Song of Chang Le – Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Prologue: Phoenix Temple
In the winter of the second year of Qianming, on the twenty-sixth day of the eleventh month, jimao day. On the death anniversary of Empress Dowager Xiaowen, the Emperor led the dukes and officials to Baoen Temple to pay respects, where he was assassinated, and the imperial mausoleum collapsed.
——《Veritable Records of Emperor Xuanmin》
In the northern winter month, the north wind cut like a knife, vegetation withered, frost covered the mountains, and the world was filled with desolation.
In such harsh weather, common folk regardless of wealth or poverty all stayed home to hunker down for winter; the mountain road was deathly silent with no one around, only the howling of the northwest wind over the rocks, like roars of rage, filling one with despair!
Suddenly, bursts of urgent hoofbeats shattered the silence of the mountain path. A group of knights in bloodstained armor escorted a double-horse carriage, charging down from the north.
The horses they rode were all steeds, but after running non-stop through the night, the warhorses were foaming at the mouth and utterly exhausted!
The lead knight had sword-like eyebrows and star-bright eyes, extraordinarily handsome. He controlled his horse while anxiously turning back to look.
Not far behind, dust billowed; one could clearly see a troop of black-armored cavalry in hot pursuit, about to catch up to them!
“Damn it!” The knight made a snap decision and roared: “Engage the enemy!”
The soldiers all knew well what turning to face the enemy at this moment meant! But to buy a little time for the people in the carriage, they all pulled their reins without hesitation and turned around!
In moments, the pursuers had closed in, but were firmly blocked at the valley mouth by the soldiers, unable to advance an inch!
On the receding carriage, the curtain lifted, revealing a pale and beautiful face. She wore a gold and jade hairpin in her hair and a red robe, tightly holding a five- or six-year-old boy. The little boy was full of fear; his young mind could not comprehend why his life had plummeted from heaven to hell in a single night.
.
Those cavalry wore black iron armor, helmets shaped like ferocious tigers, and the left arm guard engraved with the seal script “Xiahou,” proclaiming their identity—retainers of the Xiahou Clan, the black-armored cavalry renowned as the elite under heaven!
The lead general wore a gold fillet crown and a black cape, with wolfish brows and eagle eyes, proud and confident gaze, awe-inspiring! He rode a massive black horse, glaring down at the obstructing guards like a demon god from the nine depths.
Even though those guards were ready to face death, seeing this man still turned their faces ashen! To capture the Empress, the Xiahou Clan had actually dispatched a Heavenly Rank Grandmaster! One of the rare supreme experts under heaven—how could they possibly stop him?!
The lead knight’s expression also turned extremely grave; he feared they could not hold back the enemy for long, and the Empress and Crown Prince would still be unable to escape!
The other side spoke first, his tone even more biting than the cold wind: “Du Mao, the Emperor is already dead at Baoen Temple. If you don’t want your nine clans implicated, dismount and surrender!”
“Xiahou Bubai!” The lead knight was named Du Mao. He glared coldly, seething with hatred: “Your Xiahou Clan has received deep imperial grace, yet you assassinate the sovereign and bring calamity to the nation—crimes deserving ten thousand deaths! Today, I will avenge the Emperor!”
“Overestimating yourself!” Xiahou Bubai in his gold crown and black cape snorted coldly, swung his ape-like arm, and the black-armored cavalry charged at Du Mao and the others with a boom.
Du Mao drew his twin sabers from his back and roared: “Imperial Guards, fight to the death without retreat!” Then he charged ahead to meet the enemy!
The Imperial Guards also roared in unison: “Fight to the death without retreat!” This shout was like magic, making them cast aside all distractions, with only one thought in their minds—kill the enemy!
In a thunderous clash, the two sides collided and fought in a desperate melee! Though the black-armored cavalry outnumbered them, the terrain restricted them from using their advantage. Moreover, the Imperial Guard soldiers were all highly skilled in martial arts, especially Du Mao, an Earth Rank Grandmaster with boundless power. His pair of long sabers infused with true qi danced like snow, severing countless weapons and slaying innumerable foes! He held the pass alone against thousands.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xiahou Bubai saw that the black-armored cavalry still could not overcome them; he furrowed his brows—no time to waste!
Du Mao slashed out with one saber, cleaving an enemy soldier and his horse in two! Amid the spray of blood and entrails, he suddenly felt a warning sign and glimpsed a black shadow lunging at him through the air; without thinking, he swung his saber to strike!
