Chapter 35
"How dare I not kill him?"
Fine snow drifted leisurely through the skylight. Pei Song lifted his foot, revealing the crushed grasshopper flattened beneath.
All his hatred and resentment seemed to have dissipated in that single stomp. Gazing at the aged, mad figure in the cell, a careless smirk once again curled at the corners of his lips: "You spent half your lifetime timidly clinging to your so-called loyalty and courage, only to be swept up in the struggle for the throne and purged in the end. Don't you find that ridiculous?"
Upon hearing "struggle for the throne," the mad old man, his shackled hands pounding the ground in agony, felt his head splitting with pain. Bloodshot veins cracked in his eyes as he roared hoarsely: "I didn't storm the palace... didn't storm the palace... I went to rescue His Majesty..."
Listening to these tormented, insane murmurs, the curve of Pei Song's lips grew even more mocking and desolate.
He looked up at the snowflakes falling through the skylight.
The year his family was purged, it seemed to have been just such a bitterly cold, snowy day.
Over two hundred members of his entire household were imprisoned, all because of a fabricated "palace storming" scheme.
He raised a hand to brush the dust from his cloak, then stepped out of the prison cell, saying: "Stay here and go mad until you die. After you descend to the underworld, continue pleading your innocence to that damned Emperor Mingcheng. As for me, this treacherous rebel, I'll only send the few great aristocratic families who orchestrated it all back then, along with the entire Wen clan, to accompany you in burial!"
No sooner had Pei Song stepped out of Yongzhou Prison with a dark expression than a guard came galloping urgently on horseback, panic-stricken: "Minister! Something's happened!"
One hour earlier, in the main hall of the Zhou residence.
The underfloor heating warmed the room comfortably. Singers and dancers, clad in thin garments, performed music and dances in the cleared space among the banquet seats, filling the air with decadent sounds.
Zhou Sui sat at the very end of the banquet. No wine cups or meat dishes were placed on his table, only clear tea and a few plates of vegetarian food.
Around him, martial generals clad in armor had low tables piled with various meats and fine wines. Following Pei Song's instructions, each general was also accompanied by one or two courtesans invited from the pleasure quarters.
Those military men directly grabbed meat from plates with their hands, feasting heartily. As the wine took effect and they were further heated by the room's warmth, their faces flushed red. Some, dissatisfied with the courtesans accompanying them, grinned ferociously as they pulled over maids pouring wine, or staggered after the dancers in the hall. The maids and dancers screamed in panic, while the generals' laughter grew increasingly savage, their disgraceful behavior on full display.
Zhou Sui kept his head lowered, not daring to listen or look, feeling only profound sorrow in his heart.
Yet those generals, having noticed Pei Song's attitude toward him, deliberately embarrassed Zhou Sui while embracing beauties: "Young Master Zhou, hosting guests is about ensuring both host and guests enjoy themselves. We're certainly enjoying ourselves, but you're sitting there with your tea and vegetables like an ascetic! Could it be that these beauties are all beneath Young Master Zhou's notice, so you bestowed them upon us? Young Master Zhou, why not embrace a beauty and drink a cup with us!"
Zhou Sui still wore mourning clothes, though without the hempen cloth, making it clear to everyone why he abstained from wine and meat.
But Zhou Jing'an's death had displeased Pei Song, so no one would mention it openly.
Faced with such deliberate harassment, Zhou Sui could only force a smile and say: "Generals, you've traveled far as our guests. As long as you are enjoying yourselves, that is what matters. There's still a roasted lamb dish in the kitchen—let me go check on it for you."
Leaving the front hall saturated with the scents of wine, meat, and cosmetics, and no longer hearing the screams of dancers and maids, Zhou Sui breathed in the cold outside air and wept in despair.
The old steward, heart aching for him, said: "Young master, you've suffered such indignity."Zhou Sui shook his head, his voice filled with boundless sorrow. "Fu Bo, you saw it too. Are those sitting inside even human? They're nothing but beasts wearing human skin and dressed in fine robes!"
He wept uncontrollably. "Must this great land truly fall into the hands of such swine-like creatures..."
The old steward could offer no solution. "Let me find a side chamber for you to take refuge in, young master."
