Chapter 78 The crescent moon is the moon, and also a scimitar.
Xu Asheng carefully poured the tea into the glass saucer. The emperor, dressed in an ochre-yellow robe, sat casually behind the table, picked up the teacup, and took a small sip.
"The last time I had tea with you was more than ten years ago."
Inside the Liangyi Hall, two generals of the Thousand Ox Guard sat on either side. Bright lights illuminated the lively and majestic patterns on the pillars and beams, casting the silhouettes of palace maids on the gossamer-thin silk, hazy and gentle. The aroma of tea and fruit filled the air, accompanied by the bubbling sound of boiling water, lending the Liangyi Hall a tranquil and leisurely atmosphere.
Yue Shanling knelt below the emperor and replied, "Your Majesty's favor has been bestowed upon me for over a decade, a debt I can hardly repay."
The emperor toyed with the teacup in his hand, a half-smile on his face. He tilted his head slightly and looked at Yue Shanling sideways: "Your wound looked horrifying back then, but now it's hard to tell the old marks."
Yue Shanling raised his hand to touch the side of his neck. If he didn't touch it carefully, even he himself would almost forget what the scar looked like.
"It's just a minor injury; it will fade away naturally over time."
The emperor gestured for Xu Asheng to refill Yue Shanling's tea, and said with a smile, "Old Marquis Yue is stubborn and arrogant, and he has caused you a lot of grievances in both family and state affairs."
Yue Shanling nodded slightly and bowed: "It was because I was young and ignorant, and acted recklessly and eccentrically, causing trouble time and again, which angered my father. Your Majesty's favor is too great, and I am truly ashamed."
A sound like clashing swords rang out in the wind. In the darkness, armored warriors, like lurking tigers and wolves, turned to look north, their armor whirring softly. The stray wind sought its way through the dense ranks of warriors, eventually vanishing without a trace.
The lights in the Liangyi Hall did not flicker at all. The palace servants turned down the fire in the small stove so that the water in the kettle would not boil too much.
The two generals of the Imperial Guards drank their tea, oblivious to the conversation between the emperor and Yue Shanling.
Recalling his childhood, the emperor's face showed some nostalgia: "I remember that New Year's Eve, you and A-Xu were mixed in with the Nuo ritual performers, and Grandfather recognized you two at a glance from the city tower." Thinking of this, the emperor chuckled twice, "Grandfather even ordered you two to perform the Nuo dance. Although it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, seeing your graceful movements and your strong and handsome appearance, I was quite impressed."
At that time, Yue Shanling was full of vigor and fearlessness. Even when he broke with his father, he felt no fear and was proud of himself for protecting the Crown Prince on behalf of the Prince of Jin. Yue Shanling lowered his eyes, hiding the melancholy in them, and changed to a lighter tone: "How can Your Majesty praise such absurd past events? I am truly ashamed."
"On the Lantern Festival, you rode your horses through the streets, captivating countless young ladies," the Emperor said, his smile fading. "It's a pity that Huaijin was frail and died before he even reached adulthood. Yunzhou also left the capital to become a wandering knight-errant. As for Chengguang... let's not even mention him." The Emperor shook his head and sighed, "If it weren't for you and Axu, I would truly be all alone."
"Your Majesty is benevolent and wise. People all over the world wish to repay Your Majesty with their lives. It is my blessing to be able to follow you."
The Emperor glanced at Yue Shanling's expression, noticing his bowed head and respectful demeanor. Things had changed; thirteen years ago, Yue Shanling wouldn't have been so cautious in his words and actions. The Emperor didn't continue the previous topic, instead calling out to the palace maid behind the silk curtains, "Is the tea ready?"
Upon hearing the sound, the palace maid rose and bowed to the emperor through the silk gauze.
"The tea from Fuzhou is said to be steamed with flowers, and its fragrance lingers on the palate. Please, my three beloved ministers, have a taste." With a wave of his hand, the palace maids behind the silk curtains came out with small teapots, knelt down beside the generals, and served tea to the three men.
