The four city gates of Luoyang – North Gu Gate, West Yong Gate, South Pingcheng Gate, and East Zhongdong Gate – were besieged by Wei Shao’s army.
Xing Xun’s remaining troops, who had retreated into the city, were making their last stand like cornered beasts.
…
After the victory at Muye, Wei Shao, heeding the advice of Gong Sun Yang and others, decided to pursue the advantage, annihilate Xing Xun, and capture Luoyang in one fell swoop.
Xing Xun, leading the remaining 100,000 defeated troops retreating to Luoyang, had set up two lines of defense at Hulao Pass and Mount Mang.
However, how could a defeated army, demoralized and exhausted, withstand Wei Shao’s forces, who were brimming with confidence and high morale?
Like a juggernaut, Wei Shao’s army advanced unstoppably. In just half a month, encountering almost no significant resistance, they crossed Mount Mang, forded the Luo River, and launched the final assault on Luoyang.
…
In the Jade Hall of the Northern Palace’s rear chamber.
Old Mrs. Su stumbled in from outside.
“How is it?” Empress Su E hurriedly went to meet her.
Seeing Old Mrs. Su’s grief-stricken face, her heart sank.
Yet she still clung to a last shred of hope.
“It’s terrible! The guards say the South Pingcheng Gate can’t hold much longer. Wei Shao’s army will soon reach the Imperial Palace—”
Empress Su E’s face suddenly changed: “So quickly? Where’s Ding Qu? Has he come?”
Old Mrs. Su shook her head in confusion: “Everything’s in chaos, I didn’t see General Ding—”
Empress Su E pushed Old Mrs. Su aside, calling out loudly for the guards as she hurried out. Unexpectedly, her skirt caught on a gold-plated copper corner of a nearby black lacquered dressing table. With a crisp tearing sound, the large four-paneled bronze mirror on the table wobbled and toppled forward, crashing into a jewelry box on the tabletop.
The box fell to the ground.
Amidst the sound of shattering gold and jade, pearls, agates, glass beads, and cat’s eye gems spilled out, rolling across the floor.
Empress Su E gritted her teeth, violently tearing the caught part of her skirt. She ran forward, stepping on the scattered jewels.
After a few steps, she heard the shrill screams of palace maids from outside the hall.
She stopped abruptly.
Xing Xun burst in, appearing before her.
He wore the imperial dragon robe, its hem splattered with blood.
The imperial crown on his head was askew, swaying precariously as he walked, adding a touch of absurdity to his contorted face.
He wielded a long sword.
The blade was covered in blood, dripping steadily.
“You wench! You’ve brought me to this!”
Xing Xun gnashed his teeth, advancing towards Empress Su E.
Empress Su E slowly backed away.
“Your Majesty, you mustn’t—”
Old Mrs. Su cried out, lunging forward and clutching tightly at Xing Xun’s robe. He kicked her away, stabbing her to death, then pulled out his sword and chased after Empress Su E.
Empress Su E turned and fled within the hall.
Xing Xun brandished his sword, pursuing her around the pillars.
His corpulent body, having just killed several palace maids on his way, and years of indulgence in wine and women had long since robbed him of his former martial prowess. After chasing for several rounds, Empress Su E managed to evade him by using the hall’s great pillars.
Xing Xun, panting heavily, grew increasingly furious. He hurled his sword at Empress Su E ahead of him.
The blade flew past Empress Su E’s ear, embedding itself in the red-lacquered pillar beside her.
The sword quivered a few times before clattering to the ground.
Xing Xun took a large step forward, catching up to Empress Su E before she could escape. He grabbed her neck with both hands, gnashing his teeth as he violently shook her head.
“You wench! If I hadn’t listened to you back then, how could I have fallen into this state? Why did you harm me so?”
Empress Su E struggled desperately, kicking her legs, but her neck was as if clamped in an iron vise, impossible to break free.
Her face turned purple, her breath gradually failing, her eyes rolling back. Suddenly, with a “clink,” the butterfly mask on her face fell off, revealing the mutilated visage beneath.
When her nose had been cut off, it was the height of summer, and the wound had festered.
Now, though the ulcer had healed, it left an uneven, purplish-black scar crawling across the side of her half-missing nose bridge.
On this woman’s face, however alluring the remaining features might be, the true appearance usually hidden beneath the butterfly mask was utterly horrifying.
Xing Xun was stunned.
Staring fixedly at this mutilated face, the hands gripping her neck loosened their hold.
A moment later, as if suddenly understanding something, he flew into a rage once more, viciously slapping Empress Su E.
“Wench! This ghastly face must be Wei Shao’s handiwork! You hate him to the bone, so you bewitched me with your lies?”
Thinking of how he, a lifelong hero who had been invincible, had been deceived to this extent by a woman as hideous as a ghost.
