As the morning mist dissipated, the streets leading to Chongzhi Gate were already crowded with curious onlookers. Soldiers of the Imperial Guard, dressed in their uniforms, formed neat lines as they escorted a prison cart slowly through the throng. The excited populace pushed and jostled, discussing the day’s event: the once-powerful Right Minister, Xia Mingyuan, was to be executed outside Chongzhi Gate.
Amidst the chaos, a middle-aged storyteller, dressed in his characteristic garb, animatedly recounted the tale: “Xia Mingyuan, exploiting his power, committed numerous atrocities over the years, the most heinous of which was conspiring with Prince Qi to rebel when the current Emperor sought to punish his crimes. Fortunately, the commander of the Imperial Guard, Xia Qing, Xia Mingyuan’s nephew, revealed the plot to the Emperor.
He orchestrated a plan to let the rebels into the city through the North Gate and then ambushed them in a narrow alley, annihilating the rebel forces and shooting their leader with an arrow, thus sparing the capital from the horrors of war.”
The crowd, eyes shining with admiration, nodded in understanding. The storyteller, pleased with the attention, continued, “Although Xia Mingyuan’s crimes warrant extermination of his entire clan, our benevolent Emperor decreed only his execution, sparing the rest of the Xia family by exiling the male members to the frontier.” The crowd murmured in awe, praising the Emperor’s mercy, while their contempt for the prisoner grew. Someone shouted, “Traitor! A villain who brought disaster to our country! Kill the traitor!”
Xia Mingyuan listened to the endless curses around him, slowly closing his eyes. The biting cold wind blew his disheveled white hair into his mouth, leaving a dry, bitter taste. He had entered officialdom at sixteen, becoming a minister at twenty-eight, and had once led the Xia family to unparalleled prominence in the Damu Empire. He never imagined he would end up despised by all, a traitor to his country. Suddenly, he thought of his sister, who, through her death, had stirred guilt in her son, granting the rest of the Xia family a final reprieve. They had pursued too much, borne, and now, it was time to let go. With a deep sigh, he opened his eyes, greedily soaking in the last light of his life.
Suddenly, his gaze caught a familiar figure on the city wall, and his heart skipped a beat: it couldn’t be her! She hated him to the bone; why would she come to see his final moments? Her mocking words echoed in his ears: “From now on, I have no ties to the Xia family. I wish Minister Xia fulfillment of his ambitions, may his power last forever, and his line be extinguished!” Xia Mingyuan’s lips curled into a bitter smile. Perhaps this was heaven’s punishment for him—sacrificing his flesh and blood for power, only to end up beheaded and alone.
Yuanxi stood on the city wall, her blue dress billowing in the wind, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on the prison cart moving toward Chongzhi Gate amid the crowd’s jeers. She knew that once the cart left the city gate, she would never see him again.
A pair of large hands embraced her shoulders, and Xiao Du softly whispered in her ear, “Do you want to go to the execution ground to see him off?”
Yuanxi shook her head, her eyes following the cart as it slowly exited the city gate. Among the crowd, she easily spotted the man’s white hair and hunched figure. Finally, everything turned into a black dot and vanished on the long street. Let it end here, she thought. This father-daughter relationship is now severed, leaving no debts or attachments.
Xia Mingyuan was finally beheaded, and the remaining members of the Xia family were exiled. The imperial guards once commanded by the Xia family were also purged in the capital battle, and Emperor Wen, Zhao Yan finally reclaimed full control over the imperial power of the Damu Empire. Yet, as people looked forward to a period of peace and stability, a greater upheaval was unfolding.
First, rumors spread from the Marquis of Xuanyuan’s mansion. Allegedly, due to a traitor within the household, the Marquis had become highly suspicious, constantly expelling servants, creating an atmosphere of fear among the remaining staff, who never knew when their turn would come.
By early April, even more explosive news swept through the capital. A deputy general who had participated in the defense of Pingdu Pass submitted a memorial, claiming that five years ago, during the siege, Marquis Xiao Du had resorted to cannibalism to stave off starvation among his troops. This revelation shocked everyone. Many who had lost relatives in that battle were outraged, demanding Xiao Du’s execution to avenge their loved ones. The once-celebrated war hero was now reviled, and the court was inundated with petitions urging the Emperor to severely punish Xiao Du to appease the public outcry. Initially, Emperor Wen, Zhao Yan, tried to quell the matter but eventually succumbed to the mounting pressure and summoned Xiao Du to the palace for trial.
