Chapter 15 Invite Madam Xie to the Court to Assist You

Chapter 15: Summoning Madam Xie to Court for Aid

Rebellion…

How could he have rebelled?!

Sun Tai froze for a moment, then dashed out the door.

His nephew, Sun En, couldn't help but note that his uncle’s martial arts training over the past few years had truly paid off; he was incredibly nimble.

“Damn it!” Sun Tai cursed as he ran. “What kind of cursed celestial screen is this? Why does it accuse *me* of rebellion the moment it appears, yet the one who should be named—Emperor Yong’an—isn’t mentioned at all?”

Sun En pondered for a moment before cautiously interjecting, “Perhaps… it’s a case of ‘avoiding the name of the venerable’?”

“Avoiding… avoiding the name of the venerable?!” Sun Tai nearly bit his tongue.

Who taught Sun En to use that phrase here? He absolutely refused to accept that explanation!

“Besides, at the time mentioned by the celestial screen, Emperor Yong’an hadn’t even rebelled yet. He might not even have many generals right now. Who knows—perhaps at this moment, you’re actually more of a figure than he is?”

Sun Tai didn’t feel like speaking anymore.

He now deeply regretted giving Sun En the courtesy name “Lingxiu.”

Whether the boy was truly “靈秀” (靈: spiritual, intelligent; 秀: elegant, graceful) in appearance was debatable, but one thing was certain: he never said a single word Sun Tai wanted to hear.

With a swift kick, Sun Tai sent Sun En stumbling off in one direction. “Quickly, gather our people! This happened too suddenly; there’s no time to pack valuables. Head straight to the docks!”

The Qiantang River flowed swiftly into the sea, providing an excellent escape for bandits in the Wu-Yue region seeking to evade government capture: flee overseas to the islands.

The Jin Dynasty was too preoccupied with its own affairs and lacked the manpower to pursue major fugitives, thus leaving him a lifeline. He could still escape, provided he was fast enough.

Just look at how merciless this celestial screen was; the voice overhead sounded like a death knell.

Whether it was praising him or not, it was utterly fatal!

[Sun Tai’s uprising might seem like an impulsive decision—a reflexive revolt triggered by the Jin Dynasty’s imminent collapse—but appearances can be deceiving.]

[Jiang Ding had approached him first, making him aware that even the nobles in Jiankang were watching him closely. This reminded him that even if he intended to undertake something significant, he couldn’t afford to act recklessly without a plan.]

[So, after mobilizing his followers, his first choice of attack was Kuaiji.]

[This wasn’t merely because Qiantang was close to Kuaiji, but also because Wang Ningzhi, the then-Neishi (Prefect) of Kuaiji, was a devout follower of the Celestial Masters and had interacted with Sun Tai on multiple occasions.]

[How could he have imagined that the very man who had recently been teaching him Daoist principles would now lead an army against him? They were supposed to be good friends and fellow Daoists! How had it come to this?]

[From the perspective of securing a stable base after rebellion, Sun Tai’s choice was strategically sound.]

[If you strike, strike first at your weakest opponent.]

“To arms!” Wang Ningzhi sprang to his feet and shouted outside.

As the second son of Wang Xizhi, Wang Ningzhi was neither as accomplished as his elder brother Wang Xuanzhi nor as gifted as his younger brothers Wang Xianzhi and Wang Huizhi. In fact, he was arguably the most mediocre among them.

Fortunately, his prestigious Langya Wang lineage ensured his advancement through the Nine-Rank System, allowing him to comfortably settle into the position of Neishi of Kuaiji Commandery.

—In the Jin Dynasty, the post of Neishi was equivalent to that of Prefect, making him the highest authority in the region.

Who could have predicted that the appearance of this celestial screen would instantly shatter his peaceful life?

First came the line, “The noble bones trampled upon the imperial avenue,” followed by talk of the Celestial Masters plotting rebellion—clearly marking him as an easy pushover!

Yet before he could step out, a stern female voice came from behind: “Stop!”

Wang Ningzhi turned and slowly uttered, “My lady.”

The approaching woman wore an upper garment of dark red and blue adorned with intricate floral brocade, paired with a skirt featuring a honeysuckle-patterned waistband. Her graying hair at the temples was meticulously combed as she walked toward him with measured steps.

Though time had aged her, her eyes remained sharp and clear, like limpid pools. The fine wrinkles at their corners resembled rippling water, and the subtle undulations added a touch of autumn’s biting chill.

“What are you going to do?”

Need you ask?

“Naturally, to mobilize forces to apprehend the rebel,” Wang Ningzhi quickly replied.

Fortunately, the heavenly display had exposed Sun Tai’s rebellious crimes in advance, giving him time to act swiftly. To prevent the man’s escape, speed was of the essence. Surely, his greater piety compared to Sun Tai had earned him this heavenly warning—he must act without delay.

Xie Daoyun lifted her gaze. “Deploy troops? Your spectral troops?”

The deep intensity in her eyes made Wang Ningzhi avert his face. “Of course not—”

“What’s the use of rushing now?!” Xie Daoyun interrupted sharply. “Even if Sun Tai is gone, there will still be Sun En, or someone like Zhang Tai or Li Tai. The root of rebellion in the Jiangdong and Sanwu regions doesn’t lie solely with Sun Tai. It’s better to listen further. Rebels sprout like weeds, and the people’s grievances have long boiled over. Only by addressing the root cause can the situation be turned around.”

Wang Ningzhi stammered, “Your words are wise, my lady, but if Sun Tai escapes, how will I answer to the court?”

