PM - 73

The Thousand-Year Hall was surrounded by hidden guards long ago. Outside, the clamor of weapons rang out, and inside, it was encircled like an iron barrel. Three layers of human walls inside and three layers outside, all with blades pointed forward. The flames in the stone pavilion fluttered like countless banners on the sharp tips of swords. Neither the civil nor military officials had expected this to be a trap akin to the infamous Hongmen Banquet. Originally celebrating the Empress Dowager’s birthday, how did it turn into this?

Everyone was frightened. After all, they were inside the palace, with such towering walls that escape was impossible. Was someone rebelling, or was the young emperor playing some trick? No one knew. They could only exchange panicked looks. Their once composed faces crumbled under the pressure, revealing anxiety and confusion. Da Yin was a young nation; its early years were inevitably marked by continuous warfare and turmoil. The royal uncles had not experienced such chaos. The tales of Emperor Guanglie sweeping through enemies were merely legendary accounts recorded in The Annals of Da Yin , distant from their reality. At most, they bickered over land and money issues with the court. When faced with sudden violence, they instinctively felt primal fear, their panic showing none of their ancestors’ valor.

The young emperor stood solemnly on the platform before the hall, hands clasped behind her back, with the crimson sash billowing fiercely in the evening breeze. She frowned as she looked southward, using her position to deduce the source—it should have been at the Zhuque Gate. But the Zhuque Gate was the inner city gate, built extraordinarily tall and majestic. How did the firelight break through the gate tower tens of zhang high and illuminate the southern sky?

It didn’t look good. She had a faint premonition of failure. Perhaps the cavalry of the Changshui Hu troops had faltered and lost a critical position. Now, her only hope rested on the Yue cavalry at the Qingsuo Gate and the Xuanqu Hu cavalry.

How strange that the Son of Heaven ultimately relied on the subjugated Nan Yue people and Hu tribes. What about the military strength of Da Yin? The Red Guard, the Tiger Elite, the garrison troops of the Shanglin Garden... Only the Red Guard could still be mobilized; the rest had become part of someone else’s feast.

In hindsight, it was indeed too rushed. Attempting personal rule without fully consolidating power was a grave mistake. Yet, regret was futile. She might have miscalculated, but she hadn’t erred fundamentally. One’s fate couldn’t be reversed—whether life or death, today would decide it. However, the ember burning deep within her heart had smoldered too long; a small flame had already extinguished, slowly turning to ash. This ash spread from the moment she learned of the execution of the thirteen members of the Yan clan, leaving her with little hope.

Luring the snake out of its den came at a heavy price, but failing to eradicate it would leave an eternal wound. She sighed deeply and turned to face everyone: “King Jing Yuanbiao has rebelled, gathering the garrison troops from Shanglin Garden to launch a night attack on the imperial court.”

The several royal uncles were greatly shocked: “King Jing?” King Jing, with his lethargic demeanor, even found speaking tiresome. Could he really rebel?

She twitched the corner of her lips, squinting slightly as she said: “Even I was deceived by his harmless facade. A dog that bites doesn’t bark. With just a few words, he used my hand to resolve the disputes between Jing and Shu. If he hadn’t rebelled today, dear uncles, do you think you wouldn’t be the next targets?”

The expressions of the kings varied. No one had ever suspected Yuanbiao. The brothers always disregarded him, even looking down on him. Who would have thought that thirty years east, thirty years west? He missed the throne due to having no sons, but now, with a thriving family, he turned around to seize it. In the imperial household, there are no truly mediocre individuals—only those who conceal their ambitions and endure silently.

Fawei smirked contemptuously and glanced at the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager, dressed grandly, awaited this rebellion, likely contemplating becoming regent after a dynastic change. She once told Shangguan Zhao that she grew weary of being emperor, yet there were others who desperately coveted the pinnacle of power. The Empress Dowager was one of them. She gazed ecstatically at the blazing fire in the south, her eyes filled with mad joy. Her temporary silence was because victory or defeat remained uncertain. If King Jing entered the inner city first, then the final showdown would arrive.

She lowered her hand and gripped the jade pendant at her waist tightly. The sounds of clashing swords, shouts, and screams blended into chaos. Everyone waited—for the suppression of the rebellion or for a fresh start.

The noise grew closer, making it hard to distinguish friend from foe. Wei Wang seized a spear from a nearby guard and boldly leapt to the forefront of the platform. “Take the damn palace! Life’s short anyway—who cares who becomes emperor!” He glanced at the young emperor. “Whoever dares to come up, I’ll kill them. Your Majesty, don’t be afraid.” In their eyes, the young emperor was still just a child.

