Chapter 38 Anchan Subdues the Poisonous Dragon
As Wang Yuying gave orders, she thought to herself, "If only the Imperial Guards would listen to me even if Xu Heng didn't give the order one day."
The Book of Changes says, "The first nine lines indicate a hidden dragon that should not be used; it is only when the ninth five lines appear that the dragon soars into the sky."
She then focused her mind, temporarily setting aside her selfish thoughts, and concentrated on the battle, quickly forcing the rebels to retreat off the white marble bridge.
Wang Yuying wanted to press her advantage and force the rebels out of Jingfeng Gate. She chased after them and slashed one of them, decapitating him and spraying blood all over her face. Xu Heng knew it wasn't Wang Yuying's blood, but he was still terrified and blurted out, "Yingniang!"
He decisively leaped onto the bridge where Wang Yuying was.
Wang Yuying couldn't help but glare fiercely at Xu Heng beside her: "It's not my blood!"
Why are you making such a fuss and shouting!
She led the troops from the outskirts of the capital forward, charging into the midst of the rebels. Xu Heng also charged in, and they fought their way through. The dark clouds in the sky dispersed, and the sun gradually emerged. Smoke still burned in the east, making it seem as if the sun had been shot down and was setting in that direction.
To catch the thief, first catch the king. When the rebels saw the emperor personally leading the charge, they rushed over and surrounded him.
Seeing this, Wang Yu puffed out his cheeks in anger and had no choice but to help Xu Heng.
Fortunately, Xu Heng was not afraid. Instead of retreating, he advanced, his sword energy suddenly rising and drawing a sharp arc in the air, causing the enemy soldiers to unconsciously retreat. He then chose the weakest one in the circle as his breakthrough point. His body was like a swimming dragon, his clear light flowing, and the tip of his sword touched the opponent's blade three inches from the weakest point. The man was so shocked that he dropped his sword. Xu Heng immediately beheaded him. The next moment, he sensed someone coming from behind him. He turned around and fiercely stabbed, but when he saw it was Wang Yuying, he quickly withdrew his sword and turned his back to her.
After a moment's hesitation, Wang Yuying also turned her back to Xu Heng, joining forces with him to attack the enemy.
Xu Heng suddenly felt a lump in his throat and a pang of sadness. After a few moves, his eyes reddened. Wang Yuying, however, thought he was just blinded by rage and that it was nothing unusual.
"Yingniang!" Suddenly, dozens of people on horseback came galloping in from outside Jingfeng Gate, their hooves clattering like a sudden downpour.
Wang Yuying quickly glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw that the leader was Jing Ye. She breathed a sigh of relief and her eyes lit up. She then noticed that the two riders on either side of Jing Ye were Zhu Zi and Ding Man, whom she had played with since childhood. She was both surprised to see her old friends again after many years and happy that with the help of Jing Ye and the others, she could take down the rebels more quickly. She couldn't help but smile.
When Xu Heng saw that she was actually smiling, looking radiant, with even the stray hairs at her temples shining, he couldn't help but stab two rebels to death in quick succession—he could have killed them with a single blow, but instead he had to keep slashing them back and forth.
On Jingye's side, the group had horses and bows, and he was more skilled at commanding the troops in the outskirts of the capital, so their coordination was better. Before long, they had wiped out the rebels inside the palace gates.
As Wang Yuying walked toward Jing Ye, she looked eastward. The fire had died down, and the smoke was thinning, making it appear as if it had been extinguished.
As she approached, Jing Ye had already led over an empty horse, and Wang Yuying leaped onto it: "How is it outside?"
"The Empress Dowager has been forced to retreat to Tonghua Temple."
“You’ve come at the right time,” she said, shaking the reins and turning the horse around. “Let’s go!”
He then spurred his horse towards Jingfeng Gate, and Jing Ye immediately turned his horse around and followed closely behind, waving to the other cavalrymen to catch up. Xu Heng knew that Wang Yuying was going to chase after a fleeing bandit, but he asked knowingly, "Where are you going?"
Wang Yuying didn't reply to him at all, and left the palace gate in an instant. Xu Heng had no choice but to find a horse to catch up with her.
The air outside the palace was so fresh, even the sunlight felt warmer. Wang Yuying took a deep breath and couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile. Then she composed herself, knowing there was still a tough battle ahead.
