How Dare You?! 成何体统 (Cheng He Ti Tong)
By 七英俊 Qi Ying Jun
Translation by Spider
Xie Yong’er stepped into the Cold Palace alone, bathed in the last rays of the setting sun. As soon as she left, Xiahou Dan sent a Shadow Guard to follow her. “Watch her from a distance. Don’t get too close or you’ll alert Prince Duan.”
Watching Xie Yong’er’s retreating figure, Yu Wanyin mused, “I wonder if she’ll manage.”
Xie Yong’er’s reaction was different from what she’d imagined, perhaps a bit too calm. Yu Wanyin wasn’t sure she understood her friend’s inner world.
“It’s too late to worry now. Xu Yao’s book has already been given to her.” Xiahou Dan said.
“……”
Yu Wanyin stole a glance at Xiahou Dan.
Was he angry?
Returning to her quarters, Xiahou Dan still looked displeased. Yu Wanyin ate her dinner in silence, sneaking glances at him.
Xiahou Dan, frowning, placed a piece of fish on her plate.
The atmosphere was too awkward, so Yu Wanyin decided to break the silence. “I know you don’t trust Xie Yong’er.”
“Good to know.”
“But if you think about it, your reasons for not trusting her are strange. In this world, besides us, everyone else is just a character, including those persuaded ministers. Do you have no hope in them either?”
“They’re designed to be loyal. What about Xie Yong’er?”
“But Xu Yao was originally on Prince Duan’s side. And Xiahou Bo was supposed to be infatuated with Xie Yong’er.”
Xiahou Dan was momentarily speechless.
Yu Wanyin felt she had pinpointed the issue. “You seem particularly biased against the book characters.”
The statement touched on an old wound. Xiahou Dan let out a mocking laugh. “Let’s wait and see if Xie Yong’er lives up to your faith.”
Stunned, Yu Wanyin looked at him curiously.
Xiahou Dan, annoyed, asked, “What?”
“”Why would I have faith in her? I felt this way before, but I didn’t ask…” Wanyin spoke slowly, “are you jealous?”
She originally said this as a joke, trying to get Xiahou Dan to smile.
But Xiahou Dan’s chopsticks suddenly paused mid-air.
“..?”
And just as she’d wished, Xiahou Dan smiled at her. “Yes.” He replied.
“……”
She didn’t understand what he was thinking. But she felt a bit flustered.
In the Cold Palace’s shabby house.
The sky is already completely dark, and there were no moon or stars in the sky that night. In this place so far away from the lights of the palace, it was so dark you could barely even make out your own hands in front of you.
Xie Yong’er, still weak, shivered from the night wind. She didn’t dare to light a lamp and stumbled into the house, only to bump into an embrace.
Instinctively, she retreated, but the other person opened his coat and pulled her in, “Yong’er.”
Looking up, Xie Yong’er was only able to see a vague silhouette. She couldn’t discern his expression, only hearing a familiar gentle voice, “You’ve suffered.”
Xie Yong’er buried her face in his chest, nuzzling into it, she said softly, “Your Highness, you’ve finally come to see me.”
In the darkness, Xiahou Bo briefly pecked her lips. “How is your health? Feeling better?”
His voice, usually cold, sounded like striking jade in the silent night. Only when speaking to her would he soften, as if trying to pass on his warmth to a cherished treasure.
Xie Yong’er, almost reflexively, felt all her grievances surge. “Your Highness–”
“I heard that after your miscarriage, the emperor had people guard your door, supposedly to protect you but actually restricting your movements. Is there another reason?”
Xie Yong’er’s words abruptly halted.
The worry in his voice was so sincere. In the past, it would have moved her to tears. But today, someone had forced her to see things from a different perspective. Now, she finally understood that every word he spoke was an interrogation.
Xie Yong’er thought her heart had already turned cold, but she found out it could grow even colder.
Fortunately, no one could see her expression at that moment.
“I claimed not to be pregnant, but the emperor became suspicious. He calculated the dates and doubted the child was his. But I found a chance to bury the foetus, so the emperor couldn’t find evidence. Afraid of losing face if this got out, he confined me to my room.”
“Still so incompetent.” Xiahou Bo laughed coldly.
“But if that’s the case, how did you manage to come out and meet me today?” Then he asked with concern.
“……”
It was one moment. Just one moment.
She knew that this moment of hesitation had already betrayed her. Even if she offered a perfect explanation, Xiahou Bo wouldn’t believe it.
After some hesitation, she trembled as she said, “The emperor forced me to come.”
After dinner, Xiahou Dan, as usual, escorted Yu Wanyin back to her quarters.
The moon was hidden behind clouds, and the row of six-sided palace lanterns hanging in the corridor swayed in the cold wind, their stretched shadows flickering across the floor.
Xiahou Dan glanced in the direction of the Cold Palace. Naturally saw nothing but he asked anyway. “I wonder how things are over there.”
Yu Wanyin didn’t respond.
Her face was still flushed, the wind only managing to cool it slightly.
She temporarily put all crises aside, her mind replayed their earlier conversation that night.
“Are you jealous?” She asked.
“Yes.” He replied.
What does this mean? Why would he be jealous of Xie Yong’er?
Yu Wanyin felt a stir in her heart. After talking about love with the lovestruck Xie Yong’er all day, she seemed to have been influenced too. Knowing it was not the right time, she couldn’t help but half-jokingly ask, “Because I did her hair and makeup? I’ll do yours tomorrow…”
“That’s not it.”
Yu Wanyin’s heartbeat quickened.
But Xiahou Dan said those words so calmly and matter-of-factly, then continued eating as if the topic was perfectly concluded.
Yu Wanyin stood frozen, unable to continue her questions.
What did that mean???
Was it an admission? Did it break the unspoken barrier between them?
From the time she realised his feelings for her, eight hundred years seemed to have passed. It’s just that he seemed to have an unspeakable aversion to physical contact, so she patiently waited for him to break the barrier himself.
But he was in no hurry, his feelings seeming ambiguous, making her doubt if she was imagining things.
Another gust of cold wind made the corridor lanterns sway wildly. The two palace maids leading them exclaimed in surprise. Their lanterns had been blown out.
In the shifting light and shadow, Yu Wanyin couldn’t see her footing and slowed down.
Suddenly, warmth enveloped her shoulders.
Xiahou Dan had draped his outer robe over her. “You’ll catch a cold, dressed so lightly.”