The Empress Dowager stammered, wanting to reprimand Wei Wang but held back. Surrounded by Nangong guards, some words were better left unsaid. She needed to wait until the truth unfolded. Once exposed, no one would protect this false phoenix anymore.

False phoenix indeed. The throne painstakingly obtained by the late emperor was snatched away by the child of the Lou clan before it even warmed. Trying to cover up only heightened suspicion. There is no wall that doesn’t let the wind through. Concealing one’s identity isn’t so easy. Her figure, her features, her voice—all bore resemblance to her mother. The world might be blind, but she wasn’t.

An empress, no matter how capable, is still a woman. The ruler of the land must be a man—a truth unchanged for thousands of years. The Lou clan, insignificant and minor, never impressed her. She remembered when Ayin’s mother first entered the household, calling out “Nüjun, Nüjun,” always hovering around her. Later, claiming to have borne a son, she gradually became arrogant. But arrogance aside, she was still a lowly maid. However, times change. Though Lady Lou died, her daughter wielded power and would surely elevate the Lous. Once humble clans could soar like the Weis during Emperor Wu’s reign, overshadowing even the Liangs. Bloodlines couldn’t be replaced—a fact she understood well. Therefore, the only solution was to overthrow the young emperor and uproot the Lous entirely. The Left Commander of the Imperial Guards, the Left Chief of Staff? Without the young emperor, her uncle’s family was worthless, as lowly as dust.

The Empress Dowager clutched her prayer beads tightly, almost pressing them into her flesh. Waiting was the most agonizing. She hoped the city gates would soon be breached, exposing the girl hidden beneath the crown. Why should the daughter of the Lou clan live above others?

Thunderous cries erupted from all directions, growing louder… At the end of the high platform pathway appeared a figure clad in crimson robes and iron armor, holding a spear. Behind him, two zhang away, followed a dense, orderly army, advancing step by step towards the Thousand-Year Hall, each movement shaking the earth.

Who was this person? His face was obscured by the shadow of his helmet, indistinguishable. Fawei tried to remain calm, but her heart raced higher and higher, choking her throat, making it hard to breathe. She stared intently; atop the spear was something resembling a bundle—it seemed to be a head. Whose head? Her ears buzzed loudly. Unable to resist, she stepped forward half a pace. As he reached the foot of the stairs and raised his face, she finally saw—it was Hulü.

She exhaled deeply. Thank heavens, the situation had finally calmed. However, behind her, Empress Dowager Liang slowly laughed, adjusted her sleeves, and straightened her spine.

Before Fawei could ask anything, Hulü flicked the spear, and with a thud, the head rolled to her feet. She was startled; her Grand Secretary had remained silent throughout, which was highly unusual.

She scrutinized him inquisitively. Finally, he spoke: “Your servant has decapitated the traitors and presents their heads to Your Majesty.”

She looked down; disheveled hair covered the face, making it unrecognizable. Fearful but determined, she bent down to brush aside the hair. Then, her mental fortitude crumbled, and her knees gave way as she collapsed.

Heart-wrenching pain rendered her speechless. Mouth agape, she couldn’t cry out. Cradling the head in her arms, she wailed after a long pause: “Azhao… Azhao…”

The young emperor’s piercing cry echoed across the palace, stunning both civil and military officials. The emperor’s close minister had killed another Grand Secretary, a childhood friend who had grown up alongside her. Gone, dead—perhaps even dying in confusion.

Hulü Puzhao led the Hu cavalry guarding the Zhuque Gate, while Shangguan Zhao led the Yue cavalry at the Qingsuo Gate—one internal, one external barrier. If the plan remained unchanged, the imperial court should have been impregnable. However, when the first checkpoint failed, the second became precarious. Shangguan Zhao was a simple, pure-hearted individual, ill-suited to be a Grand Secretary beside the emperor due to his kindness and trusting nature.

When Hulü relayed through the gate that the Left Commander of the Imperial Guards was leading the Imperial Guards into the palace to protect the emperor, Shangguan Zhao didn’t doubt it. One was a daily colleague, the other the emperor’s maternal uncle. During the young emperor’s peril, their arrival was like rain after a drought. He ordered the Qingsuo Gate opened. Before he could identify the newcomers, a swift, deadly slash cleaved the air. The fallen head, eyes wide with astonishment and bewilderment, lay on the ground.

The arrivals weren’t the Left Commander of the Imperial Guards but King Jing, leading the Shanglin garrison. The commander of the Changshui Cavalry had already been executed by Hulü. Seven hundred Hu cavalrymen, believing the old superior’s call to duty, charged into Nangong together. The Yue cavalry resisted but were annihilated. Ultimately, King Jing and Hulü advanced directly, reaching the front of the Thousand-Year Hall.

