CXD - 78

Twenty days ago, on the night of the seventh day of the sixth month, in the Hedong government office—

Fan Denian pinched the confidential letter he had just read between his fingers, setting it alight with a candle flame until it turned to ash. A faint smile curved at the corner of his lips: “My good nephew in Chang’an has finally made up his mind.”

“Congratulations, General!” The deputy beside him clasped his hands together. “The Crown Prince committed such a grave mistake, yet remains weak and incompetent, only knowing how to plead with His Majesty for mercy. Even though petitions impeaching the Crown Prince have been submitted one after another, His Majesty merely confined the Crown Prince to reflect on his mistakes. When the Second Prince volunteered to take charge of the relief efforts, this opportunity for merit instead fell into the hands of the Fourth Prince… Finally, the Second Prince has come to terms with reality.”

Fan Denian gave a hearty chuckle, stroking his mustache: “I’ve told him repeatedly—no matter if he overthrows the Crown Prince, he will never gain the position of heir apparent. As long as I, his uncle, and Hedong stand behind him, his father will always view him as a flood or a ferocious beast to be feared. This child refused to wake up until his fourth brother began to shine. Our troops in Hedong have grown weary of waiting.”

“The Second Prince is still young,” the deputy added. “Until he hit a wall, he couldn’t let go of the father-son bond. Fortunately, the Second Prince has awakened at just the right moment. This natural disaster caught both the court and Hexi off guard. It seems even Heaven is lending the General a helping hand!”

Fan Denian picked up a rolled sheepskin map, unfurling it with a flick of his wrist. His eyes traced the military route they had planned countless times before. He raised his index finger, slowly tracing the crimson line from Hedong all the way to Chang’an.

“Eleven years have passed since we escorted His Majesty back to the capital alongside Lord Ningguo along this very path…” Fan Denian narrowed his eyes, reminiscing about events that now felt like they belonged to a past life. “Cangying, do you think it’s me who has changed, or His Majesty, or… perhaps we’ve all changed?”

Cangying lowered his head and pressed his fist against his left chest: “This subordinate only knows that my loyalty to General will never change!”

“Good, good—!” Fan Denian laughed heartily. “The palace will be handled by my good nephew. You and I shall split our forces into two routes—”

“This subordinate understands. General, you need only march straight for Chang’an and leave your back to me. I swear to capture the areas along Xingzhou and block Hexi reinforcements outside Xingyang!”

At this moment, on the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month, in the main hall of the governor’s residence in Xingyang City, the messenger’s words—”enemy forces are approaching”—had barely left his lips when the three people in the hall abruptly stood up.

Zhu Fengyuan steadied his black gauze hat and pointed at the soldier below: “From which direction are they coming? How long until they arrive?”

“From the northeast! They are expected to arrive in less than three ke !”

Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Zisong exchanged tense glances.

After waiting an hour for news, though they had prepared for all sorts of worst-case scenarios, they hadn’t anticipated the rebel army would arrive so quickly…

Zhu Fengyuan commanded: “Order Chief Secretary Wei and Commander Cao to each lead two thousand men to meet the enemy at the eastern and northern gates! The remaining troops will defend the southwest!”

“Yes!” The soldier dashed off to relay the orders.

Pei Zisong’s expression tightened: “Governor Zhu, do you have confidence in this battle?”

Zhu Fengyuan raised two fingers and gestured toward the city walls: “Young Master Pei, rest assured. Xingyang is a fortress that is easy to defend but hard to attack. Aside from the troops we sent earlier to quell the unrest, we still have five thousand soldiers left. We’ve already evacuated the civilians and cleared the main roads within the city. We should be able to handle tens of thousands of rebels!”

Jiang Zhiyi shot a questioning glance at San Qi, lowering her voice: “Fan Denian doesn’t strike me as someone who fights unprepared battles. If these troops aren’t enough to capture Xingyang, why didn’t he send more men?”

San Qi replied: “He probably couldn’t spare more men. The rebels aren’t targeting just Xingzhou—they’re striking multiple provinces simultaneously to catch them off guard. If other provinces haven’t fortified themselves as we have, they could easily fall to surprise attacks.”

“So the messengers we sent out earlier were too late…”

San Qi clenched his fist and nodded: “Judging by the speed of the rebel advance, the capital region must already be embroiled in battle. The surrounding provinces are also facing formidable enemies, leaving us unable to support one another. All we can do is hold our ground. Fortunately, Xingyang is naturally defensible compared to other regions, so our situation is relatively better for now.”

Jiang Zhiyi pressed her dry lips together: “If Xingyang is so defensible, then if the rebels capture it, they’ll gain a strong fortress. When Yuan Ce leads reinforcements from afar, he’ll be at a disadvantage against Fan Denian’s stronghold here, right?”

