Chapter 106: Guarding The Imperial Carriage
Southeast of Yingling, the funeral camp.
The Imperial Carriage Area where the two palaces were located was to the north, the Plain Tent Area for imperial relatives and high officials was to the south, the Inner Palace was guarded internally, and the Control Crane Guard guarded the exterior.
The group had walked all day, and finally rested, gathering around the fire, complaining endlessly.
Zhang Mantun broke off a piece of the hard hu bing and said unhurriedly, “We’ve been marching in armor all day, only to escort the young emperor’s funeral. My feet must be terribly smelly.”
Hu Deng said happily, “At least there’s reward money. The Empress Dowager is truly decisive.”
“That’s because our General advised so well. The General is so handsome, what woman wouldn’t be smitten?”
Lu Chou now wanted to flatter him all day long.
Xiao Yi, however, was not pleased to hear this and reprimanded, “Be quiet, and don’t say such things again.”
Zhang Mantun chewed on the hu bing and said, “They just won’t let us eat meat, only vegetarian food. My mouth is so bland it’s like a bird’s nest.”
Old Pan fumbled in his luggage and pulled out an oil-paper package. He opened it to reveal half a piece of roasted lamb, quickly wrapped it in a softened hu bing, and handed it to Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi said, “You have poor stamina, yet you insisted on coming. Am I going to be short by just this bite of meat?”
Old Pan grinned and said, “I’m not tired. I’ve been used to walking in the fields since I was a child. I’m the only old soldier under the General. If I don’t come, it won’t be peaceful. I’m afraid the new recruits will make mistakes…”
The funeral music began again, and the night’s mourning ceremony commenced.
Xiao Yi patrolled the camp, his hand on his sword, and went to the Plain Tent Area of the imperial relatives and high officials.
The ceremony was presided over by Feng Dao, who stood on the altar reading the eulogy. The others either bowed their heads in thought or whispered amongst themselves.
“General Xiao.”
Suddenly, a voice called from behind him. Xiao Yi turned and saw Li Hongwei.
“Is it convenient to talk, General Xiao?”
“Imperial Uncle, please.”
“You can no longer call me Imperial Uncle. General, just call me by my name. By the way, I must tell you that to avoid Duke Guo’s taboo name, I have changed it to ‘Hongyi.’ What do you think of this name?”
Xiao Yi secretly mused that Guo Wei hadn’t even ascended the throne, and this man was already eagerly avoiding his taboo name. He clearly wanted to protect himself.
He showed no outward sign and smiled, saying, “It’s a good name. Since Lord Li refused to obey the false edict and kill Commander Wang, it was a righteous act, and also a fraternal bond with Commander Wang. The character ‘Yi’ (righteousness) suits Lord Li perfectly.”
The two walked to a secluded spot. Li Hongyi did not get straight to the point, but instead made small talk.
“We met once in Chan Prefecture, but didn’t have a chance to talk. If General has time, please visit my residence for a drink.”
“I will certainly impose.”
Li Hongyi said with a fawning smile, “I heard that my fourth brother, Hongjian, hesitated at the Imperial Guard Headquarters at the time, but General Xiao still acknowledged his merit in surrendering. You have been a great benefactor to the Li Clan.”
Xiao Yi knew he was first showing loyalty and then trying to establish a connection, so he must have something on his mind. He said, “Lord Li, please speak directly. If there’s anything I can help with, I will not refuse.”
“Then… if I were to act righteously and eliminate a relative, could General help plead my case with Duke Guo?”
“Of course.”
Xiao Yi did not rush him, and assumed an attentive posture, ready to listen.
Li Hongyi hesitated for a moment, then sighed deeply and said, “I only found out not long ago. It turns out my youngest brother is hidden among my fourth brother’s attendants.”
Xiao Yi truly hadn’t expected Li Ye to be so bold. Then he thought that Li Ye was a madman, and there was nothing he wouldn’t dare to do.
It was Li Hongjian, however, who was indecisive, two-faced, and ridiculously foolish.
“Li Ye isn’t fleeing? Instead, he’s running into danger.”
“He must see our younger sister.”
“Why?”
“General, please look at this.”
Li Hongyi took out a piece of paper from his sleeve. He said, “This is his 《 Strategy to Quell Rebellion 》 written to the various prefectures. I only saw it this evening and memorized part of it. I copied it down, intending to deliver it to Duke Guo tonight, but I was intercepted by your men and could not leave.”
Xiao Yi took it and saw that the ink was still wet.
It was written by Li Ye to Liu Yun.
“If you personally go to Bianliang, you will surely die. Ye humbly offers three strategies to secure the Han Dynasty. First, please abdicate the throne and persuade the Lord of Hedong to ascend. Your father’s virtue and prestige are high, and he holds a strong army. He should be the legitimate ruler, and then Guo Wei’s plot to control the emperor will be self-defeating. Second, consolidate Xu Prefecture, ally with Yan Prefecture and Yun Prefecture to strengthen your base. Third, send an envoy to Xu Prefecture to seek aid from Liu Xin. If the various prefectures unite, Guo Wei will face enemies on all sides. In the past, Guangwu revived the Han Dynasty by relying on his base in Hebei and the strength of his generals. Now you have the base of Xu Prefecture, the kinship of the imperial clan, and the support of the feudal lords. You must not be controlled by the false reputation of ‘inviting the ruler’ or be greedy for temporary small gains!”
