Chapter 146 Django's identity is revealed, so he's not a man at all? ...
It's late at night.
The bustling Songyang County, which had been noisy and chaotic during the day, finally fell silent. Only the occasional footsteps of the night patrol soldiers and the sound of the night watchman's clapper occasionally broke the silence, their rhythm unsettling. Inside the county government's back residence, which had been temporarily used as a sleeping quarters, candlelight flickered, casting a long, solitary shadow on the brick wall.
Django didn't sleep.
She couldn't fall asleep at all.
The bright yellow dragon robe was still on her shoulders, its weight pressing down heavily. Unlike the icy chill of it being forcibly draped over her during the day, it now seemed to carry a scorching heat, burning her skin and searing her soul.
She stood alone by the window, gazing at the deep night outside, her fingers unconsciously stroking the phoenix pattern meticulously embroidered in gold thread on her cuff.
The phoenix spreads its wings, its feathers fluttering, each feather revealing its ambition to soar through the heavens.
She knew this was Wei Zhongxian's arrangement, and she also knew it was a move to please him.
This tastes pretty good.
"Your Majesty..." she murmured softly, a complex and enigmatic smile slowly curving her lips. This title, which sounded like thunder and shackles during the day, now, savored alone in the utter silence, was like a jar of strong liquor, initially pungent and burning, but with a mellow and intense aftertaste, igniting the long-buried ambitions deep within her heart.
Yes, ambition.
She was never a magistrate content with the status quo, nor a rebel leader who only wanted to live in a remote corner. Disguised as a man, she entered officialdom, gathered refugees, trained troops, and eventually instigated this mutiny... Every step she took was certainly driven by circumstances and a desire to speak out for the people, but deeper within her was a strong desire to be subordinate to others and to control her own and others' destinies!
She wanted to stand at the pinnacle of power.
She just hadn't expected that this step would come so quickly, so violently, so... abruptly.
The "yellow robe bestowal" by Zhuge Liang and Zhao Kuangyin was less a form of coercion and more a sudden exposure of her deepest, most unrevealed ambitions, giving them a legitimate halo.
"It has done for me what I wanted to do but dared not do easily." She chuckled softly at the void, her tone neither one of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion) nor 满意 (mǎnkǎi, satisfaction).
But this crown is too heavy.
It was heavier than I imagined.
She recalled the thunderous shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" during the day. How much of that was genuine support, how much was blind obedience, and how much harbored malicious intent?
Zhao Kuangyin's composure, Zhuge Liang's wisdom, Huo Qubing's bravery, Bai Qi's sternness... even Wei Zhongxian's unfathomable humility—all these outstanding figures now prostrate themselves at her feet, simply because of the dragon robe she wears.
But if one day she, as a goddess, reveals a flaw and shows that she is unable to support herself, will they still act the same way?
The imperial army is preparing a counterattack.
The pressure, like the pitch-black night outside the window, pressed in heavily, almost suffocating her. Her fingers tightened slightly, the cold window frame piercing her palms.
But the next moment, that pressure seemed to transform into a raging fire.
Are you scared?
Of course I'm afraid.
One wrong step and you're plunged into an abyss, shattered to pieces.
But... isn't this also a huge gamble? A gamble with the world as the chessboard, and with one's own life and the fate of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians as the stakes!
If she wins, she will no longer be the magistrate Jiang who needs to hide her identity and be cautious, but an empress who will establish a new dynasty and leave her mark on history! She will have the ability to truly shape this world according to her own will, implement equal land distribution, open more schools, establish hospitals... and change this world into the way she desires!
Losing... is just death.
Even in death, she died in battle wearing a dragon robe, rather than being exposed and taken to the execution ground in a pathetic manner!
Worth it.
She slowly raised her hand, looking at the bright yellow sleeves under the candlelight and the golden phoenix on them poised to take flight.
"This dragon robe..." she murmured to herself, her voice no longer trembling, but filled with a cold, almost fanatical certainty, "Now that I've put it on, I will never take it off. Not only will I not take it off, but I will wear it securely, wear it for a long time, until everyone in the world truly recognizes this phoenix robe as mine!"
——
A solemn atmosphere permeated the main hall of the county government office. The incense table had already been set up, with simple offerings displayed on it, and wisps of smoke obscured the expressions on everyone's faces.
The Songyang Mutiny led to him being forced to don the yellow robe.