The top of his skull felt as if a hammer were striking it from within, threatening to burst out.
Even tearing her into a thousand pieces couldn’t vent the hatred in his heart at this moment.
With a roar of fury, his eyes bulging, he was about to wring her neck when suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his head. It was as if an internal torrent had suddenly burst through his skull. Half his body immediately stiffened, his mouth twisted, and the hand gripping her neck began to shake.
As he mustered the last of his strength to snap that smooth neck, he suddenly felt a chill in his chest.
A slender hand had produced a dagger.
The sharp tip pierced through the imperial robe, through flesh, and deep into Xing Xun’s heart.
Xing Xun’s body shook uncontrollably, his eyes still glaring at Empress Su E, making strange guttural sounds.
Empress Su E gasped for air, finally pushing away the hand still clamped on her neck. She pulled out the dagger slightly, then plunged it deeper, finally twisting it.
Xing Xun’s massive body crashed to the ground.
Empress Su E’s face was as pale as a ghost. She clutched her throat, coughing painfully a few times before finally getting up from the ground. Seeing Xing Xun still staring at her with an ugly expression of unresigned death, she coldly laughed, “I thought you were someone of substance, imagining you might achieve something. That’s why I endured this humiliation to serve your fat body. I didn’t expect you to be so utterly incompetent! You can die in peace now! Let me tell you the truth, I had a backup plan all along. I’ve thoroughly won over Ding Qu. He’s devoted to me and has long prepared for escape if the city falls. Facing death, you don’t reflect on your faults, but vainly imagine dragging me down with you. Keep dreaming!”
She spat on Xing Xun’s corpse on the ground, then forcefully pulled out a corner of her skirt that was trapped under his body.
Hurried footsteps sounded from outside the hall.
One of Empress Su E’s former maids, whom she had sent to wait for Ding Qu, rushed in.
“Madam! General Ding’s men have arrived. They say for you to hurry to Zhuolong Gate—”
Before she could finish, her eyes fell upon Empress Su E’s mutilated face. They widened in shock as if she had seen a terrifying ghost. With a shrill scream of “Ah!”, she turned and ran out.
Empress Su E instinctively touched her face, then immediately gave chase.
Hearing the footsteps, the maid turned back in terror. Seeing Empress Su E approaching with the blood-stained dagger, her gaze sinister and her face like that of a vengeful spirit, the maid’s legs trembled uncontrollably. She could no longer run, her knees gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, begging through tears, “Spare me! I’ve always been loyal to you, Madam! I didn’t see anything! I swear I won’t tell anyone—”
Expressionless, Empress Su E stabbed the maid to death. She returned to pick up the butterfly mask that had fallen off earlier, quickly putting it back on to cover her face and then hurried towards Zhuolong Gate.
The once misty, song-filled palace of jewels and pearls had now fallen into a state of immense panic.
Palace maids fled in all directions, while palace guards took advantage of the chaos to loot. The scene was one of utter devastation.
Empress Su E, protected by her few remaining loyal attendants, rushed in one breath to Zhuolong Gate in the Northern Palace.
But it was empty, with no sign of the people who were supposed to be waiting for her.
In her ears, she could faintly hear the battle cries of Wei Shao’s soldiers as they stormed through the Vermilion Bird Palace gates.
She grew agitated, pacing back and forth on the jade steps of Zhuolong Gate, cursing under her breath. The phoenix-headed gold and jade ornaments in her hair trembled incessantly with her hurried steps.
“We can’t wait any longer, let’s go on our own—”
She gritted her teeth, suddenly stopping her pacing. She was about to turn and flee towards Zhuolong Garden with her attendants when suddenly a rush of chaotic footsteps came from behind.
Turning back, she saw Ding Qu leading a group of followers, hurrying towards them.
Empress Su E was overjoyed. She called out “General Ding” and ran towards him, lifting her skirts.
…
Ding Qu had long known of Lady Yulou’s reputation. After defecting to Xing Xun, he finally saw her face at a palace banquet.
He secretly compared her in his mind.
Although she was far from being as stunningly beautiful as Wei Shao’s wife, whose fleeting glimpse at Luqi Terrace remained unforgettable to this day, she had her womanly charm. Moreover, the butterfly mask covering her face added an air of mystery and allure.
He had also heard that she was Xing Xun’s favorite in the Lotus Tower, which inevitably stirred certain thoughts in him.
Behind Xing Xun’s back, it wasn’t long before Ding Qu became Empress Su E’s devoted servant.
Today, seeing that Luoyang was about to fall, he quietly left his post on the city wall and returned, finding her waiting at Zhuolong Gate as expected. He hurriedly strode forward, saying, “Madam, come with me quickly! I know of a gap in the West Gate. If we fight to the death, we might be able to cut our way out. I’ll protect you—”
Before he could finish, he saw that in her rush, Empress Su E’s golden butterfly mask suddenly fell off, dropping to the ground.
