A day later, news arrived back at Yongan at the speed of eight-hundred-li dispatches—Yuzhou had raised the banner of rebellion!
Emperor Yongtai overturned the imperial desk in fury, sending the palace servants sprawling to their knees in terror. He roared, “Can Xing Muzheng fly? Not only has he escaped, but he has already returned to Yuzhou to rebel? And I’m still searching Yongan for his whereabouts… Impossible! Absolutely impossible! No one could move that fast!”
He spread out the note clutched in his hand again and only then saw clearly—it was Xing Muzheng’s wife, Madam Qian, who had led Yuzhou in revolt. The emperor’s eyes widened in disbelief. How could a mere woman dare to rebel against him? And even proclaim him a ‘depraved tyrant’? Did she have the gall of a bear and the heart of a leopard?
“Xing Muzheng cannot have slipped past my Imperial Guards—he must still be in Yongan! Send men—search! Search! And summon the ministers! I want them to see with their own eyes the wolfish ambitions of the Xing family they tried so hard to protect!”
Emperor Yongtai gathered the court ministers and lashed them with scathing curses. He no longer listened to any remonstrations. He issued an edict for old General Xu at Hemen Pass to immediately mobilize two hundred thousand troops, march by another route to Yuzhou, and put down the traitors before Xing Muzheng himself could appear.
By the time the decree reached the border, it was already the New Year. The massive army moved out regardless, and soon almost all of Great Xie knew of Yuzhou’s rebellion. The land was in panic, rumors spreading everywhere, people discussing it in visits and gatherings.
Some said the imperial family had always feared General Xing since ascending the throne, taking his son to Yongan as hostage precisely to prevent rebellion. That even when fighting Xili, they delayed granting him the marshal’s tally of command. Once he captured the Xili King, the court rushed to retrieve the tally. Then they urgently summoned him to Yongan, fabricated a charge, and threw him in the heavenly prison, even wanting him executed. Only thanks to the ministers’ desperate protection was he released. But it was said that the next day a princess was sent down, and that night the Xing residence was engulfed in flames—a cover-up by the throne to kill the general…
When such talk reached Emperor Yongtai, he nearly spat blood in rage. “Investigate! Investigate! Whoever dares spread such wild talk, throw them all into prison!”
Beside himself with anger, he ignored the custom of sealing the brushes for New Year, and again sent urgent orders to press General Xu. Old General Xu, though his bones were nearly crumbling, gritted his teeth and led the army to the walls of Yuzhou.
Yuzhou was already sealed. On the city walls, flying high was the mighty “Xing” banner. Qian Jiaoniang stood with the generals upon the walls, gazing solemnly at the vast army below.
Old General Xu sat in a rattan chair on the command chariot, coughing violently several times. He turned to look at He Tan. He Tan understood, spurred his horse forward, and shouted, “Brazen rebels! Do you not know that rebellion is a crime that dooms nine generations? General Xu himself has come to put you down—surrender at once, and he may yet leave you a whole corpse!”
The war drums thundered twice. Soldiers raised their weapons in response. By rights, morale should have surged—but the sounds of the army were more like the buzzing of flies.
Qian Jiaoniang gave a cold laugh, ignoring He Tan, and called out in a loud voice to the soldiers:
“Brothers! I am the wife of General Xing! Many of you once fought alongside me in Wuyou Valley! Though I am but a mere woman, if it means shedding my blood for the people of Great Xie, I will never shirk! The entire Xing family will never shirk! Yet the tyrant on the throne is dark and treacherous, time and again suspecting and persecuting our family! My husband defended the nation, yet nearly died under the tyrant’s blade time after time! Now he destroys loyal men, plunging the nation into ruin! Brothers, will you help this tyrant slaughter the loyal, and consign General Xing and us all to death?”
The soldiers’ hearts grew restless. Old General Xu saw things turning dire, pushed up his frail bones, wanting to rise and steady the army—when suddenly a crimson blur filled his vision. His eyes widened, and his head tumbled to the ground, gathering dust where it fell.
Xu Yizhao lifted his bloodied broadsword.
The great army erupted in chaos. Zhaohui, serving as supervising commissioner within the ranks, stood stupefied. He Tan turned and, seeing the scene, roared: “Wretch, you deserve death!”
He Tan tried to charge forward, but Li Zhong and another general raised their long spears to his throat. Other Xu family officers were seized by Xu Yizhao’s men. Xu Yizhao shouted loudly: “Brothers! Madam Xing spoke true! The depraved emperor thinks only of his own debauchery. He sent this useless old relic here as marshal, caring nothing for whether we lived or died! If not for Great Marshal Xing defying orders, we’d all have perished in Qinan Prefecture! Why not follow General Xing instead, achieve glory and merit, and enjoy peace in a prosperous age?”
“Swear to follow General Xing unto death!”
“Swear to follow General Xing unto death!”
The border troops had long been won over by Xu Yizhao and his men. Li Zhong and Jiang Shuzhi took the lead in shouting, one passing to ten, ten to a hundred, until all the soldiers raised their broadswords and spears:
“Swear to follow General Xing unto death! Oh! Oh!”
