“Zheng Zheng, it’s me.”
As she emerged from behind the tree covered in blood, Xie Yu’s heart ached painfully, “You’re injured.”
He immediately stepped forward to examine her wounds, nearly suffocating when he saw the arrow sticking out of her back. How much pain must that have caused!
Ma Bing’s hearing was beginning to recover, though it remained muffled and unclear. Now that Xie Yu was standing right in front of her, his voice seemed to come from somewhere far, far away, as if passing through several layers of quilts before reaching her ears. Her violently pounding heart further blurred her hearing. She could barely make out his words, only guessing their meaning from his mouth movements and anxious expression.
“It didn’t hit any vital areas.”
Xie Yu pressed his lips tightly together, quickly tearing off the hem of his clean inner robe to first bandage the wound on her shoulder. Then he took out a wax-sealed pill from a small sachet he always carried with him, crushed it open, and said, “Swallow this.”
Ma Bing obediently opened her mouth. The moment the pill touched her tongue, she could identify six or seven extremely precious medicinal ingredients.
Xie Yu walked around to examine her back, “Your back injury is serious. We need to go down the mountain immediately to find a physician and remove the arrowhead.”
Ma Bing couldn’t hear clearly, but seeing his equally abnormal expression, she sighed, “Why did you have to come?”
Now you’ve been dragged into this because of me.
Xie Yu’s face was pale, his clothes covered in dust, and his usually neatly combed hair somewhat disheveled. It was the first time she had seen him in such a disheveled state.
Why did he have to come?
“If I hadn’t come, would you have wanted me to wake up and immediately hear news of your death?” Xie Yu’s voice trembled slightly, his eyes slightly reddened, “Zheng Zheng, you can’t be so cruel to us.”
He said “us.”
Because he understood that the decision she had made must have caused this girl to endure far more pain than others.
Ma Bing remained silent for a moment, her heartbeat gradually calming, and the world around her ears becoming somewhat clearer.
She didn’t know what to say, leaning on his arm to relieve the dizziness caused by blood loss. She gave a dry smile, “What you just gave me to eat… could it possibly be the legendary pill that can bring the dead back to life and knit flesh and bone together?”
She actually still had the mood to joke around!
Xie Yu gave her a glare for the first time, somewhat helpless, but still honestly replied, “It’s indeed a rare miraculous pill, an imperial palace secret formula, capable of quickly knitting flesh and stopping bleeding, enough to keep you going until the imperial physician arrives to hear your last words.”
Probably due to the effects of blood loss, Ma Bing stared blankly for quite a while before realizing that he had actually gone along with her joke.
This was almost unimaginable before. It seemed she had indeed changed him a lot.
Xie Yu protected her as they walked down the mountain, and the guards immediately surrounded them.
The leader who had spoken with Xie Yu earlier said, “Young Marquis, please don’t make things difficult for us.”
Xie Yu: “Step aside!”
The leader didn’t move his feet, “We have the emperor’s orders. Please don’t make things difficult for us, Young Marquis.”
“Sir!”
Yuan Pei and Huo Ping, who had been lagging behind, led people to arrive in a rush, breaking into this tense situation. When they saw Ma Bing’s pitiful state, they couldn’t help exclaiming, “Er Liang?!”
Who could have imagined that in just a few short hours, a perfectly fine person had become a blood-soaked mess.
Half leaning on Xie Yu, Ma Bing looked at Yuan Pei and the others with a bitter smile, “It’s probably a bit too late to pretend we don’t know each other now.”
She had never wanted to involve others the most, yet she hadn’t expected that in the end, she had dragged others into the mess with her.
Yuan Pei and the others didn’t have time to say much and immediately came over to surround Xie Yu and her in the center.
With the sudden increase in their numbers, the guards became tense, drawing their swords and the situation becoming highly volatile.
A few days earlier, Xie Yu had been stripped of his position and had no authority to mobilize the imperial guards or the Kaifeng Prefecture officers, so this time he had only brought Yuan Pei, Huo Ping, and their personal soldiers. This was his entire personal guard unit.
“Can you still hold on?” Xie Yu asked softly.
Ma Bing nodded, “It didn’t hit any vital areas, and the medicine is very effective.”
If not for her recent desperate escape and excessive physical exertion, she wouldn’t have lost so much blood.
Xie Yu glanced around and noticed the crowd gathering at the foot of the mountain. It seemed the guards from the imperial mausoleum had heard the commotion and were rushing over.
She was already injured and couldn’t move recklessly anymore.
They couldn’t afford a direct confrontation.
After a brief pause, Xie Yu said to the leader of the guards, “I will personally take her back to Kaifeng.”
They had to return.
Firstly, Ma Bing’s injury needed immediate treatment.
Secondly, the news of the destruction of the imperial temple couldn’t possibly be concealed. This was their last and best opportunity.
He lowered his gaze to look at Ma Bing, who immediately understood his meaning and nodded.
If they fled like this, not only would it drag down Xie Yu and the others, but she would spend the rest of her life on the run, and the reputation of the Yan family army would truly be ruined once and for all.
In the end, it was just a matter of life and death. She might as well take a bold chance!
The leader was still hesitating.
Although the Young Marquis had a good reputation, it was obvious that he had a close relationship with that female thief. He was young, impetuous, and full of passion. What if he got carried away by emotions and let her escape…
He was a member of the imperial family and wouldn’t face serious consequences, but what about their group?