The seemingly steadfast young emperor couldn’t withstand the death of her closest friend. The innate fragility of women was fully unleashed. She clutched the head, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

The Nangong guards quickly encircled them, outnumbered by the rebels. They could only shield the emperor and ministers within their protective perimeter.

Wei Wang saw King Jing stride to the forefront, hand on his waist sword. Standing on the steps, he cursed loudly: “You wretch Yuanbiao, have you come of age? Usurping the palace and rebelling—how dare you face our ancestors!”

Yuanbiao’s face was impassive, even now appearing slow to react. But his words were resolute: “This is not rebellion; it’s to restore the foundations of the Yuan clan.” He pointed his sharp blade forward: “The young emperor is a woman. Do any of you wish to have a woman as emperor?”

Like throwing ice into boiling oil, a massive explosion erupted. Blazing flames spread in all directions, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

The emperor is a woman... The emperor is a woman... Ascending the throne in youth and reigning for eleven years, yet she’s a woman? This revelation was shocking—not just to the princes and lords but even to the trusted ministers.

The Grand Tutor was the first to object. He glanced at the swaying young emperor clutching the head and declared loudly: “Rebel, don’t make excuses for your ambition! Clearly, you’re unwilling to miss the throne and want to usurp it. Afraid of lacking legitimacy, you fabricate such lies! The emperor is a woman? Reforming governance, extending grace, consolidating salt policies, strengthening border defenses—where does such a woman exist? Previously, rumors of a female phoenix entering Deyang circulated among the common folk. The capital prefecture investigated and found someone deliberately spreading rumors—that person was you, King Jing!”

Based on the young emperor’s reform efforts and decisive actions, she didn’t resemble a woman. But observing her appearance, she indeed appeared delicate and refined. If male, he’d be a feminine-looking man.

As people hesitated, such claims lacked tangible proof. You couldn’t strip the emperor to verify. At this moment, the Empress Dowager stepped forward slowly, coldly scanning the Grand Tutor: “King Jing’s words—I can testify. The emperor has concealed her true gender; she is indeed a woman.”

This stirred further chaos. With the Empress Dowager involved, the young emperor was utterly disadvantaged.

The defeat was overwhelming, and no matter how reluctant she was, she had to face reality. If the eleven years of concealment had been tormenting, then revealing this secret to the world brought her an unexpected sense of relief. She did not fear death, but rather feared becoming utterly alone. Before, she still had a lover and a close friend, but the Chancellor had not come, Azhao was decapitated, and even Hulü, whom she once trusted, had betrayed her. What was left for her to cling to?

She lowered her head, carefully combing his hair with trembling hands. His eyes were closed, never again to behold the radiant stars in those irises. Her sorrow reached its peak; tears would not flow, only heavy sobs wracked her body. She realized she had truly made a mistake. If she hadn’t forced him to stay, he might now be alive somewhere, drinking wine and composing poetry, living a carefree life. She had gone to great lengths to sever all his retreats, only to lead him to his death. What had she done?

The young emperor remained silent, but the loyalists were unwilling to surrender without a fight. Everyone understood that each new ruler brought their own set of ministers. A different emperor might not necessarily mean better governance, so no one accepted their fate based on the Empress Dowager’s words. “How much benefit did you receive from King Jing, Your Majesty, to falsely accuse the emperor like this?”

A series of footsteps echoed from the side path. Everyone turned to see the arrival of the imperial phoenix carriage at the palace steps. The empress, clad in formal court attire and adorned with six ornamental hairpins, slowly approached. In front of the assembled civil and military officials, she removed each hairpin one by one and cast them to the ground.

“I can also testify—there is not a single falsehood in the Empress Dowager’s words. The emperor is indeed a woman.”

If the emperor’s garments could not be stripped away, then the empress’s appearance served as the ultimate proof. The frail and delicate empress was gone, replaced by a resolute young man. He gazed at the young emperor, still smiling tenderly, “Sister, if you surrender peacefully, I will not harm you. After all, we have exchanged vows—I consider you my wife.”

Fawei faced utter isolation, receiving no help from anyone. With a swift motion, she unsheathed her sword and pointed it at the empress. “Who are you? What is your true origin?”

Everyone was baffled. How could the emperor be a woman and the empress a man? Wouldn’t such a revelation invite ridicule? Finally, the Empress Dowager’s words awakened them. “Do any of you remember Crown Prince Yuan Shu of the Jiang lineage? Although he did not designate a crown princess before his death, there was a concubine named Liang in the palace. At the time of the prince’s passing, the concubine was pregnant. To avoid persecution, she gave birth to the prince’s eldest son secretly in Changmen Palace and raised him discreetly. This child is today’s empress.”