"The Emperor has decreed that we search the Hongwen Hall." Wang Yuanxing produced a document and knocked on the door of Changle Gate.
The gatekeeper in charge of guarding Chang Le Gate peered out from the city wall. He saw several hundred people lined up neatly below the gate tower; judging from their attire, they were likely imperial guards from the Southern Court. The leader held something aloft. The gatekeeper squinted; it looked like a piece of paper, but he couldn't make it out clearly from the distance.
"Who are you?" The people in front of the palace gate held torches and lanterns, saving the gatekeeper the trouble of lighting his own lantern to identify them. He leaned out from the crenellations and shouted at the leader.
"I am Wang Yuanxing, the Left Guard General of the Imperial Household Department. All of us here are soldiers of the Left Guard. His Majesty has urgently ordered us to search the Hongwen Hall immediately. Please grant us this request, Captain." Wang Yuanxing took a fish-shaped pouch from his waist and showed it to the gatekeeper.
Seeing that the people outside the gate were calm and composed and did not seem to be faking it, the gatekeeper ordered his men to fish a small basket down from the gate. Wang Yuanxing dismounted, took the fish tallies of several officers and soldiers, and put the three imperial edicts and the fish tallies of the officers and soldiers into the small basket.
Several lanterns lit up on the palace wall. Wang Yuanxing watched as the small basket was put back on the wall, licked his back teeth, and turned to mount his horse.
The three imperial edicts were: the Left Guard's transfer order, the Ministry of Justice's request to search the Hongwen Academy on the grounds that a traitor had been found to be in cahoots with the Academy, and the Emperor's decree.
When Yuan Shenquan was transferred, he had prepared several blank transfer orders in advance, and the seal of the Ministry of Justice was also genuine. Of these three, only the emperor's reply was forged.
However, Wang Yuanxing was not worried about being discovered. They were only going to enter the Hongwen Hall. There were still several palace gates before the Taiji Hall, and the guards would not check them so carefully.
The palace guard frowned as he looked at the fish-shaped tally being hoisted up. He hated these imperial guards entering the palace, as it always took a lot of effort just to check the fish-shaped tally and official seals.
Fortunately, Chang Le Gate was also responsible for checking the identities of officials entering the court on a regular basis, and the gate register was readily available. The gatekeeper first checked the three imperial edicts, which seemed to be normal, and then took out the gate register. He checked each person's identity against the fish tally to confirm that their identities were correct. Only then did he call out to Wang Yuanxing, "General, please wait a moment, we will open the palace gates soon."
The heavy palace gates slowly opened, and the gatekeeper was the first to step out, returning the three imperial edicts and the official seal and tally.
Just as Wang Yuanling was about to spur his horse forward, he was stopped by the captain. Wang Yuanling looked at the smiling captain with some suspicion, his right hand secretly reaching for the hilt of his sword.
The gatekeeper was completely unaware of Wang Yuanxing's actions, and simply smiled and said, "Now that we're inside the palace, we don't need to bring these lighting items."
Wang Yuanxing calmly released his right hand, feigning annoyance: "Oh dear, look at my memory. I'm used to being casual in the army, and I even forgot such an important matter. I'm sorry to trouble you to remind me, Captain."
As he spoke, he turned around and called to the men behind him: "Put out all the fire bundles and put them..." At this point, he couldn't go back to the Left Guard to light fire oil torches again, so Wang Yuanxing was in a bit of a dilemma.
"If the General doesn't mind, why not leave it at the palace gate and retrieve it when he leaves the palace?" The gatekeeper seemed to understand Wang Yuanxing's predicament and suggested.
Seeing that the gatekeeper had taken the initiative to help him out of the predicament, Wang Yuanxing was completely relieved. He bowed to the gatekeeper while mounted on his horse and said, "Thank you for your trouble, gatekeeper."
Once inside Chang Le Gate, Gong Li Gate was even easier. The gatekeepers stationed at Chang Le Gate informed them that imperial guards were entering Hongwen Hall at Gong Li Gate. They quickly glanced at the transfer order and opened the gate to let them pass.
