Chapter 86 Treading on Snow and Mud: A Dead End
This is the imperial court, more ruthless than the martial world, where killing is done without shedding blood.
When they arrived in Zhongjing, it was nearly half a month later.
Tang Yu's damaged meridians prevented her from traveling for long periods; even slight exertion caused her to become weak and fatigued. Therefore, no matter how anxious she was, she could not walk quickly.
This was also Xie Xingzheng's plan. Even if she rushed to Zhongjing, everything would have been settled, leaving her with very little to do.
Tang Yu sat in a private seat by the window on the second floor of a teahouse in the west of the city, her cold fingertips caressing the teacup, trying to warm it up.
The street downstairs is as bustling and vibrant as ever in Zhongjing.
Even though Xia Nan had just fought a war with the Southern Frontier thousands of miles away, it did not affect the lives of the people here in the slightest.
During the two days Tang Yu stayed in Zhongjing, all he heard was the excited talk of the people about how Xie's army had broken the plague, defended Xia Nan, and joined forces with Prince An to push back the enemy for hundreds of miles.
They marveled at the heroic bearing of the young general of Great Xia, their words filled with admiration and respect, yet showing no fear of the impending battle.
After the army returned to the capital, Emperor Wen of Chu kept Xie Xingzheng in the palace under the pretext of "rewarding meritorious service," and he has been there for more than ten days now.
The common people, unaware of the true situation, believed that the emperor was benevolent and the court was lenient. They thought that the emperor had already held a banquet in the palace to reward meritorious officials, and that they would surely receive all kinds of titles and rewards.
Tang Yu understood that the emperor had not publicly punished him, so he imprisoned him. However, because of his high reputation and the Xie family's deep roots, it was not convenient to take action for the time being.
Therefore, the only option was to place the person under house arrest first, and then proceed gradually.
"Young master, would you like some more water?" The waiter approached attentively, carrying a teapot.
Tang Yu's original appearance in the southern border region was quite inconvenient, so he had changed into the skin of "Su Yutang" before entering the capital. Now, in the eyes of others, he was just a scholar with delicate features, so ordinary that it was hard to remember his appearance.
"No need," she said gently.
Then, seemingly casually, he asked, "There are many more government officials on Zhongjing Street."
"you do not say."
Mentioning this, the waiter immediately perked up, "Because of the war in the south, there are more beggars and vagrants in this city, so the imperial court sent yamen runners to patrol the streets. At the same time, they also need to thoroughly investigate the rebels in the southern border. Our little shop is being questioned by soldiers every day."
Tang Yu nodded slightly.
Currently, the imperial court is investigating and eliminating the remaining members of the Communist Party in the southern border regions.
Entering the palace was by no means an easy task.
Yesterday, she intended to seek help from Wang Shanyue and Xiao Fangliang. However, before she even got close to Wangyuan Escort Agency, she sensed something was amiss.
Not only were there more guards patrolling the streets, but there were also many more vendors. And the eyes of those people held a vigilance that ordinary people would not have; they must be the imperial guards.
Tang Yu dared not take the risk and quickly retreated, then detoured to the Xie residence, only to find the situation even more serious.
The gate was locked, and no one was allowed to enter or leave.
She didn't know what the emperor's purpose was.
Is it to wait for a certain "fish" to take the bait, or simply to bring any potential "variables" around Xie Xingzheng under surveillance?
The tea in the cup had long since gone cold, and the warmth on my fingertips had slowly faded.
Tang Yu lowered her eyes. Now that she had lost all her martial arts skills, she was at a loss as to how to send a message to Wang Shanyue and Xiao Fangliang without being seen or heard.
She couldn't afford to take any risks, so she used someone else's help.
After thinking it over and over without any ideas, she sighed, paid for the tea, and got up to leave.
The streets of Zhongjing were bustling with activity in the afternoon.
The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, the crowds, and the comings and goings of carriages—everything seemed peaceful and orderly. If she hadn't personally experienced the chaos of the Xia Nan war, she would almost have mistaken it for the fact that the world had never truly been in turmoil.
As I was walking, someone suddenly tugged at the hem of my clothes.
"Young master, please have mercy."
A soft, gentle child's voice came from my side.