She rode ahead on a snow-white steed matching the color of her Taoist robe and lotus crown. In the sunlight, the long sword at her waist gleamed silver. Xu Heng, following behind, was captivated by her clothes, her sword, and her figure; his eyes were too busy to take it all in. Even the back of her head held him spellbound, and he couldn't help but follow closely. Jing Ye, accompanying Wang Yuying, saw even more than Xu Heng and was utterly mesmerized.
*
Chongwen Lane, Zheng Mansion.
Zheng Yangzhi slowly opened his eyes, habitually turning to his side, but instead of turning over, he frowned in pain.
The servant who was guarding inside immediately stood up from the melon stool: "Young Master, you're awake. Would you like some water or something to eat?"
Zheng Yangzhi first checked the dripping water in the room. It was around noon, but he didn't know which day it was: "How long have I been sleeping?"
I vaguely remember waking up twice in the middle of the night, but my eyelids just couldn't stay open, and I fell back asleep in no time.
"Reporting to the eldest young master, it has been a full eighteen hours."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yangzhi frowned even more deeply, his expression grave: "What's that noise outside?"
The servant knew that Zheng Yangzhi frequently went up the mountain and had spent the entire day covering up the young master's name, Ying. Hearing this, he hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, bowing low: "This matter is a long story. It started yesterday morning when the Empress Dowager suddenly attacked Master Miaojing, accusing her of practicing witchcraft—"
Zheng Yangzhi suddenly struggled to sit up, the brocade quilt slipped off, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin and the wounds that had been repeatedly piled up and had not yet fully scabbed over.
The servant's eyes reddened with anxiety as he rushed to the bedside, exclaiming, "Young Master, you can't get up!"
Zheng Yangzhi decisively slipped on his shoes, propped himself up with his hands, and stood up: "Bring me my clothes, and say no more."
The servant choked up for a moment, then turned to retrieve Zheng Yangzhi's outer boots and robe. Just as his hand touched the clothes rack, Zheng Yangzhi pressed, "Continue, what happened next?"
Just as the servant was about to speak, Zheng Yangzhi pressed on, "Where is my father now?"
The servant was suddenly thrown into disarray, unsure of what to answer first.
"Bring the robe over here." Zheng Yangzhi urged as he approached the attendant, snatched the robe and boots from him, and said, "I'll wear it myself, you can tell me what to do."
Upon hearing this, the servant quickly reorganized his thoughts, recounting the Empress Dowager's humiliation in the West Palace, the Emperor's massacre on a rainy night, and the execution of the entire Jiang family. The servant couldn't help but tremble. He steadied his heart before opening his mouth to continue, but Zheng Yangzhi suddenly interrupted: "There's no need to say the rest. Just tell me where my father is? Is he still in the mansion?"
He quickly fastened his belt, and at that moment he felt no pain at all.
"Yes, the elder statesman is at the mountain platform."
Jianshan Terrace is a two-story platform in the Zheng family mansion. The back of the platform connects to the pavilion, and there is a spacious square in front of the platform, which is most suitable for gathering and taking stock of the family’s sons, disciples, and private servants.
Zheng Yangzhi was not surprised by this answer, but his heart sank even more as he reached out to push the door open.
Several other attendants were waiting outside the gate. Upon seeing this, they turned around and bowed. Zheng Yangzhi quickly descended the steps and ordered, "Pass down the order: no one is allowed to leave the manor without my permission, and no one is allowed to gather private slaves!"
Zheng Yangzhi avoided the winding, pebbly path, treading straight through the grass to reach Jianshan Terrace as quickly as possible. As Zheng Guolao's attendant was reciting the proclamation, Zheng Yangzhi, standing below the terrace, loudly interrupted, "Enough!"
On and off the stage, everyone turned to look at the source of the sound. Zheng Yangzhi, meeting the gazes of the crowd, hurriedly lifted his robe and stepped onto the high platform. Meeting the eyes of Zheng Guolao, he called out deeply, "Father."
He took a few steps closer and whispered in Zheng Guolao's ear, "Father, come with me." Then he walked towards the pavilion behind the stage, and Zheng Guolao followed.