She turned to face the people below the hall.
"I am of meager virtue and limited talent, and am not fit for this heavy responsibility." Her voice rang out, clear yet with a barely perceptible hoarseness, but unusually steady. "However, it is the will of Heaven, the will of the people, and the recommendation of all my ministers, and I cannot shirk my duty. The rebellious court is tyrannical and treats my soldiers and people like dirt. I, by the mandate of Heaven and in accordance with the will of the people, hereby ascend the throne and establish the new dynasty."
She paused, her gaze sharpening, and her voice rising abruptly, carrying a resolute air of desperation:
"From this day forward, there is no turning back for us against this false dynasty! Only by fighting to the death can we survive! All citizens of our Qi Dynasty, let us be of one mind, united in our hatred of the enemy, and vow to sweep away the world and usher in a new era!"
There were no thunderous shouts of "Long live the Empress!" but everyone present, including the most unruly general, bowed in unison the moment her words fell, their voices low and firm:
"Your Majesty, we humbly obey your command! We are willing to die for Your Majesty and for the Qi Dynasty!"
Almost simultaneously, a thousand miles away, in the imperial city.
Inside the grand hall, resplendent in gold and filled with the gentle fragrance of incense, the young emperor reclines on a soft couch, listening to a minister's rambling report on auspicious omens from a certain place, and is beginning to doze off.
The hall was peaceful and serene, as if the flames of war outside had nothing to do with the singing and dancing inside.
Suddenly, a series of hurried, almost frantic footsteps shattered the tranquility of the hall. A high-ranking eunuch, dressed in a deep purple robe, his face deathly pale and drenched in sweat, rushed into the hall without even waiting for the attendant to announce his arrival. He collapsed to the ground, his voice trembling with anguish:
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, disaster has struck! A terrible disaster!!"
The emperor was startled and nearly slipped off his couch. He roared in fury, "Insolence! What kind of behavior is this? Drag him away..."
"Your Majesty, it's Songyang! An urgent report from Songyang!" The eunuch held up a document with a red feather attached, representing the most urgent military situation. His voice trembled so much it was almost tearful. "That...that traitor Jiang Ge...she...she has usurped the throne and declared herself emperor. She has even set the country's name as Qi and changed the era name to Wuxing. The five cities of Songyang have...have all rebelled!"
"Wh...what?!" The emperor sat bolt upright, his languid expression and anger instantly replaced by utter shock and disbelief. All color drained from his face, leaving it deathly pale. His finger trembled as he pointed at the document. "To...to claim the title of Empress? She's just a woman...how dare she...how dare she?!"
"It's absolutely true, Your Majesty! The source is reliable. Songyang has openly issued a false edict and sent it throughout the land!" The eunuch prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to raise his head.
The minister who had previously reported the auspicious omens was already paralyzed with fear, and the other eunuchs and palace maids were all kneeling and trembling, holding their breath. The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, enveloped in an atmosphere of immense terror.
"Rebellion! Rebellion! They've all rebelled!" The emperor slammed his hand on the armrest of the soft couch, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He coughed violently from extreme anger, his face turning from white to red, almost ferocious. "A bunch of traitors! A bunch of ignorant peasants! How dare they... how dare they presume to call themselves emperor! They're going to tear my empire apart!"
His chest heaved violently, his eyes blazing with venom and murderous intent: "I order the army to immediately! Right now! Crush Songyang! Tear those traitors, especially that Jiang fellow! To shred their bodies to pieces! Rake their bones to dust!!"
The emperor's roar echoed in the empty hall, filled with hysterical madness.
"Furthermore! Issue an edict to all prefectures and circuits! Investigate thoroughly any individuals connected to the rebels of Songyang! Better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free! I want them to know the consequences of defying the imperial will!"
"Yes! Yes! This servant obeys! This servant will go and deliver the decree immediately!" The eunuch scrambled back.
The emperor remained alone in the empty hall. His earlier rage gradually subsided, replaced by a deeper emotion—a mixture of offense and fear. He slumped onto his dragon throne, muttering to himself, his voice carrying a barely perceptible weakness and bewilderment:
"She declared herself empress... She actually declared herself empress... Is the world truly about to descend into chaos...?"
After the Songyang Mutiny, everyone busied themselves again, preparing to deliver the final blow to the imperial court.
Huo Qubing was inspecting the city in broad daylight when he saw Magistrate Jiang, who had just been promoted to Emperor, enter the women's bathhouse and swagger around.
