Chapter 112
After leaving the central command tent, a young officer congratulated Fan Changyu.
\u201cThe previous battles have already crushed the rebels\u2019 momentum. With Prince Changxin dead, and after Kang City fell, the rebel heir Sui Yuanqing was also captured by the Marquis. There\u2019s no one left in Chongzhou capable of fighting. If Commander Fan can break open the city gates tomorrow and claim this first merit, the rest of us won\u2019t even be able to catch a glimpse of your achievements.\u201d
Though it sounded like praise, there was more than a hint of jealousy beneath it.
Fan Changyu\u2019s foundations in the army were still shallow. She had earned the favor of her superiors through several extraordinary accomplishments, and while many people said nothing openly, quite a few were secretly envious.
Fan Changyu simply replied, \u201cThe battle plans were all devised by General Tang and Lord Li after countless days and nights of deliberation. We merely charge into battle with courage. How could I claim first merit? You flatter me too much, General.\u201d
Once she brought up Tang Peiyi and Li Huai\u2019an, the young officer naturally dared not continue. He merely laughed awkwardly and agreed.
Li Huai\u2019an emerged from the command tent shortly afterward. No one knew how much of their conversation he had overheard.
Smiling, he said, \u201cAll of the generals have fought bravely. His Majesty and General Tang see your efforts and keep them in mind. The peace of Great Yin still depends upon all of you.\u201d
The phrase \u201csee your efforts and keep them in mind\u201d caused the young officer\u2019s expression to change immediately. Afraid his earlier remarks might have offended Li Huai\u2019an, he hurriedly cupped his fists and voiced his agreement.
Fan Changyu followed suit, though her manner remained calm and neither servile nor arrogant.
Li Huai\u2019an glanced at her and said no more.
\u201cWith a major battle imminent, all of you should return and rest. Conserve your strength. Tomorrow, Chongzhou City must fall.\u201d
After saluting once more with the others, Fan Changyu prepared to return to her tent.
Only after walking some distance did she realize Li Huai\u2019an had been following behind her, neither too close nor too far. It looked almost as though he was merely taking a casual stroll and happened to be heading in the same direction.
Personal guards were not allowed inside the command tent during military discussions. The other generals had all come alone, and Fan Changyu had not wanted Xiao Wu waiting outside, so she too was by herself.
She was straightforward by nature. After frowning slightly, she stopped and turned around.
\u201cDoes my lord have some instruction for this subordinate?\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an had not expected her to turn so suddenly.
After a brief pause, he shook his head and laughed.
\u201cYou keep calling me \u2018my lord\u2019 and referring to yourself as \u2018this subordinate.\u2019 You become more distant every time we meet.\u201d
Fan Changyu answered, \u201cProper etiquette should not be neglected.\u201d
His expression sobered slightly.
Then he suddenly asked, \u201cDo you address the Marquis the same way?\u201d
Fan Changyu remained silent.
Realizing he had misspoken, Li Huai\u2019an frowned.
\u201cThat was inappropriate of me. Miss Fan, please do not take offense…\u201d
At that moment, Fan Changyu raised her head.
With a calm but resolute expression, she said, \u201cThe Marquis holds a noble status. Naturally, I cannot be disrespectful.\u201d
This time, Li Huai\u2019an was silent for much longer.
Fan Changyu said, \u201cIf my lord has no further business, this subordinate will take her leave.\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an stopped her.
\u201cYou blame me because of Lord He, don\u2019t you?\u201d
Fan Changyu replied, \u201cThis subordinate would not dare.\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an gazed at her for a long time.
He stood partially within the shadow of a military tent. Moonlight illuminated half of his robes as the night breeze stirred them gently, while his features remained hidden in darkness. Without the gentle, mask-like smile he usually wore, he seemed strangely more real.
He said, \u201cThe secret your parents guarded may very well be the key to bringing Wei Yan down. Wei Yan has hollowed out imperial authority for years. Only by eliminating his faction can clarity be restored to Great Yin\u2019s court.\u201d
\u201cLord He could conceal the truth out of loyalty and righteousness, but I could not.\u201d
\u201cIf Miss Fan blames me, there is nothing I can do about it.\u201d
Fan Changyu pressed her lips together.
\u201cMy lord overstates the matter. You acted impartially and according to the law. I have no right to criticize.\u201d
\u201cBut you used me to uncover Lord He\u2019s wrongdoing, causing my benefactor to end up in his current situation. Yet you expect me to harbor no resentment at all. That truly puts me in a difficult position.\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an seemed surprised.
\u201cSo you knew all along.\u201d
Fan Changyu did not answer.
The night wind billowed his broad scholar\u2019s robe, outlining a figure as elegant as bamboo.
His voice carried the weight of a sigh.
\u201cAll of Wei Yan\u2019s death warriors died at your home. I was ordered to investigate the matter in Jizhou. It is true that my encounter with you on that mountain road was staged.\u201d
\u201cBut my desire to sincerely befriend you is genuine.\u201d
\u201cNo matter what methods Wei Yan uses against you, the Li family will ensure your safety.\u201d
Fan Changyu only said, \u201cI will repay the Li family\u2019s great kindness in the future.\u201d
It sounded like gratitude.
