Looking at the Sword by Lamplight (Twenty-One)
Xuanxiangzhou Xiying.
The traces of the Western Border Army's recent wanderings through Chunxiang Island had yet to be completely cleared. The camp lay scorched earth, broken arrows and muskets haphazardly gathered in a corner. The city's defenders, once well-trained under Fang Duan, joined forces with other islands dispatched for unknown reasons, and the barbarian soldiers the Wen brothers and sisters had hidden in the mountains for a decade. Mixed in with them were several trained soldiers from officials' families, and untrained recruits from the common people... In short, it was a mixed bag, a truly chaotic scene.
Bian Hongqiu, Meng Shizhuang and Hengbo sneaked in effortlessly.
Hengbo seldom acted alone with Bian Hongqiu. The habits left by Song Jingyan were deeply ingrained in her. So when she was still hesitating and waiting, wanting Bian Hongqiu to be more cautious and find out the defenses in the camp, Meng Shizhuang casually put helmets on herself and Bian Hongqiu's heads, and directly climbed over the fence on the side of the forest and swaggered into the west camp.
The wild soldiers sat cross-legged in a circle and shouted at each other while playing mahjong, without even raising their heads, allowing the enemy spies to enter the tent smoothly.
Bian Hongqiu found the gunpowder cache after two laps. Standing before the gunpowder camp with his men, he asked Hengbo, "Did I misread the wind? Why is this gunpowder camp so remarkably located downwind?" There wasn't even a single guard. He rubbed his chin, pondering. Was this an empty city plan or a covert attack?
Meng Shizhuang, who was beside him, took a few steps forward and used his sword to pry open the tent door.
The less than half-full warehouse of gunpowder was fully exposed.
Bian Hongqiu frowned: "Is this all that's left?"
According to Li Yan's inquiries, gunpowder was secretly produced in every mountain within the Eighteen Continents of Zuodan that could harbor soldiers for training. Emperor Xue had blocked one-way trade with the Western Border for over a decade, and Bian Hongqiu had been making subtle probing attempts every three to five days in Kailanzhou. Not only had he exhausted the King of Jingxi's ammunition and food supplies, but before Yan He led his troops into Chunxiang Continent, he had never imagined that the King of Jingxi would possess such a large reserve of gunpowder.
Bian Hongqiu pondered for a moment: "This isn't good. I'm afraid that by the time Concubine Wen and Madam Li have their showdown, all the gunpowder will have been buried."
It seems that even if Concubine Wen trusted Madam Li, she would not force Li Yan to do it for her unless she had no one else to use.
No wonder Li Yan and Bian Hongqiu had such an intriguing smile on their faces when they talked about Concubine Wen's plan to use explosives to blast a way out for King Jingxi: "I never knew that I was such a decent person in the eyes of Concubine Wen." Although using living people to clear a way out is a bit crazy, the entire Eighteen Continents are, to put it bluntly, a group of desperate people on the same rope.
Is it really because of King Jingxi's words "your aunt is a kind-hearted person" that you are so cautious?
If that’s the case, why bother starting this?
The more Bian Hongqiu thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.
Concubine Wen's excuse to Li Yan was that she knew the city was already swarming with imperial forces, and she asked Li Yan's men to cover for her. However, judging by the West Camp's gunpowder reserves, Concubine Wen's mission was likely nearly complete, so why bother contacting Li Yan?
"Hengbo, send a message to Madam Li, telling her and her people to evacuate immediately... No, wait..."
Bian Hongqiu's gaze fell on the chaotic clump of soldiers huddled together in the West Camp. The formally trained men stood out from the crowd, their lifeless demeanor etched in a circle. This was no act. If Concubine Wen wasn't suspicious of Li Yan's collusion and using him as a lure, then the King of Jingxi was desperately trying to abandon the city and flee, and quickly. Otherwise, why was Concubine Wen so anxious to conscript men?
Hengbo hadn't heard Bian Hongqiu's voice for a while, so he asked him, "Your Highness, are you still going to bomb the West Camp?"
"It's going to explode!"
Bian Hongqiu made a quick decision: "Explode now. Send a signal arrow to my sister right away—set off twelve. Let's have the people at the other gunpowder caches on Chunxiang Island do the same."
