Meeting on a narrow path
A Qiu noticed that Gu Yi's expression was unpredictable, something that had never happened before.
She naturally had no idea what Gu Yi was thinking about how to deal with her. However, she was never one to allow herself to be in a passive position.
If you can't beat them, then run.
She caught a glimpse of the palace gate out of the corner of her eye, extended her right palm like an orchid, made a feinting strike, and at the same time swiftly dodged to the right.
This is the "flower-picking" move from the Wind and Thunder Slash technique. However, the footwork is the "gliding step" used by geisha.
She guessed that Gu Yi had never seen this footwork before and would not be able to capture her in time.
Gu Yi did not capture her, but she simply bumped into him, who was standing right in front of the palace door, as if she had deliberately run into his arms.
Gu Yi rudely raised his arms and pulled her out of his embrace, then put her down heavily, coughing lightly as he said, "Men and women should not touch each other."
He turned his back to her, straightened his clothes which she had knocked off, and said calmly, "Why are you so eager to get into my arms?"
A Qiu was almost driven mad by him. She had never suffered such a loss in her sect before. If the emperor hadn't been there, she would have jumped up and down cursing.
Suddenly, a series of footsteps sounded outside the palace gate, as fast as a shooting star.
Without any report from the guards, a man in white robes and silver armor rushed in. He was taken aback to see Gu Yi alone with a beautiful young woman.
A Qiu was greatly alarmed and quickly lowered her head, not daring to look any further.
This was all because this person was none other than Sikong Zhao, the commander of the Imperial Guard known as "Silver Saddle White Horse," who had once dueled with her atop Xianyang Palace. It was just that she had been veiled at the time, and Sikong Zhao had never seen her face.
Sikong Zhao had no time for such matters. She said urgently, "It would be best if the Grand Tutor were here as well! Marquis Li Chongyu's vanguard of three thousand light cavalry has arrived at the gates of Jianzhang City. Grand Tutor, shall we let them in or not?"
The main road in the center of Jianzhang City was brightly lit, and the sound of dense hooves came from the city gate, like the beating of war drums or the rising tide.
The 3,000 light cavalry of the Shuofang Army came day and night, ostensibly to escort the envoys who were to pay homage to the emperor.
In reality, it was a blatant test of the Central Committee's attitude towards the Shuofang Army's northward advance.
These three thousand light cavalry were equipped with the purest Northern Qiang warhorses, their armor was bright and their formation was well-organized, but they did not bring any caravans of gifts or supplies.
The so-called escorting of tribute was nothing more than a blatant excuse.
Gu Yi's reply was to open the city gates and release the people.
The general leading this Shuofang army, Zhu Mao, was a tall, thin middle-aged man with sharp and bright eyes.
The Imperial Guard Commander, Sikong Zhao, personally rode a white horse to accompany him into the city.
Not far behind Zhu Mao's horse, a carriage followed, escorted by Shuofang soldiers both in front and behind. A young general, about fourteen or fifteen years old, with handsome features, stood guard in front, holding a spear; his rank was clearly not low.
Sikong Zhao glanced at it, his heart pounding, but he felt it inappropriate to ask further. He wondered if this was the tribute presented by Li Chongyu?
The soldiers guarding Jianzhang City were all Jianzhang Division soldiers under the command of Pei Yuanli.
Whether Pei Yuanli had spoken is unknown, but the Jianzhang soldiers maintaining order on both sides of the official road were all eyeing him with hostility.
In truth, it was late at night, and a curfew was in effect within the city, prohibiting people from wandering around, so there was no need for extra order maintenance. However, the city guards still urgently mobilized troops to both sides of the official road, ostensibly to maintain order, but in reality to monitor the Shuofang army's entry into the city.
Li Mingyuan, the father of Li Chongyu and the previous Marquis of Guannei of Shuofang Army, died in the battle of crossing the river in alliance with Pei Yuanli. As a result, Li Chongyu did not attend court for many years, and he explicitly and implicitly suggested that the court should imprison Pei Yuanli according to military law. Everyone knew about this.
After being urged repeatedly by the imperial court, Li Chongyu now claims to be paying homage to the emperor and has directly led his troops north, which is clearly not a good intention.
