Chapter Forty-Six: Utter Shamelessness

On the second day after Yang Qi retreated to Wangcheng, Yan Kuan arrived at the city gates with an army of two hundred thousand. At the sight of Yan Kuan, Yang Qi felt much more at ease; he had finally witnessed the royal elite soldiers of Dongling—an unstoppable force. His own combat experience paled in comparison. Perhaps the pawn his father had placed years ago could now bring a turning point to Xiyuan. For now, all he could do was hope Yan Kuan would lend him his strength.

"Your humble servant greets the Second Prince," Yan Kuan said as he reached the city gates, dismounting promptly when he saw Yang Qi himself coming out to welcome him.

"General Yan, there's no need for such formalities," Yang Qi replied, raising his hand as if to support him.

"His Majesty has sent me to assist the Second Prince. Please command me; I am willing to give my life without hesitation," Yan Kuan said respectfully.

"General Yan is an invaluable talent to Xiyuan. In this battle, we must plan together and be sure to defeat Dongling. I wonder if General Yan has any clever strategies to share with us?" Yang Qi spoke gravely.

"Dongling’s strength lies in Prince Chun, Zhongli Yu, whose command is unparalleled. If we wish to defeat Dongling, we must first eliminate Zhongli Yu," Yan Kuan replied slowly.

"Zhongli Yu is a formidable martial artist—defeating him is not so easy," Yang Qi said, helpless.

"I do have a plan, but I wonder if the Second Prince is willing to pursue it?" Yan Kuan asked cautiously.

"Oh? What is your plan? Let us discuss it inside," Yang Qi’s eyes brightened. He had run out of good ideas; someone offering advice was naturally welcome.

"After you, Your Highness."

That day, Yang Qi and Yan Kuan met in the council hall of the Wangcheng General’s Residence, deliberating for a full hour. No one was allowed to enter, and no one dared to disturb them. When the two finally emerged, both wore expressions of satisfaction, as if victory was within their grasp.

At the same time, Zhongli Yu was in Ningcheng, gathering his officers to strategize a decisive move to retake Wangcheng. The soldiers were confident, and Zhongli Yu had made meticulous arrangements for the coming battle. With the enemy’s reinforcements already in place, he knew they would be prepared, so a surprise attack was no longer necessary. The consensus was to set out at midnight and arrive at Wangcheng by dawn for a direct confrontation.

Early the next morning, Zhongli Yu’s forces reached Wangcheng. The city was easy to defend but hard to attack. Had it not been for the Prince of Zhennan’s collusion, Xiyuan would never have taken Wangcheng so easily. Now, reclaiming it would require a hard-fought battle. Fortunately, Zhongli Yu was already familiar with the city’s layout, making the task not impossible. Yang Qi and his men waited atop the city gates, showing no sign of panic when Zhongli Yu and his troops approached.

"Zhongli Yu, you’ve finally come. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time," Yang Qi said arrogantly.

Zhongli Yu narrowed his eyes as he looked up at Yang Qi on the city wall, his expression calm and devoid of any emotion, as if Yang Qi was beneath his notice. His gaze shifted to Yan Kuan, who was impersonating Zhan Tianyi; his eyes were icy, sending chills through those who met them. Yan Kuan could hardly bear to meet Zhongli Yu’s gaze—the sheer pressure nearly threw him off balance.

"Zhan Tianyi, I truly don’t understand. Dongling has treated you well; why would you do something so unforgivable? Can you give me a reasonable explanation?" Zhongli Yu asked calmly. Only he knew how much his heart ached in that moment, for this man was Yan’er’s father. The thought that he would soon have to end this man’s life with his own hands left him conflicted. For the first time in his life, he was torn between personal feelings and the greater good of the nation, but he had no choice. Surely, Yan’er would not blame him; she was always so kind and could never tolerate someone acting against morality.