Yet both of them knew the Li family\u2019s protection was also tied to their struggle against Wei Yan.
Even Li Huai\u2019an found the words both shameful and faintly laughable.
Seeing how politely but firmly she drew a line between herself and the Li family, he could not describe the feeling in his heart.
It was not a pleasant one.
As though recalling something, he suddenly said,
\u201cYou should also be wary of the eunuch sent from the palace.\u201d
Fan Changyu asked, \u201cDoes His Majesty intend to deal with me?\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an replied, \u201cThe matter of Lord He sheltering your parents for seventeen years has not yet reached His Majesty.\u201d
\u201cHowever, an imperial decree has already been issued arranging a marriage between the Marquis and the Eldest Princess.\u201d
\u201cI heard that during the Marquis\u2019s difficult times, you and he lived together as husband and wife through hardship.\u201d
\u201cI fear the Princess may take issue with that…\u201d
He did not continue, but the meaning was obvious.
Fan Changyu suddenly asked,
\u201cIf I weren\u2019t a military officer right now, but merely an ordinary common woman… would I already be dead?\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an said nothing.
His silence was answer enough.
Fan Changyu spoke softly, sounding utterly unable to comprehend it.
\u201cDoes being born into the imperial family mean the lives of common people are worth less than insects?\u201d
The moment she heard the news, her sorrow over Xie Zheng\u2019s arranged marriage had been accompanied by something else\u2014
A profound uncertainty about the future.
To ordinary people, the Emperor was the sky itself.
In the past, Fan Changyu had believed that after earning military merit, she could seek justice for her grandfather. Like in the operas, she would present her grievances before the Golden Throne Hall, and truth would prevail.
But reality seemed vastly different from the stories.
In the plays, the officials or emperors who judged right and wrong were always impartial.
In reality, emperors had personal desires too.
The ruler seated thousands of miles away upon the dragon throne did not even know her grievances.
Yet merely because she might become an obstacle to a princess\u2019s marriage, he wanted her dead.
Seeing how pale she looked, Li Huai\u2019an wanted to comfort her.
Yet some truths were too dangerous to speak openly.
All he could offer was a promise.
\u201cGeneral Meng has borne infamy for seventeen years.\u201d
\u201cIf Wei Yan was truly responsible, the Li family will definitely restore his justice.\u201d
He said nothing about her father, seemingly accepting the belief that her father had once aided Wei Yan in framing her grandfather.
Fan Changyu only thanked him numbly and said she was tired and wished to return to her tent.
Li Huai\u2019an watched her departing figure for a long time.
Then he murmured to himself,
\u201cWhat a fool I was. Why did I choose this moment to tell her about the imperial marriage?\u201d
Perhaps…
He simply disliked the polite distance she maintained toward him.
Yet after telling her and witnessing the sorrow that flashed through her eyes, he felt no better himself.
In the end, Li Huai\u2019an laughed bitterly.
—
After returning, Fan Changyu had never felt so exhausted in her life.
Her entire body felt heavy.
It was as though all the fatigue accumulated over the past month had descended upon her at once.
When she lay down fully clothed on her military cot, even breathing felt difficult.
A suffocating pressure enveloped her.
It was as though she had sunk into a swamp, something dragging at her limbs and pulling her deeper no matter how hard she struggled.
She turned her head and looked at the deerskin wrist guard tied around her sleeve.
After unfastening it, she wanted to throw it away.
Yet she could not bear to.
Instead, she placed it on the low stool beside the bed.
Suppressing the dull pain in her chest that came with every deep breath, she exhaled heavily and covered her eyes with one arm before trying to sleep.
Tomorrow would bring a hard battle.
She needed rest.
Yet the trembling breaths that escaped in the darkness betrayed her emotions.
Moisture flowed from the corners of her eyes into her hairline, soaking the pillowcloth.
When he left, he had spoken so clearly and so decisively.
Marrying the Princess would grant him greater power to deal with Wei Yan.
For him, it was a good thing.
He would probably not refuse.
She understood all of this perfectly.
Yet she still could not stop the pain in her heart.
Her arm remained over her eyes.
Silently, she told herself that she was allowed to grieve for only this one night.
After tonight, that man\u2019s affairs would have nothing more to do with her.
The Emperor was not a good emperor in her eyes.
But neither should the common people suffer more warfare because of that.
She would fight well tomorrow.
Besides, it was precisely because she had become an official military commander that the Emperor could not openly move against her.
She would keep watch over the eunuch the Emperor had placed in the army.
And she would climb higher.
The advisers she had hired had explained the balance of power at court.
The Emperor desperately wanted Wei Yan removed, yet still had to consult him on every state matter because Wei Yan held enormous power.
Those who could be erased easily simply did not possess enough power.
