Chapter 22: Jianye Falls

  Just as I was being forced to confess in the secret chamber, Jianye City had already made arrangements for its defense. Shang Weijun issued consecutive orders to arrange for the city's defense, and although the news of the emperor's escape had been intentionally spread, causing many of the imperial guards to lose their will to fight, Shang Weijun ordered the execution of hundreds of "spies" who were spreading rumors, barely stabilizing the morale of the troops. As Shang Weijun had long been in charge of state affairs, the imperial guard generals were willing to follow his orders. However, the 50,000-strong imperial guard was insufficient for defending the city, causing great difficulty for Shang Weijun. Later, he could only mobilize able-bodied men from the city to fight on the walls. By the time the vanguard of the Great Yong army arrived, Jianye City was ready for battle.

  The next day, as the sun rose over the horizon, casting a golden glow over the landscape, more than a thousand black-clad and armored cavalrymen emerged from the distance, led by a black-clad general who stood atop a small hill, gazing out at the majestic city of Jianye. The other cavalrymen dispersed in all directions, vanishing into thin air within moments, leaving only the black-clad general and a dozen or so personal guards behind. After a brief moment, the sound of distant bugles echoed across the plains, and the black-clad general took up a bugle handed to him by one of his guards, blowing it with a mournful and stirring tone that sent shivers down the spines of the city's defenders, who felt an overwhelming urge to shout out in response. Despite the repeated rebukes from their commanding officers, cries of alarm continued to ring out from the city walls, while the distant cavalrymen stood silent and still as statues. After another brief moment, the sound of thunderous hoofbeats shook the earth, causing the defenders' ears to ache with pain, as tens of thousands of black-clad cavalrymen poured onto the scene like a dark tidal wave, initially scattered in small groups but rapidly coalescing into dense, orderly battle formations that seemed to flow across the landscape like clouds and water. The process was mesmerizing to behold, and it came to an abrupt halt just a thousand paces from Jianye's walls. Then, the battle array parted to reveal a golden-armored cavalryman who emerged slowly, clad in a black cloak, with a personal guard riding behind him holding aloft a great banner emblazoned with the blood-red characters "Heavenly Strategist General Li". As the banner unfurled, the sound of distant bugles echoed out once more across the iron-clad sea, accompanied by an aura of unbridled ferocity and awe-inspiring majesty that sent shivers down the spines of Jianye's defenders.

  A literate soldier of the Imperial Guard narrowed his eyes to gaze at the banner, and sighed: "General Wei, it's really the Prince of Yong who has arrived. I've heard he's the most formidable prince in Da Yong. Can we really defend Jianye?" A newly recruited soldier next to him asked nervously: "Isn't it said that the Prince of Yong is leading the army? Why is it General Wei instead?" The Imperial Guard gave him a white eye and said: "What do you know, General Wei is the official title of the Prince of Yong, and Yong Wang is his noble title. I've heard that the Prince of Yong's banner always carries the general's flag number, some say it's because the Prince of Yong thinks that being a general is something he fought for with every sword and spear, so he attaches great importance to it. Besides, there's also a golden dragon flag, which is only raised when we're setting up camp or after winning a battle." The new soldier said enviously: "Brother, you really know a lot!" The Imperial Guard said proudly: "Of course, I saw the Prince of Yong's army when we attacked Shu State back then. At that time, we were allies."

  "Crack, crack." Two loud slapping sounds echoed through the air as a member of the Imperial Guard let out a pained cry and fell to the ground. The crowd turned around to see an officer from the disciplinary squad glaring at them with a fierce gaze. "How dare you disrupt military morale?" the officer barked. "If we weren't facing a great enemy, I would have taken your dog life first!" The Imperial Guard quickly scrambled to his feet and said, "I don't dare, I don't dare." After seeing the disciplinary squad walk away, he spat out the blood in his mouth and muttered a few vicious curses under his breath before turning his head towards the city below.

