Chapter 67
A cold light cut through the night sky, and a dark, strong horse leaped over.
The horse galloped down Zhuque Street, and the ground trembled. The vanguard carried the tiger-shaped flag of the Shenwu Army and shouted loudly, “The Shenwu Army has arrived! Traitors will be killed without mercy!”
Even faster than the vanguard was Xie Yao and Yexiao, who were galloping like the wind.
He had rushed back to the capital from the northern border without a moment’s rest, arriving even before the military report. Cui Chengbi had not yet come to greet him, but he had already led his troops into the capital. He should have gone straight to the Imperial Palace, but when he approached the Imperial City, he had turned his horse around and had gone east.
Entering Xuanping Fang, the broken walls and ruins, and the widespread devastation had turned into a deathly silence.
Hearing the sound of horse’s hooves approaching, the shadow guards all came out and stood by the roadside, their breath held.
Xie Yao went straight to the main gate of the Xie Residence, reined in Yexiao, and jumped off his horse.
Song He appeared before him, his knees bent, and he knelt heavily on the ground.
Xie Yao did not even look at him, but strode past him and went straight to Mingyue Residence.
On a midsummer night, the stars were like a river.
The lights in the courtyard were as bright as day, and every room was brightly lit.
He ran to the main room, went around the screen, and called out, “Yuli.”
The room was empty, and no one answered him.
The shadow guards had already searched countless times, and there were even traces of the floor tiles having been pried up. They had not found anyone, nor had they found a single word.
Song He chased after him. Xie Yao sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes dark, without a trace of light.
“Where is she? How did she disappear?” Xie Yao asked. Besides his hoarse voice, his emotions were still calm.
But Song He was even more grieved. “When the chaos started in the capital, the maid that the Mistress had bought came to the residence to ask for help. The Mistress heard that something had happened to the master and was unsettled all along. During that period, Jingyu and Xiyun did not leave her side. But on the morning of the eighth day, a maid suddenly found that Mingyue Residence was empty. The Mistress, Jingyu, Xiyun, and Zhile were all gone.”
“Three thousand shadow guards, layer upon layer. How did she disappear? Tell me,” Xie Yao said, looking at Song He.
Song He knelt and kowtowed. “This subordinate has carefully sorted it out. Perhaps the Mistress and the others took advantage of the shift change, disguised themselves as shadow guards, and bypassed the layers of eyes to leave Xuanping Fang.”
Xie Yao smiled, his pale face like a ghost. “You’re saying she left on her own.”
Song He could only have this explanation. He had already interrogated his subordinates one by one. At that time, everyone was on guard against the rebellious troops attacking from the outside. Shields, armor, bows, and arrows were all stationed on the periphery, and the people inside were also paying attention to the movements outside.
At night, the sound of horse’s hooves and the neighing of men and horses could occasionally be heard, and the sky was filled with firelight. The Xie Residence was quiet and safe. No one had thought that the Mistress would leave the residence on her own. Even if she had to go out for something important, she would surely have asked him for protection and would not have left without saying goodbye.
However, it had happened just like that. The Mistress had disappeared without a trace. Song He did not believe that there was a loophole in the guards. The explanation he could think of was almost impossible, but besides that, what other explanation could there be?
The four of them could not have just disappeared into thin air.
Xie Yao naturally did not believe it either and immediately had someone summon everyone in the residence for interrogation.
Song He said, “This subordinate has already interrogated them all. They all know nothing.”
Xie Yao did not believe him and went to the place where the maids were being held. These were all bought by him from the common people. After the incident of them not serving Yuli diligently, he had killed people in front of them to intimidate them. They were as afraid of him as they were of Yama.
No one dared to lie. It was clear that Song He had already used some torture.
Seeing him come, the maids were so scared that their faces turned pale, and they huddled together.
“The Mistress is missing. Does it have anything to do with you?” he asked.
The maids all shook their heads and said they didn’t know.
Xie Yao drew the sword at his waist. From Huilong City straight to the capital, the sword had not yet been wiped, and it was covered in dried blood.
The maids trembled with fear.
“Whoever tells me her whereabouts first, I will spare her life, reward her with ten thousand taels of gold, and grant her the title of a county mistress.”
Hearing him say this, the maids looked at each other, but no one spoke.
Xie Yao swung his sword, and the maids screamed.
Then there was a deathly silence.
