Chapter 192: Volunteering
Xue Sui’s expression was calm, as if she were unaware of the turmoil outside.
“What are you talking about, Second Sister?”
Xue Yuelou leaned in and said softly, “I just went to Shou An Courtyard to pay my respects to Grandmother. I heard that the Ministry of Justice arrested two Xizi scouts who had infiltrated Shangjing last night. Grandmother was so angry she smashed her teacup.”
Xue Sui was slightly taken aback. “Arresting Xizi scouts, why would Grandmother get so angry?”
“Alas, she’s afraid of retaliation from the Xizi people. Grandmother was scolding Mother, saying that at this critical juncture, she still went back to her maternal home to show off, as if afraid others wouldn’t know Father is the Minister of Justice, investigating the case of Xizi death warriors assassinating someone…”
Xue Sui’s brow furrowed slightly, her face showing no surprise. “The Xizi people are ruthless. Grandmother’s worries are not without reason.”
Xue Yuelou nodded upon hearing this. “Grandmother had already given instructions a few days ago that, apart from necessary purchases, no female family members were to leave the mansion. All valuable gold, silver, and jade ware in the mansion were to be collected and locked away in the storeroom.”
Xue Sui picked up a silk flower she was sewing and smiled faintly.
“This Shangjing is not peaceful. One moment there’s a fire, the next there’s a murder. Father works in the Ministry of Justice, so it’s inevitable that he’ll make enemies. It’s only right for the family to be careful.”
Xue Yuelou sighed, still feeling a lingering fear.
“I vaguely heard that Consort Zhang’s family residence in Prince Duan’s Mansion was broken into by thieves yesterday, and a lot of valuables were stolen. Those two Xizi scouts were caught by Father at the Zhang residence…”
Xue Sui chuckled lightly. “Li Xiang Courtyard doesn’t have many valuable items, so there’s no need to worry about thieves being interested.”
“It’s better to be careful!” Xue Yuelou lowered her voice, wiped her cheek with a silk handkerchief, and leaned closer to her. “These days, you must not run around outside. As a young lady, don’t be rash.”
The incident at Misty Rain Tower where she schemed against Yao Wei last time was still vivid in Xue Yuelou’s mind.
She knew very well that this sixth sister was extraordinary and was afraid she would get involved in trouble and danger.
Xue Sui smiled, winked at her, and did not retort.
White steam rose from the stove, making the mint water increasingly bitter.
The courtyard was quiet for a moment.
Xue Sui, smiling, pinned the finished silk flower onto Xue Ji’s temple.
“Come and see, don’t I look several years younger?”
Seeing this, everyone praised her with smiles.
The tense atmosphere instantly vanished without a trace.
Xiao Zhao continued to dry osmanthus flowers, Ru Yi took candied fruit from a lidded box to coax Ming Ge’er, several maids knelt on woven bamboo mats, carefully sorting osmanthus and daisies, and even the sparrows on the eaves happily flapped their wings.
It wasn’t until the evening drum sounded that Xue Yuelou took her leave.
As the night mist gradually enveloped the surroundings, the sound of flapping wings suddenly came from outside the window.
A carrier pigeon landed lightly on the desk.
Xue Sui gently held it in her hands and removed the letter tube from its leg ring.
This was intelligence intercepted from a Xizi merchant caravan by Tianshu.
“Ashina has already dispatched troops to Chishui Pass, intending to coordinate with the death warriors in Shangjing. The High Priest is contacting Xizi remnants, planning to launch a coup to remove the emperor’s close aides and enthrone Turgutai, the second son of King Xizi.”
It was evident that internal strife in Xizi was imminent.
Daliang and Xizi would both be preoccupied. Whether to fight or not to fight, both presented excellent opportunities for Old Mausoleum Swamp’s plan…
As the player, one must make precise moves to achieve their aspirations.
Xue Sui threw the cloth strip into the fire basin, watching the flames slowly consume the words, her dark eyes deepening.
“To put on a good show, you must first set up the stage.”
Xiao Zhao entered with a medicine bowl, and seeing the dark circles under her eyes, couldn’t help but advise:
“Young Lady, you’ve been staying up for two nights in a row. Please take care of yourself…”
“So many people in the picture album are still alive and well. The twenty thousand vengeful spirits of Old Mausoleum Swamp are still waiting for me to seek justice for them. What is what I’m doing compared to that?”
The nameless people of Old Mausoleum Swamp, the cooks, stable hands, embroidery women… they were all as insignificant as dust, just like her, yet they all persevered, using their lives as bait, weaving a vast net thread by thread…
The killing game has been set; how could she be negligent?
Xiao Zhao understood her difficulties, her fingers subtly tightened, and her eyes reddened.
“Young Lady, please drink your medicine…”
Xue Sui looked down at the dark brown medicinal soup, took it, and drank it down.
Bitterness spread across her tongue.
She turned sideways, gazing at her pale face in the bronze mirror, and vaguely recalled what Tianshu had said that day.
“If the merit of defeating the barbarians is credited to Li Zhao, will he then have the old grievances of Old Mausoleum Swamp redressed?”
The next day, at the fifth watch.
In Lanzhi Courtyard of Prince Duan’s Mansion, candlelight flickered.
Consort Zhang applied rouge to her lips in front of the mirror, raised the eyebrow pencil in her hand, and suddenly, to her horror, discovered a large patch of dark purple-red marks on her neck.
