Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 161

Chapter 161

The Emperor wanted Minister Liu to go to Hexi to serve as a Marshal and supervise the war.

To send an eighty-year-old man to the battlefield, to send a grand chancellor of two dynasties who was about to retire to the battlefield... how laughable!

Upon learning of this, the officials of the imperial court were incensed. That very night, high-ranking officials gathered at Minister Liu’s residence to protest the injustice on his behalf. Minister Liu, looking as withered as dead wood, leaned against the wall. He swept his gaze over them; in the flickering candlelight, he saw nothing but grief in the eyes of his peers.

It was a classic case of the fox mourning the death of the hare.

The Great Wei operated under a system of multiple chancellors; there should have been five. However, one had retired the previous year, and the vacancy remained unfilled. Now, the three remaining chancellors were gathered here. Seeing Minister Liu treated this way by the Emperor, they felt the cold biting deep into their own bones, far more keenly than the other officials.

The chancellors spoke of pleading for Minister Liu’s sake, suggesting they should knock on the palace gates that night and lead the officials to force the Emperor to rescind his order.

Minister Liu forced himself to perk up, his voice sharp as he cut through the sorrowful air in the room: "What is this weeping and wailing for? It is as ridiculous as the behavior of ignorant women and children. The Emperor’s word is final; how could it be taken back? As for me... what is there to fear about going to Hexi? I am like an old steed in a stable, yet I am still hale and hearty—it is just the right time for me to go to Hexi to personally oversee the battle! A chancellor personally arriving on the front lines, is this not a stabilizing pill for our Great Wei?"

"Why must you all howl like this?!"

Consequently, the civil and military officials suppressed their grief and managed to utter a few words of encouragement.

Only, before leaving, the other three chancellors murmured for all to hear: "Minister Liu, once you are gone, tell us... what are we to do?"

Minister Liu remained silent for a moment before answering in a slow voice: "The Emperor acts this way because he is incited by treacherous villains! Only by eliminating the corrupt eunuchs can we ensure the Emperor’s clarity of mind!"

The old officials had strange expressions, but they nodded.

Wei Shu was mixed among the crowd, having come to pay his respects to Minister Liu that evening along with the others. Compared to the sorrow of the other officials, Wei Shu’s emotions were far more stable; he did not even speak. He felt like duckweed being swept along by a great flood. The torrent was crashing down upon him, and he could no longer see what path lay ahead.

The Emperor wanted to negotiate for peace, but peace meant ceding Jiannan. How were the people of Jiannan to be resettled? Would it not mean abandoning them to the Southern Barbarians and letting hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, become slaves to a foreign power?

And to not negotiate was to oppose the Emperor, and to oppose powerful grand eunuchs like Liu Wenji who held the imperial court in the palm of their hands. The Emperor was the Emperor, after all; when he opened the floodgates of slaughter, would the entirety of the court be enough to satisfy him?

Wei Shu left the Liu residence with the other officials. When he looked back, he saw the dim study hidden behind an elm tree. The shade was thick, and the window cast the lonely, hunched shadow of the old man.

Minister Liu spoke of purging the eunuchs and clearing the Emperor's side... but were the problems of the Great Wei truly solvable just by clearing the Emperor's side?

Before he set out on his diplomatic mission, Second Brother had told him, "Just do good deeds, and do not ask about the future."

He did not ask about the future.

But what, then, were the "good deeds" now?

The next day, Minister Liu left the city to take up his post in Hexi. During the morning court session, the officials took leave of absence to see him off in a group.

Because of the open-minded nature of the Great Wei's culture, both the monarch and his officials rarely wore formal attire during normal court sessions. But on this day, the officials stretching out for ten miles to see Minister Liu off were all dressed in red and green, their official robes appearing solemn and imposing.

Their silence was a suppressive form of resistance that drew onlookers from the citizens of Chang'an. The people were moved, following the officials all the way out of the city to bid Minister Liu farewell.

When the Emperor heard of this, he was furious. He slumped on the dragon throne, gazing at the empty, vast hall, feeling dizzy and overcome with fear.