Finally, a bold maid said, “The Mistress usually treats us servants very well. We are all anxious that she is missing, but it really has nothing to do with us servants. She is no longer in the residence. I beg Your Highness to go and find her quickly.”
Xie Yao paused, and the hand holding the sword suddenly dropped.
He turned and walked out.
“Take half of the men and follow me to the Imperial City. Capture the Wei clan, the Wang clan, the Lu clan…” he listed a string of noble surnames, his steps not stopping, and he left the residence.
*
The sky was beginning to lighten.
In the square outside the Danfeng Gate, all the male members of the few great families that Xie Yao had pointed out had gathered.
Cui Chengbi had also resolved the crisis in the Imperial City and had brought his troops over. His fall from his horse was fake, but at this moment, he pretended that his legs were not nimble. He walked to Xie Yao, knelt down, and apologized.
“This subject, Cui Chengbi, failed to protect the city, which led to chaos in the capital, panic among the people, and the wrongful death of court officials. I ask Your Highness to punish me.”
According to the plan, at this time, he should have been pardoned, and then he would have turned to the rebellious old nobles and completely extinguished the rekindled embers.
However, Xie Yao just hummed faintly in agreement, left him on the side, and did not tell him to rise.
More and more people were being escorted by the Shenwu Army and the shadow guards, all of whom were bound, their faces ashen.
Several family heads and the capable young talents of their clans were brought to the front.
Behind them were a sea of heads, most of whom were kneeling on the ground, not daring to breathe.
Previously, they had indeed submitted to Xie Yao out of fear of his military power. On the surface, they had submitted to him, but in secret, they had made many small moves and were at odds with the humble court officials whom Xie Yao had promoted. But having been in the court for many years, what they did was aboveboard, making it difficult for people to catch them.
Xie Yao had long seen it. This time, he had feigned defeat, which he had been planning since the beginning of his regency.
To have the Southern Garrison and the Shenwu Army go on an expedition together, knowing that they would surely be defeated, was to show the internal discord of the Rouran.
To have the Southern Garrison go on a second expedition was to show the weakness of the Rouran’s troops.
To have Du Ling go on another expedition was to show that the Shenwu Army had been corrupted.
And with his personal expedition, spreading false news of his defeat, he intended to make those restless old nobles believe they could stage a comeback, and to make the Rouran also think they could defeat him—luring them all to march south.
The Rouran had already been exterminated. The old nobles had thrown the capital into chaos, which had made the common people and the neutral parties hate them to the core. At this time, no matter how he purged them, they would have nothing to say.
Originally, he had wanted to exterminate their three clans and exile five clans.
Now he felt it was not enough.
The blood of the battlefield was still there. His eyes seemed to have been dyed red. He could not see the innocent people who were caught in it, and he had even forgotten what Yuli had once said, that he was in a high position and should solve problems in a more gentle way.
He had only one thought: if he could not find Yuli, he would kill everyone.
He could have killed them all long ago, but for the sake of his reputation, and for the long-term plan, he had managed for more than a year and had finally occupied the moral high ground. To kill them all would only be a great relief to the people.
Unless Yuli appeared in the next moment, he could be merciful.
Xie Yao waited, looking at the end of the long street where she might appear.
The sky was beginning to lighten. The news of the regent’s return to the capital had already spread throughout the capital. He waited for another half-moment, but there was no movement.
An arrow quiver appeared beside Xie Yao.
Xie Yao drew an arrow and casually aimed it at an old man who was over fifty. He said to Song He, “Go and ask if anyone in his clan has ever met anyone from the Xie Residence.”
Song He walked to the man’s side, asked a question, and the man had a dazed look in his eyes.
An arrow flew out, but it was the young man of his clan beside him who was pierced through the brow and fell to the ground on the spot.
Song He’s whole body was tense. He asked again.
The old man’s hair was disheveled. He stared at the dead junior of his clan, full of hatred and pain, but he still couldn’t say anything.
Another arrow was shot. The old man shouted, “What people from the Xie Residence? What people from the Xie Residence? I beg Your Highness to spare my life!”
The moment he finished speaking, an arrow pierced his chest, and the old man fell in a pool of blood.
The arrows did not stop, and the questioning did not stop. In the blink of an eye, half of the people had died under the regent’s arrows. Every family had been taken care of, but still no one knew any news of the people in the Xie Residence.