That black shadow was Xiahou Bubai. Seeing the saber light sweep toward him like silk, he calmly extended his slender fingers and lightly flicked! It struck precisely on the back of Du Mao’s blade! Du Mao’s mighty, unmatched saber strike was forcibly interrupted by this effortless finger!
Blood burst from the webbing between Du Mao’s right thumb and forefinger, and his long saber flew from his hand! Half his body went numb; before he could raise his other long saber, Xiahou Bubai’s palm struck his chest!
Du Mao was struck like lightning, spewing blood as he flew several zhang, his body crashing hard against the mountain rocks, kicking up countless pebbles!
Such a vast disparity in combat power—this was the invincible Heavenly Rank Grandmaster who dominated under heaven!
Xiahou Bubai dispatched Du Mao with a wave of his hand, then impossibly turned in mid-air. His legs kicked out in leisurely chain strikes, each precisely hitting an Imperial Guard’s chest! No matter how desperately the guards dodged or blocked, it was futile.
The struck Imperial Guards all had their chests cave in, spewing blood as they flew back—surely ten deaths without life!
Xiahou Bubai used the momentum to drift back onto his horse. Glancing at Du Mao crumpled on the ground like a ragged sack, he sighed disinterestedly: “Twin Sabers Du Mao, nothing more than this.”
Seeing this, the Xiahou Clan’s black-armored cavalry’s eyes burned with fanatical worship; they shouted in unison: “Striking the oar midstream, invincible under heaven!” and madly hacked at the remaining Imperial Guards!
Without Du Mao as their anchor, the remaining Imperial Guards were utterly intimidated by Xiahou Bubai’s terrifying strength. They did not resist long before being surrounded and slaughtered by the black-armored cavalry…
Glancing at the corpses of the Imperial Guards littering the ground, Xiahou Bubai’s expression was gloomy: “Took too long.”
The black-armored cavalry immediately looked guilty: “We are willing to accept punishment!”
“General, calm your anger for now.” The deputy hastily advised carefully: “Prince Ping’s troops have already surrounded Luofeng Mountain—they can’t escape!”
“The Xiahou Clan never relies on others’ help.” Xiahou Bubai snorted coldly: “If you can’t catch them, then commit seppuku to atone!”
“Yes!” All the black-armored cavalry tensed and whipped their warhorses desperately, continuing the full-speed pursuit!
.
Luofeng Mountain had gentle, undulating slopes like a phoenix with head to the west and tail to the north, hence its name. The mountain paths here were not difficult, and shorter than the official road; normally, passing merchants and travelers, if not heavily laden, would take this shortcut.
Despite the biting cold, a small procession appeared on the mountain path: guards, servants, and maids, all with bitter expressions, escorting a modest carriage slowly forward.
Inside the carriage sat a family of four. A pair of six- or seven-year-old children were wrapped in thick furs, huddled timidly beside their mother. Though a charcoal basin burned, the north wind seeped through the cracks, making the interior still very cold.
The children’s mother was a woman in her twenties, dignified and beautiful, with a gentle and serene demeanor—clearly from a great family. Seeing her children suffer, she could not help but complain softly: “Those people are too much; it’s just a little county magistrate post—couldn’t they delay it until the weather warms and let you take office then?”
The one she spoke to was a green-robed man with restrained vigor and composed bearing. He was reading a book with great interest despite the bumpy road and sighed: “Actually, there’s not such strong wind down the mountain, but you insisted on coming up to burn incense.”
“I heard the Phoenix Temple on Luofeng Mountain has very efficacious incense.” The woman glanced shyly at the man: “It’s all for you—I asked the Dao ancestors to bless you with an early transfer back to the capital.”
“Mother,” the little girl’s tender voice interrupted the couple’s talk, “I need to pee…”
The little boy beside her chimed in: “I need to pee too…”
The woman could not help but smile, flicking the little boy’s nose: “Always copying your sister.”
The man also smiled, fondly patting his son’s head, set down the book, and got out of the carriage: “Father will get the chamber pot for you.”
The man stepped down, stamped his numb feet, handed the chamber pot into the carriage. Seeing Phoenix Temple just ahead, he walked leisurely alongside.
Breathing the crisp cold air, the man’s mind cleared, but his mood remained heavy. His wife always thought he had been squeezed out by the direct lineage of the family and hastily sent from the capital. But the truth was otherwise—there was another reason—
The Qianming Emperor had abolished the Nine Rank Official System, issued the equal-field decree, and ordered a new census of the national population—each measure struck at the foundation of the noble clans and powerful families. How could those people not oppose him? The Emperor had been on the throne only two years, his foundation still too unstable; acting so hastily was the way to chaos!
