Chapter 107 The Traitor Inside the Copper Gate Pass - The Last General Defended

In the autumn of the sixth year of the Zhenyuan era, Zhai Ji, the second prince of Beiyong, launched a coup, murdered his brother, seized the throne, and became emperor. At the beginning of his reign, he strengthened the army and established a "twenty-rank military merit system" to reward military achievements, and mobilized the entire country for military preparation.

The soldier's intentions were crystal clear.

Xie Yuan had no choice but to send an urgent proclamation to Xiling, ordering the courier to travel day and night to recall Chen Liangyu, who was suppressing a rebellion in Xiling.

Rainy night at Xiling.

Chen Liangyu inserted the small flag into the sand table of Shuncheng and Biancheng.

Outside the tent, torrential rain poured down, streaks of lightning ripped through the night sky, and thunderclaps boomed one after another.

When she set out from Yongdu, she sent an urgent letter to the northern border. Jinghe led two thousand cavalrymen to Xiling to meet Chen Liangyu, followed by the infantry. Tonight, taking advantage of the rain, they launched a night attack. Jinghe and Bu Ping'er split into two groups to attack Shuncheng and Biancheng, which were occupied by the rebels.

Zhao Xingli was also in the main tent. The tea cakes were all used up, so there was no tea to serve him. The stove was far from the main tent, and when the teapot was brought over, the boiling water had stopped boiling. He was holding a bowl of lukewarm water in his hands.

The military defenses of Shuncheng and Biancheng were discovered by Zhao Xingli through secret investigation.

Chen Liangyu stared at the sand table and said, "Congratulations, Imperial Censor Zhao. You will be able to resume your original post upon returning to Yongdu."

Zhao Xingli gave a calm "hmm" and said, "I, Zhao, do not wish to be reinstated to my original post. I am fortunate to have survived and see the light of day again. I only wish to do something more to repay my teacher's kindness."

Chen Liangyu said, "You must repay the kindness of the Grand Censor, and you must also repay the debt I owe you. Do you still remember Imperial Censor Zhao? He promised me in prison that he would do something for me after he was released."

"You really have the nerve to bring that up."

Chen Liangyu crossed his legs and sat down behind the desk, saying, "Is Censor Zhao trying to renege on his debt?"

Zhao Xingli slammed down his teacup, the half-finished water swirling around the rim. "What did you say back then? You said that none of the imperial censors sent by the Grand Censor to Xiling to investigate the rebels have returned yet, and the Grand Censor has turned his hair white with worry because of this."

Chen Liangyu asked, "Have I said anything wrong?"

Zhao Xingli slammed his hand on the tea table. “When you said this to me, the Imperial Censor’s colleagues had only left Yongdu less than three days ago. From Yongdu to Xiling, even traveling at full speed day and night, it would take seven or eight days to make the round trip. Of course, no one has returned in three days.”

Chen Liangyu felt a slight sense of guilt, but in an instant, that fleeting sense of guilt vanished without a trace.

She said, "It hasn't been easy for me either."

The price of favors bestowed upon the Censorate is higher than gold.

The favors of Zhao Tiemian and Jiang Xiantang are hard to come by, so she naturally wouldn't let go of this rare opportunity.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xingli began to glare and fumigate, his eyes seeming to pierce Chen Liangyu's soul. "What's so difficult about you? Grand General of the Cavalry, Commander-in-Chief of the Three Provinces, a close advisor to the Emperor, and what... a member of the imperial family..."

He was so angry that his fingers trembled and he was speechless.

Recalling the jailer's mocking words that day, which implied she was unaware of the hardships of ordinary people, Chen Liangyu gave Zhao Xingli a word of advice: "Noble, noble."

"You're still a nobleman! What's so difficult about you?"

Chen Liangyu said, "As a general, I guard the border, quell rebellions, protect the land, and guard against villains. Which of these tasks is easy?"