Beneath the mask was revealed a mutilated face.
The glaring midday sun shone directly upon it, exposing every detail.
Ding Qu stopped in his tracks, horrified, his eyes widening like copper bells.
Empress Su E suddenly felt a chill on her face. Looking up, she saw Ding Qu and his followers’ eyes bulging like copper bells. She immediately realized that her mask must have come loose in her haste and fallen off as she ran. Her heart trembled, and she instinctively screamed, using her sleeve to cover her face.
“General Ding! Don’t be afraid! I wasn’t always like this! I was once a great beauty, everyone in Luoyang knew the name of Lady Yulou! It was all Wei Shao’s doing that I ended up like this! If you help me escape, I’ll help you seize the empire!”
Ding Qu stared fixedly at the face that had been half-hidden by the butterfly mask, hardly able to believe his eyes.
He finally understood why she had never allowed him to spend the night with her.
As if he had swallowed a fly, his face showed intense disgust and contempt. He turned and fled.
Empress Su E was greatly alarmed and immediately gave chase, grabbing his sleeve from behind.
“General Ding, I was born with an extremely noble fate. A fortune-teller predicted that I would become unspeakably powerful in the future! You must believe me—”
With a ripping sound,
Ding Qu drew his sword, cutting off the sleeve she was clutching, and strode away without looking back.
The few attendants who had been following her nearby also stared at her face in horror, slowly backing away. They exchanged glances, then suddenly turned and fled for their lives.
Empress Su E collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale, her fingers still tightly gripping Ding Qu’s severed sleeve. Shaking uncontrollably, she suddenly called out loudly, “General Ding, wait! You should know that over the years, the wealth old Xing Xun has amassed could rival a nation’s treasury! The gold and silver hidden in the Lotus Tower is but a fraction of his hoard! I was his favorite, and once, when he was drunk, I learned of another secret treasure location! If you help me escape, I’ll reward you with this treasure trove!”
Ding Qu hesitated, stopped, and slowly turned back: “Do you speak the truth?”
Although Empress Su E’s face was still pale, her expression gradually regained composure. She bent down to pick up the fallen butterfly mask and put it back on, saying, “How Xing Xun once doted on me, others may not know, but surely you do? Discovering one of his secret treasure locations was no difficulty for me. If you want to leave, then go! I won’t force you! The treasures in the Lotus Tower now belong to Wei Shao! It’s a pity that Xing Xun’s other treasure hoard will be buried with me forever!”
Ding Qu was half-believing, half-doubting. He watched as Empress Su E finished speaking and turned to leave, her back straight and proud.
He began to waver.
Over the years, Xing Xun had plundered wealth from across the land, rumored to have hidden it in various locations. One such place, the Lotus Tower, was known to all.
Hearing the woman’s words, he was suddenly tempted.
He thought to himself that although this ghastly-faced ugly woman was hateful and disgusting for having deceived him to such an extent, they had already come this far. Since there was treasure involved, he might as well trust her one more time.
If they escaped and he found out she had lied, he could kill her then.
Greed took over, and he immediately changed his expression, saying, “Madam, wait! Come with me! If we delay any longer, we may not be able to escape!”
…
The citizens of Luoyang, who had barricaded themselves in their homes, endured a long day of trepidation.
The sounds of battle from the four city gates finally dwindled and ceased completely.
The sound of orderly, low marching footsteps came from the main road leading to the Imperial Palace.
That night, a curfew was imposed in Luoyang. Anyone found outside would be killed without question.
However, even from within their homes, the citizens could see a huge pillar of fire rising from the eastern suburbs outside the city.
The great fire burned fiercely all night, illuminating half the night sky over Luoyang’s eastern suburbs.
The next day, news spread.
Duke Yan of Youzhou, Wei Shao, had captured Luoyang.
Xing Xun, who had been Emperor of Great Jiang for over half a year, was dead.
Wei Shao’s main army was stationed outside the four gates. Last night, he had only sent two thousand troops into the city to control the Imperial Palace and the offices of the Three Excellencies.
Early that morning, the Luoyang Prefect issued a public notice stating that Duke Yan had ordered the soldiers not to harass the residents.
The citizens finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
Soon after, another piece of news spread wildly through the streets.
However, another piece of news quickly spread like wildfire in the streets. It was said that Lady Qiao, the wife of Marquis Yan, was stunningly beautiful, capable of captivating any heart.
Xing Xun had once boasted that he would take Lady Qiao for himself and raise her in the Lotus Pavilion. After Marquis Yan captured Luoyang, the very first thing he did last night was to set fire to the Lotus Pavilion.
The flames that illuminated half the night sky over Luoyang’s eastern outskirts were the result of that great inferno, consuming the Lotus Pavilion entirely.