The man himself was a scion of one of the Seven Great Noble Clans and naturally knew well that if those noble clans joined hands, their strength far surpassed the royal family. Moreover, there was Prince Ping, who seemed loyal but was actually wildly ambitious… For this, he had repeatedly submitted memorials vehemently opposing the Emperor’s reforms, only to be publicly rebuked by imperial edict and sharply reprimanded, demoted out of the capital!
But before departing, the Clan Leader had a secret talk with him, telling him that it was actually a form of protection from the Emperor.
The Clan Leader could foresee that a great upheaval was about to occur in the capital. If he stayed in the capital, it would be fine if the Emperor won, but if he lost, with his personality, he would likely end up accompanying the Emperor in death… Demoting him out of the capital now meant that if the Emperor won, he could be recalled; if the Emperor lost, this demotion would protect him—those people would not make things hard for him and might even promote him.
After being demoted by imperial decree, he had once been disheartened, but only now did he suddenly realize that the Emperor understood his good intentions and simply refused to bow to the noble clans any longer…
The man walked along, sighing repeatedly, anxious for the fate of the Emperor and the nation, and grieving his own current weakness and powerlessness.
‘Your Majesty, your subject cannot serve loyally…’ The man sighed deeply, about to collect himself and quicken his pace. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a carriage speeding from behind and turned to look, seeing an ordinary-looking double-horse carriage racing down the mountain path. The driver seemed to think it not fast enough and whipped the horses desperately.
The man frowned tightly; this stretch of mountain path was very narrow, barely enough for two carriages side by side, but the other was charging wildly—and a double-horse carriage at that—how could it pass?!
The man had his guards shout for the other to stop, but they ignored it! The carriage did not slow, barreling straight on! His own carriage swerved desperately, but the road was still not wide enough; one wheel veered off the path and crashed heavily into a protruding rock, flipping the carriage instantly! The driver was flung off, head smashing into the rocks—his chances of survival slim.
“Quick, save them!” The man hurried over with his house servants to the overturned carriage, trying to open the door. To his shock, the door was incredibly heavy—made of expensive iron pear wood! For such a large carriage to be entirely iron pear wood—even the Seven Great Noble Clans would not be so extravagant!
Even more shocking was to come: when he opened the door and saw the mother and child inside, he cried out in shock: “Empress!”
The woman had blood flowing from her forehead, but the little boy in her arms was unscathed. She looked at him in astonishment: “You are…”
“This subject is Lu Xin. When Your Majesty was still in the Mei Clan, I accompanied my brother to Your Majesty’s poetry gathering.” Lu Xin suppressed his inner turmoil and had the maids help the Empress out of the carriage.
“Lu Xin, I remember now! The Emperor often mentioned you.” The Empress emerged from the carriage, knelt before Lu Xin holding the boy, and begged tearfully: “Please save the Crown Prince! He is the Emperor’s only blood!”
“The Emperor…” Lu Xin shuddered: “What happened?!”
“The Emperor,” the Empress wept, her hair disheveled in the cold wind, sobbing helplessly: “has been assassinated…”
“Ah!” Lu Xin froze on the spot. Though he had anticipated a great event, he never imagined it would come so soon!
His subordinates’ exclamations snapped him back; Lu Xin looked around in a daze and saw shadows everywhere below the mountain—the entire Luofeng Mountain was surrounded!
“Please, save the Crown Prince…” The Empress’s ceaseless pleas echoed in his ears.
.
The black-armored cavalry arrived before Phoenix Temple and saw a man in a green official robe waiting respectfully by the mountain path.
“Who are you?!” a cavalryman demanded coldly. They paid no heed to such low officials.
“This official is the new County Magistrate of Qiantang, Lu Xin, specially waiting here for the Xiahou Clan army.” Lu Xin was unperturbed and polite: “Are you pursuing the Empress and Crown Prince?”
“Whoa!” The black-armored cavalry reined in upon hearing this; a leader barked: “Where are they?!”
“Trapped in Phoenix Temple by this official’s subordinates, awaiting your clan’s disposal!” Lu Xin pointed ahead; his dozen or so retainers all held weapons, vigilantly guarding the small temple.
The black-armored cavalry immediately surrounded the temple watertight. As subordinates checked, Xiahou Bubai eyed Lu Xin: “You’re from the Lu Clan?”
“Yes, General Xiahou.” Lu Xin replied respectfully.