"You...you are not worthy of being dealt with!"

"So, Censor Zhao has no intention of keeping his promise?" Chen Liangyu shook his head. "To be untrustworthy is to be a censor in vain."

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Xingli made up his mind and said, "Only this one thing."

Chen Liangyu said, "It's good that Imperial Censor Zhao won't renege on his debt." She called out to the outside of the tent, "Supervisor Wang."

A person dressed as a palace attendant slipped into the tent.

Although he was a palace attendant, Wang Biao's robe was embroidered with a fourth-rank cloud and wild goose pattern. He was appointed as the military supervisor by Xie Yuan in his capacity as the junior supervisor of the Palace Attendants Department. He had sharp eyes and was never one to smile.

Wang Biao bowed, "General."

Chen Liangyu asked, "Has the messenger not returned with the message yet?"

Not yet.

The rain was heavy, and there were no stars in the sky.

Chen Liangyu glanced at the hourglass and estimated the time. If things went as expected, both Shuncheng and Biancheng should have been captured.

"Lin Yin!"

Lin Yin also lifted the curtain and came in from outside the tent. "General, this subordinate will go to the pass to provide support."

"Take more people with you, and report back immediately if anything happens."

"Your humble servant obeys."

Lin Yin donned a raincoat and led a group of men out of the camp in the rain. Wang Biao stared blankly at Lin Yin as he left the tent, a moment that Chen Liangyu noticed.

"Wang Jianjun?"

Wang Biao quickly regained his senses and was about to retreat outside the tent.

Chen Liangyu called out to him, "The military supervisor is from the inner court. Is Her Majesty the Empress alright? How is the condition of Consort Shu's unborn child?"

Wang Biao said, "Her Majesty the Empress misses Princess Roujia, which caused a disagreement with His Majesty. However, she is taking good care of her health, considering the unborn child in her womb. General, you need not worry about her while you are on campaign. As for the state of Consort Shu's pregnancy, I am not very clear about it."

Chen Liangyu and Zhao Xingli simultaneously sensed something unusual.

Wang Biao's answer seemed fine at first glance, but if someone else said they were not clear about the fetus of Consort Shu, it would be understandable. As the Junior Supervisor of the Inner Palace, Wang Biao should be very knowledgeable about palace affairs. His claim that he was not clear about such an important matter as the imperial heir suggests that he was deliberately avoiding suspicion.

When Wang Biao left the palace with the army, Consort Shu bled, a fact that even those outside the palace had heard of. If it wasn't a deliberate attempt to avoid suspicion, then there was only one possibility: Wang Biao genuinely didn't know about Consort Shu's pregnancy, but he wasn't referring to the pregnancy from when she bled during their departure, but rather to the pregnancy she was currently carrying.

Chen Liangyu had flying flies and iron letter tubes. Zhao Xingli and Jiang Xiantang of Yongdu exchanged letters from time to time. Both of them knew that the emperor and empress in the palace were at odds because of Princess Roujia's departure from the palace. After Zhai Ji ascended the throne, Consort Shu, as the younger sister of the Emperor of Beiyong, was extremely favored and recently became pregnant.

As the military supervisor, Wang Biao was required to send letters to the palace to report on military affairs, but no one would reply to him with information about matters within the palace.

Chen Liangyu said casually, "The Consort Shu suffered a miscarriage, and Wang, the Military Supervisor of the Palace Attendants Bureau, was unaware of it?"

Wang Biao said, "This servant does not know."

Chen Liangyu stared at Wang Biao's expression but didn't detect any surprise, as if he already knew about it.

She had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

As the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) was about to pass, Lin Yin galloped back on horseback, her raincoat soaked through as water dripped onto her feet. "The torrential rain has destroyed the plank road, and our men and horses can't get through." She tossed over two pieces of wood. "The broken pieces of the plank road show signs of vandalism."