The Emperor regained his senses and immediately ordered Liu Wenji to chase after them!

The Emperor sent Liu Wenji to act as his proxy in seeing Minister Liu off, bestowing upon him the title of Grand Marshal and promising that he would never strip him of his chancellor’s rank. The Emperor feared the rebellion of his officials, so he had Liu Wenji express that the Emperor regretted his decision, but that a monarch's word could not be rescinded. The Emperor would wait in Chang'an for Minister Liu’s return and would keep a position open for him...

May the monarch and his subjects not lose heart!

The Emperor’s display caused the defiant officials to soften their stance slightly. After Minister Liu left, the officials lonely and scattered in groups returned to the city. Wei Shu stood in the crowd, hearing the clamor, and looked toward one spot.

He saw Duke Zhao accompanying Liu Wenji on horseback, while a small child, held by its wet nurse, was boldly singing a nursery rhyme about a "Great Traitor." The child was innocent and ignorant, but Liu Wenji’s face darkened. Duke Zhao flew into a rage: "Absurd! What are you singing? Someone, seize them and..."

He wanted to say throw them into prison, but then he saw Wei Shu looking at him. The young man’s eyes were like ice and snow; a chill ran down Duke Zhao’s spine as he thought of the entanglement between the other man and his own fifth daughter, the connection he himself had torn apart. Duke Zhao was even angrier, but he saw more officials looking toward him.

Duke Zhao’s palms sweated.

He mumbled: "Let this be the only time."

Riding on his horse, Liu Wenji watched on indifferently. Seeing Duke Zhao’s cowardice, he gave a mocking laugh, pulled the reins, and rode off.

Duke Zhao quickly spurred his horse to follow, wearing a flattering smile: "Do not be angry, Eunuch. It is just those ignorant commoners talking nonsense! I will have people investigate it today, and if I hear anyone singing such songs again, I will throw them into prison."

Liu Wenji retorted: "Can you block the mouths of the people? Can you block the hearts and minds of the masses?"

Duke Zhao was stunned.

Liu Wenji peered into the distance, where the palace was shrouded in thick, dark clouds. The road ahead was murky; he was trapped in a quagmire, with obstacles both forward and behind. Liu Wenji closed his eyes; the hand holding the reins trembled slightly, the veins on the back of his hand pulsing.

Liu Wenji muttered to himself: "I have been placed on a pyre..."

Returning to the imperial palace, Liu Wenji reported the day’s events to the Emperor. The Emperor’s expression was dark and unreadable. After being lost in thought for a while, he comforted Liu Wenji, saying indignantly: "Eunuch Liu is my pillar of support, like a second father to me! How could he be as those commoners say? I understand everything in my heart. You have been wronged, Eunuch."

Liu Wenji said he did not dare, his manner respectful but indifferent.

After the Emperor bestowed upon him many treasures and fine houses, his heart settled, and he spoke again of the peace negotiations.

The Emperor wanted to make peace, but the incident of sending Minister Liu to Hexi had taught him a lesson; for a moment, he did not dare to forcefully push the matter.

Liu Wenji thought of the look Wei Shu had given them today—mysteriously calm and cold, making one feel exceptionally uncomfortable. Those who were once on good terms with him had now all become political enemies, which made him feel disgusted whenever he thought of them.

Liu Wenji said: "For a matter like peace negotiations, why not send Wei Qilang, the Director of the Ministry of Rites? Although Wei Qilang usually doesn't talk much, he has excellent eloquence; otherwise, how could he have completed his diplomatic mission? He has dealt with those Hu people for many years and understands them best... it would be better to send Wei Qilang to negotiate!"

The Emperor’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he immediately ordered a summons. However, after some hesitation, fearing a repeat of the Minister Liu affair, he did not issue an official imperial decree. Instead, he sent a eunuch with his oral instruction to pay a visit to the Wei residence, ordering Wei Qilang to enter the palace to see him.

Wei Shu sat in the backyard of his residence, lost in thought. Sitting under the vines, he vaguely remembered those two days when Zhao Lingfei had borrowed a room in his home.

