Chapter 163 Chaos in the City.

Chapter 163: Chaos in a Fallen Capital.

"Yan Yan, are you crying?" Tuo Baxiao covered the distance in a few quick steps, lowering his head to gaze at her with concern. His entire body tensed.

Jiang Congyan was still somewhat lost in her thoughts. Hearing his words, she froze for a moment—had she been crying?

She raised her hand to touch her cheek and indeed felt a faint, cold dampness.

"Perhaps it's just the wind blowing too hard," she said, forcing a slight curve of her lips.

"No, something's troubling you," Tuo Baxiao bluntly dismissed her flimsy excuse.

Standing alone on the city wall, her whole body radiating sorrow—how could that be just the wind?

"Tell me. Don't make me worry, hmm?" He softened his voice, coaxing her with a mix of firmness and gentleness.

Jiang Congyan knew how stubborn the man could be. If she didn't speak, he would never let it go. After a moment's hesitation, she finally lifted her head to meet his gaze and said deliberately, word by word, "Tuo Baxiao, I've broken all ties with the Liang State."

Her eyes were shattered, her cheeks gaunt and pale, her voice trembling with suppressed sobs. It pained Tuo Baxiao to see her like this—yet beneath that pain, an uncontrollable rush of joy rose within him. This was precisely what he'd wanted: for her to cut all ties with Liang State. Moreover, this time, she had stood by his side. Between Liang and him, she had chosen him. The thought thrilled him beyond measure. Fortunately, he retained enough sense not to show it in front of her.

Barely containing his excitement, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, careful to avoid the wound on her arm, and pulled her tightly against his chest. "It was the people of Liang who betrayed and used you first. They brought this on themselves. You did nothing wrong, and they don’t deserve your grief. You still have me. I’ll always treat you well—I’d never do such things to you."

He practically crooned the words.

Tuo Baxiao admitted that his behavior now was downright underhanded—taking advantage of her vulnerability to solidify his place in her heart. But if it meant claiming every part of her mind, then so be it.

Jiang Congyan leaned quietly against his chest. She knew exactly what he was after. And truthfully, from the moment she made her decision, there had been no turning back. Now, she could only move forward.

After a long silence, she spoke again. "Tuo Baxiao, let's stop here for this year, alright?"

The man paused briefly before answering, "Alright."

Jiang Congyan closed her eyes.

Now that the Xiongnu forces had retreated and Liang had lost over a hundred thousand troops, the Xianbei stood unchallenged, their morale high and their fury toward Liang blazing hot. If they pressed their advantage, crushing Liang entirely was not impossible. Beyond Guyuan, the Xianbei army could also march south via Yanmen Pass to Jinyang, advancing unimpeded.

That was their advantage. Of course, there were also disadvantages—chief among them, the weather.

It was now late September, and the cold was so severe that water froze instantly, harsher than the depths of winter in previous years. Frostbite had claimed many soldiers' extremities, horses froze to death, and transporting supplies had become exceedingly difficult. This extreme cold would likely persist for another three to four months—far from an ideal time for military campaigns.

Of course, were Tuo Baxiao determined to wage war, none of these obstacles would stop him.

Jiang Congyan thought to herself that Liang might ultimately fall—but it shouldn’t be by his hand.

The hatred of a fallen nation, the divide between Han and Hu—if he were the one to destroy Liang, the ensuing ethnic conflicts would be enough to destabilize his rule, perhaps plunging the land into another era of chaos.

She didn’t elaborate on these thoughts. Whether Tuo Baxiao understood or simply chose to compromise for her sake, he agreed.

The wind howled louder. Tuo Baxiao clasped her hands, but her fingers stayed ice-cold.

"It's freezing out here. Let me take you back."

"Mm."

Jiang Congyan withdrew from his embrace. Without his warmth, the bitter wind set her trembling. After taking just one step, her frozen feet protested, and she regretted coming up to the wall in such weather.

