Suddenly, a firework burst open in the air above the city gate, catching the attention of everyone both inside and outside it.
Unlike the dazzling, almost blinding fireworks that had lit up the distant imperial palace earlier, this one appeared somewhat plain and subdued.
But now was not the time to compare which firework looked more beautiful.
Qin Hu’s expression changed abruptly.
“Shoot the arrows!” he commanded.
The guards at the gate hesitated for a moment.
“Young Master Qin, that’s Duke Jin’an,” one of them remarked, sounding uncertain.
“He’s also a duke attempting to rebel!” Qin Hu retorted sharply. “He’s about to storm the gate.”
Storm the gate? How?
The thought had barely crossed their minds when faint, rapid hoofbeats echoed from within the city. Meanwhile, chaotic footsteps approached from afar along the city walls, as if many people were converging toward the area.
“Indeed, he harbors wicked ambitions! He has even placed his own people within the imperial city’s defenses!” Qin Hu sneered, yet without a trace of panic, and shouted, “Quickly inform Master Song of the Palace Command. The capital must be placed under martial law. Even if you manage to breach the gates, we won’t allow you to set foot inside the city!”
Several attendants turned and hurried off.
Meanwhile, the guards at the gate showed no hesitation in loosing their arrows. However, in the brief moment of their distraction and conversation, Duke Jin’an and his men had already pressed themselves against the base of the city wall, evading the arrows shot by the gate guards.
Those huddled beneath the wall fell into an eerie silence.
“You all…” Zhou Fu suddenly spoke.
Master Gu and Eunuch Jing both turned their gaze toward him.
“If you can breach the city gate, I will escort you through the city,” Zhou Fu said.
Escort us through the city?
Master Gu and the others stared at him.
The moment they took cover beneath the gate, they had extinguished their torches, leaving the surroundings dimly lit. Yet they could still see the horrified, ghost-like expressions on the faces of the patrol soldiers beside Zhou Fu. It was clear that these patrolmen knew nothing of the plan and wanted no part in it. One could even imagine them inwardly cursing their misfortune – after the gate was breached, far from escorting Duke Jin’an, they would likely be the first to strike at him, hoping to atone for their unwitting involvement in this sudden calamity.
Zhou Fu remained silent but suddenly retrieved something from beneath his armor.
Those present froze in surprise.
A whoosh echoed through the air.
In the night sky, a firework bloomed.
“Another firework!” someone atop the gate shouted in astonishment, wide-eyed. “What’s going on today?”
Is this the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Lantern Festival? Are the fireworks never going to end?
…
At the same moment, a startled cry arose from the garrison barracks outside the capital.
“Commander!” someone shouted, pointing toward the sky. “Another one!”
Beneath the eaves of a barracks stood a man draped in a black cloak, who also looked up.
Seven or eight others standing nearby followed his gaze.
“Is this one the signal we’ve been waiting for?”
“That’s the third one now – just how many people in the capital are setting off fireworks tonight?”
“And how did so many come up with the same idea?”
“Simple: fireworks soar high into the sky, making them an excellent means of conveying messages.”
A lively discussion broke out, and the conversation drifted further and further from its original focus.
“Silence, all of you!” the man in the black cloak snapped irritably.
Everyone fell quiet, just as the firework in the sky faded completely. The night sky returned to calm, with the faintest hint of dawn glowing in the east.
After his sharp command, the man said nothing more.
The atmosphere in the courtyard grew heavy and tense.
“My lord, was that… the one?” someone finally ventured to ask after a hesitant pause.
The commander’s expression darkened as he gave a slow nod.
This was the prearranged signal – unrecognizable to others – but he had seen it once before. Like all scouts, he had trained himself to remember anything at a single glance.
Seeing his nod, everyone in the courtyard grew solemn and grave.
“Sir, has something truly happened in the capital?” one man asked in a low, serious voice.
Has something truly happened in the capital?
The commander couldn’t help but look up at the sky once more. His mind flashed back to the scene when Zhong Chengbu was about to leave.
“… You said the capital would face trouble?”
Zhou Fu had refused to follow General Zhong back to the northwest. When pressed for a reason, he claimed he wanted to stay and protect his sister, insisting that turmoil was brewing in the capital and the danger was all too real.
What kind of man was General Zhong? Though young, he had been forged in the blood and sacrifice of his entire family. Such men were both fiercely courageous and keenly perceptive. Unlike himself, whose first instinct had been to mock Zhou Fu for being overly sentimental, General Zhong had cut straight to the heart of the matter: the situation in the capital.
“When you have a foolish ruler, weak empresses, powerful ministers, and domineering in-laws, history shows that chaos is almost inevitable,” Zhou Fu said. “Everyone knows it deep down, but they stay silent when it doesn’t touch their own interests. I’m different. You know my sister married Duke Jin’an, General. If trouble truly breaks out, others might manage to stay safe, but as a royal clan within the capital, they will inevitably be thrust into the storm. I must stay and watch over her. Only when I am sure of her safety will I leave the capital and follow you again.”
“So personal sentiments still come first,” General Zhong laughed heartily. “A fine, strong man – prioritizing love and family before seeking glory and achievements.”