Sikong Zhao was the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards, a person directly under the Emperor. He was neither a member of the Jianzhang Army nor the Shuofang Army, so he chatted and laughed as if he didn't see the hostility between the two armies, and accompanied Zhu Mao on his way.
The fact that Grand Tutor Gu Yi sent her, a close confidante of the emperor, to personally escort the Shuofang army into the city was probably because he anticipated the current situation and wanted to prevent a conflict between the two armies within the city.
But what you fear most often comes to pass.
The vanguard of the Shuofang Army suddenly stopped in unison. Sikong Zhao and Zhu Mao also reined in their horses and looked ahead, not understanding what had happened.
A messenger hurriedly rode up, carrying a torch, and reported with a solemn expression: "Reporting to the military advisor, the Divine Mastiff Battalion is blocking the road ahead."
Among the Jianzhang Army, the Divine Hound Battalion was the highest-ranking, serving as Pei Yuanli's personal guard. They were known for letting their dogs and horses injure or harm pedestrians and merchants in the capital, yet no one dared to intervene.
Although Sikong Zhao held the rank of Supreme General, she usually stayed in the palace and rarely got directly involved in matters related to the Jianzhang Army. Upon hearing this report, her expression turned cold.
As a close confidante of the emperor, she usually tried her best to avoid conflicts with important ministers and generals, and could be described as extremely cautious. However, the Divine Hound Camp knew she was there, yet they still blocked her way, which could be considered a deliberate provocation.
At this moment, the Divine Hound Battalion was naturally unafraid of deliberate provocation. No matter how elite the Shuofang Army was, only three thousand men entered Jianzhang City, while the hundreds of thousands of Jianzhang Divisions were more than enough to annihilate them within the city. The question was who could withstand Li Chongyu's retaliation with his entire army and the resulting division between the north and south.
Although Zhu Mao's face was ashen, he bowed to her and said, "I ask the General for instructions on how to handle this matter."
Sikong Zhao returned the gesture apologetically, saying, "I will certainly report this matter to the Emperor and the Junior Tutor. Now, I will go ahead and see what is going on."
Zhu Mao did not see him off, but simply said calmly, "Thank you for your trouble."
Even when facing the emperor's trusted commander-in-chief, leading only three thousand men into the capital, where the Jianzhang Army was eyeing them with menacing intent, a mere vanguard officer remained neither obsequious nor arrogant, neither servile nor overbearing. This courage and integrity impressed Xiang Sikong Zhao, who was serving in the army.
Sikong Zhao rode his horse to the front of the column and saw that the firelight illuminated the area as if it were daytime. The approaching army did not make any noise, but instead calmly stationed its troops in the middle of the road. In the distance, a huge iron cage could be seen among them.
Sikong Zhao frowned and carried his voice far away: "Who is the person in charge of the Divine Hound Camp? How dare you obstruct me from accompanying the Marquis of Guannei's envoy into the palace?"
As she scolded him, she raised the talisman in her hand.
It is a cast bronze token, engraved with mountain shadows, flying cranes, and a moon, which is Gu Yi's famous "Young Master's Token".
Before coming here, Gu Yi had made careful plans with her, and had anticipated all sorts of situations.
The entry of these three thousand men into the city was Li Chongyu's way of testing the waters. They could not be treated poorly, nor could they be left unmonitored. If they were not treated well, it would anger the Shuofang army and cause a mutiny in the north; if they were not monitored, it would make them think that Jianzhang City was strong on the outside but weak on the inside and could be easily taken down.
She didn't need to tell him; Pei Yuanli's men would do the surveillance on their own.
However, only she could carry out the courtesy. In the current situation, Sikong Zhao's intervention itself demonstrated Emperor Xie Lang's high regard for the matter.
However, fearing that someone might deliberately take advantage of the situation, Gu Yi also issued his own Junior Tutor Order.
Under the combined pressure of Emperor Xie Lang and Junior Tutor Gu Yi, no one, whether in the court or the martial arts world, or across the country, could openly defy this decree, or pretend not to hear it, mishear it, or not recognize the Grand Commander and thus accidentally injure someone, and so on.