"I'll carry you back," Tuo Baxiao offered.

Jiang Congyan shook her head. "Not here—too many eyes watching," she murmured quietly.

Tuo Baxiao knew she was shy, especially in front of outsiders. Just as he was about to give up, he heard her speak again.

"Give me a ride on your back."

Tuo Baxiao was surprised at first, but when he saw her gazing at him with shimmering eyes, his heart softened like warm wax, overflowing with tenderness. He immediately crouched down in front of her.

Jiang Congyan looked at the man’s broad shoulders and back, then gently leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Tuo Baxiao supported her legs with his hands and effortlessly stood up, as if she were weightless.

Of course, with his immense strength, Jiang Congyan’s weight was indeed no more than that of a child to him.

He carried her down the city wall and walked all the way back to the governor’s residence. Naturally, people along the way saw them, but no one batted an eye—only that the king and Khatun were deeply in love.

At first, the Xianbei soldiers had bristled that their king had abandoned the city for the Khatun. But after the sudden reversal—Jiang Congyan personally killing the Liang general and opening the gates to let the Xianbei Army in—their resentment turned to respect, and the couple’s affection became widely praised.

Jiang Congyan pressed her face against the man’s neck, feeling his warmth seep into her. Her turmoil eased, and she slowly closed her eyes.

Back in the courtyard, after warming herself by the fire, Jiang Congyan had A Fei bring someone in.

They had originally been in Tongyin but arrived in Guyuan the day before.

Now, Tong was brought into the main hall, kneeling.

Jiang Congyan looked at her. "You’re the one who told Zhao Bian about me, aren’t you?"

Hearing this, Tong trembled, her face drained of color as if frozen in terror. She couldn’t even muster a denial.

"Did I treat you poorly? Why did you still choose to betray me?" Jiang Congyan’s tone was calm, devoid of anger despite the accusation.

Tong lowered her head, tears falling in large drops. "The princess treated this lowly one well. But I was chosen from the start—my parents were in their hands. I had no choice but to obey."

A Fei, hearing this, seethed with anger.

Tong was one of the palace maids assigned to them. Back then, it was thanks to her tip-off that Fei Niang had sneaked into the master’s bed. Because of that, A Fei had later promoted her, seeing her diligence and attentiveness. When Jiang Congyan needed more attendants, after observing her for a while, she allowed her to serve inside, improving her station. Yet despite such kindness, Tong had betrayed her.

A Fei was both furious and guilt-ridden, feeling she had failed in her duty and brought such trouble upon her lady.

Jiang Congyan said nothing more, simply waving her hand to signal the Imperial Guards to take Tong away and execute her as traitors deserve.

Tong was a pitiable soul with her own hardships, but Jiang Congyan could not tolerate betrayal—especially now that she stood firmly opposed to Liang. She could not afford to keep a spy by her side.

——

"Treacherous snake! Treacherous snake!"

The Emperor of Liang flung the battle report across the room, but that wasn’t enough. He swept everything else—ornaments, teacups—off the table in a blind fury. His rage had reached its peak, and he could no longer maintain the dignity befitting an emperor.

Inside the warm chamber, ministers who had been discussing state affairs froze at the emperor’s sudden outburst. Had something gone wrong at the border again?

The Emperor of Liang, his face flushed and breathing heavily like an enraged beast, bellowed incoherently before finally catching his breath. With a sweeping gesture, he barked, "Guards! Execute Jiang Huai, the King of Chu, immediately!"

At this, the ministers could no longer pretend not to hear.

"Your Majesty, calm your anger!" Chun Yumin spoke up in protest. "King of Chu is of imperial blood. You can’t just execute him without proof!"

The Emperor of Liang sneered, snapping his sleeve. "Without proof? Read the battle report yourselves!"