Zhou Fu’s expression remained unchanged, showing neither embarrassment nor irritation.
“General, do you know what it means to fail someone?” he suddenly asked.
What does it mean to fail someone?
“To fail someone is to do something that, whenever you think of it, fills you with regret and self-loathing,” Zhou Fu said. “I’ve already done it once and tasted that bitterness. So I don’t want to experience it a second time.”
In the end, it still boils down to personal attachments – isn’t it just that the cousin he likes ended up marrying someone else?
The commander sneered, but General Zhong, standing nearby, stopped smiling.
“Is that sister of yours the Lady Cheng who married Duke Jin’an?” he asked.
Zhou Fu nodded.
“The Lady Cheng whose calligraphy was shared for the world to study and learn from?”
Zhou Fu nodded.
“The Lady Cheng who created the Maoyuan Mountain wine, which brought fame to the Maoyuan Mountain brothers?”
Zhou Fu nodded.
“The Lady Cheng who, with just a firework, was able to instruct Li Mao to produce stone projectiles?”
Zhou Fu nodded.
“The Lady Cheng who is the younger sister of Fan Jianglin, the one who presented the Divine Arm Bow?”
Zhou Fu nodded.
“The Lady Cheng who is the younger sister of Xu Sigen, the maker of the horseshoe?”
Zhou Fu nodded.
The commander stared at General Zhong in astonishment.
So General Zhong was also familiar with this cousin of Zhou Fu’s.
What more was there to ask?
But General Zhong asked no further questions. Instead, he let out a hearty laugh.
“Good,” he said. “Then you may stay in the capital.”
Just like that, he agreed – not only agreed but also secured a military tally for mobilizing the city defense troops and even intentionally left him behind.
“If needed, Pang Qing, you must lend a hand,” General Zhong said with a smile, clapping him on the shoulder.
General Zhong’s grip was strong, making him grimace.
The commander’s shoulder dipped once more, and he gritted his teeth in pain.
Now was the time General Zhong had referred to – if needed.
Something had happened in the capital.
Otherwise, why would fireworks light up the sky three times in one night?
The commander nodded slowly.
Silence fell over the courtyard once more.
They were seasoned military men, having handled capital defense for many years. They knew all too well what “something happening in the capital” truly meant.
“So, do we act or not?” someone finally asked, breaking the silence.
Act or not?
They all had families and careers. Matters of seizing power and risking everything were no joking matter. If things went wrong, it wouldn’t just affect them – it would implicate their entire households.
Act or not?
The commander had nearly been knocked off balance by General Zhong’s forceful clap.
“My lord,” he said through gritted teeth, not forgetting to ask the crucial question, “I’ve risen through the ranks of the Zhong family army. If you, General, tell me to act, I will without hesitation. But if you’re asking me to help someone else, I still need a reason.”
The reason was: Since when did General Zhong become a follower of Duke Jin’an?
Could it be that this Duke Jin’an truly harbored grand ambitions?
Were the accusations from the capital’s censors and scholars not baseless rumors after all?
Such ambition within the imperial family, with the Emperor still on the throne and the Crown Prince in place – such treacherous ambition was truly…
“Duke Jin’an?” General Zhong let out a hearty laugh. “I know there are indeed people loyal to him in the army, but that’s his affair – it has nothing to do with me. And I, Zhong Chengbu, do not belong to anyone. I belong only to the Great Zhou.”
“To belong to the Great Zhou is to protect the people of the Great Zhou.”
General Zhong smiled, placing his hands on his hips with a touch of pride.
“For generations, the Zhong family has served as generals – born on the battlefield, destined to die on the battlefield. Our only goal is to protect our home and defend our nation.”
“Protecting home and defending the nation – it’s easy to say but incredibly hard to do. Those of us who truly carry out this duty understand that best.”
“You know better than anyone how much a single horseshoe has expanded our cavalry for scouts and patrols, don’t you?”
“You know better than anyone how a Divine Arm Bow allows one soldier to fight like ten, effectively multiplying our military strength, don’t you?”
“And though it took so long to receive just ten trebuchets for the northwest, and their actual effectiveness remains unverified – based on the test demonstrations we witnessed at the military supervisor’s office, you know better than anyone what terrifying results these trebuchets could achieve, don’t you?”
“To protect our home and defend our nation, we cannot afford to lose this person. This person must be protected.”
For the sake of protecting our homeland and defending our nation.
Yes, for that purpose, what is there to hesitate about?
The commander took a deep breath and looked at the officers before him.
“Something has happened in the capital,” he declared, his voice heavy. “Naturally, we must go.”
That meant they would act.
Everyone present understood, though a flicker of hesitation still crossed the minds of some.
Choosing the wrong side could lead to disastrous consequences.
“What are we?” the commander continued, his gaze sweeping over the group.
The officers were momentarily taken aback.
“We are the garrison army,” someone replied.
“And what is the duty of the garrison army?” the commander pressed. “To defend and protect. Now that trouble has arisen in the capital, we must naturally go and investigate. We are merely fulfilling our duty, remaining loyal to our responsibilities.”
