Chapter 63

As the rain of arrows descended, He Xuan’s pupils contracted sharply. Without time to think, his battlefield-honed reflexes had already whipped his blade forward with a swift motion.

Behind him, his personal guards also drew their swords to fend off the arrows. However, the horses they rode were not battle-hardened warhorses. Faced with the barrage of arrows, they neighed in fright and retreated, causing the formation to fall into chaos. Instantly, hooves were raised high, and dust flew everywhere.

Mo Yin watched the chaotic scene from below the city wall and smiled slightly.

How satisfying.

The natural human instinct had not vanished.

Seeing the once formidable protagonist in such disarray brought an indescribable pleasure to his heart. He wished he could get closer to see He Xuan’s expression more clearly.

Mo Yin coughed lightly, feeling a slight pain in his lungs, but his eyes were fixed with interest on the scene of the raised hooves among the flying dust. After being forced down, the horses’ hooves hit the ground heavily, and with a cry, the horses knelt down, causing the riders to dismount awkwardly.

Beside him, the archers of the Imperial Order had already drawn their bows, aiming at the cavalry below, awaiting Mo Yin’s command to release the second volley of arrows.

Below the city wall, some horses and soldiers were already injured. The soldiers, disregarding their arrow wounds, immediately dismounted to protect He Xuan. The wounded horses, exhausted from the long ride, collapsed onto the ground after being hit, their gentle eyes filled with tears.

He Xuan knelt on one knee, his palm caressing the face of the wounded horse as it struggled to breathe. He suddenly looked up at the city wall.

The red robe was like blood, and although the arrows hadn’t harmed him, his heart ached involuntarily.

He had known it was him from the start.

Yet he still shot arrows at him.

His palm felt the warmth of the horse beneath it, his soldiers surrounded him with vigilance and concern, and his chest grew cold. His heart, hardened as if back on the battlefield, became impenetrable. He Xuan slowly stood up, the fierce sunlight striking him as if a thousand arrows were piercing him.

The soldiers had abandoned their horses and drawn their swords, forming a siege formation. They were all elite warriors, each capable of taking on ten men. Even the soldiers who were bleeding from arrow wounds drew their swords, ready to charge the city wall on He Xuan’s command.

The two sides faced each other in silence, and even the dust seemed to freeze.

He Xuan looked up deeply, staring intently.

His hand gripped his sword tightly, and his throat felt as if it were stuffed with waterlogged cotton, preventing him from speaking a word. He stared at the thin, blood-red figure, watching his hand, waiting to see if his next gesture would be a greeting to a long-lost comrade or another lethal strike.

As both sides waited for orders, someone rode up behind the chaotic cavalry, shouting loudly, “By the Emperor’s decree, who dares to act recklessly——”

Another column of cavalry came charging, their bridles adorned with the shining emblems of pine and crane. The riders were heavily armored and armed with long spears, ready for battle.

“General.”

Li Yuan approached and immediately dismounted, kneeling on one knee before He Xuan. From the beginning, he had followed He Xuan’s orders and returned to the southern village to present He Xuan’s hand order to He Qingsong. Despite He Qingsong’s furious roar, Li Yuan had followed He Xuan’s instructions, bringing the He family soldiers to the capital at full speed, just in time.

“Forgive me for being late, General.” Li Yuan panted, presenting a brocade box with both hands. “This is the golden order bestowed by the Emperor to the He family. It carries the Emperor’s authority, allowing us to nullify decrees and execute traitors,” he proclaimed loudly. “Anyone who disrespects this golden order can be considered a rebel.”

Mo Yin, hearing this clearly from the city wall, couldn’t help but curl his lips into a cold smile.

As expected of the protagonist, there’s always someone to save him at the critical moment.

He raised his sleeve, and the archers beside him lowered their bows.

“Who goes there?”

Mo Yin’s voice was cold and lazy, sounding both familiar and strange to He Xuan.

Facing this maliciously rhetorical question, He Xuan stared and replied, “He Xuan.”

Nothing else, just He Xuan.

Just as at this moment, in his eyes, that distant figure was still just Mo Zigui.

“So, it’s General He.”

The tone remained indifferent and unchanging.

He Xuan felt a pang in his heart, forcing the last soft corner of his heart to harden.