"Jiang Huai’s daughter conspired with Tuo Baxiao to seize Guyuan, personally shot Zhao Bian dead, and massacred seventy thousand Liang soldiers after their surrender! She married a barbarian and forgot she was once a princess of Liang, handing over three commanderies and dozens of cities to Tuo Baxiao! She’s betrayed her bloodline! Betrayed her roots!"

"How could Jiang Huai raise such a daughter without secretly colluding with the barbarians himself? He clearly wants to steal my throne—doesn’t he deserve death?"

The Emperor of Liang, cornered, finally revealed his worst suspicion.

Chun Yumin stepped forward to pick up the battle report from the ground, moving closer to Cui Civil Affairs Minister to read it together. Sima Wei, Wang Gui, Grand Marshal Gao, and others also crowded around.

The group quickly scanned the text on the silk scroll, and their stomachs dropped upon finishing.

The Emperor of Liang watched them coldly, his face dark. "Finished reading? Still think Jiang Huai’s innocent? Besides this treacherous daughter, Zhang Yan of Liangzhou also had a hand in it. He is Zhang Wei’s grandson—perhaps even acting on Zhang Wei’s orders. Liangzhou must’ve betrayed Liang long ago and conspired with Tuo Baxiao. And let’s not forget, Jiang Huai’s daughter grew up in Liangzhou, close to the Zhang family. Zhang Wei likely used her to ally with Tuo Baxiao..."

The more the emperor spoke, the more convinced he became. He had always known Liangzhou never truly submitted to him, harboring treacherous intentions—now they could no longer hide it.

Listening to the emperor’s baseless accusations, Chun Yumin grew uneasy. Clearly, the emperor was too furious to listen, and further persuasion would be futile.

Princess You’an had indeed helped Tuo Baxiao seize Guyuan, but Guyuan was originally taken by Tuo Baxiao from the Xiongnu. Zhao Bian had exploited the chaos to steal the city and even took the princess hostage to force Tuo Baxiao’s retreat—a despicable act that thoroughly provoked Tuo Baxiao. While the princess aiding Tuo Baxiao was a betrayal of her duty as a Liang princess, she had no choice when her life was at stake. As for the claim that the Marquis of Liangzhou colluded with the barbarians—that was absurd. The Marquis had twice led troops to repel the Xiongnu, as everyone knows.

In the heated chamber, no one dared speak a word except for the emperor’s furious ranting.

Chun Yumin silently glanced at Cui Civil Affairs Minister, hoping he could find a way to calm the emperor.

"Guards! Jiang Huai, the King of Chu, has conspired with the Xianbei and betrayed Liang—"

"Your Majesty!" Cui Civil Affairs Minister cut in sharply.

Interrupted, the emperor glared at him with suspicion. "Are you pleading for Jiang Huai?"

"Your Majesty, I believe it is necessary to summon the King of Chu for questioning first," Cui emphasized the word "questioning."

The emperor paused, considering, then bit back the rest.

Jiang Huai was, after all, a member of the imperial family, the Founding Emperor’s own blood. Killing him outright would invite criticism. Better to arrest him first, extract evidence through interrogation, and then deal with him—legitimized by a proper trial.

Suppressing his fury, the emperor called in the imperial guards and ordered them to arrest Jiang Huai and raid the King of Chu’s residence.

Soon, Guo Li, the commander of the imperial guards, surrounded the mansion with his men.

"His Majesty requests the King of Chu’s presence in the palace."

Jiang Huai remained slumped in the pavilion of Lishui Court, drunk and drowsy, undisturbed by the sudden intrusion. Instead, he raised his wine jug toward the newcomers. "Care for a drink?"

Guo Li frowned. His orders were to search for evidence of treason, but the King of Chu seemed too drunk to function.

Regardless, he followed his instructions.

With a wave, Guo Li had his men drag the king off to the palace while sealing off all exits of the mansion. Servants were rounded up, and his trusted subordinates began ransacking the place.

"Search thoroughly—leave no corner unchecked, especially for letters or documents."