Fan Changyu still disliked pursuing power.
But if it concerned the lives of herself and those around her, she would fight for it with everything she had.
—
The next morning, Fan Changyu woke with swollen eyes, exactly as expected.
Xie Wu stared at her.
\u201cCommander… your eyes…\u201d
Without blinking, Fan Changyu lied smoothly.
\u201cThere were too many mosquitoes last night. One bit me near the eye.\u201d
Xie Wu opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
\u201cThere certainly are a lot of mosquitoes.\u201d
Fan Changyu did not put on the deerskin wrist guard Xie Zheng had given her.
Instead, she fastened the iron armguard that matched her armor.
Then she said,
\u201cChoose a few men from those I personally trained. Send them to Changning\u2019s side under Xiao Qi\u2019s command. Have them escort Changning and Aunt Zhao back to Jizhou.\u201d
Xie Wu immediately sensed something.
\u201cCommander, are you worried Miss Changning might be in danger?\u201d
Fan Changyu did not hide the truth.
But she did not explain much either.
\u201cBetter to prepare in advance.\u201d
Whether it was Wei Yan or the Emperor, both regarded her as a thorn in their side.
She was not afraid of what they might do to her.
She feared they would target Changning instead.
Once she entered the battlefield, she could not protect everyone.
For now, Jizhou remained under He Jingyuan\u2019s influence.
Sending Changning and Aunt Zhao back there was the safest option.
After receiving the order, Xie Wu immediately went to make arrangements.
—
When Fan Changyu returned to the battlefield as commander of the vanguard, fear was not what she felt.
What weighed on her heart was responsibility.
So many people had entrusted their lives to her.
She wanted to win this battle.
But she also wanted those nameless soldiers she could barely remember to survive and return home.
Tens of thousands of troops completely surrounded Chongzhou City.
Fan Changyu was assigned to attack the eastern gate.
After weeks of training and smaller engagements, the cavalry and infantry under her command worked together flawlessly.
Yet when the vanguard approached the eastern gate and entered the rebels\u2019 archery range, the defenders atop the walls appeared strangely panicked.
A few attempted to fire arrows.
Most could barely draw their bows.
Behind them stood several larger soldiers who whipped them mercilessly.
Some of the men on the wall even dropped to their knees, seemingly begging for mercy.
Riding her warhorse at full speed, Fan Changyu stared at the city wall in confusion.
Once her archers reached firing range, the young officer commanding them shouted,
\u201cLoose!\u201d
Arrows rained down like swarms of locusts.
Cries erupted across the battlements.
The soldiers wearing Chongzhou uniforms ran chaotically along the narrow wall passageways, not even thinking to take cover behind the parapets.
Someone on the wall suddenly cried out at the top of his lungs,
\u201cStop shooting! We\u2019re all townspeople!\u201d
The next instant, a vicious Chongzhou soldier behind him chopped off his head.
But the soldiers guarding the civilians were clearly only a minority.
More and more people on the wall ignored their threats and began shouting that they were not Chongzhou troops at all.
They were merely ordinary townspeople forced into uniform.
Fan Changyu yanked sharply on the reins.
Her horse reared and whinnied.
She raised a signal ordering the archers to cease fire.
\u201cTarget the Chongzhou soldiers standing in the rear!\u201d
Xie Wu, riding beside her and serving as both bodyguard and signal officer, immediately relayed the command through flag signals.
The battlefield roared with noise.
Verbal commands were difficult to hear.
Flags could be seen clearly.
The archers stopped their mass volleys and began targeting the stronger-looking soldiers.
Since most of those crowding the battlements were civilians with no combat experience, Fan Changyu\u2019s elite troops crossed the most dangerous stretch of ground with surprising ease.
After reaching the base of the wall, siege ladders were raised against the battlements.
The real Chongzhou soldiers finally panicked.
They whipped the civilians relentlessly and forced them to throw stones and logs downward.
Sheltering close to the wall, Fan Changyu shouted upward,
\u201cPeople of Chongzhou! You were forced into this!\u201d
\u201cOnce the city falls, the court will not punish you!\u201d
\u201cThe rebels are finished!\u201d
\u201cIf you help the army kill the enemy, you will be rewarded according to your merits after the city is taken!\u201d
The civilians had been driven onto the walls at knifepoint.
They feared resisting.
Partly because of their ingrained fear of soldiers.
Partly because they did not know whether the army outside would execute them alongside the rebels.
After hearing Fan Changyu\u2019s words, most remained afraid.
But some courageous men finally exploded.
With loud roars, they snatched weapons from the rebels and turned them against their oppressors.
Chaos erupted atop the wall.
The Jizhou troops below found it much easier to climb the siege ladders.
After scaling the wall, Fan Changyu cut down several rebel soldiers with ease.
But seeing how few defenders remained behind the battlements, she immediately realized something was wrong.
Sweeping her gaze around, she spotted an armored officer attempting to flee.
Before she even reached him, her eight-foot black iron blade flew through the air.