Tang Yu lowered her head and subconsciously took out two copper coins from her sleeve. But before she could hand them over, her gaze fell on the boy's face.
She paused in her movements.
The thin, small beggar in front of me had a face covered in dust and messy hair, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
The child smiled and tugged at Tang Yu's sleeve, lowering her voice: "Sister, we meet again."
Tang Yu was all too familiar with that face.
It was the little beggar who helped her steal things back in Xia Nan.
She briefly raised the corners of her mouth, then immediately suppressed it, casually tossing two copper coins into his bowl, feigning a hearty act, "Poor child, you must have been starving for days, right? Come on, I'll take you to get something to eat."
The noodle stalls in the alley were steaming hot.
The little beggar held the bowl and ate quickly and heartily, as if he hadn't had a hot meal in days.
Tang Yu sat to the side, watching him wolf down his food, and couldn't help but ask, "How did you end up in Zhongjing?"
The little beggar looked up, soup still on his lips, and said proudly, "We beggars knew earlier than anyone else that Xia Nan was going to war."
As he spoke, he continued eating his noodles, his head down: "In peaceful times, you can make a living just by begging, and life is quite carefree. But if a war really breaks out..."
He shook his nimble hands and said in a casual tone, "Even if I had extraordinary thieving skills, how much money could I possibly steal when everyone else is starving? Naturally, I couldn't stay there, so I simply followed the old beggars and ran off to the more peaceful and prosperous Zhongjing."
Tang Yu listened and couldn't help but chuckle, "Such a precocious child."
The little beggar grinned, revealing a mouthful of slightly crooked teeth, his eyes darting around.
"Sister, do you remember the promise you made to me last time? If we ever meet again, will you teach me the art of disguise?"
Tang Yu smiled and said generously, "Of course I remember."
"Then...?" The little beggar's eyes immediately lit up as he looked at her expectantly.
Tang Yu's heart stirred slightly, and she smiled, "If you do me a small favor, I'll teach you today. How about it?"
*
Wang Shanyue received Tang Yu's message at dusk.
The letter was delivered through the front door.
The servant said that a dirty little beggar had come begging for food, so he went to the kitchen and found two steamed buns. As he handed them to the beggar, a note was suddenly slipped into his palm. Before he could react, the little beggar had run away.
After looking at the mountain scenery, his expression changed.
Almost without hesitation, he put on his outer robe, took advantage of the darkness to avoid being seen, and slipped into the Xiao residence with practiced ease.
"A-Liang," he called softly.
Inside the room, Xiao Fangliang was organizing his books. Seeing that the other party still dared to come looking for him at such a tense time, he realized that something important must be going on.
"Tang Yu has arrived in Zhongjing." Wang Shanyue lowered his voice and handed over the note in his hand.
Xiao Fangliang took it, glanced at it, and his brows furrowed slowly.
He understood that Tang Yu wanted to enter the palace, hoping to exchange her life for her own.
But they also understood that neither Tang Yu nor Xie Xingzheng had the leverage to negotiate with the imperial power.
Wang Shanyue said with distress, "What do you think we should do if the Emperor insists on killing her?"
Xiao Fangliang did not answer immediately, sighing inwardly:
Even A-Yue knew that the road ahead was a dead end.
Inside the room, the two remained silent for a long time, with only the candlelight flickering gently on the table.
Finally, Xiao Fangliang got up.
“I will go and beg my father.”
Wang Shanyue was taken aback, and subconsciously stopped him, "Then what will you do? Will your father beat you?"
"Only this route can safely deliver Tang Yu to the palace without going through others."
Xiao Fangliang's voice was steady, "The fact that the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet discovered Nan Yue's escape and treasonous activities, and brought her to the court with all the officials as witnesses, at least... can temporarily save General Xie's life. As long as the crime is proven innocent, there will surely be someone willing to protect the Xie family."
Wang Shanyue gritted his teeth, "Is there really no way to have the best of both worlds?"
Xiao Fangliang remained silent for a moment, and finally just sighed softly.
This is the imperial court, more ruthless than the martial arts world, where killing happens without shedding blood.
*
Even late at night, the main hall of the Xiao residence was still brightly lit.