And so, Jiang Huai was taken from his home.

The imperial guards’ commotion drew a crowd, particularly servants from nearby noble households, on their masters’ orders to observe from a distance.

He Zhou, dressed in drab gray, hid at a street corner, watching everything unfold.

Guyuan had been locked down for days, but he had set out early, pushing his horse hard to reach Chang’an ahead of the imperial courier’s urgent military report. Yesterday, he had slipped into the King of Chu’s residence to deliver his lady’s message.

"My lady said that given the emperor’s temperament, he would surely seize this chance to target you—your life may be in danger. She ordered me to get you out safely. Your Highness, please flee Chang’an with me before the emperor receives the news," He Zhou urged.

Yet Jiang Huai remained unmoved. "I won’t leave."

He Zhou looked anxious and was about to persuade him again, but the King of Chu said, "I received a letter from Lingxiao a few days ago and learned about the incident in Guyuan. My stance hasn’t changed—I’m not leaving."

"If something happens to you, how could I face the lady after breaking her trust?"

Jiang Huai smiled. "He doesn’t have the guts."

He Zhou looked puzzled.

Jiang Huai explained, "I’m Ah Yan’s father, and she’s married to Tuo Baxiao now. Kill me, and the Emperor hands Tuo Baxiao the perfect excuse to invade."

"But what if—"

He Zhou kept pushing, but Jiang Huai wouldn’t budge.

He couldn’t leave. Ah Yan wasn’t to blame for what happened in Guyuan. Running now would make it look like they’d planned this from the start. As a father, he’d done little for his daughter all these years. Now, his cowardice couldn’t be the reason she suffered worse shame.

When persuasion failed, He Zhou could only retreat and watch how things unfolded.

Now, seeing the King of Chu taken away by the palace guards, his nerves were on edge, praying things would go just as Jiang Huai said they would—that the Emperor wouldn’t dare act.

Jiang Huai was brought before the Emperor of Liang, still bleary-eyed from drink.

The officials traded looks, thinking—if the King of Chu were really plotting with the barbarians, would he be lounging around drunk at home?

In truth, the whole ‘conspiracy’ was flimsy at best. If Zhao Bian hadn’t seized the city, none of this would have happened. But the Emperor was determined to find fault with the King of Chu...

The Emperor scowled at Jiang Huai’s stupor, fingers twitching for a bucket of ice water. But with so many courtiers present, he restrained himself and made them pour bitter tea down Jiang Huai’s throat to sober him up.

After the ordeal, Jiang Huai finally started to sober up.

"Why—? Oh. Right. The Emperor called for me." Jiang Huai clutched his head.

The Emperor’s voice was ice. "Jiang Huai, do you know what happened in Guyuan?"

Jiang Huai gave a groggy shake of his head.

The Emperor scoffed and sank back onto his throne, ordering the interrogation to proceed.

"Your Highness, have you corresponded with Princess You'an?"

"Yeah."

"Where are the letters?"

"Hmm... I don’t remember. Maybe in the study."

"What did the letters say?"

"The usual family chatter."

"Did they mention the Prince of Mobei?"

"Yeah..."

The room held its breath, every eye locked on him. The Emperor lurched forward in his seat.

"She brought him up. Said they got along fine and told me not to fret."

After repeated questioning, Jiang Huai consistently maintained that the letters contained only daily greetings and nothing more, his expression unreadable.

When Guo Li later presented the retrieved letters, their contents indeed proved his claims true.

Someone advised, "Perhaps the incident in Guyuan truly has nothing to do with His Highness King of Chu."

Or maybe they just hid the evidence well. The Emperor of Liang thought.

Finally, the courtiers turned their gaze to the Emperor of Liang, awaiting his decision.

The Emperor of Liang stared at Jiang Huai for a long time, then glanced at the gathered officials before ordering Jiang Huai to be detained in the Dali Temple pending further evidence.