With Old General Xu executed before the battle lines and any who resisted put to death, the entire two-hundred-thousand-man army turned rebel. This news struck Emperor Yongtai like a hammer blow. By the time he received word, Xing Muzheng and his son had already returned to Yuzhou, reorganizing the forces and preparing to march.
“That New Year didn’t feel like New Year at all.” When no one was around, Qian Jiaoniang clung to Xing Muzheng, complaining softly.
Xing Muzheng kissed the corner of her lips. “Next year, the whole family will celebrate properly.”
“Mhm… I want to go too.”
“War is no game. You should stay in Yuzhou—that way I’ll be at ease.”
“I want to go.” Qian Jiaoniang pouted, then stole a kiss from him.
Xing Muzheng stroked her back, still kissing her with lingering affection. “Then you must promise me—no more reckless danger.”
“I promise, I promise,” Qian Jiaoniang hurriedly said.
Xing Muzheng seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Then come.”
Qian Jiaoniang laughed lightly, kissing him soundly. Xing Muzheng pressed her down, kissing her deeply. When the kiss ended, he murmured into her ear: “I want you by my side too.”
Qian Jiaoniang giggled, hugging him tightly.
Xing Muzheng nearly lost his restraint. Breathing a little heavily, he asked, “Did the physician say you’ve recovered?”
“Not yet…”
At that, Xing Muzheng immediately pulled away, went to the outer room, and gulped down several mouthfuls of tea to cool the heat within him.
From outside, Xing Pingchun knocked on the door. “Mother, Father, come quickly—Nixue smiled! He smiled so beautifully!”
Qian Jiaoniang tugged Xing Muzheng out with her. As soon as Xing Pingchun saw his mother, he sidled up close, his tall frame—taller even than hers—pretending to be small and clingy. The sight made Qian Jiaoniang laugh, and left her full of emotion. She released her husband and walked affectionately with her son.
Once the army was reorganized, Xing Muzheng left troops behind to guard the city and led the main force toward Yongan. Their first battle was against the forces of Minghu. But the naval commander of Minghu had long since been bought off by Zhen Hao, and with public sentiment on their side, the governor of Minghu announced surrender.
Joining with the army at Minghu were Ah Da and his companions, who had already uncovered the treasure. Now, with a mountain of gold at their backs, the Xing forces were even more confident. Xing Muzheng sought not to spill a single drop of blood—he aimed to capture generals alive. With Huang Gong’s years of gathered secrets on local officials, he struck precisely where they were weak: bribing the greedy with silver, granting fame to the ambitious, winning over his former subordinates. He never missed his mark. If one refused unto death, he replaced him with another. Only when absolutely necessary did he wage battle.
With such smooth progress, Xing Muzheng soon reached the Li River. Crossing it and breaking through the fief of Huyang Wang would lead straight to Yongan.
But sixty thousand troops had already assembled at the riverbank, led by none other than Grand Marshal of the Cavalry, Hong Tai.
When Xing Muzheng learned it was Hong Tai, his expression remained calm. He had long known this day would come.
He donned his armor as usual. Qian Jiaoniang brought his helmet and placed it on him. Xing Muzheng told her: “Stay inside today. Wait for me to return.”
Qian Jiaoniang nodded. “Alright.”
Xing Muzheng turned to leave. She stepped forward, lips parting as if to speak, but in the end she said nothing—only followed him with her eyes as he went.
At the Li River, the two armies faced each other. Hong Tai said coldly: “Xing Muzheng, you traitorous minister! You ought to have been a loyal subject and virtuous general, yet you commit treason, spurning the grace of the late emperor and the present sovereign! Dismount and surrender at once—come back with me to Yongan and submit to judgment. Perhaps your family might yet be spared!”
Xing Muzheng said, “Brother Hong, the emperor has sought my death more than once. Had I been foolishly loyal, I would already be in the grave. Tell me, in what way has Xing ever failed the people of Great Xie, that the emperor must insist on my death? Is great merit itself a crime?”
Hong Tai replied, “If the sovereign commands the minister to die, the minister has no choice but to die. You, as a subject of Great Xie, must serve its ruler.”
Xing Muzheng said, “Behind me are a loving wife, young children, and tens of thousands of brothers-in-arms. How can I throw away my life for a depraved ruler without cause?”
Zhen Hao, unable to bear seeing former comrades clash, raised his voice: “Brother Hong! The emperor is mediocre and suspicious. Stay by his side and sooner or later you’ll meet the same fate. Why else would he never appoint you Grand Marshal to guard the border? Clearly he fears you would rebel too! With such a narrow-hearted emperor, why do you still serve him? You know Brother Xing’s noble character better than anyone—could you truly let him die beneath the tyrant’s blade, his soul wronged? A hundred years from now, the histories will write you down as a treacherous minister who aided a tyrant in destroying the loyal! Why not surrender to us today, and once more fight shoulder to shoulder as we did before?”
“Silence!” Pain flashed in Hong Tai’s eyes. “Our paths differ—we cannot walk together. Unless I die today, you will not cross this river!”
“You…” How could he be so obstinate!
“Enough talk! Who will fight me!” Hong Tai roared, brandishing his spear.
“I will!” Xu Yizhao, Li Zhong, and Zhen Hao all spoke up.
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