The bathhouse was located right next to the main street, where people came and went. The curtain wasn't thick, and occasionally women could be seen going in and out, chatting and laughing. Huo Qubing could hardly believe his eyes.
Knowing he would definitely be kicked out, he instinctively retreated to the opposite alleyway, crossed his arms, and waited to see what would happen.
But as time passed, the entrance to the bathhouse remained calm, with only a few women carrying wooden buckets in and out, as if no one noticed anything amiss.
Just as he grew increasingly puzzled and was about to doubt whether he was seeing things, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind him:
"General Huo, standing here in a daze?" Zhang Baichuan walked over, followed his gaze to the entrance of the bathhouse, and asked casually, "Why aren't you going in? Waiting for someone?"
Huo Qubing was speechless for a moment; he opened his mouth, but could not say anything.
Huo Qubing was speechless for a moment when Zhang Baichuan asked him a question. Just as he was wondering how to answer, the curtain of the women's bathhouse was suddenly lifted open.
This time, the one who came out was none other than "Django" who had just gone in—or rather, Django who had shed most of his disguise and was completely renewed.
He seemed to have simply gone in and quickly wiped himself down, changed into a clean undergarment and inner garment, and casually draped his outer robe over his shoulders without fastening it tightly. His hair was also loosened from his usual manly bun, hanging damply over his shoulders, and he was wiping it with a cloth. The steam softened his usually deliberately thick eyebrows, and his cheeks were flushed from the heat, revealing a delicate, almost refined profile, different from his usual ruthless and decisive nature.
Huo Qubing was stunned. That strange feeling in his heart resurfaced, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Jiang Ge nodded naturally to Zhang Baichuan, his voice still carrying a hint of relaxation after his shower: "Is everything arranged?"
"Your Majesty, everything is ready and we are waiting for you," Zhang Baichuan replied respectfully, his eyes quickly sweeping over Jiang Ge's disheveled, wet hair without the slightest surprise, as if it were commonplace.
Jiang Ge then turned his gaze to Huo Qubing, who was standing stiffly to the side, a hint of amusement in his eyes, but his tone was ordinary: "General Huo is here too? Is there something you need?"
"I...I..." Huo Qubing felt his tongue get tied. Could he possibly say that he suspected His Majesty had entered the women's bathhouse and was therefore keeping watch?
Fortunately, Zhang Baichuan interjected at the right moment, smiling and smoothing things over: "General Huo was patrolling here just now and happened to run into me. We chatted for a bit about the forward defenses." His words were flawless, explaining why Huo Qubing was there.
Django hummed in agreement, as if he believed him.
As she casually ran her fingers through her wet hair, she seemingly casually instructed Huo Qubing, "In that case, General Huo, please come with me to the main hall for a meeting." Her demeanor was utterly unashamed, as if coming out of the women's bathhouse refreshed was the most normal thing in the world.
Huo Qubing could only clasp his hands and bow, saying, "Yes, sir."
Jiang Ge took the lead and walked forward. Zhang Baichuan immediately followed. When he passed Huo Qubing, he patted his arm very discreetly and with great sympathy, and said in a short, quick whisper, "You'll get used to it, old Huo."
Huo Qubing followed behind the two men, bewildered, watching Jiang Ge's back in front of him—his wet hair clung to his neck, which seemed too slender, and the lines of his shoulders and back outlined by his outer robe appeared somewhat thin. Although his steps were steady, he was unlike any other male general he had ever seen...
An absurd, almost impossible thought suddenly crashed into his mind, striking him like a thunderbolt, causing him to stagger.
Jiang Ge, who was walking in front, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Without turning his head, he simply said, "General Huo, watch where you're going."
Her voice was calm, devoid of any emotion.
This matter disturbed Huo Qubing's mind, and the image of His Majesty entering and leaving the women's bathhouse kept replaying in his mind. After much thought, he came up with what he thought was a clever idea.
Just after the training session ended that day, Huo Qubing saw Jiang Ge discussing the matter of provisions with Zhuge Liang. After Zhuge Liang left, he seized the opportunity to approach him.
“Your Majesty,” he scratched his head, trying to make his tone sound relaxed and natural, “I’m all sweaty from training today. How about… I accompany Your Majesty for a soak? It’ll help loosen up my muscles and bones.”