Upon entering, Zheng Yangzhi said, "Before retiring from office, Father was always very astute in assessing the situation. He often taught me to be cautious and thoughtful, to be a wise man who knows when to seize opportunities, and to remain invincible. He also said that the art of closing doors lies in observing the struggle between the snipe and the clam before making a decision. How could you be so arbitrary and reckless now?"
"We only made our move when the game was almost over," Zheng Guolao's voice was even lower than Zheng Yangzhi's, and given his age, it sounded like it was coming from his throat. "Looking around, which other team is later than us?"
The mantis, cicada, and sparrow have all made their appearance.
“My father has been away from officialdom for many years and is unaware that things are not what they used to be. His Majesty still holds the imperial seal, but the Empress Dowager is already showing signs of decline.” Zheng Yangzhi paused. “It was my fault. I thought I should let my father enjoy his old age and did not inform him in time.”
Zheng Guolao shook his head: "It's something I myself didn't want to ask. If I ask, they all come to report to me. Where is your authority then? You should be the one in charge of this household. But His Majesty's actions this time have gone too far. He gave you a sword wound, left you on the ground, and made you walk around naked. How can I tolerate such a great humiliation?!"
Zheng Yangzhi raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly. It seemed that his father was also blaming the emperor for what Wang Yuying had done.
He kept his lips closed, offering no explanation.
Zheng Guolao whispered, "The Empress Dowager has already planned to bring back Emperor Taizong's ninth-generation descendant from Huai'an."
In the dim light, Zheng Yangzhi's profile was particularly somber. He absolutely could not let the Empress Dowager win: "Father said the game is coming to an end. Could you tell me whether the white or black pieces have the advantage on the board now?"
The Zheng family's intelligence network is efficient. The latest information Zheng Guolao knows is that the Empress Dowager's faction has retreated to Tonghua Temple, clearly indicating the Emperor's greater chance of victory and the Empress Dowager's lesser chance. However, it's rumored that His Majesty has also gone to Tonghua Temple. Is it possible that he could seize the opportunity to storm the palace, take a gamble, and usurp the throne?
If it succeeds, Zheng Guolao will naturally want to help his son ascend the throne, but the thought that he himself can also become the retired emperor and that generations before him can be posthumously honored as emperors fills him with excitement and longing.
Whether white or black, they are all just pieces; the Zheng family should be the ones wielding the pieces. Old Master Zheng stood in the shadows of the dark room and murmured, "Opportunity knocks but once."
Zheng Yangzhi turned and left the pavilion, loudly ordering, "Guards, where are His Majesty and the Empress Dowager currently fighting?"
"Reporting to the eldest young master, it is Tonghua Temple."
Not being in the palace, Zheng Yangzhi felt slightly relieved, but then asked, "Who are His Majesty's people?"
"The morning court session has not ended yet, and the officials have not been seen leaving the palace. Therefore, the fighting at Tonghua Temple is being waged by soldiers from the outskirts of the capital..." The scout paused, then continued, "His Majesty has also been present."
Zheng Yang's heart suddenly pounded, and he asked in a trembling voice, "Besides His Majesty, is there anyone else?"
"And some generals from the outskirts of the capital, oh, and the Jade Capital Wonderful Serenity Immortal Master!" She was the only woman, dressed in a Taoist robe and riding a white horse, making her particularly conspicuous.
Zheng Yangzhi immediately took out the patriarch's token, raised it high to call his troops: "You will all follow me to Tonghua Temple to protect the emperor!"
Zheng Guolao hurriedly walked out of the pavilion, raising his arm to stop him, but Zheng Yangzhi's deep gaze swept over Zheng Guolao: "Father, don't be confused anymore."
Old Master Zheng was puzzled. With everything in place and the east wind finally arriving, why would his son miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and abandon the Forbidden City for Tonghua Temple? He was also worried that his previous disrespect had angered the emperor, and that if the emperor became too powerful, he might face retribution. So he couldn't help but provoke Zheng Yangzhi with the words: "He has wronged and humiliated you like this, and you still want to protect him?"
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yangzhi did not stop walking, only lowered his eyelids: he knew his father's thoughts, and how could he not have thought about them himself?
The thought had crossed his mind more than three years ago, growing ever taller like wild grass, but at that time, she was not yet a significant figure in his heart.