But Jiang Huai wouldn’t have it.

He was stone-cold sober now, and he fully grasped his predicament.

"Stop!" he roared. "You accuse me of colluding with barbarians and betraying the state? What a joke!"

"Your Majesty, where did the incident in Guyuan truly originate?" Jiang Huai straightened his unsteady posture and fixed his gaze on the Emperor of Liang.

Even the most beaten-down man would lose his temper under such slander, let alone the Founding Emperor’s own grandson. Accusing him of colluding with barbarians not only ruined his own reputation but also tarnished the Founding Emperor's legacy—how could he endure it?

The Emperor of Liang's face darkened, his eyes half-hidden in the shadow of his imperial crown, his fingers twitching as he fought back rage.

Jiang Huai stared at him for a moment, then swept his gaze across the ministers and sneered, "If you’re out to blame someone, you’ll always find a reason! You all know Zhao Bian acted out of selfish ambition and ended up worse off for it. What a disgrace—my daughter, married off to a barbarian king for peace, yet Liang's soldiers not only failed to protect her but instead captured her as a hostage to threaten Tuo Baxiao. History’s never seen anything this shameful!"

"You lost the war, gave up land, and now seek excuses to cover your incompetence by pinning a treason charge on me. Fine! If you’re dead set on killing me, I won’t even give you the satisfaction—I’ll do it myself and spare you the trouble!"

With that, Jiang Huai lunged toward a pillar in the hall.

"Ah!"

"Stop him!"

Officials lunged to grab him. Fortunately, King of Chu was far from the pillar and weakened, allowing them to intercept him just in time. In the struggle, both men tumbled to the ground.

With him restrained, everyone exhaled in relief.

King of Chu’s final words bordered on treason—what did he mean by "spare you the trouble"? It was a blatant insult to the Emperor. Such words proved he had nothing left to lose.

The courtiers fought to keep straight faces, but their true thoughts remained their own.

The Emperor’s temples pulsed with rage.

What a man, this Jiang Huai! What a man!

The hall went dead silent, thick with tension, with Jiang Huai still yelling that he’d kill himself.

Finally, Minister Cui spoke up. "Your Majesty, it seems the incident in Guyuan was indeed Zhao Bian’s doing and unrelated to His Highness King of Chu."

Sima Wei countered, "But Princess You’an helped Tuo Baxiao take the city—that’s plain treason."

Even the ever-calm Minister Cui went icy, his sharp gaze piercing Sima Wei. "Oh? Then go and arrest Princess You'an for punishment."

"How? She’s under Tuo Baxiao’s thumb now!" Sima Wei retorted reflexively.

"So King of Chu is an easier target, and thus the blame falls on him?"

"As the saying goes, 'Like father, like son.' King of Chu is not entirely innocent."

"Do you still remember that the King of Chu is Princess You'an's father? If something happens to him, do you think Princess You'an, as his daughter, would seek revenge for her father? Would Tuoba Xiao seize this opportunity to march south? With just your glib tongue, could you stop the 100,000-strong Xianbei cavalry?"

Sima Wei froze, and the others also changed their expressions.

Minister Cui’s concerns were not unfounded. The King of Chu and Princess You'an were father and daughter. If the emperor forced the King of Chu to his death, how could the princess let it go? Judging by her actions in helping Tuoba Xiao retake Guyuan, she wasn’t the type to take insults lying down, nor would she endure everything for Liang State. On the contrary, she might very well persuade Tuoba Xiao to avenge her father.

Liang had already lost over a hundred thousand troops, suffering a devastating blow. How could they possibly wage another war against the barbarians?

"Your Majesty, I believe Minister Cui’s concerns are justified."

"Your Majesty, I concur," Grand Marshal Gao added.

"Your Majesty..."

The Liang Emperor watched coldly, his gaze eventually settling on Jiang Huai. Had he planned this all along? Did he know he couldn’t be touched?