Xie Yu guessed their thoughts, “You can send someone to follow us.”
At this, the others were convinced he wasn’t lying.
The leader discussed briefly with the reinforcements that had arrived, and agreed to Xie Yu’s proposal.
It’s wiser to settle disputes rather than escalate them. Direct confrontation should be avoided whenever possible. After all, weapons are blind—if anyone were injured, even if Xie Yu himself bore no resentment, it would still be difficult to explain to Princess Ningde, the imperial son-in-law, and even the emperor.
“Official duties demand it, please understand, Young Marquis,” the leader solemnly bowed and immediately selected a group of men to “escort” Xie Yu and Ma Bing down the mountain.
Ma Bing was injured and couldn’t move recklessly, especially since the wound was on her back. Xie Yu bent down, “Get on.”
Ma Bing hesitated for a moment before lightly climbing onto his back.
If she had refused, it would inevitably lead to a struggle.
Who knew that as soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, she actually saw the abandoned big black horse.
The latter also spotted her, rushing over like a whirlwind, rubbing its big head against her, which caught Xie Yu completely off guard, causing him to stumble.
“You haven’t left yet,” Ma Bing stroked the big black horse’s wet eyes, feeling a joy of reunion.
Xie Yu steadied himself and shot an annoyed glance at the black horse. “I ran into it on the way, standing there crying pitifully. So I guessed what was going on and tentatively asked if it wanted to come with me—and it actually followed.”
Now that Ma Bing couldn’t ride a horse alone due to her injury, Xie Yu placed her on his own mount, then climbed on behind her, carefully avoiding her arrow wound and gently wrapping his arms around her.
He hadn’t even had time to shake the reins when the big black horse came over and bit him.
Xie Yu: “…”
He couldn’t help himself and gave the horse’s head a tap, too annoyed to explain, and shook the reins to start moving.
Don’t you even see how injured your master is? Can you even ride with your back so bare!
Yuan Pei and Huo Ping led over a dozen personal guards, surrounding Xie Yu, Ma Bing, and the big black horse in the center. They remained vigilant against the accompanying guards while couldn’t help but exclaim in their hearts:
Blow up the imperial temple!
Er Liang, you really are something else!
Halfway down the mountain, Ma Bing’s hearing had mostly returned.
She slightly tilted her head, looking at Xie Yu’s equally pale face, feeling both pitiful and absurdly amused.
“Do we look like a pair of sick cats?”
To her surprise, Xie Yu actually laughed.
He lowered his head and rubbed his cheek against hers, “A pair. That’s a good way to put it.”
For over a decade before this, he had been dutiful and law-abiding, never stepping a foot out of line.
But since meeting this girl, his principles kept changing, his limits kept lowering, repeatedly breaking the rules.
Now he had even committed two offenses knowingly: first, framing Prince Su, and second, this current situation.
According to the laws of the Great Lu dynasty, anyone who deliberately damages the imperial mausoleum or temple shall be executed without mercy, with their nine clans to be exterminated.
As a grandson and subject of the emperor, he was instead protecting a criminal…
But he knew he hadn’t done anything wrong.
Perhaps the world is just like this: being law-abiding doesn’t necessarily ensure everything turns out well.
Laws are made by men, and since they are made by men, there will be bias and imperfections.
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary actions.
He had no regrets.
Xie Yu quickly collected his thoughts and added, “The explosion earlier must have been heard by half the city of Kaifeng. Even if the court wanted to conceal it, they couldn’t. Zheng Zheng, this is our last and best chance.”
Ma Bing hummed in agreement, “There’ll probably be a lot of people waiting for us, right?”
Xie Yu exhaled slowly, “Yes.”
As they had expected, as soon as trouble occurred at the imperial mausoleum, the guards immediately sent horsemen to the city to deliver the news.
Before Ma Bing had even come down from the mountain, the emperor and Prince Xian, who was in charge of the ancestral temple, had already been informed.
How the emperor reacted for now remains unmentioned. After confirming the news multiple times, Prince Xian fainted on the spot.
This was a matter of life and death!
Who dares to blow up the imperial temple!
What kind of curse had he incurred to have such a huge incident occur during his tenure in charge of the ancestral temple!
Not to mention since the founding of the Great Lu dynasty, looking through the entire historical records, how many imperial temples had ever been blown up?
How unlucky he was!
Before reaching the city gate, a soldier came to report, “My lord, the city gate is under martial law.”
Xie Yu nodded slightly and saw several riders approaching from the direction of the city gate. They shouted loudly, “Is this Prince Qingwu’s heir Xie Yu’s party?”
Xie Yu said, “It is me.”
After the riders looked at him and Ma Bing, they cleared a path.
Xie Yu and Ma Bing exchanged a quick glance. As expected, inside the gate stood a squad of troops, led by Prince Xian himself.
After the old man had been revived by the palace physician, he furiously brought people from the ancestral temple to block the gate. Seeing Ma Bing’s return, he shouted loudly, “Audacious traitor, surrender immediately!”
Ma Bing patted Xie Yu’s hand, who understood her intention and voluntarily switched to ride the big black horse.
The big black horse was a bit unhappy, snorting several times in succession.
