Chapter 98

Chapter 98

"Even if you win with such despicable means, it is not honorable. How will future generations judge you, General?" Jiang Mo was like a fish on a chopping block, struggling to survive even with the faintest hope.

"The winner is king, the loser a bandit; history is written by the victors." An Shengwu said in a gentle voice: "Miss Jiang, from now on we will be family. You don't need to be so hostile toward your future father-in-law."

Jiang Mo's eyes were sorrowful. "You won't get what you want."

"Whether I get what I want or not, we'll find out. Take her away."

*

In the city of Zhang, Chen Yingchou had just finished discussing battle strategies with the generals. He felt a headache coming on, leaning one hand on the sand table while rubbing his head with the other.

Qiao Yun brought him a bowl of herbal medicine. "Your Majesty, it's time to take your medicine."

Ever since that night when the Empress Dowager shattered Chen Yingchou's illusions, he had been suffering from intermittent headaches. Imperial Physician Xu had tried many prescriptions but to no avail.

Chen Yingchou took the bowl, frowned, and drank it down. Perhaps he drank too quickly; he choked and coughed violently.

Qiao Yun quickly rubbed his back. "Your Majesty, in the battle three days ago, the An Family Army suffered heavy casualties, and our forces captured An Zexin alive. This rebellion should be over soon."

In this rebellion led by An Shengwu, the defending general of Su City defected and the city fell. The military officials in the court one after another volunteered to go and suppress the rebellion.

To prevent a repeat of the Su City incident, Chen Yingchou appointed Zhu Shiliang as the Imperial Inspector and sent him along with the newly appointed Dingguo General to rush to Zhang City.

The army had only been on the road for a few days when Chen Yingchou grew increasingly uneasy. He decided to lead the troops personally on an imperial expedition, after all, the most elite army of Great Qi was the Flying Cavalry Army, and he was its commander-in-chief.

Chen Yingchou's coughing eased a bit. He propped himself up and sat down. "Have you sent someone to inquire about An Zeyou's injuries? He won't die, will he?"

Qiao Yun was furious. "Your Majesty, why do you still care about him? Think about it—he was in the palace for ten years, and Your Majesty treated him like a brother, always thinking of him when it came to the best things. He acted like a playboy outside, caused so much trouble, and it was always Your Majesty who cleaned up after him."

Chen Yingchou remained calm. "Exactly because of that, the bond between us cannot be severed easily. Qufei is not bad at heart; he is also a pitiful person."

Qiao Yun snorted. "Your Majesty cherishes a decade of friendship, but Master An may not."

"He does."

On the battlefield, An Zeyou instinctively knocked away the arrow aimed at Chen Yingchou. Even though he knew the arrow could not hurt him, he still protected him out of instinct.

A decade of friendship, even if it was pretense, had become a habit.

Qiao Yun said no more. "Your Majesty, please rest early. We don't know when the An Family Army will attack again."

Chen Yingchou lay on the bed, habitually holding the jasmine wood hairpin in both hands, placing it over his heart before closing his eyes.

The next morning, just as Chen Yingchou was about to have breakfast, He Ji hurriedly reported: "Your Majesty, An Shengwu is attacking again."

Chen Yingchou put down his chopsticks and was about to leave. Qiao Yun glared at He Ji and said, "Your Majesty, at least have a few bites before you go. There is lily porridge today."

Chen Yingchou's gaze fell on the lily porridge. He picked up the bowl, took two sips, and then walked out the door.

Hurrying to the city wall tower, He Ji reported, "Your Majesty, An Shengwu is not attacking. Look, he is just standing quietly outside the city wall with his troops."

An Shengwu had been looking up at the tower. When he saw Chen Yingchou, he shouted, "Young Chen, today I want to exchange one person for my eldest son. If you refuse, I will make you regret it!"

Chen Yingchou sneered coldly. What more could he regret now?

He Ji replied, "If you want us to release An Zexin, then trade your head for your son's." He then laughed loudly.

An Shengwu was not at all angry. He waved his hand, and behind him a tall wooden frame covered with white cloth was pushed forward.

The frame was about two zhang (about 20 feet) high. The white cloth was translucent, vaguely revealing what seemed to be a person. The sharp blade beneath the frame was not covered; it was wide and large, glinting menacingly in the sunlight.

"Dear nephew, take a good look. Are you willing to exchange or not?"

Chen Yingchou was unimpressed. In his view, An Shengwu was just bluffing. The people he cared about were either in the capital, by his side, or gone forever. What person could An Shengwu possibly use to threaten him?

The white cloth fluttered, revealing the indistinct figure inside. It clung to the body as it was slowly pulled away.

The cold wind no longer blew the cloth, but the woman's hair and dress on the high frame.

The woman's eyes were tightly shut, her hands tied and suspended, her head tilted to one side, swaying gently like a weightless object.

Everyone's gaze turned to her, but they gasped when they saw clearly.

They had never seen such a beautiful woman: fair face, eyebrows like distant mountains in dark green, eyelashes like black feathers, delicate small nose, slightly parted lips like petals. But she seemed frail, as if a stronger wind would blow her away.

The Flying Cavalry soldiers who had seen Jiang Mo before stood frozen in disbelief.

He Ji and Zhu Shiliang thought their eyes were playing tricks on them, shocked and pale.

"This..." He Ji's lips trembled. "Is this the Empress? No, is this Wei Yalan? Did An Shengwu bring her out of the cold palace?"

Chen Yingchou's heart sank heavily. He frowned deeply, staring at the woman on the frame. All the blood in his body seemed to freeze at that moment.

He was hoping for something in his heart, yet also fearing something.

He Ji shouted, "How ridiculous! Do you think His Majesty cares about a deposed consort in the cold palace?"