“That’s correct. Moreover…”

Moreover, the city currently holds Jiang Zhiyi, the future wife of the leader of the Xuan Ce Army, who could shake Hexi, and Pei Zisong, the son of the Chancellor, who could sway his father. For Fan Denian, this is an unexpected bonus. Capturing Xingyang would be like adding flowers to brocade.

Jiang Zhiyi understood the implied meaning behind San Qi’s words and gripped her sleeve tightly.

Surrounded by enemies on all sides, she and the Pei siblings had no way to retreat. The only option was—

San Qi: “This subordinate swears to protect you with my life!”

“It’s not just about protecting me. We must all vow to defend Xingyang together.” Jiang Zhiyi locked her gaze firmly onto San Qi.

At that precise moment, Wei Ji hurried into the main hall, clutching his waist sword. He bowed to those above: “Master, everything has been arranged as you ordered.”

Zhu Fengyuan waved his hand dismissively: “There’s no need to personally report at this time. Hurry to the city wall to command and take charge. I’ll follow shortly!”

Watching the two men, Jiang Zhiyi hesitated, still uncertain about their preparations. Recalling the orderly defense she had witnessed at the Xuan Ce Army camp, she proposed to Zhu Fengyuan: “May Governor Zhu allow my people to oversee the defense on the city walls? They are experienced and work well together. If they are stationed at various checkpoints, communication between the city gates will be smoother.”

“This—” Zhu Fengyuan hesitated.

“Master, it’s not advisable!” Wei Ji shook his head. “These are, after all, the Xuan Ce Army. How can they oversee our Xingyang defenders?”

Zhu Fengyuan looked troubled: “Indeed, Your Highness. Without official orders, the Xuan Ce Army shouldn’t engage in battle…”

Jiang Zhiyi coolly glanced at him: “Chang’an is likely waiting for the Xuan Ce Army to save them. The elite of my Xuan Ce Army is right here in your Xingyang City. If you delay and obstruct, are you colluding with the rebels?”

“I assure you, I harbor no such intentions!” Zhu Fengyuan’s eyes widened in alarm.

Pei Zisong smiled faintly: “Governor Zhu, when faced with a formidable enemy, generals in the field must adapt and act pragmatically. Moreover, these hundred soldiers of the Xuan Ce Army were originally escorting the Young Mistress back to the capital. Now that the Young Mistress is in peril, it is only natural for them to ensure her safety. Would His Majesty truly blame you for protecting the Young Mistress?”

One played the good cop, the other the bad cop. Zhu Fengyuan glanced between Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Zisong, his face creased with worry, before relenting: “Then so be it...”

Jiang Zhiyi nodded: “Then I request Governor Zhu to write this military order down on paper, black and white, and stamp it with your official seal. This way, my soldiers won’t feel restrained while carrying out their duties.”

...It wasn’t about fearing restraint—it was clearly about ensuring that if the Emperor blamed anyone later, it would fall on the governor.

Under Jiang Zhiyi’s intense gaze, Zhu Fengyuan reluctantly picked up his brush and complied.

Jiang Zhiyi turned to San Qi: “The path is clear. The rest is up to you.”

San Qi solemnly clasped his hands: “The Xuan Ce Army will not fail its mission!”

Late at night, just before the end of the Zi hour, Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Zisong sat facing each other in the main hall of the government office, silently staring at the teacups in front of them.

The battle had been raging for two hours. What began at the eastern gate had now shifted to the northern gate.

Initially, Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Zisong had discussed the situation, but as time passed, there was nothing left to do but wait. Thus, they sat in silence, lost in thought.

The government office was in the southern part of the city, where it was eerily quiet—barely any sound of horns could be heard. It felt like an ordinary night, as if nothing was happening outside. Yet, the subtle ripples in the tea confirmed the intensity of the fighting and the life-and-death threat looming over the city.

As Jiang Zhiyi gazed at the concentric circles rippling in her tea, she recalled the siege drills she had witnessed in April at the Xuan Ce Army camp—smoke-filled skies, speeding war chariots, and deafening cries of battle.

Even drills were this intense; what would actual combat be like...?

“Pei Zisong,” Jiang Zhiyi suddenly raised her eyes and spoke, “suppose, purely hypothetically... if the city falls and you are captured by the enemy, and Fan Denian uses you to coerce your father into surrendering, what would Chancellor Pei do?”

Pei Zisong, who seemed to have already considered this scenario, responded with a confident smile: “My father would never surrender to someone plotting treason, no matter what happens to his son.”

Jiang Zhiyi smiled faintly and nodded.

“What about you, Your Highness?”

Jiang Zhiyi’s smile faded. After a brief silence, she adopted the same resolute expression as Pei Zisong but said firmly: “I will not be captured.”