Facing Zhongli Yu’s calm but clearly interrogative tone, Yan Kuan was at a loss for words. For the first time in his life, he felt guilty. He wanted to confess to everyone that he was not Zhan Tianyi, but Yan Kuan, Xiyuan’s Grand General. Yet he could not bring himself to do so; he was determined that the real Zhan Tianyi would forever bear the mark of treason.

"I know well how Dongling has treated me, and I have my reasons for what I’ve done. Prince Chun need not ask further," Yan Kuan said, his voice betraying his insecurity.

Zhongli Yu, seeing Yan Kuan’s unease, closed his eyes in pain. Raising his sword, he prepared to order the attack.

"Wait, Prince Chun. Are you certain you want to assault Wangcheng today?" Yang Qi called out to stop him.

Zhongli Yu glanced at him in confusion; was that not the very purpose of his coming? Why ask?

"Before you attack, I have prepared a grand gift for you. I believe you will find it interesting," Yang Qi said smugly.

"Don’t listen to him, Prince Chun. It’s probably just a trick," Liu An, who had fought alongside Zhongli Yu from Yincheng, spoke up to warn him.

"If you refuse, you may regret it," Yang Qi said with a smile. Yet behind that smile was a chilling malice. After losing countless soldiers to Zhongli Yu’s cunning, Yang Qi’s hatred for him was boundless.

"What do you want me to see?" Zhongli Yu’s brow twitched; he sensed something ominous.

"Your Highness—" Others tried to interject, but Zhongli Yu waved them off. Since the enemy was prepared, there was no escaping it.

"Prince Chun is indeed wise," Yang Qi nodded. "Bring them up."

Soon, Xiyuan soldiers marched a large group of people up onto the city wall. Among them were General Liang Ruhai and several deputy commanders who had previously defended Wangcheng. What was even more shocking was that each Xiyuan soldier held an Eastling citizen at knifepoint.

"Your Highness, help us!" The captives cried out to Zhongli Yu’s massive army, as if glimpsing hope. They were all civilians who had lived in Wangcheng.

"Yang Qi, you are truly shameless," Zhongli Yu’s composed face finally showed his fury. In war, the innocent should never be harmed, yet Yang Qi had seized Dongling’s people to threaten him.

"Haha! As long as I can defeat Dongling, I don’t care if you call me shameless," Yang Qi laughed, apparently delighted to see Zhongli Yu enraged.

"What is it you want?" Zhongli Yu asked in a deep voice.

"Simple. Your life in exchange for theirs. Will you make the trade?" Yang Qi said triumphantly. Once this formidable opponent was eliminated, Dongling’s army would be leaderless and plunged into grief. Xiyuan would then find it effortless to conquer Dongling.

"Prince Chun, please don’t! Put the nation above all else—we are willing to die," before Zhongli Yu could reply, the elderly General Liang Ruhai stepped forward to protest.

"Shut up, old fool! Your life is meaningless, but what if it were ten thousand Dongling citizens? Look behind you," Yang Qi cursed.

Liang Ruhai turned to look inside the city, and his face went pale. All were civilians of Wangcheng—at least ten thousand, each held at knifepoint by Xiyuan soldiers. The Prince of Zhennan had claimed he would arrange for their evacuation, but had in fact imprisoned them all. Liang Ruhai was so furious he nearly fainted. "Zhan Tianyi, you beast! You betrayed us, but why torment these innocent people?"

"Because they are useful. I want to see if Prince Chun will trade his precious life for the lives of these lowly subjects," Zhan Tianyi replied coldly. Sixteen years ago, the true Prince of Zhennan had defeated Xiyuan, forced them to sign a peace treaty, and taken away the woman he loved. Now, he would not only brand him a traitor, but ensure his utter ruin.

"Zhan Tianyi, you are inhuman!" Liang Ruhai’s veins bulged with anger.

"Indeed, Zhan Tianyi is inhuman," Yan Kuan replied indifferently. The more insults he received, the more satisfied he felt.