A Step into the Past

Book 10 Chapter 08 – Sufficient Evidence

Xiang Shaolong rushed back to the Command Centre and caught Jing Jun and Teng Yi is a secret discussion. Jing Jun has just come in from the farm. Teng Yi has a serious look on his face. Witnessing his entry, he called out: “Third Brother, please listen to Little Jun’s report!”

Xiang Shaolong had the impression than Jing Jun slipped out to accompany his pretty village girl but is actually hard at work. Pleased, he remarked: “Let’s see what his observations are.”

Jing Jun produced a rolled map and spread it open on the table. Although the map is slightly worn, you can catch a bird’s eye view of the Qi Army formation, the surrounding forests and hills.

Teng Yi scrutinised the map shortly and praised: “Dan Chu lives up to his reputation of being Qi’s famed general. Tall mountains covered his back and his camps lined up on two high grounds. From this, you can tell that he has substance.” Pointing to the central camp, he added: “A source of water is crucial to a good campsite. They are camped near the water source…” Moving his hand down to the pastures and woods between three border camps and continued: “And they have grass to feed the warhorses. If they lay appropriate formations in the woods, it will be hard-pressed to attack them even with a much larger force. There are multiple rock formations within the camp and can be used for both attack and defence. Dan Chu is more than meets the eye. We must never let down our guard on them.”

Xiang Shaolong inquired: “Did we discover any tunnelling?”

Jing Jun proudly reported: “Negative. I did question the neighbouring huntsmen. They told me the mountain behind the camp is named Back-Wind Mountain. It nicely blocks off the cold wind blowing from the north. Just beyond the camp, there is a natural cave that goes deep into the mountain. The exit is a secret hole at the mountain side. After my investigations, I detected Qi sentries at the exit. It is no wonder that the nearby Zhao soldiers have no idea about this.”

Teng Yi pointed to a dense forest beside the mountain and checked: “Is it here? Have you entered the forest to see for yourself?”

Jing Jun answered: “It is right there. The forest runs for ten over miles straight to a point five miles north-west of Handan City. For those who are unaware of the cave, people can arrive at the city border without your detection.”

Xiang Shaolong stood up: “Come! Let’s observe from the city wall. This beats talking over a piece of paper.”

As the trio ascended the north tower sentry, city guards paid their respects. Chen Shi, the major in charge rushed over to accept his orders.

Xiang Shaolong acted uninterested and scanned the surroundings once. He made an excuse and got Chen Shi to leave. Lowering his voice, he told the two: “It will be too risky if the Qi army is relying on internal traitors to open the City gates. The majority of the City guards are loyal men and the Qi army will be at a disadvantage if they queue up to enter the city. While the ten thousand of them is wasting time coming in, the border guards and the city guards can attack them on both sides. I believe that the Qi army has a secret way of entering the city. As long as they secure a few strategic locations and attack the palace, Handan City will belong to Tian Dan.”

Teng Yi is moved: “Third Brother speaks with reason. If they come in head to head, it will earn the spite of Handan’s army and population. Everyone will sacrifice their lives to defend the city. The Qi army of ten thousand soldiers is insufficient to deal with such a situation.”

Jing Jun imagined: “If I am Tian Dan, I will disguise my men as Zhao citizens. When they enter the city, I will dress them as palace guards. Collaborating with Zhao Mu, I will spread the rumour that Guo Kai and Cheng Xu rebelled. Zhao Mu and Empress Jing will rise to take over the court affairs. By then, Xiaocheng is dead and Third Brother is his subordinate. Other officials can only accept this takeover obediently.”

Teng Yi became even more agitated.

Xiang Shaolong watched the dense forests beyond the city and plainly said: “Tian Dan will not be so foolish to help Zhao Mu and Empress Jing fulfil their fantasy. In addition, he will not trust this Dong Horse Fanatic or the Crown Prince. Caught off-guard, the border guards may not be able to return in time. Thus, he will control the entire situation. When the army is in chaos and Handan’s troops are mostly the old, weak or handicapped, there will not be a strong resistance.”

Teng Yi frowned: “On what grounds can he prolong his control over Handan City? Will Li Mu let him off?”