Father Xiao's bewildered gaze fell into the distance, as if he could not process what he had just said, and he murmured, "Say it again, who do you want me to take to the palace?"
“Tang Yu.” Xiao Fangliang knelt upright. “The Saintess of Nan Yue who escaped back then.”
Mr. Xiao's face turned ashen, and he slammed the teacup in his hand onto the table with a loud bang.
Do you even know what you're saying?!
He laughed in fury: "To bring this man into the palace in exchange for Xie Xingzheng's life is tantamount to rubbing salt into the Emperor's wound. What does His Majesty want? A balance of power, the return of military power, and the Xie family being crippled and no longer a threat!"
"And you, are you going to trade your career prospects for a life that you couldn't keep anyway?"
"Official career?" Xiao Fangliang scoffed and looked up, meeting his father's gaze without fear. "Even if the Xie family you saved has been protecting our country, guarding the borders, and protecting the people of our Great Xia for decades?"
Father Xiao snorted coldly, "I warned you long ago: be cautious in solitude, in small matters, and in choosing your friends. The way of officialdom has never been about how many lofty ambitions you have! Acting impulsively will only harm you and the Xiao family in the end!"
"Father, in your eyes, what is the meaning of being an official?" Xiao Fangliang asked softly.
Xiao's father paused.
"Is it the honor or disgrace of the family? The stability of power? Or my smooth career path, and ultimately my name in history?" Xiao Fangliang's tone was calm, but every word was clear.
"Is a career in government more important than personal feelings, one's heart's desire, or the righteousness of justice? If an official's heart is set on bringing peace to the world, tranquility to the land, and prosperity to the people, and if he can save the Xie family from disaster, then the border defenses will be strengthened, and fewer people will die. Wouldn't the world then be a little more peaceful?"
Xiao Fangliang smiled bitterly, "You always say that you don't concern yourself with trifles before achieving great things, and that you always follow the Doctrine of the Mean, thus betraying the right path in your heart several times."
"Will he continue to back down, compromise, and be constantly hampered in the future, to the point that he becomes increasingly afraid of doing the right thing?"
"In the end, he dared not care about the small things, nor dared to do the important things. All that was left was a mediocre life, a set of official robes that were only for show, and the words 'I had no choice back then'."
The hall was deathly silent.
Looking at the son he had raised, Xiao's father suddenly realized that he was no longer the boy who could only recite books and discuss strategies, and would no longer blindly follow the path he had laid out for him.
The truth that was crystal clear in his mind left him momentarily unsure whether to feel joy or sorrow.
"Both of them are my closest friends, and I secretly hope that they can both live. But I also know that it is rare to have both in this world."
Xiao Fangliang bowed deeply, "Therefore, I did not ask you to save her."
He raised his head, his gaze resolute. "I only ask that you allow me to accompany you to the palace to meet the Emperor. This will fulfill the wish of General Xie, who was willing to risk his life to defend our Great Xia, repel the enemy, and shed his blood."
"Is that still not acceptable?"
for a long time.
Mr. Xiao slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.
In that instant, he seemed to have aged considerably, and the sharp edge he usually had when reprimanding people was gone, leaving only a deep weariness.
*
Inside the main hall, all the officials were already lined up.
The cold winter wind swept in from in front of the palace, passing over the vermilion walls and golden pillars, and lifting the edges of the official robes.
Inside the hall, however, it was eerily quiet, with everyone's gaze fixed on the figure kneeling below the steps.
Her blue eyes, brown hair, and sharp yet striking face stood out in the solemn and imposing court, clearly demonstrating her connection to the Southern Frontier.
Emperor Wen of Chu looked down at him with a faint smile on his lips and asked slowly, "Elder Xiao, who have you brought here as a hostage?"
Before Xiao's father could speak, Tang Yu said first, "This humble woman is the Holy Maiden who was taken away from the Blood Pool of Nan Yue and raised by the Xia people."
She paused, her tone neither hurried nor slow.
"Moon Dream".
The moment the words were spoken, an uproar erupted in the hall.
The officials and civil servants all wore different expressions; some were shocked, while others were on guard.
In their view, this name was tantamount to treason, an unforgivable crime.
But she knelt there, her back straight, calm and serene.
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