The weapon pierced the officer\u2019s calf.
He screamed in agony.
Trying to move the blade only worsened the pain.
By then, Fan Changyu had already caught up.
She stepped on his injured leg, picked up her blade, and demanded,
\u201cWhere is Prince Changxin\u2019s eldest son?\u201d
The officer howled.
\u201cMy leg! My leg!\u201d
Fan Changyu eased her pressure slightly.
\u201cAnswer!\u201d
Seeing the city already lost, the officer abandoned all resistance.
\u201cThe Young Master left the city last night.\u201d
Fan Changyu\u2019s expression changed dramatically.
Her blade pressed against his throat.
\u201cYou\u2019re lying!\u201d
The officer begged desperately.
\u201cGreat Auntie, how could I lie about something like this? Just look around! How many troops are left in the city?\u201d
He was right.
This was the main gate of Chongzhou.
Yet even with civilians dressed as soldiers filling the walls, the numbers looked pitiful.
Something was clearly wrong.
Fan Changyu asked coldly,
\u201cThe four gates were heavily guarded. How did the rebels leave the city?\u201d
The officer replied,
\u201cThe army withdrew through the western gate last night. As for what happened to the western gate defenders, I truly don\u2019t know!\u201d
Realizing she would learn nothing more from him, Fan Changyu had him bound and immediately dispatched scouts to report to Tang Peiyi.
The rebels had slipped out through the western gate without causing the slightest disturbance.
That was no small matter.
Every city gate had been surrounded by five thousand troops stationed beyond the range of the walls\u2019 arrows and catapults.
For Prince Changxin\u2019s eldest son to escape with an army…
He might as well have flown.
Fan Changyu\u2019s thoughts tangled into a mess.
Leaving Xie Wu to guard the gate and strictly forbidding Jizhou soldiers from harassing civilians, she seized a Chongzhou soldier and ordered him to guide her to Prince Changxin\u2019s residence.
There she discovered only servants remained.
After questioning several of them, she learned Sui Yuanhuai had fled during the previous night.
She searched for Yu Qianqian and Yu Bao\u2019er but found neither.
Further questioning revealed that several months earlier Sui Yuanhuai had brought back a woman and child.
The woman\u2019s surname was indeed Yu.
No one knew her full name.
They only knew she was one of his concubines and that the child had been born after she had previously escaped.
After hearing this, Fan Changyu sat silently for a long time.
Only then did she realize her mistake.
Ever since Changning mentioned seeing Yu Bao\u2019er in Prince Changxin\u2019s residence, she should have suspected Yu Qianqian\u2019s identity was far from ordinary.
Though they had not known each other long, Fan Changyu knew Yu Qianqian was strong-willed.
Since she had once escaped, she could not have willingly become Sui Yuanhuai\u2019s concubine.
The problem now was that both mother and child had been recaptured.
Everyone in the residence knew Sui Yuanhuai had a son.
If Sui Yuanhuai were eventually captured, Yu Bao\u2019er could easily become implicated.
Rebellion was punishable by extermination of nine generations.
A knock interrupted her thoughts.
\u201cCommander, General Tang has entered the city with the army. He urgently requests your presence for discussion.\u201d
It was Xie Wu.
Fan Changyu rose.
\u201cI\u2019m coming.\u201d
—
The moment she entered the meeting hall, Fan Changyu could tell the atmosphere was grim.
Tang Peiyi sat at the head of the room with a dark expression.
The assembled officers all stood with their heads lowered.
Fan Changyu quietly took her place at the back.
But Tang Peiyi had already noticed her arrival.
\u201cCommander Fan, I heard you searched Prince Changxin\u2019s residence after the city fell. Did you discover anything?\u201d
Fan Changyu stepped forward and saluted.
\u201cReporting to General. Only about a hundred servants remained. They all stated that Prince Changxin\u2019s eldest son left the city last night. I have sealed the residence and detained all servants for questioning.\u201d
The report did nothing to improve Tang Peiyi\u2019s mood.
He waved her back.
The moment she returned to her place, Tang Peiyi suddenly overturned the table before him.
Tea cups and wooden furniture crashed to the floor.
Porcelain shattered in every direction.
Everyone jumped in shock and became even quieter.
The situation was absurd.
The rebels had possessed tens of thousands of troops.
After being surrounded, they had simply abandoned the city and walked away.
No one even knew how to write a battle report explaining such a disaster.
If the Emperor became enraged, even Tang Peiyi\u2019s life might not be spared.
At that moment, Li Huai\u2019an entered.
Seeing the scene, he calmly said,
\u201cGeneral Tang, please do not be angry. We have already determined how the rebels escaped through the western gate.\u201d
Tang Peiyi immediately looked up.
