Chapter 102

Chapter 102

The flames inside the city gates gradually weakened, and the Flying Cavalry Army outside opened the gates, allowing thirty thousand troops to re-enter the city.

An Zeyou knelt facing the city gates. Chen Yingchou gave a signal, and the guards holding An Zeyou’s shoulders released their grip.

With his hands tied behind his back, An Zeyou kowtowed heavily three times towards the city gates. He used great force, and when he lifted his head, blood trickled down from his forehead.

"Father, your son is a bad son, unable to avenge you. In this life, we had too little time as father and son. In the next life, let us be an ordinary father and son, and your son will properly honor you." An Zeyou kowtowed another three times.

Whether it was due to overwhelming grief or the severity of the knocks, he fainted right there.

"Take him away," Chen Yingchou ordered. "Enter the city."

The bodies in the city were all burned beyond recognition, but An Shengwu could still be identified by his attire and weapon.

Chen Yingchou ordered the bodies to be taken to the back hill for burial, and specifically instructed that a grave marker be erected for An Shengwu.

If An Zeyou, upon waking, wanted to dig up the grave to take the body away, he would not stop him.

As for those remaining at the An Family Army camp, all men were executed to prevent future problems, while the women were allowed to live—this was the greatest mercy an emperor could offer.

Thus, An Shengwu’s rebellion ended in failure.

Chen Yingchou was supposed to return to the capital with the army, but he decided not to return for now and instead led the troops to the Northern Domain.

The An family had deep roots in the Northern Domain, with a group of loyal officials and was beloved by the locals. On this trip, he not only needed to wipe out the remaining An loyalists but also to pacify the people.

Once everything was resolved, he would have to seek out an upright and strict minister to govern the Northern Domain.

Besides thinking about the people and government, Chen Yingchou believed that Jiang Mo was likely hidden by An Zeyou not far from the Northern Domain. This time, he was determined to bring Jiang Mo back to the capital.

*

After waking up, An Zeyou found himself locked in a prison cell, wearing prison clothes. The wound on his waist had been re-bandaged, and his forehead had been medicated. He quickly felt his chest and sighed in relief—the golden hairpin was still there.

He looked around, unsure which prison this was. Other inmates were shared with several other inmates in cells, but he was alone in one, with both adjacent cells empty.

Seeing a man in the opposite cell sleeping on the straw, he picked up a pebble and threw it at him.

The man startled awake, rubbed his head where the stone hit, and looked around, about to curse when he heard someone call out, "Brother, where is this?"

The man stared at An Zeyou like he was an idiot. "Are you blind or stupid? Can’t you tell? You’re in prison."

An Zeyou said, "I know that. I’m asking, which jail is this?"

The man looked at him in amazement. "Are you an outsider? A scapegoat? This is Sucheng."

Sucheng? An Zeyou frowned and turned around. It seemed Chen Yingchou hadn’t returned to the capital but was heading to the Northern Domain.

Luckily, he hadn’t hidden Jiang Mo in the Northern Domain.

The man in the opposite cell called out again, "Where are you from? How did you end up in Sucheng?"

An Zeyou ignored him. The man snorted, "Ask a question and then ignore people. Serves you right for being in jail."

An Zeyou spent ten full days in the cell without being interrogated or questioned. A soldier of the Flying Cavalry brought him meals daily, which were different from those of other prisoners, and he often had some wine to drink.

The inmate opposite him had changed, and this one was curious about him. "Who are you exactly? Why isn’t a jailer bringing you food?"

An Zeyou said nothing, picking up a chicken leg and tossing it over.

The prisoner picked up the chicken leg and started gnawing. "You’re alright, but you don’t answer questions—only say things I don’t understand."

An Zeyou counted the days. He had asked the soldier who brought his food how long Chen Yingchou intended to keep him locked up, but the man never spoke, only setting down the food and wine before leaving.

Soon it was winter, and the weather turned cold. The soldier brought him thick bedding.

An Zeyou grabbed the man. "Tell Chen Yingchou to either kill me or release me."