Ma Bing steadied herself, using her blood-stained hands to open the bundle, shaking out a bloodstained military flag. As it unfurled in the wind, the bold character “Yan” stood out clearly!
With the city gate under martial law, the roadside vendors had been driven away, but the existing shops couldn’t be relocated. Although their doors were closed, countless curious citizens were peeking through the cracks in the doors and windows.
After all, it had been many years since Kaifeng had been this tense, and everyone was curious about what had happened.
An elderly person recognized the military flag and immediately cried out in shock.
Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire, rapidly expanding.
The northwestern wind blew from behind Ma Bing, making the tattered military flag flutter noisily. The crowd was overwhelmed by her presence, watching helplessly as she approached, not daring to step forward.
Even the furious Prince Xian unconsciously took a step back.
Ma Bing raised the military flag high, loudly proclaiming to all the imperial guards and the citizens of the city, “I am the descendant of the Yan family’s army, originally named Yan Zheng. My late father was Marquis of Martial Valor, Yan Xiong. My late mother was Ma Qiudi, a female general from the Ma family. During the Tianwu period, the late emperor listened to the words of treacherous ministers, suppressed loyal officials and generals, and ordered Prince Su to divert military funds to build the mausoleum extensively…”
The entire city was in an uproar!
Finally regaining his senses, Prince Xian’s face turned deathly pale as he hastily shouted, “Seize her, seize her immediately, don’t let her continue to slander the late emperor’s holy name!”
Xie Yu rode forward on his horse, followed closely by his personal guards, “Who dares!”
Prince Xian was both ashamed and furious, “Xie Yu, exactly whose descendant are you!”
Xie Yu said, “It doesn’t matter much whose descendant I am. What matters is that justice must prevail, and we must not let the blood of loyal officials and generals go to waste!”
He had been raised in the imperial guards, understanding far better than ordinary people the difficulties of guarding the borders and waging war.
So many soldiers had fought their entire lives, only to meet such a fate. No way!
After coming this far, they had long since passed the point of no return. They must either fight to the bitter end or watch helplessly as Ma Bing, no, Yan Zheng, died!
Don’t say he had personal feelings, even if he were to act purely on official duty, he couldn’t bear to see history repeat itself.
“Madness, sheer madness!” shouted Prince Xian, then scolded the men he had brought, “What are you looking at, he’s lost his mind! That woman is slandering the late emperor and defaming the royal dignity, it’s nothing short of high treason! She deserves to have her entire clan executed, why haven’t you seized her yet!”
The royal dignity and decorum could absolutely not suffer any blemish. Even if there were faults within the family, they should be resolved behind closed doors.
Earlier, when Xie Yu suddenly attacked Prince Su, Prince Xian had already felt it was inappropriate and had even specifically visited the Kaifeng Prefecture to hint at this. Now, seeing him attacking the late emperor himself, he felt utterly intolerant.
Had this young man even forgotten his own ancestors?
“What benefit could you possibly gain by tarnishing the late emperor’s reputation?”
Madness, he was mad!
“Nine clans?” Yan Zheng coldly laughed, “What a great nine clans! Not just nine clans, my Yan and Ma families had ten clans, and now only I remain. If you want to kill more, go ahead and kill!”
As her voice fell, hundreds of imperial guards stood motionless.
Prince Xian was so angry he trembled, his usual geniality completely gone.
He looked from one face to another, “You have all eaten the emperor’s salary, so you must share his burdens. Are you rebelling?”
But who among the imperial guards didn’t know the reputation of the Yan family’s army? The only surviving heir of a loyal family seeking justice after their tragic death—was that excessive?
A sudden surge of indescribable anger and sorrow welled up in their hearts. It was as if a cold wind was blowing through their eyes, igniting the long-dormant embers of their blood and courage.
No one stepped forward.
Suddenly, a voice clearly filled with anger floated from the crowd, “If she hadn’t been cornered with no other options, why would such a young girl resort to such a desperate method?”
“Who said that!” Prince Xian abruptly turned around, trying to find the troublemaker.
But what met his eyes were only identical expressions of anger.
“You all deserve to be executed!” he cursed.
Before he could finish speaking, a sudden roar came from afar, “Who dares!”
Accompanied by the thunderous sound of iron hooves, Pei Rong led a group of horsemen rolling in from the end of the road.
The old general charged forward with a murderous glare, wearing old armor polished to a shine and wielding a long halberd darkened by bloodstains.
Su Guan followed half a horse length behind, wielding a massive axe, completely transformed from the amiable old steward of daily life.
The imperial guards were awestruck by their might, yet reluctant to strike against Yan Zheng, so they stepped back. The soldiers of Pei Rong swiftly formed a circular defensive formation, encircling Yan Zheng, Xie Yu, and others.
He pulled on the reins and looked at the battered Yan Zheng, his tiger-like eyes reddening slightly. “Good child, Uncle arrived too late. You’ve suffered so much!”
Yan Zheng’s eyes brimmed with tears, nearly breaking into sobs.
She bit her lip hard, her eyes glistening with tears. Drawing forth every ounce of courage from her battered body, she roared toward the sky, “The soldiers and officers of Liangzhou devoted themselves entirely to the nation. The people would rather die than live under occupation. With no food or reinforcements, we fought to the death. Yet because of the incompetence of the emperor and the treachery of corrupt officials, nearly one hundred thousand of us perished. Why?! What crime did we commit?!”