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an answered,
\u201cCommandant Lu Dayi, who was responsible for the western gate, was acquainted with one of Prince Changxin\u2019s advisers. The two had maintained secret contact.\u201d
\u201cThe military achievements Lu Dayi earned in previous battles were all based on intelligence that adviser secretly provided.\u201d
\u201cAfter you decided yesterday to launch today\u2019s assault, the adviser wrote a surrender letter overnight. Together with Chongzhou\u2019s defensive map, he attached it to an arrow and shot it into Lu Dayi\u2019s camp.\u201d
\u201cHe promised to open the city gate at midnight, allowing Lu Dayi to seize Chongzhou without losing a single soldier and claim first merit.\u201d
Tang Peiyi\u2019s eyes nearly turned red.
\u201cThat idiot actually believed him?\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an nodded heavily.
\u201cIn pursuit of that merit, Lu Dayi withdrew the scouts near the western gate to avoid attracting attention.\u201d
\u201cHe secretly led the western garrison into the city during the night.\u201d
\u201cThe rebels ambushed them in the alleyways and killed them with volleys of arrows.\u201d
\u201cThen they used the opportunity to escape.\u201d
\u201cLu Dayi\u2019s adviser had tried to stop him. Lu Dayi thought the man was simply cowardly and had him tied up in camp.\u201d
\u201cI discovered him while investigating the western gate.\u201d
Tang Peiyi snatched the surrender letter and cursed furiously.
\u201cLu Dayi deserved to die!\u201d
\u201cWorthless fool!\u201d
\u201cWho can bear responsibility for a catastrophe of this magnitude?\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an lifted his amber eyes.
\u201cLu Dayi was recommended by the Chancellor.\u201d
Tang Peiyi slammed the armrest of his chair.
The sturdy chair exploded into splinters.
\u201cWei Yan\u2019s ambitions know no bounds!\u201d
\u201cLord He entrusted Jizhou\u2019s military authority to me.\u201d
\u201cWas Lu Dayi so desperate for merit because he wanted to help Wei Yan reclaim control of Jizhou?\u201d
Turning back toward his desk, he gritted his teeth.
\u201cI may be willing to sacrifice myself, but Wei Yan won\u2019t escape responsibility!\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an lowered his eyes.
\u201cThe immediate priority is determining the rebels\u2019 next destination.\u201d
\u201cLu City,\u201d Tang Peiyi answered instantly.
\u201cIf they continue north, they\u2019ll run into the Xie Army under Marquis Wu\u2019an.\u201d
\u201cThat would be suicide.\u201d
\u201cKang City, where Prince Changxin\u2019s wife\u2019s family resided, has already fallen to the Marquis.\u201d
\u201cThe only path left is south.\u201d
\u201cTaizhou\u2019s troops have not moved, while all of Jizhou\u2019s forces were sent to Chongzhou.\u201d
\u201cIf they break through Lu City, they can sweep straight south.\u201d
His teeth trembled.
\u201cMobilize immediately. Head for Lu City.\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an shook his head.
\u201cThe rebels left at midnight. The main army cannot catch them.\u201d
\u201cWe should send scouts ahead first and dispatch cavalry reinforcements immediately.\u201d
Tang Peiyi had nearly lost his composure.
\u201cYes. Yes. We\u2019ll do that.\u201d
Zheng Wenchang stepped forward.
\u201cGeneral, I request permission to lead cavalry back to Lu City.\u201d
Fan Changyu knew He Jingyuan\u2019s injuries likely prevented him from fighting again.
And she worried about Changning and the others encountering the rebels on the road.
She stepped forward as well.
\u201cThis subordinate also requests permission to reinforce Jizhou.\u201d
Tang Peiyi glanced at them.
Knowing both were highly skilled and deeply respected He Jingyuan, he immediately agreed.
\u201cThe two of you will lead three thousand cavalry to Lu City.\u201d
At that moment, a shrill voice sounded from outside.
\u201cHold on\u2014\u201d
The eunuch who had arrived at the camp earlier entered slowly, supported by a younger eunuch.
Li Huai\u2019an\u2019s brow twitched the moment he saw him.
Tang Peiyi was already overwhelmed and showed no courtesy.
\u201cWhat advice does Eunuch have?\u201d
The eunuch\u2019s heavily powdered face creased into a smile.
\u201cHis Majesty appointed me as military supervisor while sending me to comfort the Jizhou soldiers.\u201d
\u201cGeneral Tang will listen to my words, won\u2019t he?\u201d
He was clearly using his authority to pressure him.
Tang Peiyi replied stiffly,
\u201cOf course not. It\u2019s simply that military affairs are urgent\u2014\u201d
\u201cI came precisely because they are urgent.\u201d
The eunuch interrupted him.
His gaze passed over Fan Changyu.
She felt as though a snake\u2019s tail had brushed against her.
Cold.
Slimy.
Disgusting.
Remembering Li Huai\u2019an\u2019s warning from the previous night, she immediately suspected trouble.
And sure enough\u2014
The eunuch drawled,
\u201cGeneral Tang surrounded Chongzhou for days. Capturing the rebels should have been as easy as catching turtles in a jar.\u201d
\u201cYet things ended up like this.\u201d
\u201cThese three thousand cavalry may not even catch the rebels.\u201d
\u201cAnd even if they do, can three thousand men defeat nearly twenty thousand rebels?\u201d
He looked utterly unconcerned.