Xie Yao seemed to be tired. The hand holding the bow was trembling a little. The arrow was shot and was off by half an inch, grazing the neck of a person in the distance, who fainted on the spot.
Xie Yao stopped, put down his bow and arrow, and calmed down for a moment. His hand was no longer trembling.
Good, it seems that Yuli was not captured by someone. At least no one is controlling her now, and she is still safe.
Xie Yao ordered all the remaining people to be killed and ordered the Shenwu Army to confiscate their homes and imprison everyone in their families.
Then he turned to Cui Chengbi and told him to rise.
Cui Chengbi was already drenched in sweat. He kowtowed and thanked him as if he had been granted amnesty.
Xie Yao’s face was normal. “The rebels are still at large. You take your troops to wipe them out and restore the prestige of the Shenwu Army. Do you understand?”
Cui Chengbi naturally understood. It was as if he had walked through the gates of hell and back. He cupped his fists and took his order, his voice sonorous and powerful.
It was broad daylight. Xie Yao returned to Mingyue Residence.
He had been on the road for five consecutive days and had not closed his eyes. He fell onto the bed in the bedchamber and fell asleep.
His dream was chaotic, with broken limbs and severed heads everywhere. Yuli was trapped in it, crying helplessly. He wanted to get close to her, to hold her, but he could never get close. He reached out his hand to her, but he saw his hands were covered in blood.
Xie Yao woke up with a start. It was already the hour of Wei.
He looked around the room. It was still frighteningly empty.
Perhaps she had just gone out to play. He had kept her for so long, using both soft and hard tactics, not letting her do as she pleased.
She might have been angry with him and had run out to play while he was in a difficult situation, to teach him a lesson.
Xie Yao stood up, ordered someone to bring water, washed off the blood from his whole body, and changed into the light-colored robes she liked.
Perhaps she had gone to find Yingniang. She loved to listen to her sing the most, but he did not like her to have contact with a songstress. It was his fault.
Xie Yao rode his horse to the Chunxiao Tower. A servant was sweeping the entrance. He walked straight in. The servant wanted to say something but was stopped by Song He behind him.
When he reached the door of the Chunxiao Tower’s owner’s room, he heard the sound of conversation from inside.
“Don’t think that you can grow wings just because you’re relying on Huayan Fang. Look at you, what can you do besides sing? With a few pennies and a few flowers, you think you can be self-reliant?” It was the voice of the Chunxiao Tower’s owner.
“I have found my own way out. Whether it is good or bad, I can bear it myself. The money I have earned for you over the years is enough. One must have a conscience.”
“I want to have a conscience, but you want to take so many people from my tower. I’m sorry, I am a businessman, and my conscience has been eaten by a dog.”
Yingniang could not speak.
Xie Yao walked in. When the owner saw him, his face immediately turned pale, and he knelt down with a thud.
Xie Yao ignored him and walked to Yingniang, who was also kneeling on the ground. He looked down at her and asked, “Has my wife come to find you?”
Yingniang trembled. “Since the Welcoming Summer Festival, this servant has not seen Madam Song.”
“You want to redeem yourself. Was it her idea?”
Yingniang explained sincerely, “It was this servant’s own idea. Madam Song had invited this servant and the sisters in the tower to wear the flowers and show their faces, which made Huayan Fang’s business boom. After that, many merchants came to us. This servant wanted to redeem the sisters who were close to me and make a living by performing songs and dances. It was thanks to the Mistress’s kindness.”
Xie Yao was silent for a while. “I will allow you to redeem yourself.”
Yingniang almost thought she had misheard. She wanted to look up but didn’t dare. She kowtowed and thanked him.
When Xie Yao left, he left two shadow guards to watch her, then went to Huayan Fang.
The door of Huayan Fang was damaged, and the inside was in a mess. The velvet flowers she had carefully designed were scattered on the ground, and the gauze curtains were half-hanging. The painting that he had ordered the court painters to rush to make was still there, probably because it was not easy to move. It had been moved, but it was still intact.
The upper floor and the backyard were also empty.
Because of this disaster, the shop had to be rebuilt.
“Go and see if her shopkeeper is alive,” Xie Yao stood in the backyard for a long time, then suddenly said.
Song He ordered someone to go.
Xie Yao went to the shabby alley and found Ye Weiqing’s small house.