She emerged from a mountain of corpses, alone, determined to tear open the heavens themselves! Even if it cost her life, she would never regret it!
No one knew exactly when it happened, but the imperial guards who were supposed to capture her lowered their weapons. The citizens, who should have shut their doors and refused to listen, peeked their heads out, deeply moved.
Her voice, like a cry from the depths of her soul, shook the heavens and awakened the deaf. Many among the soldiers and citizens were moved to tears, raising their arms and shouting, “What crime did we commit?!”
Pei Rong raised his arm and shouted, “We want justice!”
The crowd rose in unison, crying, “Justice!”
The Prince Xian was shocked, “Pei Rong, are you trying to rebel?!”
Before the words had even settled, over a dozen sharp spears from Pei’s army were pointed at him, and Su Guan’s massive axe was nearly touching his nose.
These men had survived countless deaths and emerged from the battlefield; their very bones exuded blood and violence. How could a leisurely prince withstand such pressure? He couldn’t help but shudder from head to toe, his legs wobbled, and he staggered backward, barely supported by his attendants.
Pei Rong spat angrily.
“Rubbish! You used this trick years ago to destroy the Yan army. Do you want to destroy me too? But times have changed! The entire city of citizens is watching! You may twist the truth, but can you silence the voices of the entire nation? The people demand justice. What are you? Just a damn nobody!”
The Prince Xian had lived a smooth life for decades. Everyone respected him for his seniority and long-standing reputation. Never had he been publicly berated like this, his face alternating between pale and green, unable to find a word to counter.
The Prince’s mind was in chaos, his vision darkening.
He couldn’t understand how things had spiraled out of control.
The emperor is the heavens; the royal family is the face of the heavens. Could the Son of Heaven ever make a mistake?
No, absolutely not!
Even if there was a mistake, it must be the fault of those below.
He looked around frantically, “Where is Tu Yao, the Governor of Kaifeng? Why isn’t he stepping in to handle this major incident?!”
An attendant nervously reminded him, “Your Highness, don’t you remember? Earlier, you said this was a family matter of the royal family and forbade outsiders from interfering…”
As soon as the news arrived from outside the city, Tu Yao had declared himself ill.
Otherwise, how could it have come to this?
As the chaos at the city gate intensified, another group of horsemen approached from the imperial palace. At their head were actually Wang Zhong, the commander of the palace guards, and the chief eunuch.
Everyone’s hearts tightened.
The emperor knows, and he has made his move!
Wang Zhong was startled by the tense scene before him. Hurrying to dismount, he ran forward shouting, “The Emperor’s decree! Everyone, kneel and receive the imperial command!”
Xie Yu and Pei Rong led the way in dismounting, with Xie Yu helping Yan Zheng down from her horse. The soldiers followed suit, kneeling in a sea of armor.
The next few words from Wang Zhong could determine the life or death of everyone present.
The outcome of everything hinged on this moment.
“The Emperor commands: Xie Yu has left the capital without permission and is ordered to return home immediately for self-reflection… As for that young lady, come with me to the palace.”
“Hold on!” Xie Yu blocked the approaching palace guards and said to Wang Zhong, “She is injured. She must be treated before appearing before the Emperor!”
Wang Zhong was prepared for this and remained calm. “Prince, there are plenty of imperial physicians in the palace. There’s no need for your concern.”
Xie Yu was about to speak again when Yan Zheng interrupted, “It’s okay.”
If the Emperor truly wanted her dead, he could have executed her on the spot with a charge of rebellion. Even if Xie Yu or Princess Ningde clung to his legs and cried until they went blind, it wouldn’t have mattered.
Now, the Emperor wanted her to come to the palace, which meant there might be a chance for a change.
Seeing that Xie Yu still hesitated to let her go, Wang Zhong sighed helplessly and stepped forward to whisper, “My lord, please calm down a bit. The Emperor is in a difficult position too.”
Yan Zheng smiled at Xie Yu. “You go home first and treat your wounds. Don’t worry your family.”
Pei Rong rode forward, shouting loudly, “Men, escort Yan Zheng, the descendant of the Yan army, to the palace to meet the Emperor!”
Though it was called an escort, it was in fact a protection detail. Without needing the palace guards to intervene, they marched grandly and openly toward the imperial palace.
Wang Zhong and the palace commander exchanged glances, both feeling helpless in the face of this venerable old general with such great achievements.
Well then, if the Emperor himself can’t do anything about it, we’d better say nothing at all.
If the old man wants to deliver her himself, who would dare to provoke him at such a critical moment?
To Yan Zheng’s surprise, the first people she met after entering the palace were indeed imperial physicians.
Her confidence, which had been only three parts, now rose to six.
Her opinion of the current Emperor also soared.
He had even tolerated the destruction of her father’s temple, showing remarkable forbearance.
The imperial physicians examined her wounds, removed the arrowhead, and did some basic suturing. They also prescribed medicine, which Yan Zheng drank without hesitation.
At this point, she didn’t believe the Emperor would go to the trouble of bringing her to the palace just to kill her. Why not eat and drink what was offered?
She had lost a lot of blood and was already dizzy. The passionate outburst at the city gate had reopened her wounds. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, pain and exhaustion surged over her like a tide.