Jiang Ge was looking down at the documents when she heard this, her pen paused, and a drop of ink almost stained the white paper. She looked up, a fleeting awkwardness crossing her face, then glanced at Huo Qubing with a mixture of surprise and amusement: "General Huo, what brings you to such a refined mood today?" She put down her pen, waved her hand casually, and said in an unquestionable tone, "I still have many official duties to attend to. As for bathing, General, please do as you please."
Huo Qubing, still unwilling to give up, took another half step forward: "Your Majesty, work and rest should be balanced! What about the bathhouse..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Ge frowned slightly and interrupted him: "I appreciate the general's kindness. There's no need to mention this matter again." Although her tone was calm, it carried an air of authority, causing Huo Qubing to swallow the rest of his words and take his leave.
Huo Qubing, feeling rebuffed, became even more frustrated, finding the Emperor's reaction increasingly strange. Unconvinced, he turned and went to find Zhuge Liang.
He found the strategist waving a feather fan on the earthen slope behind the camp. Zhuge Liang was deep in thought, staring at a map, when he heard footsteps. He looked up and saw Huo Qubing looking dejected, so he smiled and said, "General Huo, what brings you back? Could it be that you and His Majesty had not finished your discussion?"
"Don't even mention it." Huo Qubing plopped down on a nearby rock, his tone full of frustration and confusion. "I just... I just invited His Majesty to go to the bathhouse together!"
Zhuge Liang paused slightly in his fan-waving hand, a quick glint of understanding flashing in his eyes, but his face betrayed just the right amount of doubt: "Oh? And then?"
"And then?" Huo Qubing raised his voice, as if he had encountered the most incomprehensible thing in the world. "His Majesty actually refused outright, saying that he was too busy with state affairs and told me to do as I pleased. Strategist, tell me, is this...is this normal? We are all grown men who have fought on the battlefield. Who hasn't rolled around in the mud and sweat? Taking a bath together and scrubbing each other's backs is the most ordinary thing in the world. Why is His Majesty so resistant? This...this is just too much..."
He couldn't find the right words for a moment, and after struggling for a while, he said angrily, "That's too formal!"
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Liang half-covered his face with his feather fan, coughed lightly, and his shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly. He tried to suppress the smile on his lips, and his voice remained steady: "Perhaps His Majesty is indeed busy with something. General Huo is overthinking it."
"It's not that I'm being paranoid!" Huo Qubing became more certain of his guess. "Strategist, think about it. His Majesty usually eats and lives with us without much taboo. Why is he avoiding this matter so much? And then, thinking back to yesterday... what I saw with my own eyes yesterday..." He lowered his voice, leaned closer to Zhuge Liang, and looked somewhat conflicted.
Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, neither confirming nor denying, but the knowing smile in his eyes grew more pronounced, as if he were looking at a child struggling to solve a riddle. He slowly asked, "So... what does the general think?"
"If I knew, would I need to ask you?" Huo Qubing spread his hands, almost sighing to the heavens. "His Majesty... does he perhaps have some unspeakable secret? Or is he extremely fastidious and dislikes bathing with others? Or... is there really something strange behind that bathhouse?"
Could it be some kind of mysterious place?
Seeing his utterly bewildered and nearly frantic expression, Zhuge Liang finally decided to stop teasing him.
He leaned forward slightly, his voice low, carrying a solemnity of sharing a secret, yet unable to conceal a hint of teasing: "General Huo, since you are so confused, I will explain it to you. However, you should keep this to yourself and never mention it to outsiders, especially... never reveal it in front of His Majesty, for His Majesty is very sensitive about this matter."
Huo Qubing immediately straightened his back, pricked up his ears, and even held his breath: "Strategist, please speak! I will definitely keep your mouth shut!"
Zhuge Liang pointed at Huo Qubing with his feather fan, speaking casually, but leaving Huo Qubing with a question that Huo Qubing pondered for a long time without fully understanding: "General Huo, if you want to invite him again in the future, why not... try the women's bathhouse?"
"...Huh?" Huo Qubing was completely stunned, his mouth agape as he looked at Zhuge Liang waving his fan and chuckling. All the strange details he had thought of before suddenly came to mind, piecing together a truth that he could hardly believe.
So, Django isn't a man at all?
So, was he the only one kept in the dark?
So, everyone... already knew?
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Author's Note: It should be almost finished! [Let me see][Let me see][Let me see]
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