families was as thin as a cicada’s wing. If they fell into this trap again and were provoked, even the surface-level maintenance of their relationship might crumble.
This series of plots was meticulously designed! Who could have such cunning and ruthlessness?
Lou Mingyue asked, “Do you have any leads regarding this sneak attack?”
“No,” the Crane Control Army Captain replied.
Lou Mingyue was very disappointed, but the Captain changed her tone and continued, “However, at present, there’s only one person who seems most likely.”
“Who?” Lou Xin pressed.
“Princess Huangwu of the Liao State.”
“Huangwu? When did the Liao State have a Princess Huangwu?” Lou Xiaowu asked, puzzled.
The Crane Control Army Captain explained, “She was originally the Princess of Zheng State, named Huangwu, born to Empress Dowager Xiao. After Empress Dowager Xiao passed away, she was demoted to a commandery princess, stripped of her title as ‘Princess of Zheng State,’ and sent to mourn for Empress Dowager Xiao…”
This matter was shrouded in mystery, even the well-informed Crane Control Army couldn’t fully grasp it.
The root of the issue is traced back to the previous generation. Empress Dowager Xiao was a Khitan, with the single name Chuo. Before marrying Emperor Jingzong of Liao, Yelü Xian, she had been betrothed to Han Delang.
The Khitan people had a custom of female rule. After Yelü Xian’s death, he handed power to Empress Dowager Xiao.
Han Delang was a Liao general who saw Empress Dowager Xiao frequently. Rumors spread that they had rekindled their old relationship. In Khitan customs, this wasn’t taboo or something to be hidden, yet Empress Dowager Xiao didn’t make it public.
More confusingly, two months after Yelü Xian’s death, Empress Dowager Xiao was three months pregnant. Most people speculated she had been unfaithful earlier, but no one could produce evidence.
When this child was born, Empress Dowager Xiao personally named her “Huangwu” — Yelü Huangwu.
“Yelü Huangwu resembles Empress Dowager Xiao and can rule,” the Captain said, increasingly convinced that she was behind this incident. “At fifteen, she was demoted for privately building an army called ‘Ghost Tiger.’ After her demotion, we lost track of Ghost Tiger. Few in the Liao State have the power to recruit so many skilled fighters, and she’s one of them.”
“Even after being demoted to mourning, she still wields such power?” Lou Mingyue asked.
“Indeed. According to our spies, Yelü Huangwu has considerable prestige in the Liao State,” the Captain explained in detail. “Han Delang devoted his life to the Liao State, still fighting in his seventies. Even now, more than half of the Liao army’s commanders are his former subordinates. These old guards might believe Yelü Huangwu is Han Delang’s flesh and blood, thus giving her special treatment. As for whether she has ambitions, that’s hard to say.”
“How could she not have ambitions?” Lou Xiaowu said angrily. “The character ‘huang’ in her name means ’emperor.’ Empress Dowager Xiao must have hoped for her to be ambitious. Perhaps she had always planned to hand power over to her!”
Knock knock!
Someone gently knocked on the door outside. “Captain, it’s getting late.”
The Crane Control Army Captain asked, “Any more questions?”
“Since there’s a suspect, what does the Crane Control Army plan to do?” Lou Xin paused, feeling her words weren’t quite accurate. “Is there an imperial edict?”
“His Majesty is eager to clean out internal traitors,” the Captain lowered her voice. “The Crane Control Army is currently in turmoil. His Majesty is urgently reorganizing it. Even if he wanted to investigate, there’s no time to spare. Moreover…”
Moreover, the Emperor might be looking to take this opportunity to eliminate the four great families, but given the current situation where the enemy seemed stronger, he wouldn’t take action.
“Thank you,” Lou Mingyue stood up. “You should head back now.”
The Crane Control Army Captain rose, quietly surveying the hall, her tone carrying a hint of indescribable emotion, “We’re family. There’s no need for thanks.”
Lou Mingyue’s throat tightened slightly. She said hoarsely, “I misspoke.”
The room was suddenly filled with a sorrowful atmosphere. Unable to bear it, Lou Xin broke the silence and escorted the Crane Control Army Captain out.
Dark clouds obscured the moon.
The Lou estate fell into dead silence.
Lou Mingyue stood alone in the courtyard for a long time before moving. She walked step by step through the snow to the front of the meeting hall, where she saw a figure wrapped in a firemink fur coat standing under the corridor.
“Who’s there?!” Lou Mingyue called out.
The person turned, revealing a face as white as snow.
Lou Mingyue lowered her guard slightly. “Mei Fourteen.”
An Jiu nodded slightly.
Lou Mingyue walked under the corridor and looked up at the characters on the plaque. “Were you looking at this?”
“Yes.”
“Doesn’t the Mei family have one?”
“I don’t know.” An Jiu hadn’t explored all of Meihua Village and didn’t know if they had such a plaque. But hearing Lou Mingyue’s question, she suddenly remembered Hua Rongjian once saying that the Crane Control Army’s motto was “Loyalty, Righteousness, Honor, and Integrity.”
“Loyalty, Righteousness, Honor, and Integrity.” Lou Mingyue turned her head and asked, “Do you know what it means?”
“I don’t,” An Jiu answered honestly.
“The Lou family has wholeheartedly followed the Founding Emperor, swearing never to betray him,” Lou Mingyue sneered. “We Lou value loyalty and righteousness above all. Our men have all sacrificed themselves for the country. We haven’t betrayed anyone, but the descendants of the Founding Emperor abandoned us first.”
Lou Mingyue’s words were like blood. “We guard the Song Dynasty’s realm for the peace of the common people, but they indulge in power games, betraying faith and righteousness.”
An Jiu was slightly stunned.
The descendants of the four great families dwindled with each generation, not for family prestige, not for wealth and glory, and not just for an oath made long ago.