  Shang Weijun stood on the city wall, looking at the brave enemy army below, thinking in his heart that although the enemy was fierce and courageous, they only had 20,000 troops. If they were to go out of the city to fight, if they could capture the King of Yong, wouldn't it be possible to immediately resolve the crisis? Thinking of this, he asked the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard in a low voice: "The enemy has only 20,000 troops, can we go out and fight?" The deputy commander replied: "We don't have cavalry, it's better to defend the city." Shang Weijun furrowed his brow. At this time, the enemy army outside the city shouted loudly for battle. Shang Weijun ordered that no one was allowed to go out of the city, and only prepared logs and stones to wait for the enemy to attack the city.

  Looking from afar at Jianye, Li Zhi smiled lightly and said: "I reckon they don't dare come out of the city."

  The commander of his personal guard, Sima Xiong, asked: "Your Highness, we only brought cavalry with us, how can we attack the city?"

  "Don't worry, I'm not planning to use cavalry to attack the city. Jianye is indeed solid, but unfortunately, the military's morale is low. I've already arranged for internal response, and today we'll just take a look here. By the way, I think our dispatched troops will have some gains."

  Simarong smiled and said, "Yes, Your Highness said that the king and his ministers of Southern Chu might escape first, so he arranged for General Chen to intercept them first. The scouts reported that Zhao Jia indeed escaped first. If we capture their lord in the city, I don't know if they will surrender obediently."

  Li Zai said: "Whether or not we can capture their king largely depends on luck, it's unreliable. We should think of a way to seize the city instead. If Shang Wei Jun wasn't incompetent in military affairs, our scouts wouldn't have had trouble arranging for internal response. The Southern Chu generals who are brave and skilled in battle find it difficult to gain a foothold in Jianye, this is a strange tale that will be told for thousands of years. Our Da Yong imperial guards are all elite warriors selected from the army."

  Simayou disagreed, saying: "The Imperial Guard is indeed elite, but compared to the Crown Prince's personal guards, they are far inferior. Although it's because the Crown Prince excludes our people from joining the Imperial Guard, who doesn't know that becoming one of the Crown Prince's personal guards requires being a brave warrior selected from thousands?"

  Li Zai smiled slightly, without refuting him. His personal guard of three thousand iron cavalry were all seasoned veterans who had been through a hundred battles. The twenty thousand men he brought this time were expanded from the imperial guard on the basis of his personal guard, and their elite level far surpassed that of the Great Yong Imperial Guard, not to mention the army of Southern Chu.

  On this day, Li Zhe only ordered his men to show off their military might outside the city, and Shang Weijun did not dare to come out and fight. The morale of the Southern Chu army was even more depressed. By dusk, Li Zhe ordered his troops to rest in a large camp that had already been set up ten miles away from Jianye. When Shang Weijun saw Li Zhe retreat, he finally let out a sigh of relief and returned to the prime minister's mansion. He pondered whether it was too cowardly to have Princess Shang take the crown prince to hide first, thinking about whether to bring them back tomorrow. After eating something hastily, Shang Weijun fell asleep in his clothes in the study, but he slept very restlessly and woke up several times from nightmares. In his sleep, Shang Weijun suddenly woke up with a start, wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead, and then heard the shouting and cursing sounds coming from afar. He sat up, and the door was pushed open, and a servant rushed in, seeing that he was awake, and exclaimed in shock: "Sir, it's not good! The imperial guards inside the city have rebelled!" Shang Weijun sprang to his feet, pushed open the window, and indeed heard the clear shouts outside. Someone shouted "The enemy has entered the city!", someone shouted "The emperor has run away, why should we still risk our lives?", most of the words were unclear, but some people were cursing, and some were shouting inciting words. Shang Weijun's heart was as cold as ice. At this moment, he saw that fires had started breaking out in all parts of the city, with flames soaring into the sky. Shang Weijun stared blankly at the firelight, muttering to himself, not knowing what to say.