Right – they were only being loyal to their duty, carrying out their obligations. This wasn’t about taking sides in someone else’s affairs. Could loyalty to one’s duty ever be considered a fault or a crime?
“Yes!” the officers echoed in unison, their voices resounding with conviction.
…
“Treacherous ambition!”
Qin Hu withdrew his gaze and sneered coldly once more.
“The first signal called for reinforcements inside the city, while this one is summoning those outside.”
“Young Master, that scoundrel has escaped!” a close attendant shouted.
Qin Hu immediately stood up and turned to face the city gate.
A wooden rack had been set up, but somehow, the gate supervisor who had been tied up nearby earlier had broken free. Taking advantage of the chaos as the gate guards prepared for the approaching troops, he lunged toward the gate.
“Die!”
Qin Hu roared, and with a twang, a long arrow flew from his bow.
“Open!” the gate supervisor bellowed, gripping the gate bolt with one hand before collapsing weakly to the ground.
At that moment, the city gate shook violently.
With a loud clang, as if struck by a heavy object, the bolt – which had only slid open slightly – jolted and slid open much further.
“Oh no!” Qin Hu shouted. “They were prepared all along – the city gate wasn’t fully secured.”
In truth, the capital’s city gates had never been as strictly guarded as those elsewhere. There was no rigorous inspection of people entering or leaving, and sometimes even the closing of the gates was merely a formality. After all, this was a bustling, prosperous inland region, right under the emperor’s nose. Outside, there were two hundred thousand imperial guards; inside, nearly ten thousand city patrols, yamen runners, and soldiers were on duty.
Qin Hu then recalled how swiftly and easily the gates had opened when he passed through earlier – it was his own men who had deliberately left it open for him. Naturally, others could do the same.
“Young Master, someone is storming the gate!” another attendant shouted, pointing to a group of men rapidly approaching on the main street. “There are quite a few of them!”
At the same time, the faint sound of gongs and drums echoed along the street.
“Quite a few?” Qin Hu laughed coldly. “The prefect has plenty of men too. Let’s see who outnumbers whom.”
As he spoke, he paid no more attention to the commotion outside. Instead, he led his men straight toward the gate tunnel.
Just then, the gate was smashed open.
As Master Gu had anticipated, the moment the city gate was forced open and Zhou Fu charged forward, the patrol soldiers who had been pressed against the wall seized their horses and fled in the opposite direction.
If they ran, so be it – it was far better than having them stab them in the back and cause trouble.
Amid the hissing of arrows, the two attendants who had pushed open the gate collapsed to the ground.
Of the original eight men, only six remained now. Adding Zhou Fu, that made seven -seven men standing before the city gate, facing a row of over a dozen crossbowmen. It was undoubtedly a suicidal stand.
“Your Highness, please step back,” Eunuch Jing whispered, shielding Duke Jin’an.
Someone strode forward, positioning himself in the gap created by the two attendants. Like a massive boulder, he blocked the line of sight from both inside and outside.
The “boulder” steadied himself, drew his bow, and aimed at the men ahead.
“Zhou Fu,” Qin Hu said. “Step back.”
Zhou Fu stared at him.
“Qin Hu,” he replied. “Step back.”
Neither of them moved back, their bows held firmly, the arrowheads gleaming coldly in their grasp.
Behind them, the sound of approaching horses grew louder, and arrows were already being loosed.
“Young Master, we can’t wait any longer!” a close attendant beside him urged anxiously, glancing back toward the city.
If they didn’t force them back and close the gate soon, the troops arriving from outside to provide aid would inevitably throw the gate into chaos. That would give these men a chance to break through.
“Zhou Fu!” Qin Hu raised his voice sharply. “Step back!”
He shouted with a fierce intensity.
“Qin Hu!” Zhou Fu also raised his voice. “Step back!”
He too roared back.
The air seemed to freeze for an instant, but almost simultaneously, two sharp twangs rang out as bows released, and two flashes of cold light cut through the darkness.
“What, do you think two legs make you any better than my one leg?”
The young man who had refused to admit fault after bumping into someone on the street shouted, his face flushed with anger.
“Fine, let’s compare then! Whoever loses is the other’s grandson!”
He, nicknamed “Qin the Lame” – had been famous throughout the capital since childhood. He couldn’t believe that anyone truly didn’t recognize him. Yet this kid in front of him stubbornly refused to kneel and apologize – how intriguing.
“Alright then, let’s compare. But don’t lose on purpose just to claim kinship with me!”
Leaning on his crutch, he stood steadily, watching as the young man beside him, fuming with indignation, drew his bow.
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air, followed by a cold, bright flash that grazed past his ear, piercing through his hood. The force was so strong it sent him staggering backward.
Steady!
He was no longer the Qin Shi’san-lang who had to rely on a crutch. He could stand firm.
Qin Hu stumbled briefly, trying to regain his balance, while out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man opposite him fall backward.
Fall…
The massive, boulder-like figure toppled, hitting the ground with a heavy thud that seemed to make the earth tremble.
He fell…
He fell!!