Xiang Shaolong revealed his guess about Prince Wu Chen. He continued: “It will fall to Prince Wu’s responsibility. All he needs to do is to lead his men and the Qi army masquerading as Zhao army. He can kill Zhao Mu with a good reason and even push the death of Empress Jing and Crown Prince to him. When Li Mu is back, Prince Wu Chen is sitting on the throne with the backing of Qi and Chu. What can Li Mu do? If there is an internal strife, Tian Dan the conqueror will lead his huge army to attack Handan City. When that occurs, Lian Po is busy fighting Yan and Li Mu is fighting alone. Eliminating Zhao will be a piece of cake and Tian Dan will realise his ambition.”

The sun setting the west sends out millions of rays across the wide grasslands and forests.

Teng Yi heaved a deep breath: “It is good that we have figured out the intricacies or we might be annihilated. Even when we are in hell, we have no idea what brought us there.” Pointing to a building in the city, he proposed: “That is the North Command Centre under the command of Zhao Ming Xiong. If I am not mistaken, there might be a tunnel which leads outside the city, Why don’t Little Jun conduct some investigations on the tunnel’s entrance and exit?” To Xiang Shaolong, he enquired: “How you gotten the complete army seal?”

Xiang Shaolong patted his waist pouch happily: “Both the seal and decree are here! Let us deploy our troops now and fight to the last with Tian Dan and Zhao Mu. They may even act tonight!”

Teng Yi shook his head: “I can foresee that they are still working on the tunnel day and night. They must keep their silence when digging or they may leak out their activities. Otherwise, they need not drag for another day. The earlier they control Handan City, the better can they prepare for Li Mu’s return. When we can predict the day they complete the tunnel, we can predict the time when they will attack.”

Jing Jun suddenly warned: “Careful! Someone is here!”

Zhao Ming Xiong’s voice drifted over the stone steps of the city wall behind them: “Assistant General pays his respects to City Commander. May I ask what instructions does City Commander have?”

Xiang Shaolong smiled: “The King has given me the complete army seal. With such a heavy responsibility, I have to patrol personally and give my orders.”

Xiang Shaolong passed the burden of handling Zhao Ming Xiong to Teng Yi. Chatting for a few more seconds, he left with Jing Jun.

Leaving the city wall, Jing Jun made use of the darkness to conduct his investigations. He himself rushed to Han Chuang’s residence to liaise with Empress Jing.

Both parties are racing for time. Whoever can set their traps earlier will be the winner.

This time round, Han Chuang did not bring him into the inner chamber but through the garden. They passed the rice granary where Prince Xinling’s men used to be hiding and reached a hut that is used to store gardening tools.

Han Chuang gave him a mysterious smile. Clapping his shoulder, he promised: “General Dong will understand everything once he enters.”

As the wooden door was dragged open against the floor, Xiang Shaolong could see that the interior was dimly lit and the shadows are unclear.

Empress Jing is actually inside. Surrounding her on all fours are her personal guards as well as Han Chuang’s personal escorts.

Under the light, there is a man who is tied to the wall. He appears to be in a daze and his clothes are bloodied and his face and head are full of scars. His body has burn marks which show that he has just been tortured.

Empress Jing did not even turn her head and coldly said: “Except for Marquis and General Dong, the rest of you can scram.”

Everyone left in an instance.

Empress Jing simply asked: “General Dong, do you know who he is?”

Xiang Shaolong advanced to her side. Shaking his head, he answered: “Who is he?”

Behind him, Han Chuang cut in: “He is one of the family warriors of Prince Wu Chen. He came to Handan City the day before yesterday. He came here to deliver weapon-grade copper to Guo Zhong.”

Xiang Shaolong was hit by a wave of realization. He suppressed his pity and asked in a deep voice: “Has he revealed anything?” His heart could not stop thumping. If this guy refuses to say anything, it is the same as not catching him.

Empress Jing let slips: “General Dong is right. Prince Wu Chen the idiot does not know what is good for him. He has conspired with Tian Dan to revolt.”

Xiang Shaolong secretly sighed with relief and thanked his lucky stars. Han Chuang started: “In the beginning, he is tight-lipped. We called his bluff that Prince Wu Chen was sighted in the Qi army camp that he starts to reveal everything.”