Yu Wanyin paused and turned to look. Xiahou Dan’s face was indistinct in the dim light, but his eyes were clear and steadily looking back at her.
The two palace maids ahead were busy apologising and relighting their lamps.
In a voice they couldn’t hear, Yu Wanyin said, “That’s the emperor’s robe. If word gets out, I’ll be called a seductress again.”
Xiahou Dan was amused. “Aren’t you?”
“……”
“…………”
Yu Wanyin felt a twinge of anger.
Was this guy just messing with her?
Xiahou Dan, are you actually impotent?
She couldn’t take it anymore.
Impulsively, she moved closer to his lips, intending to cement her reputation as a seductress.
The palace lamps were relit.
Xiahou Dan glanced around. “Let’s go.”
Yu Wanyin remained silent for the rest of the way, hiding her expression by lowering her head. So, she didn’t notice Xiahou Dan falling half a step behind, his gaze fixed on her back.
Even with a thousand romantic thoughts, she couldn’t guess what Xiahou Dan was thinking.
He was reflecting.
He shouldn’t have said those things.
She should not be approached, should not be tricked into closeness and kindness with a fake “kindred spirit”.
How long could he keep it from her? When the truth came out, would this moment of warmth turn into her nightmare?
Despite knowing he shouldn’t, he still allowed himself to indulge.
Where did this impulse come from? Was it because, deep down, he knew there might not be another chance after tomorrow?
In the Cold Palace, the conversation in the dark was nearing its end.
A strong wind blew the thick clouds away, and moonlight poured down, generously illuminating even the broken tiles of the Cold Palace.
Xie Yong’er’s hair glowed faintly in the moonlight.
Xiahou Bo suddenly smiled. “Yong’er seems especially beautiful today.”
Xie Yong’er’s makeup didn’t look particularly out of place after a wash of moonlight, but one could still tell that it wasn’t ordinary palace makeup.
Xie Yong’er turned her eyes to look at him, “I’m still a bit sickly looking, I don’t want you to see an unsightly appearance, so I put on more lipstick. Does your highness like it?”
“I do. It’s unique, just like you.”
“……”
Once she had a change of perspective, she realised that Prince Duan’s coaxing words were actually not that clever, and were even thickly perfunctory.
Xie Yong’er’s eyes had completely adapted to the darkness, and she could also see Xiahou Bo’s expression. A flawless smile, a focused gaze, but there was no reflection of her in those eyes.
It was strange. Initially, what captivated her were those eyes that never reflected anyone. His gaze always seemed distant, never resting on anyone ordinary. But back then, she believed she wasn’t included among the “ordinary.”
If Yu Wanyin were here, she would probably say he looked like a walking Not-interested-in-worldly-desires.jpg.*
*You can find the meme here. It’s a cartoon screenshot of a monk putting his hands together in prayer saying “I have no such worldly desires”
Xie Yong’er suddenly found it amusing.
If Yu Wanyin were someone like her, perhaps she wouldn’t appear so pathetic?
“What is it?” Xiahou Bo asked.
Xie Yong’er shook her head, “Then, as His Highness instructed, I’ll convey the message to the Emperor when I return.”
“Good,” Xiahou Bo patted her head, “Thank you for your effort.”
Xiahou Dan escorted Yu Wanyin to the entrance of her residence, diligently playing the role of a husband in the doghouse. “I shall leave now. Rest well.”
But he couldn’t leave.
Yu Wanyin had grabbed the hem of his robe. He didn’t know how much of it was acting for the palace servants or how much was genuine. “Your Majesty, stay tonight.” she said, her expression was awkwardly shy.
She glanced around and whispered in his ear. “Seriously, don’t go. I have something to show you.”
“……”
Don’t tease me.
Is this karma?
Yu Wanyin indeed had a bit of revenge in mind. She deliberately held his hand and led him inside. Once she closed the door and dismissed the servants, she said meaningfully, “The moonlight is beautiful tonight.”
“…..yes.”
Suddenly, Bei Zhou appeared behind them. “It is quite beautiful.” He said.
“?!”
Yu Wanyin smiled, “Uncle Bei, show him the thing.”
“???”
The next morning, Yu Wanyin woke up earlier than usual.
It was still cloudy outside, the oppressive air hinted at an impending heavy rain. She instinctively turned her head and, not seeing anyone beside her, sat up in surprise.
“I’m here,” Xiahou Dan sat at the bedside, looking at her, “I haven’t left.”
Yu Wanyin let out a breath of relief, “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Xiahou Dan didn’t answer, instead handing her a note, “Xie Yong’er sent this in the morning.”
Yu Wanyin unfolded it, finding that it only contained a few words, ‘All is normal, Prince Duan advocates for peace.’
She frowned, “What a perfunctory answer.”
“Do you still want to trust her?” Xiahou Dan asked
“… It’s hard to say. If Prince Duan really has no ulterior motives, that would be best…” Yu Wanyin watched him put on his emperor’s crown, then couldn’t help herself, “Otherwise, I might as well go up the mountain with you. Like before, disguised as a guard, how about it?”
Xiahou Dan smiled, “No. You should stay here, just in case something unexpected happens. At least…” He paused, “At least you can adapt to the situation and provide support.”
But Yu Wanyin understood the unspoken part of his sentence, which was likely “At least you won’t be in danger.”
She jumped out of bed, “I’m going with you. Don’t try to stop me, I won’t listen.”
“Wanyin.”
“Not listening.”
Xiahou Dan smiled again, “Right now, we don’t know what either the Empress Dowager or Prince Duan are planning. How do you know the unexpected event will happen on the mountain and not in the city? What if something happens in the city while we’re at the mausoleum?”
“…”
She couldn’t deny that.
“I have Uncle Bei as a hidden trump card, and the Shadow Guards have been specially trained by him recently and their skills have improved significantly. So you don’t need to worry too much. But if something happens to you, remember that protecting yourself is the most important thing.”
Yu Wanyin didn’t respond.
“Wanyin,” Xiahou Dan called her again.
Yu Wanyin, feeling irritable and not knowing who she was angry at, said, “Go, go, the sooner you go, the sooner you come back.”
There was a long moment of silence by the bedside. She looked up in confusion.
Xiahou Dan said, “When I get back, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“……”
“No no no no no no! Don’t jinx it! Take it back!”
