Taohua rolled up her sleeves like a little ruffian and asked with a smile, “Where are you from?”
The supply soldier was bewildered. After staring at her for a while, he finally answered, “Naturally, from Zhao.”
Taohua slapped him on the head and asked again with narrowed eyes, “Where are you from?”
“…” Though this woman didn’t look scary, there was a figure like the King of Hell standing behind her. The supply soldier hesitated before replying, “From Great Wei.”
“Very good!” Taohua waved her hand, and the nearby guards came to seize him and the dozen or so men who had just entered the city, forcing them to the ground.
“What are you here for?” Taohua asked the man in front.
This group consisted of death-sworn soldiers who would normally commit suicide if captured. However, before they could act, Qian Baimei had already dislocated their jaws one by one. She then played with a willow-leaf knife nearby.
Self-destruction was the easiest way to die, which is why captured death-sworn soldiers chose it. But once they failed to kill themselves, their fear exceeded that of ordinary people. Understanding this, Taohua blindfolded them and interrogated them separately. Soon, someone confessed.
“We’re here to open the city gates for a night attack on the capital tonight.”
Taohua sneered, “At what hour will you open them?”
“At the Zi hour, when the signal smoke rises, we’ll open the gates.”
Very well, Taohua nodded. Shen Zaiye was as shameless as ever. He made a show of attacking the main gate while planning to sneak in through the side gate.
Fortunately, she had noticed. Otherwise, they would have had to swallow this bitter pill!
After locking up the group of death-sworn soldiers, Taohua squatted by the side gate. Soon, Qing Tai returned to report, “Master, reinforcements have arrived.”
“Good,” she nodded. “You and Master each guard one city gate. From now on, no one is allowed out. If any of Cold Fengchang’s people dare to leave, catch and kill them!”
“Yes,” Qing Tai responded and left. Qian Baimei snorted, “I am a free wanderer of the jianghu. Why should I get involved in matters of protecting the country?”
“Because without a country, Master would have nowhere to wander freely,” Taohua pouted. “More importantly, as both your disciples hold important responsibilities, shouldn’t you as their master help share the burden?”
It sounded reasonable. After pondering for a moment, Qian Baimei went to guard the city gate as instructed.
Thus, the people outside remained unaware of the changed situation. Shen Zaiye, following the original plan, was instructing Xu Yangui, “After breaking through the side gate, tell the men behind not to rush up for support. I’ll take Cold Fengchang and leave the city.”
Xu Yangui looked at him as if he were insane. “You’re doing this to attack the city. What’s the point of not entering after taking it?”
“If I were to use underhanded tactics to defeat women and children, wouldn’t I be scorned by all under heaven?” Shen Zaiye said solemnly.
“Come off it,” Xu Yangui sneered. “You’ve always been despised by all under heaven. Since when did you care? I think you just want to hand over the mountains and rivers to please her…”
Before he could finish, Shen Zaiye covered his mouth with his hand.
“I still bear the responsibility for all under heaven and the common people of Great Wei,” Shen Zaiye said, looking at him with deep eyes. “Do I need to teach you what can and cannot be said?”
Xu Yangui was stunned, remembering the results of today’s discussion among the military commanders. He fell silent.
Indeed, even with great power in his hands, Shen Zaiye was not someone who could act arbitrarily. He might genuinely care for Jiang Taohua and want to protect her, but the group of people who had fought alongside him wouldn’t allow it either.
It’s lonely at the top. His life might not be as good as it appeared.
“In that case, how will you explain to them entering the city and then retreating?” Xu Yangui asked.
Shen Zaiye smiled, “Hasn’t our emperor grown up? He’s a monarch with his own opinions now. We should listen to his words.”
Let Mu Wuxia take the blame? Xu Yangui laughed bitterly, “Have you considered His Majesty’s feelings about this?”
“As long as it’s for the good of his sister Jiang, His Majesty won’t have any objections,” Shen Zaiye stood up. The cunning smile on his face instantly turned gentle and harmless as he faced the sunlight outside, preparing to set out with his troops.
Taohua was preparing inside the city, holding a long hemp rope and tying Cold Fengchang to the highest point of the city tower’s roof.
“What is the princess doing?” Cold Fengchang’s face turned pale with fear. “This humble official is afraid of heights!”
“I think Your Excellency might have the ability to bless our Zhao,” Taohua said seriously. “By tying you up here, perhaps the Wei people won’t attack?”