Xie Daoyun said nothing more, merely casting a faint glance at the Celestial Masters’ Daoist ritual implements in the courtyard.

If he truly feared the court’s reprimand, would he have neglected his duties and turned to the supernatural?

…

[Speaking of Wang Ningzhi, the Prefect of Kuaiji—what a brilliant mind he had. And not in a good way.]

[Others, upon hearing news of an approaching army, would at least order full mobilization and reinforce defenses. If the city lacked troops, they’d immediately call for reinforcements.]

[But not him. He did something utterly unprecedented.]

[Instead of strengthening the city’s defenses, Wang Ningzhi knelt in the Daoist chamber chanting spells as Sun Tai’s forces closed in on Kuaiji. His subordinates were frantic, but this holy fool proclaimed, “I have petitioned the great immortals of the Celestial Masters and borrowed tens of thousands of spectral soldiers to garrison every pass and stronghold. The enemy is but a ragtag band of thousands—nothing to fear.”]

[This defies comprehension.]

[Did he even remember that Sun Tai, his opponent, was the leader of the Celestial Masters? Compared to his own amateurish piety, Sun Tai at least knew a few tricks to deceive people.]

[Using the Celestial Masters’ spectral soldiers against the Celestial Masters’ leader—only Wang Ningzhi could come up with such a thing.]

[Wang Xizhi’s illustrious reputation was ruined by this son of his.]

[Unsurprisingly, such self-deceiving mystical schemes had no effect whatsoever! Sun Tai even triumphantly declared, “Heaven’s mandate is with me,” before leading his followers to breach the city gates. Wang Ningzhi and his four sons were slaughtered—what a pitiful end.]

In the imperial palace of Jiankang.

Wang Xun gaped in stunned silence at the heavenly display, wishing he hadn’t heard such words. But his ears had not deceived him—every word was clear.

By all heavens, what was Wang Ningzhi doing?!

The reputation of the Langya Wang clan had already suffered a devastating blow. Now, with another crisis looming, shifting the focus to the Wu and Kuaiji regions revealed Wang Ningzhi’s lunatic behavior.

Piety itself wasn't the issue—many among the scholar-officials shared Wang Ningzhi’s faith in the Celestial Masters. But none had ever behaved with such derangement!

“Ghost soldiers defending the city—what a genius idea!”

He got what he deserved. Oh… not only did he die himself, but he got his sons killed too. Father of the year, really.

“I heard that Madam Xie once remarked of Prefect Wang in earlier years: ‘In my natal family, the elders include Xie Wuyi and Xie Anshi, and among my brothers are Xie Changdu and Xie Youdu. Never did I expect that in all the world, there could exist such a useless man as Wang Lang—truly a case of marrying so far beneath her.’ I originally thought it was just a jest, but who would have thought…”

Who would have thought it was actually true.

“There’s no need for you to rub it in now, of all times!” Wang Xun turned and snapped angrily. “And you’re one to talk!”

The general, around thirty years old, stood with his arms crossed in a corner.

As a member of the Sima clan and Military Advisor to Sima Daozi, Sima Shangzhi had just been recalled to Jiankang and was already under strict surveillance to prevent any unrest.

However, since his circumstances differed from Sima Yuanxian’s and he did possess genuine military talent, he had not been executed alongside the others.

Now, he seized the opportunity to taunt Wang Xun.

Sima Shangzhi shrugged like he couldn’t care less.

…

[The Wang and Xie families held top-tier status, but as the dynasty neared its end, it seemed all the talent ended up with the women. When Sun Tai breached Kuaiji, compared to Wang Ningzhi’s absurdity, Xie Daoyun undoubtedly held up the family’s last shred of honor.]

[After Sun Tai took the city, upon hearing the bandits had arrived, Xie Daoyun kept her cool, drew her blade, and went out, killing several bandits before being captured. Even when brought before Sun Tai, she didn’t flinch, clutching her grandson and fiercely rebuking the rebels—‘This matter concerns the Wang family, what does it have to do with other clans? If you wish to slaughter the innocent, then kill me first.’]

[Both Sun Tai and Sun En were impressed by Xie Daoyun’s courage and allowed her and her grandson to leave unharmed…]

Just as Wang Xun heard this, a soft inquiry reached his ears: “What do you think, Uncle? If Madam Xie had replaced Wang Ningzhi’s position, could Kuaiji have been defended?”

“…” Wang Xun had no answer.

He also found Wang Shenai’s phrasing rather odd. She disdained Wang Ningzhi’s conduct, referring to her own uncle by name, while for Xie Daoyun—whom she could have called ‘Aunt’ to show closeness—she instead used the distant “Madam Xie.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Wang Xun replied, “Xie Lingjiang excels in poetry and calligraphy and possesses unyielding integrity, but she has never been involved in governance and is now getting on in years. She likely could not have shouldered the responsibility of defending the city.”

Wang Shenai gave a barely-there smirk. “But if, as the celestial screen suggests, the last glories of the Wang and Xie families rest on the women, surely we can no longer relegate Madam Xie to the southeast, burdened by domestic drudgery.”

Wang Ningzhi’s absurdity surely wasn’t limited to critical moments like enemy sieges, was it? Presumably, his usual governance was equally unimpressive.

Given how far the celestial screen has exposed this, does he have to keep dragging Xie Daoyun down with him?

This time, Wang Xun answered swiftly: “I will immediately send word to summon Madam Xie to the court to assist you!”