While he was in a trance, a palace eunuch arrived. The servants led the eunuch to see Wei Shu. The little eunuch spoke quite politely about the Emperor’s wishes, asking Wei Shu to enter the palace, accept the decree, and immediately depart for Jiannan to negotiate peace with the Southern Barbarians.

Wei Shu stared at the eunuch, falling into deep contemplation.

For a moment, his heart stirred; he wanted to go and negotiate, using the peace talks to stretch out the front line and stall for time. But he quickly dismissed his own idea. Once the peace negotiations began, aside from himself becoming a laughingstock, Jiannan would be unable to fight again—would that not truly fulfill the Emperor’s wishes?

Furthermore, the Emperor was sending the court officials out one by one. Once the officials who dared to resist the Emperor were all gone, would the imperial court not truly become a place where the Emperor could do whatever he pleased? Then, what was the meaning of Minister Liu going to Hexi?

Wei Shu lifted his head, his words clear and distinct: "Please tell His Majesty to forgive me. I cannot go to the palace, and I cannot go to Jiannan."

The eunuch’s eyelid twitched.

Cursing inwardly at how difficult this errand was, the eunuch still forced a smile: "This... it is difficult for this servant to report back. This is an imperial decree, how can you refuse, Director? There... there must be a reason."

Wei Shu: "Because I am severely ill, I cannot enter the palace. I am ashamed before His Majesty, and my heart is filled with fear, but truly, I cannot enter the palace."

The eunuch was bewildered: "Ill?"

Wei Shu said nothing. He drew the sword from his waist and casually sliced his own arm. The blade was sharp; it cut to the bone, drawing blood. The blood flowed in a steady stream, cascading down Wei Shu's wide, crimson official robes, which he had not yet changed out of. The color of the robes deepened as they were stained by the blood.

The blood dripped onto the young man's pale arm. Wei Shu lifted his head and looked at the eunuch.

The eunuch recoiled three steps, terrified that this fierce official might also give him a slice. The eunuch cried: "With such behavior, are you not afraid that His Majesty will punish you?!"

Wei Shu said coldly: "Then let him punish me. As a subject, one who dies for his lord... I have long understood this. May I ask, does His Majesty understand it?"

He trembled: "Mad... mad... s-so, Director Wei really is this critically ill. This servant understands... I will go and report this to His Majesty at once."

Back in the imperial palace, the embattled Emperor received another urgent command from Yan Shang regarding the military operations and concerns in Jiannan. When the Emperor thought about what would happen if Yan Shang found out his mentor had been demoted to Hexi, he felt even more panic.

Why were all the officials he encountered so unyielding?

It was five days later when Yan Shang learned what had happened in Chang'an.

When Mu Wanyao learned that Minister Liu had gone to Hexi, her first reaction was rage; she felt the Emperor was even more absurd than she had imagined. Subsequently, she thought of Yan Shang and, fearing he would be devastated, went to see him immediately.

Yan Shang was in his study practicing calligraphy.

Whenever his mind was troubled, he practiced large-character calligraphy to soothe his mood. Having done this for years, Yan Shang’s brushwork was vastly different from when Mu Wanyao had first met him.

Watching Yan Shang write from behind, Mu Wanyao remembered that his characters used to be neat, somber, and rigidly structured, truly lacking in artistic beauty. Today, however, his calligraphy was ancient and desolate, containing an implicit, unyielding strength.

Yan Shang turned back and said: "I already know about my teacher. I am just about to submit a petition, leading the scholars to defend my teacher and question His Majesty."

Mu Wanyao chuckled: "His Majesty is going to be driven to death by you and your teacher again. Aren't you afraid he’ll kill you?"

Yan Shang smiled: "The late Emperor had a decree that unless you or I commit treason, the current Emperor is not to harm either of us. If His Majesty had the guts to defy the late Emperor’s will, he wouldn't have this desire for peace negotiations today."

He closed his eyes: "I just want to force him, to compel him. I want him to both fear me and be unable to do without me. There is no logic in this world that says you can make the horse run while refusing to let it eat grass... As for the court officials, if he dared to kill them all, I would at least respect his courage."

