The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 359 Gaoyang Palace

The various armies and bandits stormed Bianliang, and the firelight illuminated the entire city.

The King of Wu could not stop it.

Although the officers and soldiers were beheaded, they could not be stopped.

Finally, the Yingwu Army and Xingguo Army, who had been the first to plunder, acted on the imperial edict and quelled the massacre.

Dozens of city gates, both Chinese and foreign, were opened wide.

The Yingwu Army and Xingguo Army patrolled the city, posting notices. They coldly watched the scattered soldiers from various units whose eyes darted around them, preventing them from beheading officials and commoners. If they encountered officers still in command, they were immediately apprehended, hung up, and beaten half to death.

By evening, the Bian army, officials, and local strongmen began to emerge in groups from the streets and positions, and came to the central avenue to surrender.

“How is this any different from a chaotic army?” King Wu sighed as he stood atop the Chongming Tower, which was filled with torches, beneath the imperial city.

The attendant remained silent.

"In this world today, the only loyal and obedient warriors are the sons of Zhao's town." King Wu slapped the railing and asked his attendants, "Just now, several generals killed civilians and disobeyed my orders. I intend to send someone to report this to the Emperor."

Gao Gang quickly moved closer and gestured for a whisper: "This cannot be reported. It's common practice for officers, soldiers, and civilian officials to loot the city and plunder its wealth, killing peasants to claim war merits. Does Your Highness think the Emperor is unaware of this? Reporting this will offend countless people. The Emperor has been governing the army for many years. If he only believed in righteousness, he wouldn't be able to control these bastards. Unless it's a city-wide massacre, he won't interfere and can't control it. Is the Emperor alone capable of keeping an eye on everyone?"

"Is there no one who can control these people?" King Wu worried about this.

Gao Gang said blankly, "No one among these warriors is human; it has always been this way."

“No,” Yuan Xie shook his head and said, “It’s because Your Majesty has no authority in the army. If the Sage were here, and he said no looting, no one would dare to act. The troops are merely submitting to the Sage’s power, and therefore they do not obey orders.”

That struck a chord with the King of Wu: "What advice does Lord Yuan have for me?"

"The pseudo-imperial city of Bianliang, built by Zhu Quanzhong over many years, is magnificent and extravagant, and is the place where the emperor will reside after his arrival. Why not take this as an excuse to arrest a few generals, enumerate their crimes of offense, intimidate them, and then let them off the hook for their crimes? Such people will surely be afraid to kill."

King Wu was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Lord Yuan loves me! That's wonderful!"

He hesitated.

"Your Highness, do not listen to this man's instigation!" Gao Gang shouted angrily, advising, "Your Highness's authority over the army is granted by the title of Regent and bestowed by the Sage. You have no real power. To establish authority and bestow favors without real power will only invite ridicule and resentment. Furthermore, Your Highness is not yet the Crown Prince, and with the illegitimate children of Prince Liang and Li Guanyin, there is still a long way to go before you become the Crown Prince. It is not wise to offend the military officials at this time."

“That is exactly what I am worried about.” King Wu hesitated and said to Yuan Xie, “I cannot show off too early.”

Seeing his suggestion rejected, Yuan Xie felt a surge of resentment towards Gao Gang. However, the King of Wu's tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation, so Yuan Xie could only clasp his hands and say, "Your Highness, even decorations must be moderate. Too weak, and no one will respect or submit. Too strong, and the ruler and his subjects will be wary."

"Let me think about it." Having acted as acting military and political leader for so long, he had truly become addicted to it.

The power of the assembled officials paying homage and the speed with which they could command the wind and rain were deeply etched into my mind.

"Now that Bianzhou has fallen, let's focus on pacifying the people." King Wu thought for a moment, then said absentmindedly, "Use half of the grain and fodder to help the people in the city. Although we don't have much military supplies, and we don't know when the rear will be able to provide support, it's important to stabilize the people's hearts by occupying a large city with a small force. When the Holy Tang Dynasty annihilates the false Liang, it must do so in a manner different from that of the Zhu family, in order to win the hearts of the people."

