General’s Gown

Chapter 101 The long dream paid in full Part 7

“Everything right now is my own fault, but it has harmed you all in vain.” 

Murong Xiu sighed softly, as if speaking to the young man, and as if muttering to himself: “If he has a spirit in the sky, he definitely doesn’t want to see Yan Kingdom become like this.” 

The young man had already made up his mind. Thinking that sooner or later he would die of starvation, it would be better to be stabbed, but he never expected that Murong Xiu not only did not kill him in a fit of rage, instead, he spoke to him in this tone. This was completely inconsistent with the image of the emperor he had heard of on the streets and alleys. The boy opened his mouth, suddenly not knowing what to say. 

However, Murong Xiu didn’t intend to listen to the young man’s answer. He just raised his head and looked up at the sky, the gray clouds, and the dim sunlight behind the clouds. 

In his mind, there was a plan. 

“Go, bring my precious ruler’s seal.”

“Precious… ruler’s sea…?” Eunuch Liu Quan was stunned, thinking he had heard it wrong. 

At this time, if he took the ruler’s sea, does he want to surrender? ! 

The surrounding ministers were even more shocked and fell to their knees. 

“Your Majesty, absolutely not! It’s a great shame to surrender at your watch. If you do surrender, you will be ridiculed by future generations, and your ancestors’ souls will be disturbed!” 

“Your Majesty, we have been defending the city for more than a month. Wait a little longer, maybe reinforcements will come?! Starvation is a small matter, but a breach of law is a big deal, please think twice!” 

Amid the hoarse remonstrance of the ministers, Murong Xiu sighed and closed his eyes. 

Hold on? Even if he could afford it, the people of Sheng An City couldn’t afford it. The reinforcements have been delayed, and 80% of the place has been surrounded and suppressed by the rebels. If it continues to dry up like this, Sheng An will become a dead city full of corpses. Even if he survived by luck in the end, standing on the pile of bones, what dignity and face does he have to survive? 

This emperor position, he is no longer worthy of being it. He needs to pay the price he deserves for what he did wrong.

Murong Xiu slowly opened his eyes and glanced at the sky above his head with nostalgia. 

Brother Changqing, if you were watching from the sky, would you approve of my actions? 

I hope this time, I didn’t let you down again.

 ———————— 

Lead-black clouds piled up over the city. The setting sun slowly tore some cracks under the thick clouds, so a blood-colored light was projected, like a blood-colored giant sword piercing the ground from the sky. 

The wind stopped. The gate of Sheng An, which had been closed for many days, finally slowly opened. 

Two hundred Qilinwei came out and lined up on both sides. Murong Xiu took off the golden crown on his head with his own hands, took off the emperor’s robe, and walked out of the city gate step by step with his head held high, wearing only thin white mourning clothes. Behind him, there were a long dragon line of  black and white. It was all the eunuchs, maids, concubines, ministers, and all the people in Sheng An City. 

Almost everyone bowed their heads and shrank their necks, or shivered, or quietly wiped away tears. On the other hand, Murong Xiu, who was walking in the front, had a straight back holding the white jade ruler’s seal and a large stack of Sheng An City household books high on both arms. Every step he stepped on the ground was heavy. 

Not a long path, but it was full of thorns and shame. 

Murong Xiu finally stopped in front of the rebel army. Tens of thousands of iron cavalry put down their swords in unison, and consciously made way for a narrow path. Two men in military armor walked out calmly. The one in front was riding a high-headed horse. Although he was over fifty years old, he was tall and burly, with a pair of deep eyes that were especially fierce and shrewd. 

The man behind the horse was tall and thin, with thin eyebrows and a long beard. When he saw Murong Xiu coming out barefoot, he immediately showed a look of shock and pity, and couldn’t help sighing. 

It’s just that Murong Xiu felt sick when he looked at him with such a pretentious attitude.

“Sure enough, it’s you.” Murong Xiu sneered at Zhang Jian, but he already knew it in his heart and was not surprised at all.

“No wonder you disappeared the day before the coup d’état. It turned out that you went back to your master and became a dog.” 