“I’m not taking it back.” Xiahou Dan stood up, “I’m leaving.”
“Take it back!!!”
The emperor’s and the Empress Dowager’s carriages set off in a grand procession. With horses leading the way, they slowly headed towards Mount Bei.
An hour later, Mu Yun received the news, “They’ve all left the city.”
“Then let’s get started.”
The Empress Dowager’s instructions were to act discreetly, find the envoy group, fabricate a crime, imprison them, and then take action.
Mu Yun had no intention of following this order.
As soon as the carriages departed, chaos erupted in the city streets. A large number of men first headed straight to the guest house, seeming to find it empty, then split into several groups, searching house to house throughout the city.
It was as if they were afraid of not alarming their targets.
Even in the secluded courtyard where Tur and his group were hiding, the noise outside was audible.
The noise was getting closer. Inside the room, the delegation sat around a table. Hasina listened intently for a moment, then looked at Tur.
Tur gestured for calm. A group of guards stood in the courtyard protecting them. It was these very guards who had taken them from the inn late last night. From the solemn look in the guards’ eyes, Tur deduced that at least part of the ominous note was true: indeed, someone wanted to kill them.
But who? The Empress Dowager?
Tur paid little attention to this. What concerned him more was whether the other sentence on the note was true.
At that moment, a guard from the courtyard entered and whispered, “Please follow us through the back door for now.”
It seems those conducting the search are about to break in. Tur stood up silently and cooperatively followed the guards out through the back door, entering a narrow alleyway.
The guards led them ahead, seemingly guiding them to another hideout. Suddenly, Toul spoke up, “Excuse me, could you send someone to inform His Majesty at Mount Bei to come and protect us?”
The guard casually replied, “His Majesty is already aware…” His words trailed off abruptly as he realized something was amiss. These Yan people had never been out of sight and would not have known the emperor’s whereabouts. How could they know the emperor had gone to Mount Bei?
The guard reacted swiftly, turning around while reaching for his blade. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to draw it. Before he could turn back, a pair of large hands gripped his head. With a swift twist, he vaguely heard an ominous thud and felt his head suddenly turned backward.
The last thing reflected in his eyes was a sinister face.
Tur acted swiftly, and his men followed suit. Before the guards could react, a pouch of poison powder was already scattered over them.
Silently and swiftly, bodies of guards littered the back alley.
Tur instructed in Yan dialect, “Change into their clothes, take their weapons and badges.”
“What next prince?” Hasina asked.
“We leave the city and head to Mount Bei.” Tur replied.
Since Shani’s death, he swore to make the Xia kingdom pay in blood. He led from the front, charging to the forefront, gaining fame and reputation. The Yan people regarded him as the son of Heaven.
The Yan king’s smiles to him appeared increasingly insincere. Tur knew this well but didn’t care. Since the day his uncle had parted with Shani, their emotional bond had ceased to exist.
In the end, even this surface-level cooperation came to an end.
The Yan King had long ceased to lead his troops personally. Day by day, he hid in his newly built palace, deeply infatuated with the Queen of the Qiang Kingdom, like an old house catching fire, finally encountering true love. They say the Qiang people are adept at poison, Tur suspected the woman possessed some peculiar concoction to rejuvenate him.
Later, a Xia man named Wang Zhao came to propose peace. The Yan King was moved, but Tur vehemently opposed it, and his followers were in uproar. Seeing some clamour for Tur to take over, the Yan King could no longer sit still.
Tur still doesn’t know how he was poisoned. All he remembers is collapsing in his tent and waking up chained, imprisoned in his own home.
The Queen of the Qiang Kingdom visited him once. Clad in red with red lips, a woman of myriad charms smiled at him, “I would certainly prefer you over your uncle. I gave you a chance, and you refused.”
Tur asked, “When did you ever speak to me?”
“We had our first meeting at the banquet, I was smiling at you the whole time,” she said. Her smile gradually faded. “Didn’t you notice?”
Tur looked at her perplexed. “Why should I notice you? Do you think you’re beautiful?”
Watching her walk away with a flick of her sleeve, he felt a cheap sense of satisfaction.
After the Queen left, a sachet lay on the ground. Opening it, he found several pills of different colours. Carelessly sniffing one, he felt dizzy, quickly setting the sachet aside to recover.
It was poison, an assortment of poisons.
She never turned back to retrieve that sachet.
His trusted confidant Hasina risked everything to sneak in, bringing only bad news: during his unconsciousness, military authority had shifted, the tide had turned, and his former allies had been dealt with by the Yan King for various reasons.
Moreover, an envoy from the Yan King was about to depart for the Xia Kingdom to negotiate peace.
At that moment, Tur realised that this was his last chance. If he seized it, he could march straight into the capital of Xia without a single soldier, assassinate the emperor, and ruin the Yan king’s plans, ensuring that he would spend his old age in the chaos of war. Naturally, Tur himself would not be able to escape alive, but he had no intention of fleeing.
Tur shook the sachet, “Let’s intercept and kill the envoy group.”
In the palace.
The emperor had left, and so had the Empress Dowager. The concubines, feeling like they were on holiday. It looked like it was about to rain, so they strolled out to enjoy the weather before it did, chatting happily. Only Yu Wanyin remained indoors, pacing in circles.
Her eyelids kept twitching, and her chest felt tight with anxiety. Despite all logical reasoning, Prince Duan had no reason to disrupt the peace talks. Intuition told her she was missing some critical information, like a puzzle missing its most crucial piece.
Xiahou Dan had left a few Shadow Guards to protect her. Seeing her like this, one of them advised, “Your Highness, don’t worry too much. The emperor said that if there is an emergency, to inform you immediately.”
Yu Wanyin ignored him and continued pacing. Suddenly, she said, “I’m going out for a walk.”
Guard, “?”
Just as Yu Wanyin reached the imperial garden, she ran into Xie Yong’er. Surprisingly, Xie Yong’er was wearing modern makeup today, looking elegant and aloof. When they met, Xie Yong’er gave her a cold look, snorted lightly, and walked past without a word.
Yu Wanyin did not call out to her or turn back. Once they were far apart, Yu Wanyin returned home, rushed to her bed, and picked up the note Xiahou Dan had given her that morning. She read it carefully again.
It was still just black ink on white paper, nothing unusual.
Unwilling to give up, she lit a candle and held the note over the flame. She had forgotten that Xie Yong’er had used this trick in the original story.