"Of course, we must also send a fast horse to report this great news to the Emperor and the capital!" King Wu's spirits suddenly lifted: "From the beginning of the Da Shun era to the first year of the Guang Hua era, eight years have passed since the rebellion was quelled. Today, we finally see signs of restoration. This is truly a great victory!"

—Is this my Bianliang?

King Wu gazed at the kneeling officials of the Bian army in the square, lost in thought as if in a dream.

My heart is filled with a sense of accomplishment.

However, that's not enough. This achievement is far from sufficient for me!

It's far from enough to defeat King Liang, or even that bastard child of Li Guanyin!
With the Central Plains pacified, Hebei, Shandong, and Jiangnan can now be pacified by force. The next step is to strive for the possibility of independently subduing one of these regions.

The King of Wu stretched lazily again.

Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps sounded downstairs, hurrying towards them. From each sentry post, shouts rang out: "Who goes there!"

Then we heard Qi Yanshu's loud voice: "Traitors Liu Chengzhi and Kang Yuli request an audience!"

The soldiers questioned him along the way, and Qiyan Shu patiently answered each question.

The commotion gradually spread, and the King of Wu, sitting upstairs, felt as if he were in a deep, solemn palace, a majestic emperor waiting for his ministers to take their seats and announce their names.

Soon, in the firelight, Qi Yanshu and his group appeared, their faces ashen. Following behind them were Liu Chengzhi, Kang Yuli, and others, all clad in iron armor, their hair disheveled and plastered to their faces and foreheads. As they removed their armor, the armor plates clattered and echoed at Chongming Gate with each step.

With a whoosh, they all lifted their skirts and knelt on one knee, saying, "Greetings, King Wu!"

The King of Wu stood upstairs, smiled and waved.

"Your Majesty, Zhao Cun is in charge of military affairs in the city. I handled the matter of the prisoners. There are over 5,700 wounded and captured soldiers, more than 2,000 mules, from more than a dozen armies. There are about 500 old and weak soldiers, who have already been dispersed! Opening the armory, including the armor on the prisoners, there are tens of thousands of sets of armor and weapons, and a considerable number of arrows. There is no wealth! After screening the soldiers, there are more than 3,000 fierce and ruthless men. After a few rough interrogations, many of them are Bian soldiers who have seen dozens of battles and are killing machines! Zhengzhou, Weibo, Yuncheng, Yanzhou, Xuzhou, Caizhou, Tongguan, Songzhou, Hezhong, Luoyang... they are truly giant bandits who have survived a hundred battles! Your Majesty, I can only say that they are truly a model of the martial virtue of our Holy Tang Dynasty!"

"After making contact, Liu Chengzhi, Kang Yuli, and others, having heard of Your Majesty's esteemed status, came to pay their respects!"

Before anyone could speak, Qi Yanshu had already spoken up.

"Lord Yuan, the people of Bian are so fierce, can you really control them?" King Wu glanced at Liu Chengzhi's generals one by one, their faces repulsive!

It's one thing to have never met them, but after getting to know them, look at the Bian army's demeanor, their character, and their attitude—can they really be controlled?
"Hey!" Yuan Xie grinned and shook his head, saying, "Don't worry, we have plenty of soldiers like Wu Xiong, Li Zan, Sima Kanwu, and Zhao Cun. Wang Yanzhang and Murong Zhang, haven't they been obedient since they came to power? The rebels have surrendered, and they're still wary for a short time, so they'll be fine. From now on, disperse them, manage them well, and in a year or two, their morale will be restored. These men are loyal to Quan Zhong and his son, and they'll be loyal to the Holy Tang Dynasty."

King Wu nodded, smiling and waving his hand: "Rise, all of you!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The generals felt somewhat relieved.