  At this time, the defenders at the west gate of Jianye were ambushed, and the city gate was opened. The iron cavalry of Yong's army rushed in, and soon the streets of Jianye were filled with black-clad iron cavalry. Their arrival was terrifying, like ghosts, amidst the flames that lit up the sky. The streets were filled with people shouting and horses neighing. The Southern Chu army initially surged towards the west gate, trying to drive out the enemy, but they quickly retreated under Yong's brutal slaughter. The defeated soldiers began to flee for their lives, and some even started breaking into civilian homes to kill and loot. Jianye City trembled and moaned in the midst of blood and fire.

  After the dawn, the Yong army, which had taken control of Jianye City, began to restore order in the city. All surrendered Southern Chu soldiers were driven out of the city and imprisoned in camps outside, while looting soldiers who took advantage of the chaos were killed and their heads hung up as a warning to the public. All civilians received an edict ordering them to stay indoors and not go out. The fire was also extinguished under the command of the Yong army. Then, the Yong army, which controlled the city gates and key points in the city, began to investigate the households in the city. Anyone from the Southern Chu royal family or officials above the third rank were arrested and taken to the Heavenly Prison for disposal. Others were ordered to stay indoors temporarily and not go out. The streets were quiet, and anyone who ventured out would be questioned. Shang Weijun had originally planned to escape during the chaos but was captured by the Yong army and was now imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. Other Chu soldiers who dared to resist were also beheaded.

  By noon, Li Zai entered the city and looked at the streets stained with blood. He smiled and said: "If it weren't for the incompetence of the Southern Chu king and his ministers, how could we have taken Jianye so easily?" Sima Xiong cautiously looked around and replied: "Your Highness, I've received a report that only some palace maids and eunuchs are left in the palace. The concubines sent by Da Yong are still here, but all the princes were taken away. Shang Fei and the Crown Prince are not in the palace either. After investigation, it's likely that Shang Wei Jun had them escorted out."

  Li Zai thought for a moment and said, "Those concubines, send someone to ask them. If they want to return home, let them prepare. If Zhao Jia catches up, let them continue to serve Zhao Jia. If not, arrange for them to go back home one by one. Shang Weijun is the father of Empress Shang and very important. Absolutely cannot let him commit suicide. Keep a close eye on him and bring him back. Don't bother with other Southern Chu officials. Let them go when we leave."

  Two men were advancing slowly when a horseman came galloping up. The rider drew near and reported, "General Chen's scouts have returned with news that Zhao Jia has been captured."

  Li Zai exclaimed excitedly: "Caught it! Where is it?"

  That knight said: "General Chen personally led the pursuit, according to the intelligence from within, they were caught off guard and rounded up. General Chen reported that three thousand imperial guards were dispersed and eliminated by us, all members of the royal family were captured, Zhao Jia was taken into custody without a fight, it is estimated that tomorrow they can be escorted to Jianye."

  Li Zhe ordered: "Pass on the order to General Huang, have him bring men to provide support and ensure that Zhao Jia is safely escorted back to Jianye."

  Li Zai smiled and said, "Fortunately, the mission is accomplished. If we can't catch Zhao Jia, this trip will be in vain. Sima Xiong, do you remember what I entrusted to you? I'm a bit worried, so you must go personally and ensure that place is safe."

  Simaxiong obeyed, instructing his deputy to guard the Yong King carefully. He rushed away with doubts, and before entering the city, the Yong King had ordered him to send someone to a place in the northern suburbs to protect it tightly. He vaguely knew that the person was an official of South Chu, but did not know why the king regarded that person as more important than anything else.