After reading, Xiao Yi pondered.
This was indeed an excellent strategy against Guo Wei.
However, Liu Chong, Liu Xin, and Liu Yun were not puppets to be manipulated by Li Ye; they each had their own ideas, and it would be difficult to persuade them to cooperate.
Whether Liu Yun would go to the capital was the key to the first round of the game.
“Therefore, Li Ye wants to defect to Liu Yun and persuade him not to enter the capital. But he is just a fugitive, and the assertion that ‘going to Bianliang means certain death’ is baseless. He knows he cannot persuade Liu Yun.”
“Yes, he fears Liu Yun will not refuse the throne and dares not rashly go to Xu Prefecture. He wants our youngest sister to give him a secret edict, stating that he represents the will of the Empress Dowager and the Li Clan…”
Xiao Yi’s expression darkened, and his voice suddenly turned stern.
“How dare the Li Clan be so unpredictable! Does Ming Gong truly not dare to kill you?!”
“It is by no means that the Li Clan wishes to rebel, but rather that a scourge has appeared within the family.” Li Hongyi’s face was full of disappointment, and he gritted his teeth, “My youngest brother is a madman, and my fourth brother is easily swayed. I am driven to my wits’ end by them. I have no choice but to ask for the General’s help. I beg the General to stop this matter and resolve it peacefully.”
Xiao Yi understood. Li Hongyi’s “resolve it peacefully” meant he wanted him to kill Li Ye.
“Let me ask you, what does the Empress Dowager think?”
“My younger sister, she… she is a wise person.”
“Has Li Ye already gone to see the Empress Dowager?”
“Yes.”
Xiao Yi summoned Old Pan and ordered, “Keep an eye on Li Hongwei, Li Hongjian, and all their attendants. Take another thirty men and take turns guarding the officials’ plain tents. No one is to move around without my command.”
“Yes.”
He then divided the remaining seventy soldiers into two shifts. Hua Nong would lead the first watch, and Zhang Mantun would lead the second watch.
Forty-five men guarded the camp. Since they couldn’t have a guard every ten steps, they stationed five men at each of the four sentry posts and two camp gates, with the remaining fifteen on patrol.
After making the arrangements, Xiao Yi, without any escort, went alone to the Imperial Carriage Area where the two palaces were located.
Upon reaching the entrance to the inner camp, he saw that the female guards and eunuchs were almost all guarding by the camp fence.
Xiao Yi observed carefully and saw that they were in great disarray. Some hadn’t even put on their outer robes, clearly having been rushed out.
This indicated that Empress Dowager Li had no thorough arrangements and was unaware of this beforehand.
“Why are you not serving by the side of the two palaces?”
“Replying to the General, the Empress Dowager heard sounds of wild beasts and ordered us to investigate.”
“I have an urgent matter and need to see… the Empress.”
At the end of his sentence, Xiao Yi paused slightly and changed his wording.
At this hour, it was uncertain if the Empress Dowager would agree to see him. Even if she did, Li Ye would likely have already been hidden. It was better to claim he needed to see the Empress.
This put the female guards in a difficult position.
“General Xiao, it is late at night, and for you to see the Empress alone… it might not be appropriate.”
Xiao Yi understood their implied meaning. His face darkened, and he said righteously, “What do you mean by that? What kind of people do you take me for?!”
“We dare not.”
“If you err in your speculation and cause an important task to be delayed, can you bear the consequences?”
It occurred to him that with the Han Dynasty nearing its end, they didn’t need to adhere strictly to etiquette and offend Guo Wei’s favored general.
To put it more cruelly, these people were already slaves of a fallen nation.
The female guards indeed lowered their heads in shame and said, “I will lead the General in.”
Entering the inner camp, from afar, he saw light in the Empress Dowager’s tent. A palace servant was pacing in the snow, keeping watch.
Xiao Yi stopped and hid in the shadows of the palace servants’ tents.
“General Xiao, what… do you intend to do?”
“Go and call her over. Do not alarm anyone else.”
“Yes.”
After the female guard left, Xiao Yi tightened his linen cloak to prevent his armor from clanking.
He circled around the palace servants’ tents and, after the palace servant was sent away, approached the Empress Dowager’s tent.
Indeed, he heard the low conversation between Empress Dowager Li and Li Ye.
“How could Guo Que’er sincerely support Liu Yun? He will surely destroy the Liu clan and usurp the throne himself.”
“What does the life and death of Liu Chong and his brothers and sons have to do with me? My protection of the Liu clan’s state is truly to protect the Li clan’s family. You shouldn’t have come, you’re needlessly implicating your elder brother.”