The soldiers of the West Camp were so disorganized that the gunpowder lay like garbage in the camp. Concubine Wen must have had no intention of even making backup plans. She ordered Li Yan to do it immediately, and then invited him to the palace the next day to continue making incense for her. This meant Li Yan had to complete the task within a day. It would be too late to deal with the already buried gunpowder at this point; she had to act preemptively.
Although Hengbo didn't understand the obvious intent of this action to alert the enemy, she didn't question it. She simply pulled all her signal arrows from her sleeves and blasted them into the air like firecrackers. In broad daylight, these twelve "sky rockets" echoed through the West Camp for a quarter of an hour. The lifeless regular army and the barbarian army were still sharing the credit for capturing the spy, while the servants and guards, who had been brought in to make up the numbers, huddled in a corner like quails.
Then, without warning, the gunpowder chamber inside the camp erupted with a resounding explosion, shaking the entire West Camp three times. Sand and gravel, scorching hot, flew everywhere. Fortunately, the explosives were in sufficient quantity, and by the time the fire reached the fence, it hadn't yet reached any blade of grass or tree in the western suburbs.
Dust and fire were swirling around, and the regular army's brains, which had been numbed by the things happening in the city for many days, finally began to work. They shook off the barbarian army that was still making trouble, and were the first to take up their spears and jump on their horses. Before they could form a team, three men on horses rushed out from the thick smoke of the burning fire not far away. The middle man held a rusty Mo Dao that had not been used for a long time in the West Camp, and wielded it with great power.
These three men were skilled in riding horses, and the people on both sides easily protected the one holding the Mo Dao.
The soldiers in the West Camp thought they were facing an army of thousands, and immediately wanted to flee in panic, not caring whether the horses and swords were their own. Their own men were in chaos, and the inexperienced servants and guards were trampled to death. The panicked cavalry watched helplessly as the Mo Dao rushed towards their horses.
Bian Hongqiu had fought on the battlefield for ten years, believing he had long since transcended his frail, useless self. However, with certain weapons, he had indeed overestimated himself. With his Mo Dao in hand, he struck, slicing only halfway through the horse's neck before it could no longer push forward. The warhorse neighed in pain, and the soldier atop it scrambled frantically to scramble.
He thought to himself that he was going to be in trouble, "Hengbo!"
Then he let go and climbed onto Meng Shizhuang's horse, holding Meng Shizhuang's waist.
When Hengbo heard his call, he abandoned his horse and jumped up following his movement. He took over the Mo Dao that was still embedded in the horse's neck and pushed it forward. In the blink of an eye, the Mo Dao not only ended the warhorse's pain, but also cut off the cavalryman's waist. Blood and intestines dripped all over the ground.
The soldiers in the camp were terrified by this brutal method and screamed: "It's an archer! It's the archer under the command of Prince Liang! Someone from Prince Liang's palace has sneaked into the city!"
Undeterred, he aimed for Hengbo's vulnerable, unprotected ribs and struck out with his sword, only to be intercepted by Bian Hongqiu using the sword at Meng Shizhuang's waist, piercing both men's necks. Hengbo seized the opportunity to fling away his useful but inconvenient sword and escape unscathed, following Bian Hongqiu and the other man on their shared horse.
Bian Hongqiu regained some dignity and leaned on Meng Shizhuang's shoulder: "...Killing people like this is too bloody, so I rarely practice it."
Meng Shizhuang gently pulled the rope, and the warhorse leaped out of the west camp.
"Yes, from now on, you can ask the Prince of Liang's Mansion to send out a team of people to hold flowers. Every time Your Highness Prince of Liang kills someone, they will sprinkle a basket of flowers on that person. It will be absolutely beautiful beyond compare."
Hengbo, who was following behind, pursed his lips and suppressed his laughter in his throat.
Bian Hongqiu had nothing to say, so she could only rub her chin back and forth on Meng Shizhuang's shoulder.
Meng Shizhuang: “…”
As he rode his horse in the direction pointed by Bian Hongqiu, he was so annoyed that he changed his words: "Well, well, you are so beautiful, you don't need any embellishment and no one can compare to you."