\u201cI must report the situation to His Majesty immediately so the Ministry of War can prepare defenses south of Jizhou.\u201d
Tang Peiyi\u2019s face darkened.
The eunuch was already acting as though Jizhou had fallen.
\u201cIf Eunuch wishes to report to His Majesty, then report.\u201d
\u201cI will lead my officers and spare no effort in reinforcing Lu City.\u201d
The eunuch chuckled.
\u201cYour loyalty is admirable.\u201d
\u201cI shall certainly speak highly of you before His Majesty.\u201d
Then his tone shifted.
\u201cBut if I travel alone and encounter rebels, I may never deliver the report.\u201d
At last, he revealed his true purpose.
\u201cGive me two thousand cavalry escorts.\u201d
Tang Peiyi\u2019s eyes nearly burst with fury.
\u201cTwo thousand?\u201d
\u201cIf I lose two thousand men, what do I have left to reinforce Lu City?\u201d
The eunuch replied lazily,
\u201cGeneral Tang, you\u2019re deceiving yourself.\u201d
\u201cJizhou is already lost.\u201d
\u201cEven if your three thousand cavalry reach Lu City, what can they accomplish?\u201d
\u201cGive me two thousand. I\u2019ll travel through Taizhou and deliver the news first.\u201d
Tang Peiyi roared,
\u201cIf you want to report, no one is stopping you!\u201d
\u201cBut my cavalry? Absolutely not!\u201d
The eunuch\u2019s smile vanished.
\u201cGeneral Tang, are you defying an imperial decree?\u201d
Tang Peiyi had reached his limit.
\u201cI am defying it!\u201d
\u201cYou worthless castrated dog!\u201d
\u201cYou can play your political games in the palace, but not here!\u201d
\u201cI could kill you right now and tell His Majesty you died at rebel hands!\u201d
\u201cWhat could you do about it?\u201d
The sheer ferocity of his temper genuinely frightened the eunuch.
Li Huai\u2019an intervened.
\u201cGeneral Tang, please calm down.\u201d
Tang Peiyi shoved him aside.
\u201cCommander Fan! Zheng Wenchang!\u201d
\u201cTake your troops and depart for Lu City immediately!\u201d
Fan Changyu knew this matter was beyond her ability to resolve.
If Lu City held, Tang Peiyi would not be punished.
The people of Jizhou would also be spared war.
She and Zheng Wenchang saluted and departed immediately.
Behind them, the eunuch was still shouting.
\u201cTang Peiyi! How dare you treat an imperial envoy this way\u2014\u201d
Tang Peiyi turned and barked at his attendants,
\u201cBind him!\u201d
\u201cThrow him among the corpses!\u201d
\u201cLet him see how many men died in this battle!\u201d
Staring fiercely at the eunuch, he growled,
\u201cI\u2019ll send the report myself.\u201d
\u201cAs for you, stay here with my fallen soldiers.\u201d
Then he shouted,
\u201cArmy, move out!\u201d
—
As they marched, Li Huai\u2019an followed behind Tang Peiyi.
\u201cGeneral Tang, why go this far?\u201d
Tang Peiyi, an imposing man over eight feet tall, had tears reddening his eyes once more.
\u201cTell me, nephew.\u201d
\u201cWe risk our lives for peace.\u201d
\u201cYet all of it can be overturned by the words of those beside the Emperor.\u201d
He laughed bitterly.
\u201cIt\u2019s not that I look down on scholars.\u201d
\u201cThey\u2019re the ones who speak beautiful words.\u201d
\u201cWhether they have integrity or not, I don\u2019t know.\u201d
\u201cBut those bones on the battlefield\u2026\u201d
\u201cThose men gave everything.\u201d
\u201cYet history may not even remember their names.\u201d
\u201cThat eunuch thinks Jizhou cannot be defended.\u201d
\u201cBut I know Lord He.\u201d
\u201cAs long as he still has a single breath left, he\u2019ll hold out until reinforcements arrive.\u201d
\u201cAnd those two children riding ahead with the cavalry?\u201d
\u201cThey\u2019re courageous to the core.\u201d
\u201cThe longer they hold on, the greater our chances.\u201d
Hearing this, Li Huai\u2019an suddenly felt endless guilt.
He said softly,
\u201cEven if Jizhou falls, perhaps things won\u2019t be so terrible. It can always be retaken.\u201d
Tang Peiyi looked at him sternly.
\u201cHow can warfare be treated so lightly?\u201d
\u201cWhen Jinzhou fell to foreign tribes, how many years passed and how much blood was spilled before it was reclaimed?\u201d
At that moment, a guard hurried over.
\u201cGeneral, the army is ready. Your horse has been brought.\u201d
Tang Peiyi nodded.
\u201cChongzhou is in your hands now, nephew.\u201d
Li Huai\u2019an watched him stride away.
