Chapter 117: An Eye For An Eye
In a moment, Dong Yi came out to greet him, looking much more relaxed, but he still asked Xiao Yi to leave his soldiers outside and disarm.
Inside, Liu Yun was examining the military tally with a complex expression, a mix of ambition and worry.
“Your Highness.”
“This military tally?”
“Liu Tingrang sent it to show his loyalty. Your Highness can rest assured he will guard you.”
Liu Yun sighed and placed the military tally on the desk, saying, “After much thought, I have decided to send an order to Xu Prefecture to mobilize two thousand troops to protect me.”
“Why would Your Highness say that? Liu Tingrang is more than enough to ensure Your Highness’s safety.”
“Why are you stopping me?”
“All the officials in Bianjing and the people of the world are eagerly awaiting. Can we afford further delay?”
“Since they are eagerly awaiting, why can’t I mobilize two thousand more men?”
“Now that we are here, why is Your Highness having second thoughts? Is it Zhang Lingchao who favors Hedong, instigating you?”
“The closer we get to the capital, the more uneasy I feel.”
Xiao Yi’s patience was wearing thin, and he said, “Is it Zhang Lingchao who is shaking Your Highness’s resolve? This scoundrel wishes to lead Your Highness to a place of no return. I implore Your Highness to have him executed to rally the troops and appease the masses!”
“You…”
Liu Yun was stunned, a mixture of shock and anger on his face. His eyes widened, and he finally realized something.
Xiao Yi revealed his true intentions and stepped forward quickly.
“Guards!”
Liu Yun shouted, drawing the ornate sabre at his waist.
“Quick, guards! Xiao Yi intends to harm me…”
“Clang.”
The sabre was drawn from its scabbard and thrust towards Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi’s left hand shot out, grasping Liu Yun’s right wrist, and with a twist, the sabre fell from his grasp.
Liu Yun kicked out, throwing his body back and falling to the ground. He rolled a couple of times before scrambling away.
Xiao Yi dodged, his right hand snatching the falling sabre. He caught up in two steps, swung the sabre, and its blade instantly pressed against Liu Yun’s neck.
The action was seamless, all in the blink of an eye.
“Ah, Your Highness!”
Madam Dong, who had just rounded the screen, let out a short scream upon seeing this scene, her hands flying to cover her mouth in fright.
“General Xiao, what are you doing? Is it because His Highness will not grant your wish regarding Lady An? I will mediate, and you shall have your desire.”
“Madam, save me!”
“Don’t move.”
“Xiao Yi, how dare you…”
“Protect His Highness!”
Guards outside drew their sabres and charged into the hall.
Xiao Yi, holding Liu Yun hostage, shouted, “Don’t come any closer!”
However, one of them stayed close to the wall, moving into his blind spot, attempting to lunge forward.
Xiao Yi didn’t even turn his head. Hearing the sound, he kicked out, sending the brazier in the hall flying.
The brazier arced through the air, smashing into the guard with a “bang” and a sizzle, followed by a scream as the guard fell to the ground, writhing.
Xiao Yi’s sabre fell, ending his life.
Liu Yun immediately tried to escape. After taking two steps, Xiao Yi’s bloody sabre was again at his throat.
“I… I was just walking.”
“Who dares to come forward?!”
“Don’t, don’t move!” Liu Yun also shouted, “Listen to General Xiao, don’t move…”
“Let’s go.”
Xiao Yi dragged him out. In the courtyard, the twelve guards from the inner palace were already clashing with the guards from outside the gate.
Dong Yi collapsed onto the snow, his face devoid of color, muttering, “It’s over, it’s over.”
“Lay down your weapons! The successor lord is here! Dong Yi, get up and relay the successor lord’s command: the Imperial Guard will take over defense, order the Xu Prefecture troops to disarm and surrender their weapons.”
“General Xiao, are you truly sent by Guo Wei to deceive His Highness? Are you not afraid of the Hedong army?”
“I told you to relay the order.”
Xiao Yi snatched the talisman from Liu Yun’s waist and threw it at him.
Dong Yi covered his face and wept, kneeling on the ground, saying, “Your Highness, I am incompetent and have doomed you!”
“Go and relay the order,” Liu Yun said, his voice trembling as he cried, “General, I will cooperate. I only beg Duke Guo to spare my life.”
Dong Yi wiped his tears with his sleeve, picked up the talisman, and walked out.