A shadow guard knocked on the door. Ye Weiqing appeared at the door. Seeing him, he immediately lowered his head and bowed.
Xie Yao wanted to go in. He made way and stood at the door, not daring to move.
When he had woken up from his coma, he was still alive, but his right index finger had been cut off and had been bandaged.
On the day Yuli had first come to his door, he had already been hanging himself, with the cloth hung up, just short of kicking away the chair.
The appearance of the young lady was like a sudden light in a quiet and cold night, bringing him hope. Later, he found that she was so beautiful that she was not like a woman of this world. A delusion arose in him. He tried his best to restrain it, but it grew a thousand times.
From not daring to look at her at the beginning, to looking, from looking from a distance, to wanting to get closer, to wanting to touch, he knew it was seeking death, but it was like being poisoned. To get close was death, and not to get close was also death.
If not for the near-death experience that night, and the frantic venting, and the cutting of his right index finger, he might have really gone to a dead end.
Now he just wanted to be a dyer, to teach all his dyeing skills to Xiyun. Perhaps the next time he saw her, he would say goodbye to her and travel the world.
At this time, the regent had come to find him. He probably still could not tolerate him. Ye Weiqing’s heart was as calm as still water. It was also good to die, just to return to the time before he had met her.
“I beg Your Highness to give this commoner a quick death,” he knelt on the ground and prostrated himself, his voice calm.
Xie Yao paused, looked around the room. It was still cramped, but the window was opened a little wider, and the setting sun shone in, showing some brightness.
There was an unfinished painting on the desk. From the position of the brush, it was painted with his left hand.
It was a simple landscape painting. The fine brushwork was even cruder than before, but one could see an ethereal artistic conception.
It was much more brilliant than the paintings that only showed off their colors before.
Yuli would not be here. She had no feelings for this person at all.
Xie Yao said calmly, “It is no crime to admire the bright moon. I will not kill you. I just hope that you will be worthy of her trust.”
Ye Weiqing was taken aback for a moment. “Your Highness did not tell her what I did?”
“You have helped her. I will give you a chance,” Xie Yao said, and turned to leave.
He returned to Mingyue Residence. The sky was already dark.
The empty second gate, the quiet Mingyue Residence, almost devoured his reason.
From their first meeting to now, her words and actions were not like a girl of this world. She was like she had accidentally come to his side from the heavens, giving him the most beautiful time of his life. Now she had left.
Perhaps she had returned to where she had come from.
But how could she have taken three maids with her, but left him behind?
Did he still not deserve her to miss him, or did she think he couldn’t let go of all this?
No, he was willing to give up everything to go with her. As long as he was with her, anywhere, he could start over.
She must not have disappeared. She was as intelligent as ice and snow, and was knowledgeable. Leaving the Xie Residence was not a difficult matter for her.
She had the spirit to soar freely. She might have really had enough of his confinement. When she learned that something had happened to him and he could no longer control her, she had happily run away.
Chu Hong, Xie Yao thought of him. She might have gone south to do business with him.
Although she did not like him, she treated him as an equal opponent, and it was not impossible for her to have developed a feeling of mutual appreciation.
Xie Yao suddenly stood up, wanting to go to Jiangnan to find her in person.
He took a few steps and then stopped. If she had left because of her feelings for someone else, Chu Hong was insignificant.
It was the talented and brilliant Zhuangyuan who had once shared hardships with her and had helped her for many years.
Even if he had been sent far away, a few days ago, he had still seen his name in a memorial from the Vice Minister of Personnel.
Xie Yao changed into black clothes and left the residence. Before he had gone a few steps, a shadow guard came up to him.
One reported that the shopkeeper of Huayan Fang and his family were safe.
One brought the ministers of the Hall of Political Affairs who had come to ask for an audience.
Xie Yao did not stop. He mounted his horse and said to the ministers, “The battlefield in the northern border is not yet settled. I have to go and finish it in person. You all clean up the capital and wait for my triumphant return.”
The few of them bowed respectfully and watched him leave with his personal attendants and shadow guards.
After leaving the city gate, Xie Yao reined in his horse and stood for a moment. He sent twenty shadow guards to Jiangnan. “If you find her, keep an eye on her secretly and report to me immediately in Lingquan County.”
The shadow guards left. He, on the other hand, spurred his horse north and went to Lingquan County, where Mei Qing was the county magistrate.