Pei Zisong’s eyes flickered slightly as he quietly observed the person across from him, furrowing his brows.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps broke the silence of the main hall.

Both stood up simultaneously and saw San Qi rush in, his face smeared with blood and mud: “Young Mistress, we’ve repelled the enemy—!”

The heart that had been hanging all night finally eased somewhat: “What are the casualties on both sides?”

“We are still tallying our losses, but it should be under a thousand. The rebels have only about three thousand troops left and have temporarily retreated!”

“How are our men?”

“Please rest assured, Young Mistress. The brothers were only supervising the battle and remain unharmed!”

“What’s the current situation outside?”

“We’ve withstood the first wave of attacks. Now it depends on when the rebels’ reinforcements arrive. If nearby provinces hold out longer, we’ll have more time to catch our breath. However, there likely won’t be another battle tonight. Young Mistress, go rest!”

Jiang Zhiyi relaxed: “Then you all should...”

Before she finished, more hurried footsteps sounded as a soldier from the Xuan Ce Army rushed in: “Young Mistress, something’s wrong! The granary in the western part of the city has caught fire, and Governor Zhu is nowhere to be found!”

Like a thunderclap overhead, the entire government office sprang into action, rushing westward to put out the fire. Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Zisong, having stayed up half the night, felt dizzy and disoriented.

The granary in the western part of the city stored provisions for the Xingyang defenders. If it burned, the battle would essentially be half lost...

The enemy hadn’t breached the city, yet the granary was ablaze—a betrayal from within!

Jiang Zhiyi immediately summoned Wei Ji to inquire: “How could Governor Zhu disappear? Didn’t he go to oversee the northern gate earlier?”

Wei Ji lowered his head and replied: “Yes, but amidst the chaos of the battle, no one noticed when the governor disappeared. When we discovered the fire and wanted to report it to him, no one could find him.”

Jiang Zhiyi’s temples throbbed with frustration as she paced back and forth: “Such a crucial location as the western granary—didn’t you station heavy guards there?!”

Wei Ji looked troubled: “We did station heavy guards, but if someone managed to command the stationed soldiers...”

Jiang Zhiyi stopped in her tracks: “You mean the person collaborating with the rebels is Governor Zhu?”

“I dare not jump to conclusions, but there are no signs of struggle in the granary. The guards vanished without a trace, just like the governor. Moreover, the governor’s wife and daughters are also missing. At this point, it seems likely...”

Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Zisong exchanged glances.

Pei Zisong nodded: “Chief Secretary Wei, please attend to the matter. Assess how much of the grain can still be salvaged.”

Wei Ji bowed and took his leave: “Leave the firefighting to me. Your Highness and Master Pei have worked hard tonight. Rest early, for tomorrow may bring another fierce battle.”

Jiang Zhiyi watched Wei Ji leave, then turned to Pei Zisong: “What do you think?”

“With this betrayal, tonight’s battle makes sense—if Fan Denian believed there was an insider in Xingyang, he wouldn’t send extra troops to attack such a defensible city. But because you involved the Xuan Ce Army in supervision, the insider lost the chance to sabotage, causing the rebels to retreat in panic. Thus, the insider resorted to burning the western granary to shake our morale for the next battle.”

Jiang Zhiyi nodded, pondering for a moment: “If it really was Zhu Fengyuan, his disappearance means he has fled the city. There won’t be further trouble inside. But if it wasn’t him, with so many people now rushing to put out the fire—even the Xuan Ce Army helping—the government office is nearly empty. Once it’s completely deserted...”

Jiang Zhiyi abruptly raised her eyes: “What’s their next move?”

Pei Zisong pointed to himself and Jiang Zhiyi.

“Then why don’t—” Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes twinkled, “we seize the opportunity and rest while we can?”

“I was thinking the same.”

At dawn, in the eastern wing of the governor’s residence, a maiden dressed in pristine white nightclothes lay quietly on the bed, her breathing calm and steady, seemingly asleep.

Suddenly, the rear window creaked open, and a figure clad in black nightwear leapt in. The sound of boots hitting the floor echoed sharply in the silent room.

In the dim light, the intruder held a dagger and slowly approached the bed, lifting the gauze canopy.

Just as he was about to strike, a hand suddenly shot out from under the bed, dragging him down with force.

Before he could utter a sound, a ghostly figure beneath the bed surged up, dislocating his jaw with one hand and pressing a sword against his throat with the other.

In the next instant, the “sleeping” maiden on the bed leisurely propped herself up on her elbow and thanked San Qi for enduring the long wait hidden under her bed.

She then sat upright, tilting her head slightly, and peered through the gauze canopy at the intruder subdued by San Qi: “Why do people in Xingyang make so much noise just climbing through a window? My fiancé doesn’t make a sound.”