The man shook off An Zeyou’s hand, said nothing, and left after setting down the items.

The man in the opposite cell laughed. "When I wanted to talk to you, you often ignored me. When I don’t want to talk, you keep chattering. Now you want to talk to them, but they ignore you."

An Zeyou stared at the thick bedding for a long time, then suddenly dumped his food and drink onto it and curled up in the corner.

"Hey! If you won’t eat, give it to me! If you won’t use the blanket, give it to me!"

For three consecutive days, An Zeyou didn’t eat or drink, freezing and starving, and developed a high fever.

After being imprisoned for twenty days, An Zeyou finally saw Chen Yingchou.

"So you’ve decided to tell me where A Mo is?"

Chen Yingchou sat at a square table, looking at An Zeyou, who was drinking medicine. "You made yourself sick just to see me."

"Cough, cough, cough..." An Zeyou coughed, and the eunuch attendant patted his back.

After a moment, he said, "Chen Yingchou, I will never tell you where Jiang Mo is. Either kill me or let me go."

Chen Yingchou squinted slightly. "You don’t need to tell me. I already know where Jiang Mo is."

An Zeyou was obviously panicked. "No way. There’s no way you can find Jiang Mo."

"Isn’t she in the Northern Domain? In these twenty days, I’ve turned over every stone and already have clues."

An Zeyou shrugged. "Then go search for her."

Chen Yingchou gave a barely perceptible smile. "I know you sent Jiang Mo out of Great Qi. That wasn’t hard to guess."

After arriving in the Northern Domain, the An residence was already empty. He investigated and found out that An Shengwu’s wife and daughter had left the Northern Domain before the An Family Army set out.

Such actions by the An family were within his expectations. If the rebellion succeeded, fine; if it failed, the family would be implicated. Women had no place in Great Qi, so leaving was the only way to find a place to stay. Chen Yingchou guessed that Jiang Mo was very likely with the An family women.

The Northern Domain bordered the Li State. If she wasn’t in Great Qi, it was most likely the Li State.

He had only wanted to test An Zeyou just now, but he didn’t expect An Zeyou to be that easy to provoke when it came to Jiang Mo.

Seeing An Zeyou grow tense, Chen Yingchou continued, "She went to the Li State, right?"

His hawk-like gaze fixed on An Zeyou, taking in all his panic and unease. He seemed to have guessed correctly.

"No, I don’t know."

"It doesn’t matter if you don’t say. I’ve already sent men to the Li State. I’ve got patience—if I can’t find her in a month, I’ll search for a month; if not in a year, I’ll search for a year; if not in ten years, I’ll search for ten years. I refuse to believe I won’t find A Mo."

Chen Yingchou stood up and walked over to An Zeyou, bending down to look at him. "But if I find A Mo, anyone who dared to hide her will be killed and join your father in the underworld."

An Zeyou felt like a fish on a cutting block, struggling to no avail. "You can’t provoke me. So go ahead and search for ten years. I’ve got all the time in the world to waste on you."

Stubborn as a mule. Chen Yingchou grew irritated, raising his fist halfway before stopping. "I don’t have time to waste on you. Your father and brother have been buried. If you want to know where they are buried, tell me where Jiang Mo is. Otherwise, I don’t mind having their graves dug up and throwing their remains into the wilderness. And I won’t hesitate, after finding A Mo, to throw your mother, sister, and nephew’s bodies there too!"

"You... cough, cough, cough," An Zeyou was furious, wanting to say something, but started coughing from his illness.

"I'll give you a day to think it over. You'd better give me the answer I want to hear." With that, Chen Yingchou turned and left.

An Zeyou tightly gripped the corner of the quilt, tears streaming down his face. He didn't understand why everything he cherished couldn't stay with him, why everything he desired was out of reach, and why everything he didn't want to lose had slipped away.