Zhang Jian was glared at by Murong Xiu, but he didn’t have the usual caution and fear, and said with a faint smile: “Your Majesty, I’m afraid you are wrong, I am only a dog when I am by your side, right? I have been in the imperial court for decades, loyal and dedicated, but how have you treated me? You just treated me as an obedient dog. All your trust, all your benefits was for General Yan, and you refused to give it to anyone else. In order to restore General Yan’s reputation, I traveled thousands of miles to Qixia Village. But what happened? I was nearly strangled to death and had three ribs broken. And you, Your Majesty, was not only insensitive, but you also scolded me for the idea and demoted my official position!?” 

Zhang Jian became more and more stimulated as he spoke. Whether it was Qixia Village or Ningcheng’s siege, although my proposal was not the best, if you didn’t agree, how could you let thousands of people die innocently and make Yan Changqing hate you so much! 

Zhang Jian’s remarks were on point and Murong Xiu’s heart was at a critical point. Murong Xiu’s face changed. His pale thin lips trembled, but he couldn’t say anything. 

“Master Zhang, why do you bother with this child? Pang Taishi rode on his horse and gave Murong Xiu a condescending look.

“Murong Xiu, since you have already left the city to surrender, don’t put on the pretense of an emperor. Quickly hand over the treasured ruler’s seal and set up the edict. This old man thinks that you are young and ignorant, and will definitely show mercy and reward you as a ‘Zunming Marquis’ to be!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the rebels all over the place burst into sarcastic laughter. Murong Xiu endured the huge humiliation and ridicule, clenched the household book tightly in his hand, and said, “This position of mine isn’t hard to obtain, you just need to promise me one condition.” 

“Oh, you are now surrounded by enemies on all sides, isolated without help, what qualifications do you have for negotiating conditions?” Zhang Jian said coldly. 

“It’s not a dog’s turn to decide whether I am qualified or not.” Murong Xiu sneered, raised his head and said to Pang Taishi: “Rebel Pang, you besieged the city for a few days but didn’t attack, didn’t you just want to force me to give you the throne? But if I don’t write the edict myself, even if you get the throne, your name will not be right. Anyone who refuses to accept you will have a dignified reason to crusade you for me. Can you still sit firmly on the throne?!” 

“Good, you dare to make threats. Aren’t you afraid of death?” Zhang Jian said angrily. 

“Afraid of death? If I was afraid, I would have long fled, so why bother to stay here with the people of the city for a few days?” Murong Xiu said coldly, “The eyes of tens of thousands of people in Sheng An are watching. Even though I have virtues and areas I am lacking, I am deeply indebted to the world. But, in the end, I am still the real dragon, the emperor. If you and the other rebels dare to kill me, you will be a king-killer. Aren’t you afraid of being scolded by the world and go down in history for your infamy?!”

“You—!” Zhang Jian was angry. Turning around and begging for help, he looked at Master Pang. 

Pang Taishi had a displeased look on his face. He still underestimated this little emperor. It seems that the series of measures he took for the country and the people at the beginning of his accession to the throne were not a flash of inspiration, and the little emperor still had two moves. If he hadn’t been fascinated by love, he would have been a very suitable emperor. 

It’s a pity… 

“Never mind. How can this old man be such a mean person. Murong Xiu, what are your conditions, please tell me.”

“I want you to promise that after entering the city, you will immediately open the warehouse to provide food and help the people. You must not take advantage of the situation to rob, rape, murder and loot.” 

“What?” Pang Taishi looked at Murong Xiu in surprise. Wasn’t this little emperor a person who could sacrifice the lives of thousands of people for one person? What’s up with him? 

Murong Xiu smiled lightly: “As for me… I am deeply ashamed and feel guilt to the world. I have no face to live. After I issue the edict, I will take my own life. I just ask you not to hurt any of the people.” 

Pang Taishi and Zhang Jian looked at Murong Xiu in shock and suspicion. After pondering for a moment, Pang Taishi finally said: “Forget it, I promise you – quickly write the edict, so I can tell the world.” 

Two soldiers ran forward, repeated the record, and threw out a yellow silk. However, Murong Xiu seemed to have seen through something, he just smiled coldly and refused to step forward. 

“Murong Xiu, what do you mean by that?” Pang Taishi said impatiently, “To go back on your word, it’s not an emperor’s style!”