As the candle flame flickered, more words slowly appeared from the blank spaces. Unlike the larger characters, these were written in a dense, simplified script, “Prince Duan’s men are watching me. He said the emperor will not leave Mount Bei alive.”
The previous night.
“The emperor forced me to come. He intercepted the note from the prince summoning me and flew into a rage, threatening to drown me. But he also fears the prince, so he ordered me to go as planned and then report back to him about any schemes.” Xie Yong’er said.
“Schemes?” Xiahou Bo asked.
“He said he had a bad dream but couldn’t tell if it was a nightmare or an omen. It seemed related to the envoy group, but he didn’t specify…”
Xiahou Bo remembered that Yu Wanyin had mentioned Xiahou Dan also had a prophetic ability, though it was not very reliable, only allowing him to see the distant future. If it had worked better, he wouldn’t be so tightly controlled by the Empress Dowager.
As for why he suddenly dreamed of something bad… could it be that he foresaw his own death? Xiahou Bo thought with interest. Of course, it could all be lies. But Xie Yong’er had just lost a child for him. Ironically, her persistent love had not earned his affection but it had gained his limited trust.
Xie Yong’er, on the verge of tears said, “Your Highness, take me away. He will surely kill me!”
“I will take you away, but not now,” Xiahou Bo coaxed. “Yong’er, for my sake, you must go back and tell him everything is normal.”
“But after I tell him, I will be worthless alive, he…”
“Don’t worry, he will go to Mount Bei tomorrow and won’t come back. Speaking of this, Yong’er, can you help me with a plan?”
Above the candle flame, another line of text appeared: ‘Yan assassination attempt.’
The puzzle was complete.
Yu Wanyin’s face was expressionless, her fingers no longer trembling. She held the note close to the flame, burning it into ashes. Just then, the shadow guards burst in, saying, “A message from the city. Yan assassins killed the guards and have vanished.”
Yu Wanyin was not surprised. She stood up, examining the shadow guards, her mind racing faster than ever before. “Can you mobilise the Imperial Guards?”
The guards exchanged glances. “Without the Emperor’s token, the Imperial Guards won’t heed us.”
Yu Wanyin nodded. “I thought so. The Imperial Guards have been bought by Prince Duan. Reporting this will only alert him…” She closed her eyes briefly. “Change into plain clothes, I’ll disguise myself, and we’ll leave the city.”
“My Lady?!”
Yu Wanyin explained briefly, “The Yan assassins are here to kill, with Prince Duan’s men aiding them.” She had already rushed to her dressing table. “Why are you still standing there? Change your clothes!”
The guards, now panicked, said, “By the Emperor’s orders, we’re to protect you. He said if there’s danger, we must not let you go up the mountain, or we’d pay with our lives. Besides, you don’t know martial arts. Even if you go…”
Yu Wanyin said nothing, pulling an object from her sleeve and pointing it at the wooden table.
Above them, the sky began to release its first raindrops from the leaden clouds.
A flash of silver fell unnoticed to the ground.
A loud “bang” echoed through the deep palace.
Uncommon autumn thunder rolled in waves.
Hasina, squeezed in the crowd leaving the city, felt a sudden chill on his forehead as a drop of autumn rain splashed down.
The woman ahead of him looked up at the sky and opened an umbrella.
Tur and his group, dressed in uniforms taken from the palace guards, looked somewhat awkward in their ill-fitting clothes. The men could barely manage, but the women’s outfits were obviously unsuitable. Despite this, it was better than their original fur garments and patterned skirts. Thankfully, the uniforms discouraged the townspeople from staring too much.
As they neared the gate, the guards watched them.
Tur had discarded his fake beard, but his imposing height and intimidating presence couldn’t be hidden.
The guard hesitated, but Tur flashed a token and said coldly, “We have urgent business.”
The guard glanced over Tur’s group.
Hasina and the others kept their heads down, gripping their weapons tightly.
Unexpectedly, the guard merely glanced, then saluted. “Please proceed.”
Holding their breath, they walked out of the gate, still wary of the guard’s gaze following them.
Once they were out of sight, the guard went to report to the commander of the Imperial Guards. “Sir, those people have left the city.”
Commander Zhao took a deep breath. “Who are these people?”
The guard was confused. “Sir?”
Commander Zhao, sweating, replied, “I never gave you such an order. Nothing happened today, understood?”
The guard stiffened. “Understood.”
This Commander Zhao, formerly Vice Commander Zhao, had been promoted thanks to Prince Duan. The prince had blackmailed him into cooperation and then arranged the previous commander’s assassination, allowing him to take over. Since then, Commander Zhao frequently carried out small tasks for the prince, exploiting his position.
Commander Zhao was inherently a coward who had never fought a real battle. He was skilled at being opportunistic and having self-preservation, which led to the Imperial Guards becoming increasingly lax under his command.
He had some idea of Prince Duan’s schemes but dared not confront them. Turning a blind eye and letting a few people out of the city was the extent of his involvement. If the prince pushed further, Commander Zhao might agree out of fear but couldn’t effectively command his men.
Commander Zhao lit an incense stick, praying that Prince Duan wouldn’t fail and implicate him.
He calculated that if things went well, everyone would be happy, and if they didn’t, he’d stay out of it.
Commander Zhao gathered his trusted aides. “Keep an eye on developments and report back immediately.”
“Report what exactly?” one aide asked.
“Any disturbances!” Commander Zhao snapped.
He needed to decide whether to rush to the rescue or arrive conveniently late.
Thunder rumbled, and the rain grew heavier.
Yang Duojie swayed in a sedan chair carried by porters, ascending Mount Bei.
This once barren mountain now housed a grand temple and a lower palace for retreats, making the landscape imposing but eerie in the rain.
Dizzy from the ride, Yang Duojie staggered out of the sedan. Though servants held umbrellas for him, his shoes and socks quickly got soaked.
Shivering, Yang Duojie looked ahead. The Empress Dowager and the emperor walked with dignity despite the rain.
“What a fine place.” The Empress Dowager remarked.
Xiahou Dan remained calm. “As long as you like it, Imperial Mother.”
“This timely rain is a sign of divine favour.” An official in charge of construction flattered.
Yang Duojie was confused.
The Empress Dowager internally cursed her misfortune but insisted on keeping Xiahou Dan outside the city. “Let’s take a walk and have the court astrologers check the feng shui.”