Xiao Yi’s gaze followed him closely. Just as he had walked over thirty paces, a patrol of soldiers approached from ahead.
“Judge Dong, what has happened? Why are the Imperial Guard surrounding us?”
Dong Yi held up the talisman and said, “By order of His Highness, you have worked hard guarding. The remaining escort will be handled by the Imperial Guard. Return to your tents and rest, disarm, and surrender your weapons…”
“Don’t listen to him!”
Just then, another large group of cavalry arrived, led by Zhang Lingchao and Liu Luan.
“Where is Da Lang?”
“He is in General Xiao’s hands…”
“Save Da Lang!” Zhang Lingchao shouted, “Relay my military order, kill the rebel!”
Liu Luan, clad in scale mail armor, wielding a curved sabre and a horn bow on her back, shouted, “Kill them all.”
“Young lady, please listen to me,” Dong Yi jogged over, shouting, “His Highness he…”
“Useless.”
“Thwack.”
Liu Luan showed no mercy and decapitated Dong Yi with a single saber strike.
“All officers and soldiers, obey my order! Rescue my elder brother, and follow the Hedong army into Kaifeng! No quarter will be given once the city is breached!”
“Kill!”
The Hedong cavalry charged, driving the Xu Prefecture guards towards the main courtyard.
Xiao Yi shouted, “Defend the courtyard gate!”
“Yes!”
Lu Chou, Jin Sanshui, Wang Jiu, and others immediately felled the guards standing by the gate, entered the main courtyard, and barred the door, defending it.
“Bang!”
The Xu Prefecture soldiers attacked, crashing heavily against the door.
The torchlight flickered, and the whistling of arrows rent the air.
“Block the door! Sound the alarm!”
There were not many heavy objects in the courtyard. Everyone braced themselves against the door panels. Lu Chou blew a sharp whistle, requesting support from Liu Tingrang.
“Hold the line, General Liu will arrive shortly.”
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
With a heavy thud, the door latch cracked, and then a wooden door was smashed down.
The soldiers formed a defensive line, fighting desperately.
The battle immediately intensified. The Xu Prefecture guards charged the small courtyard gate fearlessly.
Roars, the clash of swords, the sound of blades entering flesh, and screams filled the air. In an instant, many were wounded, and the walls and doorframe were stained with blood.
“Stop!”
Xiao Yi, holding Liu Yun hostage on the stone steps, his voice echoing throughout the area, shouted, “Anyone who dares to advance further, I will kill Liu Yun!”
“Swish.”
A whistling sound approached his face. Xiao Yi narrowly dodged, an arrow grazing his neck and embedding itself in the lintel behind him.
Turning his head, he saw Liu Luan on horseback, holding a horn bow and nocking another arrow.
“Xiao Yi, die!”
“Swish.”
Xiao Yi dodged again, pulling Liu Yun in front of him to use as a human shield.
“If you don’t want Liu Yun to die, stop immediately!”
“Attack!” Liu Luan shouted, “See if he dares to kill my elder brother.”
“Kill!”
Suddenly, a scream was heard.
Xiao Yi watched as Wang Jiu parried a saber strike with his own, but his right arm was severed by another blow, blood gushing like a spring.
Wang Jiu convulsed in pain but continued to defend the courtyard gate, refusing to retreat.
Xiao Yi was furious and, without hesitation, severed Liu Yun’s forearm with a single saber stroke.
“Ah!”
“Commander!”
“Da Lang!”
At the courtyard gate, the offensive halted.
At this moment, the shouts of the Imperial Guard could be heard from a distance.
“Zhang Lingchao is a rebel, holding His Highness hostage and plotting rebellion! Those who have been deceived, quickly lay down your arms, and you will be pardoned. Those who resist will have their families implicated!”
Zhang Lingchao was greatly alarmed and said, “Young lady, there’s no time… Let’s go!”
“Big brother is being held hostage.”
“We can’t save him, let’s go, we must report to the Marshal.”
“No, big brother would rather die than be captured.”
As soon as Xiao Yi heard Liu Luan’s words, his gaze shifted, and with a “swish,” an arrow shot towards Liu Yun.
In a flash, he pulled Liu Yun back, falling to the ground.
“Fire arrows!” Liu Luan shouted, “Shoot them dead!”
“Swish, swish, swish.”
Arrows rained down like locusts, heading for the main building.