King Jing’s face broke into a slight smile. “Who dares to say I am rebelling now? Everything I’ve done is to restore the state. A woman ruling brings chaos to the natural order. Is this what you wish to see? You are all men of honor—how can you willingly bow to a woman?”

Each revelation was more shocking than the last. The civil and military officials could only gasp in disbelief, unable to describe their feelings at this moment.

Fawei sighed deeply, holding the severed head in one hand and propping up her sword with the other.

“The orphan of Crown Prince Jiang? What a joke! Using the guise of righteousness to commit despicable acts—it’s truly breathtaking.” She laughed faintly, her smile eerie and terrifying. “You force your way into the palace, kill my Grand Secretary, and now, with troops at the gates, twist the truth as you please. If you were so righteous, why didn’t you confront me in Deyang Hall? I am still the emperor. You have turned this imperial court into a bloodbath. Your ambitions are clear—why bother pretending!”

Though she spoke these words, she finally understood why Empress Dowager Liang opposed her.

The concubine of Crown Prince Jiang was surnamed Liang and was the Empress Dowager’s full sister. Had the prince not died prematurely, that concubine would have risen to become a consort, then crown princess, and eventually empress. If Lingjun was truly the posthumous child of the prince, compared to Fawei, the Empress Dowager naturally felt closer ties to him. Da Yin traditionally valued maternal lineage. Several years ago, the concubine Liang had passed away, and with Lingjun ascending smoothly, the Empress Dowager’s position became unshakable, bringing the Liang clan to its zenith of power.

But how much of this did the Chancellor know? Wasn’t Lingjun his student? Could someone usually so calculating stumble over this issue? She dared not think further, fearing it was all orchestrated by him, that he was the mastermind behind everything. If so, her affection would be nothing but a cruel joke.

Life was unpredictable. Despite her lofty ambitions, she had truly reached the end of the road. Any struggle was futile; perhaps only self-destruction could end this humiliation.

The Empress Dowager, feeling confident that victory was secure, wore a satisfied smile. “Words are useless. The only way to prove your legitimacy now is to remove your robes. Will Your Majesty undress in front of all the officials?”

Forcing an emperor to disrobe publicly would be the ultimate disgrace. Lingjun continued calling her “Sister,” pleading softly, “As long as you abdicate, you will always have a place by my side.”

He reached out to pull her, but Fawei thrust her sword toward him. Even in death, she could not accept such an offer. Unfortunately, her skills were no match for his. On the night Han Yan attempted to assassinate her, they had fought—he was fast, ruthless, and overpowering. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t withstand him. He knocked the severed head from her grasp, twisted her arms behind her back, and bound her delicate wrists. Stripped of her imperial arrogance, she was just a fragile girl.

The officials erupted in chaos but hesitated to act against King Jing’s formidable army. The Grand Tutor and government officials shouted fiercely: “Bold villains, show respect to your superiors!” But scholars were useless against real swords and spears—no one paid them any heed.

The late emperor’s brothers stared at each other in confusion. Prince Linzi muttered to himself, “What is going on here?”

Prince Yan and Lord Dingcheng exchanged bewildered looks. “Have we been deceived by the second brother all these years?” They glanced at the former emperor they had once bowed to repeatedly, shaking their heads. “This is utterly absurd…”

Even stripped of her dignity, the young emperor stubbornly clung to what remained of her pride. Clenching her teeth, her bloodshot eyes locked with Lingjun’s as they struggled. There was a vast disparity in strength between men and women—his arm strength was astonishing, and she was no match for him. Amid the chaos, she saw a smug, mocking smile creep onto his lips, piercing her heart like a blade.

Suddenly, he shuddered—a tremor that ran through his entire body, as if struck by a thousand-pound hammer. Even she could feel it. His deep gaze lingered on her, the light in his eyes fading from brilliance to dimness. Looking down, she saw the tip of an arrow protruding from the crossed lapel of his robe. Blood flowed down the three-sided arrowhead, dripping steadily into a pool.

If King Jing’s garrison was a river, then the southern army that swiftly surrounded the Thousand-Year Hall was an ocean.

Through the surging crowd, she saw the figure clad in bright armor, drawing his bow under the moonlight. It felt as though she had waited ten thousand years for him to arrive, draining her of all hope and passion, leaving only endless desolation.

The golden-armored southern army and the crimson-armored orphans of the Yulin swept forward like a tide, engulfing everything in their path. He rode to the platform like a storm, the silver scales of his horse’s armor reflecting his expressionless face. Dismounting, he bowed deeply. “Your servant has arrived late to rescue you. Please forgive me, my lord.”

But she said nothing. Instead, she picked up Azhao’s severed head from the ground and clutched it tightly to her chest.

① “Are you truly still human?”