“I’m afraid you’ll go back on your word.” 

Murong Xiu suddenly held up a thick stack of Sheng An City Household Books, with no expression on his face. Frightened, he shouted to all the people with his loudest voice. 

“What does a verbal promise count for? There are 314,981 households in Sheng An City. I want you, Pang Zheng, to stand in front of all these households and write a promise in black and white on the book to never hurt any of them! Otherwise, I will immediately splatter three feet of blood and die on your sword, and see how your reputation of murdering the king and usurping the throne will stand firm in the world!” 

As soon as he said that, it was quiet for a moment. After a long while, the people behind him realized Murong Xiu’s intentions. Tears flowed down their faces, and they knelt down and kowtowed, shouting long live the king, wailing all over the place, a spectacular sight. 

Pang Taishi narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at Murong Xiu meaningfully. 

He knew that Murong Xiu probably had seen that the personnel of his army were mixed. Indeed, in order to gather a large number of troops in a short period of time and seize the imperial power as soon as possible, he not only secretly colluded with several local garrison troops, but also privately contacted the Beirong army.

The price he paid was also high—in addition to ceding the land and promising official positions, he also agreed to a very brutal request—after he acquiesced, these tiger and wolves who had coveted Sheng An City for a long time could indulge in Sheng An City to their heart’s content They were to enjoy three days of burning, kilingl, raping and plundering, with no taboos.     

He thought that he could agreed to Murong Xiu’s request indiscriminately, and there would be no proof in the future. Even if Sheng An City was slaughtered, he could still find a way to blame it on these Beirong people. But now Murong Xiu was screaming, forcing him to make a statement in front of tens of thousands of people, how could he go back on his word in the future? If something goes wrong in Sheng An City, it will be counted on his head, and he couldn’t blame anyone else.     

D*mn it! 

Pang Taishi secretly cursed, and quickly weighed it several times in his heart, determined to put the present conditions first. He thought of other ways to reward the army in the future. He then made a disapproving smile.

“Okay, I’ll write it down.” After that, he took the pen, and quickly wrote the guarantee after entering the city on the side of the thick household book. He dipped his hand in red and pressed a bright red handprint.   

Murong Xiu watched quietly, then he felt that his heart was finally settled. He raised his head and laughed a few times, his loose long hair and robes flew high against the wind and light, like thousands of black and white feathers flying in the snow. The laughter stopped, and when he raised his head again, there were already two lines of clear tears on his cheeks.     

In the three hundred and eighty-fourth year of the Murong Dynasty, it was finally destroyed in his hands. He was ashamed to face the world, ashamed to face his ancestors, ashamed to face his mother who was forced to die for his throne, and ashamed to face his elder brother Changqing who had been loyal to him, protected him, and respected him.     

Murong Xiu’s fingers trembled violently. He slowly picked up the pen, using blood as ink, he solemnly wrote the edict of abdication. After writing, he didn’t look at anyone’s expression again, just silently took out the dagger he had prepared and aimed it at his heart.     

Brother, I will go to the yellow springs road to make amends to you.     

The cold light appeared piercing the chest.     

“Qiang!”     

A crisp sound of an iron weapon knocking the dagger out of Murong Xiu’s hand. Murong Xiu was caught off guard, staggered a step, and saw a long arrow piercing the snow beside him.     

It was this long arrow that knocked off the tip of his knife.     

Who was it? !     

Zhang Jian was shocked when he saw this, and was about to find the direction of the arrow, but when he took a step, the sound of breaking air came towards him. He only heard a “boom”. Zhang Jian opened his eyes wide, and he didn’t have time to snort when he fell to the ground on his back. Blood covered his entire face as he struggled, then he finally stopped moving.     

His throat was actually pierced by a sharp arrow shot from nowhere from front to back.

Murong Xiu was dumbfounded and raised his head to look into the distance. For a moment, he thought he saw wrong. Because on the hillside in the distance, from west to east, a large black tide burst out like a flood, all cavalry wearing black armor and holding sharp blades. Tens of thousands of horses neighing, smoke billowing, and tens of thousands of cavalrymen rushing down. 

“Kill!!!!” 