“My sister is a woman with short-sighted views. If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. When the Liu clan is destroyed, how can the Li clan survive alone? My brother will live for a while, but eventually, he will also die!”
“Don’t think I don’t know your selfish intentions. If you cannot survive alone, you will drag us all to death.”
“…”
Xiao Yi turned back and saw the palace servant running towards him.
He raised his hand and pointed, giving her a warning with a fierce look, and made a shushing gesture.
Inside the tent, Li Ye’s voice grew more urgent.
“Does my sister trust Guo Que’er more than me? Among more than ten siblings, you and I are from the same mother, close in age, and grew up together. I am the person closest to you in this world, how could I harm you? I have come to save you.”
“Since you know this, you should surrender to the authorities and accept punishment or live in obscurity. That would be saving me.”
“Sister, look at my strategy. The Liu clan has a great chance of winning! I only ask for an imperial decree from you, and I will contact Liu Chong, Liu Xin, and Liu Yun to raise an army together!”
“Are you crazy? I have no blood ties with the Liu clan. I can use them as a shield, but how can I truly scheme with a tiger?”
“Sister! The nation and state are also your life’s work. How can you hand them over so easily? Back then, when Gaozu hesitated, who advocated for raising an army to reclaim the central plains? It was you; when Bianliang was in chaos and everything needed rebuilding, who advocated for tax exemption and a general amnesty? It was you. Not long after entering Bianliang, Gaozu passed away. This Han Dynasty, since its founding, has been yours!”
“Since you know this, yet you want to instigate the Liu clan to raise an army, rekindle the flames of war, tear apart our territory, kill our people, and destroy our efforts?”
“Sister, you worked so hard, but what is the result? Today, even a beardless brat dares to insult you…”
“Slap.”
The sound of a slap echoed.
Empress Dowager Li’s voice, with a hint of mockery, asked, “Who destroyed my hard work? Wasn’t it you?”
After a while, Li Ye’s voice also turned cold, “I beg my sister to grant me a secret decree.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“I beg my sister to grant me a secret decree.”
The tone was the same as when Xiao Yi had pleaded with Empress Dowager Li to pardon the artisans.
His heart sank, and he lifted the tent flap and entered.
Inside the tent, Li Ye was kneeling on one knee before Empress Dowager Li. A dagger was taken from his boot and pointed at her.
Empress Dowager Li had shed the dignity of an Empress. Her eyes held mockery and disappointment. She tilted her head slightly, offering her neck for the kill.
Hearing the movement, Li Ye turned his head. His eyes were filled with despair, madness, grief, and unwillingness, like a wounded wolf. Upon seeing Xiao Yi, he did not startle but instead smiled, a curve forming at the corner of his lips.
“Xiao Yi, you’ve come at a good time. I have great fortune to offer you.”
“Do you know my position and identity?”
“I do, but you’ve chosen the wrong side.” Li Ye was extremely confident and stood up, saying, “Guo Wei is only temporarily successful and will not amount to much. What he can give you, I can give you more. Don’t forget you once underestimated me, don’t make that mistake a second time. The real opportunity to achieve great things is right before your eyes!”
This person was a madman; he couldn’t be reasoned with.
Xiao Yi simply strode forward and directly apprehended him.
Li Ye’s eyes flickered. Knowing he was no match for Xiao Yi, he immediately fled behind Empress Dowager Li.
“Sister, save me!”
“A Ye, you are at your wit’s end. Surrender now, while I can still plead for you.”
“Xiao Yi, don’t forget, it was I who promoted you to Captain of the Imperial Guard, leading to your status today.”
“I haven’t forgotten. If you surrender now, I will also plead for you.”
Like a hen protecting its chicks, the three circled around half the tent.
Suddenly, Li Ye shoved Empress Dowager Li heavily and dashed out of the tent.
Xiao Yi was about to pursue, but Empress Dowager Li did not let go.
“Xiao Yi, how do you intend to deal with Li Ye?”
“Your Majesty, please let go first.”
“If the Li clan is destroyed, I will have nothing left. We will perish together.”
“Outside, my men have set up a heavy encirclement. Li Ye cannot escape. Let me pursue, and this matter can still be resolved privately. However, if he falls into the hands of the Control Crane Guard or others, the Li clan is finished.”
“You… are willing to save the Li clan?”
“I believe Your Majesty has no intention tonight of instigating the Liu clan to unite and raise an army. As for whether you believe me, that is for Your Majesty to decide.”
Empress Dowager Li looked up at him, their eyes meeting. Her gaze seemed to pierce into his heart.
After a moment, she let go.
Xiao Yi stepped out of the tent and looked around. Li Ye had run about twenty paces north.
As he pursued, he saw a trail of footprints in the direction Li Ye had fled. These footprints were much smaller than Li Ye’s, quite delicate, with soft shoes, and the soles were patterned with lotuses.
Xiao Yi looked back at the origin of the footprints. His gaze landed on the Empress’s tent.
He couldn’t help but wonder if the Empress had colluded with Li Ye, or if she had been kidnapped.