Within the Marquis’s mansion, the eunuch who delivered the decree trembled as he read the edict, constantly glancing at Xiao Du’s face. He had heard many terrifying rumors about the Marquis and feared being devoured in a fit of rage. However, recalling the thousands of imperial guards stationed outside, he felt a bit more secure, knowing the Emperor had ordered that Xiao Du be immediately apprehended if he resisted the summons.
To his surprise, Xiao Du calmly accepted the decree without a trace of panic, as if he had anticipated it. Rising gracefully, he smiled and said, “Please inform His Highness that I request a three-day grace period, after which I will personally come to the palace to face the charges.” The eunuch, momentarily at a loss, was uncertain whether this constituted defiance but, unwilling to linger, forced a smile and said, “I will relay your message to His Highness. Please continue to await further orders.”
Watching the eunuch hastily retreat, Xiao Du clenched the silk scroll in his hand. “Mingcheng, you couldn’t wait any longer, could you?”
Zhao Yan, upon receiving the eunuch’s report, did not fully grasp Xiao Du’s intentions but, out of long-standing camaraderie, granted the three-day grace period. However, from that day on, a detachment of imperial guards surrounded the Marquis’s mansion, allowing no one to enter or leave.
Three days later, Xiao Du sat in a carriage that slowly departed from the Marquis’s residence. He lifted the curtain and glanced at the soldiers still standing guard outside the gate, letting out a mocking chuckle before letting the curtain fall and leaning back leisurely on the silk cushions.
Inside Qianyuan Palace, Zhao Yan sat on the dragon throne, looking down at the man below. Xiao Du knelt there with a straight back and a relaxed smile on his face. Knowing he was facing certain death, why was he so confident? Zhao Yan couldn’t help but tap his fingers on the table, his expression one of suspicion.
At that moment, Wu Yue, now the Right Minister, angrily accused, “Xiao Du, you dare to lead others in consuming the flesh of your comrades. Do you have any humanity left? How can you face their souls in the afterlife?”
Xiao Du raised his head and looked at him, “I acted with a clear conscience before heaven and earth and with no regrets towards my brothers who followed me for years.”
Wu Yue sneered and leaned in closer, his words piercing, “So you ate their flesh, leaving their souls with no rest, and their families unable to retrieve their bodies.”
Xiao Du’s body trembled slightly, but he did not respond. Wu Yue then turned to Zhao Yan and said, “Your Majesty, loyal and righteous soldiers fought and died, yet the Marquis of Xuanyuan dared to commit such inhumane acts. If he is not severely punished, how can we answer to those loyal soldiers and their families who cannot even recover their loved one’s remains?”
Zhao Yan sighed deeply, his face showing reluctance. Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Du suddenly interjected, “Your Majesty, what time is it now?”
Zhao Yan paused, then glanced at Eunuch Fu, who quickly replied, “It is three-quarters past the hour of Si.”
Xiao Du smiled, “Your Majesty, it would be best to wait a bit longer. A dispatch should arrive soon. After you read it, you can decide my fate.”
The people in the hall exchanged puzzled glances, not understanding what Xiao Du was up to. Xiao Du, however, stood up confidently, ignoring the skeptical looks around him as if he was not the one awaiting punishment. Finally, after an agonizing wait, someone rushed into the hall and knelt, urgently reporting, “Your Majesty, an urgent report from the front lines! The Mu Rong and Wu Kingdoms have gathered an army of 200,000 and are attacking Pingdu Pass. Our forces are retreating, unable to hold them off. If reinforcements are not sent, Pingdu Pass will soon fall!”
Zhao Yan’s face changed drastically. He glared fiercely at Xiao Du. It was him! It must have been him! The Mu Rong and Wu Kingdoms had long harbored intentions of joint invasion. If not for Xiao Du deliberately pulled the Xia family army back to Pingdu, how would they dare to take such bold action? This was his final gambit!
Xiao Du then knelt and solemnly said, “The situation at the front is critical. I am willing to personally take command and lead the troops into battle. I guarantee with my life that I will hold Pingdu Pass and not let the barbarians invade our great Damu’s territory!”