"...Liu Chengzhi, you helped us enter the city during the uprising, and Kang Yuli...both have made meritorious contributions! They are both wise men, thank you for your hard work! Such martial virtue, loyalty to the Holy Tang Dynasty, bringing glory to our ancestors, and leaving a name for loyalty and filial piety, is it not wonderful?...On the battlefield, I have nothing to offer you. This Bianliang city is full of famine, and in our army, I am only eating flatbread and salted vegetables! Next time, when we return to Chang'an, the court will hold a grand banquet for you all in the Linde Hall!"

Qi Yanshu and the others smiled and winked, seemingly having experienced the level of banquet at Linde Hall and the performance by the Sage's song and dance troupe.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Liu Chengzhi smiled awkwardly, and a large stone slowly landed on the ground.

"They are all valiant warriors." King Wu descended the stairs, patting Liu Chengzhi and his men on the shoulder one by one. Finally, looking at Liu Chengzhi's bowed and devout expression, he smiled and said, "These five thousand returning rebels are now the sons of the Holy Tang! I see you have handsome features and an extraordinary appearance. Tomorrow, you will oversee the reorganization, temporarily dividing them into eight commanders. You will lead one unit, and we will reorganize them further upon Your Majesty's arrival..."

"This official title—" King Wu stepped down and placed his hands on Liu Kang and the other man's shoulders: "I recommend you two to be appointed as Marquis of Zhong!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Liu Chengzhi bowed deeply, his face beaming with joy.

This is a reversal, not a mistake!

"Get up, get up." King Wu pulled him up, repeatedly reassuring him, "Don't worry, when we get back, explain my intentions to them. These five thousand surrendered soldiers, they just want to get a good night's sleep..."

"Yes!" all the generals replied in unison.

"Go!" King Wu waved his hand and laughed, "Come with me to see Zhu Dalang's family."

Majestic and precious.

Since Li Xilie, Bianzhou had been free from war for two hundred years; even the rebellions of Chao and Cai did not affect the area. After Zhu Wen's uprising, his government undertook numerous constructions of the Bianliang Palace, with the support of various local warlords. Over the years, the palaces included Chongyuan Hall, Yuande Hall, Jinxiang Hall, Wansui Hall, Yanying Hall, Qianwen Academy, Zuoluan Academy, Jiade Hall, Yutu Hall, Gaoyang Hall, and many others.

They are all uniquely designed and their grandeur is no less than that of the Chang'an Palace.

Most of the palace maids were gentle and beautiful.

From then on, the foundation of Bianjing (Kaifeng) was laid for the Tang, Jin, Han, Zhou, and Song dynasties.

"This inner palace is well-built," the King of Wu exclaimed.

The palace maids, confined to various palaces, heard footsteps and saw attendants and soldiers under the moonlight through the gauze windows, and were filled with fear and dread.

"What is Dachang Palace? And what about the Temple of Empress Wenhui?" Turning around the eaves, pointing to a cluster of small Taoist-style buildings, King Wu asked.

The attending ministers observed for a while, whispered among themselves, and replied, "The Dachang Palace should be the ancestral temple that Zhu Wen enshrined in the palace. Judging from its location, the Wenhui Empress Temple should be the temple of Zhu Wen's prostitute mother, Lady Wang. During the Zhonghe era, the traitor Zhu brought her from Dangshan to Bianzhou and tactfully requested a title for her. At that time, the prime minister Zheng Congtang was assisting in the government, and an imperial edict was issued to promote her to the rank of Lady of Jin, a noblewoman."

The King of Wu roared, "Burn it! Burn it now!"

With that, he snatched the torch and strode away.

"Boom!" A huge fire erupted. King Wu and his men set fire to all the temples belonging to the Zhu family. The palace was shrouded in a blood-red hue, but there was no sense of oppression; instead, there was boundless joy.

"My mother is so virtuous, yet she is not allowed to be a noblewoman."

"Is this Quan Zhong?" Bang bang bang, the memorial tablet was grabbed and smashed violently.

Inside the adjacent Gaoyang Palace, the women, huddled together for warmth, grew increasingly pale, their bodies trembling.

"Crash."

"Tap, tap, tap."