Bian Hongqiu was satisfied and continued to instruct Hengbo on the important matter: "Send a message to Xi Zhongting. I want to see him."
The three horses were like wandering dragons, their tails invisible. By the time the panicked soldiers in the West Camp, disoriented, finally calmed down, they decided to split into two groups: one to report to the palace, the other to chase the long-lost spy. Before they could even count the troops, the three horses that had been tricked out had slipped back, their legs twitching, and were happily circling around as they waited for dinner.
Chunxiangzhou was like the day the Western Border Army's cavalry had trampled through it, with thunderous cries rumbling across the sky and in broad daylight. No need to send men into the palace from the various gunpowder stores; the ground shook. Wen Chaohua, quick to predict the coming of autumn, didn't even bother to change her clothes or jewelry, but hurriedly ran into the Western King's chambers, her skirt hoisted.
King Jingxi was still muttering to himself in front of Concubine Hui's portrait. The three incense sticks in front of the portrait were newly lit.
Wen Chaohua's dress swayed, and her shoes slipped off, with the female officials frantically chasing after her. Tears welled in her eyes, she pushed open the palace door and stumbled to the feet of King Jingxi. King Jingxi grasped her pale, cold hand and pulled her to her feet. He was no longer young, and his addiction to elixirs wasn't for immortality or celestial enlightenment, so he never questioned the fact that his health was deteriorating.
Unable to pull Wen Chaohua up from the ground, he gazed down at his beautiful young concubine from above. He watched her silently for a long time, watching her swallow the nostalgia on her face and the sob in her throat, then slowly reach out and wipe away the tears from her face. He didn't sigh, nor did he despair. He took the time to look at Concubine Hui's portrait, and he actually felt a sense of joy that a long-cherished wish was about to be fulfilled.
Wen Chaohua looked up at him in fascination, knowing that every time he looked at him, he would see him less.
Even with her childhood sweetheart, Fang Duan, she had never loved anyone as much as she had fallen for the King of Jingxi. She pressed her hand against the King of Jingxi's, which held her face, and could barely articulate, "...Your Highness, the King of Liang's men have infiltrated the city... You must leave tonight. If you don't, I'll be left with nothing."
She knew the King of Jingxi was in dire straits. Besides Li Yan, she had summoned dozens of men to help her plant gunpowder in the city. The King of Liang, with his long-standing grudge against the imperial court, disregarded the dignity of Emperor Xue and, even if news of the imperial seal leaked out, he would have no qualms about entering Chunxiangzhou. She could threaten Xi Zhongting with the imperial seal, but she had no way to deal with the King of Liang.
The two fire lions on Huangque Island failed to injure or maim Prince Liang, but instead caught him off guard. Now all the remaining gunpowder in the city had been burned. If it had been any later, Prince Liang would have dug up all the gunpowder buried in the ground. By then, with all the deception removed, how would the prince escape?
Wen Chaohua's tears flowed endlessly. She ignored the lingering look the King of Jingxi gave her aunt's portrait and poured out her heartfelt feelings: "Your Highness, the greatest blessing of my life is to marry you. If there is an afterlife, I only dare to ask to be the blue bird that carries messages between you and my aunt. Your Highness will surely grant your wish this time."
After saying that, she bent down and prostrated herself on the ground.
She felt the King of Jingxi's generous hand fall on the back of her head and sighed apologetically, "Chaohua, thank you for your hard work over the years."
He stared at the portrait intently and only gave Wen Chaohua an almost perfunctory thank you.
Wen Chaohua contentedly took his hand and slowly stood up. She didn't dare go forward to hug her husband. Watching him grow from a handsome and elegant middle-aged man to the still handsome and mature old age, she resolutely believed that her love for him had not changed.
The horn that resounds throughout the Eighteen Continents of Zuodan has arrived.
Bian Hongqiu ordered Hengbo to fire twelve signal arrows, which were answered. Yanhe regrouped, and the orderly roar of the Western Border cavalry descended in a rhythmic pattern. In a city outside Chunxiangzhou, Song Jingyan grabbed Cui Yue, who was still trying to impress people with his righteousness, and pressed two steel knives to the neck of the official who still wanted to negotiate.