Under the torchlight, the Divine Mastiff Battalion was unusually disciplined, with not a single person uttering a sound.
Most of the officers in the Divine Hound Battalion were sons of powerful and wealthy families in the capital, known for their arrogance. At this moment, they all kept their mouths shut, remaining motionless and silent, as if waiting for someone to give them orders.
A tall, sturdy blue horse emerged from the crowd and, amidst the open flames and lights, swiftly rode to the center where the two armies were facing each other.
Immediately, someone came and humbly bowed to Sikong Zhao, saying, "I have offended Aunt Zhao in doing her work. I apologize."
Sikong Zhao, with his long, flowing hair and white robes and silver armor, was stunned for a moment, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.
The newcomer had bright eyes and white teeth, a face as round as the moon, and was dressed in military uniform, exuding a heroic spirit. Hanging from the side of her saddle was the world-famous "Sun-Shooting" bow, while the hand behind her back held the "Returning Dragon" spear.
Aside from the eldest daughter of the Pei family, who else is Pei Yu, who is known as one of the "Two Heroes of Bow and Spear" in the Jianzhang Army?
Although Sikong Zhao, nicknamed "Silver Saddle and White Horse," displayed straightforward and unpretentious martial arts skills during his duel with A Qiu due to his military background, he was far from clueless about the ways of the world after years of experience in officialdom. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to maintain his position as the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards for so many years.
Upon seeing Pei Yu, she knew that things would not end well today. After all, the purpose of the Shuofang army's visit, whether it was to pay homage or to offer tribute, was ultimately to take the head of her father, Pei Yuanli, or else they would be irreconcilable enemies with the Southern Dynasty.
As the middleman, if I make a single wrong move, it could lead to widespread suffering.
Sikong Zhao smiled wryly, "I dare not accept such praise. With the Junior Tutor's decree here, Miss Pei would not even be willing to give the Junior Tutor face, would she?"
Pei Yu smiled knowingly and said, "That depends on which side the young master will ultimately stand on."
Her words sent a chill down the spines of both opposing armies.
Even the face of Sikong Zhao, a veteran general who had seen many battles, changed completely.
This statement clearly shows that she doesn't even respect Gu Yi, who single-handedly founded the Southern Dynasty. If Gu Yi sides with the Shuofang Army, then the Pei family is implying that they will rebel.
After all, everyone knows that in the Southern Dynasties, Gu Yi was equivalent to Emperor Xie Lang, and also equivalent to the imperial court.
Sikong Zhao shouted sternly, "Miss Pei, have you consulted your mother before acting like this?"
At the same time, she stretched out her hands, which had been behind her back, toward the sky. Her personal attendants immediately rode up and presented her with her famous "Jingwu" double maces, renowned throughout the army.
Pei Yu's mother was Mu Huaying, the "Delicate Hands Yama" from the former Flying Phoenix Guard, who was as famous as Sikong Zhao. The Four Guards of Flying Phoenix had gone through life and death together and were as close as sisters.
Pei Yu looked at the gleaming light emanating from the Jing Wushuang mace under the torchlight and replied irrelevantly, "As you can see, Aunt, no matter who my mother is, I will always be a daughter of the Pei family."
Therefore, she was determined to protect her father, Pei Yuanli.
Sikong Zhao laughed in exasperation, raising his voice, "Fine, fine! All your mother's efforts in sending you to the palace have been wasted. She had hoped you would continue the legendary myth of the Flying Phoenix Guard's loyalty to the country!"
Pei Yu subtly turned his face away, looked up at the sky, and said, "That's another matter. How does Aunt Zhao know that once I enter the palace, I won't be loyal to the country and its people?"
Sikong Zhao shouted, "You oppose the Grand Tutor, and you are a traitor! Who in the world doesn't know that the Grand Tutor has devoted his life to ensuring the stability of the nation south of the Yangtze River for a hundred years!"
She gave Pei Yu no further chance, raising her double maces in one hand and pointing the Junior Tutor's Decree directly at Pei Yu in the other, shouting in a hoarse voice, "The Junior Tutor's Decree is here, Pei Yu, will you obey or not?"
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