Officially the royal astrologer, Yang Duojie inwardly despaired. He recalled his superior’s words, “You did well with the banquet. You can speak of and understand the five elements, so this task suits you.”
Translation: You’re now our designated sweet-talker.
Yang Duojie was disheartened.
He wanted to remind Xiahou Dan of the promises of being the backbone of Xia and the people’s hope.
Maybe he should quit after this mission.
Yang Duojie forced a smile, addressing the Empress Dowager, “This place has great feng shui…”
He glanced at Xiahou Dan, noticing the emperor watching him with a contemplative expression.
Yang Duojie hesitated, wondering if he had misspoken, but Xiahou Dan looked away.
The group circled the mausoleum, and Xiahou Dan gradually fell behind the Empress Dowager. A maid, Bei Zhou, held an umbrella for him and supported him. “Are you alright?”
Xiahou Dan’s headache was severe, every movement causing pain. He barely managed a grunt in reply.
Bei Zhou glanced out from under the umbrella at the surrounding woods, “There are people hiding in the forest. They were there when we came up the mountain.” So, the plot was on the mountain. Xiahou Dan surprisingly felt a slight sense of relief.
Bei Zhou voiced his thoughts, “It’s a good thing Wanyin didn’t come. Do you have the items in your sleeve?”
“Dan’er.” The Empress Dowager, unaware of his murmurs, approached him, fearing he might leave. “It’s cold outside. Let’s go inside the Ancestral Hall.”
Xiahou Dan, seemingly feeling cold, raised his sleeve and softly replied, “Imperial Mother, please let’s go in.”
However, the grand Ancestral Hall was filled with a cold, damp air. The wind and rain were relentless, and even the lit candles could not brighten the dim hall. As soon as the Empress Dowager entered, she ordered the guards to scatter around the hall. Her men moved further away than Xiahou Dan’s guards, ostensibly patrolling but actually intercepting any urgent messages that might come from the city.
With a guilty conscience, the Empress Dowager walked and flattered Xiahou Dan, “The mausoleum is indeed impressive. You’ve put your heart into it.”
Xiahou Dan, enduring a headache, played along. “It’s my duty.” He said.
The Empress Dowager smiled at him, seemingly sentimental. “You’ve learned to make your own decisions lately. That’s good. I’m getting old and should enjoy some peace.”
Even Yang Duojie felt the need to comment internally: That’s enough, overacting will ruin it.
“Imperial Mother, you are still in your prime.” Xiahou Dan said tersely.
But the Empress Dowager, clearly doubting Xiahou Dan’s intelligence, lovingly said, “Yesterday, the Crown Prince mentioned how much he misses his father.”
Xiahou Dan, unable to tolerate it any longer, closed his eyes, almost showing a trace of black energy between his brows.
“When you have free time, you can test his studies and talk with him more. “
“Imperial Mother.” At that moment, Xiahou Dan dropped all pretence, gently saying, “All these years you haven’t dared to let the Crown Prince out. Now, you suddenly say this. Do you think he’s no longer in danger?”
The Empress Dowager was stunned.
She looked at him in disbelief, thinking: Has he finally lost his mind completely?
The hall fell into a deathly silence. The officials, palace attendants, and guards tried to shrink themselves, wishing they could roll away like balls.
Yang Duojie kept quiet. Did he just hear something no living person should?
The Empress Dowager finally reacted, her eyebrows raised, “What do you mean by that?”
Images flashed before Xiahou Dan’s eyes. A group of palace attendants, male and female, gathered around him like farmers breeding livestock. The head maid presented him with a pill, and when he didn’t move, she apologised before forcing it into his mouth…
The more his head hurt, the calmer he appeared. He even smiled gently at her, “Imperial Mother, do you really think I would feel any fatherly affection towards him?”
As their eyes met, the Empress Dowager suddenly felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, as if she had heard a venomous snake hissing.
Yang Duojie began to wonder if he would make it down the mountain alive. Would they silence everyone here?
Xiahou Dan pointed at him. “Astrologer.” He said.
Yang Duojie shivered silently, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Xiahou Dan casually said, “Go check the feng shui of the nearby auxiliary palace, the sacred path, and the stele pavilion. Be thorough, no mistakes are to be allowed.”
Yang Duojie hesitated but moved quickly, as if afraid the emperor would change his mind, retreating in haste. He dashed into the rain, heading straight for the farthest side hall. As long as no one came looking for him, he could inspect the feng shui until next year.
In the forest.
A patrolling guard suddenly heard a strange noise from deep within the trees. Mixed with the sound of rain, it was faint, like a branch snapping. He went to investigate but saw no one. Thinking he had misheard, he was about to turn back when he noticed deep footprints in the muddy ground.
The guard opened his mouth to sound the alarm, but his cry was forever silenced. Tur dragged the body behind a tree, glanced at the nearby hall, and made a silent hand gesture.
Inside the hall.
The Empress Dowager continued to stare at Xiahou Dan, as if expecting an apology for his audacity. Xiahou Dan had indeed had enough of pretending. He didn’t know what scheme she had meticulously planned to bring him here, but by this point, there was no need for further pretence.
With Yu Wanyin not by his side, he didn’t need to maintain even the last layer of his disguise. He glanced at the Empress Dowager with a mocking smile. “Shall we begin?”
“…What?” Empress Dowager said.
As soon as she spoke, a flash of lightning tore through the sky, illuminating the dim hall for an instant. In that moment, all the windows shattered!
Dozens of shadows leapt in, moving like ghosts! The Empress Dowager screamed in terror. “Protect… protect the emperor!” she shrieked.
The guards in the hall rushed forward, but before they could see clearly, a handful of powder was thrown at them.
The leading guard struggled to fend off the attackers before succumbing to a few swift blows.
Ten attackers.
A delayed thunderclap exploded nearby.
Xiahou Dan’s Shadow Guards hastily revealed themselves to fight back, but the attackers were highly skilled and using unorthodox techniques, and quickly broke their formation.
Fourteen attackers.
Another flash of lightning. Amidst the sudden brightness and darkness, the remaining guards could only instinctively close ranks, using their bodies as shields to protect the emperor, trying to buy some time. “Your Majesty, escape. “
The Empress Dowager had already collapsed to the ground.
Twenty attackers.
By the time the second thunderclap sounded, twenty corpses littered the ground, only two of them attackers.