Xiahou Bubai thought for a moment, then glanced at him: “You’re that secretary official demoted from the capital, right? What relation is the Duke of An to you?”
“Yes, this official. The Duke of An is this official’s paternal uncle.” Lu Xin answered.
“Oh…” Xiahou Bubai nodded, anger rising on his face: “Your family’s direct lineage performed too poorly this time—not as good as you, a collateral branch.”
At this point, the leader returned to report: “General, it’s indeed that mother and son inside.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” Xiahou Bubai glanced coldly at him.
“They piled the hall full of firewood and poured lamp oil…” The leader answered with difficulty: “This subordinate couldn’t decide…” Before he finished, thick smoke rose from the temple.
“Useless!” Xiahou Bubai’s face finally changed; he roared and leaped into Phoenix Temple!
Inside, the small Sanqing Hall was ablaze. Wind fanned the flames, quickly turning the wooden structure into a sea of fire. Even with Xiahou Bubai’s peerless skill, he dared not rush in and could only order his men loudly to extinguish the fire.
In the sea of fire, the Empress looked like a fierce ghost, disheveled and pointing at Xiahou Bubai and the following Lu Xin, cursing shrilly: “The Xiahou Clan assassinates the sovereign and brings calamity to the nation—this palace’s today is your tomorrow! Lu Xin betrays his lord for glory—may you die a dog’s death…”
Amid the Empress’s curses, the roar of the fire, and the black-armored cavalry’s firefighting, there was clearly also a child’s cry!
Lu Xin watched impassively, his face flickering in the firelight, his hands in his sleeves trembling slightly.
Xiahou Bubai calmed down, watching the fire leisurely: “Luofeng Mountain—the Empress was fated to perish here.” Then glancing at Lu Xin: “Scared?”
Lu Xin nodded blankly.
.
By the time the black-armored cavalry extinguished the fire, Sanqing Hall was ruins, naturally with no survivors inside. The black-armored cavalry entered to inspect the corpses and count numbers—the three who escaped were all there. Though the corpses were unrecognizable, from clothing and build, they could still identify the Empress, Crown Prince, and the driving eunuch.
Lu Xin’s face turned extremely ugly; he suddenly ran aside to vomit violently, shoulders shaking like chaff, snot and tears streaming, drawing mocking laughter from the black-armored cavalry. Though Lu Xin had helped them stop the Empress, they made no effort to hide their contempt for this betrayer.
Meanwhile, Xiahou Bubai showed no sign of stopping; he even personally searched the site, but his target was no longer people—it was some item.
After turning the fire site upside down, Xiahou Bubai still found nothing; he looked darkly at the now-standing Lu Xin: “Did you get anything from the Empress?”
Lu Xin’s face was deathly pale; he slowly shook his head: “This official saw nothing, so naturally obtained nothing.”
“That thing… is too important.” Xiahou Bubai hesitated slightly, then ordered firmly: “Search carefully, leave no place unchecked!”
Lu Xin did not object, gave a deep look at the small corpse, then silently left the temple. The black-armored cavalry were already searching his retainers and luggage. The retainers looked indignant but were stopped by Lu Xin’s glance.
Soon, only Lu Xin’s carriage remained unsearched. Seeing Xiahou Bubai staring at it, Lu Xin suddenly spoke: “General, my wife is in the carriage, gravely ill.”
Xiahou Bubai ignored him coldly: “This seat knows a little medicine and can take her pulse.” He strode toward the carriage.
Lu Xin’s carriage seemed to hold something shady; he followed closely behind Xiahou Bubai, a resolute expression on his face.
As Xiahou Bubai’s hand reached the curtain, Lu Xin gritted his teeth and gripped the sharp blade in his sleeve. Knowing he could not harm a Heavenly Rank Grandmaster, in this dead end, he could only strike a stone with an egg!
Unexpectedly, Xiahou Bubai suddenly halted, frowning back. Lu Xin thought he had noticed, his blood freezing in terror! But the other’s gaze passed over him to the distance.
Lu Xin looked blankly and saw a white figure appear on the distant mountain path. The white figure moved extremely fast, surpassing a steed’s gallop—like shrink ground into inches—suddenly arriving nearby!
“Demonic Daoist Sun Yuanlang, you dare covet the treasure codex too!” Xiahou Bubai’s eyes blazed with battle intent; ignoring Madam Lu’s pulse, he tossed out “Search the carriage carefully!” and leaped to meet him!