Cui Yue, who had been enduring for more than half a day, still wanted to stop her and save the people of several continents without bloodshed. Song Jingyan looked at the sky with a gloomy and cold gaze, where only white smoke remained: "It's too late." If the signal arrows could not transmit for too long, she would send out as many as she wanted as a signal. Twelve signal arrows had only one word: urgent.
The fastest carrier pigeon only takes one hour to deliver a message between adjacent cities.
As soon as Bian Hongqiu released the carrier pigeon, twelve signal arrows came - they didn't have time to say a word.
Song Jingyan: "It's too late to remove these gunpowder."
Cui Yue was shocked: "You want to..."
Song Jingyan looked back at the officials who were shrinking their necks, ordered them to search for their official seals, and raised the provincial flag: "Evacuate all the people and detonate them one by one. Go to the provincial capital to get the household registration books and count everyone one by one."
Cui Yue, who had received the news in advance and even worked on it for half a day, was puzzled. "This... ordinary people can't move their property in a short time. How can ordinary people afford it..."
Song Jingyan: "Life is important, Lord Cui. The Eighteen Continents of Zuodan will soon fall into Your Majesty's hands. I believe Your Majesty can relieve the suffering of the people."
Choked by her flattery, Cui Yue shut up. But considering the explosives placement map sent from Chunxiangzhou, even if the city officials offered their full support without any obstruction, the sheer volume wouldn't be enough to dismantle in a day or two. He sighed, looking at the still-tidy streets and alleys of houses, feeling a pang of regret. Before he could exchange a few words with Song Jingyan, she had the surrounding guards push him into a cart. Meanwhile, nearly a hundred Western Border troops galloped off, rushing to deliver a message to the cities that had only sent small generals to deal with the explosives.
Cui Yue was pushed into the car, looking back at Song Jingyan frequently.
He was a descendant of the Cui clan, a family of noble descent. Even when Emperor Xue, the ruler of Dayu, fell into poverty, the Cui clan still held onto some unspoken wealth. Among the officials abducted and taken to Licheng by the King of Jingxi were seven of his grandfather's uncles. After being rescued by His Majesty, seeing the precarious situation facing Dayu, they placed their lives and property in His Majesty's hands, out of loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness.
What puzzled him most was the women of the Cui family who, after the Forty-Nine Immortal Palaces were demolished, were sent from the palaces, publicly declared "dead." Even his grandfather treated some of them with courtesy, personally visiting them at the separate courtyards during the holidays. He questioned his grandfather, who replied, "Your Majesty trusts the Cui family and is not concerned about us forming a clique for personal gain."
What kind of "party" is this "dead person" sent from the Forty-Nine Immortal Palaces?
Even if he could be resurrected, the female official system had been abolished. He always felt that his grandfather's words were unreasonable.
Now looking at Song Jingyan, the fog that had shrouded his heart for many years suddenly dissipated.
Dayu had been in turmoil for decades. Besides the rebellious King Jingxi, the most significant issue was Emperor Ling's decree on taxation to fund the construction of the Forty-Nine Immortal Palaces. Even if the palaces housed actual immortals, they were still "golden bodies" forged from the bones and blood and sweat of the common people. Emperor Ling's single-minded promotion of the system of female officials was entirely due to his dictatorial will and the imperial seal that imputed the crime to himself and Lord Puyang...
In times of turmoil, even if the Forty-Nine Immortal Palaces' push is like throwing a banknote into a furnace, it must be pushed forward.
Aren't most people in this world just interested in hearing something for its own good, regardless of whether it's beneficial or not?
This sound can help Your Majesty stabilize the turbulent kingdom, so we must do it no matter how much loss it causes.
Cui Yue withdrew his gaze.
He had a premonition that when His Majesty passed away and the new emperor ascended the throne, all the absurd decrees issued during the Shengyuan era would be overturned—just like the inexplicably introduced and then abolished system of female officials. Emperor Ling was a tyrant, His Majesty was a cowardly and mediocre ruler, and then this Crown Prince, who was still the regent, would surely live on in the hopes of everyone.
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