At this moment, Xiahou Dan finally saw the faces of the assailants. They were familiar, he had seen them at the Qianqiu Banquet.
Yan people.
Tur led the charge, wielding a sword taken from a fallen guard, his movements powerful and imposing. His immense strength seemed to infuse the ordinary sword with the force of a storm.
The sword flashed like lightning, cleaving another shadow guard in half. In the next second, it was pointed at the emperor, exuding a battlefield aura that suggested this strike could annihilate thousands of soldiers.
But it was intercepted by a short sword.
The wrist holding the sword wore a bracelet.
Tur looked up in shock. It was a heavily made-up nanny.
Under his gaze, the nanny’s bones made a “crackling” sound, her form growing taller, revealing a man’s physique. While Tur was still stunned, the man struck his chest with an iron palm, sending him stumbling back, coughing up blood!
“What kind of monster are you?” Tur asked.
“Your mom.” Bei Zhou answered.
“???”
Bei Zhou was also secretly alarmed. The short sword had barely managed to block the long sword, causing internal injuries and pain in his striking hand. Was this man’s body made of steel?
Bei Zhou’s expression was stern as he slowly spoke, “Judging by your skills, you must be Yan’s top warrior, Tur?”
“Correct. And you are?”
Bei Zhou glanced at the dead and wounded on the ground, stepped forward, picked up a long sword, shook off the blood, and calmly said, “I’m just an ordinary water-carrying nanny in the Great Xia Palace.”
“…”
Tur, realising he had been insulted, laughed instead of getting angry. “Do you Xia people only know how to use your mouths? Come and fight!”
He resumed his stance and charged again. Bei Zhou, showing no fear, was about to engage.
Then he heard a barely audible “click” behind him.
In an instant, Bei Zhou moved.
Instead of facing Tur, he withdrew to the side.
The next moment, it was as if a thunderbolt struck the centre of the hall, exploding with a loud bang.
Last night.
Yu Wanyin had laughed, “Uncle Bei, show him the thing.”
Bei Zhou, smiling, raised his two hands from behind.
Xiahou Dan, “…”
Xiahou Dan looked blankly at Yu Wanyin, “Are you kidding me?”
Bei Zhou, “Oh, Dan’er, why do you look like you already know what this is? This was Wanyin’s idea back then, using gunpowder to trigger the mechanism and launch hidden weapons. I’ve spent countless nights developing it, it’s the only pair in history…”
“A gun (spear)*.” Xiahou Dan said.
*枪: Qiang. The character for ‘gun’ is also used for ‘spear’. Of course, only our two transmigrators know Qiang as gun.
“Your eyes aren’t good. How can this be a spear?” Bei Zhou said. “I named it the Nine Heavens Mystic Rapid-Fire Sleeve Crossbow.”
Xiahou Dan, “…”
“Whatever makes you happy uncle.” Xiahou Dan said.
“Here, each of you take one.” Bei Zhou said. “Use it to save your life in critical moments. But you haven’t practised, so your accuracy might be off, don’t use it recklessly. Me? I don’t need this to protect myself.”
The hall fell silent again.
Even the Yang attackers paused, staring in shock at the centre of the hall.
A huge hole had appeared in the wooden pillar, smoke and the smell of burning wood filling the air.
Xiahou Dan, not knowing why, staggered back a step before regaining his balance, holding a strange object, its muzzle pointed at Tur.
No one had seen how he had fired it, but the immense power and destructive force had shattered everyone’s understanding.
He must have missed; if that shot had hit Tur…
Tur laughed uproariously.
“Good!” His eyes gleamed with bloodlust. “Let’s see who dies today!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he didn’t charge at Xiahou Dan but leaped at Bei Zhou.
Bei Zhou frowned, trying to distance himself to give Xiahou Dan a clear shot. Tur, with keen instincts, grasped the situation and engaged Bei Zhou closely, shouting, “Everyone come here! He can’t aim accurately!”
His men, understanding, adopted the same tactic, engaging the remaining guards in close combat, some even using the guards’ corpses as shields, slowly advancing on Xiahou Dan.
Pursued relentlessly by Tur, Bei Zhou was forced against a wall, his face cold as ice. “Are you underestimating me?”
With a swift movement, he gathered his strength, his hair flying, and his sword gleaming like a rainbow.
Tur sidestepped, but Bei Zhou’s sword didn’t slow, breaking through the window, propelling him outside.
Tur hesitated but realised too late.
Another bang sounded behind him, followed by intense pain in his shoulder!
Tur roared, following Bei Zhou out the window, his right shoulder bleeding profusely, the nauseating smell of burnt flesh mingling with blood.
He rolled away from the window and got up in the heavy rain. He tried to lift his right arm but couldn’t. His wolf-like eyes shot a look of hatred towards Bei Zhou.
Bei Zhou clicked his tongue regretfully, “The accuracy is indeed lacking.”
Tur switched the knife to his left hand, “Again!”
Inside the hall, guards lay dead or scattered, with only four or five struggling to hold on.
The Empress Dowager had been sitting paralyzed. Seeing that the newcomers seemed uninterested in her life, she shrank back and crawled towards the back door, attempting to escape in the confusion.
Xiahou Dan shot and killed four Yan operatives, but struggled to aim properly, accidentally injuring one of his own Shadow Guards. Nevertheless, having a gun made the Yan operatives cautious and kept them from easily approaching.
How many bullets did he have left? Three shots? Four shots? He couldn’t remember.
He took a deep breath and raised the gun again, only to hear a startled cry from the Shadow Guard, “Your Majesty, behind you!”
Xiahou Dan spun around suddenly, barely dodging a fatal blow.
Hasina thrust a sword into his right chest. Perhaps accustomed to pain, Xiahou Dan first felt a chilling cold, then slowly registered the pain.
Mechanically, he raised his hand and pulled the trigger.
Hasina fell.
Xiahou Dan knelt down, unsure whether to pull out the sword from his chest. The wound began to numb, it was perhaps poisoned. Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and pulled out the sword, blood gushing out of the wound.
Outside the hall, seeing the situation turning unfavourable, a guard dashed into the curtain of rain, intending to run down the mountain to seek reinforcements.
But before he got far, there was a sudden sound from above. He didn’t have time to look up before an arrow pierced his heart.
A cry came from the woods, followed by the sound of something heavy falling.