After weeping his fill, Zhou Sui shook his head distantly. "Even if we avoid today, we cannot avoid tomorrow. I can endure this temporary humiliation, but I only pray the Princess will surely reclaim Daliang. How can the common people know peace when such people climb to high positions? Even if the world must change rulers, it should be to a wise sovereign!"
The old steward recalled his former master's martyrdom, his heart aching with fresh grief. Master and servant both wore expressions of profound sorrow.
Unwilling to return to the banquet so soon, Zhou Sui went to the kitchen to check on the roasting lamb.
At the banquet, Xing Lie was displeased, drowning his frustrations in drink. As the night wore on, when two courtesans sitting beside him tried to pour him wine, he impatiently shoved them away.
Accustomed to such scenes, the women had their own methods to save face. They cooed plaintively, "General... how have we failed to serve you properly? You show no tenderness toward us!"
A nearby martial general, embracing a beauty, laughed and asked, "What troubles General Xing?"
Seven-tenths drunk, Xing Lie slammed his wine cup heavily on the table. Remembering the figure in mourning clothes he'd seen before entering the mansion - her graceful charm still evident despite her grief - he grumbled discontentedly, "When we stormed Luodu, even noblewomen from great houses were ours for the taking by the Minister Over the Masses' decree. Why here in Yongzhou are we limited to brothel prostitutes?"
The Chief Secretary, seated in the position below the host's left who had been turning a blind eye while focusing on his food, finally spoke. "Yongzhou surrendered voluntarily. General Xing should watch his words."
Though not daring to contradict the Chief Secretary, Xing Lie still wore an expression of resentment. He tugged at his collar to cool off and stood up. "I need some fresh air!"
Fearing he might cause trouble, the Chief Secretary summoned a guard standing in the corner. "Follow General Xing. Make sure he doesn't stir up any trouble."
The guard nodded and followed him out.
Outside, the wind and snow were fierce. The cold air sobered Xing Lie slightly, but the fire in his heart burned hotter.
Grabbing a passing servant at random, he forced him to reveal Madam Zhou's whereabouts. Then, fueled by alcohol, he staggered toward the West side courtyard with feverish eyes.
The guard who had been following him sensed trouble and stepped forward to intercept. "General Xing, where are you going?"
Xing Lie's mind was filled with the image of the woman in plain mourning clothes - her sorrowful expression and voluptuous figure making his whole chest burn with desire. Seeing another obstacle to his plans, he chopped the guard unconscious with a single blow and cursed, "She's just a widow! Not only is that old Zhou dead, but even if he were alive, I could still take her by force! That old scoundrel Gongsun Chou not only constantly slanders me before the Minister Over the Masses, but now he's meddling in my affairs too!"
He spat on the ground and staggered unsteadily toward the West side courtyard.
In the main hall of the West side courtyard, Zhou Jing'an's coffin was placed. Madam Zhou knelt on a cushion, her eyes red as she burned paper money for her deceased husband, the faint sounds of music from the front hall barely reaching her ears.Xiao Huiniang looked at Madam Zhou's face, which had grown noticeably haggard in less than two days, and advised, "Madam, the departed cannot return. Your son has yet to start a family. You must take good care of your health. If you fall ill, he will feel even worse."
Tears welled up in Madam Zhou's eyes again as she said, "For the first half of my life, I always felt my path had been smooth. As a maiden, my parents doted on me. After marriage, I had a husband who suited me in every way—whether reciting poetry, painting, playing the qin, or playing chess, he was my soulmate. Now that he's gone... it feels as if a part of my heart has been hollowed out. Had I known it would come to this, I might as well have married someone less compatible back then..."
Xiao Huiniang sighed and said, "Madam, you're speaking nonsense out of grief."
Madam Zhou gazed at Xiao Huiniang, weeping uncontrollably. "Sister Xiao, please tell me, how did you endure it when your husband passed away?"
Xiao Huiniang stared blankly, unable to speak for a long moment. After catching her breath, she said, "I never had a husband."