A boy of seventeen or eighteen years old and several colleagues were pushing open the palace gate with great effort. He was a new recruit who had just joined the prison gate guards this year. He would do any dirty or hard work on his own, in order to leave a good impression on the guard commander.
"Stop pushing, it's a waste of effort. More people will be coming later." A person dressed in inner robes emerged from the shadows. The wide robes clung to his thin shoulders and back, making him appear very fair in the darkness.
The boy adjusted his helmet, glanced at the person who had come in, and continued pushing the door open.
The gatekeeper hurried forward, and as he passed the boy, he slapped the boy's helmet and scolded, "Are you blind? You don't even recognize Xu Zhongguan?"
Seeing that the boy still looked very young, Xu Zhiyi quickly stood up straight after being reprimanded by his superior. He looked at him with a silly expression and a smile appeared on his lips: "He looks young."
The gatekeeper dared not neglect Xu Zhiyi, but fearing that Xu Zhiyi would make things difficult for the young man, he smiled and said, "You're a newcomer, you've never seen the world before, please forgive your rudeness."
Xu Zhiyi replied calmly, "It's quite good. He looks like an obedient child." He took out an imperial edict and handed it to the captain. "The emperor has decreed that the Right Guard be summoned to the palace. You recognize General Awusijidi Qincha, so there's no need to check his family register."
Behind the Gongli Gate is the Menxia Province, and to the east of the Menxia Province is the Chongwen Hall. At this time, there were still lights in both buildings.
The emperor often discussed matters with his court officials until the fourth watch of the night, and it was also common for the Chongwen Academy to work through the night compiling classics and histories. Wang Yuanxing didn't even glance at it, and led his men through the Chongwen Academy straight to the rear.
Behind Chongwen Hall is Wude Gate, and beyond Wude Gate is Wude Hall, where the First Prince currently resides. If the First Prince were implicated and killed in the Feng family's rebellion, then the Second Prince's succession to the throne would be even more legitimate when the Emperor abdicates.
Wang Yuanxing drew his sword and charged toward the guards in front of Wude Gate.
Unlike the outer palace gates, Wude Gate did not have watchtowers or city walls to defend against enemies. The eldest prince stood on the gate tower of Wude Gate, with a Jinwu Guard holding a shield and a spear on each side.
The dull creaking of wood and stone rang out as the Chang Le Gate opened, followed by the click of the bolt being released as the Gong Li Gate opened.
The Crown Prince's palms were sweaty. He didn't want to ask for a handkerchief to wipe his hands in front of the Imperial Guards, as that would make him appear cowardly and weak. He was also afraid that his sweaty hands would make it difficult to hold the knife, so he could only secretly wipe his palms on his robes.
Someone entered the Hongwen Hall; there seemed to be more people than the Crown Prince had expected. He secretly swallowed. After all, he was just a boy born in the deep palace and raised in the capital. The bloodiest thing he had ever seen was a hunt, and now he had to face it head-on.
Is this even a war? Compared to the founding wars and border disputes, a battle of a few hundred men is child's play. Although the eldest prince thought this way, he was still afraid. He only had one hundred Imperial Guards, and even with the advantage of the palace walls, he was still far outnumbered by the enemy.
The eldest prince gripped the knife in his hand even tighter. His great-grandfather, his grandfather, and his father were all emperors who rose to power on horseback. How could he be intimidated by a mere few hundred men?
The enemy at the front of the line had already entered firing range, and a Jinwu Guard, two steps away from the Crown Prince, glanced at him.
The eldest prince stood ramrod straight, staring intently at the newcomer.
The enemy drew closer, but the eldest prince still made no move. A Jinwu guard, who was waiting with his bow drawn, looked at his superior questioningly, only to see the superior gently shake his head.
They were getting closer, so close that the Crown Prince could feel the wind whistling through the air from the galloping horses and smell the unpleasant odor of the cooking oil used to wipe the weapons.