But now... In the Yuqing Temple, during a night of indulgence, he talked at length with his wife who was treating his injuries in the west, finally expressing his feelings. He could no longer control his heart. Just imagining that because he chose to go to the palace and did not personally protect her, she died at Tonghua Temple, his heart was torn apart and he could not bear it at all.
Moreover, he knew in his heart that if he took the opportunity to seize the country, it would only make her more convinced that he was disloyal and unjust, and she would hate him even more.
"We must go protect her," Zheng Yangzhi replied to his father as he descended the mountain platform, his robe fluttering in the wind.
*
Xu Heng, who was chasing after them, naturally noticed that Jing Ye's eyes were glued to Wang Yuying.
"Giddy up!" He quickened the horse's pace.
The emperor's fine steed was far superior to any other horse; it caught up with Wang Yuying and Jing Ye at the corner and squeezed itself between them.
How could three horses ride side by side on a narrow path? Jing Ye was forced to fall behind, and Wang Yuying's horse also raised its head.
She glared at Xu Heng without any politeness: "What are you doing here?"
I want to curse him as a tyrant, he's just making things worse! Why didn't he stay in the palace? He shouldn't have let all his efforts go to waste!
Xu Heng lowered his eyes and said softly, "It's alright, let's finish this quickly."
There was a bend ahead, so he lifted his eyelids again to look at the road.
Wang Yuying glared at Xu Heng again, then ignored him completely.
The three were still some distance from Tonghua Temple when they saw that the temple was surrounded by soldiers from the outskirts of the capital, their banners fluttering. Jing Ye glanced at Wang Yuying, then at Xu Heng, setting aside his personal grievances in the face of the enemy: "Your Majesty, I've ordered the remaining brothers in the city to gather at Tonghua Temple!"
Xu Heng nodded, no longer harboring any selfish thoughts. How could the magnanimity of a dignified ruler be inferior to that of a commoner?
When the generals of the major camps learned that Jing Ye had been reinstated by the emperor, they were all very happy and paid their respects to the emperor and Jing Ye.
Behind the fortifications outside the temple gate, Jing Ye picked up a map of Tonghua Temple and asked Wang Yuying, "Yingniang, have you ever been to Tonghua Temple? Is this map correct?"
Wang Yuying glanced at the map. The city was expensive, and although there were many temples and Taoist monasteries, none were as large as the Yuqing Temple on Fuyou Mountain. The century-old Tonghua Temple only had a front and back courtyard, a main hall in the middle, and meditation rooms on the left and right.
She never visited Tonghua Temple, and later, when it became the Empress Dowager's exclusive place for quiet contemplation, she avoided it even more. Xu Heng himself went there to express his filial piety.
Wang Yuying glanced at Xu Heng and said, "His Majesty has been here."
With all the soldiers present, she still gave him some face and addressed him respectfully.
Jing Ye immediately handed the map to Xu Heng: "Your Majesty, please take a look."
Xu Heng took the map and glanced at it carefully. "This map only shows the general location. The layout of the hall and the meditation rooms may have been altered."
“Then be careful when you go in,” Wang Yuying added, “You must not let your guard down.”
"Try not to leave any survivors." Xu Heng replied quietly. Wang Yuying glanced at him immediately, and when their eyes met, she looked away again.
After the generals had made all the necessary arrangements, they used logs to break open the door. As soon as the door was exposed to light, arrows rained down from the inside out.
"Back off!"
Wang Yuying, Xu Heng, and Jing Ye spoke in unison.
"Shieldbearers, form ranks first!" Jing Ye commanded his troops from the outskirts of Beijing. "Pay attention to defense!"
The shield bearers entered the doorway in order, maintaining their formation and moving in perfect unison. Sure enough, another volley of arrows was fired from inside the temple.
"Take two steps back!" Jing Ye commanded skillfully.
The shield bearers retreated methodically, waiting for the arrow rain to stop before advancing again. After six or seven such rounds, the enemy should have run out of arrows, and the Beijing suburban army cautiously occupied the courtyard in front of Tonghua Temple.
Looking at the well-trained army, Xu Heng felt gratified. As for the relationship between the ruler and his subjects, he gave Jing Ye an approving look.
As planned, the troops from the outskirts of the capital split into two groups of five hundred soldiers each and flanked the rear courtyard from the left and right. In less than half an hour, a whistling arrow shot into the sky from behind the main hall, signaling that the rear courtyard had been breached.