The medicine likely contained something to induce sleep. Yan Zheng only rested for a moment before feeling an overwhelming drowsiness. Within a few breaths, she had fallen into a deep sleep.
She was so exhausted.
At this point, there was nothing more she could do. A sense of relief settled over her, as if the dust had finally settled.
Sleep, she thought. Nothing else matters now…
“She’s asleep?!”
The Emperor, with a medicinal plaster on his temple, shifted his gaze from the documents before him.
Wang Zhong nodded and cautiously observed his expression. “Your Majesty is merciful at heart. That girl is clever enough to understand. She seems quite composed.”
“Nonsense!” The Emperor cursed, though it was unclear whom he was angry with.
Wang Zhong pretended not to hear.
The Emperor pinched the bridge of his nose hard, pondered for a moment, then asked, “What about that little brat? Has he stopped causing trouble?”
Wang Zhong immediately came alive. “The young prince knows he has caused you trouble and has already returned to the princess’s mansion to reflect.”
The Emperor glanced sideways at him. “He said that himself?”
Wang Zhong: “…No.”
“I thought so!” The Emperor angrily threw the documents onto the table, frustrated. “If that little brat were so considerate, he wouldn’t have caused such a huge mess!”
He grew angrier as he spoke and finally stood up, pacing back and forth in the room.
“I’ve always trusted him, saying he was sensible and a good kid, but look at the mess he’s made for me!”
“And that Yan girl, I know she’s upset, but… forget it!”
He couldn’t bring himself to continue and returned to his seat, sulking for a while before venting his anger with a curse, “That little brat, it’s like a pot finding its lid!”
If he truly didn’t care, he wouldn’t have asked even a single question. Now he’s still willing to curse—that means his favor remains. Wang Zhong felt somewhat reassured.
He personally went to bring a cup of hot tea. “Who says that isn’t true?”
Having served for so many years, he dared to say no one understood the Emperor’s mind better than him.
That little Yan girl’s methods might have been crude and reckless, trampling the royal face, but to be fair, the Emperor actually admired her.
A mere woman, with little help, reaching this point—she was no ordinary person.
In wartime, she would surely have been a female general who could rival any man.
But now, the situation had escalated to this point. Even if he could ignore ancestral face and spare a descendant of the Yan family, half the court would oppose him.
There was indeed a reason for the incident, but if he let it go so easily, wouldn’t that set a precedent for anyone to go around blowing things up?
Yet now the news had spread, and public opinion was boiling. If he punished her, too harsh a punishment would be unjust and unwise.
If he didn’t punish her, it would be hard to bring the matter to a close.
Difficult, truly difficult.
The Emperor, having ranted for a while, felt slightly better. “You may leave now. Let me be alone for a while.”
Wang Zhong took the opportunity to step out.
The room was left with only the Emperor.
He leaned back in his dragon throne, suddenly feeling a chill.
This throne, this palace, felt cold and empty.
“Father, Father, you really won’t let me rest even in death…” He looked up at the plaque in front of him, murmuring.
Unconsciously, the night deepened, and the boundless darkness covered the entire imperial city. The vast hall became increasingly desolate.
After a long while, the Emperor softly sighed, “Indeed, a tiger father has no dog daughter…”
Yan Zheng slept for two whole days, so long that even the Emperor found it unusual. He personally came to check on her once.
She really looked like him—her appearance, her temperament.
Perhaps even fiercer than her parents.
Outside, the clamor never ceased. The people argued, the court argued, and the ministers bickered incessantly, giving the Emperor a splitting headache.
The memorials piled up like mountains. The Emperor had Wang Zhong read a few, but they were all similar, so he stopped reading them altogether.
Now the court and the people were basically divided into two factions. One, led by Prince Xian, believed that regardless of anything, the dead should rest in peace. Even if the late emperor had done something wrong, he was still the ruler. The destruction of the imperial temple by Yan Zheng could never be overlooked.
The other faction, led by Pei Rong, consisted mostly of military officers and some straightforward civil officials and those from humble backgrounds.
They believed that right is right and wrong is wrong. If the emperor said, “The law applies equally to all, even the Son of Heaven,” then if the emperor is at fault, shouldn’t he be ready to face the consequences?
“If a murderer must pay with his life, how can the deaths of one hundred thousand people at the border be ignored?”
Moreover, looking back through many dynasties, there were precedents where children avenged their parents by killing their enemies, and the court, considering their actions justified, released them without punishment.
Since everyone says to honor one’s parents, shouldn’t the vengeance for the murder of one’s father or mother be considered a sacred duty? Shouldn’t Yan Zheng have taken revenge?
She hadn’t even killed any of her enemies!
Because Xie Yu was involved, Xie Xian and Tu Yao, being his father and superior officer, found it difficult to express their opinions directly.
But everyone knew which side they would take.
The dispute eventually went beyond the question of Yan Zheng’s life or death, involving deeper conflicts.
The struggle between civil and military officials, factional rivalries…
All of this, Yan Zheng knew nothing about.
After a few days of recuperating in the palace, she hadn’t even met the Emperor once before she was… imprisoned.
On the day Wang Zhong came to deliver the imperial decree, Yan Zheng felt a strange sense of calm:
Finally, it’s here!