Chen Liangyu picked up the wood and examined the cross-section of the broken piece; there were saw marks.

She immediately stepped out of the tent, wading through the puddles with large strides, splashing water that soaked half of her trousers. Lin Yin grabbed an umbrella from the large tent and quickly followed, trying his best to shield Chen Liangyu's head with the umbrella, completely disregarding that he himself was getting soaked like a water ghost.

Raindrops, whipped by the gale, pounded against the umbrella fabric; on a rainy day like this, the umbrella was utterly useless.

Chen Liangyu put on a straw raincoat and hat and led over the jade lion.

"Pass down the order to assemble the troops immediately. The light cavalry will follow me first, followed by the infantry. We must reach Shuncheng before dawn."

Besides the destroyed plank road, the shortest road to Shuncheng is still twenty li away from the Tongmen Pass. If the plank road was deliberately destroyed, the rebels must have ambushed a large number of troops at Tongmen Pass.

The vanguard advanced rapidly, expecting fierce fighting, but unexpectedly encountered little resistance and easily captured the rebel leader stationed at Tongmen Pass. The terrain outside Tongmen Pass was not suitable for an ambush; with the plank road destroyed, this place was the rebels' last line of defense for holding Shuncheng and Biancheng.

It is illogical that the rebel forces stationed here are too sparse.

A pale white glint appeared on the gray-blue horizon, and in an instant, the rain subsided.

The pattering raindrops fell before my eyes, obscuring my vision, like a faded veil spreading over the distant mountains.

Outside the copper gate, rainwater washed away the bloodstains.

Corpses were piled up like straw beneath the gate tower, bloodstains meandering along the uneven gullies, mingling with the mud, making the stench of blood particularly strong. The ground was littered with corpses, too many for warhorses to traverse.

Chen Liangyu dug Jinghe out from the pile of corpses below the gate tower. The man was not dead, but his unshaven face was frozen in terror, and he had lost his mind.

Chen Liangyu slapped him on the left cheek and shook his shoulder. "Jinghe!" She slapped him again. "Jinghe, speak!"

The person didn't react; their eyes were like those of a dead fish, their pupils barely focused.

Thunder roared once more, echoing through the valley.

Jing He shuddered at the earth-shaking noise, his eyes wide with terror as he kicked his legs backward, crying out, "Young Marshal..."

Chen Liangyu summoned several soldiers and ordered them to "take him away."

The large bronze bell on the eaves of the gate tower jingled. Chen Liangyu looked up and saw a person leaning against the eaves. The flag in her hand was crooked, but it did not fall down.

Chen Liangyu strode up the city wall.

Bu Ping'er's armor was torn, her sword lay scattered beside her, one arm hung limply at her side, and the other hand gripped the military flag tightly. Her body was leaning forward, and her posture looked somewhat strange from a distance.

As Chen Liangyu approached, he saw that she was being supported by two long spears, their tips piercing her chest and abdomen. She was only able to stand by using the shafts of the two spears to support her body.

"A military doctor!"

Bu Ping'er's face was bloodless. When she heard Chen Liangyu's voice, she slowly opened her eyelids a crack. She seemed extremely tired and didn't even have the strength to open her eyes.

Her injuries were too severe for Chen Liangyu to touch.

Bu Ping'er moved her lips as if she had something to say, and sticky, stringy drops of blood kept dripping from the corner of her mouth.

Chen Liangyu wiped the bloodstains from the corner of her mouth, but couldn't wipe them clean; every time she wiped away a drop, more seeped out.

Bu Ping'er struggled and managed to utter, "General..."

"Don't speak, don't speak first!"

Zhu Ying put a blood-clotting pill into Bu Ping'er's mouth, pressed her Xuehai and Sanyinjiao acupoints twice, and helped her slowly sit down against the city wall.

Bu Ping'er seemed to have something she really wanted to say.

Zhu Ying said, "General, she must remain sober when you speak to her."