These were the distinct sounds of warriors and ministers walking, sounds that Chen Jinfeng was very familiar with, as she gazed at the palace gate.

After an unknown amount of time, the first person they saw was a young man in purple.

"King Wu!" The son of the murderer who killed her husband!

Chen Jinfeng's anger surged instantly. Just as she was about to say something, she saw ministers and warriors file in from the darkness, the ministers carrying swords and the military officers holding torches.

The women all flinched, huddled in the shadows, and fell into a deathly silence.

Chen Jinfeng shut her mouth and didn't say anything.

When the allied forces attacked the city during the day, Chen Jinfeng prepared to immolate herself in Tongtian Tower. However, the agony of the flames overcame her resolve to die for her country. Hesitant and wavering, when Liu Chengzhi entered the palace, Chen Jinfeng lost all will to die for her country!
King Wu stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching Chen Jinfeng.

Slightly fat.

Pink blush and rosy cheeks.

A mole between the eyebrows.

A few glistening tears clung to the corners of her eyes.

Several half-dried tear tracks on his face.

She's so delicate and charming, quite lovely indeed.

No wonder that traitor Cao Cao and his ancestors all liked to have affairs with women like that.

The great achievement of capturing Bianliang has finally fallen entirely into my hands! The defending minister Zhang Jilong annihilated his army and killed his generals; Liu Chengzhi and his ilk surrendered; all the officials were captured; the magnificent imperial palace was preserved; and Zhu Wen's daughter-in-law became a prisoner of war. This achievement is truly dazzling compared to the Liang King, who was still in Jiuqu eating cakes and drinking snow with Wu Xiong.

Chen Jinfeng lowered her head.

Seeing that the Prince of Wu kept staring at Chen Jinfeng, Yuan Xie, who was standing beside him, finally couldn't help but whisper, "This woman is quite stunning, a mature woman. Is Your Highness interested? Don't worry, I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I'll find an excuse to lead someone away."

"This...don't talk nonsense!" King Wu pondered, then glared at him: "Slander! Is this something I can touch? Besides, I have no interest in other men's wives."

What I like is Rou Nu, no, I like women with contrasting personalities like Xuan Hui Shi.

Or, someone like Zhang Hui... what did Father Emperor say again?

Yes, yandere.

Yuan Xie grinned lewdly and whispered, "We also captured a group of female officials and nuns from the Bian Palace, each with their own unique charm. Should we keep a few to serve Your Highness?"

"Shut up. You didn't touch it, did you? We should stay as far away from anything related to royalty, usurpers, or regional governors as possible!"

“Gao Cheng rode Zheng Da’s cart. When the incident came to light, didn’t Gao Huan reluctantly kill the informant and admit it? How could the Emperor turn against His Highness for the sake of Chen Jinfeng?” Yuan Xie continued to instigate.

King Wu waved his hand: "Shut up! Step back, I have something to ask Chen Jinfeng and Consort Li."

Yuan Xie revealed a smile that was quite amusing, then turned and walked away.

Everyone quietly withdrew.

The King of Wu straightened up and took two steps forward.

Chen Jinfeng, who was kneeling there, was shocked.

No matter how much she tries to maintain her composure, she's still a traitorous woman who has brought ruin to her family. If the Holy Tang Dynasty falls, what fate will my Li family's palace maids, concubines, sisters, and ministers' families suffer under the rule of the Zhu family?

King Wu paced slowly, pondering what attitude he should adopt.

His identity was that of a king. Upon seeing surrendered people and the families of bandits, shouldn't he show leniency and offer them a way out?

It seems that scholars throughout history have held this kind of effortless act of turning a blind eye to the enemy's family in high regard.

We may do as Father Emperor said.

The more power and benefits one holds, the more responsibility and cost one bears.

You can't just say that you and Zhu Dalang had nothing to do with the rebels and that you were innocent women when the building collapsed.

If they fall into the hands of the Emperor, given the beauty of these wicked women, they will likely remain wealthy and powerful.

He was truly unwilling to accept it.