Xiang Shaolong was feeling relieved when he became anxious again. He frowned: “Wouldn’t this put them on the alert? He must people who are helping him.” Empress Jing’s voice softened as she turned around and look at him. With her eyes full of gratitude, she said: “Relax. We will put on an act that he chickened out and dare not participate in the rebellion and has escaped in secret. Dong Kuang! What should I do next?”

Han Chuang suggested: “Sister and General Dong can return to the inner hall first. Leave this man to me.”

Xiang Shaolong knew that he is going to kill him to shut his mouth. Sighing, he escorted Empress Jing into the inner hall.

Arriving at the room where they last met; the personal guards stayed outside and even closed the door.

Empress Jing’s expression is cold like ice. She stood like a statue in the centre of the room. Xiang Shaolong snaked to her back and stuck his body onto hers. He reached out with his strong hand and held onto her abdomen tightly.

Empress Jing sighed and her icy demeanour begin to thaw. She leaned into his embrace and faintly asked: “Dong Kuang! Will you deceive me?”

Xiang Shaolong can understand her position. Her two lovers, Prince Xinling and Zhao Mu, have both deceived her, causing her to lose confidence in herself.

Zhao Mu is actually ignorant about Prince Wu Chen. Under such circumstances, how could Empress Jing tell the difference? She could only believe Xiang Shaolong’s lie.

Empress Jing displayed her weak feminine side and cooed: “Kiss me!”

Xiang Shaolong will not be shy about such matters. After a hot kiss, Empress Jing resumed her usual resolute self and withdrew from his embrace. Pulling him to sit down at a corner, she asked in a deep voice: “How do they plan to deal with us Mother and Son? Should we report this to His Majesty?”

After a short thinking session, Xiang Shaolong managed to arrange all the complicated issues into a single train of thought. He shook his head: “If you want to tell him, it should be done before the torture of Prince Wu Chen’s man. Moreover, there is no difference whether you tell him or not. If word gets to Zhao Mu, there will only be disadvantages and no benefits. The most pressing thing is to understand Tian Dan and Zhao Mu’s plot. We must predict when they will act. After they make their move, we will react and wipe out the rebels in one shot.”

Empress Jing lowered her head and shyly mentioned: “From your tone, you seemed to be aware of my relationship with Zhao Mu.”

Xiang Shaolong reached and held onto her clothes, gently coaxing: “Do not think too much. Empress Jing must act like everything is normal and continue to work with Zhao Mu. Leave the other problems to me.”

Empress Jing was worried: “Are you confident of handling Tian Dan? I have yet to see a man more devious than him. If I am Tian Dan, you will be the one I wish to kill first.”

Xiang Shaolong smiled: “Now, I can feel your true concern for me.”

Empress Jing’s face reddened slightly. Shooting him a look, she stood up saying: “I will contact you via Ji Guang. He is not linked to Zhao Mu or Guo Kai and pledges his loyalty to the Crown Prince. He is definitely reliable.”

Xiang Shaolong knew that she cannot stay for too long and he himself needed a break too. He advised: “I’ll make a move first. If Zhao Mu has any news, no matter how insignificant it is, please drop me a note.”

Empress Jing threw herself into his arms and softly asked: “Do you want to check out the loyalty letter name list? I may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse. After all, I am from the royal family and Zhao Mu will not dare to offend me.”

Xiang Shaolong gave her a light hug and kiss: “Then I will have more confidence. Do you trust me?”

Empress Jing nodded her head.

Pleased, Xiang Shaolong left. Having her on his side is truly a deciding factor in this battle.

Before he could return to the Command Centre, he was detained by Pu Bu. With him are ten over warriors of the Marquis’s residence. They only winked at each other before he went on to meet Zhao Mu.

Xiang Shaolong is certain that Tian Dan and Zhao Mu will act within these few days. As a result, he is also busy arranging his countermeasures. He is unsure of Zhao Mu’s confidence in himself. Scanning around, he did notice Yan Ping’s followers within the residence. They are easily identified as they all dress in hemp clothing and are bare-footed.