His emotions churned violently.
If everything had gone according to plan, Jizhou had likely already fallen.
He was not worried about the civilians.
Because he knew Sui Yuanhuai was actually the Imperial Grandson.
He would not slaughter innocents.
This had always been a carefully arranged performance.
A battle that should have ended in victory.
But because one of Wei Yan\u2019s men ruined the plan, the rebels escaped food-starved Chongzhou and occupied Jizhou.
The court would be enraged.
The entire nation would be enraged.
Wei Yan would become the target of everyone\u2019s hatred.
Then Jizhou would be swiftly retaken.
The \u201crebels\u201d would be captured and reveal everything.
They would claim that Wei Yan helped them escape Chongzhou in exchange for prolonging the war and delaying the transfer of military authority.
As for Lu Dayi\u2019s death\u2014
That would be blamed on Wei Yan silencing a witness.
To make the performance convincing, people like Tang Peiyi could not be informed.
Only enough bloodshed could make the scheme believable.
Perhaps because of Tang Peiyi\u2019s words, Li Huai\u2019an suddenly felt deeply uneasy.
He kept asking himself one question.
Was this plan to destroy Wei Yan right…
Or wrong?
For years, he had believed that as long as Wei Yan controlled the government, Great Yin had no future.
Compared to removing such a traitor, what did political maneuvering matter?
The Li family had sacrificed countless people in their struggle against Wei Yan.
Why, then, did he suddenly feel guilty over the dead soldiers?
Their deaths could bring down Wei Yan.
Their deaths could improve life for countless common people.
Sacrificing the small self for the greater good\u2014
Wasn\u2019t that supposed to be right?
Li Huai\u2019an closed his eyes and refused to think further.
—
A carriage traveled along a winding mountain road.
Above it, a white sea eagle circled the sky.
When the carriage stopped beside a river at the foot of a mountain, a young man went to fetch water.
He accidentally slipped and fell flat on his back.
The other young men guarding the carriage laughed.
Rubbing his backside, he suddenly noticed traces of cooking smoke hidden beneath the weeds.
\u201cHuh? Why is there a fire pit here?\u201d
Kicking aside several suspicious patches of grass, he found more.
\u201cAll fire pits.\u201d
He scratched his head.
\u201cHow many people cooked here?\u201d
A small head poked out from the carriage.
Holding a fluffy yellow duckling, Changning asked excitedly,
\u201cAre we cooking?\u201d
The young man was Qin Yong, one of the soldiers Fan Changyu had assigned to protect Changning and Aunt Zhao.
He grinned.
\u201cWe can save ourselves the trouble of digging a new fire pit.\u201d
Xie Qi sat on the carriage shaft and had not seen the pits.
The moment he heard about them, he became alert.
\u201cHow many?\u201d
Qin Yong described what he had found.
Xie Qi immediately walked along the river valley.
After some investigation, he discovered fire pits stretching for over a mile.
He said firmly,
\u201cAt least ten thousand troops passed through here.\u201d
Everyone froze.
\u201cThe rebels are trapped in Chongzhou. General Tang is attacking them. Where would an army that large come from?\u201d
Xie Qi ignored the question.
Touching the ashes, he murmured,
\u201cThe ashes are cold.\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s nearly noon now.\u201d
\u201cArmies don\u2019t cook at night.\u201d
\u201cThat means these were used this morning.\u201d
Qin Yong asked,
\u201cCould it be the Marquis marching from Kang City toward Chongzhou?\u201d
Xie Qi shook his head.
\u201cThat route would be a detour.\u201d
His expression became grim.
Returning to the carriage, he found paper and brush, wrote a message, rolled it tightly, and looked up at the sea eagle soaring overhead.
After a sharp whistle, the bird dove down.
He placed the note into the metal message tube attached to its leg.
\u201cGo find the Master.\u201d
The eagle immediately took flight again.
Qin Yong watched with envy.
The fierce white raptor that had followed them overhead terrified everyone except Xie Qi.
\u201cAre you sending it to the Commander?\u201d
Before Xie Qi could answer, Changning pouted.
\u201cWhere did Uncle Xiao Qi send the birdie?\u201d
Xie Qi reassured her.
\u201cIt\u2019s just delivering a letter. It\u2019ll come back.\u201d
Qin Yong became even more impressed.
\u201cSo it really belongs to the Commander?\u201d
Xie Qi\u2019s expression cooled.
\u201cNo.\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s delivering a message to our Commander\u2019s husband.\u201d
Every young soldier immediately perked up.
Qin Yong stammered,
\u201cCo… Commander is married?\u201d
\u201cOf course.\u201d
\u201cWhat kind of man is her husband?\u201d
\u201cIs he in the army too?\u201d
Another soldier quickly answered,
\u201cHe is! I heard from men who fought at First Line Gorge. The Commander joined the army because her husband was conscripted and taken away.\u201d
\u201cReally?\u201d
Xie Qi nodded proudly.
\u201cOf course it\u2019s true.\u201d
The others immediately demanded more details.