“Lüzhi! Lüzhi!”
She frantically called out her maid’s name.
Lüzhi hurried over, startled, nearly dropping the copper basin in her hands.
“Consort… what, what happened to your body…”
“Quick, quickly go and fetch a doctor…”
Before she could finish speaking, Consort Zhang suddenly clutched her chest, her breathing rapid, and tears began to fall.
“No, go and fetch the Prince! Quickly fetch the Prince…”
“Urgent report from the border—”
“Urgent report from the border—”
The sound of the water clock broke the deathly silence in the hall.
Xuanzheng Hall was bathed in a steely gray morning light.
The messenger’s urgent and high-pitched voice struck the heart like a heavy hammer, blow after blow.
“Reporting to His Majesty, an urgent report from the border, eight hundred li away! Scouts have discovered that King Xizi is personally leading a hundred thousand cavalry towards Chishui Pass…”
Emperor Chong Zhao was furious and slammed the memorial onto the imperial desk.
“How dare Ashina! He killed my concubines, abducted my imperial grandson, and now he dares to march his army against us…”
The officials below the steps were silent.
The Minister of War’s back was already soaked in cold sweat.
Emperor Chong Zhao’s gaze swept across the hall, and after a moment, he frowned, his voice stern as he asked:
“Where is Prince Duan?”
The Imperial Secretary adjusted his court attire and respectfully stepped forward to bow.
“Reporting to His Majesty, Prince Duan claimed illness today and did not attend court…”
Li Huan was usually diligent and rarely missed court sessions.
Emperor Chong Zhao’s expression grew even more solemn, his brows furrowed tightly into the shape of the character ” Kawa”
.
“Imperial Father!” Li Zhao suddenly knelt at the foot of the steps, speaking clearly.
“Your Son is willing to go to Chishui Pass and fight to the death against the Xizi cavalry, to display the might of our Daliang.”
He kowtowed heavily, his forehead pressing against the cold, hard white marble.
“Within three months, Your Son will surely take Ashina’s head and hang it at the city gate!”
“Nonsense!” Emperor Chong Zhao, far from being pleased by his proactive offer of service, instead lowered his face and glared at him, his complexion ashen.
“Do you think war is child’s play? Three months, you can’t even pacify the mountain bandits properly!”
Li Zhao looked up directly at the imperial carriage.
A trace of blood bloomed across his vision, and a sweet, metallic taste rose in his throat.
“Your Son is not afraid of death. I am willing to die to prove my resolve and share Your Father’s worries…”
The Imperial Court instantly erupted in a clamor.
Some praised the Crown Prince for his bravery and decisiveness.
Some shook their heads in secret, their faces showing concern.
Xie Yanzhan quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said, “Your Highness, you must not! The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne, his fate is tied to the empire and the state. He must not be put in danger lightly…”
Emperor Chong Zhao narrowed his eyes, his gaze like a hawk’s, sweeping across the faces of the ministers.
“My beloved ministers, who can bear this heavy responsibility and lead our Daliang’s elite army to repel the invading enemy?”
“This minister, Lu You’an, is willing to sign a military order!”
A resolute shout broke the silence of the inner hall.
Lu You’an knelt on the dragon-carved blue bricks outside Xuanzheng Hall, his fists clasped together, raised above his head, his cheeks slightly flushed.
“If I cannot recover the imperial grandson and repel Xizi, I will take my own life as atonement.”
After speaking, he kowtowed heavily, his forehead striking the ground with a dull thud.
“Please grant your approval, Your Majesty. This minister will surely do his utmost and not fail your expectations.”
At the same time, a group of disguised Xizi merchants were slowly advancing towards the bridgehead of the Yongding River, under the rising sun.
Hakmu, the leader of the caravan, lifted the canvas, revealing the Xizi spices on the surface.
A gentle breeze blew, carrying a rich aroma.
No one knew that beneath the spices were more than a hundred barrels of gunpowder, tightly wrapped in oilcloth, more than enough to destroy Daliang’s West Market.
The previous destruction of seventy percent of the grain in Yongfeng Granary had caused a severe shortage of military supplies for Daliang, throwing the court and country into chaos. King Xizi was extremely pleased with this. However, since then, all granaries had been heavily guarded, and they had no further opportunity to strike…
However, Daliang had opened its markets, with merchants from the East and West Markets gathering, and merchants from various countries coming and going incessantly. They could enter and exit freely without attracting attention.
Therefore, they had heavily bribed the Riverway Inspector, Zhang Huaiyi, preparing to do something big, stir up a storm, disrupt Daliang’s stable situation, and support the Xizi Royal Court’s cavalry…
A follower wiped his forehead and said with a smile, “The Yongding River is just ahead. After crossing the Yongding River, go straight along Anyuan Street, and you’ll reach the West Market!”
Hakmu nodded slightly upon hearing this.
The carriage wheels creaked as they rolled over the protruding stones.
The follower smiled and approached, offering a waterskin.
“Leader, have some milk wine to warm yourself up?”
Hakmu took it and was about to take a gulp when his expression suddenly changed—
He saw a group of Daliang Imperial Guards, clad in armor and armed, arrayed before them. Judging by the python patterns on their banners, they appeared to be from the Eastern Palace cavalry.
Li Zhao: Entrusting Ping An with such an important task, I… am nervous, and a little shy.
Xue Sui: Bah, you shameless wretch…
