The Slender Waist

Facing Li Zongxun’s angry glare, Tang Shaogong’s face remained calm, not so much as furrowing his brow, and he clasped his hands together and said,

"There is only one possibility, the Prime Minister’s intelligence is wrong."

Li Zongxun furrowed his brows, "What did you say?"

Tang Shaogong said, "It seems Pei Jue received our message early and was never in the Grand General Residence to begin with. As for the soldiers who fought their way into the Imperial Garden, in my view, it’s not possible for Pei Jue to have that many men in the city; it is likely a feint..."

Li Zongxun stared into his eyes, "According to what you said, Uncle Shaogong, what should we do now?"

Tang Shaogong said, "Advance by retreating. The Prime Minister might as well first take the prince and the Empress Dowager to escape from the Imperial Garden, set Prince Yuan Shuo on the throne, and then proclaim to the world that the Prince of Yonghuai has revolted and forced the palace. By then, when raw rice is cooked into cooked rice, even if Pei Jue is stationed in Central Capital, he can only be the rebel..."

"Rubbish!" Li Zongxun’s old face severe, coldly looked at Tang Shaogong, "By then, the person who turned the raw rice into cooked rice would be Pei Jue. The one sitting on the golden throne would be Yuan Shangyi, and the fleeing rebel would be none other than I!"

Tang Shaogong was slightly taken aback, "Why would the Prime Minister say this?"

Before Li Zongxun could speak, Li Sangruo raised her eyebrows and turned her head, letting out a slight huff.

"Uncle Shaogong’s calculations, I truly cannot see through them. To say Pei Jue is a remnant of the Xie Family was you. The one who came forward to testify was also you. In other words, it was you, Uncle Shaogong, who step by step forced Pei Jue into rebellion. Now that Pei Jue has attacked, you are the one suggesting we don’t resist and flee the city..."

She lazily looked toward Li Zongxun.

"Father, do you understand Uncle Shaogong’s tactics?"

Tang Shaogong frowned tightly; he heard the discord that Li Sangruo was trying to sow, repaying her inner hatred toward him. He let out a faint, bitter smile, lowered his head and clasped his hands.

"I act solely on whether it is beneficial for the Prime Minister. I have a clear conscience, please, Prime Minister, see for yourself."

Li Zongxun watched him silently, his eyes shadowy and ferocious under the night lamp’s glow.

After a long while, he finally said in a deep voice, "Uncle Shaogong, go rest in the side hall for a bit. I have my own plan for the affairs of Central Capital."

Li Zongxun looked at him deeply, brushed his sleeve and left the room, calling his attendant Li Shen and giving orders in a low voice.

"Issue the order to stand firm at the Imperial Garden’s gateway, we must not let the Qi Army break through..."

A huge booming sound arrived suddenly, as if thousands of horses were charging.

Li Shen wiped the cold sweat on his forehead, clasped his hands as he agreed, then hesitated, looking back.

"My lord, Pei Jue’s offensive is fierce, and the Northern Yong Army is best at attacking and fighting hard battles... It would still be good for the Prime Minister to make plans early."

Li Zongxun scoffed with a sneer, his eyes narrowing darkly, "Better to die a noble death than live in shame. Does Pei Jue think to support Yuan Shangyi on the Dragon Throne? Dream on."

Seeing the worry in Li Shen’s eyes, he said with a heavy voice,

"If it comes to it, I’d rather have fish die and the net split, destroying the entire city—what’s the harm in that?"

"Prime Minister!" Li Shen looked at him with horrified eyes, "Please, think three times!"

Li Zongxun’s eyes grew cold, "There’s no turning back now."

-

And it’s not just Li Zongxun who feels there’s no turning back.

In the military camp outside the capital, as soon as the Northern Yong Army received the news, they quickly assembled in the training field.

They were already a well-trained army, with soldiers fresh from the battlefield, accustomed to life and death, and bloodshed, yet they had never seen such filthiness and underhanded tactics.

While they were fighting to the death against the Qi Army outside, the officials inside were indulging in luxury and pleasure. Now, with a single proclamation of "rebels," the officials erased their accomplishments. There was nowhere to run, no chance to retreat. Once the new monarch ascended, he would certainly not spare them, so why not fight for a bloody path for themselves and a new place in the world?

Helian Qian stood on the review platform, sword in hand, looking at everyone.

"Brothers, tonight’s affair is causing an uproar; I, Helian Qian, don’t need to tell you, you’ve all heard for yourselves. Yes, what you’ve heard is true! That good-for-nothing old thing in Central Capital has declared the Great General a treacherous rebel, and us as brutal traitors aiding the tyrant! Brothers, tell me, will we take this lying down?"

"No!"

"That’s right, no! We’ve damn near been crushed to death. The dog Prime Minister probably forgot who single-handedly helped his grandson ascend the Dragon Throne, who quelled the rebellion in the Inner Court, and stabilized the court? Who led the troops to battle, against the Northern Rong, killed the Nanqi, and guarded the peace of Dajin, protecting our wives and parents?"

"The Great General, the Prince of Yonghuai!" The soldiers below roared like thunder.

"Right!" Helian Qian’s eyes shone fiercely, and with one hand on his waist, he looked up at the blizzard-filled sky, calling out with heartfelt sorrow, "This is the empire that we defended with our blood, the dynasty we protected with our lives, ignoring death. We brothers have fought for life and death for it, only to be called rebels, should we accept?"