Mu Wanyao: "Your teacher said before he left that only by clearing the side of the Emperor and removing the treacherous eunuchs can all of this be resolved."

Yan Shang: "Oh? How is it being spread in Chang'an?"

He had only read the letters regarding his teacher, and his heart had been filled with indignation, so he hadn't continued reading. Mu Wanyao, however, had read all the letters. She stood by the desk, counting on her fingers to tell Yan Shang about the hatred for the eunuchs, from the high officials in Chang'an down to the common people.

She said that the whole of Chang'an hated Liu Wenji to the bone.

Yan Shang was lost in thought.

Mu Wanyao glanced at him: "A look of sorrow in your eyes? What is the meaning of this? Why, are you feeling sorry for Liu Wenji? Do you sympathize with him?"

Yan Shang: "Don't you find it ridiculous? Even if Liu Wenji is guilty, the one with even greater guilt is clearly the Emperor himself. But as officials, even my teacher, no one dares to say it is the Emperor who is wrong; they only dare to say it is the treacherous eunuchs who are ruining the country. As if the world would be clear if only Liu Wenji were eliminated."

"But is the Emperor not the one with deeper sins? Liu Wenji informed him of the Southern Barbarians' conditions, but the one who did not hesitate to give away Jiannan was not Liu Wenji—it was the Emperor. Liu Wenji, as a grand eunuch, seems to wield power over the court, but everything he has is given by the Emperor; he has no solid foundation. Everything he does relies on the Emperor's trust in him. Once the Emperor wants to reclaim power... the power of a eunuch is the easiest to seize."

"The whole world says it is Liu Wenji who has blinded the Emperor's eyes, but in fact, is it not the Emperor who has also blinded Liu Wenji? Liu Wenji is where he is today because the Emperor pushed him up with his own hands. It was the Emperor who deliberately let Liu Wenji go to the forefront to block the spittle of the officials for him."

"Liu Wenji thinks he is using the Emperor to satisfy his swelling ambition, not knowing that the Emperor is also using him to eliminate people he dislikes and voices he does not want to hear. And one day... if there truly comes a day when the world is so dark that it cannot go on, the Emperor only needs to push Liu Wenji out to die, and the entire court will still return to support the Emperor."

"As long as one Liu Wenji is sent to die, the Emperor remains a good Emperor to the world."

Yan Shang spoke mockingly: "Yaoyao, a foolish monarch is nothing extraordinary, but a foolish monarch who knows what he is doing, yet remains utterly indifferent, only wanting to indulge in pleasure without a care for the lives of those behind him, is the most terrifying thing of all."

"When the Emperor was not yet the Emperor, when he was still the Prince of Jin, he still had the heart to handle affairs. But he endured the imperial throne for too many years, suppressed by the late Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin for too long... his psychology has become twisted; he is no longer normal."

"When the Emperor first became Emperor, he came to ask me about official business, asking me how to become an enlightened monarch. But later, he found me meddlesome, suspecting I wanted to manipulate him. He and Liu Wenji hit it off immediately, pretending they couldn't bear to part with me, yet they were itching for me to get out of Chang'an as soon as possible, so as not to stand in their way..."

"He has long since stopped wanting to be an enlightened monarch; he only wants to be an Emperor, an Emperor who only seeks enjoyment!"

Mu Wanyao stared at him, stunned.

She said: "Your way of thinking... no one dares to think like this."

Yan Shang lowered his eyes. He sat down and leaned against Mu Wanyao. He whispered: "I only dare to say this to you."

Mu Wanyao held him gently, letting his face rest against her chest. Watching him close his eyes in exhaustion in her embrace, her fingers brushed over his face, thinking how much weight he had lost in these days.

Her heart filled with pity for him. Like a mother comforting her young child, she said softly: "Don't worry about those things for now. Second Brother Yan, we are human, not gods. Problems must be solved one by one. For now... let’s look after the war in Jiannan first."

"Jiannan has been in a ceasefire for a month... it cannot be delayed any longer."

Yan Shang opened his eyes in her embrace.