In his twenty-two years, the first twelve he spent as the most cherished youngest son of the An family in the Northern Domain. He had dreamed of becoming a majestic general like his eldest brother and sister, only to be sent to the capital as a hostage. The next ten years he became a notorious playboy in Shangjing, having to hide true talents that could benefit the people, concealing formidable martial skills. He genuinely fell in love with a woman, only for it to be unrequited.

The heavens truly had treated him "well," hadn't they?

"What day of the eleventh month is it today?" he asked the attending eunuch.

"Sir, to answer your question, it's the fifth day of the eleventh month."

His birthday was on the twelfth day of the eleventh month, and he wondered if he would live to see his twenty-third year.

An Zeyou touched his chest and realized the gold hairpin he always carried was missing. He looked down at his clothes and asked, "Who changed my clothes?"

"I did, sir."

"And the gold hairpin? Give it to me."

"His Majesty took it."

"Despicable!" An Zeyou slammed his fist on the bed. He had been carrying a woman's gold hairpin, which meant only one thing: Chen Yingchou must have guessed it was for Jiang Mo and deliberately taken it.

Not even leaving him a keepsake—how ruthless.

Leaving An Zeyou's room, Chen Yingchou instructed He Ji, "Spread the news that An Zeyou is at the Northern Domain post station."

News of An Shengwu's defeat and death should have spread across the Great Qi. Even if An Jinzhi was in the Li State, she would keep close watch on the fate of her father and brother. With her father and eldest brother dead, her eagerness to find her younger brother must be intense. Once she learns An Zeyou is at the post station, how could she not come looking?

Who says he has to pry open An Zeyou's mouth to find out Jiang Mo's whereabouts? Isn't An Jinzhi an easier target?

As Chen Yingchou expected, three days later, in the dead of night, An Jinzhi appeared.

Alone, she was no match for the dozen Flying Cavalry Army soldiers lying in wait. After just a few exchanges, she was bound and brought before Chen Yingchou.

An Jinzhi glared with almond-shaped eyes blazing with fury. "Release my second brother!"

"I can let An Zeyou go, but there is a condition." Chen Yingchou rose from the armchair and approached An Jinzhi. "Take me to Jiang Mo."

An Jinzhi instantly understood. "You deliberately leaked news of my second brother, didn't you? You were waiting for me to walk into the trap. Is my second brother even here?"

"He is here. The moment I see Jiang Mo, I'll release An Zeyou." It had been over a month since he found out Jiang Mo was alive, and he still hadn't seen her. Chen Yingchou's patience was wearing thin. "I'll give you the time it takes for one incense stick to burn to decide."

"No need to consider. I know." An Jinzhi had already lost her father and eldest brother; she couldn't lose An Zeyou too. There was no need for deliberation.

Chen Yingchou breathed a sigh of relief, a mix of excitement and urgency washing over him. He instructed He Ji, "Prepare the horses. We depart tonight."

"I want to see my second brother first. I need to confirm he's safe." An Jinzhi immediately called out.

As long as An Zeyou was alive, she wouldn't fear Chen Yingchou going back on his word. Having spent time with Jiang Mo, An Jinzhi knew that Jiang Mo was kind and grateful. Since Chen Yingchou loved her so much, if Jiang Mo begged for mercy, Chen Yingchou would surely release An Zeyou, and let her and her mother go.

Chen Yingchou furrowed his brow. He wasn't afraid of An Jinzhi confirming that An Zeyou was there; he feared that after the two siblings met, An Zeyou would stop An Jinzhi from taking him to Jiang Mo.

"Fine, but you can only take a distant look from outside the window."

Escorted by guards, An Jinzhi arrived not far from the room where An Zeyou was staying. The window was open, the candlelight was bright. Inside, An Zeyou sat at the table drinking medicine. It was bitter; he pinched his nose, gulped it down, placed the bowl on the tray, stood up, walked to the window, and looked up at the sky.

An Jinzhi's eyes filled with tears. Her gaze lingered on An Zeyou as she unconsciously took a step forward. The guard tightened his grip, and her arm throbbed with pain.

"His Majesty is waiting. It's time to go."

-----------------------

Author's note: They meet in the next chapter.