An Shengwu was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "I even forgot about that woman. Then let you confirm properly who this is."

He waved his hand. A man beside him tapped his horse's back with his foot, used his lightness skill to leap to the woman, and at the right moment inserted a thin needle into Jiang Mo's neck.

Jiang Mo opened her eyes in a daze. She instinctively moved her body but found herself suspended. The pain in her wrists made her look up, seeing that the rope had cut into her skin, leaving bloody marks. Looking around, she recalled what happened before she fainted and immediately realized where she was and what she was facing.

She dared not raise her eyes. She closed them again, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

An Shengwu shouted at Jiang Mo, "Come on, look up at the person on the tower and tell him who you are."

Jiang Mo bit her lip and said nothing, wishing she could bury her head in her chest.

Hearing An Shengwu's words and seeing the woman's appearance, Chen Yingchou's heart raced wildly.

"If you won't speak, I will!" An Shengwu pointed at Jiang Mo and shouted loudly to Chen Yingchou: "This is Jiang Mo, once your Princess Yu, the woman who gave birth to your son, the Empress Dexianwen you posthumously honored. What? Don't you recognize her?"

He Ji was so angry he wanted to fly down from the tower and kick An Shengwu. "You old scoundrel, you're lying! You made Wei Yalan pretend to be the deceased empress to deceive His Majesty! You are despicable!"

An Shengwu narrowed his eyes and sneered. "Since you don't believe me, I have no use for this woman. I might as well kill her."

He roared, "Release!"

The soldiers on both sides of the frame began to release the ropes. Jiang Mo's body slowly descended, about to fall onto the giant blade.

Was she going to die like this? Jiang Mo reluctantly raised her eyes for a glance. The person she had longed for day and night was right there. If she just called out, she could go back to him. But she couldn't. She couldn't let Chen Yingchou become a tyrant in the people's eyes, nor could she become the sinner who prolonged the war.

Dying like this would be a worthy death.

"Stop!" Chen Yingchou shouted.

Jiang Mo's body stopped three inches above the giant blade.

An Shengwu let out a long breath. If Chen Yingchou had called out any later, he would have ordered them to stop, which would have revealed his intention to let the woman live and cost him his leverage.

"What? Want to make a swap?"

Chen Yingchou clenched his fists, his eyes wide as he stared directly at the woman. "Swap!"

The look in the woman's eyes at that moment unsettled him. Even if she were fake, even if she were Wei Yalan, or someone else in disguise, he could not turn a blind eye.

Qiao Yun had somehow climbed up the city wall. "Your Majesty must not act rashly. I personally saw the former empress's body. The former empress is dead. Your Majesty, this must be one of An Shengwu's tricks. You cannot fall for it."

He Ji said, "Exactly. We've finally captured An Zexin alive, and victory is within reach. An Shengwu must be desperate to resort to such a despicable tactic."

Chen Yingchou's eyes remained fixed on the woman. "Take An Zexin away and bring that woman back."

Zhu Shiliang said, "Your Majesty, I understand how you feel, but the dead can't come back. This woman can't possibly be the former empress."

Chen Yingchou turned to Zhu Shiliang. "Zhiming, if that woman tied up there looked exactly like Lin Mei, what would you do?"

Zhu Shiliang's heart sank. "Even knowing she was fake, I couldn't just do nothing."

The winter weather was already cold, and the woman was dressed too lightly. Hanging on the tall wooden frame, she neither struggled nor cried for help, as if waiting for death. Chen Yingchou knew she could not be Wei Yalan; otherwise, when An Shengwu told her to speak, she would've begged him for help.

Could there really be someone else in the world who looks that much like Jiang Mo? Or was this just someone An Shengwu disguised to trick him?

Either way, he couldn't stay calm. To figure out what was going on, he had to save her first.

"Even if she isn't, she is still an innocent life. How can we stand by and let her die?" Chen Yingchou looked at He Ji. "Releasing An Zexin won't change the fact that An Shengwu is going to lose. Go, bring her back."

"Yes." He Ji knew his master had made up his mind and didn't argue further. He took two men and descended from the city wall.

Soon, one side of the city gate swung open. A group of riders emerged on horseback. He Ji's horse led the way, with An Zexin slung like a sack over another horse beside him.

He Ji rode forward a short distance, holding the reins of both horses, and stopped. "Release that young woman, and we'll swap."

With a glance from An Shengwu, Jiang Mo was lowered to the ground. The moment her feet touched the ground, she felt completely weak and collapsed.

She looked at He Ji, gently shaking her head, silently mouthing 'don't come closer'.

He Ji froze. The woman's eyes made it clear she recognized him. Growing more uncertain, he stared at her face and eyes.

He Ji dismounted and threw An Zexin off the horse. An Zexin, with his hands bound, couldn't balance himself and fell to the ground. He slowly got up, and as soon as he steadied himself, a long sword was pressed against his neck. "Move forward."

An Shengwu said to Jiang Mo, "Walk over."

Jiang Mo, collapsed on the ground, remained motionless as if she hadn't heard. Two soldiers behind her lifted her up and pushed her forward, holding her arms.

The two sides gradually closed in. When there were only three steps left, An Shengwu suddenly leaped from his horse, kicked He Ji off his mount, and, ignoring the sword cutting into An Zexin's neck, grabbed the man and threw him onto his own horse. At the same time, someone knocked Jiang Mo unconscious and carried her away.

Shield-bearing soldiers quickly blocked He Ji's squad.

He Ji scrambled to his feet, mounted, raised his sword, and ordered: "Everyone, after them!"

The city gates swung open, and the Flying Cavalry Army charged out.

As a big battle seemed about to break out, An Shengwu immediately ordered a retreat. While pulling back, he shouted at Chen Yingchou, "If you want your empress back, trade me Zhangcheng."