“Set it on fire!”
Immediately after, torches were thrown in, igniting the curtains.
Liu Yun cried out in pain and wept, shouting, “Sister Luan… Sister Luan… Have you gone mad…”
“You’re the one who’s gone mad. You want to be His Highness, but not be my elder brother. I’ll fulfill your wish.”
“Young lady,” Zhang Lingchao roared, “Let’s go!”
Liu Luan shouted, “Please take your own life, elder brother, do not shame the face of Hedong… Giddy up.”
“Surround them!”
Inside the house, the fire quickly ignited, making it impossible for Xiao Yi to open his eyes.
He dragged Liu Yun out of the house. Looking around, he saw Madam Dong had been hit by two arrows and lay in a pool of blood, the flames rapidly consuming her silk robes.
Dropping Liu Yun, Xiao Yi turned to check on his injured soldiers. The most severely injured was Wang Jiu, lying in the snow, writhing in agony.
“Quick! Stop the bleeding. Can the severed arm be reattached?”
“Reattached?”
“Save him!”
Lu Chou rushed over, clamping Wang Jiu’s arm, and said, “Bring clean snow, cloth wraps, and hemostatic medicine…”
“General, Liu Yun’s arm is also broken.”
“Tend to Wang Jiu first.”
Xiao Yi went over, grabbed a clean cloth wrap, and began to bandage the horrific severed arm.
Wang Jiu gasped in pain, saying, “General… I… did not… shame you this time… ah!”
Before he could finish, he screamed and fainted.
“Give him all our medical attention!”
Xiao Yi stood up and strode out.
Outside, Liu Tingrang had already gained control of the situation, eliminating the scattered pockets of resistance. Most of the Xu Prefecture guards chose to surrender.
However, the faint sound of horses’ hooves could still be heard outside the camp.
“Did someone escape?”
“Yes.”
“Get me archery and horsemanship equipment.”
Xiao Yi took the bow and quiver, testing it. It was a foot bow, weighing six jin, and not very comfortable to use.
He mounted his horse and galloped north.
At the camp fence, the ground was littered with the bodies of Xu Prefecture guards, a testament to the ferocity of the breakout.
In the wilderness north of the camp under the moonlight, over a dozen riders were fleeing desperately, pursued by more than forty horsemen.
Xiao Yi’s horse was fast, and he caught up.
After only about fifteen minutes, his horse grew tired and slowed down.
Ahead, the pursuers stopped by a small river, shouting loudly.
“They are dismantling the bridge.”
“Shoot them! Some of you go around.”
At the same time, Liu Luan’s voice could be heard, shouting, “Provide covering fire with arrows, and hurry to dismantle the bridge.”
Xiao Yi, still about ten paces from the river, rode his horse and looked intently.
On the opposite bank, Liu Luan, clad in silver armor, shone brightly in the moonlight.
She pulled down her helmet, holding a shield in one hand and a sabre in the other, urging the soldiers to dismantle the bridge.
Several of their men tried to charge across the bridge but were all cut down by her sabre.
Xiao Yi’s horse slowed, his legs controlling its pace. In one hand, he held his bow, drawing a three-edged arrow from his quiver.
The bowstring creaked as he drew it to full draw. He aimed at Liu Luan, searching for a weak spot in her armor, finally settling on the fine scales around her waist.
Liu Luan seemed to sense something and suddenly pulled on the reins, looking in his direction.
Xiao Yi showed no hesitation. He thought of nothing, just as he did with every opponent, and showed no mercy.
“Hummm—”
The bowstring vibrated, and the arrow left the string.
The arrow whistled with a faint, sharp sound in the cold wind.
On the opposite bank of the small river, the fine figure in silver armor on a swift horse let out a mournful neigh. Hit by the arrow, she fell heavily from her mount like a kite with its strings cut.
“Young lady!”
The Hedong cavalry cried out in alarm.
Zhang Lingchao, who had been lying in ambush in the woods on the opposite bank, galloped forward on his horse, roaring in rage.
“Xiao Yi, the Hedong cavalry will crush you into a pulp!”
The roar, filled with bloodthirsty hatred, crossed the river, its power dissipated by the wind, sounding weak by the time it reached Xiao Yi’s ears.
He only knew that Guo Wei intended to attack Hedong and that Liu Chong could not be allowed to receive news beforehand.
“Charge through, leave no one alive!”