With the ministers unanimously agreeing, Jiang Huai was eventually escorted back to the King of Chu's manor, but from then on, he was forbidden from leaving or entering freely. The entire manor was placed under heavy guard by the imperial army.

Apart from Chang'an, news of Guyuan spread rapidly across the land, shocking the world.

Most Liang scholars cursed Jiang Congyan, condemning her as a princess of Liang who had aided the barbarians in seizing Liang's territory.

"Does she deserve her noble bloodline?"

"A real calamitous beauty."

"Is our great Liang truly to be ruined by a woman...?"

...

Huan Jun also learned of this. He was silent for a long moment, then heaved a sigh.

He’d thought she was exaggerating—that Liang State was not yet at such a dire state. Who could have imagined that in just two or three years, the situation would explode like a dam bursting?

Was it fate? Had Liang truly passed the point of salvation?

Meanwhile, after returning to Liangzhou, Zhang Yan recounted the events of Guyuan to his grandparents. As an eyewitness, he knew more details than others.

"...It's all my fault for not being cautious enough and falling into Zhao Bian's trap. Ah Yan had no choice. If Zhao Bian hadn’t died, how could Ah Yan have survived in his hands... Grandfather, if you must punish someone, punish me. Please don’t blame Ah Yan."

The Marquis of Liangzhou remained silent for a long time. In the end, he said nothing, but his steps dragged as he stood, his eyes aged and hollow.

Founding Emperor, did you foresee Liang falling so low?

On the other side, Wudati Hou, who had fled back to the Xiongnu, learned of what had happened in Guyuan afterward. He threw back his head and roared with laughter, his voice echoing far and wide.

"The heavens themselves favor me!"

A month ago, he had been chased by Tuoba Xiao all the way from Guyuan to Zhongwei, nearly cornered. Just as the battle raged, Tuoba Xiao suddenly withdrew.

At first, he feared a trap, but when he realized the entire Xianbei army had truly retreated, he wasted no time crossing the river and withdrawing his forces back to the Xiongnu.

Only now did he understand—the Liang army had taken advantage of Tuoba Xiao's pursuit to seize Guyuan and captured his woman to force his retreat. No wonder Tuoba Xiao had abandoned the chase.

Liang had handed him a gift.

Previously, when Tuoba Xiao had agreed to Liang's request for aid against him, he had been somewhat worried. But now—ha! They could forget about begging Tuoba Xiao for aid again. If Tuoba Xiao didn’t raze them to the ground, it’d be mercy itself.

Wudati Hou’s blood burned anew. Come next year, when he rode south once more, Liang would lie helpless before him.

This ambitious Xiongnu chieftain once again turned his gaze toward the southern lands.

...

The winds of change never ceased, yet those embroiled in the turmoil of the time could hardly perceive the full picture. It was only many years later, long after this chapter of history had closed, that historians and scholars studying the fall of Liang State realized the true turning point was not the fall of Chang'an, but rather the Battle of Guyuan in the ninth month of the seventeenth year of the Yongan era.

Liang State lost its last remaining elite forces (numbering in the tens of thousands), vast territories beyond Xiaoguan, and its power structure collapsed. Most crucially, the alliance between Liang and the Xianbei was shattered beyond repair, signaling to Wudati Hou that the time was ripe for a Xiongnu invasion—thus setting Liang on the path to its ultimate demise.

This pivotal battle, which sealed Liang’s fate, would later be known as the "Guyuan Incident." As people delved deeper into the events, they discovered that everything was tied to Jiang Congyan, then still a princess of Liang. She personally slew Zhao Bian, dictated the aftermath of Guyuan, and became entwined with Tuo Baxiao’s legendary choice of beauty over his empire—a story retold with fascination for centuries. Thus, among the people, the "Guyuan Incident" was given a more romantic and legendary name: *The Beauty That Toppled a Kingdom*.