Madam Zhou's sobs paused briefly, assuming Xiao Huiniang and her late husband had been an unhappy couple. But then she heard Xiao Huiniang say calmly:
"When I was young, a flood struck my hometown. I fled with my parents, but they were killed by bandits along the way. I was sold into a brothel. I always wanted to return to my hometown, but every time I tried to escape, I was caught and severely beaten. Saving money for my freedom was futile—once in a brothel, they would never let you leave before your beauty faded. Later, I met a wealthy merchant and learned he came from my hometown for business. Hoping he would redeem me and take me home, I secretly became pregnant with Huan'er behind the madam's back. But he never returned."
A trace of guilt flickered in Xiao Huiniang's eyes as she continued, "I failed my child. After he was born, I waited two years, but the merchant never came back. My value had declined, and realizing I could never return home, I took out all my resentment toward the merchant on him. I refused to grow old in that brothel—even if I couldn't go home, I wanted to leave and live with dignity. When Huan'er was eight, I finally persuaded a local merchant to redeem me, but it brought disaster. Huan'er even went to prison for seven years to protect me."
Madam Zhou listened in shock, feeling remorseful. "I'm sorry, Sister Xiao. I didn't know any of this..."
Xiao Huiniang simply shook her head. "Madam, you are blessed. In my life, I walked every wrong path before I finally understood: What does it matter who Huan'er's father was? He is flesh of my flesh, my own child. From the time he could barely walk and was babbling, the first word he called me was 'Mother.' I despised and resented him, and he, afraid of displeasing me further, didn't even dare cry in front of me. By four or five, he was already carrying a wooden basin to wash clothes for me..."
Xiao Huiniang couldn't go on, her eyes reddening as she smiled faintly. "I used to blame the Bodhisattva for not protecting me, but now I think, how could she not? She sent this child to redeem me..."
Madam Zhou grasped Xiao Huiniang's hand and said, "Sister Xiao, your blessings have simply come later. Even the Princess has praised Xiao the Martyr highly. He will surely achieve great things in the future."
Xiao Huiniang looked puzzled. "The Princess?"
Madam Zhou realized she had spoken out of turn, but before she could explain, the tightly shut courtyard gate was violently forced open from the outside.Both of them were startled and looked outside, only to see a burly, towering man break through the door. Half his face was covered in a thick beard, he wore armor, and he appeared thoroughly drunk.
The Manor Guard stationed in the courtyard, recognizing him as a general under Pei Song’s command, dared not rashly drive him away. Instead, they said, "General, you must have had too much to drink and lost your way. This is the courtyard where my lord’s body is resting. Let me have someone escort you back to the banquet."
Xing Lie’s drunken eyes swept blankly across the yard, but when they landed on Madam Zhou kneeling before the memorial hall’s prayer mat, his gaze fixed as if nailed in place. Reeking of alcohol, he slurred, "I… I’m exactly where I meant to be…"
As he stepped forward to enter, Madam Zhou inside the memorial hall met his stare and felt a chill run through her limbs. Fury and fear made her head spin, and she would have collapsed if not for Xiao Huiniang supporting her. Trembling with either terror or rage, she pointed at Xing Lie and cried, "Shameless! Lawless! Drive him out at once!"
The Manor Guard said coldly, "My apologies, General!"
They moved to seize him, but Xing Lie threw an elbow strike, slamming one guard into the courtyard gate, then shook off another who had grabbed his arm.
As a trusted subordinate of Pei Song, his martial skills were formidable. During the siege of Fengyang, he had cut down several of Changlian Wang’s finest commanders. A handful of Manor Guard were no match for him.
Just gazing at Madam Zhou made him pant heavily. "Don’t be a fool. Submit to me," he growled.
The guards, both alarmed and enraged, rushed to restrain his arms and legs, shouting, "Madam, run!"
Before today, the stewardesses had never imagined such an outrageous scene. They stood frozen in shock.
Snapped back to reality by the guards’ shouts, they stumbled forward on weak legs, helping Xiao Huiniang support Madam Zhou as they hurried toward the side gate. "Quickly!" they yelled to the servants. "Go to the main hall and call for help!"
Seeing his prey about to escape, Xing Lie roared, shook off the guards clinging to him, and stomped hard, breaking one guard’s spine. "Don’t ruin your granddad’s fun!" he snarled.
One guard, incensed, raised his blade to strike Xing Lie, hoping to wound and capture him. But Xing Lie wrenched the weapon away and beheaded him in one swift motion. "Seeking death!" he bellowed.