If another Zhang Hui were to emerge, the restoration of the Tang Dynasty would be in peril before it was even halfway complete!
King Wu paused, his gaze sweeping over the women, a fierce glint in his eyes.

Before she could make up her mind, Consort Li raised her head, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at King Wu: "Your Highness, please don't kill me. I was originally Zhu Wen's concubine, forcibly taken by Zhu Dalang... When Zhu Wen took me in, I never imagined that the then-renowned Quan Zhong would rebel and usurp the throne. Otherwise, why would I..."

Li Meiren knelt on the ground, choked with sobs and unable to speak.

"Your Highness, please spare my life too." Liu Shi crawled out, her hair disheveled, and kowtowed repeatedly: "I can sleep with Your Highness, the kind Your Highness desires."

Looking into those alluring eyes, the King of Wu thought of the beautiful legend of Lantian County: "Are you the wife of Shang Rang, Shi Pu, Zhu Wen, and Jing Xiang?"

"Yes, I can serve them, and I can serve a young hero like Your Highness even more. I..."

King Wu looked at Chen Jinfeng: "Do you want to die or live?"

Chen Jinfeng sighed deeply: "Death is the only hardship in the world. When one's life is about to end, one must beg for divine favor. I certainly do not want to suffer the same cruel fate as the wives and concubines of An Lushan, Shi Chao and Cai Xiang."

The King of Wu paced back and forth, then suddenly turned around and sneered, "What if I were to kill you all right now?"

Hearing these chilling words, Chen Jinfeng looked at him and lowered her head: "Your Highness has already achieved great merit. Handing us over to the court for judgment is the whole achievement. Why create unnecessary complications... I believe that distinguishing between good and evil is not what Your Highness should pursue; being insatiable is what is truly important."

King Wu looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh.

After a long silence, he pursed his lips and nodded slightly: "I'll grant your wish."

Chen Jinfeng sighed: "Have those Zhu family sons who were killed been punished?"

"It was arranged long ago. They were packed in boxes and safely lowered off the cliff. My Li family would never desecrate the corpses of a group of children."

Chen Jinfeng bowed and said, "Thank you for your concern and protection, Your Highness. I have no way to repay you. If I survive, we can talk about it later."

The King of Wu stepped forward: "Forget your deceased husbands, your resentments, and your petty schemes! Leave the tower and the palace, and come to Qin in your carriage. Bianliang will not be the last vassal state to be destroyed. In this era, only the immortal dynasty of my Li family will remain!"

“Select some female officials and palace maids and send them to Gaoyang Palace. Keep a close eye on them.”

Later, several palace maids carried a large, steaming wooden tub, followed by other palace maids carrying food boxes and daily necessities.

"Let's eat." The head palace maid put down the food and turned to leave.

The aroma of food filled the air; it was simple millet porridge and pickled vegetables, along with some meat and eggs.

Hunger overwhelmed fear.

The women hesitantly and cautiously gathered around, silently serving porridge and taking cakes, then quickly retreating.

In the spacious hall, only small bites of food and the clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard. The food warmed their almost numb bodies and slightly dispelled the chill.

Chen Jinfeng also prepared a bowl and fed it to her daughter little by little.

After finishing her meal, Zhu Chacha smacked her lips, turned over, and went to sleep. Chen Jinfeng went to the window, poked a hole, and looked out.

The flames that had illuminated the sky had mostly died out.

Soldiers patrolled past from time to time.

The frenzy has subsided.

Calmness spreads like fragrance.

Chen Jinfeng had no idea what the future held, or how that saint would deal with them.

But at the moment.

She took a deep breath of the cool, slightly burnt air, slowly closed her eyes, and chewed on a piece of steamed bun.

The storm in the Central Plains seems to have truly passed.

On the sixth day of the third month of the first year of Guanghua, Bianzhou changed hands.

On March 13th, the Holy Emperor Yuanhuang arrived in Bianliang, the city that had betrayed him.

An era has ended.

The first year of Guanghua can be retired, and the first year of Tianfu will arrive.

(End of this chapter)