He was exhausted, but he struggled to sit up and said: "I will write to the commander-in-chief in Jiannan and ask how things are going there..."

The situation in Jiannan was that there was no progress.

The commander-in-chief and Yan Shang, the Governor of Guangzhou, had been corresponding for months. At first, it was just a casual exchange between colleagues, but later, he came to regard Yan Shang as a confidant, pouring out his grievances.

The central government forbade fighting! And with Jiannan not fighting, they were forced to watch the arrogant Southern Barbarians crush them day after day!

The central government wouldn't send anyone to negotiate for peace, either, simply letting those few eunuchs boss everyone around in the military camp.

There was no grain and fodder left, no military pay could be issued, and the war could not be fought. And the central government still intended to surrender Jiannan... The commander-in-chief dared not step out of his tent; he did not know how to explain it to the soldiers under his command, nor how to explain it to the people of Jiannan.

How could he say the words: "The imperial court is abandoning you, letting you become slaves to another nation"?

Yan Shang wrote another letter, and the commander-in-chief replied again in agony: "Suchen, I am anxious day and night; I can no longer hold on..."

"Every day I am ashamed before my soldiers, ashamed before the people. But with no grain and no pay, what am I to do?"

"Suchen, I don't know how much longer I can hold on... Perhaps I will become a sinner throughout the ages, a sinner who lost Jiannan... But these are the Emperor’s oral instructions; how can you and I disobey?"

While the commander-in-chief was caught between a rock and a hard place, Yang Si, Zhao Lingfei, and Yan Xiaozhou climbed a ridge, watching the entirety of the county town being destroyed by enemy forces.

Zhao Lingfei and Yan Xiaozhou were accompanying Yang Si to climb the mountain to survey the terrain. Now that Jiannan was forbidden from fighting, the soldiers were all required to relocate the civilians, while Southern Barbarians were already walking freely into the border counties, burning, killing, and looting, with the soldiers ignoring it all.

With the wind blowing their robes, the three stood on the small ridge, silently watching what seemed to be another conflict occurring below.

It was a team of Southern Barbarians grabbing the people's grain. The civilians screamed and refused to give it up, only to be whipped. Jiannan soldiers passed by, bowing their heads, not daring to intervene. The noise below was massive, yet by the time it reached the ridge, there was only the sound of the wind.

A resounding, endless sound of wind.

Yan Xiaozhou gazed at the civilians, who looked like ants below, lost in thought. Zhao Lingfei also watched quietly, slowly averting her gaze. Yang Si did not look at those things; he merely scanned them and then turned to look at the entire terrain.

After a long time, Zhao Lingfei asked: "Cousin, have you finished looking?"

Yang Si: "Hmm."

He traced a line in the air with his finger and said: "The imperial court won't let the soldiers fight, but I am not a soldier. People like us are just laborers; we don't count as soldiers. I have convinced everyone that tonight at midnight, we will launch a surprise attack on the Southern Barbarian camp, take back everything they stole, and if we can't take it back, we'll burn it!"

"We will leave nothing for them!"

Yan Xiaozhou said anxiously from the side: "I’m only afraid they will trace it back to Third Brother..."

Zhao Lingfei said coldly: "I will take the responsibility for my cousin! My father is the Minister of War; let's see who here dares to touch the daughter of the Minister of War!"

Yang Si and Yan Xiaozhou said nothing.

Zhao Lingfei turned to look at them. Seeing the two standing shoulder to shoulder, she felt she was about to be swallowed by shame, feeling completely out of place here. Was the suffering in Jiannan not all caused by Liu Wenji? Was it not all because her father was helping the tyrant?

She was ashamed to mention her own father!

But at such a time, she had to use her identity to help her cousin...

Zhao Lingfei’s heart stung. Yan Xiaozhou was being held by the shoulder by Yang Si as they walked down the mountain. The two walked halfway before turning back to wait for her.

Yan Xiaozhou said softly: "Sister Lingfei, why aren't you coming? It’s getting dark; let's get down the mountain quickly. I made porridge for everyone today; it's very delicious. Sister Lingfei, don't miss out."