But Wang Zhong treated her with unusual courtesy, leaving her somewhat puzzled.
When she arrived, she found out it was genuinely respectful treatment.
After a month of commotion, the Pei family sent Huo Mei as a representative to visit her in the women’s prison. Upon entering, she was silent for a while.
She had expected the prison to be harsh, with a weakened and emaciated Yan Zheng. But this… could she have actually gained weight?!
“Second sister-in-law, you’re here? Please sit down.”
Yan Zheng looked up, clearly delighted.
Huo Mei was a bit dazed, her mind buzzing, unsure of the current situation.
“Please have a seat, madam,” a jailer quickly brought a stool, and upon hearing she was a family member, even offered a cup of hot tea, “This is good tea sent by an official outside. We haven’t even tasted it ourselves. Please try it.”
It was indeed high-quality tea—pre-rain Longjing.
But it just didn’t seem to fit the setting at all!
Meanwhile, Yan Zheng finished examining a jailer’s pulse and said with a reassuring tone to the worried-looking man, “Don’t worry, there’s nothing serious. It’s just an old stomach ailment from years ago. With all the household matters and mental stress lately, it flared up again. I’ll write you a prescription to take.”
The jailer heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s good, that’s good. Thank you for your trouble.”
Huo Mei watched in disbelief as her “younger sister” pulled out paper and brush from a drawer in a desk—something that definitely shouldn’t be in a prison—and as soon as she raised her hand, a young jailer hurried over to grind ink for her.
Where am I?
What am I seeing?
Is this really a prison?
After finishing her diagnosis, Yan Zheng even opened the door and waved at Huo Mei, “Second sister-in-law, I’m in prison, so I can’t go out. It’s cold outside. Let’s talk inside.”
Huo Mei stared at the creaking prison door, “…”
You do know you’re in prison, right?
As she walked in, she felt a bit disoriented.
In her mind, a prison should be dark, cold, and cruel. There shouldn’t be thick, clean straw reaching up to one’s knees, shouldn’t be white, neat, and fluffy quilts, and definitely shouldn’t be a brazier and a complete set of tea utensils…
Yan Zheng even poured steaming hot tea from a teapot wrapped in a warm cover!
“Sister-in-law, have some tea.”
Huo Mei: “…”
No, I’m not your sister-in-law. You’re my sister-in-law.
What’s that on the corner of the table? A box of pastries?!
“Is everyone at home doing well? I’m sorry for worrying everyone.”
Yan Zheng invited her to sit on the “kang” (a traditional Chinese heated bed).
The soft and warm feeling made Huo Mei’s expression even more peculiar.
She opened her mouth, clearly having many things to say, but couldn’t utter a single word.
They even provided furs and quilts from home! Judging from the situation, would she even need them?
Yan Zheng chuckled, waving at the female jailers outside, who all smiled and returned the greeting.
“They’ve been taking good care of me. Don’t worry about me.”
Most of the jailers had some connection with the military.
The younger generation might not be familiar with the “Yan army” and might not understand what these three simple words represented, but those who were a bit older knew all too well.
Earlier that day, Yan Zheng’s impassioned speech at the city gate had spread throughout Kaifeng in less than half a day. To put it bluntly, even the cats and dogs in every alley knew about it. Naturally, the same applied to the prison.
Whether it was luck or fate, the official in charge of the prison was a former military general who naturally felt a sense of closeness toward the Yan family army. Upon learning that Yan Zheng was to be imprisoned, he directly ordered that she be treated well.
The officials and prison guards below him were mostly women. After hearing about Yan Zheng’s experiences and deeds, they were all shocked and admiring. They pitied her for having suffered so much at such a young age and naturally had no intention of mistreating her. Even those few who hadn’t been particularly inclined to favor her quickly warmed up after Yan Zheng had helped them with free medical treatment several times. They were more than happy to go with the flow and do her favors.
So it goes—everyone needs a special skill; wherever you go, it will never put you at a disadvantage. With the bribes from the Pei family and the Princess’s household, Yan Zheng almost received food and drinks daily from outside. Many commoners who had been treated by Yan Zheng for free spoke out upon hearing the news, feeling that the late emperor had been in the wrong. “Ma Bing is such a good doctor, saving so many lives! How could Heaven treat her so poorly?”
Moreover, she was a descendant of the Yan family army! Setting everything else aside, her father had risked his life in countless battles, achieving so many great feats, yet never getting to enjoy any of the rewards. Could it not at least have been exchanged for his daughter’s life?
Some citizens even had petitions written on her behalf. Those who could write signed their names, while those who couldn’t left their fingerprints. They knelt all day at the palace gate, eventually getting the petition onto the emperor’s desk. This was the will of the people, the sentiment of the masses!
So, truth be told, the time Yan Zheng spent in prison turned out to be the most comfortable and relaxed period she had experienced in many years. Not only did her injuries and illnesses heal, but she even gained a bit of weight.
Huo Mei listened to her story with a blank expression, then suddenly reached out to pinch Yan Zheng’s face.
“You little brat!”
Huo Mei sighed in relief and hugged her tightly, “You scared us half to death…”
Yan Zheng felt a sting in her eyes but held back her tears, “It will be okay.”
Huo Mei sniffled and looked at her face closely for a long moment before nodding, “Yeah, you’ve definitely gained a bit of weight. It’s better this way.”