Looking at the surroundings below, Cold Fengchang panicked, “Isn’t this the side gate? Today Wei is supposed to attack the main gate. Has the princess made a mistake?”
“No mistake,” Taohua smiled, lifting her index finger to dangle his city pass in front of him. “Isn’t this token Your Excellency’s?”
A chill ran up from the soles of his feet. Cold Fengchang turned his head away, “This… this isn’t mine. Mine is…”
“Where is it then?” Taohua asked with a cold smile. “The Third Prince only gave out one token. If this isn’t yours, where did it come from?”
Cold Fengchang fell silent, his body trembling slightly. With his hands and feet bound, he dared not move for fear of falling from the tower.
Seeing his reaction as tacit admission, Taohua pursed her lips and easily descended from the roof, leaving him alone up there.
“Princess,” a nearby minister said, “Cold Fengchang is after all an old minister who has rendered countless meritorious services. Treating him like this may dishearten many in the court.”
“To avoid disheartening you all, I’ve already endured him for a long time,” Taohua smiled. “If he’s truly wronged, no one will come to attack this side gate tonight, nor will anyone come to rescue him. Afterward, I’m willing to kowtow three times and bow nine times at his mansion to apologize. How’s that?”
This… the ministers fell silent, deciding to wait and see how things unfolded.
As evening fell, the Wei army began their assault. There was no activity at the side gate. Taohua waited patiently, listening to the distant roars and sounds of battle, her brow slightly furrowed.
This battle was a genuine head-on clash. Jiang Changjie led troops out of the city, holding the Wei army at bay a mile away. After three hours of fierce fighting with numerous casualties, a tense and gloomy atmosphere hung over the Zhao capital. Taohua watched the sky, counting down the time. As it neared the Zi hour, the sound of distant hoofbeats signaled a large army truly approaching the side gate.
Everyone gasped in surprise, praising the foresight in making preparations. They hurriedly prepared to defend the city.
Shen Zaiye led from the front, originally intending to release the signal smoke. But upon seeing the person tied atop the city tower, he immediately smiled.
Jiang Taohua was truly clever, saving Mu Wuxia from having to take the blame.
“Why has Chancellor Shen abandoned the main gate for the side gate?” Taohua called out from atop the city wall with a smile. “A real man should act openly and aboveboard.”
“The princess misunderstands,” Shen Zaiye chuckled lightly. “I merely came to receive Lord Cold Fengchang, to reunite his family.”
Hearing this, the civil and military officials on the city wall were startled. Cold Fengchang, barely alive on the rooftop, immediately shouted hoarsely, “Chancellor, save me!”
He had truly betrayed the country! Faced with this outcome, the few elder statesmen who had previously spoken up for him looked embarrassedly at Taohua, hurriedly saying, “This Cold Fengchang has so grievously betrayed the emperor’s grace and his motherland. His crimes are truly unforgivable!”
“Indeed, we were wrong in our judgment of character. After being colleagues for over a decade, yet he… alas!”
Taohua listened with amusement. She turned back and said, “It’s not too late to realize now, rather than waiting until the side gate was breached to hear your few words of regret.”
If they had truly believed Cold Fengchang to be as loyal and patriotic as they claimed, they wouldn’t have the leisure to speak so casually here now.
The ministers all smiled apologetically. Taohua turned her head with a wry smile, glancing at the troops Shen Zaiye had brought. She said, “If Chancellor Shen insists on attacking the side gate, I’m afraid these men are not enough. They can only engage in petty thievery, not worthy of the grand stage.”
Her words were full of sarcasm. Everyone thought Chancellor Shen would surely be angered, but to their surprise, the man smiled. His eyes shone brightly in the darkness as he looked up at the figure on the city wall, “Since you’ve made so many preparations, I can only give up. But it wasn’t easy to make this trip. Would the Second Princess allow me to take Lord Fengchang back? His entire family is waiting for him in our military camp.”
“If you want the person, you can have him,” Taohua smiled sweetly, pointing to the rooftop. “Come rescue him yourself.”
Shen Zaiye nodded and truly spurred his horse, flying towards the tower roof. Taohua was startled, not expecting him to do it. The archers on the city wall weren’t just for show!
Just as he leaped into the air, approaching the tower, a volley of arrows was fired from the city wall, all flying towards him!
“Shen Zaiye!” Taohua cried out in shock, shouting, “Stop!”
Spinning in midair, Shen Zaiye drew his flexible sword to deflect the arrow rain. He landed directly on the roof, and then looked down at Taohua, “The princess sounds rather anxious.”