Chen Liangyu bent down and squatted down.

Bu Ping'er's voice was broken and intermittent, "Biancheng... is empty. We've been ambushed... there's a traitor..."

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhu Ying pulled out the two spears that were stuck in her chest and abdomen, immediately applied a handful of white powder, and pressed hard on the wounds.

Bu Ping'er forced herself to stay calm and said, "Shuncheng and Biancheng were not captured, but Tongmen Pass... this humble general held it."

After saying that, his eyelids fluttered and he fainted.

Inside the large tent, Wang Biao was bound hand and foot to the ground.

"Chen Liangyu, I am the military supervisor personally appointed by the Emperor. If you dare to kill me, your crime is equivalent to treason!"

“Supervisor Wang colluded with the rebels, causing heavy casualties among the soldiers. I will kill you today, and you should be grateful. It’s better than being executed by the Emperor in Yongdu, where you can’t even die.” Chen Liangyu instructed, “Keep a close eye on him, and don’t let him die.”

Wang Biao angrily retorted: "You're just spouting nonsense and twisting the facts! You caused this tragedy by mismanaging your troops, yet you're framing others and making them scapegoats to take the blame for you."

Zhao Xingli said, "When I was secretly investigating the military defense deployment in Xiling, I accidentally discovered that the rebel leader Lu Wenrong was involved with Bei Yong. However, my identity was exposed at that time, and it was inconvenient for me to stay any longer. Therefore, I was unable to continue to investigate whether the rebels were backed by Bei Yong."

Chen Liangyu also said, "A batch of military equipment was seized at Tongmen Pass. Our dynasty casts weapons using iron molds, while the Northern Yong is skilled at casting ironware using wax slurry. This is enough to show that the sudden rebellion of the Xiling rebels was fueled by the Northern Yong behind the scenes. Supervisor Wang, who is your master? Consort Shu? No, that's not right either. Consort Shu is in the inner palace, so it's inconvenient for her to pass on messages. There must be someone outside the palace to help you. Who is he?"

Wang Biao said, "Whether the rebels made any shady deals with Bei Yong is none of my business. Chen Liangyu, you fabricated lies and slandered people's innocence. After I return to the palace, I will definitely report everything to the Emperor and punish you severely!"

Chen Liangyu said, "It doesn't matter if Supervisor Wang doesn't admit it. Once I've captured Shuncheng, you can think of a way to argue your case. Take him away."

Wang Biao tried to explain, but the soldiers tied a strip of cloth between his teeth to prevent him from biting his tongue and committing suicide. Then he was dragged away.

The imperial edict arrived just at that moment.

The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict was a eunuch from the Inner Palace Department named Du, who recognized Wang Biao. Wang Biao, of course, also recognized the eunuch. He struggled desperately, his face turning red, and he sobbed as if trying to beg for help.

Du, the eunuch, paused for a moment, then asked in confusion, "What's going on?"

Soon, the guards of the main tent led Eunuch Du into the tent. "Your Excellency, please." He was in a hurry to announce the imperial decree and did not care about Wang Biao.

Chen Liangyu received the imperial edict, unfolded it, and read it word by word again to confirm that it was correct. "Your Majesty commands me to return to Yongdu immediately?"

Du, the eunuch, said, “That’s right. His Majesty has ordered that the Grand General must return immediately upon receiving the imperial edict, without delay.”

"The rebels haven't been wiped out yet, how will they return?"

Du, the eunuch, said, "His Majesty has ordered the Earl of Chengyang to lead an expedition to quell the rebellion in Xiling. They should arrive by tonight."

Chen Liangyu said, "How old is the Earl of Chengyang? This group of rebels is not a band of outlaws, they are difficult to deal with. I hope he doesn't fall ill with his old bones."

"Who said I'm just an old man with frail bones?"

A deep, resonant voice came from outside the tent; the Earl of Chengyang had arrived as promised.