The guards at Wude Gate had already drawn their swords and were ready to fight. The eldest prince stared intently at the foremost left guard. His warhorse galloped, and he was only ten meters away from Wude Gate. He raised his spear, the tip of which was aimed at the face of a guard.
"Release the arrows!" The young man's resolute and fervent roar echoed through the night sky above Taiji Palace, carrying with him the courage of a fledgling bird breaking through its eggshell.
Awusiji led his horse to a stop on the palace road between Changle Gate and Gongli Gate. The soldiers of the Right Guard stood in neat rows behind him.
Xu Zhiyi seemed not to hear the sounds of fighting coming from behind the Gongli Gate, and simply spoke politely with Awusiji: "The Sage means to wait first. If they are really afraid to fight, then we will trouble the General to help us."
The soldier with the spear didn't make it to the Wude Gate; his horse was hit by two arrows and collapsed to its knees. Before he could get up, another horse, also hit by an arrow, crashed into him from behind.
Wang Yuanxing knew something was wrong when the first volley of arrows landed. His warhorse spun around in circles as he kept turning it around, continuing to charge towards Wude Gate. Once the palace gate was breached, a few imperial guards would be no threat.
A drop of blood leaped over Wang Yuanxing's shoulder and landed on the horse's mane.
Half an arm rolled from behind to the feet of a running soldier, nearly tripping him.
The charging soldier stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the tip of the sword on his chest. He struggled to turn around, only to see a golden mace flying towards him, disappearing into his eye.
The Imperial Guards who surrounded them from behind abandoned the knife stuck in their bones and picked up the enemy's sword to continue fighting.
The Imperial Guards surged into the Left Guard like a tidal wave, only to be overwhelmed and scattered by the disparity in numbers. At the Wude Gate, friend and foe were indistinguishable; hundreds of men fought like wild beasts, driven only by instinct.
Tiny pieces of flesh and blood detached from the raised weapon and smeared onto the railing in front of the eldest prince. The railing was smooth and clean, and the half-red, half-yellow clump of flesh slid, stretched, and fell along the curve of the railing, leaving only a sticky residue on the railing.
Wang Yuanxing plunged his spear into the throat of the man before him, getting splattered with blood. He wiped his face and brushed away the obstructing corpse. The Imperial Guards could gain a temporary advantage through surprise attacks, but none of their men were without their skilled and valiant men. In a prolonged fight, the Imperial Guards would only suffer the consequences.
He looked up at the gate tower, thinking, "This ignorant brat wants to emulate his ancestors' courage and bravery? Tonight will be the night he dies." Wang Yuanxing took down his bow and arrow, drew it, and fired. The Imperial Guards on either side of the Crown Prince quickly closed their shields, barely blocking the arrow.
When his first attack failed, Wang Yuanxing spat and said, "You're nothing but a coward, only daring to hide behind your shell and put on a show. Since that's how it is, then let's storm the gate and take your head."
Wang Yuanxing fought his way through the crowd and headed straight for the eldest prince. Suddenly, a tall man appeared in front of him and raised his sword to slash at him.
"Overestimating yourself," Wang Yuanxing sneered. With a thrust and a spin of his spear, he disarmed the man of his ring-pommel sword, which spun and flew to the side.
Instead of retreating after losing his weapon, the man advanced, dodging Wang Yuanxing's spear tip, grabbing the shaft, and with his other hand on the horse's neck, leaped up and mounted the horse.
In close combat, the long spear had no advantage, so Wang Yuanxing hurriedly withdrew his spear to try and parry him. But then he saw the man pull out a curved blade from behind his waist. Moonlight shone on the blade, drawing a silver trail.
Wang Yuanxing floated up. He saw the iron-gray eyes of the man who had wielded the sword, his men fighting bitterly behind him, and the wild grass growing in the cracks of the stone bricks, churning and rolling, making him dizzy. He finally stopped, facing the sky. The bright, cold moon and the curved sword were reflected in his dilated pupils.
The street drums sounded.
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