Zhao Yan slammed the table in frustration, his eyes filled with reluctance and anger. He blamed himself for being too eager to eradicate the Xia clan. With Qin Mu dead and no one to immediately take over the defenses of Yanzhou, the court had no one capable of fighting the Wu Kingdom and the Mu Rong except for Xiao Du. If he let Xiao Du lead the army out of the capital, it would be like releasing a tiger back into the wild. Once the external threat was repelled, Xiao Du could easily use his military power to attack the capital. But if he didn’t let him go, the Wu Kingdom and Mu Rong could break through Pingdu Pass at any moment and march into the heartland, putting the Damu Empire at risk of destruction!
After a long hesitation, Zhao Yan finally gritted his teeth and said, “Very well! You have fought against them for many years and should know how to counter their strategies. I entrust the safety of Damu to you. You will have full authority over the front-line forces.”
Xiao Du smiled and bowed deeply, “I will not fail you!”
A few days later, flags bearing the character “Xiao” fluttered in the wind. Xiao Du, clad in silver armor with a purple cloak and a white plume on his helmet, rode at the head of his troops. The people, upon learning that the Marquis of Xuanyuan had been appointed to lead the defense again, gathered along the roadsides to see him off. They cheered loudly, “Marquis of Xuanyuan! Marquis of Xuanyuan!” Their voices echoed to the skies, moving all who witnessed the scene. Zhao Yan, wearing his crown, stood on the city wall, his eyes fixed on the valiant figure on horseback. This was the second time he sent him to battle. Perhaps when they met again, they would be on a battlefield as enemies.
At this moment, Wu Yue approached to console him, “Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. Xiao Du’s family is still held in the Marquis’s residence. I assure you, he will not dare to act rashly.”
Zhao Yan sighed softly but suddenly widened his eyes. He called over a guard and urgently commanded, “Quick! Send a spy into the Marquis’s residence to see if his family is still there!”
Wu Yue, hearing this, also realized the implication. Xiao Du had left the city without anyone from his household seeing him off, not even the Marchioness. Could it be… Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and the memorial tablet in his hand fell heavily to the ground…
Half a month earlier, a carriage draped in black cloth had quietly left a residence marked with lanterns bearing the character “Luo.” The carriage made its way through the long street and approached the Qide Gate. The gate guards lifted the curtain, interrogating the occupants before recognizing one of them and smiling, “Ah it’s Scholar Luo. Why are you heading out of the city so late?”
Luo Yuan, who had been instrumental in the Xia Mingyuan case and highly regarded by the Emperor for his talents, was somewhat known even among the Imperial Guards. Luo Yuan offered a slight bow and responded, “A relative in my hometown has passed away. I must hurry back to attend the funeral. I hope you can make an exception for me, brother.”
The guard nodded, his eyes drifting to the other passengers in the carriage. They were dressed in coarse cloth, sitting silently with their heads down. The guard’s suspicion grew, “And these people?”
Luo Yuan explained, “They are distant relatives from the capital, accompanying me back for the funeral.”
Remembering the Emperor’s strict orders to carefully inspect everyone leaving the city, the guard hesitated to decide on his own. He called for the captain of the guard. The captain arrived and, recognizing Luo Yuan, smiled apologetically, “Could they step down for a brief questioning? We must follow the Emperor’s orders; I hope you understand.”
Luo Yuan’s expression tightened as he was about to respond, but a voice came from behind, “Do you still not trust Scholar Luo?”
The captain turned to see who had spoken and was immediately taken aback—it was Xia Qing. Xia Qing had played a key role in quelling the rebellion and had been rewarded by the Emperor with command over two additional military divisions. He was not someone to be trifled with. Hastily, the captain bowed, “General Xia, we are merely following orders.”
Dismounting his horse, Xia Qing replied, “Do you suspect Scholar Luo of being a traitor? He has urgent matters to attend to. Let him pass.”
Not daring to delay further, the captain ordered the gates opened. Luo Yuan, now back in the carriage, wiped the sweat from his forehead. As the carriage moved farther from the city gate, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and spoke to those inside, “Old Marquis, Madam, Second Young Master, we will soon reach the river crossing. The Marquis has arranged a boat there to take you to Pingjun. He will find a way to escape.”
Yuanxi removed her black hat and looked back at the city from the carriage window, silently praying, “Ah Du, please come to find us safely.”