If he had not be promoted to become the City Commander, or become the confidante of Xiaocheng, or Empress Jing’s lover, based on his own abilities, he will hardly be Zhao Mu’s match. He can only thank his good fortune.

Zhao Mu personally came to meet him and led him into the secret chamber. He is cheerful and full of colour. He congratulated: “Xiaocheng has issued an imperial decree that he has given the other half of the army seal to you. You have complete authority over the army now and you are tasked to improve the city defences.”

Xiang Shaolong modestly said: “It is due to Marquis’s good fortune that I do not lead a disgraceful life.”

Zhao Mu ordered: “We mustn’t delay. Li Mu will arrive in a few days. We must achieve control first or we will lose this golden opportunity.”

Xiang Shaolong agreed: “As you instruct.”

The corner of Zhao Mu’s mouth curled in a cold smile as he simply said: “Guo Kai and Cheng Xu have been scrutinizing your every move in secret, hoping to find a weak spot …”

Xiang Shaolong purposely state: “Why not I deal with them. I will make it a clean job with no witnesses.”

Zhao Mu disagreed; “I have more important duties for you. I still have misgivings about Tian Dan.”

Xiang Shaolong was aghast: “Marquis is not thinking of opening the city gates for the Qi army to assist the rebellion?!”

Zhao Mu clarified: “Once the rebellion is over, Tian Dan wants me to cede Wu Chen, Guan Jin, Wu Sui, Wu Heng, Chu Zhou and Fu Liu to him. These are our six provinces east of the river. How can these terms be accepted? Therefore, I have decided to act alone. With your input, I can still succeed without Tian Dan.”

Xiang Shaolong could not tell if he is lying or telling the truth. He frowned: “After discounting the old, weak and handicapped soldiers, there are only about ten thousand soldiers in the City guards. Not everyone is willing to rebel with us. How can we handle Cheng Xu’s palace guards?”

Zhao Mu ordered: “There are many ways to kill Xiaocheng. You can leave this to me. I want you to use your new authority to focus your troops on the movements of the Qi army. I do not trust anyone else. Long Shan (Teng Yi) and yourself must see to this personally.”

Xiang Shaolong laughed in secret. He figured out that Zhao Mu is till suspicious of him and is only making use of him for the time being. He nodded: “I will follow your orders. If I leave the city, it may arouse suspicions. Who will the City Guards depend on for their orders?”

Zhao Mu laughed: “I have the perfect excuse. I will get a fake Xiang Shaolong to make an appearance nearby. You will have the best excuse to leave and pursue him. It is only for one night. By morning, Xiaocheng will be in heaven.”

He continued: “Regarding the city guards, you can hand them over to Zhao Ming Xiong. He is with Zhao Ya and Li Mu and is friendly with Guo Kai and Cheng Xu. With the both of you away, he will naturally take over your duties. No one will be suspect anything”

Xiang Shaolong admires his handiwork. If he did not know that Zhao Ming Xiong is a traitor or that the Qi army is digging a tunnel, he may really fall into Zhao Mu’s trap.

From all this, Zhao Mu must have been uneasy about himself. It could also be due to his character that arouses misgivings. This traitor is only using him all the time.

Zhao Mu lowered his voice and sniggered: “If something happens to Xiaocheng and you are not around, you will not be suspected of having a part to play in his death.”

Xiang Shaolong frowned: “You are confident of controlling Empress Jing?”

Zhao Mu nodded in appreciation: “Your thinking is very thorough. For her own sake, Empress Jing must cooperate with me. She will personally poison Xiaocheng while I kill Guo Kai and Cheng Xu. We will replace them with our own men and no one will dare to go against us.”

The sound of knocking was heard.

Zhao Mu was annoyed: “Who dares to disturb me at such an hour!”

Xiang Shaolong reasoned: “It must something urgent.” And went to open the door.

An attendant frantically came to Zhao Mu’s side and whispered a few words. The traitor was taken by surprise and stood up commanding: “Follow my instructions to the letter. General Dong, please return first!”

As Xiang Shaolong left the Marquis’s residence, he is very puzzled. What is the event that could cause Zhao Mu to react personally and immediately?