It was more appropriate for a girl of her age to have a little baby fat. The two girls curled up under the covers, hand in hand, talking for a while. Yan Zheng finally learned what was happening outside.
Huo Mei spoke until her mouth was dry, unhesitatingly ordering Yan Zheng to pour her several cups of tea. She also had the guards bring out the fur coat and mattress she had brought.
As she personally spread the mattress, she muttered, “Your parents and elder brother are extremely worried. Xiao Xia doesn’t know much, but he often asks why his aunt hasn’t come…”
Yan Zheng hugged her from behind, resting her head on her back, “I’m sorry.”
“What do you have to be sorry for?” Huo Mei sighed, patting her arm gently before whispering a curse, “It’s all the emperor’s fault.”
A passing prison guard outside overheard and thought, “Well, I didn’t hear anything.”
Later, the old man and the eldest sister came back with food and eagerly asked Huo Mei, “Madam, would you like to stay for dinner?”
Huo Mei: “…”
No, no, I’d rather go home to eat.
Outside, the commotion continued until the New Year. Yan Zheng spent her first New Year in prison and found it quite novel. In the evening, many people were setting off fireworks. The warden, grateful that Yan had cured his grandson’s cold, even secretly took her outside to watch the fireworks.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Xie Yu, unable to contain himself any longer, defied the imperial decree once again to visit her in prison.
Men were originally not allowed in the women’s prison, but when the guards heard that the young marquis had come, they were surprisingly excited.
The warden proudly assured them, “What’s the big deal? It’s not like there’s no precedent for this! Don’t worry, leave it all to me!”
Yan Zheng praised, “Sister, you’re truly a heroine.”
That night, the young marquis sneaked in under the strange gazes of the guards.
At first, he had intended to bribe the guards and be satisfied with just a few words through the gate.
However, the guards were so enthusiastic that they dragged him inside directly.
Xie Yu: “…”
Where am I?!
But since he was already there…
The young couple talked for a while under the watchful eyes of the female guards, who stood with their arms crossed, happily snacking on melon seeds.
Later, the warden couldn’t help but come over, lowering his voice mysteriously, “Actually, this kind of thing happens often. In the past, many death-row prisoners wanted to leave behind a child and brought their wives in…”
At first, neither Xie Yu nor Yan Zheng understood. They were stunned for half a moment before their faces suddenly turned bright red.
No, no, there’s no need!
The enthusiastic warden repeatedly asked and, after confirming that they really didn’t need anything, left with visible disappointment.
Apparently, working in the prison was really dull. Since Xie Yu’s first visit, the warden and other guards had become addicted to it. From then on, they would ask Yan Zheng every few days, “When is the young marquis coming again?”
Yan Zheng: “…”
Can he really come here often?
But every time she showed even the slightest hint of this thought, the warden would give her a look as if to say, “Don’t look down on me,” clearly implying that he could bring the person in with just one word from her.
Yan Zheng: “…”
I believe you, okay?
Moreover, everyone was very concerned and anxious about their future.
They often sighed, saying that one was inside and the other outside couldn’t last forever.
Yan Zheng: “…”
I haven’t even thought that much about it myself!
Winter passed and spring came. Roughly calculating, Yan Zheng had been in Kaifeng for almost a year.
She had never imagined that she would stay in prison for so long.
Yet she was actually living quite comfortably.
Sometimes she couldn’t help but daydream—if the emperor truly didn’t want to kill her but was reluctant to release her, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to become a prison doctor for the rest of her life.
It would just be hard on the young marquis.
Xie Yu came a few more times, and eventually became so familiar with the place that he even started bringing gifts for several of the guards.
After he left, everyone came to tell Yan Zheng how lucky she was to have met such a man! They urged her to get married soon and have many children…
By mid-April, Yan Zheng, who had already come to regard the women’s prison as her third home, had seen off several roommates and welcomed new ones. One day, suddenly, someone came from the palace.
She was summoned to meet the emperor without any warning.
It was Wang Zhong.
Yan Zheng glanced at him and smiled, “It’s been over half a year, Master Wang. You still look as radiant as ever.”
Wang Zhong chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself that she was indeed the daughter of a general—her courage was remarkable.
Yan Zheng followed him through countless twists and turns in the palace until they stopped in front of a very unassuming room. “We’re here. I won’t accompany you inside,” Wang Zhong said.
The emperor was inside.
This was Yan Zheng’s first time meeting him, but she immediately recognized him.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should perform the full kowtow.
To be honest, due to the grudges between their families, she had little respect left for the imperial household. Besides, she had just blown up his father’s temple last year. Kneeling now would feel a bit insincere.
“Skip the formalities. Take a seat,” the emperor said, to her relief, directly offering her a seat.
Yan Zheng didn’t hesitate.
After all, each of their fathers had ruined the other’s family. What was there to be polite about?
Silence filled the room.
Who knew how long passed—long enough for Yan Zheng’s butt to grow sore—before the emperor suddenly spoke, “I once met your father.”
Yan Zheng’s head snapped up.
The emperor gave a faint smile, his expression tinged with nostalgia. “Back then, I was still a prince, accompanying my elder brother on an imperial inspection tour. I met General Yan, who had not yet been granted the title of Marquis of Wwei.”
Yan Zheng felt her throat go dry.
