Ashes to Crown

Chapter 241: Chapter 58: Unmoving (2)

Deng Yi met his gaze for a moment, then sat up straight. ”The generals of Yunzhong County are not to be redeployed. That means the generals outside Yunzhong County can’t be moved either. Mr. Xie, those private troops your family keeps had better not set foot in Yunzhong County.”

’If I can’t replace the generals, then the Xie family can forget about planting their own troops there.’

Xie Yanfang also sat up straight. He did not refute the accusation of privately raising an army, saying only, ”Though there have been incidents outside Yunzhong County, I am confident that General Chu will swiftly deal with these scattered Western Liang soldiers and bandits. He will not require assistance from other troops.”

...

...

The atmosphere in the room grew warm and pleasant again. Xie Yanfang put on his cloak, gave a salute, and took his leave.

”Mr. Xie,” Deng Yi called after him again. ”Where does your Xie Yanlai intend to spirit the Empress away to?”

After the ambush, Chu Zhao refused to return. Now, scattered Western Liang soldiers have even made it past Yunzhong County, yet there is still no news of her return.

And that Xie Yanlai, who was supposedly sent by order of the Emperor to escort the Empress back, has also vanished without a trace.

”Third Young Master, holding the Emperor allows one to command the feudal lords. Holding the Empress only allows you to command General Chu Ling. The losses far outweigh the gains—you should know that very well.”

Xie Yanfang turned his head, smiled, and said, ”The Lord Grand Tutor is worrying unnecessarily. We simply wish to ensure the Empress’s safety.”

With that, he said no more and departed at a measured pace.

Standing outside the hall, a gloomy, cold wind drove away the warmth and blocked him from Deng Yi’s sight. Xie Yanfang smiled to himself. ’Actually, Deng Yi has it all wrong. It wasn’t our Xie Yanlai who spirited away the Empress. It was the Empress who spirited away our Xie Yanlai.’

’Xie Yanlai had thrown all caution to the wind, forging an imperial order to leave the Capital City. How could his intention possibly have been to bring her back?’

’If he truly cherished her, he would naturally cherish her wishes as well.’

...

...

A dense flurry of snow began to fall from the sky. The Northwest was seeing its first snow of the season, but it brought none of the joy that came with the promise of a bountiful year. In fact, no one even noticed it was snowing.

Torches were scattered along the city walls, their dying flames giving off plumes of smoke. Among them squatted blood-stained soldiers, listlessly gnawing on hardtack. They couldn’t remember the last time they’d eaten, but now that they held the dry rations, they didn’t feel all that hungry. It was as if it no longer mattered whether they ate or not.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! A few sharp rings of a gong, accompanied by shouts of ”The Western Liang bandits are back!” The soldiers gnawing on hardtack leaped to their feet and rushed to the ramparts.

On the plains below, a horde of riders charged like wolves and tigers, their howls and roars tearing through the air, kicking up the fine snow from the ground into a frenzy.

”These damn Western Liang bandits,” a General muttered. ”They’re determined to take us.”

An official beside him, his arm wrapped in a bandage, yelled, ”What about reinforcements? When are the reinforcements getting here?”

The General looked toward the rear. ”The reinforcements from Yunzhong County are too far away. They’ll take six days to get here at the earliest.”

The official grabbed him with his uninjured hand. ”I’m asking about the *closest* reinforcements! I’m not talking about Yunzhong County—they’re too far, I’ve already given up on them. What about the closest garrison? Taiyuan County? It doesn’t take six days to get here from there!”

The General stared at him, his cracked lips moving. ”There are none.”

’What does he mean, ”none”?’ The official stared at him.

”Other than Yunzhong County, no other troops have been mobilized. They are all holding their positions,” the General stated bluntly. ”Sir, we have no choice but to defend this city to the death and wait for the reinforcements from Yunzhong County.”

The official stared at him, as if he understood and yet couldn’t comprehend it at the same time.

”Six days?” he growled, keeping his voice low, and pointed a finger at the ramparts. ”Look at how many men we have left! Why don’t you just say it? That we have no choice but to die!”

The General followed his gesture. On the wall, the dozen or so surviving men all turned to look at him. They were all expressionless, the light of life already gone from their eyes.

”Yes.” The General nodded. ”You are right, Sir. We have no choice but to die.”

He raised the saber in his hand.

”Brothers! We must hold this city! If the Western Liang people take it, it’s not just us who will die! Everyone in this city will die! And it won’t stop with our city—the people in all the surrounding cities will die too—”

The numb soldiers raised their weapons: ”Death—”

Their throats were so hoarse they couldn’t even manage to shout the word ”defend.” The official with the wounded arm gave a bitter smile. ”So there’s truly no other way?”

The General looked at him. ”Don’t worry. Even if the Western Liang people take the city, once General Chu’s reinforcements arrive, it can be retaken.”

The official suddenly felt an urge to laugh. ’Yes, he wasn’t worried. Once General Chu’s reinforcements arrived, the city would surely be retaken. The court would eventually drive out the Western Liang bandits and avenge them all—’

’But they... all of them... once they were dead, they were just... dead—’

’He wasn’t afraid of dying. He just couldn’t accept it. He just couldn’t accept it!’

The official spun around and stood before the war drum. With his uninjured arm, he began to beat it, tilting his head back to let the fine snow fall on his face and into his eyes, the cold a piercing sting.