The dark green and gold flag of the Yan army fluttered in the wind. The cavalry took advantage of the night, like countless bloodthirsty beasts, without hesitation, rushed towards the unexpected rebel army. The screams suddenly sounded, flesh and blood collided, the screams scattered the black crows, and blood penetrated the armor, evolving into a blood-colored turbulent sea. In front of the unstoppable black cavalry, the temporary army under Pang Taishi began to collapse. 

This is… the black armoured troops? ! 

Pang Taishi’s expression changed suddenly, he could not help tightening the reins, and his heart sank. 

No, not possible! The black armoured troops, also known as the Yan Family Army, was always led by Yan Changqing. But he opened the coffin with his own eyes and saw that Yan Changqing had indeed committed suicide! 

…However, all three generations of the Yan family died in battle, leaving only the old, the weak and the sick. Yan Changqing died. Which general in the world can command this army that has been cultivated by generations by the Yan family? 

Pang Taishi felt a chill in his heart. No matter whether the opponent was the black armoured troops or not, the army under him was by no means the opponent of this group of well-trained black cavalry. The situation was unfavorable, and he had no time to make plans. He just wanted to quickly take the imperial edict from the dead Zhang Jian and seize the throne.     

But who would have thought, just when Pang Taishi bent down from his horse and stretched out his hand, his fingertips about to touch the edict, another silver light wrapped in the wind whistled, and with a bang, a long arrow shot through with ruthlessness and accuracy, the back of his hand!     

Aaaahhh! ! ! !

Pang Taishi screamed and fell off his horse. The guards around him were startled and drew their swords to protect each other. However, the black riders were already in front of them, and they cut down their swords without hesitation. Simple and neat. Although the guards were also the elites selected by Pang Taishi, they panicked when Pang Taishi was shot off from his horses. Now that they were raided and surrounded by many, they were even less emboldened to struggle and resist.

The screams sounded in his ears again and again, and Taishi Pang was angry and startled, but he had seen a lot of wind and rain (has lots of experience) and was not stumbling on his feet. In his heart, Pang Taishi gritted his teeth and pulled out the sharp arrow in his palm. He endured the severe pain and swept the blood-stained imperial seal into his arms. He took a few steps to catch up with the person who was standing in the same place and pulled Murong Xiu’s hair with all his strength, the cold long sword already on Murong Xiu’s neck. 

“I don’t care whether you are the black armoured troops or not. In short, the emperor is in my hands now. If you understand, retreat thirty miles!” 

Pang Taishi held Murong Xiu hostage and roared angrily. 

As soon as the words landed, the black troops who were fighting stopped in response. When Pang Taishi saw this, he was overjoyed. While pressing the knife against Murong Xiu’s neck, he jumped into the chariot closest to him. The guards immediately supported him and retreated. 

However, the chariot didn’t drive a few steps when Murong Xiu, who was being held hostage by him, suddenly chuckled. 

Inexplicably, Pang Taishi felt a terrifying premonition in his heart, and he couldn’t help but move a few inches closer with the knife and cut a deep blood mark on the side of Murong Xiu’s neck. 

“When death is imminent, what are you laughing at?!” 

Murong Xiu raised his eyes and looked at Pang Taishi, who was in a state of panic and anger. It was really ridiculous, he was the dignified emperor and he was actually influenced by such a person, and he personally forced the death of his most precious person in his heart step by step. 

How ridiculous and how sad! 

Murong Xiu continued to laugh loudly. This laughter made Pang Taishi more and more flustered. He only felt that all the hairs on his body stood up, and a bad premonition weighed heavily in his heart. If it was really the black armoured troops, can he really escape so smoothly?

Pang Taishi looked back tremblingly. This look made him terrified – a terrifying figure walked out. 

Standing tall and strong, with a red cloak fluttering, a man with a ferocious silver mask was sitting high on the horse, a long purple bow had been pulled steadily by the man, and the sharp arrow was flashing with cold light, aimed in the direction of his escape. 

It’s him! ? He is still alive! ! ! ? ? ? 

“Run!!” 

Pang Taishi was so frightened that his heart was torn apart, and he couldn’t care about anything else, he just grabbed the whip and swung heavily to escape. However, before the whip in his hand could fall, the sound of a sharp weapon breaking through air immediately struck him with an overwhelming chill. 