"No!" The soldiers raised their swords and spears, shouting back loudly.

"The Great General is accused of treason, do we allow it?"

"No!"

"The imperial court has betrayed us, do we rebel?"

"Yes!"

Tens of thousands of soldiers roared in unison, shouting as if going mad.

"We’ll rebel!"

"Rebel against the bastards!"

Helian Qian, with bloodshot eyes, looked at the crowd. His towering silhouette paced back and forth on the platform, as if making a final reflection. After a while, he stopped suddenly and raised his arm to shout.

"It’s the traitor Li Zongxun who has forced us into a corner. We’re waging rebellion against him!"

"Kill Li Zongxun, establish the Prince of Qin as the new sovereign, vindicate the Northern Yong Army."

As Helian Qian called out loudly, tens of thousands replied in unison.

"Slay the traitor to the nation, establish a new ruler, and vindicate the Northern Yong Army."

Hot blood that the heavy snow could not extinguish surged, and a passion that the cold wind could not dissipate blazed.

The entire earth seemed to tremble amidst the roaring, and a dance of swords and spears flickered across the drill grounds.

To retreat was to face certain death.

To fight was to have a slim chance of survival.

Tens of thousands of Northern Yong soldiers surged into the Northern City Gate of Central Capital.

Catapults were moved to the base of the city walls, hurling stones that screamed through the air, met with continuous cries of agony.

Helian Qian mounted his warhorse, waving his saber and commanding the soldiers behind him.

"Brothers, break into Central Capital City and save the Prince of Yonghuai. Storm the Imperial Garden, and kill the national traitor Li Zongxun!"

"Kill the national traitor Li Zongxun and establish a new ruler."

Loud cries of defiance echoed above Central Capital City.

Inside the city, fireworks set off by some wealthy family to celebrate the New Year shot into the sky from an unknown corner, casting a different landscape over the cold night.

-

In the Pei Residence, the only place of tranquility amidst the sound of arms was the Tinglan Academy.

This was the pavilion and water gallery that Lady Pei loved most before her passing.

Her tomb was also located here.

Pei Chong was a stubborn and eccentric man.

He had buried his wife in the backyard and lived here alone, unwaveringly guarding it, refusing to let others come near.

The Tinglan Academy was stark and desolate, as if it were not in the bustling Central Capital City.

At this moment, standing by the waterside pavilion and watching Pei Chong drink was Pei Jue, clad in battle armor and wearing a coronet.

He stood quietly in the night below the continuous snowfall, waiting until Pei Chong finished the last drop from his jug before moving forward, leaning on his sword.

"Father, the time is almost upon us, we should leave now."

Pei Chong did not look up, shook the wine jug, and then put it down.

"There’s no more wine."

A firework flew overhead.

Pei Jue looked up briefly, then his furrowed brow relaxed slightly.

"Come with me, and I will buy wine. Drink however you wish."

That’s when Pei Chong finally lifted his drunken gaze to look at him, saying, "Your mother is here, I will not leave."

Pei Jue’s gaze was still, his voice cold and forceful, "In Central Capital, I have only fifteen thousand men. Father, do you think fifteen thousand men can hold off a hundred thousand Imperial Guards for long? And not to mention the Tiger Guard and the Dragon Cavalry... they must have already hurried back to defend Central Capital..."

Pei Chong listened to his cool voice, falling silent for a moment.

"Li Zongxun will not be taken without a fight, nor will he let you storm the Imperial Garden. Once the Imperial Guards counterattack ferociously, the situation will turn against you..."

Pausing, he asked, "Where is the Prince of Qin?"

Pei Jue replied, "He has been sent to Xijing. If nothing goes wrong, he will proclaim himself emperor in Xijing in five days."

Pei Chong was slightly taken aback.

Indeed, not only had Li Zongxun failed to anticipate Pei Jue’s next move, even he, as the father, had not expected that what Pei Jue desired was not Central Capital, but had set his sights on Xijing.

"You have your plans, and as your father, I will not interfere," said Pei Chong with a wan smile, forcing a smile as he looked at his tall and majestic son, "Xijing is too far, and as a cripple, I shall not trouble you by coming along."

Pei Jue said, "Xiaoqi has already been sent to pick up sister, and will wait for father in Xijing."

Pei Chong nodded and chuckled hoarsely.

"As you arrange, so it shall be. I will not leave. I’ll stay here, with your mother."

Pei Jue asked, "Father, is it that you do not wish to be denounced as a traitor, fearing to ruin the Pei Family’s reputation in a single stroke?"

Pei Chong furrowed his brow, shook his head, and gave a bitter smile.

"From the day I brought you back to the Pei Residence, I knew this day would come sooner or later, and the Pei Family cannot escape it..."

He sighed deeply once more.

"Let them say what they will about being a traitor; my loyal bones buried here will mean I bear no shame to the Pei Family ancestors."

In the darkness, Pei Jue’s brows knitted and relaxed, relaxed and then furrowed again. After a long while, he only uttered softly.

"Take him away."

Those two words, cold as ice, seemed devoid of affection, yet like thunder falling, were laden with deep paternal love.

Pei Chong saw two guards striding towards him, his thick brows shooting up, and he bellowed authoritatively.

"Who dares approach, I will splatter blood on the spot and burden you with the name of patricide!"