Zhao Lingfei looked over. Yan Xiaozhou’s gaze was gentle, without hostility toward her. She looked at Yang Si, who hooked a finger at her with a wry smile, impatient: "Aren't you coming over yet? You’re so mother-hen like."

Zhao Lingfei burst into laughter, caught up with the two, and followed them down the mountain. Her eyes were fixed on their backs; the man was towering, the young lady slender, and they were the best people in the world... Zhao Lingfei raised her eyes, gazing at the sky.

To protect these best people, she would become an enemy of her own father—

Yang Si led people to raid the enemy camp that night and successfully snatched back several carts of grain. Before dawn, that grain was thrown outside the doors of the households that had been robbed. When day broke, the people in the city were filled with joy.

The military camp, however, was in a tense atmosphere, investigating who could be so bold. The eunuchs and the Southern Barbarians came together to interrogate the commander-in-chief, who said he did not know. The eunuchs insisted that the commander-in-chief hand over the culprit, and, having no choice, the commander had to search the entire camp to find out who had dared to do such a thing.

In the end, they found it was Yang Si.

At this moment, Zhao Lingfei jumped out, saying she was the daughter of the Minister of War; let anyone dare to touch Yang Si in front of her!

The eunuch smiled faintly: "So you are Zhao Wuniang. Your father already gave us instructions: see Zhao Wuniang, and bind Zhao Wuniang back to Chang'an. The matters of Jiannan are not for you to meddle in, Wuniang!"

They bound Yang Si tightly. Zhao Lingfei and Yang Si fought with them in the camp. Both were skilled in martial arts, and it took a great effort for the camp to take them both down. But when the eunuchs wanted to take them away, the commander-in-chief intervened, saying he wanted to interrogate them first.

Thus, only Zhao Wuniang was taken away, albeit reluctantly. But Zhao Lingfei had already prepared herself; these eunuchs dared not harm her, and Yan Xiaozhou would use her status as a physician to poison their food and rescue her. Once they were out, they would save her cousin together.

She didn't know what the future would hold, only that they could not submit.

In the camp, the commander-in-chief looked at Yang Silang, who was bound and kneeling on the ground. After the arrogant eunuchs left, the commander-in-chief loosened Yang Si’s bonds and told the young man to stand up. The commander-in-chief examined him: "Third Brother, you have won every time you have fought. Could you tell me, if you were the commander-in-chief today, how would you fight this battle?"

Yang Si looked at him in surprise.

The commander-in-chief’s face was covered in stubble, looking utterly haggard. On the commander’s desk lay piles of letters. Yang Si had excellent eyesight, and with a single glance, he saw a familiar name.

Yan Shang.

Yang Si felt suspicious, and just as he was about to guess the relationship between Yan Shang and the commander, the commander noticed his gaze and covered the letter with another one. The commander smiled and explained: "Yan Suchen and I are good friends. Over these past few months, we have discussed much regarding the war in Jiannan. The times I used you were also on Suchen's recommendation."

"I had originally wanted to discuss with Suchen how to fight this battle, but Suchen said asking him was not as good as asking you. I have always been curious about what kind of person a military genius praised so highly by someone like Yan Suchen would be. Unfortunately, because you are charged with treason, I cannot talk to you too much."

"Tonight happens to be an opportunity. Why not speak your mind and tell me: if you were me, how would you fight?"

Yang Si countered: "Does the General often discuss the war with Second Brother Yan?"

There was a glimmer of light in his eyes as he asked: "Does Second Brother Yan know about the current situation in Jiannan? He has always been quite good at politics; has he said how to resolve this Jiannan predicament? We can't just keep not fighting, can we?"

The commander-in-chief did not want to say too much about his correspondence with Yan Shang, only stating: "We were just talking about recent official appointments; it has nothing to do with you. You should stick to what you are good at."

Yang Si was calm for a moment. After thinking it over, he felt that anyone trusted by Yan Shang was someone he could trust. Thus, he sat cross-legged and spoke freely, explaining how he would fight the war if it were up to him.