The battlefield seemed to become very quiet. Eerily quiet. 

There was no more screaming. 

There was no crying. 

There was also no sound of weapons intersecting. 

Everything was enveloped in this terrible silence. 

There was only a soft sound – “click”. 

Pang Taishi fell down heavily from the chariot, and it was clearly heard, the sound of his cervical vertebrae breaking. 

Heaven and earth turned upside down and everything was covered in blood red. Pang Taishi was hit by an arrow in the chest, and his seven orifices were bleeding. He looked at the man who had come to him in disbelief. 

“…Really…it’s you?” 

However, he could no longer hear any reply. His blood-red eyes were unwillingly wide open, but there was no longer the breath of a living person. 

Murong Xiu slowly got up from the ground. He jumped off the chariot just now and was seriously injured, but at this moment, he could not feel the slightest pain. He just stared at the man with the silver mask sitting on the horse without blinking. 

Is it him?

Those thousands of days and nights, the person he was enchanted by, heartbroken by, maddened by, and deeply ashamed by? 

The vivid memory instantly broke through the valve and flashed before his eyes quickly. It was the oath of “bringing in the same robe with my son” under the begonia tree, it was the guardianship in the snow, it was his gentle smile, it was his unchanging loyalty from beginning to end… It was also his helpless back, the bleeding neck, and desperate eyes.

Murong Xiu’s eyes were red, his throat was choked, and thousands of emotions were surging in his chest. He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t say anything. He just subconsciously wanted to run up and take a good look at him. the person who he always thought of.     

But Murong Xiu stopped just after running two steps, as if he was afraid that the figure in front of him would dissipate if he got closer. He asked, “Brother Changqing, is that…you?”     

Are you here to save me? You… don’t blame me?     

The silver-faced man on the steed lowered his head slightly, looked at Murong Xiu, and said nothing.     

After a long while, he reached out and clasped the silver mask on his face, and lifted it upwards.     

Under the mask was a handsome and extraordinary face, with deep and handsome facial features, slightly upturned corners of the mouth, and sweaty and slightly curly hair on the forehead revealing a bit of an unrestrained style. A pair of eyes that were as crystal clear as amber, were looking at him coldly at this moment, with a bit of ridicule.     

Murong Xiu was shocked. He took a few steps back, and widened his eyes in disbelief.     

“Helian Rongchuan?! How can it be you?”     

“Why can’t it be me?”     

Helian Rongchuan sneered and raised the longbow in his hand: “If it wasn’t for being entrusted by someone, and the dog thief surnamed Pang being worse than you, the first person I would kill should have been you!”     

After speaking, he turned around and wanted to leave.     

“Entrusted by someone?”     

Murong Xiu’s eyes suddenly lit up. He ignored the blood and mud on the ground, ran a few steps barefoot, and suddenly pulled Helian Rongchuan’s hem with all his strength. 

Excitedly incoherent: “Did Changqing ask you to save me? He really didn’t die, he didn’t? Where is he? Where is he?!”

Murong Xiu’s heart was beating fiercely. He was almost convinced that Helian Rongchuan was willing to bring the black armoured troops to save him instead of killing him, must be because he was entrusted by Yan Changqing! 

An unprecedented huge joy rushed into his mind and Murong Xiu trembled uncontrollably. 

Yan Changqing was still alive, still alive! ! ! 

Helian Rongchuan frowned in disgust, lowered his eyes and raised the tip of his blade, cutting off the corner of his clothes that was held by Murong Xiu. 

“Don’t get my clothes dirty.” 

Murong Xiu spent almost all of his strength pulling on the corner of his clothes. Now that his strength loosened, he fell to the ground unexpectedly, but he immediately got up again and opened his arms to stop Helian Rongchuan.

“Changqing has come back to life, he is here now, isn’t he?!” 

“So what if he was? What if he wasn’t?” With the urge to slash down with his sword, he shouted, “You forced him to death. Even if he comes alive now and stands in front of you, would you have the face to see him?!” 

The water was poured down and he froze there for a moment, only to feel that the bloody hole in his heart seemed to be opened a few inches by a pair of iron hooks. He could hardly breathe. 