The maids and servants had never witnessed such brutality. They screamed in horror.
Hearing the screams, Madam Zhou and the other women glanced back and saw the head rolling gruesomely on the ground. Their legs turned to jelly, barely able to move.
Xiao Huiniang, having seen more chaos in her brothel days, steadied herself as best she could. She tugged Madam Zhou urgently. "Hurry!"
The stewardesses continued to assist Madam Zhou, but their own limbs had gone limp as noodles.
The Manor Guard abandoned restraint, drawing their blades to fight Xing Lie with their lives. Yet they were no match for him, and soon the courtyard was littered with their corpses.
The exertion amplified Xing Lie’s drunkenness, flooding his brain with wild excitement.
Sword in hand, he bounded after the fleeing women, cutting down anyone in his path. Wails and shrieks filled the memorial hall, but he only laughed, a cruel, gleeful sound. He swung his blade at the stewardesses shielding Madam Zhou.
Their agonized cries rang out as they fell, one by one, into pools of blood.Madam Zhou, hearing those agonizing screams, found her legs too weak to move. She pushed Xiao Huiniang's arm aside, tears streaming down her face, and said, "Don't mind me, run quickly!"
As Xing Lie reached out to grab Madam Zhou, Xiao Huiniang gritted her teeth and threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around him. She turned her head and shouted at Madam Zhou, "Madam, go now!"
But Xing Lie flung Xiao Huiniang aside with a single motion. Thrown by the immense force, Xiao Huiniang hit her head against a pillar and briefly lost consciousness.
She watched helplessly as Xing Lie, with a sinister grin, lifted Madam Zhou from the ground and pinned her onto a table laden with various sacrificial offerings. He tore violently at the mourning garments on Madam Zhou, who wept as if her heart were breaking. Xiao Huiniang, not knowing where she found the strength, stumbled forward, lifted a nearby long bench, and smashed it against Xing Lie's head, cursing, "You beast worse than pigs and dogs!"
Caught off guard, Xing Lie was struck on the forehead, blood trickling down. He pressed his hand against the bleeding wound and shook his head slightly to clear his dizziness.
Seizing the moment, Xiao Huiniang took off her own jacket and draped it over Madam Zhou, helping her up in an attempt to flee.
Enraged, Xing Lie picked up a discarded knife from the ground, his face contorted with fury. He raised the blade and brought it down hard on Xiao Huiniang's back.
Xiao Huiniang staggered, no longer able to support Madam Zhou. Blood seeped through the padded jacket on her back as she collapsed limply to the ground. Her mouth slightly agape, her eyes fixed blankly ahead, as if still concerned for someone.
Just then, chaotic footsteps echoed from outside the courtyard, followed by a sharp rebuke: "Xing Lie, cease this madness at once!"
Xing Lie felt as if struck by a sudden blow. Seeing the crowd swarming into the courtyard and the Chief Steward's grim expression, his lustful desires faded. He dared not lay another hand on Madam Zhou but refused to back down, muttering, "It's all this wretched woman's fault for not knowing her place..."
The Chief Steward's gaze swept over the courtyard filled with corpses and Madam Zhou's torn mourning clothes. Fury surged within him. Pointing a trembling finger at Xing Lie, he tried to scold him but was so enraged he could only stammer, "You—"
Madam Zhou sat curled on the ground, her knuckles white as she clutched her collar tightly. Her tear-filled eyes, fixed on the coffin draped with white silk and funeral flowers for her husband, held nothing but desolation.
As the Chief Steward began reprimanding Xing Lie, she suddenly sprang forward. The jacket draped over her shoulders fell to the ground as she threw herself headfirst against Zhou Jing'an's coffin.
A loud crash echoed, and blood splattered across the white silk and funeral flowers adorning the coffin.
Madam Zhou lay collapsed beside the coffin, her head shattered and bleeding. The force of her desperate impact had shifted the coffin, causing it to tip over with a thunderous crash that reverberated like a clap of thunder.
Zhou Jing'an's coffin crashed to the ground.
For a moment, the entire courtyard fell into dead silence.