  After arriving at the northern suburbs, Sima Xiong saw the small villa from a distance, surrounded by more than 100 knights, and it was impossible to get through. When Sima Xiong approached, he saw that the sign above the villa door read "Cangyun Villa" in three characters. Although Sima Xiong only had a rough understanding of literature, he felt that those words were elegant and flowing. He rode his horse forward, and the gatekeeper, Duan Xiaowei, came to greet him, waving his sword in salute. Sima Xiong asked: "What's the situation?"

  "General, after we surrounded this place, only a small child came out to ask what was going on. I told him it was the military order of King Yong and he went back inside. Since then, there has been no movement at all."

  Simar雄 shook his head in puzzlement, he also didn't know why Yong Wang did this and let him come to deliver the message. He dismounted his horse, walked up and knocked on the door, not long after, a 15 or 16-year-old handsome young servant opened the door, calmly looking at him and asked: "May I ask what orders does General have?"

  "His Excellency Sima Xiong says: 'I am General Sima Xiong, under the orders of His Highness King Yong of Yan, I have come to request an audience with Master Jiang Zhe.'"

  The little servant smiled slightly and said: "General, please come in."

  As the young man walked into the villa, Sima Xiong felt a sense of relief in his heart. Although the villa was not large, it had several pavilions and buildings, with flowing streams and lush greenery between them, creating a refreshing and elegant atmosphere. The young man led Sima Xiong along the winding stone path to a small pavilion hidden among the bamboo grove. Standing at the entrance of the pavilion was a handsome young man with a hint of coldness in his expression. He smiled and said, "General, I apologize for not greeting you personally earlier. My master is a scholar from Southern Chu and it would be beneath him to come down and greet you, please forgive us."

  Simma Xiong heard the man's voice, first a chill ran down his spine, then he felt a sense of foreboding, and immediately grasped the sword at his waist. The man had a refined appearance, but his voice was soft and shrill. Simma Xiong had been by King Yong's side for many years and knew that only one kind of person had this characteristic. He asked in surprise: "What kind of person are you? How did you end up here?"

  That man's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he said: "I am Li Shun, originally serving in the South Chu Palace. Because I was on good terms with General Jiang, and also couldn't stand the intrigue and infighting within the palace, I escaped a few days ago and have been attending to Young Master. It seems that it has caused the general to be suspicious."

  Simar nodded half-believingly and said: "Please take me to see Mr. Jiang."

  Li Shun turned around, opened the door, and invited Sima Xiong to enter. Sima Xiong looked at him again, then walked into the small pavilion. At a glance, he saw a refined and handsome young man sitting behind a desk, looking at him lightly. On the desk in front of him was an open book and some documents, with a sheep's hair brush stained with ink placed on the brush holder. It seemed that before his arrival, he had been writing something.

  Simayoung saw this young man, suddenly remembered that he had seen him before, three years ago, in Shu, he had seen him in the big camp, at that time he was with Nan Chude Wang, and had also secretly talked to Yongwang for a while, then it was at the farewell banquet, this young man's "Po Array Son" forced the king of Shu to death, unfortunately, he only remembered that the person was Jiang Canzan, but did not know that today he came to see Jiang Gong, who was actually him.

  He reflexively gave a military salute, this person was someone he privately admired, although he still didn't quite understand why the King of Shu had killed himself after listening to his composition. He respectfully said: "I am General Sima Xiong, honored to be the commander of the Imperial Guard of the Duke of Yong, I have come under the imperial edict to pay my respects to you, sir. The Emperor said that due to his busy military affairs today, he plans to visit you in person this evening and hopes that you will grant him an audience."

  I said calmly: "Jiang Mou is now a commoner, and also under house arrest. What qualifications do I have to refuse the visit of Prince Yong's mansion? But I don't know what crime I committed, Jiang Mou was only a fourth-grade attendant when he was in office. It is said that only those above the third grade will be imprisoned, how can I, a former fourth-grade official, also be imprisoned?"

  Simarong awkwardly said: "General Jiang's words are too serious, the prince is very concerned about Mr. and has sent people to protect him, please don't take offense, if there's any inconvenience, please forgive us rough men for the prince's sake."