One soldier said,
\u201cI heard the Commander\u2019s husband was seriously injured at First Line Gorge.\u201d
\u201cThey say he\u2019s half-paralyzed now.\u201d
The soldiers sighed sympathetically.
What a hard life their commander had.
Xie Qi nearly choked on the water he was drinking.
Even Aunt Zhao could not remain silent.
\u201cWhat nonsense are you spouting?\u201d
The soldiers immediately lowered their heads.
Changning, who knew they were talking about her brother-in-law, looked up and asked,
\u201cAunt Zhao, what does half-paralyzed mean?\u201d
Aunt Zhao spat twice.
\u201cIt means they\u2019re calling him a cripple.\u201d
Changning immediately protested.
\u201cMy brother-in-law isn\u2019t crippled!\u201d
The soldier scratched his head awkwardly.
\u201cI only heard it from others.\u201d
Aunt Zhao still knew nothing about everything that had happened between Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng afterward.
Worried people might look down on him now that Fan Changyu held high rank, she deliberately spoke up.
\u201cChangyu\u2019s husband is extraordinarily handsome.\u201d
\u201cHe can read and write.\u201d
\u201cAnd he\u2019s highly skilled in martial arts.\u201d
Qin Yong immediately concluded,
\u201cThen he must be a commandant or general too!\u201d
Aunt Zhao did not actually know Xie Zheng\u2019s rank.
The last time she saw him, he seemed to hold a lower position than Fan Changyu herself.
Not wanting to exaggerate, she simply lowered her eyes and played with Changning instead of answering.
Qin Yong still failed to realize his mistake.
The others exchanged puzzled looks.
Xie Qi finally said,
\u201cYou\u2019ll understand who he is when you meet him someday.\u201d
The topic ended there.
While the group rested and prepared food, Xie Qi kept watching the horizon where the sea eagle had vanished.
His expression remained troubled.
The note detailed everything they had discovered.
Whether the army that passed through belonged to Xie Zheng or not, the information needed to reach him immediately.
—
Black-armored troops wound through the endless mountain ranges like a river of iron.
The wolf banner bearing the character \u201cXie\u201d snapped sharply in the wind.
A clear eagle cry echoed from above.
One of the guards riding beside a carriage looked up.
\u201cMy Lord, it\u2019s the sea eagle.\u201d
Inside the carriage, a pair of sharp phoenix eyes opened.
He had left the eagle with her.
Fan Changyu would never use it to contact him.
Only Xie Qi or Xie Wu would.
Had something happened?
Suppressing a cough that rose in his throat, Xie Zheng lifted the carriage curtain.
The sea eagle swooped down and landed firmly on the carriage edge.
After retrieving the message and reading it, his eyes turned icy.
\u201cChange course.\u201d
\u201cFull speed to Lu City.\u201d
One guard hesitated.
\u201cMy Lord, even if we leave now, we may not arrive before dark.\u201d
The reply came cold and unquestionable.
\u201cBring me my warhorse.\u201d
\u201cThe cavalry rides ahead with me.\u201d
—
The sun sank westward.
The sky glowed blood-red.
The wilderness outside Lu City was bathed in brilliant crimson light.
Fan Changyu had long since come to hate sunsets.
The color reminded her too much of blood.
Just like now.
After leading three thousand cavalry back to Lu City without stopping, she saw blood staining the earth beneath that gorgeous crimson glow.
Her heart grew heavier with every step.
Lu City had not fallen.
But corpses piled beneath the gate in layers so thick they nearly rose above the walls.
Earlier that day in Chongzhou, she had seen civilians forced onto battlements at swordpoint.
Now she saw civilians willingly defending Lu City.
He Jingyuan stood in armor at the center of the city wall.
Like a mountain.
An immovable mountain.
Merely seeing that figure from afar made tears well up in her eyes.
Despite the shortage of troops, he had truly led the city\u2019s civilians in defending the gate until now.
Zheng Wenchang let out a thunderous roar and led the cavalry straight into the rear of the rebel formation.
Fan Changyu followed close behind.
Whether the rebels were exhausted from the prolonged siege or heaven itself favored them, they carved a path all the way to the front lines.
The rebel army possessed numbers, but no capable commanders.
Unable to withstand the assault, they temporarily retreated.
The reinforcements successfully entered the city.
Cheers and sobs erupted from the defenders atop the walls.
Fan Changyu and Zheng Wenchang hurried to find He Jingyuan.
A deputy general looked at the stern old man staring toward the battlefield and cried out excitedly,
\u201cMy Lord! Lu City has been saved!\u201d
The old man did not answer.
His expression never changed.
A sudden sense of dread struck the deputy.
He reached out.
The old man\u2019s body was already stiff.
Only the sword supporting him kept him standing.
The deputy general let out a grief-stricken wail.
\u201cMy Lord!\u201d
Just as Fan Changyu and the others reached the wall, that cry struck them like thunder.
Their hearts instantly turned cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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