“General He should be guarding the frontier at this time. Why have you suddenly returned to Beijing? Do you know that returning without a summons is tantamount to treason?”

“The Emperor has passed away. As a minister, it is my duty to return to the capital to mourn. I brought only a thousand riders and had the Emperor’s special golden order. How could this be considered treason?”

Mo Yin clasped his hands behind his back and said blandly, “General He is truly fortunate to have the shelter of your family.”

There was no response from below the city wall. Mo Yin turned and said, “Open the city gates.”

Li Yuan still couldn’t believe it.

When He Xuan first instructed him to return alone to the southern village, he had been skeptical. Could the strategist really intend to harm the general? But seeing the ground littered with arrows, he had no choice but to believe it.

Believe—the strategist had truly changed.

The cavalry entered the city, and He Xuan immediately ordered veterinarians to pull the arrows and treat the wounded horses.

“Rest assured, the vital organs weren’t hit.”

He Xuan knelt on one knee in the stable, gently stroking the soft belly of the horse and whispered, “You’ve worked hard.”

The horse blinked its long lashes at him as if it understood.

He Xuan stood up.

This place was once He Qingsong’s residence in the capital. After He Qingsong retired, the Emperor, to show he hadn’t completely eliminated meritorious officials, had granted He Qingsong many additional privileges, including the golden order and retaining the Grand Tutor’s mansion in Beijing Some old servants had stayed to manage the estate.

The wounded guards were removing arrows and treating their injuries in the courtyard. Each was a battle-hardened veteran, many having survived near-death experiences. They were indifferent to the arrow wounds, enduring in silence without so much as a groan. The courtyard was quietly filled with the faint scent of blood.

For a moment, He Xuan felt as if he were back on the battlefield, surrounded by the clash of swords and spears.

But the person who had once stood by his side was now turned away, drawing his sword against him.

Li Yuan, beside him, said, “Master was extremely angry. He instructed me to urge you to return to the frontier immediately after mourning, and not to get involved in the chaos of the capital.”

He Xuan lowered his eyes in silence.

Li Yuan glanced at He Xuan and then said softly, “Master said that if you don’t listen, I must convey a message to you.”

He Xuan remained silent for a moment before saying, “Speak.”

“The officialdom is perilous; one cannot tell friend from foe.”

“……”

That sounded familiar.

“In officialdom, everyone wears a facade. Who can see whether beneath it is a person or a ghost?” he smiled with a hint of deeper meaning.

With a slight curl of his lips but no smile in his eyes, He Xuan said, “Well said.”

The old and new Grand Master’s mansions stood across the street from each other. The new mansion was far more lavish, with a grander and more imposing gate. The old Grand Master had been low-key and cautious, never making enemies in the court, while the new Grand Master was his complete opposite—arrogant and overbearing, eliminating anyone who opposed him.

Chen Cong wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and said, “That day when I was writing a secret letter, the Imperial Order suddenly came to search. It really scared me. Luckily, I had prepared and handed over a pre-written letter to deceive them.”

“Master Chen, you’ve been troubled,” He Xuan cupped his hands and said solemnly. “I’m sorry to have caused you difficulty.”

Chen Cong shook his head and hands. “The old Grand Master saved my life. If not for his help, my entire family would have been executed. This is nothing compared to that.” He put the handkerchief back into his sleeve, frowning. “Given the current situation, General, what are your plans?”

He Xuan’s mind was a tangled mess.

Three years had passed since he and Mo Yin parted ways.

When they separated, he had many doubts and questions, but he swallowed them all.

He thought maybe it was the end, a new beginning. Mo Yin had achieved his aspirations, and with his ambitions, he would realize them.

But He Xuan hadn’t anticipated that Mo Yin’s ambitions were so far from what he had imagined.

Though he hadn’t been in the capital for long, he knew the eldest prince was the most outstanding among the three, favored by the late emperor. If there were to be a crown prince, why bypass the eldest prince for the weak and incompetent second prince? Moreover, the late emperor had been in good health—how could he leave a will prematurely?

The false portrait, the treasonous letters, and the brutal deaths of Yan Qi and Liu Cong flashed before his eyes…

He tried to recall the times he and Mo Yin fought together on the frontier.