This repeated several times until Bei Zhou noticed. Handling Tur and shouting from the window, he said, “There’s an ambush in the woods, preventing us from descending the mountain!”
The Empress Dowager, almost at the door, froze and turned to look at Xiahou Dan, who was kneeling on the ground, looking up at her.
Their eyes met, and without hesitation, he aimed the dark barrel of the gun at her.
The Empress Dowager’s vision darkened, and she screamed instinctively.
Xiahou Dan, however, lowered the gun slightly and bang! shot her leg.
The Empress Dowager screamed again in anguish, “Xiahou Dan, you… you lunatic!”
Xiahou Dan replied, “Imperial Mother, are you planning to die with me?”
“What…?” The Empress Dowager’s mind was in chaos, tears and mucus streaming down her face. “The ambush in the woods isn’t mine! My people are in the city. !”
Everything had happened too quickly, but Xiahou Dan began to understand.
Prince Duan.
The Empress Dowager continued to wail, “It’s really not me, let me go…”
Xiahou Dan smiled, “Imperial Mother, I never expected that we, mother and son, would meet our end together today. But fortunately, your mausoleum will be put to good use.”
He laughed heartily, seemingly amused by his own words.
Cold sweat and snot streamed down the Empress Dowager’s face. “You… you’re mad…”
Xiahou Dan shook his head, “Unfortunately, I can’t die yet.”
How much ammo was left? Two shots? One shot?
He propped himself up and dealt with another Yan operative rushing towards him.
“Somebody’s still waiting for me to go back.”
Yang Duojie exited a side hall of the lower palace and headed towards another.
Since a while ago, thunder had been continuous outside, getting closer and closer, as if a colossal creature from the heavens was stepping down, wielding lightning as its blade to shatter Mount Bei.
Yang Duojie’s heart pounded inexplicably, his throat tightening.
Another thunderclap. The palace servant beside him was startled, tilting the umbrella and drenching Yang Duojie.
Yang Duojie was about to hurry inside when his steps suddenly halted. He turned his head towards the direction of the grand temple.
Was that last sound… thunder?
The trees on Mount Bei trembled in the dim and obscure sky. In the distant horizon, the sky seemed like thick ink spreading, layer upon layer of clouds collapsing and pouring down in a deluge.
Suddenly, a dark figure flashed in the corner of his eye!
Yang Duojie focused his gaze. It wasn’t his imagination, someone was sprinting downhill from the palace guards.
The palace guards were abandoning the emperor? Were they fleeing for their lives or going to fetch reinforcements?
Something major had happened in the grand temple.
Yang Duojie struggled internally, but ultimately, his sense of duty overcame his survival instinct. A servant, trembling with fear, handed him an umbrella, and he hurried towards the grand temple.
Two men ran towards him, dressed as Xiahou Dan’s shadow guards. “Lord Yang, please wait!”
“What’s happening inside?” Yang Duojie asked.
The Shadow Guard, with a serious expression, briefly replied, “The Yan people are assassins.”
Yang Duojie immediately understood and was about to rush forward, but the Shadow Guard stopped him. “I’ll go inform the Imperial Army. Sir, please don’t go to the temple, or down the mountain. Find a secluded place to hide and don’t waste His Majesty’s goodwill.”
After quickly briefing Yang Duojie, the Shadow Guard left him and dashed into the dark forest.
Yang Duojie stood frozen in place.
Goodwill.
Yes, just now the Emperor pushed him aside, realising something was wrong and deliberately sending him to safety.
At such a critical moment, would an emperor who awaits his ministers’ rescue push them away like a madman?
He recalled the look Xiahou Dan had given him earlier. There was no smile, no radiance. Only the cold calculation that had always made him uncomfortable, the gaze of a “heartless sage.”
Before today, Yang Duojie had always thought Xiahou Dan regarded him as a useful pawn.
Now he understood. He was indeed useful, but not to the Emperor.
Even in the face of death, the Emperor would protect him because he was useful to the realm.
Yang Duojie had never taken Xiahou Dan’s stirring speech on the pleasure boat seriously. “All of you must stand tall and be the backbone of Great Xia.” he had said.
But the Emperor’s promise outweighed everything.
Yang Duojie couldn’t articulate his thoughts at the moment; he just felt his limbs go numb and blood rushing to his head. Without a clear thought, he began to run towards the temple. Just as he took a few steps, he heard a strange sound from behind him in the forest.
One of the Shadow Guards who had stopped him earlier fell to the ground, an arrow in his back. Another was still locked in a desperate fight.
Yang Duojie hastily dodged behind the nearest pillar and peeked out.
Upon closer inspection, he saw bodies on the ground in various directions within the forest. Apart from the Imperial guards and Shadow Guards, some bodies were dressed in civilian clothes.
The man fighting the Shadow Guard in the woods was also in civilian clothes. These hidden soldiers did not reveal their identities, but Yang Duojie was no fool. With a little thinking, he knew they were either Yan people or loyalists to Prince Duan.
Prince Duan had intended to let the Yan people kill Xiahou Dan and the Empress Dowager.
The remaining Shadow Guard was skilled. Despite being injured in the ambush, he gritted his teeth and killed the hidden assassin, before finally collapsing.
Yang Duojie’s breath quickened. He could tell that there were no other hidden assassins coming to aid the other during their fight, indicating that the hidden assassins in that direction had been temporarily cleared out, creating an opening in the encirclement.
So, at this moment…
Before this thought could fully form, his body took control and rushed out of hiding.
Yang Duojie felt like he had never run so wildly in his life. He plunged into the mountains, crossed the bodies lying on the ground, downwards, downwards, shaking off branches and rainwater falling…
The terrain became steep, and every step he took was slippery, gradually leaving him with no way forward…
“There he is!” someone shouted behind him.
How many people had that bastard Prince Duan deployed?
Yang Duojie stumbled and fell, hands sinking deep into the mud, unable to climb up. He struggled to turn around, and behind him, someone in the trees was bending a bow and setting an arrow.
Yang Duojie no longer attempted to climb up but rolled down the steep slope.
For a moment, everything spun around him. He felt like a broken branch, washed down by mud and water, faster and faster until he collided with a fallen giant tree and finally came to a stop.
He was in intense pain all over, unable to tell how many bones he had broken. His clothes were torn, and his flesh was bleeding. After gasping for a moment, Yang Duojie leaned on the giant tree and continued downward.