  I smiled slightly and said: "Since General has arrived, Xiao Shunzi, pour a cup of tea, please ask the general to sit down."

  "Sir, no need to be polite," Sima Xiong hastily said. "I wouldn't dare disturb you, sir. If it's convenient, please prepare a side room for me so I can attend to military matters."

  I glanced at him and said, "Tao Liu, take this general to rest in the guest house." Tao Liu emerged from behind me, bowed to Sima Xiong, and said, "General, please follow me."

  Simarong took a glance at the little book boy who had almost gone unnoticed earlier and bid me farewell before leaving.

  I couldn't help but smile slightly and muttered to myself: "No wonder the Prince of Yong is famous throughout the land, even a personal guard commander like him knows etiquette and propriety."

  Xiao Shunzi said in a low voice: "I didn't expect King Yong to pay so much attention to you, do you think we should leave now."

  I shook my head and said: "The world will eventually belong to Da Yong, if I were to leave like this, I would inevitably become a prisoner of the emperor, it's better to wait for him to explain things clearly."

  Li Zai arrived at the Chu King's palace, ordering all the palaces to be sealed off, leaving only a small side hall for his own use. He handled military affairs while waiting for news of Princess Chang Le. Fortunately, it wasn't long before a guard came to report, saying: "Your Highness, the princess has returned safely and is waiting outside."

  Li Zai was overjoyed, and as he walked towards the palace gate, he exclaimed: "Chang Le, Chang Le, have you arrived?" Following his shout, a girl in white clothes ran towards him from outside the palace. He hugged his sister's delicate body tightly and laughed: "Imperial Sister, you've finally returned to your Second Brother's side. From now on, you don't need to fear anything anymore." Then he asked: "And what about the person who escorted you here, Liang Yu?" Chang Le Gongzhu's eyes flashed with a terrified expression as she replied: "Imperial Brother, Sister Liang has gone mad, and the others are all outside." Li Zai furrowed his brow and ordered: "Summon them to come in."

  As his voice fell, more than a dozen big men in linen clothes walked in, their faces gaunt and haggard. The last two people dragged in Liang Yu, who was crying and struggling. When they saw the Duke of Yong, a look of relief flashed across their eyes as they knelt down to pay their respects. Li Zhi let them get up and asked: "What happened? What's wrong with Liang Yu?"

  The leader of the Han people said: "Your Highness, Liang Wan has defected to the Crown Prince's side, and it was also decided by the master of Fengyi Gate."

  Li Zai's expression turned cold, he had already guessed the matter, but did not expect Feng Yimen's master to be so arrogant. He asked: "How did you know? And what happened to Liang Wan?"

  The big Han thought that if he continued to speak, he might say something he shouldn't. That terrifying person, if he really became the enemy of the lord due to this, would make the already precarious situation of the lord even more critical. He bowed again: "Your Lordship, I dare not forget your cultivation in Jiangnan, today's matter is also unavoidable, please take care of my family." After speaking, he drew his sword and killed himself. When he drew his sword, the guards on the platform thought they were going to assassinate him and were about to step forward to stop them, but unexpectedly, he took his own life. Li Zhi was shocked and was about to ask others when those people said in unison: "Please take care of our families, Your Lordship, take care." After speaking, they all drew their swords and killed themselves, and the hall was filled with blood for a while. Princess Chang Le shouted and covered her face, not daring to look back.

  Li Zai was bewildered and couldn't understand, he stared blankly at this bizarre scene, not knowing what to say. He asked Princess Chang Le, but Princess Chang Le only knew that these people had been kidnapped, while she herself hadn't been harmed in the slightest. Not long after, she and the spies were released, except for Liang Yu who had gone mad. When she asked those spies, they all remained silent. After hearing Princess Chang Le's answer, Li Zai was even more bewildered - what exactly had happened?