Mo Yin, like him, was loyal to the emperor and patriotic.

However, suppressed doubts that had been building for three years resurfaced. Perhaps everything was just a tool for Mo Yin to use…

“Where is the eldest prince now?” He Xuan asked in a low voice.

Chen Cong broke into a cold sweat again. Though it was just the two of them in the room, and he had entered through a secret passage, well concealed, he still instinctively lowered his voice, “On the day the imperial edict was announced, the eldest prince fell ill.”

“Ill?” He Xuan’s lips tightened. “What illness?”

“Smallpox.”

He Xuan fell silent again.

His hand, resting on his knee, quietly clenched and trembled slightly.

“Is it true?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“The imperial Doctors said so, but since he is confined in the palace, it’s hard to say what the actual situation is.”

He Xuan abruptly stood up, startling Chen Cong, who clutched his chest and looked at He Xuan’s stern and furious profile, unable to help but say, “General, please calm down, do not act rashly…”

He Xuan turned his face, “How did the emperor really die?”

Chen Cong’s expression became even more troubled, clearly afraid to speak further.

The more He Xuan asked, the colder he felt inside.

Zigui, did you really…

“Master Chen, you’ve been here for a while. To avoid any accidents, please leave now,” He Xuan said, turning to Chen Cong. “Thank you for risking your life to bring the news. Regarding the matter you mentioned in your letter about rallying loyalists, as a minister, I have no choice but to take action. I will contact you for further discussion after making plans.”

Chen Cong stood up, somewhat dazed, and bowed in return.

He Xuan escorted Chen Cong to the secret passage within the mansion. After seeing Chen Cong off, he was about to turn back when he heard Chen Cong call out, “General, wait.”

He Xuan turned around. Chen Cong was half-hidden in the secret passage, looking hesitant. “General, when did I mention rallying loyalists in my letter?”

He Xuan was slightly taken aback, “Master Chen, in the letter you sent to the frontier—” He stopped abruptly. Chen Cong continued, “I only informed you about the emperor’s death, but said nothing more…”

Chen Cong had narrowly survived the emperor’s crazed execution of ministers years ago and had always been cautious. Agreeing to deliver messages for He Xuan was due to his mentioning only well-known official promotions and changes in his letters. Even if discovered, it wouldn’t pose much danger.

The emperor’s death was a major event. Even if Chen Cong didn’t inform him, He Xuan would soon find out. The time difference carried some risk, but considering He Xuan was the son of the old Grand Master, Chen Cong decided to take that risk.

But suggesting He Xuan return to Beijing to rally loyalists was beyond his courage and authority!

Fear gradually spread in Chen Cong’s eyes, “General…”

He Xuan’s expression darkened. He silently bowed to Chen Cong and turned away, his robe fluttering.

Within the Grand Master’s mansion.

Mo Yin, barefoot, leaned back on a soft couch with his eyes closed, resting. A beautiful maid gently massaged his shoulders. A guard beside him said, “Chen Cong has been inside for half an hour.”

Mo Yin made a sound of acknowledgment from his throat, “Keep watch.”

“Yes.”

The guard left. Mo Yin coughed lightly, and another maid immediately brought tea, “Grand Master.”

Mo Yin slightly parted his lips, and the maid carefully tilted the teacup, pouring a little warm tea into his mouth, then used a handkerchief to wipe the tea stains from his lips.

Sunlight streamed through the paper windows, water vapor rising from an ice basin mingling with the smoke from an incense burner. The intertwined scents created a cool and fragrant atmosphere. The maids surrounding him looked languid as if even their bones were soft.

Suddenly, Mo Yin grabbed the delicate hand of the maid serving him tea. The maid’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, her voice like a nightingale’s, “Grand Master…”

His pale, slender hand slid from her hand to the teacup, and with a flick, the cup flew out of the window—

Almost simultaneously, someone outside the window kicked it open to dodge the cup and leaped inside, startling the maids into a chorus of frightened cries, scattering like flowers around the couch.

Mo Yin rested one hand on his forehead, the other on his bent knee, eyelashes fluttering as he looked at the intruder kneeling like a panther, and smiled faintly, “What a surprise, General He. Since when did you become a mere jumping clown?”