What gave him the courage to be so arrogant? Taohua was furious. She picked up a stone and threw it at him, but he easily dodged it.
“Lord Fengchang showed his sincerity in allying with me by offering to open the city gates. How could I be so ungrateful as to abandon an ally?” Standing beside Cold Fengchang, Shen Zaiye smiled, “If any other ministers wish to join me, I welcome you wholeheartedly and will surely protect your lives as I have done today.”
With that, he picked up Cold Fengchang and leaped down from the tower.
Taohua trembled with anger. Clinging to the city wall, she finally shouted loudly and properly, “Shen Zaiye, you beast!”
Not only did he rescue Zhao’s traitor, but he also wanted to poach her people.
Chuckling softly, Shen Zaiye looked back at her, brushed off his robes, and ordered a retreat with Cold Fengchang in tow.
The ministers on the city wall had complex feelings. Some envied Cold Fengchang for his newfound security, while others felt he had violated moral principles and continued to denounce him.
After all this commotion, Taohua felt a pain in her stomach. She crouched down to recover for a while before ordering, “Send extra troops to support the main gate. The rest guard this place well and report any movement immediately.”
“Yes,” everyone responded. Taohua then dragged herself back to the palace. Soon after, Qing Tai and Qian Baimei returned. Seeing her complexion, Qian Baimei frowned and called for the imperial physician to take her pulse.
“The princess’s phoenix body is unwell and needs proper rest,” the physician frowned. “If the strange poison is not cured, I’m afraid your condition will worsen day by day.”
Taohua nodded, suddenly remembering the matter of the gu poison. She quickly asked her master, “Did Empress Lü say where the antidote is?”
Qian Baimei was startled and looked away, “No.”
“No? Then what can we do?” Taohua was a bit worried. “She’s disappeared now. If she dies, won’t I have to die with her?”
His eyes darkened as Qian Baimei said, “Don’t think nonsense. Your master will find a way for you. Even if Empress Lü is gone, there are other divine doctors in this world. There will always be a solution.”
These words might comfort her, but they couldn’t comfort him. Qian Baimei turned and walked out, saying as he left, “You rest well first. Your master will go check on Wuxia.”
“Alright,” Taohua nodded, looking somewhat strangely at her master’s retreating figure before obediently lying down to rest.
Shen Zaiye returned to the military camp and secretly executed Cold Fengchang’s entire family. Afterward, he went to where Empress Lü was being held.
“Was Cold Fengchang your man?” Shen Zaiye asked.
Empress Lü frowned, “So what if he was?”
“Nothing much,” Shen Zaiye elegantly wiped his hands with a handkerchief. “I just killed him, so I thought I should let you know.”
Lü was stunned, “You killed Cold Fengchang?”
“Yes, along with his family of twenty,” Shen Zaiye smiled at her. “It was quite satisfying.”
“…” Murderous devil!
Empress Lü became a bit flustered. At first, she had been confident that those two siblings wouldn’t be able to cause much trouble. Who knew Cold Fengchang would be gone so soon? Wouldn’t the court’s power eventually fall into their hands?
“Release me at once!” Empress Lü said. “I want to go back!”
“You can go back,” Shen Zaiye said calmly. “Answer one question for me, and I might consider releasing you.”
Is it that easy? Empress Lü quickly asked, “What question?”
“Can a person infected with gu poison conceive?”
Slightly startled, Empress Lü lowered her eyes, “Those infected with gu poison are almost always unable to bear children.”
“Almost,” Shen Zaiye looked at her. “Are there exceptions?”
“…” Empress Lü hesitated for a long time before saying, “Perhaps there are. That would be considered good fortune for that person.”
“Good fortune?” Shen Zaiye raised an eyebrow. “You mean they can cure the gu poison?”
“No!” Lü answered quickly. “It just means they might leave a child before dying. That alone would be considered fortunate.”
I see, Shen Zaiye nodded and turned to leave.
“Hey!” Empress Lü hurriedly said, “Are you going back on your word? Didn’t you say you’d let me go if I answered?”
Pausing his steps, Shen Zaiye turned back and said, “I said earlier that I would consider releasing you. Now that I’ve considered it, I’ve decided not to. Rest well, Empress.”
Empress Lü: “…”
How could there be such a shameless person in this world?
Returning to his tent, several deputy commanders came to find him, frowning as they reported, “Chancellor, the siege battle has ceased. Both sides have suffered heavy casualties. Jiang Changjie fought bravely, and we couldn’t gain an advantage.”
(End of Chapter)