That’s right, he was forced to kill Changqing with his own hands. The bright red blood splashed all over his body and the feeling of slowly turning from hot to cold, still made his heart ache when he thought of it. Looking back over the decades, when has his elder brother Changqing ever been disloyal to him and not protected him?     

But what about Murong Xiu? On the day of his enthronement, he secretly vowed to protect Changqing in front of his civil and military officials, but in the end, the protection he kept talking about turned into a sharp sword that hurt Yan Changqing.     

After Yan Changqing died, he didn’t even dare to look at his tomb again. Now, what face did he have to see him again and call him brother again?

He was really muddle-headed. 

Murong Xiu smiled bitterly and sighed, as if all the obsessions in his heart disappeared in this long sigh. 

“…Then… please tell him ‘sorry’ on my behalf… After all, I didn’t keep my promise. I’m sorry.” 

Helian Rongchuan narrowed his eyes and gave Murong Xiu a cold look. 

“It’s fine since you know.” He raised his wrist and threw a black jade into Murong Xiu’s hand. 

The cold and clear black jade was carved into a half-recumbent black tiger. It was the talisman of the black armoured troops. 

“Let me tell you, Xiang Yu is in charge of the black armoured troops. You can handle the rest.” 

Helian Rongchuan casually dropped a sentence, and without looking at Murong Xiu again, he turned around and squeezed his horse’s belly to run towards the farthest rolling hillside. 

Murong Xiu pressed the military talisman tightly to his chest, staring at a small blurry shadow standing still on the hillside for a long time, and finally smiled bleakly.

He suddenly understood why Helian Rongchuan came to save him. Maybe it was not only because Yan Changqing didn’t want to see him, but also because Yan Changqing wanted him to owe Helian Rongchuan a favor. 

As long as he owed Helian Rongchuan a favor all his life, he will never be able to hurt Helian Rongchuan for the rest of his life. 

Brother, you still don’t want to believe me after all. 

Murong Xiu smiled bitterly, turned around silently, and stared at the bloody battlefield beneath his feet and the countless people behind him. 

He knew what he owed and how he should pay it back.

 ––––––––––––––– 

The sound of hooves leaving the battlefield became clearer and sweeter. Riding the wind accompanied by the falling snow, the horse ran for a while in the dark, then finally stopped at a low snow-covered slope. 

The melting silver moonlight illuminated the two snow-covered trees on the slope. Glittering little snowflakes fluttered lightly. One person and one horse, stood quietly under the tree. 

“It’s done!” 

Helian Rongchuan jumped off his horse and walked towards the man briskly. As he walked, he said in a low voice, “You really don’t plan to look at that little emperor again? Tsk tsk tsk, he cried. So sad.” 

Under the moonlight, the man had black hair like satin and clear eyes, although he didn’t say a word, there was a faint smile on the corners of his beautiful lips. 

“Don’t regret it, if you want to see him again in the future, I will not accept it.” 

Helian Rongchuan raised his eyebrows, his tone was a three-point threat and a three-point joke. 

Yan Changqing finally shook his head helplessly and stretched out his hand: 

“Let’s go.” 

Helian Rongchuan and Yan Changqing smiled at each other. He held his hands tightly, and kissed him on the cheek. “Go!”

      * * *

“History of Yan”: In the sixth year of Qingzhao, when the Pang Zheng Taishi secretly went to Beirong, he led 50,000 rebels to besiege the capital Sheng An on the thirty-ninth day. Fortunately, General Yan Changqing led 30,000 troops of black armoured troops and 20,000 troops of Yingzhou to rescue them, beheading 9,000 enemies and taking tens of thousands of prisoners. 

After the Qingzhao Rebellion, the Emperor was sorely relieved that he wrote a 10,000-character decree on his crime and announced it to the world. Later, the era name was changed to Yongqing. Emperor Xianzong tried his best to govern, not even stopping at night to solidify the frontiers outside, avoid wars, stop feuds inside, and allow the common people to rest. In the forty-three years of Emperor Xianzong’s reign, the world was prosperous, there were no dogs barking in the city, and no battles. 

Therefore, it is called: the rule of Yongqing.

    ————Main Story Over ————————