Zhou Sui, who had rushed over from the main kitchen upon hearing the news, stumbled into the courtyard. Seeing the corpses strewn across the ground and his mother's body in the memorial hall, he broke down like a child, wailing, "Mother—"
He crawled on his knees into the memorial hall, lifted Madam Zhou's body, and upon seeing her torn mourning clothes, his tear-streaked face twisted with a ferocious rage. His eyes reddened with bloodlust as he screamed at Xing Lie, who stood inside the memorial hall, "Beast! You beast worse than pigs and dogs!"Xing Lie knew he had caused trouble, but didn't consider it a serious matter. Being cursed so vehemently by a weak young man now ignited his anger again. He roared, "I've followed the Minister from Ezhou all the way to Luodu in battle, with glorious military achievements! What does it matter if I kill you too today?"
The Chief Secretary shouted sharply, "Xing Lie!"
But Zhou Sui, his eyes bloodshot, burst into mad laughter, "Kill me then, go ahead! Haven't you slaughtered enough of my Zhou Family already?"
He laughed hysterically at the Pei clan's officers in the courtyard, "Had we known surrender would bring such humiliation, our Zhou Clan would rather have died than surrendered! Let the world see what becomes of those who surrender to Pei Song!"
He picked up a blood-stained long blade from the ground and made to slit his own throat.
The Chief Secretary urgently shouted, "Stop him!"
A sharp "clang" rang out as an arrow flew from outside the courtyard, knocking the blade from Zhou Sui's hand.
A cold, deep voice came from beyond the courtyard, "What becomes of those who surrender to me?"
The Chief Secretary and the officers looked toward the courtyard entrance. Seeing the newcomer, they couldn't help showing relief, "The Lord has returned!"
Pei Song handed his bow to a guard beside him and strode into the courtyard. His gaze swept over the corpses in the yard and the several bodies in the memorial hall, his expression turning several degrees colder.
Before Pei Song, Xing Lie didn't dare act arrogantly anymore. He bowed his head and murmured, "Minister."
Pei Song immediately lashed him across the face with his whip, cursing coldly, "Fool!"
A bloody welt rose on Xing Lie's face, but he kept his head down without uttering a sound.
Zhou Sui asked Pei Song with bitter laughter, "Minister Pei, what do you think has become of my Zhou Family?"
After meeting his gaze, Pei Song coldly ordered, "Guards, drag Xing Lie away. Twenty military cane strikes, plus six months' salary deduction."
Soon Pei Song's personal guards came forward to drag Xing Lie away.
Pei Song looked at Zhou Sui, "When my subordinates commit offenses, I will punish them severely."
Zhou Sui laughed wildly, his voice filled with despair, "More than twenty of my household have already died before my father's spirit tablet. That beast even attempted to violate my mother, driving her to hang herself! And all this is only worth twenty cane strikes?"
Pei Song threw his own sword to Zhou Sui, "If you have the courage, take this blade and kill him yourself!"
Zhou Sui's eyes burned crimson as he picked up the sword Pei Song had thrown him, shouting, "Why wouldn't I dare kill him?"
He drew the blade and charged at Xing Lie with a roar. But having never even killed a chicken before, his swings were full of openings. Every slash was easily dodged by Xing Lie until he grew too exhausted to even lift the sword properly. Sweat dripped from his forehead, yet he still gritted his teeth and roared, "I will kill you!"
On his final wild swing at Xing Lie, not only did Xing Lie easily evade, but he delivered a whip kick to Zhou Sui's neck, knocking him unconscious instantly.
As Xing Lie seized the sword and prepared to strike down, the Chief Secretary shouted, "Stop!"
Xing Lie halted his blade and looked at the Chief Secretary, "Chief Secretary, what use is keeping this trash alive?"
The Chief Secretary glared at him fiercely, "You shut your mouth!"
He bowed to Pei Song and said, "My Lord, you've tested him yourself. This Zhou youth has nothing but resentment in his heart, no cunning whatsoever. He'll never achieve anything great nor stir any real waves. Please spare his life. As he said, after Yongzhou surrendered, if the Zhou Family were completely wiped out, who would dare surrender to us again? Compared to his disrespectful words after suffering such tragedy, my Lord should prioritize the bigger picture."Pei Song's gaze swept over Zhou Sui lying unconscious on the ground and said, "Let it be as the Chief Secretary suggests."
A subordinate asked, "My lord, what shall we do with all the corpses in the courtyard?"