Then two more sticks were placed, one on the left and one on the right, with a difference of less than half an incense stick's time between them.
"The meditation rooms on both sides are also damaged!"
A short while later, the junior officer reported: "Your Majesty, most of the bandits in the backyard and meditation room have been wiped out, and the rest have fled into the main hall. We have not seen the bandit leader."
Xu Heng opened his mouth and said, "Seal off the back door of the main hall. If any rebels escape, kill them without mercy."
Then he silently looked at Wang Yuying.
Jing Ye glanced at Wang Yuying, then looked at Xu Heng and asked, "Would you like some cigarettes?"
They would sometimes use smoke to force their opponents out, but this tactic was too cruel, and enemies who refused to surrender often suffocated to death.
Upon hearing this, Wang Yuying looked around Tonghua Temple again. The ancient temple, hundreds of years old, was covered with lush trees. Before even entering the hall, she saw a hundred Arhats carved on the eaves, some standing and some lying down, exquisitely crafted and incredibly detailed.
Her gaze then shifted to the two large bronze incense burners in front of the courtyard. Instead of incense sticks with rising, warm smoke, they were filled with cold, hard, and densely packed arrows.
This land of compassion and salvation is destined to become a place of slaughter.
"Then let's preserve a little of the craftsmanship from the previous dynasty," Wang Yuying murmured. "Or... maybe we shouldn't use tobacco?"
Jing Ye nodded, immediately dismissing the thought of being smoked. Xu Heng then spoke again: "Upon entering this main hall, there are Buddhist sutra paintings everywhere. The ground is open, so be careful of traps. After that, there is a narrow alley. In street fighting, I am no match for you generals, so please follow my command."
Upon hearing this, all the generals knelt down: "Your Majesty, we are willing to serve you with the utmost loyalty."
The shield bearers led the way, forming a line as they stepped onto the stone steps in front of the hall. Wang Yuying walked quietly behind them, but suddenly noticed that Xu Heng was even lighter than her, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of her to her left, seemingly trying to protect her.
Wang Yuying remained silent, pretending not to notice his little tricks.
As soon as the shield bearers entered the hall, sure enough, many sharp spikes suddenly rose from the ground.
"Watch out for the traps!" Jingye commanded. "Turn left to break through the spikes!"
Everyone is familiar with this left-turn trap; they know where the switch is and can turn it off in an instant. Throw another handful of arrows that the rebels shot earlier, and soon all the small arrows on both sides of the wall will shoot out, disabling the trap completely.
Seeing this, Wang Yuying was about to walk forward when Xu Heng and Jing Ye said in unison, "Wait!"
Jing Ye stepped forward quickly, checked the area, and finding no danger, nodded to Wang Yuying. Wang Yuying walked forward cautiously. Xu Heng said that the two sides were Buddhist sutra paintings, but he didn't say it was "Hell Transformation." The original intention of this painting was to educate people to lay down their butcher's knives and become Buddhas on the spot. However, because it was so lifelike and detailed in depicting the horrors of the eighteen levels of hell, it became the most terrifying Buddhist sutra painting. It is said that when it was first created a hundred years ago, it scared all the butchers in the world so much that they dared not kill any living beings. For a time, meat was scarce, and a pound of beef cost as much as an ounce of gold.
Wang Yuying wasn't afraid of these paintings and continued walking forward. Suddenly, the path narrowed, and the long, narrow corridor seemed endless. Standing on both sides were wooden Vajra warriors of Tantric Buddhism with blue faces and fangs, some with three heads and six arms, others with three eyes and four eyebrows. Each one was glaring and swinging its fists. Most importantly, each one was as big as a house, making the corridor seem even narrower.
It is magnificent yet terrifying. When people walk through the narrow passage in the middle, it feels as if they are being watched by two rows of evil spirits at all times.
When Wang Yuying first encountered it, she realized that she was instinctively afraid of such a huge creature that appeared suddenly at close range. Her spine went cold and her heart pounded. When she looked up again, she found that the heads of each of the giants were right above her, and she immediately felt dizzy.
She instinctively wanted to back out, but then she saw everyone moving forward, followed by soldiers. At this critical juncture, she absolutely could not back down and become a deserter.
So, suppressing his fear and dizziness, he followed the others inside.
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