Through the gaps in the trees, he finally saw the foot of the mountain.
Before tears could fill Yang Duojie’s eyes, the hairs on his back suddenly stood on end. Somewhere above his head, the sound of a bowstring tightening came again.
In that instant, the voice of the dead Shadow Guard echoed in his ears. “Don’t waste His Majesty’s goodwill…”
Yang Duojie’s eyes widened in agony.
His life shouldn’t end here, it shouldn’t!
With all his strength, he threw himself sideways.
A crack in the air.
The sound of something heavy hitting the ground.
Yang Duojie pulled himself up, checked his intact limbs, and then turned his head. The hidden soldier who had drawn his bow had fallen to the ground with a dart in his body.
“Minister Yang?” a woman’s voice called out.
A peasant woman and several farmhands-like men ran towards him. When the peasant woman spoke, Yang Duojie was shocked to recognize the voice of Yu Wanyin. “What happened to you?” She cried.
“Lady Yu!” Yang Duojie ignored everything else and shouted, “There may still be people in the forest!”
Yu Wanyin abruptly stopped, looking up.
In the curtain of rain, among the trees, no figures could be discerned.
Suddenly, a flash of a knife, not from the tree but from behind it!
The knife was already at his throat.
Yang Duojie heard Yu Wanyin take a deep breath.
At the critical moment, a deafening blast echoed in Yang Duojie’s ears, almost deafening him.
This sound was surprisingly similar to the one from the direction of the temple just now.
Yang Duojie covered his ears in panic. Yu Wanyin herself took two steps back, sitting down on the ground. The hidden assassin who had emerged from behind the tree had an extra bloody hole, but he was not dead yet, stubbornly swinging his knife towards her.
Another blast.
This time, Yang Duojie saw clearly. Yu Wanyin held a strange object in her hand, aiming it at the man’s forehead.
The man’s brain and blood splattered onto the tree behind him, forming a red and white pool. He staggered and fell, the knife rolling a few times until it hit Yu Wanyin’s foot.
When Yu Wanyin had killed someone before, she had used the hand of Consort Shu without seeing Xiao Mei’s body. At that time, she vomited.
Now the real body was right in front of her eyes, but she didn’t feel nauseous again, only a sense of unreality.
The scene in front of her floated like a dream, even the dead guy looked like a prop dummy.
In the end, wasn’t this whole world fake?
“Lady,” the Shadow Guard’s voice brought her back to reality, “are you injured?”
Yu Wanyin’s stomach twisted painfully behind her late realisation, and she bit her lip to hold back. No, even in this world, there was still one real person.
She turned to Yang Duojie and said urgently, “Tell me what happened.”
Yang Duojie reported as concisely as possible.
Yu Wanyin’s mind raced. She glanced at the four Shadow Guards who had followed her and nodded to two of them. “You two, carry Minister Yang and go get reinforcements.”
“Yes!” Shadow Guards chorused.
“Minister Yang,” Yu Wanyin patted him, “the future of Great Xia rests on your words.”
Yang Duojie left.
The remaining two Shadow Guards hesitated, “Lady…”
Yu Wanyin’s face turned pale, gripping the gun tightly. “I’m fine; let’s hurry up the mountain.”
In her confused mind, an untimely thought emerged: Why didn’t she go to him last night under the corridor lights?
Carrying Yang Duojie, the Shadow Guards moved quickly towards the city gate.
Yang Duojie, covered in bloodstains, was stopped by the guards defending the gate.
“Where is Commander Zhao? Take me to see Commander Zhao!” Yang Duojie hoarsely shouted.
Commander Zhao, having already received orders to report any slight change, did not dare to delay. The guards at the gate didn’t dare to delay and quickly brought him over.
Seeing Yang Duojie’s appearance, Commander Zhao relaxed a bit. It seemed like the Crown Prince was about to succeed.
Yang Duojie continued to cry out for help, but Commander Zhao interrupted him, “Who are you?”
“I-” Yang Duojie began to identify himself.
Commander Zhao scratched his beard, “With your demeanour, bringing in a few peasants, you dare to claim to be from the Qintian Observatory and dream about mobilising the Imperial Army?”
Yang Duojie was trembling with anger. He frantically searched his body, but all the items that could prove his identity had fallen during the chaos earlier.
“Take him into custody for interrogation.” Commander Zhao ordered.
The blood in Yang Duojie’s veins turned cold. While he could eventually prove himself, would there be anyone left alive on Mount Bei by the time he finished this ordeal?
In the torrential rain, Bei Zhou and Tur had exchanged hundreds of moves, neither able to gain the upper hand.
Bei Zhou’s martial skills far surpassed Tur, who could only move his left hand. But Tur harboured a determination to die, using moves that would end both their lives, seemingly intent on perishing together. Bei Zhou, however, remained preoccupied with Xiahou Dan in the grand temple, finding himself unexpectedly suppressed.
Inside the grand temple.
Whether invaders or defenders, nearly everyone lay on the ground, dead or wounded, unable to move.
Standing in the entire hall were only three Yan operatives.
They were all elite under Tur’s command, having fought through countless battles to reach this point, growing more courageous as they continued to fight. Even now, they remained relentless, using the corpses of fallen guards as shields, forming a defensive formation, steadily approaching their final target.
Xiahou Dan sat deep inside the grand temple, blood oozing from his chest, holding a gun in one hand, moving it back and forth as if searching for a weakness among them.
Only he knew that it was all a bluff. There were no more bullets left in the gun chamber.
The enemy continued to close in slowly.
Today, there was truly no turning back.
Xiahou Dan glanced back at the half-dead Empress Dowager, feeling deeply regretful. If he had known he wouldn’t survive the day, he wouldn’t have wasted that bullet on shooting her leg earlier. He should have just dragged her to accompany him in death.
There were still so many regrets.
Not seeing Prince Duan kneeling before him. Not seeing peace between the two nations and a bountiful harvest in Yan. Not fulfilling his promises to Cen Jintian and many other courtiers, showing them a peaceful and prosperous world.
Countless regrets flashed by like fleeting shadows, and the most vivid image left in his mind was the hot pot bubbling and steaming in the cold palace.
If only he could see her again…
Three loud bangs.
The three people blocking his view fell one after another, revealing the wide-open doors behind them.
Translation by Spider
Next: Chapter 15
Previous: Chapter 13