Pei Song cast a cold glance and replied, "Just haul them to the mass grave."
As he lifted his foot to leave, he heard a frail, weak call from a woman collapsed in the memorial hall: "Huan'er... Huan'er..."
He whirled around abruptly and saw that the one murmuring unconsciously was a woman who appeared to be a servant. He demanded of those around him, "Who is this woman?"
The Chief Secretary examined Xiao Huiniang's clothing and said, "Perhaps she is a servant of the Zhou Family?"
Pei Song narrowed his eyes and stared at Xiao Huiniang for a moment before saying, "She doesn't seem to have breathed her last yet. Fetch a physician for her and do everything possible to save her. I have questions for this woman."
A flock of jackdaws flew past the treetops as dusk enveloped the land.
The Manor Guards who had been out patrolling the streets trudged back through the snow, the entire group bearing injuries and utterly exhausted.
Thousands of Pei Army soldiers had entered the city, and there were always those troublemakers seeking to make a fortune through violence—burning, killing, looting, and committing every atrocity imaginable. They had been running around outside all day, yet what they could accomplish remained limited.
One guard cradled his dislocated arm and said, "I was beaten like a punching bag today. If it weren't for Brother Xiao, we might not have made it back alive."
Another guard added, "Let's just hope that Minister Pei enforces stricter military discipline from now on. But I heard that after his army breached Luodu, even the noblewomen from aristocratic families couldn't escape being forcibly abducted. The princes and nobles had their homes set ablaze. How much restraint can we expect here in Yongcheng?"
Hearing this, the other guards grew even more disheartened. "Then what are we supposed to do? With our limited manpower, street patrols are completely insufficient. We can only deal with the military scoundrels we happen to encounter. For those we don't run into, by the time we get the news and rush over, it's already too late."
"Exactly. The young master can't mobilize more people either, or it would be seen as openly challenging Minister Pei."
Xiao Li, who had been silent throughout the journey, suddenly spoke up: "I have an idea. Let the men on every street form their own defense teams voluntarily. Everyone can watch out for each other—if one household is in trouble, the neighbors step up to help. That should make those scum think twice and buy us some time to get there."
The guards immediately cheered the suggestion: "Brother Xiao, that's a workable plan! The young master is walking on thin ice right now. The Yongzhou government office can't do much, but we can have the common folks band together themselves!"
As they spoke, the group arrived at the Zhou residence. Once inside, they headed straight for the west side courtyard. Along the way, they encountered servants who were all weeping.
One guard spotted a maid he knew and asked in surprise, "Sister Jinju, what's happened to everyone?"
The maid replied through tears, "The mistress is dead, the young master has been beaten, and so many servants... have died..."
Xiao Li's expression changed sharply upon hearing this. "What happened?"
The maid wept, "A general under Minister Pei got drunk at the banquet and went to the west side courtyard to cause trouble and humiliate the mistress. He killed many people. The mistress, unwilling to endure the disgrace, dashed her head against the master's coffin and died..."
The moment Xiao Li heard "west side courtyard," he could think of nothing else. He broke into a run, sprinting toward the west side courtyard.
"Those beasts..." another guard snarled in fury, punching a willow tree nearby. But when he saw Xiao Li suddenly dash off, his face paled abruptly. "Oh no! Brother Xiao's mother lives in the west side courtyard too!"
Author's Note:
A belated Happy Winter Solstice to all my dear readers~ I'll be making up for it by sending Winter Solstice red packets in the comment section~
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated with nutrient solutions between 2023-12-21 23:59:20 and 2023-12-23 03:22:33~
Special thanks to the little angel who threw a hand grenade: September Ninth, Drunk Ascending the Ninth Floor 1个;Thank you to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: Miss Friday 37 bottles; Ploughing Smoke Endlessly 34 bottles; 26159436 30 bottles; Under the Lace 27 bottles; Night 15 bottles; Starry Night, Cloud Decree zhao, Finding a Boat at the Ferry 5 bottles; Olive Leaf Island, Mint Scent, Muzi Talks Books, Stella, Gigi, jenniferCA, Kaibelusi, kfpy_L, 65140677, 39874609, Ming Yun, Cloud Winter ya 1 bottle;
Thank you all very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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