When Yang Si spoke of war, his spirit soared, and his eyes shone with a brightness that was quite different from his usual composed demeanor... The commander-in-chief watched him, feeling slightly dazed and quite moved. Was this the spirit of the Yang Si of the past that Yan Shang had spoken of?

They were all old now.

It was time to give way to young men like Yan Shang and Yang Si—

Regardless of what Yang Si and the commander-in-chief had said, Yang Si was still thrown into prison by those eunuchs, who claimed they would kill him to give an explanation to the Southern Barbarians.

Yang Si, imprisoned, naturally did not know that the night after he spoke with the commander-in-chief, the commander had committed suicide by the sword.

Before he died, he left no words; he made no defense for himself.

He would neither withdraw his troops nor dare to defy the Emperor’s decree. Caught in the agony of being unable to move forward or retreat, he could only die to repent for his sins.

The entire camp was grief-stricken. Soldiers surrounded the eunuchs' tents, so terrified the eunuchs dared not step out. Afterward, soldiers who had long been turned by the eunuchs caused trouble from within, pacifying the chaos in the camp. In such a dire situation, there had to be a new matter to divert everyone’s attention; one could not let everyone keep staring at the commander’s death.

The method the eunuchs came up with was to kill Yang Si.

Kill Yang Si to appease the anger of the Southern Barbarians. Yang Si didn't even count as a soldier—if he died, these soldiers probably wouldn't care, right?

Yet the atmosphere in the camp remained oppressive; the soldiers were all suppressing their rage.

At daybreak, Zhao Lingfei was mixed among the soldiers, watching her cousin being dragged onto the platform, bound. Her fists were clenched, and she was filled with immense hatred and anger. She swore she would rush up to save her cousin; Han Shuxing, who was with Sister Xiaozhou, would come to support them... to rescue her cousin from here!

Who dared to kill her cousin!

Not even her father could!

Yang Si was expressionless, refusing to kneel. The wind whistled, and the eunuchs looked mockingly at this man who refused to kneel, the executioner striking the other man’s legs, wielding a whip... none of it could make Yang Si kneel.

Yang Si was disdainful, not even looking at them.

Having spent too much effort trying to make Yang Si kneel, the eunuchs had made fools of themselves. The soldiers serving as officials below had already revealed mocking expressions, and the eunuchs were furious with shame, feeling that the longer this dragged on, the more they looked like a joke.

The eunuch shouted: "Execute him!"

"Execute him—"

The burly executioner held a long sword, his muscles tensed. His blade moved toward the young man before him, but then a sharp whistling sound cut through the air—

The crowd was in an uproar!

A long black arrow traveled from afar, passing over the heads of the crowd, shooting straight toward the burly executioner. The arrow did not hesitate, burying itself directly into the executioner’s throat. Blood splattered everywhere; before the executioner could even feel the pain, his eyes bulged wide, and he collapsed with a crash, dying with his eyes wide open.

Yang Si was stunned.

All the soldiers in the arena were stunned.

Zhao Lingfei, who was hiding among the soldiers and planning to save him, was stunned.

Everyone turned back at the same time—

Clad in white robes with a jade crown, a young man held a long crossbow, his sleeves flying, standing at the camp gate behind the crowd.

His presence was extraordinary, like a jade statue walking among the mortal world.

The eunuch following behind the young man was sweating profusely, his face pale, shouting at everyone in the field: "What are you standing there for? Why aren't you paying respects to the Grand Marshal of the World’s Armies? This is our new commander, appointed by the Emperor as the Grand Marshal of the World’s Armies and concurrently the Commander-in-Chief of the Jiannan Expeditionary Forces... Why aren't you bowing yet?!"

Yan Shang smiled and retracted the crossbow in his hand.

He stood at the camp entrance, stood in the wind, smiling as he looked at Yang Si on the platform, smiling as he looked at everyone in the camp.

He said slowly: "It is a pleasure to meet you all for the first time."

He did not throw down the crossbow in his hand, looking at those dumbfounded eunuchs on the platform with a gentle smile: "That heavy arrow was not aimed with intent; everyone, be careful."