The Daoist priest named Sun Yuanlang wore a white Daoist robe with black trim, peerlessly handsome face, long floating beard, the very picture of immortal bearing. He laughed loudly: “Little Xiahou brat, this poor Daoist will spar with you a few moves!”
In a flash, the two Heavenly Rank Grandmasters had exchanged over a hundred moves. Instantly, dust billowed and stones flew on the half-mountain, bystanders seeing only two blurred figures, unable to discern their techniques.
Sun Yuanlang seemed not to be exerting full effort; while parrying, he had leisure to glance around. In moments, he grasped the situation at Phoenix Temple. Knowing it was hopeless, he fought while retreating, gradually vanishing from sight with Xiahou Bubai.
Meanwhile, the black-armored cavalry searched the carriage on orders but found nothing.
Lu Xin’s body went limp, nearly collapsing to the ground; only then did he realize his back was soaked. Without this sudden Sun Yuanlang, he would not have passed this hurdle…
When Xiahou Bubai returned after driving off Sun Yuanlang, still immersed in the peak showdown, upon learning nothing was found, he sighed regretfully: “Looks like the treasure codex really burned…” and let Lu Xin’s group go.
On the return journey, the black-armored cavalry finally took time to cut off the Imperial Guards’ heads for merit, but were shocked to find Du Mao missing.
Xiahou Bubai swept the scene and knew his palm had not killed Du Mao.
“You can run away from the monk, but not the temple.” Xiahou Bubai ordered a careful search while grinning ferociously: “Since this seat vowed to kill his whole family, I must follow through!”
.
Du Mao had indeed not died. By rights, with his cultivation, that strike should have been ten deaths without life. But the imperial treasure armor he wore protected him from Xiahou Bubai’s fatal blow, leaving him only severely injured and unconscious. Moreover, with the urgent pursuit of the Empress, the Xiahou Clan had not checked the corpses carefully, giving Du Mao this chance to escape death.
Du Mao crawled out from the pile of his comrades’ corpses, evaded the enemy’s search, and in a cave slightly recovered his injuries, forcing himself to go search for the Empress and Crown Prince.
By then, the troops surrounding Luofeng Mountain had withdrawn, and Xiahou Bubai had long returned to the capital with the black-armored cavalry; no one noticed him along the way. When he reached Phoenix Temple, from the Daoist priests cleaning the ruins, he learned the Empress and Crown Prince had perished in Sanqing Hall.
Du Mao was overcome with grief, stumbling down the mountain, only to hear even worse news—Xiahou Bubai had indeed followed through, exterminating the entire Du family!
Du Mao vomited blood and fainted on the spot; luckily a kind farmer took him in, and he lay there a full month before able to get up again. By then he had calmed, knowing he alone could not seek revenge on the massive Xiahou Clan, so he turned his rage on Lu Xin, who had betrayed the Empress!
Moreover, Lu Xin had betrayed the Empress yet received no reward from the Xiahou Clan, becoming a laughingstock under heaven. Countless people wanted to kill him for venting, and acting against him would not expose one’s identity.
Thus, after recovering, Du Mao arrived in Qiantang County, secretly observed for a few days, and grasped the Lu family situation. That night, with rain and wind raging, Du Mao sneaked into the county office rear residence and opened the east wing room door.
Inside, Lu Xin’s children slept soundly. Seeing the two small figures on the bed, Du Mao hesitated not a moment and raised his butcher knife! He wanted Lu Xin to taste the pain of extermination.
Just as he was about to strike, Lu Xin’s son woke from a nightmare, crying heart-wrenchingly!
Hearing the cry, Du Mao forcibly held back the knife, frozen in place!
Then like a madman, heedless of exposure, he lit a candle, saw the boy’s face clearly, and the knife clattered from Du Mao’s hand…
For that boy was clearly the Crown Prince he had watched grow up! The Crown Prince who should have burned to death at Phoenix Temple!
Lu Xin rushed in at the sound, shocked by the intruder, about to act to protect the child—only to see the other weeping profusely and kowtowing to him: “Du Mao, on behalf of the late Emperor and Empress, kowtows in thanks to Mister Lu for your great kindness and virtue!”
Lu Xin also recognized the famed Twin Sabers Du Mao, then put away his weapon and went to the bed. Holding the terrified boy, he gently patted his back until the boy slept, then softly said: “This child was in the carriage then and personally saw his mother burn to death…”
“Then the boy who burned at Phoenix Temple…” Though Du Mao had guessed the truth, he still asked: “Who was he?!”
Lu Xin fell silent in despair, blood tears streaming from his eyes.