She swallowed hard before speaking, her voice hoarse, “What kind of person was he?”
Her memories from before the age of four were already very vague.
Most of what she knew about her parents and elder brother came from her foster parents’ repeated stories and recollections from the Pei couple.
But she suddenly wanted to hear—wanted to hear how this son of her family’s enemy would describe them.
“He was a truly remarkable man,” the emperor said calmly. “So was your mother…”
Though it had been only a brief encounter, those few days had left an indelible impression on him.
He had never imagined how people outside the capital lived.
The emperor continued with a few more scattered remarks, and Yan Zheng listened silently.
The atmosphere between them now was even more peculiar and strange than the last time she had seen Princess Ningde.
“Back then, it was the late emperor who wronged the Yan family army,” the emperor admitted, surprisingly candidly, acknowledging his father’s wrongdoing. “I regret deeply that I couldn’t save them back then.”
As she listened to his words, Yan Zheng suddenly felt a long-forgotten, or perhaps never-before-felt, sense of peace.
Perhaps, this was the relief that came after vengeance had been exacted.
“It wasn’t your fault,” she said.
The emperor looked at her and nodded. “You’re more like your mother.”
Yan Zheng’s eyelashes trembled.
Then he continued calmly, “I won’t hide it from you. Back then, I wasn’t as brave as my sister. I didn’t speak up for them…”
As a prince, his position was far more precarious than Princess Ningde’s.
Even though the princess had been so favored, she had still been reprimanded by the late emperor and nearly broken. How much more dangerous would it have been for him?
Imagine if a prince, with a chance of ascending the throne, suddenly spoke up for a powerful general stationed at the border with a large army—what would the court ministers think? What would the emperor think?
If he had spoken up back then, Yan Xiong would have died even faster.
“Your father will be enshrined in the Hall of Merit,” the emperor said. “Liangzhou will rebuild monuments in honor of him, his wife, and the soldiers. History will reassess their achievements and life stories. Do you have any other requests? I will do my best to fulfill them.”
He hadn’t had the power to do more back then, and now, saying these things was practically meaningless.
Yan Zheng thought for a moment and slowly shook her head.
No more.
The late emperor and Prince Su, among others, had already been disgraced, and the entire nation now knew their true actions in their later years. Her parents and the Yan family army had been exonerated…
The outcome was far better than she had ever imagined.
As for her imprisonment, perhaps the emperor had actually been protecting her. After all, for every person who wanted the Yan family army exonerated, there were just as many who did not.
Besides, without the emperor’s tacit approval, she wouldn’t have been able to live in prison more comfortably than many retired officials.
After a brief silence, Yan Zheng suddenly said something shocking, “I once considered assassinating you.”
The emperor: “…”
He wasn’t really surprised.
“Oh? Then why didn’t you go through with it?”
Honestly, given this girl’s patience and stubbornness, such a plan might actually have succeeded!
“Because you truly are a wise ruler,” Yan Zheng said slowly.
The emperor paused, then laughed, “Hearing that from you means I must have done something right.”
They sat in silence for a while longer before the emperor patted his knees and stood up, “Do you want to return to Liangzhou?”
Yan Zheng was stunned.
The emperor indeed kept his word. The next day, the decree was issued.
However, because Yan Zheng’s destruction of the imperial temple had been such an outrageous act—something worthy of being recorded in history and even known by neighboring countries, who had sent diplomatic letters to mock the situation—despite all extenuating circumstances, it was difficult to grant a full pardon.
But the emperor was tired of dealing with a young girl, so he made up an excuse:
Exile for a thousand miles.
Liangzhou was remote enough, with harsh enough conditions?
Exile for a thousand miles—sufficiently severe, right?
At first glance, yes, more than enough.
But anyone with a keen eye could see this was “exile in name only, but actually going home.”
On the day of the “exile,” many people came to see her off. Xie Yu’s expression was somewhat resentful.
The emperor had tricked him. He had thought his beloved girl was truly being exiled and had reluctantly agreed to a series of humiliating demands, having to stay in Kaifeng for a few more years.
But then the decree came down—off to Liangzhou!
It was clearly just going back home!
And there were even government escorts along the way.
Old Master Pei was quite pleased.
He had thought it was great—he was getting old anyway, and in a few years, he could retire and go to Liangzhou to visit his old comrades and accompany his eldest daughter. Perfect!
Yan Zheng had originally thought she would have many things to say and that she would find it hard to part. But when she truly stood at the crossroads, she was suddenly overwhelmed by an intense longing for home.
She wanted to go home.
No matter how good Kaifeng was, it was not her home.
In front of everyone, Yan Zheng tightly embraced Xie Yu, prompting countless people to cheer behind them.
Just as they were about to separate, Xie Yu hugged her again, whispering in her ear, “Wait for me.”
Yan Zheng smiled, not saying yes or no.
She carefully looked at each face, finally settling her gaze on the towering city gate. For a moment, she felt a strange sense of daze.
It was from here that she had started a new life—brief yet tumultuous.
And today, she would once again depart from here, stepping onto a truly free life.
At this thought, Yan Zheng felt an invisible restraint suddenly lift, as if the chains that had bound her all along had shattered in the sunlight, under everyone’s watchful eyes.
Her body and soul both felt suddenly light.
She was going home.
She was free.
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